Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Fighting for Love
1 million children are affected by divorce every year, and 40 to 50% of marriages end in divorce. We need to stop fighting over petty things of so little value, and instead, fight for things that are actually worth fighting for. We need to turn our desires away from within ourselves, and learn to desire our partners and their interests. There is too much selfishness and too little selflessness. Marriage was never meant to be easy... it was meant to be a challenge that can only be overcome by two people who love one another, where its rewards far outweigh the sacrifice. Husbands and wives, lets focus our energy and power into things of real value. For when two people divorce, it's many more than just two lives that are broken.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Seasonal Friendships
When it comes to family, God calls us to do what it takes to stay together. Even if it means to agree to disagree, as long as in the end, love prevails among us. This is pleasing to God. Why? We don't get to choose who becomes our family. We are either born into a family or married into one. In both cases, it's God's call, and our duty to is to honor that the best we can.
When it comes to friends, however, God allows us to make the call. Just like other responsibilities in life, friendship is a decision we make -- a decision to either commit to it or terminate it. The word calls us to love our neighbors and not have ill hearts for anyone, but nowhere does it say we're called to please everyone and keep everyone we encounter in our inner circle of relationship, regardless of how "holy" our intent may be.
I have witnessed good-hearted folks round up groups and groups of "friends" to invest time in, and this is all truly wonderful. I love this... but then when I take a closer look, the quality of the relationships don't seem all that conducive to me. These friends come and go, and eventually, it gets to a point when someone who is in need of a real, quality friendship finds disappointment instead because needs and expectations cannot be met. It's certainly not because of ill intentions. Rather, this friend, or people-pleaser, doesn't know how to be real or reach that level of trust and meaningfulness that is expected from a quality friendship. Of course, as always, this is merely my opinion based on observations, and that's all that should be considered for the purpose of this blog.
The reason why this doesn't appeal to me is because I value quality relationships above many, many things in my life. It's definitely high up there for me. For this reason, I happen to not hold a special place in my heart for these types of people. I believe God gives us a desire for certain things, and it's our responsibility to ensure that these desires are fulfilled effectively. Because I had a friend like that, I made the decision to deem her "seasonal." She has a good heart, and our friendship was so fruitful when things were working on her terms. It was wonderful because for a good year or so, I truly enjoyed being on her terms. I regarded her in that way, and I appreciated her for everything she did. But like in all relationships, it takes two. So when it was my turn to need, I became disappointed... more sad, but still disappointed. I know disappointment is a double-edged sword, but I believe it's the appropriate word to describe my feelings at the time. I felt like it was my turn to need a friend, but even after all I've invested, I received little to nothing in return, but it was okay. Why? Because God gave me the right to choose. He gave me the ability to discern and make decisions. He created me to be someone special, and He allowed me to recognize my identity in Him. Without this ability to be one in Him, I wouldn't have been able to make decisions that led me to be free and without disappointment. In the end, he honored my decision, and in return, I gained other fruitful and meaningful relationships (one being my husband).
Today, I love the casual relationship I have with my old friend, and I love her. Nothing changes the fact that we shared fruitful moments in a past season. But just as the seasons change, so do some of my relationships. I would add "unfortunately" after that last sentence, but it's really a good thing, I promise. I don't ask for or anticipate these changes, but I allow God to help me with making these changes in my life. If we can give up certain things we deem "purposeless" and "unnecessary" from season to season, why can't we do the same for relationships that are just as purposeless and unnecessary? God doesn't want us to waste our time and efforts on things that are already dead. There's so much work to do in His kingdom, so there's no sense in wasting our God-given time and resources.
So if you're struggling with friendships that are dragging you down with weight on your shoulders, or even stuck with friendships that are just sitting there stagnantly, not as alive as they used to be for whatever the reason, just know that it's okay to have seasonal friendships. They had a purpose while they lasted in their season, but it's time to move forward once that purpose no longer exists. Take that time and effort and put it into something alive and meaningful. No one has the right to tell you who should or should not be your friend. Friendships are a personal decision, and any decisions in regard to them should only be between you and the only other one who knows you best... God. It's totally possible to love and let go at the same time, and if anything, God will be more pleased that you did so than otherwise.
When it comes to friends, however, God allows us to make the call. Just like other responsibilities in life, friendship is a decision we make -- a decision to either commit to it or terminate it. The word calls us to love our neighbors and not have ill hearts for anyone, but nowhere does it say we're called to please everyone and keep everyone we encounter in our inner circle of relationship, regardless of how "holy" our intent may be.
