Believe In Yourself

Can what you believe save you?

Belief is thought to be the underlying factor that determines the outcome of one’s endeavours. “You are what you believe!” Says a success coach. "The power of belief is the secret to greatness."

So, if you believe in something hard enough, it will become true. Right?

If so, then is it fair to say that if you believe in eternal life, you will live forever?

If we say yes, we are saying that eternal life is a result of the power of belief.

If we say no, that it is contrary to what the bible says.

Declaring oneself to be “saved” based solely on one's belief is an offensive idea to most people. If indeed there is a God, how can He commend or condemn someone, based on what a person believes, instead of what he does? Can’t human beings believe what they want to believe without getting condemned for it? It sounds really ironic if we have free will, but we cannot believe in anything we want without risking eternal damnation.

Yes, the irony is obvious. But why is there an irony? The apparent irony arises when God becomes a matter of belief.

When we relegate God into a matter of belief, everybody is none the better... Regardless of whether or not he subscribes to that belief. God is just a matter of philosophy. If we reduce God into a mere concept, we are the very cause of the people's unbelief of a true and living God.

The way we respond when we are challenged will reveal how we really see God.

If we see God as a concept, we will retreat into a non-trespass zone. “This is my belief, that is your belief, so let’s leave it as that.” There is no motivation. Fairly stated, nobody has the right to go any further than that. Because we can agree to disagree about concepts. When our gospel is rejected, we feel personally offended. Our philosophy, which reflects our own depth of character, is being ridiculed.

If we see God as a Person, we do not retreat into a non-trespass zone. “I hope you’ll get to know God. Because He already knows you.” There is motivation. Correctly stated, everyone has the right to interfere and challenge God's credibility, or defend it. Because we cannot agree to disagree about the existence of a Person. When our gospel is rejected, we do not take offense. God is being rejected, not our personal philosophy.

Coming back to our question. If you believe in eternal life, will you live forever?

Don't fool yourself. You don’t live a minute longer by sheer belief. You’re missing the point.

God is not a matter of belief. He appeared in human history. We are saved because He saved us. Not because of the power of our belief.

Believe it.

So kiss me and smile for me...

Go to this website: http://apps.emoe.gov.my/spg/

Enter 820916035603.

Now you know my date of birth. You know what to do :)

Now you know I wasn’t born in Penang. There’s nothing you can do.

Now you know where I’m going. What are you gonna do?

YeaaaaAAAHOOOOO!!!

Anyway, Just in case you're curious about why I wasn't born in Penang.

I was conceived during honeymoon night. My father was posted to Kelantan. My mother followed him. I exited the womb, and entered the world there.

Ok, coming back to the main story...

YeaaaaAAHOOOOO!!!

Finally, my 9-month wait is over!

I don't know how long it will take for the next batch of Education graduates to get their posting. So, if you're a fresh Education graduate, and you're already married...

No need to think so much lah. Just go ahead and have a kid! You will see your baby before you can say, "I've got my posting!" Hahahaha!

As It Wasn't Painful Enough

“When is the meeting going to finish…” grumbled Tan Bee Ling, as she flipped through the newspaper. It was Monday. We were having a meeting for co-curriculum teachers. It’s already bad enough that school ends at 2:40 p.m. from Mondays to Thursdays. To make things worse, there is a “cabinet” meeting every Wednesday that goes on until 3:30 p.m. Obviously, the teachers are not happy about it. The Monday meeting was an extra pain.

“Only in Free School mah! We’re the best!” I said gleefully.

“Why did you come back here?” Another teacher said. “You come here to suffer.”

“No mah… Once you get used to an iron rod, when you get hit by a wooden stick… It is nothing,” I replied with a grin.

“You positive thinking ah,” Tan Bee Ling said. “Good lah. You’re still young…”

Today, I read John chapter 19. It was about a man who absorbed pain and punishment. It was as though he came and asked for it.

The Jews pressured Pilate into crucifying Jesus. But in Pilate’s heart, he wanted to release Jesus. If only Jesus would give good answers Pilate’s questions, Pilate could justify his intention to release Him.

Instead, Jesus said, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.” And, as though He knew Pilate’s worries for possibly killing the Son of God, He tried to give Pilate some sort of “consolation”. He said, “Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” (John 19:10-11). Isn’t that asking for death, or what?

It can be further deliberated that Jesus' trial was unjust and illegal. But Jesus went on with it without objecting. It was as if He wanted to embrace death in the most terrible way. The way of the cross.

When Jesus was hung on the cross, He was offered wine mingled with myrrh to drink. But He didn’t take it, because that mixture would have drugged Him and made Him less conscious to the pain. (Mark 15:23)

Later, Jesus was offered sour wine to drink. This time, He took it. He did it because sour wine would make Him terribly thirsty, and increase the agony of the crucifixion. (John 19:29)

Why the extra pain?

The price of atonement would still paid if Jesus died less conscious to the pain. His sacrifice would still be counted if He didn’t die in thirst. But He chose to experience the fullest suffering of the crucifixion. He wanted to feel the complete pain for bearing our sin.

That is why Christianity is the “fullest religion”. It does not revel only in all the good things in life. It also embraces the reality pain and suffering, instead of turning a blind eye to it. Or pretending it doesn’t exist.

What was Jesus’ secret? No, it wasn’t positive thinking. It was submission to His Father’s will. In the face of all the bad things that happen in the world, God didn’t just watch comfortably from heaven. He came to absorb it.

Where is God when there is suffering?

He came.