tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28283152204382637772024-03-05T15:20:11.942-08:00Spiritual JournalsLukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-91693384844731503432013-01-09T12:06:00.002-08:002013-01-09T12:12:19.053-08:00Romans 3The purpose of the law is not to make us righteous but to make us become conscious of sins.<br />
<br />
For example, does any government around the world make laws to make its citizens become better people?<br />
<br />
The answer is no.<br />
<br />
Many laws have been made and applied throughout the history of the world, and not one of them made people become better people.<br />
<br />
It's the same way with the law of God. The law of God doesn't make us to be better people but rather make us conscious of our faults, greed, adulterous heart, idolatry, and lust.<br />
<br />
How then do we become better people?<br />
<br />
Well the question is wrong, because God says there is no one who does good, no not one.<br />
<br />
Everyone turned to his own evil desires, not necessarily criminal minds, but idolatrous minds, ignoring God and worshipping something or someone other than God, for example, money, power, status or sex.<br />
<br />
God says, He declares us righteous when we put our trust in Him.<br />
<br />
Putting our trust in God means we accept God as who He is.<br />
<br />
We accept everything about God.<br />
<br />
We accept the benevolent, all-loving God.<br />
<br />
We accept that He is good.<br />
<br />
By putting our trust in Him, we become like Him knowingly or unknowingly.<br />
<br />
Now I think about it, I haven't actually paid the price for all the countless number of sins that I committed in the past.<br />
<br />
I should rather say, "How can God be so unjust as to overlook all the sins that I have committed whether they be small or big in the world's eyes?"<br />
<br />
"Is God unjust?" "Is He selfish, unjust and wicked like some corrupt leader, government or heinous criminal in the history of the world?"<br />
<br />
Well, He did punish the wicked for all the sins they had/have committed, in Jesus. Jesus paid that price, and now God commands us to believe that sacrifice provided for us.<br />
<br />
We'll pay the price for our sins in two ways in the end.<br />
<br />
Either Jesus pays for us on the cross, or we pay in the eternal torment of hell.<br />
<br />
Everlasting life or everlasting death.<br />
<br />
Everlasting joy or everlasting misery.<br />
<br />
Everlasting fellowship with God whose love surpasses all knowledge, or everlasting separation from God whose wrath would be fully unveiled in the unquenchable lake of fire, reserved for Satan and demons, and also for those who rejected His love.<br />
<br />
God is love. Love is God.<br />
Without God, without love.<br />
I breath God, and God breathes me.<br />
Without God, I am nothing.<br />
With God, I am all that I am and can be.<br />
<br />
"God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of forgiveness, through belief in his blood/death.<br />
He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His patience He had left the sins every soul that ever lived committed beforehand unpunished. He did this to demonstrate His justice / fairness at the present time, so as to be just/fair and the one who justifies the sinful (i.e. every soul that ever lived, lives or will live) who trust in Jesus."<br />
Romans 3:25, 26Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-70126123278241503052013-01-08T10:01:00.000-08:002013-01-08T10:01:12.308-08:00Romans 2One big misconception we have about God is that He's a forgiving God who overlooks evil.<br />
<br />
Yes, He is a forgiving God, and He does forgive sins but He does not overlook sins.<br />
<br />
He will judge both the righteous and the evil.<br />
<br />
He will reward those who do good and punish those who do evil.<br />
<br />
God is a just God. He is not a God who judges partially or misjudge.<br />
<br />
He knows our hearts and all the secrets of our hearts will be revealed when the Lord Jesus returns and judges us on that final day of judgement.<br />
<br />
All of us sins and we are all by nature under the wrath and judgement of God, and this is perfectly understandable and right.<br />
<br />
Should the murderers, rapists, liars, slanderer, adulterers, idolaters and God-haters enter the heaven? And completely destroy the society of the heaven? No, because that would be unloving of anyone, yea, unloving of God to let them harm the people who desire to live in harmony and love God and love each other.<br />
<br />
For example, what if there's no police system in any government of the world? What if the murderers, rapist, liars, slanderers, adulterers and insurrectionists were all tolerated and by no means, judged?<br />
<br />
Would that nation stand? Would you and I be able to live in that kind of society? Would that be loving of anyone?<br />
<br />
What if someone tries to kill you, rape you, lie to you, slander your name, cheat on you and replace you in your work and home? Or what if that person tries to do these things to someone you love, your family, spouse or children?<br />
<br />
How horrendous that would be, indeed!!! What if they really did these things to someone you love the most on the earth? Would you let them go as if nothing happened? No, by no means!!! You'd seek revenge!!!<br />
<br />
This is what God did. God indeed punished evil and sin by sending His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, although He was innocent and sinless, chose to be placed in the position of a heinous criminal and died as a murderer, rapist, liar, adulterer, slanderer, and idolater, that we are.<br />
<br />
And now when anyone believes that Jesus died in their place for their sins, God says they are righteous because they believed in the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ, His Son, and they're now declared to be the children of God.<br />
<br />
The Holy Spirit comes into their lives and they are new people.<br />
<br />
God changes their hearts. God changes your heart the moment you stop your stubbornness running away and avoiding God, and finally take that step and do the most reasonable thing on the face of the earth, that is to love God, and put your entire trust in that God who loved you enough, so much, that He sent the Son of God, Jesus who loved you Himself as well, to die on the cross to bear your faults, sins, crime and evil, so that you no longer live in fear of the punishment, judgement and wrath of God.<br />
<br />
Jews believe they're the chosen people of God because they're the ones who received the law of God and receive circumcision and follow the law of God, that's only partly true.<br />
<br />
God says, it is those who are inwardly Jews, that are true Jews or the true people of God.<br />
<br />
The chosen people of God are not people who have a specific nationality or received a specific holy scripture or had a specific history related to God.<br />
<br />
That's only partly right.<br />
<br />
The true people of God are those who are inwardly transformed or being transformed by the power, love, grace and mercy of God, into the image of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.<br />
<br />
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.<br />
Romans 8:29Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-50706240722056171262013-01-08T01:32:00.000-08:002013-01-08T01:32:39.278-08:00Romans 1Paul, to the Romans.<br />
<br />
Paul greets the Romans and encourages them to be faithful to God, and Paul's delighted to hear that the news of Romans' faith is being reported all over the world.<br />
<br />
Paul emphasises the importance of the power of the gospel of God that saves both Jews and Gentiles.<br />
<br />
The Righteous person lives by faith.<br />
<br />
The Righteous person is a person who puts his entire trust in God who made him/her and the entire universe.<br />
<br />
It is a relationship between the trusted and the trustee.<br />
<br />
God and His people whom He loves.<br />
<br />
God created people for Himself, exactly to have a perfect relationship with them.<br />
<br />
But knowing the fact that our breakage in this holy relationship would result in death, we still did it. We broke away from our Creator and chose the created, and started to worship the created which looked beautiful and desirable to possess. We forgot God, God let us go that way.<br />
<br />
God did not force us to stay with Him which would be unloving of Him.<br />
<br />
He chose to suffer the breakage in the relationship, yet He never gave up on us.<br />
<br />
He let us explore evil, perverted and idolatrous.<br />
<br />
We started to worship the sun, moon and the stars.<br />
<br />
We also made gods out of wood, stone, marbles and animals.<br />
<br />
We believed what eyes saw, and ignored what our hearts told us.<br />