I have witnessed good-hearted folks round up groups and groups of "friends" to invest time in, and this is all truly wonderful. I love this... but then when I take a closer look, the quality of the relationships don't seem all that conducive to me. These friends come and go, and eventually, it gets to a point when someone who is in need of a real, quality friendship finds disappointment instead because needs and expectations cannot be met. It's certainly not because of ill intentions. Rather, this friend, or people-pleaser, doesn't know how to be real or reach that level of trust and meaningfulness that is expected from a quality friendship. Of course, as always, this is merely my opinion based on observations, and that's all that should be considered for the purpose of this blog.
The reason why this doesn't appeal to me is because I value quality relationships above many, many things in my life. It's definitely high up there for me. For this reason, I happen to not hold a special place in my heart for these types of people. I believe God gives us a desire for certain things, and it's our responsibility to ensure that these desires are fulfilled effectively. Because I had a friend like that, I made the decision to deem her "seasonal." She has a good heart, and our friendship was so fruitful when things were working on her terms. It was wonderful because for a good year or so, I truly enjoyed being on her terms. I regarded her in that way, and I appreciated her for everything she did. But like in all relationships, it takes two. So when it was my turn to need, I became disappointed... more sad, but still disappointed. I know disappointment is a double-edged sword, but I believe it's the appropriate word to describe my feelings at the time. I felt like it was my turn to need a friend, but even after all I've invested, I received little to nothing in return, but it was okay. Why? Because God gave me the right to choose. He gave me the ability to discern and make decisions. He created me to be someone special, and He allowed me to recognize my identity in Him. Without this ability to be one in Him, I wouldn't have been able to make decisions that led me to be free and without disappointment. In the end, he honored my decision, and in return, I gained other fruitful and meaningful relationships (one being my husband).
Today, I love the casual relationship I have with my old friend, and I love her. Nothing changes the fact that we shared fruitful moments in a past season. But just as the seasons change, so do some of my relationships. I would add "unfortunately" after that last sentence, but it's really a good thing, I promise. I don't ask for or anticipate these changes, but I allow God to help me with making these changes in my life. If we can give up certain things we deem "purposeless" and "unnecessary" from season to season, why can't we do the same for relationships that are just as purposeless and unnecessary? God doesn't want us to waste our time and efforts on things that are already dead. There's so much work to do in His kingdom, so there's no sense in wasting our God-given time and resources.
So if you're struggling with friendships that are dragging you down with weight on your shoulders, or even stuck with friendships that are just sitting there stagnantly, not as alive as they used to be for whatever the reason, just know that it's okay to have seasonal friendships. They had a purpose while they lasted in their season, but it's time to move forward once that purpose no longer exists. Take that time and effort and put it into something alive and meaningful. No one has the right to tell you who should or should not be your friend. Friendships are a personal decision, and any decisions in regard to them should only be between you and the only other one who knows you best... God. It's totally possible to love and let go at the same time, and if anything, God will be more pleased that you did so than otherwise.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Reassessment
One of the biggest problems I see in some of my brothers and sisters today is the tendency to be over-righteous and play God. They carry this spirit if judgement, and they lack humility and openness to the true love of God. This really bothers me because we have so many people in our church seeking the Lord, in need of fellow brothers and sisters who can lead and guide them. If these types of people are the first to mentor them in any way, it's going to spread like an epidemic.
I feel like they have reached a dead end in their walk with God. They don't know how to proceed any further because they've closed their hearts to God's direction. They've taken what they've already accumulated, and use it to impose on others in a condemning way, making it seem like they are actually progressing in their walk with God. They have lost the most important thing of all... a real connection with the Holy Spirit. If I ever had the chance to confront these people in the right way, I would do it. When I say "the right way," I mean with the discernment of the Holy Spirit, with love, and without condemnation.
I have heard that their biggest defense would be truth. They would say, "God wants us to tell the truth to people... the truth is what sets us free." And yes, that's correct. But they're missing another huge part of the equation: Love. Love is like the sugar IN a cake. Note the difference between the sugar IN the cake, and the sugar on TOP of it. Sugar on TOP would be "sugar-coating." Sugar IN it is simply necessary, and without it, we would be purposeless, and no longer have a "cake." I have witnessed women so torn and broken, that after consulting with one of these "truth-tellers," they would walk away even more torn and broken than they were. This angers me, because I have witnessed one woman who was, again, told the same truth, but this time with love, and it had made a world of a difference to this woman. Had the Holy Spirit been allowed to lead, the timing and the words would have been perfect and purposeful.
