Case for Faith

excerpts from case for faith that really resonated with me=)

"Ultimately faith isnt about having perfect and complete answers to every single one of the big eight objections. after all we dont demand the same level of conclusive proof in any other area of life. the point is that we certainly do have sufficient evidence about God upon which to act. and in the end, thats the issue. Faith is about a choice, a step of the will, a decision to want to know God personally. It's saying "I believe - please help my unbelief!""

"If God does not exist, then life is futile. if the God of the bible does exist, then life is meaningful. only the second of these two alternatives enables us to live happily and consistently. therefore it seems to me that even of the evidence for these two options were absolutely equal, a rational person ought to choose biblical Christianity. it semms to me positively irrational to prefer death, futility, and destruction to life, meaningfulness and happiness. as [blaise] pascal said, we have nothing to lose and infinity to gain"
William lane craig

"by the way we live our lives we're either preparing ourselves for being in God's presence and enjoying him for eternity or we're preparing ourselves for an existence where we try to make ourselves the centre of the universe and we have no interest in being with God or the people who love him." ... "so hell is not simply a sentence. It is that, but it's also the end of a path that is choosen, to some degree, in this life right here and now, day by day."

"A Better Resurrection" by Christina Rossetti


I have no wit, no words, no tears;
My heart within me like a stone
Is numbed too much for hopes or fears.
Look right, look left, I dwell alone;
I lift mine eyes, but dimmed with grief
No everlasting hills I see;
My life is in the falling leaf:
O Jesus, quicken me.


My life is like a faded leaf,
My harvest dwindled to a husk:
Truly my life is void and brief
And tedious in the barren dusk;
My life is like a frozen thing,
No bud nor greenness can I see:
Yet rise it shall--the sap of spring;
O Jesus, rise in me.


My life is like a broken bowl,
A broken bowl that cannot hold
One drop of water for my soul
Or cordial in the searching cold;
Cast in the fire the perished thing;
Melt and remould it, till it be
A royal cup for Him, my King:
O Jesus, drink of me.

"Sometimes we feel lost without knowing why. We feel down but we cannot describe the feeling. And that is where I feel this poem helps to bring into words what we are unable to express. It speaks for us when we do not know what to say. But it does not simply groan and drown itself in self pity. It points us to the source of our joy and strength as we walk away with hope, fixing our eyes on Christ our Saviour." Zhenhao

Indeed, as my church friend zhenhao said, there is a beautiful irony in how we can draw strength from our bleak situation by turning to Jesus Christ in humility. haha and i guess this poem quite fits my mood and situation, having been posted to combat engineers, which i am really not looking forward to for the next 5 months. but now i just want to take this opportunity to thank God, and pray that he will grant me the wisdom and understanding in his sovereign will to have a joyful and thankful heart in whatever circumstance i find myself in. I hope this poem will serve as a reminder of the resurrection of Jesus within ourselves for you as it has for me, as we who were dead in sin are now resurrected in Jesus -- melt and remoulded into a royal cup for Him, my King. O Jesus, quicken me! O Jesus, rise in me! O Jesus, drink of me!

ps. Found this poem at this very useful site: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/lahikainen6.html

some food for thought from that site:

1. Does Rossetti blame Jesus for not having had a good enough resurrection? Is it his fault she is so alone? Or is she waiting for a kind of personal resurrection within herself, born through a love of Jesus?
2. In the last stanza, she wants the broken bowl to be tossed into a fire and remade into a royal cup fit for Jesus. Is there a direct comparison in the poem between the rich potential of her soul and the disappointment/failure of this life to fulfill it?

Drawing Near by John Bevere

When we study we often pore through our texts and studiously make notes to help us memorise and understand, yet I realised that this is something which I fail to do when it comes to reading Christian books, and is perhaps one of the reasons why even though I always feel so enlightened while reading, what I learn from the books more often than not fails to remain in my memory. Thus I was thinking that it was high time that I started studying books instead of merely reading them, and to that effect I have decided to summarise the main points of books which i've read, to enable me to understand them a whole lot better, as well as for future reference. Furthermore, just as how we often shared notes in JC, I figured this would be useful for fellow brothers and sisters in christ, that we can learn from what each other have read about.

So I've been reading this book titled "Drawing near" by John Bevere recently, and here are some lessons which i've learnt.

1) The holy spirit isnt an "it".

we often have the impression that the holy spirit isnt a person, but more as a dove, or something intangible, unlike the Father and the Son whom we view more as people? But in fact the holy spirit is the closest companion that you will have, and one that will be communicating with you constantly and guiding you.

"...the holy spirit has told me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead." acts 20:23
"The spirit said to Philip 'go near and overtake this chariot' " acts 8:29
"...they were forbidden by the holy spirit to preach the word in asia" acts 16:6

to quote john bevere: "new testament servants were very aware of the spirit of God's constant companionship with them; it was never a spooky or out of the ordinary occurrence to interact with Him. they expected his involvement in their lives just as we would expect any other person's involvement in our lives if we lived with them 24/7 "

i think this really change my perception of the holy spirit, as i've always imagined him as a mystical spirit, smth like the force in star wars? like smth thats around us, but not really a person? but in actual fact the holy spirit is more like a person, your best friend who yearns to be in constant companionship yup.

When I Say I am a Christian

Found this poem by Carol Wimmer which really struck me. I think many times we dont really think about what we mean when we say we're christian, but this poem really shows us what it should be yup=)

When I Say I am a Christian Poem

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I am saved"
I'm whispering "I was lost"
That is why I chose this way.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
And need someone to be my guide.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And pray for strength to carry on.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And cannot ever pay the debt.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are all too visible,
But God believes I'm worth it.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartaches
Which is why I speak His name.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority.
I only know I'm loved.