<br />
We started to believe in the physical realm, rather than listening to the quiet voice of God who speaks to our conscience and dreams.<br />
<br />
We exploited God by turning his gifts to gods.<br />
<br />
The gifts God bestowed upon us became our gods; money, power and sex.<br />
<br />
Not bad or evil in themselves but our obsession with money, power and sex became the trap that trapped us in confusion, addiction and deception.<br />
<br />
We forgot God, yet God never forgot us.<br />
<br />
He's still waiting for us. He still gives us the hints of His presence here and there.<br />
<br />
The sky declares the glory of God.<br />
Psalm 19:1<br />
Romans 1:20Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-50189101265896735972013-01-07T02:00:00.004-08:002013-01-07T02:00:58.309-08:00Even David Was Worn Out From Groaning With WeepingThere are some Christians who advocate the fact that if you believe in Jesus, all your problems will be solved and your emotions will be taken care of, and your depression will be healed.<br />
<br />
Well, hear this out from David.<br />
<br />
"I am worn out from groaning;<br />
all night long I flood my bed with weeping<br />
and drench my couch with tears.<br />
<br />
My eyes grow weak with sorrow;<br />
they fail because of all my foes."<br />
Psalm 6:6, 7<br />
<br />
It is a fact that psalms depict many instances and moments when David suffered from and experienced laments, depression, anger, sadness, loneliness and absolute despair.<br />
<br />
And these emotions were written all over his life's journey.<br />
<br />
So was David not a strong believer in God?<br />
<br />
Is that why he was not strong enough to be happy and easy-going all the time like many Christians / Pastors mistakenly believe Christians should be?<br />
<br />
Jesus said that we all suffer.<br />
<br />
We sometimes suffer because of our own mistakes and failures and other times because of someone else's fault, but what's most important in these times of suffering is that we keep our attitude and heart sound and centred in God.<br />
<br />
I'm no good at this than anyone else.<br />
<br />
So, here I'm preaching to myself.<br />
<br />
I learn from David,<br />
<br />
"Away from me, all you who do evil,<br />
for the LORD has heard my weeping.<br />
The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;<br />
the LORD accepts my prayer."<br />
Psalm 6:8, 9<br />
<br />
Do I know that the LORD has heard my weeping?<br />
Do I know and feel that the LORD has heard my cry for mercy?<br />
Do I know, feel and internalise the fact that the LORD accepts my prayer?<br />
<br />
This is the faith David had, and I take a moment to have this kind of faith by believing in the LORD who has heard my weeping and my cry for mercy, and accepts my prayer.Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-45349292694741438522013-01-06T10:18:00.000-08:002013-01-06T10:18:19.701-08:00This Man Stands Before You Healed By The Name Of Jesus Christ Of NazarethIt is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.<br />
Acts 4:10<br />
<br />
What? It is by the name of someone who was killed like a common criminal, no actually, like a heinous criminal with capital punishment, like death by an electric chair or hanging as a modern day equivalent, that this crippled man regained the strength and ability to stand up again?<br />
<br />
Yes, exactly.<br />
<br />
But more than that, there's no one else on the face of the earth by whom you can be saved, apart from Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who was killed with that kind of capital punishment but God raised from the dead.<br />
<br />
No, I can't save myself from the damnation of hell, and no, you can't save yourself from the damnation of hell, either.<br />
<br />
No, Buddha cannot save you from the damnation of hell, because he himself needs to be saved from his own sins.<br />
<br />
No, Muhammad cannot save you from the damnation of hell, because he himself needs to be saved from his own sins.<br />
<br />
No, no so-called gods cannot save you from the damnation of hell, because there are no "gods" per se. There is only one God according to Jesus.<br />
<br />
How arrogant of you to say that! How arrogant of you to say that there is only one person on the face of the earth by whom we can be saved from sins, death and punishment and get to heaven! How arrogant of Jesus to say that!<br />
<br />
Well, it would be very arrogant of him like you said if he was a mere man. That's why it is very humble of us who are human-beings to say that "I am no god." But curiously, Jesus said "I am God."<br />
<br />
And that person was a person who died by crucifixion?!<br />
How am I supposed to believe such a thing?<br />
<br />
Well, I did not write the Bible. I did not write these truths.<br />
Well, don't argue with me, argue with God, or argue with the Bible, the Word of God!<br />
<br />
These truths are something I need to wrestle with everyday myself as well.<br />
<br />
I love people. I love everyone on the face of the earth. Well, I would like to develop that kind of unconditional love for everyone on the face of the earth, regardless of their race, culture, geographic location or language.<br />
<br />
But my love must be based upon the Truth, not lies!<br />
My love must be truthful, not just mushy feelings.<br />
<br />
So I dare say, be healed in the name of Jesus!<br />
Be saved by Jesus Christ of Nazareth!<br />
<br />
How can I be saved?<br />
<br />
When the jailer who jailed the followers of Jesus witnessed a miracle happening to them, and he was at the brink of death because he almost let them escape due to the miracle performed for them. The jailer almost committed suicide, but Paul, one of the students of Jesus, shouted to him, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"<br />
<br />
He (the jailer) then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"<br />
They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household."<br />
<a href="http://bible.cc/acts/16-31.htm">Acts 16:29-31</a><br />
<br />Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-6185845080661704612013-01-04T03:00:00.001-08:002013-01-04T03:00:29.036-08:00I Am Happier Than They Who Are RichYou have filled my heart with greater joy<br />
than when their grain and new wine abound.<br />
Psalm 4:7<br />
<br />
When David wrote this psalm, he was happier than other people who were rich,<br />
<br />
Because God filled David's heart with great joy,<br />
<br />
Greater joy than those who had a lot of money flow in to their bank accounts.<br />
<br />
David could sleep well.<br />
<br />
I will lie down and sleep in peace,<br />
for you alone, O LORD,<br />
make me dwell in safety.<br />
Psalm 4:8<br />
<br />
The question is, "Is this true of me?"<br />
<br />
Does God fill my heart with greater joy than when other people are making a lot of money?<br />
<br />
The answer seems to be "no" initially,<br />
<br />
But when I think about it, "Do rich people sleep well?"<br />
<br />
I have a hunch that that is not necessarily so.<br />
<br />
"Do I sleep better than the majority of (if not all) the rich people on the face of the earth?"<br />
<br />
Possibly. I may sleep better than a lot of rich people in this world tonight.<br />
<br />
So, God does fill my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound, just like He did for David's heart.<br />
Psalm 4:7Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-42870018797981786892013-01-03T03:24:00.001-08:002013-01-03T03:24:30.650-08:00I am like God?When God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.<br />
Genesis 5:1<br />
<br />
God created me in His likeness.<br />
<br />
I am like God.......?<br />
<br />
Yes, the word of God affirms that I am like God.<br />
<br />
God does not say this with regards to other animals, creatures, or even angels. But only with regards to a human-being, God says this.<br />
<br />
In what sense?<br />
<br />
I am not all-powerful like God.<br />
I am not all-knowing like God.<br />
I am not all-present like God.<br />
<br />
But I can be loving like God.<br />
And I can be kind like God.<br />
And I can be patient like God.<br />
And I can rejoice with the truth like God.<br />
And I can protect, trust, hope and persevere like God.<br />
1 Corinthians 13:4-8<br />
<br />
God is love.<br />
And the purpose of my being is to love like God.<br />
<br />
<br />
When God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. That man may love like God. Or at least, man may learn to love like God for all eternity. For ever and ever.<br />
<br />
<br />Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-58853075042662924782013-01-02T01:43:00.001-08:002013-01-02T01:51:37.700-08:00God laughs at them who stand against HimThe One enthroned in heaven laughs;<br />
the Lord scoffs at them.<br />
