It's a love story, baby just say yes.
Mat 22:40
On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."
So one more week has past. The year is nearly coming to an end. This year has been crazy to say the least. It is one of the fastest-feeling years for me ever. Jan to March was school and ennui. April to July was reservist, exams and meeting crazy sales targets. August to October was making new friends in Wesley and also 987fm to a certain extent. If you're reading this, Soo, you are still as awesome as ever. I wish I had your hair.
And through the whole year, the USA presidential elections have been building and building and building up till
Yesterday.
Barack Obama is the new president of the USA.
I have supported him all the way. Since the days Mitt Romney and Mick Huckabee were in it, there was only one man that I would like to see in the White House. And that wish is now reality.
There were some friends of mine who would have preferred Huckabee to be President.
1. He's Christian, and a pastor to boot.
2. He's Christian
3. He's....well. Christian
4. AND OBAMA SUPPORTS ABORTION! THAT SWINE OF A MAN YOU YOU YOU YOU.......
I'm an opponent to those who are opponents to Christian beliefs without first examining the circumstances. No way I'm going into more political analysis here. The point I'm making is not about governmental policies. It is about how silly some of us Christians can be.
We like to talk about loving and obeying God ------> following His commandments ------> knowing His word --------> dunno where -------> no big deal cos anyway also go heaven.
Get real. God's word is easy to understand but impossible to do by ourselves. I'm going to prove it right now (abeit simplistically)
Mar 12:30
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'
Mar 12:31
The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
Mat 22:37
and also
And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Mat 22:38
This is the great and first commandment.
Mat 22:39
And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
So it's easy peasy to understand then. Love God and Love Man. Tada.
Dear reader, if you've done these,please raise up your hand. Ok it looks dumb raising your hand in front of the computer, just nod your head. If you can't nod your head because you've sprained your neck, you can just say :mmm mmm.
Chances is that on one did any of the above. Either because singaporeans never ever like to embarass themselves or more likely, no one has "loved God and love man"
Seriously. I believe Barack Obama loves his countrymen so much he is willing to become the president to serve them. He can't probably have loved God with ALL his might and soul and stregth yadayada and he couldnt possibly have loved everyone as much as he loves himself. But he believes in hope; this man believes in believing in things. He inspires people who don't believe in their dreams anymore to believe in them.
So many Christians who I've listened to on the pulpit really talk a lot of cock.
On one hand they are preaching radical faith, on the other hand, they don't like to see radical faith in motion. They would have revival come to their church and thei people, but on THIER terms, not GOD's terms. By wasting time deciding which parts of the bible are literal and which are figurative, which parts should be followed because "nothing should be added or taken away from the Word", which parts should not for whatever reason (cultural blablabalbalbalb), they have forgotten to LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF!
I've met other Christians who think such a message is simplistic and does not feed them.
"Eh the speaker not that good. His message I know already. I want to know deeper stuff"
I will tell them to accomplish the loving part first, then come back and talk.
I've not touched on grace here. Partly because I believe we have used it too much as an excuse and also I don't think people understand grace at all.
I was at a Nick Vujivic (VU YI GIC) event last night. This fellow has no arms and legs. Only 2 deformed feet. But he's more complete than most of us. He leads a fantastic life changing the lives of millions.
At the very start, before he commenced his sharing, Nick told the congregation that the first person to run onto the stage would get his DVD free. After a 2 second hesistation, I ran up. I beat one girl to the stage by 1 second and got the DVD.
There were more than one thousand people at the event. And only two people ran up.
Moral of the story?
WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND GRACE!
No matter how much it is preached or talked about, most Christians don't understand Grace. They don't get it. Why are you giving me something? You gotta want something back. It's a transaction? What am I going to lose? Can I really gain wihout losing anything?
The simple answer is NO YOu CANNOT. Everything here on earth is a transaction. Let anyone who tells you grace is something that requires no return do one humdred pushups while singing Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne.
You must give something back of coruse. For my efforts, I had to give Nick anice warm big hug.
For accepting God's grace, God requires you to love Him.
There's always a catch,
But here comes the punchline. Get ready for it.
WHO SAYS A CATCH MUST BE BAD???
Who says a transaction must be bad? Why must we be fearful of it? Who taught us that we cannot receive grace and give something we absolutely feel wonderful aobut giving?
DONT YOU ALL SEE? IF you cannot receive something that you give something up for, you similarly cannot give something to expect something in return for.
That is why we have a lack of missionaries , evangelists and whatnot. Because people simply cannot run up to stage to claim a gift.
The americans are starting to get it. Running up to the election, Obama's opponents claimed he was just full of hot air. He was making promises he couldnt' keep. His message?
YOu want CHANGE? COME GET IT YOURSELF!
Out of desperation (due to their economic and social environment). the americans rallied and voted a young, black, junior senator in to the White House. And because if that, I don't care if his legislation includes abortions (seriously rolls eyes) because overall, he is not a perfect man, but he makes people courageous and invovled. He makes people understand that race is not an issue, he makes people see that they all have to be invovled WITH him to make things happen.
Look at your own church service. If it's good, congratulations.
If it's not too great, chances is that you dont really love other people. You claim you do, perhaps you claim you don't. But please don't be proud of it. It's easy to understnad. And it's easy to check yourself on because its not an activity or a task. It is simply an attitude.
For those who get it, like what Elliot Chiam and Caleb Ho always say; PRAY. Pray for everyone around you. Pray for love, geniune love.
More than that, reach out and share! Educate and speak with others. Help them to achieve revival together. A revival that lasts and is not a bubble syndrome.
Change is possible. May we all understand what it means to love God and Love Man.
YES WE CAN
Seth