To all who celebrates Christmas. Yes, Merry Christmas!
Now, please stop reading as the rest will likely make your Christmas less merry.
Showing posts with label christianity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christianity. Show all posts
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Is God religious?
Some definitions found by searching "define:religious" in Google are:
- concerned with sacred matters or religion or the churchhaving or showing belief in and reverence for a deityof or relating to clergy bound by monastic vowsa member of a religious order who is bound by vows of poverty and chastity and obedienceextremely scrupulous and conscientious
- He is above sacred matters or religion or the churchHe don't need to have or show belief in and reverence for a deityHe is above clergy bound by monastic vowsHe is not a member of a religious order who is bound by vows of poverty and chastity and obedienceWhat we consider extremely scrupulous and conscientious should be norm to Him
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Footsteps of Paul
One way to empower ourselves is to follow the footsteps of those who are great. Usually, this means following the internal thoughts and wisdoms. Nevertheless, it is also good to follow the external path physically as it should enhance our appreciation of those great people.
According to the Holy Bible, a great man who worked very hard to establish what is now known as the Christian faith, but was still a sect then, is Apostle Paul. I came across Christian Cruises, where one of its itineraries is planned according to Acts 27-28 on Apostle Paul's journey from Italy to Rome ... , from 16 to 26 July 2008, from USA, or optionally post-trip extension to Paul's Malta until 30 July 2008.
I did a search and extracted from the NIV Bible the places Apostle Paul had passed by:
They also have other Christian Cruises itinerary such as The Exodus: Retracing the footsteps of Moses.
1 An area extending well south of Italy.
According to the Holy Bible, a great man who worked very hard to establish what is now known as the Christian faith, but was still a sect then, is Apostle Paul. I came across Christian Cruises, where one of its itineraries is planned according to Acts 27-28 on Apostle Paul's journey from Italy to Rome ... , from 16 to 26 July 2008, from USA, or optionally post-trip extension to Paul's Malta until 30 July 2008.
I did a search and extracted from the NIV Bible the places Apostle Paul had passed by:
- Acts 27:1 When it was decided that we would sail for Italy...
- Acts 27:2 We boarded a ship from Adramyttium...
- Acts 27:3 The next day we landed at Sidon...
- Acts 27:4 ... passed to the lee of Cyprus...
- Acts 27:5 ... across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia.
- Acts 27:7 ... we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.
- Acts 27:8 ... came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.
- Acts 27:13 ... sailed along the shore of Crete.
- Acts 27:16 As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda...
- Acts 27:27 ... we were still being driven across the Adriatic1 Sea...
- Acts 28:1 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta.
- Acts 28:13 ... arrived at Rhegium... we reached Puteoli.
- Acts 28:16 When we got to Rome...
They also have other Christian Cruises itinerary such as The Exodus: Retracing the footsteps of Moses.
1 An area extending well south of Italy.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
What is your generation?
In Taiwan, they used the decade to classify people into generations of the 60's, 70's, 80's, and so on. There are also the descriptive names such as hippies, gypsies, punkies quite some years back. Anyway, I like the name of this ministry, Generations of Virtue.
Check out Generations of Virtue's clearance page and you'll find handfuls of great books at low prices. Choose from titles such as Preparing Your Son for Every Man's Battle and "Setting a Paradigm for Purity".
Check out Generations of Virtue's clearance page and you'll find handfuls of great books at low prices. Choose from titles such as Preparing Your Son for Every Man's Battle and "Setting a Paradigm for Purity".
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Ask, and you will be told
Asked by waukeene
Why would the serpent set itself up to be the recipient of God's wrath?
What did it have to gain? Why bring death upon itself?
-------------------
My humble Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
The serpent symbolizes the Archangel Lucifer in the story recorded in the scriptures through receiving of revelations years after the happenings in the garden of Eden, to teach the people of the time. Lucifer and other angels were created as servant/helper position to assist God in the creation. Before the creation of Adam and Eve, they were the beings who are most alike to God, and thus enjoy the most loved from Him. After the creation of Adam and Eve, they "lost" this most loved position as Adam and Eve were to be the children of God, who is even more so as the image of God, and thus received love from God at a higher level than the archangels.
For people who have observed the reactions of most first born when the second born arrives on earth, you can see the similarity.
Lucifer probably didn't consciously decide to seduce Eve but naturally attracted to her as she, being the last that is created, was the most beautiful creature on earth. However, all of them knew of the commandment given to Adam and Eve, but it was the responsibility Adam and Eve to follow the commandment.
In our world, there are many who have done many stupid things to the extend of bringing death upon themselves in the process to obtain love. Lucifer was the first who started this. Eve and Adam, through following Lucifer's word instead of God's words, inherited such elements from him, no longer a pure creation of God, and thus God could not love Adam and Eve, and their descendants freely as His children, because Lucifer and his gang have been accusing human beings as not worthy to be the children and to receive the love of God.
Now, give some thoughts to it, who is most sad? Lucifer? Adam? Eve?
No, it is the parent and master, God who is most sad.
Lets learn and not make similar mistakes:
1) Learn to see from God's point of view, or a point of view that put the greater good at higher priority than oneself. Lucifer knew God's plan, he knew he will have such feeling of lack of love, but he should put God's desire at the priority over his own desire.