<br />
Psalm 2:4<br />
<br />
I never noticed the humour of this verse.<br />
<br />
God laughs!!!! Hahahahahahaha.<br />
<br />
God laughs at those who stand against Him.<br />
<br />
They think they can oppose God and somehow establish their own idolatrous kingdom on the earth.<br />
<br />
If I think I can oppose God and establish my own little idolatrous kingdom, God laughs at me!!! Haha~<br />
<br />
Haha~<br />
<br />
God laughs at them.<br />
<br />
God laughs at me (if I oppose Him!)<br />
<br />
God scoffs at them.<br />
<br />
God scoffs at me (if I oppose Him!)<br />
<br />
"Scoff" means "to laugh or say things to show that you think someone or something is stupid or deserves no respect." according to <a href="http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/scoff">Macmillan Dictionary</a>.<br />
<br />
Haha.<br />
<br />
So it follows that God laughs and say things to show that He thinks those who oppose Him are stupid and deserve no respect. Period.<br />
<br />
So I can be very stupid and deserve no respect If I opposed God!!<br />
<br />
Haha.<br />
<br />
It goes to show how stupid it would be oppose God.<br />
<br />
How very stupid of me would it be if I opposed God!!! Hahaha<br />
<br />
He made me and made you and every one of us.<br />
<br />
If anyone (including me) would dare to oppose God, it would be like a pottery opposing its maker, the potter.<br />
<br />
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<br />Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-65096958435712927532013-01-01T01:12:00.004-08:002013-01-01T01:12:54.922-08:00Like A Tree Planted By Streams Of Water<i>Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.</i><br />
<br />
Happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked, sinful and idolatrous.<br />
<br />
Happy is the man who does not stand around with those who scheme evil things.<br />
<br />
Happy is the man who does not sit around with those who mock other people and God.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.</i><br />
<br />
His happiness is derived from the word of God, and on His word, he muses in the morning and night.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.</i><br />
<br />
This man is just like a tree planted near a river, that produces its delicious, wholesome fruit in season and whose leaf is green and flourishing.<br />
<br />
He succeeds in everything he does.<br />
<br />
Psalm 1:1-3Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-46057665542195135882012-12-28T02:34:00.001-08:002012-12-28T02:34:27.481-08:00Hard to BelieveHere's something I've just read that I find hard to believe.<br />
<br />
This time, I read it and re-read it.<br />
<br />
"Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?"<br />
<a href="http://bible.cc/job/38-41.htm">Job 38:41</a><br />
<br />
God provides food for the birds.<br />
<br />
God is the ultimate Provider, the true Provider.<br />
<br />
Here's also what Jesus said.<br />
<br />
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?<br />
<a href="http://bible.cc/matthew/6-26.htm">Matthew 6:26</a><br />
<br />
God provides food for birds of the air.<br />
<br />
God says we, humans, are much more valuable than birds.<br />
<br />
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?<br />
<a href="http://bible.cc/matthew/6-27.htm">Matthew 6:27</a><br />
<br />
God says, "Why worry? Not a single hour is added to your life by worrying."<br />
<br />
Conclusion, "Stop worrying, because you're loved. Dearly loved by God.<br />
<br />
God cares about you. God loves you."<br />
<br />
I take comfort in that truth.<br />
<br />
God wants us to take comfort in the truth that He loves us and cares about us.<br />
<br />
Thank you, God.<br />
<br />
Thank you, Jesus.<br />
Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-16197675731756376302012-12-26T03:09:00.004-08:002012-12-26T03:09:52.310-08:00Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations?<a href="http://bible.cc/job/38-4.htm">Job 38:4</a><br />
<br />
Job suffered greatly.<br />
<br />
Job was suffering so badly that he wanted to die.<br />
<br />
He even wondered why he didn't die in his mother's womb.<br />
<br />
He despised the day of his birth.<br />
<br />
Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me. <a href="http://bible.cc/job/10-18.htm">(Job 10:18)</a><br />
<br />
This is a similar lament to that of Jeremiah whose suffering also resulted in this cry of despair that he didn't die in his mother's womb.<br />
<br />
Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me not be blessed! <a href="http://bible.cc/jeremiah/20-14.htm">(Jeremiah 20:14)</a><br />
<br />
For he did not kill me in the womb, with my mother as my grave, her womb enlarged forever. <a href="http://bible.cc/jeremiah/20-17.htm">(Jeremiah 20:17)</a><br />
<br />
In all this, God's answer is this.<br />
<br />
Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. <a href="http://bible.cc/job/38-4.htm">(Job 38:4)</a><br />
<br />
The answer to this question is Job wasn't there when God laid the foundation of the earth.<br />
<br />
Job doesn't understand how God laid the earth's foundation.<br />
<br />
Job is not as wise as God<br />
<br />
Job is not as loving as God<br />
<br />
Job doesn't understand how God created everything that has been created.<br />
<br />
God perfectly understands how He created everything that has been created.<br />
<br />
Job doesn't understand everything.<br />
<br />
God understands everything.<br />
<br />
Job doesn't understand why he's suffering so badly that he wants to die, and even wishes that he was never born.<br />
<br />
God understands exactly, and yea perfectly, why Job is suffering.<br />
<br />
God brought suffering to Job.<br />
<br />
Job doesn't understand why God did it.<br />
<br />
But God understands exactly why He brought suffering to Job.<br />
<br />
Job suffered.<br />
<br />
God knows Job suffered.<br />
<br />
There's a reason and purpose for it.<br />
<br />
Job didn't know how much of an impact his suffering would bring about in the millenia to come.<br />
<br />
How many millions of people around the world would find great comfort and reassurance from knowing that they're not alone in all this.<br />
<br />
That God is present and that God knows all our suffering and that God Himself suffered.<br />
<br />
Jesus suffered.<br />
<br />
He died on the cross.<br />
<br />
He suffered greatly.<br />
<br />
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.<br />
<a href="http://bible.cc/isaiah/53-5.htm">Isaiah 53:5</a><br />
<br />
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.<br />
<a href="http://bible.cc/1_peter/2-24.htm">1 Peter 2:24</a><br />
<br />Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-34082444458970357442012-12-15T10:41:00.001-08:002012-12-15T10:41:36.890-08:00Why Does That Unpleasant Experience Keep Happening In My Life?A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge,<br />
but the simple keep going and suffer for it.<br />
<a href="http://bible.cc/proverbs/22-3.htm">Proverbs 22:3</a><br />
<br />
This is a simple proverb and yet give us a very powerful principle.<br />
<br />
When you see danger, take refuge (or take actions to avoid it).<br />
<br />
If you keep going and suffer for it, you'd be a simple (or foolish) person.<br />
<br />
Is there something unpleasant in your life that keeps recurring?<br />
<br />
Why does it keep recurring in your life?<br />
<br />
Have you thought about the causes of your suffering?<br />
<br />
Could it be you that is the cause of your own suffering?<br />
<br />
What steps have you taken to remove that danger (or obstacle, barrier) to prevent that suffering?<br />
<br />
Whether it be money problems, relationship problems, work-related problems, or any other sort of problems, in most cases, there are solutions to these problems.<br />
<br />
There are already many books, blogs, and other helpful resources on the problems mentioned above available on the internet.<br />
<br />
It's only a few clicks away, or a few searches on Amazon or just a few minutes of googling to find solutions to problems we already have.<br />
<br />
Let's get started. Rather than keep going and suffer for it, let us recognise danger and take refuge.<br />
<br />
And I'm talking to myself here as well, otherwise I'd be a complete hypocrite.Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-28555556951837854132012-12-14T19:50:00.001-08:002012-12-14T19:50:42.232-08:00The Principle Of 80% To Prevent Unnecessary StressThis is a principle I found quite helpful when applied to any type of task or goal you're trying to achieve.<br />
<br />
It has helped me to reduce my perfectionism.<br />
<br />
<b>Principle: </b>Try and aim for completing only 80% of your imagined initial task / aim / goal.<br />
<br />