Sometimes, with these types of brothers and sisters, the "truth" becomes anything but. I can count on a number of two occasions where An and I have been offended by something that was given either as advice or through a discussion as a mere opinion. The advice that was given to us deeply threatened our relationship, right as it began. It was based on judgments placed on An as a new believer at the time, and it involved using labels such as "baby Christian" (we're strongly against this term). At the same time, I also received other advice in relation to An's new walk with Christ, but they were just different... they were helpful... and they were still biblical. No sugar-coating necessary. I thank God, being as impressionable as I was, that I didn't take heed to what was said. Instead, we allowed God and our spiritual leaders to guide us with their wisdom and truth.
I understand that these types of people are inevitable. In fact, they're one of the groups of Christians that give fellow Christians a bad name. However, when the problem occurs so close to home, it aches my heart even more. Witnessing the direct effect of this on people you know, makes you see things in a different light. All of me wants to take action now, but it's the Holy Spirit that I need to heed to, not my own flesh. When He gives me an opportunity, I will be ready... because I know His timing is right, and I will be equipped with His wisdom and discernment.
To all my brothers and sisters, having God in our lives is a right, but having the opportunity to minister to others and change lives is a privilege. What we say and the way we say things can be the difference between conviction and condemnation... between life and death. Are the messages we send truly pleasing to God, or is it blasphemy? Are we heeding to our own flesh, or are we letting the Holy Spirit lead the way? And what is our purpose? To put others down in order for us to move up... or lifting others up, even if it means humbling ourselves down to Jesus' feet?
I feel like they have reached a dead end in their walk with God. They don't know how to proceed any further because they've closed their hearts to God's direction. They've taken what they've already accumulated, and use it to impose on others in a condemning way, making it seem like they are actually progressing in their walk with God. They have lost the most important thing of all... a real connection with the Holy Spirit. If I ever had the chance to confront these people in the right way, I would do it. When I say "the right way," I mean with the discernment of the Holy Spirit, with love, and without condemnation.
I have heard that their biggest defense would be truth. They would say, "God wants us to tell the truth to people... the truth is what sets us free." And yes, that's correct. But they're missing another huge part of the equation: Love. Love is like the sugar IN a cake. Note the difference between the sugar IN the cake, and the sugar on TOP of it. Sugar on TOP would be "sugar-coating." Sugar IN it is simply necessary, and without it, we would be purposeless, and no longer have a "cake." I have witnessed women so torn and broken, that after consulting with one of these "truth-tellers," they would walk away even more torn and broken than they were. This angers me, because I have witnessed one woman who was, again, told the same truth, but this time with love, and it had made a world of a difference to this woman. Had the Holy Spirit been allowed to lead, the timing and the words would have been perfect and purposeful.
Sometimes, with these types of brothers and sisters, the "truth" becomes anything but. I can count on a number of two occasions where An and I have been offended by something that was given either as advice or through a discussion as a mere opinion. The advice that was given to us deeply threatened our relationship, right as it began. It was based on judgments placed on An as a new believer at the time, and it involved using labels such as "baby Christian" (we're strongly against this term). At the same time, I also received other advice in relation to An's new walk with Christ, but they were just different... they were helpful... and they were still biblical. No sugar-coating necessary. I thank God, being as impressionable as I was, that I didn't take heed to what was said. Instead, we allowed God and our spiritual leaders to guide us with their wisdom and truth.
I understand that these types of people are inevitable. In fact, they're one of the groups of Christians that give fellow Christians a bad name. However, when the problem occurs so close to home, it aches my heart even more. Witnessing the direct effect of this on people you know, makes you see things in a different light. All of me wants to take action now, but it's the Holy Spirit that I need to heed to, not my own flesh. When He gives me an opportunity, I will be ready... because I know His timing is right, and I will be equipped with His wisdom and discernment.
To all my brothers and sisters, having God in our lives is a right, but having the opportunity to minister to others and change lives is a privilege. What we say and the way we say things can be the difference between conviction and condemnation... between life and death. Are the messages we send truly pleasing to God, or is it blasphemy? Are we heeding to our own flesh, or are we letting the Holy Spirit lead the way? And what is our purpose? To put others down in order for us to move up... or lifting others up, even if it means humbling ourselves down to Jesus' feet?
