the love that grow cold..

There are quite a few questions that I had thought about over the past few months, ranging from salvation - what do you mean by believing? Is it just accepting Jesus Christ in your mind but your actions doesn't follow what you believe?(such as following and obeying the commands) satan also believe and know God existed..

What about the things you do and don't? Is it because you know what is right and what isn't or is it because you obey and bring glory to God? How do you know that you are doing it for God and not for yourself?

It seems that I know a range of things, but it only stays on the very superficial level, without much understanding, only understand the terms literally.

Matthew 7:21-22 (New International Version)

²¹"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'

But back to the above questions, I have asked and also talk about it with one or two friends and discovered that all these relate back to how is your relationship with God? If you have a relationship with God and experience Him I guess it means that you not only believe in Him mentally but you make the effort to obey and hence able to experience Him.

We can be seems to be serving in church but if its for personal gains it does not please God. I think the bottom line is that God looks at the heart, am I doing these for myself or for God? But do not be fool by the heart -

Jeremiah 17:9 (New International Version)

⁹ The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?

we might thought that we doing it for God but our hearts are telling us lies.

We have to remind ourselves that we are sinners and salvation is not earn but have to be thankful that it is a gift from God.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (New International Version)

⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

Recently heard from preacher yip that about the vine and the branches from john 15. He raised a question: which one is the vine which one is the branches? we answered: the thicker one is the vine? The vine is from the ground?

But the answer is actually: you can't tell!! Then he used this as an illustration, that we, christians are to live in a way that when people see us they will see God! (you see the branches you see the vine! the same!)

Regarding the question on whether I'm doing it for myself or for God, my thinking is that it's like if you love someone you will do and sacrifice for him/her. If we love God we will do it for Him. But do I love God? Do I know Him enough to love Him? I guess it is back to the how is your relationship with God again. Honestly speaking I feel a distant from God and He seems very "abstract" to me.

So the problem I guess is I know the teachings but I never really apply it in my life. Christian life is not part of me, but maybe only during saturday or sunday and during meal times etc..Hence I didn't really experience God much..

Shijia mentioned about accountability, that might be the thing I've lack, without accountability it's normal that human beings will slack of. With accountability we can check on each other, pray and support for each other.

I came across Joyce Meyer on goodtv(it's a good internet resource for online video sermons and other programmes do check it out, its by a chinese website by the taiwan i believe..) the video on backsliding and would like to share =) It mentioned about love that grow cold towards the end of the video, she said example of (cold love can be like we talk about it but we don't do it..) seems to be my case. (And God is love, the greater you understand love the greater you know God. How can we say we love God and not love everyone?)
I actually had a book of her,it's given to be for my 24th birthday lol.. the book is titled -battlefield of the mind (I'm still reading it, it is a good book and helps to correct my negative thinking.. a on-going process)

http://twch2.goodtv.com.tw/category_text.phtml?setid=64&order=1&filename=LIW080#

New Blog

Hi guys, since I'm free and to think of a way to keep you guys updated on my life overseas, I've created a blog.

This is my blog link. or http://douiuimi.blogspot.com if you can't click.

Yup, incase you guys wanna know the meaning of my blog title it simply means "what do you mean?" Cya! God bless!

Chapter to read

If you haven't got time to read so much, just try chapter 14. I think this lesson: to avoid rash judgement is a great one for all of us. Otherwise, do, do,do try reading a chapter a day.

http://www.leaderu.com/cyber/books/imitation/imb1c11-20.html#RTFToC43

Must read book

Hey people. There's this really good that i've got to recommend and you don't even have to buy it to read it! http://www.leaderu.com/cyber/books/imitation/imitation.html It's called the Imitation of Christ. It's a Christian classic that has been around for centuries but it's truth continues to apply, just like the Bible. Do not expect a book that makes you feel good about yourself but rather help us realize how far we are away from being Christians and how much we have fallen since the first disciples. It's not an easy read either but perseverence in reading, meditating and applying them (Maybe not so much part 4 of the book though) would bear much fruit, i'm sure.

Noah & his Ark

Ok, I've not posted for a very long time but I have one major question to ask about an aethist's vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RV46fsmx6E that challenges christians about the Bible's fact.

It'll be good if anyone have the liberty to answer any one of the questions/errors listed in that video. I'm going to bring out one question that even my dad have difficulty answering.

-> There are 2 explaination to the great flood; one is that the flood flooded the entire world literally (evidences have been found all over the world that there is indeed a flood), the other is that the flood flooded the known world at that time which is not the entire world.

The vid stats that it is impossible to the point of ridiculous that the ark itself can hold millions of species of animals in that one ark. And if the flood indeed floods the entire world, that means all animal species have to come to the ark. Imagine this, polar bear from north pole travelling to the middle east. Giraffe coming from africa..and how is it possible for land animals overseas to travel to the ark without touching sea? It is only logical to say that the flood only flood the known world at that time. But if it only flood the known world, how is it possible that major flood evidence is found all over the world? Isn't this contradictory?

That's my question, I'm still pretty confused and hope someone can explain to me.

Hmm I guess most of us roughly know what are the reasons behind the situation we are in now..some of us have different views on it but..the issue is not what are the reasons, it is what we can do at the present moment.. eg, you are running a race, say 1000m relay.. half-way thru, you pulled a muscle.. will you: 1) stopped and think why it happen, is it becos warm up not enough? or 2) carry on and finish the race the best you can.. Though sometimes it's gd to reflect and think abt the possiblity.. but now if I were to think abt it.. I think we really spent alot time on no.1.. the committee members tried and plan and sit ard to think of various possiblilties to try to attract more ppl to tuan qi and stuffs.. kept trying.. but =/ hmm

Now, they are heading towards the no.2 stage.. what we can do.. =/ I used the word "they" instead of "us", because they are doing it!! cool ya?hmm and I'm following them behind lol..Hmm now with the new preacher coming to guide us..that's what I found out recently =)hmm yup. He will be teaching us the basics and foundation of our faith which is very impt. Without the foundation within each christian, a church can be a nice place to socialise where you find all you ka-kees, hang-out buddies and stuffs, eventually it might look just like another community place where ppl with common interest hang ard with.. But with the foundations, and provided that one follow it, PERSEVERE -_-" and hopefully someone whom can support you to do that.. someone whom u can account to. So if he/she practice what is taught abt the foundation.. you might see the change.. it might be a small change.. might be over the next few yrs.. the thing is that his/her life will kinda influence you.. and if he/she really does.. he/she might be the type that will normally care and concern for ppl and their spiritual life in someway.. (=/ well at least that is what I think) yea

So well, let's jia you!! Let's try to interact more with one another :P