For example,<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>If you plan to study for a solid 30 minutes, try and study for only 80% of that time i.e. 24 minutes.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>If you plan to run for 30 minutes, try and run for only 80% of that time i.e. 24 minutes.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>If you plan to read 10 pages of a certain book, try and read only 8 pages (80%).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>If you plan to write a blog post, try and write only 80% of the content you initially aimed for.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Deliberately lowering the bar of expectation greatly reduces the stress because it's a lot easier to achieve only 80% of the task / aim / goal imagined.<br />
<br />
Otherwise, you'd feel uneasy (especially if you're a perfectionist) because you feel the task hasn't been completed or completed to your satisfaction.<br />
<br />
For example, the principle also applies to the quality of the works you produced. Deliberately aim for 80% of the imagined quality of your work.<br />
<br />
So after you produce a work / works, you feel satisfied rather than feel uneasy and unsatisfied and increase your stress levels.<br />
<br />
I feel that the quality of this blog post is about 80% of what I imagined. So I am quite satisfied. :-)<br />
<br />
<br />
P.S.<br />
This principle also helps with procrastination as well.<br />
<br />
One of the reasons why people procrastinate is because they think that unless they're well prepared and ready or feel just right to begin a task, they won't even start the task they want accomplished.<br />
<br />
If you feel only 80% motivated, and think you could only accomplish 80% of the task if you started, you're in the right state to begin the task.<br />
<br />
More often than not, actually you accomplish more than you imagined you could because the momentum builds up once you start the task.<br />
<br />
<b>Principle: </b>Try and aim for completing only 80% of your imagined initial task / aim / goal.
<br />
<br />Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-65320287751992079752012-12-14T03:44:00.002-08:002012-12-14T03:44:51.693-08:00Eat honey, my son, for it is goodEat honey, my son, for it is good;<br />
honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.<br />
<br />
Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul;<br />
if you find it, there is a future hope for you,<br />
and your hope will not be cut off.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bible.cc/proverbs/24-14.htm">Proverbs 24:13, 14</a><br />
<br />
It's easy to eat honey because it is sweet to my taste.<br />
<br />
But our souls have taste buds as well. And our souls crave wisdom.<br />
<br />
This verse says that if we find wisdom, there is a future hope for us.<br />
<br />
And our hope will not be cut off.<br />
<br />
So I seek wisdom.<br />
<br />
My future is directly related to the wisdom I have.<br />
<br />
Wisdom = Honey<br />
<br />
May I eat wisdom every day. Preferably, 3 times a day for my soul.<br />
<br />
Then, there is definitely a future hope for me.<br />
<br />
And it will not be cut off.<br />
<br />
Yeah!Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-91620265393242412062012-11-30T11:22:00.000-08:002012-11-30T11:36:05.301-08:00A Day Job vs A Dream JobDo you like the job you have?<br />
<br />
Or are you daydreaming about your dream job?<br />
<br />
I just read, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quitter-Closing-Between-Your-Dream/dp/0982986270">Quitter by Jon Acuff</a>.<br />
<br />
It is a book about how to close the gap between your day job & your dream job.<br />
<br />
If you have ever felt that you have always wanted to do _____, but are doing _____ instead. This is probably a right book to read to help you do _____ instead of _____.<br />
<br />
This book has helpful guidance on how to get to your dream job from your day job.<br />
<br />
The basic message of the book is that don't quit your day job just yet, if you have no means to provide for yourself after you quit.<br />
<br />
Work on your dream job in your spare time such as before work, after work or on weekends until you can provide for yourself with the income generated from your dream job.<br />
<br />
The book also gives you helpful advice on how to fall in like with a job you don't love and why you need to do it, and how to avoid pitfalls of quitting a job prematurely.<br />
<br />
You may already be working in your dream job.<br />
<br />
Or you may be working in a day job, and daydreaming about your dream job.<br />
There are also helpful questions at the end of the book that help you decide whether you're ready to quit your day job or not, or whether you're already working in your dream job or not.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.jonacuff.com/blog/">Jon Acuff</a> shows in this book that it is possible to pursue your dream job while working in a day job.<br />
<br />
He has a plenty of personal stories to offer because he's been there, done that, and got the T-shirt.<br />
<br />
<br />
Related posts:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://spiritualjournals.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/the-principle-of-path.html">The Principle of the Path</a></li>
<li><a href="http://spiritualjournals.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/create-your-future-now.html">Create Your Future Now!</a></li>
<li><a href="http://spiritualjournals.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/finding-your-purpose-in-this-life.html">Finding Your Purpose In This Life</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-83672806058700251612012-11-30T00:56:00.001-08:002012-11-30T01:00:13.551-08:00The Principle of the Path<div>
<i>Direction, Not Intention, Determines Destination</i></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Principle-Path-How-Where-Want/dp/0849946360">Andy Stanley</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Where will you end up in 5 years?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Where did you want to end up 5 years ago?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Are you at where you wanted to be 5 years ago?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm going to talk about "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Principle-Path-How-Where-Want/dp/0849946360">the Principle of the Path</a>."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Principle of the Path states that, regardless of where you want to end up or who you want to become, if the path you're taking today does not lead to where you want to end up, you won't end up there.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It is as simple as that.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For example, say, if you wanted to go to Singapore, and took a plane headed to Poland, you won't end up in Singapore.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you wanted to go buy a new laptop, and went to a fruit & vegetables store, you won't be able to buy a laptop.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you wanted to go to a music school, and went to a business school instead, you won't go to a music school.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you wanted to do well at school and become a successful businessman, but now if you're spending all your time watching TV and surfing on the internet, checking emails and Facebook, the chances are the path you're taking at the moment does not lead you to your desired destination, but rather to more of TV watching, internet surfing, and email & Facebook checking.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Your intention might be to become a successful writer, but if you're spending all your precious time doing something else, the chances are your path is not leading you to become a successful writer, but becoming something else other than a successful writer.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It is so simple. Yet, we sometimes naively assume and presume that just daydreaming and thinking about our desired destination would lead us to it somehow. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The truth is that we have to be on the right path and take steps now, no matter how many steps and how long it takes to get us to our destination.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Just as every morning when we get up and get in the car, we have certain directions that we must take to get to work, we must take certain directions in our lives to take us to our desired destination.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Scenario 1:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Bob lives in Singapore. </li>
<li>He wanted to go to New York (Intention).</li>