Sunday, June 24, 2012
He STILL Heals.
The following is a testimony from An, and amazingly, I've been blessed as a result. These are the moments where I find myself really thanking God for a mighty man of God and a true believer as a husband. It's not just something I want... it's something I need. It's so easy to lose hope in my healing. I do it all the time. I've been inflicted with this disease for so long that I've grown so acclimated to it. I honestly can't imagine a life without it, so praying for a life without lupus is hard when I don't even know what I'm praying for actually feels like. In Jesus' name, I refuse to find comfort in our inflictions, and I will continue to believe and fight for the health that's rightfully ours. Thank you, my love.
For almost 3 years now, my left knee has been giving me problems, preventing me from doing normal jogging and hindering me from certain goals. When jogging, I would always have to wear a knee brace, and that would only help for up to 2 miles... and that only lessened the pain. Even with the brace, my knee would continue to hurt for a day or two. A few weeks ago, I had a dream of where I received complete healing in my knee when Pastor Stephen prayed over me. The Holy Spirit was so real and vivid that I woke up sweating and sobbing. The following day, I told Pastor Stephen about the dream and asked him to pray for my leg. I must admit that afterwards, I was still afraid to jog without the knee brace. So, up until Thursday of last week, I’ve kept the brace on out of fear of the pain.
I want my VBC family to know that our God is truly Jehovah Rophe! As of Friday June 22nd, I was able to go 4 miles, NO stopping, NO knee brace. As I was reaching my 2-mile mark that day, I was speaking life back into my body, “This is God’s body, In the name of Jesus!” and before I knew it, I reached 4 miles. I’ve never felt so good after a jog before! Finishing that 4-mile jog was one of the biggest accomplishments I’ve done physically for 3 years. It doesn’t stop here, my friends. God doesn’t just bring you to where you want to be and stops. He brings you there and wants to give you the strength to do more and go even further than you can imagine. In fact, I am typing this post today because I just finished 6.22 miles with no pain. I actually didn’t even want to stop. Praise the Lord!
Believe in his power! Pastor Khanh once said that we should NEVER believe that God wants us to be sick. Why else would He create an immune system, right? God loves us, and he doesn’t just give us what we want, he gives us what we need, and we all need healing. Now, I am looking forward to God working in my wife. I believe that because we are one, God wants me to believe in His healing in order for her to be completely healed of lupus.
God Bless.
I want my VBC family to know that our God is truly Jehovah Rophe! As of Friday June 22nd, I was able to go 4 miles, NO stopping, NO knee brace. As I was reaching my 2-mile mark that day, I was speaking life back into my body, “This is God’s body, In the name of Jesus!” and before I knew it, I reached 4 miles. I’ve never felt so good after a jog before! Finishing that 4-mile jog was one of the biggest accomplishments I’ve done physically for 3 years. It doesn’t stop here, my friends. God doesn’t just bring you to where you want to be and stops. He brings you there and wants to give you the strength to do more and go even further than you can imagine. In fact, I am typing this post today because I just finished 6.22 miles with no pain. I actually didn’t even want to stop. Praise the Lord!
Believe in his power! Pastor Khanh once said that we should NEVER believe that God wants us to be sick. Why else would He create an immune system, right? God loves us, and he doesn’t just give us what we want, he gives us what we need, and we all need healing. Now, I am looking forward to God working in my wife. I believe that because we are one, God wants me to believe in His healing in order for her to be completely healed of lupus.
God Bless.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Girlfriends
While An watches an old movie (Someone Like You with Ashley Judd and Hugh Jackman) in the other room as I work on a paper, I caught a line that made me think of all my shoe-loving girlfriends...
"Time wounds all heels," which is a spin-off from the cliche "Time heals all wounds." I think a friend was trying to comfort her fellow girlfriend after a break-up, and said that out of jest. Very cute!
With that said, I would like to wish my [girl] best friend of [too] many years, SERENA, a very happy birthday today! I always associate Earth Day with her. One day I shall plant a tree in her name, haha. =P
Have a very blessed week ahead, everyone! :)
"Time wounds all heels," which is a spin-off from the cliche "Time heals all wounds." I think a friend was trying to comfort her fellow girlfriend after a break-up, and said that out of jest. Very cute!
