Life is not as simple as it looks

The more we want to become like Jesus, I believe there will be more that not going along with us, I'm wondering if God actually put those people around us to proof our new-birth and to shape us, so we can be faster to become like Jesus in His perfection? - I believe so, He is sovereign in all things, even in 'bad' things that we don't want those things to happen in our life.

But there are some friends who will stand for us, to correct us, to encourage us, to cherish us, to love us - but when (not if) they fail -- yet we still have Jesus as our Friend, that will always be giving us strength to love not just our friends but to love our enemies (someone that hates us).

It's breathtaking, if God was going to judge us based on every acts that we took, we are definitely going to the hell. No question to be asked. But, that kind of 'understanding' can lead us to hell as well if we don't pursuit for holiness and pursuit to love one another as a proof of our new-birth.

Everyday when I wake up in the morning, I know that this life is not as simple as it looks. It's a war-time against my flesh.

God is in control

From the smallest particle dust to the universe God is in control, why should we believe more (or believe less) in the Zodiac which based on stars in the sky that usually deceive and lure most of people to believe the creation rather than the Creator?

Google Sky

Excerpt from DesiringGod.

There's a great quote from Spurgeon about dust motes. You may not even know what a dust mote is, but when I get up in the morning in my room, there's a window to the side of the bed, and a beam of light will be shining through it at certain times of the year when I get it.

Now when I look through the dark I see nothing. But when I look through the beam I see the dust in the room. It's flying around, and I say, "I'm breathing that stuff!?" Yes, you are. And Spurgeon says that every one of those particles is keeping its position and moving through the air by God's appointment.

John piper on Spugeon

Suffering for the sake to be like more Christ

Yesterday I read short article by Joni Earecskon Tada, it is such a heartfelt experience by her through her suffering - becoming a blessing for her and for everyone and to the Glory of God.

Here's her testimony in Larry King show


There must be a reason why we suffer, that is to be like more Christ (we won't suffer only when we are like Christ in His Perfection, that is in heaven). No matter what are your circumstances, we must believe, in all things (that includes 'bad' things) - is for our good - our good is not always happiness, is not always healthy life, is not always wealth, is not always comfort - our good is to be more like Christ as the image of Creator. Roman 8:28-29.

I encourage you to view the video, and listen to her story. It's been such a blessing to my life.

Reflection of Two Prodigal Sons

In reflection of Jesus' Parable about two 'prodigal' sons and a Father.

* The younger brother has disobeyed his father.
* The elder brother has never disobeyed his father,

What are the odds? Why the younger brother being accepted, and why the end of the story hang on the elder brother? Jesus use this parable with love and compassion so the pharisees and scribes will come into repentance and be saved by His Grace. Did younger brother accepted by his father because he repented? Nope, he repented after being accepted by his father.

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."

We are saved by grace only, therefore we shouldn't say like the elder brother said: "Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends..." We almost always say to God, Lord, I've done this for You, why do I still suffer?

Do I obey God today just because I want to get what so called 'self-justification' and to get for ourself something 'good' ? Or we obey God because we know we have been accepted by God through the work or Jesus Christ.

As Tim Keller said -
Religion operates on the principle of ‘I obey—therefore I am accepted by God.’
The basic operating principle of the gospel is ‘I am accepted by God through the work of Jesus Christ—therefore I obey’

Ant

Bau sekali

Hari ini pulang dari kantor seperti biasa masuk ke gerbong kereta yang sangat padat sekali. Tidak biasanya saya mencium bau aneh, namun hari ini terasa menyengat sekali, ternyata ada 1 pasang bule dari dekat terciumlah bau yang tidak menyedapkan di hidung, berulang kali saya menahan napas, tapi tetap bau itu sudah teresap sampai di otak.

Seringkali, saya berpikir kitapun yang dengan mudahnya berusaha menghindari ketidaknyamanan, karena merasa diri kita terusik dengan bau tersebut, ataupun di lain waktu terusik dengan kritikan-kritikan orang lain yang membuat seolah-olah harga diri kita jatuh, maka kita akan berusaha menghindar. Bagaimana dengan Tuhan, bukankah dosa itu sangat buruk sekali, bukankah Dia yang tidak pernah berdosa dijadikan dosa karena kita? bukankah Dia yang 'nyaman' di surga dibuat tidak nyaman di atas kayu salib?

Hari ini kembali diingatkan bahwa kita tidak berbeda dengan orang-orang lain di dunia ini, kita semua adalah manusia berdosa tidak sepantasnya kita menganggap lebih dari orang lain, karena apa yang kita dapatkan itu adalah cuma-cuma, yaitu oleh kasih karunia. Jika kita mendapatkannya dengan cuma-cuma adakah hal tersebut seolah-olah kita memilikinya karena usaha kita atau karena kehebatan kita, secara teori tidak, namun seringkali secara praktis iya, sering kali kalau kita tidak hati-hati kita akan jatuh di dalam dosa 'merasa' lebih baik dari orang lain. Kita bukan lebih baik dari orang lain. Kita hanyalah orang yang sama buruknya namun diselamatkan karena Kasih Karunia dalam Yesus Kristus.