<li>He took a plane headed to Australia (Direction).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Result: He ended up somewhere he didn't want to be (Destination).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Scenario 2:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Bob lives in Singapore.</li>
<li>He wanted to go to New York (Intention).</li>
<li>He took a plane headed to New York (Direction)</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Result: He ended up in New York where he wanted to be (Destination).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Intention was the same in both scenarios, yet Bob ended up in different destinations, depending on the directions each plane took.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Therefore, </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Direction, Not Intention, Determines Destination.</i></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Principle-Path-How-Where-Want/dp/0849946360">Andy Stanley</a></div>
Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-71000872314507788502012-11-27T20:44:00.000-08:002012-11-27T20:44:05.504-08:00Joy and Sorrow by Kahlil Gibran<br />
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.<br />
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.<br />
<br />
And how else can it be?<br />
<br />
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.<br />
Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven?<br />
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit the very wood that was hollowed with knives?<br />
<br />
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.<br />
When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-36613524548001875232012-11-27T19:36:00.002-08:002012-11-27T19:43:41.155-08:00Create Your Future Now!Do you love movies, TV shows, dramas and songs that depict stories, scenes and relationships of your wildest dreams?<br />
<br />
People often watch movies, TV shows, and dramas, and listen to songs to feed their desire to live the kind of life depicted in these fantasy lands.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I want to be like that person!</li>
<li>I want to live the kind of life that person in the movie is living!</li>
<li>I want to have the kind of relationship depicted in that drama!</li>
<li>I want that life/place/relationship I see with my own eyes on TV in my life!</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<b>Wishful thinking vs Reality </b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Do you truly want to live the kind of life you have always dreamed of?</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li>Will you live the kind of life you have always wanted to live?</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
The questions then is what are you doing today to bring about that change in your life, a transition from wishful thinking to reality in your life?<br />
<br />
Or are you content with the way things are?<br />
<br />
Would you be satisfied with that wishful thinking in your head to stay as it is only in your mind, or are you taking steps to bring about change in your reality today?<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's a confrontational question.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>What have you done this year to transform your reality from that of wishful thinking to that of your wildest dreams?</b></li>
</ul>
<br />
It can be very disturbing if one has lived so far this year with nothing to reflect on in terms of steps taken to bring about that change.<br />
<br />
Because if you have lived so far this year just like the way you have lived in the last five years, it is very likely you'd spend another year in the same way you have lived this year.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Create your future NOW!</b><br />
<br />
If it's 5pm 28/11/2012 now, 6pm 28/11/2012 is my future.<br />
6pm 28/11/2012 will become <b>NOW</b> an hour later.<br />
<br />
If I make some changes in the direction towards my ideal life even if they may be miniscule, my life at 6pm 28/11/2012 will be different as a result of the changes made <b>NOW!</b><br />
<br />
Multiply that by 7, i.e., a week later you'd be living a life closer to that of your ideal.<br />
<br />
Multiply by 30, i.e., a month later, I'd be living a life even closer to that of my ideal.<br />
<br />
Multiply by 365, i.e. a year later, you and I would be living a life much more closer to that of our ideal.<br />
<br />
What was once just wishful thinking becomes a reality in our lives once we realise the only way to bring about that change is through changes made right <b>NOW!</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<i><b>My dreams are worthless, my plans are dust, my goals are impossible.</b></i><br />
<i><b>All are of no value unless they are followed by action.</b></i><br />
<i><b>I will act NOW. </b></i><b><i>I will act NOW. </i></b><b><i>I WILL ACT NOW!</i></b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Salesman-World-Og-Mandino/dp/055327757X">Scroll IX, The Greatest Salesman In The World by Og Mandino</a><br />
<br />Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-83791452937683303852012-11-26T23:54:00.001-08:002012-11-27T00:02:01.773-08:00Problem-solving<i>"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them."</i><br />
<a href="http://www.leadershipnow.com/probsolvingquotes.html">Albert Einstein</a><br />
<br />
<br />
We face problems all the time in our lives.<br />
<br />
The question is not if we'll have problems, but it is how we'll deal with our problems when we face them.<br />
<br />
And how we'll prevent the same problems from occuring again!<br />
<br />
There are basically two general ways to solve a problem.<br />
<br />
<b> 1. Attending to symptoms of a problem </b><br />
<b> 2. Attending to cause(s) of a problem</b><br />
<br />
<br />
For example,<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>If someone is sick with cough, (with an underlying bacterial lung infection.)</li>
</ul>
<br />
For treatment,<br />
<br />
<b> 1. They can have cough medicine to stop the coughing </b><br />
<b> (attending</b><b> to </b><b>a </b><b>symptom).</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b> 2. They can be treated with antibiotics to kill bacteria in the </b><br />
<b> lungs </b><b>(attending to a cause).</b><br />
<br />
<br />
If we only stop the coughing, bacteria may still multiply further and cause greater harm to one's health,<br />
Whereas treatment with antibiotics will not only kill the bacteria, but will also take care of the coughing as well.<br />
<br />
One can take steps even further and maintain healthy lifestyle to prevent lung infection from developing in the first place, letting the one's own immune system to deal with all the invading organisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses.<br />
<br />
Some of the ways to keep one's body healthy include balanced diet (abundant in fruit and vegetables), exercise (e.g. walking more than 30mins a day), and management of stress (e.g. regular practice of relaxation techniques, and reading inspirational books).<br />
<br />
By doing these things (improved diet, exercise and management of stress), one prevents illnesses from occuring at all by boosting one's own immune system and minimising the chance of ill health which may arise from poor dietary habits, lack of exercise and increased stress.<br />
<br />
As an example, we can see how many problems arise from a relatively few causes:<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Poor diet<br />
→ Decreased immunity<br />
→ Opportunistic lung infections<br />
→ Coughing, fever, laboured breathing<br />
→ Increased time off work<br />
→ Decreased work productivity<br />
→ Delayed delivery of services and goods<br />
→ Customer complaints + Increased stress of workers in<br />
many different industries and service sectors<br />
→ Working overtime to meet the demand<br />
→ Workers spend less time spent with family as a result<br />
→ Complaints within family in regards to decreased quality<br />
time spent with family<br />
→ Marital problems + Strained relationship between parents<br />
and children<br />
→ Stressed workers turn to smoking (worsening ill health) and<br />
alcohol (alcoholism + worsening marital relationship; family<br />
relationship); e.g. Children turn to drugs(for temporary<br />
pleasure), gang (to seek the sense of identity) and<br />
sex industry (for comfort and attention) + crime<br />
(to get drugs, participate in gang activities, and promote<br />
sex industry)<br />
→ Huge amounts of money are spent in these activities which<br />
do not result in any productive assets but liabilities<br />
→ And, of course, any of these things can potentially contribute<br />
to one's poor diet, and poor lifestyle.<br />