With that said, I would like to wish my [girl] best friend of [too] many years, SERENA, a very happy birthday today! I always associate Earth Day with her. One day I shall plant a tree in her name, haha. =P
Have a very blessed week ahead, everyone! :)
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Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Fighting for Love
1 million children are affected by divorce every year, and 40 to 50% of marriages end in divorce. We need to stop fighting over petty things of so little value, and instead, fight for things that are actually worth fighting for. We need to turn our desires away from within ourselves, and learn to desire our partners and their interests. There is too much selfishness and too little selflessness. Marriage was never meant to be easy... it was meant to be a challenge that can only be overcome by two people who love one another, where its rewards far outweigh the sacrifice. Husbands and wives, lets focus our energy and power into things of real value. For when two people divorce, it's many more than just two lives that are broken.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Seasonal Friendships
When it comes to family, God calls us to do what it takes to stay together. Even if it means to agree to disagree, as long as in the end, love prevails among us. This is pleasing to God. Why? We don't get to choose who becomes our family. We are either born into a family or married into one. In both cases, it's God's call, and our duty to is to honor that the best we can.
When it comes to friends, however, God allows us to make the call. Just like other responsibilities in life, friendship is a decision we make -- a decision to either commit to it or terminate it. The word calls us to love our neighbors and not have ill hearts for anyone, but nowhere does it say we're called to please everyone and keep everyone we encounter in our inner circle of relationship, regardless of how "holy" our intent may be.
I have witnessed good-hearted folks round up groups and groups of "friends" to invest time in, and this is all truly wonderful. I love this... but then when I take a closer look, the quality of the relationships don't seem all that conducive to me. These friends come and go, and eventually, it gets to a point when someone who is in need of a real, quality friendship finds disappointment instead because needs and expectations cannot be met. It's certainly not because of ill intentions. Rather, this friend, or people-pleaser, doesn't know how to be real or reach that level of trust and meaningfulness that is expected from a quality friendship. Of course, as always, this is merely my opinion based on observations, and that's all that should be considered for the purpose of this blog.
The reason why this doesn't appeal to me is because I value quality relationships above many, many things in my life. It's definitely high up there for me. For this reason, I happen to not hold a special place in my heart for these types of people. I believe God gives us a desire for certain things, and it's our responsibility to ensure that these desires are fulfilled effectively. Because I had a friend like that, I made the decision to deem her "seasonal." She has a good heart, and our friendship was so fruitful when things were working on her terms. It was wonderful because for a good year or so, I truly enjoyed being on her terms. I regarded her in that way, and I appreciated her for everything she did. But like in all relationships, it takes two. So when it was my turn to need, I became disappointed... more sad, but still disappointed. I know disappointment is a double-edged sword, but I believe it's the appropriate word to describe my feelings at the time. I felt like it was my turn to need a friend, but even after all I've invested, I received little to nothing in return, but it was okay. Why? Because God gave me the right to choose. He gave me the ability to discern and make decisions. He created me to be someone special, and He allowed me to recognize my identity in Him. Without this ability to be one in Him, I wouldn't have been able to make decisions that led me to be free and without disappointment. In the end, he honored my decision, and in return, I gained other fruitful and meaningful relationships (one being my husband).
Today, I love the casual relationship I have with my old friend, and I love her. Nothing changes the fact that we shared fruitful moments in a past season. But just as the seasons change, so do some of my relationships. I would add "unfortunately" after that last sentence, but it's really a good thing, I promise. I don't ask for or anticipate these changes, but I allow God to help me with making these changes in my life. If we can give up certain things we deem "purposeless" and "unnecessary" from season to season, why can't we do the same for relationships that are just as purposeless and unnecessary? God doesn't want us to waste our time and efforts on things that are already dead. There's so much work to do in His kingdom, so there's no sense in wasting our God-given time and resources.
So if you're struggling with friendships that are dragging you down with weight on your shoulders, or even stuck with friendships that are just sitting there stagnantly, not as alive as they used to be for whatever the reason, just know that it's okay to have seasonal friendships. They had a purpose while they lasted in their season, but it's time to move forward once that purpose no longer exists. Take that time and effort and put it into something alive and meaningful. No one has the right to tell you who should or should not be your friend. Friendships are a personal decision, and any decisions in regard to them should only be between you and the only other one who knows you best... God. It's totally possible to love and let go at the same time, and if anything, God will be more pleased that you did so than otherwise.
When it comes to friends, however, God allows us to make the call. Just like other responsibilities in life, friendship is a decision we make -- a decision to either commit to it or terminate it. The word calls us to love our neighbors and not have ill hearts for anyone, but nowhere does it say we're called to please everyone and keep everyone we encounter in our inner circle of relationship, regardless of how "holy" our intent may be.
