There 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.
Well, hear this out from David.
"I am worn out from groaning;
all night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.
My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes."
Psalm 6:6, 7
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.
And these emotions were written all over his life's journey.
So was David not a strong believer in God?
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?
Jesus said that we all suffer.
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.
I'm no good at this than anyone else.
So, here I'm preaching to myself.
I learn from David,
"Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the LORD has heard my weeping.
The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
the LORD accepts my prayer."
Psalm 6:8, 9
Do I know that the LORD has heard my weeping?
Do I know and feel that the LORD has heard my cry for mercy?
Do I know, feel and internalise the fact that the LORD accepts my prayer?
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.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
This Man Stands Before You Healed By The Name Of Jesus Christ Of Nazareth
It 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.
Acts 4:10
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?
Yes, exactly.
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.
No, I can't save myself from the damnation of hell, and no, you can't save yourself from the damnation of hell, either.
No, Buddha cannot save you from the damnation of hell, because he himself needs to be saved from his own sins.
No, Muhammad cannot save you from the damnation of hell, because he himself needs to be saved from his own sins.
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.
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!
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."
And that person was a person who died by crucifixion?!
How am I supposed to believe such a thing?
Well, I did not write the Bible. I did not write these truths.
Well, don't argue with me, argue with God, or argue with the Bible, the Word of God!
These truths are something I need to wrestle with everyday myself as well.
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.
But my love must be based upon the Truth, not lies!
My love must be truthful, not just mushy feelings.
So I dare say, be healed in the name of Jesus!
Be saved by Jesus Christ of Nazareth!
How can I be saved?
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!"
He (the jailer) then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household."
Acts 16:29-31
Acts 4:10
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?
Yes, exactly.
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.
No, I can't save myself from the damnation of hell, and no, you can't save yourself from the damnation of hell, either.
No, Buddha cannot save you from the damnation of hell, because he himself needs to be saved from his own sins.
No, Muhammad cannot save you from the damnation of hell, because he himself needs to be saved from his own sins.
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.
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!
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."
And that person was a person who died by crucifixion?!
How am I supposed to believe such a thing?
Well, I did not write the Bible. I did not write these truths.
Well, don't argue with me, argue with God, or argue with the Bible, the Word of God!
These truths are something I need to wrestle with everyday myself as well.
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.
But my love must be based upon the Truth, not lies!
My love must be truthful, not just mushy feelings.
So I dare say, be healed in the name of Jesus!
Be saved by Jesus Christ of Nazareth!
How can I be saved?
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!"
He (the jailer) then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household."
Acts 16:29-31
Friday, January 4, 2013
I Am Happier Than They Who Are Rich
You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
Psalm 4:7
When David wrote this psalm, he was happier than other people who were rich,
Because God filled David's heart with great joy,
Greater joy than those who had a lot of money flow in to their bank accounts.
David could sleep well.
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8
The question is, "Is this true of me?"
Does God fill my heart with greater joy than when other people are making a lot of money?
The answer seems to be "no" initially,
But when I think about it, "Do rich people sleep well?"
I have a hunch that that is not necessarily so.
"Do I sleep better than the majority of (if not all) the rich people on the face of the earth?"
Possibly. I may sleep better than a lot of rich people in this world tonight.
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.
Psalm 4:7
than when their grain and new wine abound.
Psalm 4:7
When David wrote this psalm, he was happier than other people who were rich,
Because God filled David's heart with great joy,
Greater joy than those who had a lot of money flow in to their bank accounts.
David could sleep well.
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8
The question is, "Is this true of me?"
Does God fill my heart with greater joy than when other people are making a lot of money?
The answer seems to be "no" initially,
But when I think about it, "Do rich people sleep well?"
I have a hunch that that is not necessarily so.
"Do I sleep better than the majority of (if not all) the rich people on the face of the earth?"
Possibly. I may sleep better than a lot of rich people in this world tonight.
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.
Psalm 4:7
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