And the vicious cycle continues.<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
This does not mean poor diet is the cause of all the problems in the world because poor diet itself can be caused by many other things,<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>e.g. busy lifestyle, lack of healthy food choices around the area one's living in, and lack of education.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Now, one can intervene in any part of this chain and attempt to solve a problem or problems. However, unless the cause of a problem is attended to, the vicious cycle will continue.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>So, my question to readers is <b>"what caused that problem that you have?"</b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>The follow-up question is<b> "what caused that cause of the problem that you have?"</b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>And <b>"what is the cause of the cause which caused the problem that you have?"</b> and so on.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
This is the domino effect.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>For example, if a CEO of a certain company decided to let its workers to finish at 5pm instead of 7pm, for example, the overall benefit may outweigh the risks involved in decreased work time. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Additional 2 hours offered to workers may provide them with more opportunities to attend to their own needs in regards to quality time with one's spouse, more time spent with children, more time to relax and rest to store up energy for the next day at work.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
This is hypothetical but I believe it's not a far-fetched idea either.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>At least, I know of the Ford company's case where the CEO, Henry Ford granting more money to the workers at Ford than the baseline wages prevalent in other companies at the time resulted in greater productivity and overall boosted morale of the workers.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Eisteinstein may be right in saying that <b>"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them."</b><br />
<br />
<br />
Will the cough medicine stop the coughing? Yes.<br />
Will one be ok in the long term with just the cough medicine when the real culprit is the bacteria in the lungs? No.<br />
<br />Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-50245624336320156662012-11-26T01:23:00.000-08:002012-11-26T01:53:26.411-08:00How To Eliminate Negative Emotions: Guilt<i>I don't believe in guilt, I believe in living on impulse as long as you never intentionally hurt another person, and don't judge people in your life. I think you should live completely free. </i><br />
<a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/guilt.html#68iCDUttPUKQYo5w.99">Angelina Jolie</a><br />
<br />
<i>No work or love will flourish out of guilt, fear, or hollowness of heart, just as no valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now. </i><br />
<a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/guilt.html#68iCDUttPUKQYo5w.99">Alan Watts</a><br />
<br />
<i>If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.</i><br />
<a href="http://bible.cc/1_john/1-9.htm">St John, the disciple of Jesus</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>What is the definition of guilt?</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>A feeling of being ashamed and sorry because you have done something wrong (<a href="http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/guilt">Macmillan Dictionary</a>)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Remorse or self-reproach caused by feeling that one is responsible for a wrong or offence (<a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/guilt">The Free Dictionary</a>)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<b>What causes guilt?</b><br />
<br />
Guilt is a feeling that one gets when one feels remorse that one has done something wrong.<br />
<br />
First of all, it is important to recognise the source of guilt. For someone to feel guilty, they have to have a set of beliefs where one believes somethings are right to do while believing other things are wrong to do.<br />
<br />
<br />
For example,<br />
<br />
One may believe it is wrong to write a personal name in red. (Names in red signify death and bad luck in some East Asian cultures.)<br />
<br />
The feeling of guilt arises when the person believing the above statement write someone's name in red.<br />
<br />
For someone who believes it is ok to write a personal name in red, he/she wouldn't have a guilty feeling whenever he/she writes anyone's name in red.<br />
<br />
Therefore, it's important to recognise the reason/belief underneath the feeling of guilt. Whenever you feel guilty, try and uncover beliefs underneath those feelings of guilt.<br />
<br />
E.g.<br />
<ul>
<li>If you feel guilty, whenever you eat too much,</li>
<li>The underlying belief might be "it is wrong to eat too much."</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>If you feel guilty, whenever you eat meat,</li>
<li>The underlying belief might be "it is wrong to eat an animal"</li>
</ul>
<br />
Different cultures have different beliefs. For some cultures, it is wrong to eat beef while for another culture, it is wrong to have pork. Therefore, these beliefs are subjective, and can be culturally dependent.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Types of guilt</b><br />
<br />
Additionally, you can generate guilt by doing something wrong to yourself, and/or others.<br />
<br />
For example,<br />
<br />
1. If you feel guilty when you consume too much food, it may only<br />
affect you emotionally, and not others.<br />
<br />
2. However, if you hurt someone, you may feel guilty as well as<br />
negatively affecting the hurt person physically and emotionally.<br />
<br />
<br />
There are two practical solutions to remove guilt from your emotinal life.<br />
<br />
<b> I. Change your beliefs</b><br />
<b> II. Forgive yourself and/or ask for forgiveness from others whom </b><br />
<b> you </b><b>have wronged against</b><br />
<br />
<br />
However, the <b>solution I</b> can be a double-edged sword. For example, if you no longer feel any guilt eating too much, you may end up gaining considerable weight and suffer the consequences of ill-health. Whereas, no longer believing that the consumption of pork is wrong and start eating pork may result in no negative consequences at all, well, at least nutritionally so to speak.<br />
<br />
It requires discernment. Your beliefs pave the path of your emotional life and your future. Depending on what kind of beliefs you have, you may change the course of your emotinal life and your future. (I may write more articles about "beliefs and their impact on our lives" in the future.)<br />
<br />
<br />
The <b>solution II</b> is essential to remove the feeling of guilt from your emotional life. If you feel you have done something wrong to someone, ask for their forgiveness. This needs courage. Regardless of whether they choose to forgive you or not, it is important that you take that first step of courage to ask for their forgiveness, humbling yourself before them.<br />
<br />
<br />
If they chose to forgive you, receive their forgiveness, and forgive yourself as well.<br />
<br />
If they chose not to forgive you, you are left with two options. You can carry that feeling of guilt in your emotional life until they forgive you (if ever), or you can let go of that guilt and get on with your life (and do not make the same fault again!).<br />
<br />
The former nibbles away your emotional resilience, while the latter restores your emotional health. The former pulls your soul down to a dark abyss, while the latter pulls you out of that dark abyss into a brilliant light of day.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Prevention</b><br />
<br />
If you are to prevent that guilt from taking root in your heart again, it is imperative that you do not make the same fault again. It is also relevant to note that you may have had beliefs that do not have any negative consequences to you or others both physically and mentally (e.g. a belief that it's wrong to sing and dance in front of a crowd. (Given that hopefully, one's singing and dancing are not distressing to the crowd!))<br />
<br />
Some of us may have made some very grievous faults in the past and hurt others physically and/or emotionally that we deeply regret. Being forgiven doesn't mean you no longer feel any guilt making the same fault. It means you recognise your fault truly, and resolve to not make the same fault again, through discernment and wisdom, hopefully ever! (But if you do make the same fault again, it is important at that point to carefully think over what caused me/you to make that fault again, and seek solutions to that problem and dissolve it with the acid of discernment and wisdom so that the same problem never get a foothold in my/your life.)<br />
