what we've learned..

Oli and I were talking passionately about God last night and we had a few notes to exchange about what it means to have a personal relationship with our one true Maker. Here are some interesting points to note:

RELIGION, RELIGIOUS GROUP, WHA?
It doesn't really matter which group or religion you're in (James 1:26), what matters is:
- how you strive to live like Christ and move away from all that the Bible calls sin (1 John 1:9);
- how you can serve & glorify God by serving others (Col. 3:17);
- making your conduct reflect that you are indeed a child of God (2 Cor. 8:21);
- you have committed yourself to Jesus and acknowledged the fact that without Him you are nothing (John 6:28-29);
- daily acknowledge that Jesus died for you on the cross for your sins - and that is reason enough for you to move away from your "old" self to your "new" self in Christ. (Romans 7)

OH, SO YOU'VE CONVERTED?
Being "renewed" in Christ does not mean you have "converted" as other groups pray to God anyway. What it means to be a Christian is that:
- You gave your commitment to our Lord God that you will strive to follow His Word as you live your life (2 Cor. 3:17-18);
- That you know what it means to "repent" from the sins you have done and that you will do all means to change and avoid the same old sins;
- While people will always judge you depending on what your "religion" is, at the end of the day, God will ask you, "have you been faithful to me and not anybody else?" That is why being a Christian means having a "personal" relationship .. it is between God and YOU. Not between You and the religion you're in. When you face Him one day, you cannot call on your Pastor or Priest to come to your rescue. It will be just You and God;
- Some people may not understand but again, at the end of the day, we are answerable to God and NOT to anybody else.

TO FLEE OR NOT TO FLEE
- There are about 7,000 promises in the Bible. Promises for a good life, prosperity, growth, etc. But it also entails responsibility, commitment and OBEDIENCE if you would like to prosper in whatever area of your life. Obediece to God and His "law".. God will bless those who follow Him and following means, being obedient. (Deut. 11:13-17)
- Some Christians avoid certain things that lead them to sin (2 Timothy 2:22, 1Cor. 15:33, James 4:7). Some people find it weird, strict, exaggerated. But again, the Holy Spirit will convict you of the things you must avoid (John 14:15-21). And it is not the teaching of Victory or any other religious orders/groups out there. The groups are there to support us and to help us "know" God and not to tell us that, that's bawal, that's masama or what. It will then again boil down again to you and the choices you make.

IT'S ALL A MATTER OF CHOICE
- God gave us the right to choose. Left or right, black or white, yes or no. We are able to decide correctly if we constantly seek Him and acknowledge that He is the Lord of our lives;
- Some people might think that some Christians are trying so hard to "convert" the people around them, but, the truth is, no word can ever describe the "joy" you will have in Christ if you dedicate your life to Him and only Him alone. Just as Jesus made disciples, and just as His disciples preached the Good News, we as Christians are called to spread the Good News as well (Read Book of John and Acts);
- Having a "new" life becomes difficult when we have not made up our minds to leave our "old" selves;
- If we've given up our "old" selves and committed to God that we want to change, God himself will give us the strength to overcome.


So I guess the bottomline is, who exactly do we want to serve as we live on earth? Is it ourselves? Is it money? For Oli and myself, we're blessed to share the same conclusion.. That all of us are created differently, but yet our spirits seek only one God.. That Life on earth can be disrupted by so many forces that lure our focus out from God.. That living a fruitful life, with meaning, with purpose and sense, with simplicity and humility, does not match any worldly things that bring temporary joy and relief.. That when it's time to go, we can proudly tell God about how we did our best to be obedient to His Word and nothing else...