What do you mean when you say "I am a Christian"?

yInspirations

Hello and welcome!! =)

This blog has been started to be an avenue through which people can share any material which they come across which they have found beneficial to their own walk with God as well as any incidents which they've experienced or witnessed which they feel would be an encouragement to others. Yup so we hope that through reading this site you will be blessed in some way or other, and hopefully return to post too! God Bless!!

Anyhow, to start off, I came across this excerpt about "Living the Christian Life" from http://www.billygraham.org/SH_LivingTheChristianLife.asp I thought it neatly summarises up the main things we should be doing yup=)

Living the Christian Life
Now that you are a Christian and are in fellowship with God, you will want to learn more about how to grow closer to Him. The Bible calls this growing "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18, NIV).Here are some things that will help you begin growing as a new Christian:

Read the Bible Daily

The Bible is God's inspired Word. Besides revealing the Good News about forgiveness and eternal life, it can also answer the many questions you will have as you try to live a life that pleases God. It will enable you to be "thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:17, NIV).Here are some suggestions as you begin reading the Bible on a daily basis:

1. Try reading the New Testament books in this order:

- First, read through the Gospel of John, a chapter a day. This will help you understand the basic facts about the Gospel.
- Then read Acts, for the exciting story of how Christ's first disciples spread the Good News of His death and resurrection.
- Next, read some of the letters that Christ's apostles wrote to these first disciples—all of whom were new in their faith, just like you. These letters include Romans through 3 John.
- Then, go back and read one of the other three gospels: Matthew, Mark or Luke.

2.Think about what you read; study and analyze it. Ask your pastor or a mature Christian friend to recommend a good Bible study guide. The Bible not only reveals God to us; it contains greater wisdom than all the other books in the world.

3. Read through the Psalms—the Old Testament book of worship—to enrich your devotion to God.

4. Read Proverbs to gain wisdom and common sense, and to strengthen your relationships with other people.

5. Pray for understanding. The Holy Spirit will help you (Psalm 119:18), and you will begin to see life from God's perspective.

6. Whenever you can, talk with others about what you are learning.

Pray Daily

Talk with God often. Talk over your problems with Him. Let Him bear the weight of your troubles (See Matthew 11:28; 1 Peter 5:7).Praise and thank God for who He is and for what He has done for you. Admit your weaknesses. Confess each specific sin that you are aware of. Pray for others that they, too, may receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Suggestions for your daily devotional time:
- Plan a definite time, preferably in the morning when your mind is fresh and rested. Make it a habit.
- Select a quiet place where you can be alone with God.
- Make a list of requests, for others as well as yourself.
- Read and meditate on a portion of Scripture, then spend time in prayer.
- As you end your daily time with God, commit the day and yourself to Him.

Learn to Depend on the Holy SpiritGod is actually three persons in one: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit actually lives within every true believer in Christ (See John 14:16-17).The Bible says that the Holy Spirit, as He lives inside you, is your counselor, to help you understand the truth revealed in God's Word: "The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" (John 14:26, NIV).

The Holy Spirit will:
-teach you
-guide you
-strengthen you in your times of need

Attend Church Regularly

When you received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you began a relationship not only with Him but also with all other Christians. Whatever it meant to you in the past, going to church can now become a rich and rewarding experience:

- You will grow in understanding by hearing God's Word preached and taught.
- You can ask questions and discuss Scripture with others.
- You will learn to worship God, which means praising Him for all that He is and thanking Him for all that He has done for you.
- As you worship, learn and serve with other Christians, you will find individuals with whom you can form lasting friendships (friendships that will last for all eternity!).

Be of Service to Others

You will find that the more you give yourself in service to others, the more you will enjoy your Christian life. Talk to your pastor about ways and opportunities to serve Christ and to witness for Him. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10, NIV).

Learn to Conquer Your Doubts

At times you may doubt that you really are a child of God:
- There may be some big failures in your Christian life.
- You may find yourself thinking about things that you feel Christians just shouldn't be thinking about.
- You may be troubled by some unconfessed sin.

When these things happen, it is important to remember that you are not saved by your goodness but by what Christ has already done for you. Review the first few pages of this text. Reassure yourself with the fact that, if you have received Christ by faith, you are now a child of God.

Learn to Live One Day at a Time

Too often our lives become filled with anxiety. We worry ourselves sick about what might happen tomorrow. We try to cross our bridges before ever coming to them!

- The Bible says we are not to be anxious about what might happen tomorrow (see Matthew 6:33-34).
- The Bible also promises that, "Your strength will equal your days" (Deuteronomy 33:25, NIV). In other words, God's grace will be sufficient to meet the challenges of each new day.

Learn the Blessing of Suffering

Difficulties, ill health and all kinds of suffering have a new perspective when you have Christ in your life:
- Instead of "going to pieces," you can be strengthened.
- Instead of being a burden to others, you can be a blessing. As you realize God's power, comfort and strength through life's experiences, you will grow in your faith.

Learn How to Deal with Temptation

Temptation is a part of life. It was before you received Christ, and it still will be. It is not a sin to have wrong thoughts from time to time. It is, however, a sin to choose to dwell on such thoughts over and over again.

The Bible says, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak" (Matthew 26:41, NIV). When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He replied to the devil by quoting Scripture. Three times He said, "It is written ..." (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). Be prepared for temptation, through prayer and through your knowledge of God's Word.

The Bible says, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV). Be prepared to take advantage of God's "way out" of temptation, whether it means that you "flee" the scene of the temptation (1 Timothy 6:11), or that you stay on the scene and "resist" it (James 4:7).

Tell Others About Christ

Letting others know about your new life in Christ—by word and by action—can be one of the most satisfying and exciting experiences you have ever had. The apostle Peter encourages us to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15, NIV).