<br />
<br />
Last but not least, have you forgiven others who have hurt you? Are they forgiven?<br />
<br />
It is important that you have forgiven others yourself before you ask for their forgiveness, otherwise you're a hypocrite!<br />
<br />
Forgiveness needs courage as well. It means cancelling out the debt incurred by others towards you physically and/or emotionally. It means letting of grudge, hatred, and vengeful feelings against others from your emotional life.<br />
<br />
<br />
Let me tell you an important truth, God chose to forgive me/you because he is love. Receiving that gift of forgiveness, we receive the power and courage to forgive others as well!<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for <b>every man has need to be forgiven</b>. </i><br />
<a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_forgiveness.html#u1vl57WX3gfj4zhS.99">Thomas Fuller</a><br />
<br />
<i><b>Forgiveness</b> is the final form of <b>love.</b> </i><br />
<a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_forgiveness.html#u1vl57WX3gfj4zhS.99">Reinhold Niebuhr</a><br />
<br />
<i>Be kind and compassionate to one another, <b>forgiving each other</b>, just as in Christ <b>God forgave you.</b></i><br />
<a href="http://bible.cc/ephesians/4-32.htm">St Paul, the disciple of Jesus</a><br />
<br />Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-43914133529633264042012-11-25T00:46:00.003-08:002012-11-25T00:47:27.486-08:00Becoming Like A TreeI like this article by Bob Lotich at <a href="http://christianpf.com/becoming-a-tree/">ChristianPF</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://christianpf.com/becoming-a-tree/">http://christianpf.com/becoming-a-tree/</a><br />
<br />
Patience is such a rare virtue.<br />
<br />
Yet its fruit can be abundant once patience takes root deep in the soil of perseverance, and is given enough time to grow.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-20385195381519626472012-11-24T18:21:00.002-08:002012-11-24T18:52:26.471-08:00Finding Your Purpose In This Life<i>Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. </i><br />
<a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/purpose.html#Rc6JTXKGt5ot4JLs.99">John F. Kennedy</a><br />
<br />
<i>All successful people men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose. </i><br />
<a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/purpose.html#Rc6JTXKGt5ot4JLs.99">Brian Tracy</a><br />
<br />
<i>For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.</i><br />
<a href="http://bible.cc/jeremiah/29-11.htm">Jeremiah 29:11</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Dictionary Definitions:<br />
<ul>
<li>The aim that someone wants to achieve, or that something is intended to achieve (<a href="http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/purpose">Macmillan Dictionary</a>)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>The object toward which one strives or for which something exists. (<a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/purpose">The Free Dictionary</a>)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What is your purpose in life?</div>
<div>
What were you born to do and be?</div>
<div>
What drives you?<br />
What is your burning passion?</div>
<div>
What are your wildest dreams?<br />
What makes you cry?<br />
What do you yearn for?<br />
Who are you?<br />
Who am I?<br />
Who are we?<br />
<br />
These are the questions I'd like to ask everyone who's reading this article.<br />
These are the fundamental questions that can potentially turn my/your life upside down.<br />
These are the questions that can shape our lives and us as individuals for better or worse.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>What Is Purpose?</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Purpose is the target you're aiming your arrows at.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Purpose is the soil in which all kinds of fruit, vegetables and trees of dreams grow.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Purpose is what makes you feel alive truly both emotionally and spiritually.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Purpose is what makes you get up in the morning early and energises you for the day.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Purpose is the medicine that heals the most severe form of depression and fear.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Purpose kisses you in the cheek and smiles at you at all times.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<b>The Truth Is..</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Purpose is already in you. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>He/she's been waiting patiently for you to take a break from the busy life you're leading, and glance at him/her for who he/she is. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>He/she's ready to embark on a journey with you. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>He/she's ready. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>But are you ready? </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>And are you ready to accept him/her for who he/she is?</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>If you find him/her and accept him/her, you'll find yourself.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>But if you reject him/her, you'll lose the most precious friendship you can ever possibly have in this life because it is him/her who knows you more than you can ever possibly know by yourself.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Have you found him/her yet? Or have you been found by him/her?<br />
If you have, live NOW!<br />
<br /></div>
Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-62278418379816744732012-11-24T07:07:00.001-08:002012-11-26T01:35:58.104-08:00How To Eliminate Negative Emotions: Anger<i>Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out. </i><br />
<i>- <a href="http://bible.cc/proverbs/17-14.htm">Proverbs 17:14</a></i><br />
<br />
<i>Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret. </i><br />
<i>- <a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_anger.html#lewU1CP0jiR8UxIV.99">Ambrose Bierce</a></i><br />
<br />
<i>For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind. </i><br />
<i>- <a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_anger.html#lewU1CP0jiR8UxIV.99">Ralph Waldo Emerson</a> </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>What is anger?</b><br />
<br />
Dictionary definitions:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The strong feeling you get when you think someone has treated you badly or unfairly, that makes you want to hurt them or shout at them. (<a href="http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/anger">Macmillan Dictionary</a>)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>A strong emotion or feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance (<a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/anger">The Free Dictionary</a>)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
My definition of anger is that it's an emotion that one feels when one's real or supposed rights have been violated.<br />
<br />
There are different types of anger:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Righteous anger</b></li>
<li><b>Unrighteous anger</b></li>
<li><b>Grey area</b></li>
</ol>
<br />
Righteous anger is an appropriate emotion triggered in response to injustice, crime and/or violence.<br />
<br />
Unrighteous anger is an exaggerated emotion triggered in response to "supposed" injustice, crime and/or violence.<br />
<br />
<br />
The triggering of anger depends on situations.<br />
<br />
e.g.<br />
<br />
1. Righteous anger - When someone is bullied, one may become angry at the bullies. (It is wrong to bully!)<br />
<br />
<br />
2. Unrighteous anger - When one finds oneself in a heavy traffic, one may become angry at the person in front of him/her for not moving fast enough. (Stuck in the traffic together, even if one wants to go fast, they can't)<br />
<br />
<br />