I have witnessed good-hearted folks round up groups and groups of "friends" to invest time in, and this is all truly wonderful. I love this... but then when I take a closer look, the quality of the relationships don't seem all that conducive to me. These friends come and go, and eventually, it gets to a point when someone who is in need of a real, quality friendship finds disappointment instead because needs and expectations cannot be met. It's certainly not because of ill intentions. Rather, this friend, or people-pleaser, doesn't know how to be real or reach that level of trust and meaningfulness that is expected from a quality friendship. Of course, as always, this is merely my opinion based on observations, and that's all that should be considered for the purpose of this blog.
The reason why this doesn't appeal to me is because I value quality relationships above many, many things in my life. It's definitely high up there for me. For this reason, I happen to not hold a special place in my heart for these types of people. I believe God gives us a desire for certain things, and it's our responsibility to ensure that these desires are fulfilled effectively. Because I had a friend like that, I made the decision to deem her "seasonal." She has a good heart, and our friendship was so fruitful when things were working on her terms. It was wonderful because for a good year or so, I truly enjoyed being on her terms. I regarded her in that way, and I appreciated her for everything she did. But like in all relationships, it takes two. So when it was my turn to need, I became disappointed... more sad, but still disappointed. I know disappointment is a double-edged sword, but I believe it's the appropriate word to describe my feelings at the time. I felt like it was my turn to need a friend, but even after all I've invested, I received little to nothing in return, but it was okay. Why? Because God gave me the right to choose. He gave me the ability to discern and make decisions. He created me to be someone special, and He allowed me to recognize my identity in Him. Without this ability to be one in Him, I wouldn't have been able to make decisions that led me to be free and without disappointment. In the end, he honored my decision, and in return, I gained other fruitful and meaningful relationships (one being my husband).
Today, I love the casual relationship I have with my old friend, and I love her. Nothing changes the fact that we shared fruitful moments in a past season. But just as the seasons change, so do some of my relationships. I would add "unfortunately" after that last sentence, but it's really a good thing, I promise. I don't ask for or anticipate these changes, but I allow God to help me with making these changes in my life. If we can give up certain things we deem "purposeless" and "unnecessary" from season to season, why can't we do the same for relationships that are just as purposeless and unnecessary? God doesn't want us to waste our time and efforts on things that are already dead. There's so much work to do in His kingdom, so there's no sense in wasting our God-given time and resources.
So if you're struggling with friendships that are dragging you down with weight on your shoulders, or even stuck with friendships that are just sitting there stagnantly, not as alive as they used to be for whatever the reason, just know that it's okay to have seasonal friendships. They had a purpose while they lasted in their season, but it's time to move forward once that purpose no longer exists. Take that time and effort and put it into something alive and meaningful. No one has the right to tell you who should or should not be your friend. Friendships are a personal decision, and any decisions in regard to them should only be between you and the only other one who knows you best... God. It's totally possible to love and let go at the same time, and if anything, God will be more pleased that you did so than otherwise.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Reassessment
One of the biggest problems I see in some of my brothers and sisters today is the tendency to be over-righteous and play God. They carry this spirit if judgement, and they lack humility and openness to the true love of God. This really bothers me because we have so many people in our church seeking the Lord, in need of fellow brothers and sisters who can lead and guide them. If these types of people are the first to mentor them in any way, it's going to spread like an epidemic.
I feel like they have reached a dead end in their walk with God. They don't know how to proceed any further because they've closed their hearts to God's direction. They've taken what they've already accumulated, and use it to impose on others in a condemning way, making it seem like they are actually progressing in their walk with God. They have lost the most important thing of all... a real connection with the Holy Spirit. If I ever had the chance to confront these people in the right way, I would do it. When I say "the right way," I mean with the discernment of the Holy Spirit, with love, and without condemnation.
I have heard that their biggest defense would be truth. They would say, "God wants us to tell the truth to people... the truth is what sets us free." And yes, that's correct. But they're missing another huge part of the equation: Love. Love is like the sugar IN a cake. Note the difference between the sugar IN the cake, and the sugar on TOP of it. Sugar on TOP would be "sugar-coating." Sugar IN it is simply necessary, and without it, we would be purposeless, and no longer have a "cake." I have witnessed women so torn and broken, that after consulting with one of these "truth-tellers," they would walk away even more torn and broken than they were. This angers me, because I have witnessed one woman who was, again, told the same truth, but this time with love, and it had made a world of a difference to this woman. Had the Holy Spirit been allowed to lead, the timing and the words would have been perfect and purposeful.