2) Learn to hold on to own proper position, or play the correct role. Lucifer is created as servant/helper, thus should not leave this position, causing great damage to God's plan to create an ideal world where all can receive His love through proper channel.
3) Learn to live in proper order and structure. Eve's position as daughter of God should not have followed a servant/helper position Lucifer, and Adam's position as son of God and elder brother of Eve should not have followed Eve's proposal. They should know that they are answerable to God, and thus should have followed and consulted God when in doubt.
4) Learn to admit mistakes, if already made, and sincerely repent for them and accept the undesirable consequences. After erred, Eve felt bad to be the only one who did wrong, shouldn't have led Adam to err, but should have gone to God to repent. Adam too should have gone to God to repent instead of hiding. Doing so, they avoided responsibility and consequences, but also lost the position of masters of the universe. Thus, they became the servant of the servant Lucifer. In Jesus' words, ...of their father the devil...
Source(s):http://www.tenbiggestmyths.net/spirituality/original.sin/
Why would the serpent set itself up to be the recipient of God's wrath?
What did it have to gain? Why bring death upon itself?
-------------------
My humble Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
The serpent symbolizes the Archangel Lucifer in the story recorded in the scriptures through receiving of revelations years after the happenings in the garden of Eden, to teach the people of the time. Lucifer and other angels were created as servant/helper position to assist God in the creation. Before the creation of Adam and Eve, they were the beings who are most alike to God, and thus enjoy the most loved from Him. After the creation of Adam and Eve, they "lost" this most loved position as Adam and Eve were to be the children of God, who is even more so as the image of God, and thus received love from God at a higher level than the archangels.
For people who have observed the reactions of most first born when the second born arrives on earth, you can see the similarity.
Lucifer probably didn't consciously decide to seduce Eve but naturally attracted to her as she, being the last that is created, was the most beautiful creature on earth. However, all of them knew of the commandment given to Adam and Eve, but it was the responsibility Adam and Eve to follow the commandment.
In our world, there are many who have done many stupid things to the extend of bringing death upon themselves in the process to obtain love. Lucifer was the first who started this. Eve and Adam, through following Lucifer's word instead of God's words, inherited such elements from him, no longer a pure creation of God, and thus God could not love Adam and Eve, and their descendants freely as His children, because Lucifer and his gang have been accusing human beings as not worthy to be the children and to receive the love of God.
Now, give some thoughts to it, who is most sad? Lucifer? Adam? Eve?
No, it is the parent and master, God who is most sad.
Lets learn and not make similar mistakes:
1) Learn to see from God's point of view, or a point of view that put the greater good at higher priority than oneself. Lucifer knew God's plan, he knew he will have such feeling of lack of love, but he should put God's desire at the priority over his own desire.
2) Learn to hold on to own proper position, or play the correct role. Lucifer is created as servant/helper, thus should not leave this position, causing great damage to God's plan to create an ideal world where all can receive His love through proper channel.
3) Learn to live in proper order and structure. Eve's position as daughter of God should not have followed a servant/helper position Lucifer, and Adam's position as son of God and elder brother of Eve should not have followed Eve's proposal. They should know that they are answerable to God, and thus should have followed and consulted God when in doubt.
4) Learn to admit mistakes, if already made, and sincerely repent for them and accept the undesirable consequences. After erred, Eve felt bad to be the only one who did wrong, shouldn't have led Adam to err, but should have gone to God to repent. Adam too should have gone to God to repent instead of hiding. Doing so, they avoided responsibility and consequences, but also lost the position of masters of the universe. Thus, they became the servant of the servant Lucifer. In Jesus' words, ...of their father the devil...
Source(s):http://www.tenbiggestmyths.net/spirituality/original.sin/
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Being religious
Religious teachings are generally considered good, or support the concept of serving others.
However, I observed most religious people seem to place self-interests on-top, or behind those of others. When faced with the challenge of risking one's spiritual and/or physical life for the betterment of others, only the true religious people overcome at ease and naturally.
Consider the famous story of two monks helping a lady across a river. The younger monk might have worried that he risk his spiritual health by touching the lady.
Consider shutting communication channels between "believers" and those whom the believers' higher authority labeled as evil. The "believers" prefer not to risk their chance of getting into Heaven, by not willing to have contacts with those whom they consider are not getting into Heaven.
Yet we see in movies, and some times also in real life, some heroic acts of taking high risk to save others.
Yet Jesus were among those whom the authority had considered not holy.
Yet a famous buddhist quote says "Should I not go to hell [to help], who shall [I ask to] go?"
However, I observed most religious people seem to place self-interests on-top, or behind those of others. When faced with the challenge of risking one's spiritual and/or physical life for the betterment of others, only the true religious people overcome at ease and naturally.
Consider the famous story of two monks helping a lady across a river. The younger monk might have worried that he risk his spiritual health by touching the lady.
Consider shutting communication channels between "believers" and those whom the believers' higher authority labeled as evil. The "believers" prefer not to risk their chance of getting into Heaven, by not willing to have contacts with those whom they consider are not getting into Heaven.
Yet we see in movies, and some times also in real life, some heroic acts of taking high risk to save others.
Yet Jesus were among those whom the authority had considered not holy.
Yet a famous buddhist quote says "Should I not go to hell [to help], who shall [I ask to] go?"
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