3. Grey area - When someone is late for the meeting, and one has to wait for that person and become impatient and angry at the person who is running late. (Is this justifiable anger?)<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Harmful effects of unrighteous anger:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Physically, the strong emotion of anger causes blood pressure to rise in the body, and releasing stress hormones that could potentially decrease one's immunity, becoming more susceptible to opportunistic infections. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Emotionally and socially, angry person can provoke people around them to become angry as well, spreading the virus of anger around them.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Notice, one only becomes angry when one finds oneself in these situations or imagine being in these situations.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>In situation 1, when the bullies stop bullying, one's anger dissipates.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>In situation 2, when there's no heavy traffic, one's anger dissipates as well. However, what if you have to go through that heavy traffic every morning and night?</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>In situation 3, when you don't meet up with that person who's habitually late, your anger dissipates but what if he/she's your friend, or family member? And you meet up with that person regularly?</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
My defintion of anger is the strong emotion that is triggered in response to the true (or supposed) violation of one's rights.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>In situation 1, one's right of "not to be bullied" was violated and the anger was triggered in response to the injustice of "bullying."</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>In situation 2, one's "supposed" right of "not to be stuck in the traffic and be late for school or work" was violated, and the anger was triggered in response to the "supposed" injustice of "heavy traffic."</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>In situation 3, one's "supposed" right of "not having to wait for someone" was violated, and the anger was triggered in response to the "supposed" injustice of "running late."</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Now, regardless of the types of anger, the cure for anger is the same.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Preventing that recurring situation all together, or understanding the reason(s) behind the true or "supposed" injustice can also help with the anger as well!</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Here's what I mean,<br />
<br />
For situation 1, when bullies are removed (e.g. reprimand, suspension or expelled), there's no anger to be triggered, but it also helps to know why they are bullies in the first place. Statistically speaking, it is highly likely that the bullies were raised in some kind of dysfunctional families, and lived in violent/abusive neighbourhoods. Although the fact that the bullies were raised in these harsh environments does not justify their bullying, it helps people to understand where they're coming from, and how to solve the cause of the problems rather than just bluntly reprimand them for their bad behaviour.<br />
<br />
For situation 2, one can leave home early when there's less traffic, or move into areas where it's closer to school or work, or write a letter to the city council for requesting the improvement of the traffic system. Of course, at this point, it helps to know why one becomes angry in the heavy traffic in the first place because not everyone in that heavy traffic become angry.<br />
<br />
One possible cause of the anger may be just due to one's own personal issues at home or work, and it's just a way of venting one's anger at "supposed injustice." If one can solve the underlying issues, there might be no need for venting fruitless/needless anger in the first place in the heavy traffic.<br />
<br />
In the situation 3, one may choose not to meet up at all with the person who's perennially late, or one could turn up late as well, at the expected time when the person who's usually running late turns up. Or if it's appropriate, one may bring up the issue of one's anger/annoyance at the other person running late, and find out what the causes of running late are, then it might help one to bear the other's person's lateness better. For example, I know at least one person who always turns up a bit late deliberately, just to make the waiting person anxious for his/her arrival. It was his/her way to feel needed by the waiting person, a sign of insecurity. Of course, not everyone is late for this reason, some are terrible at organising time, and some just leave late, and arrive late. Duh.<br />
<br />
However, honest conversations about these issues can at least begin the process of resolving them eventually (whether resolved or not).<br />
<br />
Anger, frustration and annoyance can be eliminated with appropriate actions that prevent the certain situations from occuring, and understanding of the causes of anger could also reduce the amount of anger one feels significantly as one gains more insight into how anger is triggered and begin the process of healing.Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-62873240725388735552012-11-24T01:43:00.001-08:002012-11-26T01:35:35.565-08:00How To Increase Your HappinessThere are many ways to increase your happiness.<br />
<div>
Some of the methods I employ to increase my own happiness are:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>1. Positive Mindset</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I read <a href="http://bible.cc/proverbs/24-13.htm">"Proverbs"</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Salesman-World-Og-Mandino/dp/055327757X">"Greatest Salesman in the World"</a> frequently. The words of these books become part of my mental life, and I am transformed from the inside out.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
At the moment, I'm reading Proverbs 22-24, and the 8th Scroll of the "Greatest Salesman in the World"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
e.g.</div>
<div>
Proverbs 24:13, 14</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.</li>
<li>Know also that <b>wisdom is sweet to your soul</b>; if you find it, there is a <b>future hope for you</b>, and <b>your hope will not be cut off.</b></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
8th Scroll</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.</li>
<li>One grain of wheat when multiplied a hundredfold will produce a hundred stalks.</li>
<li>Multiply these a hundredfold, ten times, and they will feed all the cities of the earth.</li>
<li><b>Am I not more than a grain of wheat?</b></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>2. Eliminating situations that trigger negative emotions</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Do you constantly find yourself in situations where you are disturbed and annoyed, or become angry and depressed or both?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Analyse what triggers your negative emotions, and eliminate them!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
e.g. </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>When arguments arise, I don't engage in them (given arguments are fruitless and do not lead to any solutions per se.)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li>When I'm insulted, I ignore them.</li>
<ul>
<li>A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man <b>ignores an insult.</b> (Proverbs 12:16)</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br />
If I don't participate in these fruitless provoking situations, negative emotions have no chance of bearing any toxic fruit in my mind and body</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>3. Love of God</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I also read the word of God in regards to <b>His Love</b> frequently.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Romans 8:35, 38, 39</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li>For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828315220438263777.post-65461108203828685762012-11-23T22:24:00.001-08:002012-11-23T22:57:41.372-08:00Marriage<br />
<u>Two Rivers</u><br />
<br />
Two rivers may flow smoothly before they merge; but when they flow together, they often become tumultuous.<br />
<br />
Each river has its own current which collides with the current of the other river. This creates powerful undercurrents and spectacular rapids. As the rivers flow downstream, the collision of currents subsides, and the new river emerges—broader, deeper, more powerful.<br />
<br />
So it is with good marriages. The forming of any new union may have rough water at first, but as the currents of life merge, the two become broader, deeper, and more powerful.<br />
<br />
The two truly become one. As the husband and wife imitate God, he blesses their lives with godly unity. As the two become closer to him, they become closer to one another.<br />
<br />
Anders, M. (1999). Vol. 8: Galatians-Colossians. Holman New Testament Commentary; Holman Reference (175). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.Lukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12870381040575333203noreply@blogger.com0