Sometimes, with these types of brothers and sisters, the "truth" becomes anything but. I can count on a number of two occasions where An and I have been offended by something that was given either as advice or through a discussion as a mere opinion. The advice that was given to us deeply threatened our relationship, right as it began. It was based on judgments placed on An as a new believer at the time, and it involved using labels such as "baby Christian" (we're strongly against this term). At the same time, I also received other advice in relation to An's new walk with Christ, but they were just different... they were helpful... and they were still biblical. No sugar-coating necessary. I thank God, being as impressionable as I was, that I didn't take heed to what was said. Instead, we allowed God and our spiritual leaders to guide us with their wisdom and truth.
I understand that these types of people are inevitable. In fact, they're one of the groups of Christians that give fellow Christians a bad name. However, when the problem occurs so close to home, it aches my heart even more. Witnessing the direct effect of this on people you know, makes you see things in a different light. All of me wants to take action now, but it's the Holy Spirit that I need to heed to, not my own flesh. When He gives me an opportunity, I will be ready... because I know His timing is right, and I will be equipped with His wisdom and discernment.
To all my brothers and sisters, having God in our lives is a right, but having the opportunity to minister to others and change lives is a privilege. What we say and the way we say things can be the difference between conviction and condemnation... between life and death. Are the messages we send truly pleasing to God, or is it blasphemy? Are we heeding to our own flesh, or are we letting the Holy Spirit lead the way? And what is our purpose? To put others down in order for us to move up... or lifting others up, even if it means humbling ourselves down to Jesus' feet?
I feel like they have reached a dead end in their walk with God. They don't know how to proceed any further because they've closed their hearts to God's direction. They've taken what they've already accumulated, and use it to impose on others in a condemning way, making it seem like they are actually progressing in their walk with God. They have lost the most important thing of all... a real connection with the Holy Spirit. If I ever had the chance to confront these people in the right way, I would do it. When I say "the right way," I mean with the discernment of the Holy Spirit, with love, and without condemnation.
I have heard that their biggest defense would be truth. They would say, "God wants us to tell the truth to people... the truth is what sets us free." And yes, that's correct. But they're missing another huge part of the equation: Love. Love is like the sugar IN a cake. Note the difference between the sugar IN the cake, and the sugar on TOP of it. Sugar on TOP would be "sugar-coating." Sugar IN it is simply necessary, and without it, we would be purposeless, and no longer have a "cake." I have witnessed women so torn and broken, that after consulting with one of these "truth-tellers," they would walk away even more torn and broken than they were. This angers me, because I have witnessed one woman who was, again, told the same truth, but this time with love, and it had made a world of a difference to this woman. Had the Holy Spirit been allowed to lead, the timing and the words would have been perfect and purposeful.
Sometimes, with these types of brothers and sisters, the "truth" becomes anything but. I can count on a number of two occasions where An and I have been offended by something that was given either as advice or through a discussion as a mere opinion. The advice that was given to us deeply threatened our relationship, right as it began. It was based on judgments placed on An as a new believer at the time, and it involved using labels such as "baby Christian" (we're strongly against this term). At the same time, I also received other advice in relation to An's new walk with Christ, but they were just different... they were helpful... and they were still biblical. No sugar-coating necessary. I thank God, being as impressionable as I was, that I didn't take heed to what was said. Instead, we allowed God and our spiritual leaders to guide us with their wisdom and truth.
I understand that these types of people are inevitable. In fact, they're one of the groups of Christians that give fellow Christians a bad name. However, when the problem occurs so close to home, it aches my heart even more. Witnessing the direct effect of this on people you know, makes you see things in a different light. All of me wants to take action now, but it's the Holy Spirit that I need to heed to, not my own flesh. When He gives me an opportunity, I will be ready... because I know His timing is right, and I will be equipped with His wisdom and discernment.
To all my brothers and sisters, having God in our lives is a right, but having the opportunity to minister to others and change lives is a privilege. What we say and the way we say things can be the difference between conviction and condemnation... between life and death. Are the messages we send truly pleasing to God, or is it blasphemy? Are we heeding to our own flesh, or are we letting the Holy Spirit lead the way? And what is our purpose? To put others down in order for us to move up... or lifting others up, even if it means humbling ourselves down to Jesus' feet?
