Greek terms for "Death"

 

Blessed Christmas

 

'Knowing God' is not equal to 'Glorifying Him as God'

Being able to know God is not always an easy process. However, that is not the end of the journey.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship Him as God or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. - Roman 1:21 (NLT)

Here we read how important it is to worship and acknowledge God as God. Having enough knowledge about God does not always mean that the person accepts the concept of God. It is important to acknowledge God as God. In addition, it is necessary to come to Jesus after knowing about Him (as mentioned in my previous writing).

Dealing with Emotional Pain

Emotional pain or psychological pain is a very difficult topic to discuss. Even reading about it can easily bring me to negative thoughts. However, I think it is important to have basic knowledge about it to prevent deeper emotional pain.

Emotional pain can happen due to rejection, misunderstanding, persecutions, emotional abuse, toxic relationship, trauma, loss, guilt, failure, low self-esteem, loneliness, the illusion of control, bitterness, sensitivity, or specific kind of personality disorders. I learned from Rick Warren that the deeper the emotional pain, the fewer words we use [1]. There are many characters mentioned in the bible that go through emotional pain.

Handling emotional pain might differ case by case. For some, it is by thinking positively (Phi 4:8), by praying in tongues, by worship, by being in God's presence, by forgiving, by letting things go, by praying with the help of the Spirit (Rm 8:26), by reading the word of God, by the prayer of others, by being in together with others, by having purpose [2], by doing exercise, by doing relaxation activity or by many others. For some, professional help might be needed or the external stressors need to be deal with. In many cases, the hand of God is the only solution. Because of the complicated feeling that comes with emotional pain, we need guidance from the Spirit to be able to make the right step that can eventually free us from the unbearable pain.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. - 2 Cor 3:17 (NIV)

I pray that the Spirit of God will free you from unbearable emotional pain. Do not give up. God has not given up on you.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCUbog65dP4

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Btc31ssmpss

The Struggle against Sin (Romans 7)

I was reading the bible about faith (Heb 11), holiness (1 Pet 1), and love (1 Cor 13). I was thinking very hard about how it is possible to meet all those standards at the same time. Even though I spent a long time praying and bible-reading, it feels very difficult. This reminds me of Romans 7:

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. - Rom 7:14-20 (NIV)

Even tough I know that theoretically the answer lies on Romans 8, I was struggling very hard. It feels like I am 'beating myself' because I keep failing. I realized that only God can change me:

I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. - Jer 31:33b (NIV)

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. - Eze 36:27a (NIV)

If this struggle happens to you, keep praying, keep asking God to change you, and believe that this is possible. God knows how and when to change your heart. He will never ignore a thirsty heart:

Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. - John 7:37b-38 & Heb 8:10b (NIV)

Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. - Rev 22:17b (NIV)

I believe that flows of living water (Holy Spirit) will able to change our hearts. 

Sacrifices in New Testament

For me, it seems that some people believe that after Jesus's sacrifice on the cross, no other sacrifice needs to be made at all and in any condition. Yes, Jesus's sacrifice renews our relationship with God. However, it does NOT mean that sacrifice [θυσίαν = thysian] is NOT mentioned in the new testament.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1, NIV)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable [λογικὴν = logikēn] service. (Romans 12:1, KJV)

Living sacrifice. This verse makes me remember a statement: Worship is an act of sacrifice on the altar, not a performance on stage [1].

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. (Hebrew 13:15, NIV)

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (Hebrew 13:15, KJV)

Sacrifice of Praise. Giving praise/thanks becomes a sacrifice when we give praise/thanks to God in a difficult time. An example of this is given by sons of Korah: "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalm 42:11)"

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrew 13:16, NIV)

But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. (Hebrew 13:16, KJV)

Sacrifice in doing good and sharing/communicate. This verse reminds me that sometimes to do good or to communicate with others needs some sacrifices. 

For me, sacrifice is something difficult to be practiced by my strength. It does cost something. However, I believe that Jesus can enable our hearts to do sacrifices that are according to His will. He will not force us. He can teach us and change our hearts.

Note that "to obey is better than sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22)". In my opinion, obeying God has its own cost, which is often also a sacrifice of our own will.

[1] https://youtu.be/5-_fczbSeDQ

Fighting the Feeling of Unbelonging

Did you ever feel that you do not belong in a certain (or in any) community? Maybe you tried in a very long term to do many things (eat what they eat, learn their language, reach the standard that has been told to you, change your behavior/appearance) up to your maximum energy and ability. Maybe it did happen because of some form of disabilities, underprivileged, rejection, or jealousy.

The issue of not belonging also appeared in some kids movies. In the movie of Cars 3, Cruz said, "I did not belong. The others look nothing like me." She even mentions that her surrounding tried to convince her to dream small or not at all. In the movie of Kungfu Panda, Tigress said to Poo, "You do not belong here." In the movie of Mulan, Shang said to Mulan, "You don't belong here, Mulan. Go home."

The feeling of not belonging can have a great effect in life, such as low confidence, giving up (even though there is great potential), and depression.

Regardless of how other people think and behave to you, if the Spirit of God lives in you, you belong to God (Roman 8:9). Psalm 100:3 (NIV) said:

Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

Additionally, we do not only belong to God, but we are also very precious to Him as we are the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8).

Do not give up your calling/potential in God. Trust in Him.

(Galatians 3:3) Finishing by the Spirit

Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? (Gal 3:3)

There are times that I need to be reminded to keep working/serving/doing things by means of the Spirit. In ceasing our calling/our aim, sometimes it feels so easy to shift from the Spirit to our flesh. There are several things that might trigger us to do things in our flesh, such as losing our trust in God, depending on our own ability, worrying, carrying our own burden, what others do/say to us, etc. By this blog post, I would like to remind the readers (and myself) to keep do things, make decisions, and finish by means of the Spirit. 

For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Rom 11:36)

'All things' here might also include your calling and your life. Sometimes we remember to start something with God and give God all the glory but keep reminding yourself to do things through God. God will never leave you.