Sunday, June 24, 2012
He STILL Heals.
The following is a testimony from An, and amazingly, I've been blessed as a result. These are the moments where I find myself really thanking God for a mighty man of God and a true believer as a husband. It's not just something I want... it's something I need. It's so easy to lose hope in my healing. I do it all the time. I've been inflicted with this disease for so long that I've grown so acclimated to it. I honestly can't imagine a life without it, so praying for a life without lupus is hard when I don't even know what I'm praying for actually feels like. In Jesus' name, I refuse to find comfort in our inflictions, and I will continue to believe and fight for the health that's rightfully ours. Thank you, my love.
For almost 3 years now, my left knee has been giving me problems, preventing me from doing normal jogging and hindering me from certain goals. When jogging, I would always have to wear a knee brace, and that would only help for up to 2 miles... and that only lessened the pain. Even with the brace, my knee would continue to hurt for a day or two. A few weeks ago, I had a dream of where I received complete healing in my knee when Pastor Stephen prayed over me. The Holy Spirit was so real and vivid that I woke up sweating and sobbing. The following day, I told Pastor Stephen about the dream and asked him to pray for my leg. I must admit that afterwards, I was still afraid to jog without the knee brace. So, up until Thursday of last week, I’ve kept the brace on out of fear of the pain.
I want my VBC family to know that our God is truly Jehovah Rophe! As of Friday June 22nd, I was able to go 4 miles, NO stopping, NO knee brace. As I was reaching my 2-mile mark that day, I was speaking life back into my body, “This is God’s body, In the name of Jesus!” and before I knew it, I reached 4 miles. I’ve never felt so good after a jog before! Finishing that 4-mile jog was one of the biggest accomplishments I’ve done physically for 3 years. It doesn’t stop here, my friends. God doesn’t just bring you to where you want to be and stops. He brings you there and wants to give you the strength to do more and go even further than you can imagine. In fact, I am typing this post today because I just finished 6.22 miles with no pain. I actually didn’t even want to stop. Praise the Lord!
Believe in his power! Pastor Khanh once said that we should NEVER believe that God wants us to be sick. Why else would He create an immune system, right? God loves us, and he doesn’t just give us what we want, he gives us what we need, and we all need healing. Now, I am looking forward to God working in my wife. I believe that because we are one, God wants me to believe in His healing in order for her to be completely healed of lupus.
God Bless.
I want my VBC family to know that our God is truly Jehovah Rophe! As of Friday June 22nd, I was able to go 4 miles, NO stopping, NO knee brace. As I was reaching my 2-mile mark that day, I was speaking life back into my body, “This is God’s body, In the name of Jesus!” and before I knew it, I reached 4 miles. I’ve never felt so good after a jog before! Finishing that 4-mile jog was one of the biggest accomplishments I’ve done physically for 3 years. It doesn’t stop here, my friends. God doesn’t just bring you to where you want to be and stops. He brings you there and wants to give you the strength to do more and go even further than you can imagine. In fact, I am typing this post today because I just finished 6.22 miles with no pain. I actually didn’t even want to stop. Praise the Lord!
Believe in his power! Pastor Khanh once said that we should NEVER believe that God wants us to be sick. Why else would He create an immune system, right? God loves us, and he doesn’t just give us what we want, he gives us what we need, and we all need healing. Now, I am looking forward to God working in my wife. I believe that because we are one, God wants me to believe in His healing in order for her to be completely healed of lupus.
God Bless.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Girlfriends
While An watches an old movie (Someone Like You with Ashley Judd and Hugh Jackman) in the other room as I work on a paper, I caught a line that made me think of all my shoe-loving girlfriends...
"Time wounds all heels," which is a spin-off from the cliche "Time heals all wounds." I think a friend was trying to comfort her fellow girlfriend after a break-up, and said that out of jest. Very cute!
With that said, I would like to wish my [girl] best friend of [too] many years, SERENA, a very happy birthday today! I always associate Earth Day with her. One day I shall plant a tree in her name, haha. =P
Have a very blessed week ahead, everyone! :)
"Time wounds all heels," which is a spin-off from the cliche "Time heals all wounds." I think a friend was trying to comfort her fellow girlfriend after a break-up, and said that out of jest. Very cute!
With that said, I would like to wish my [girl] best friend of [too] many years, SERENA, a very happy birthday today! I always associate Earth Day with her. One day I shall plant a tree in her name, haha. =P
Have a very blessed week ahead, everyone! :)
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