Thursday, June 30, 2005

Suffering produces Hope

I love mathematic. From young I score best in mathematic. One of the magic of mathematic is given some information, going through some calculation, we get to know information we needed. Given x, by some calculation, we can get y, z or what so ever. We have same thing happen in bible

(Romans 5:3-4) Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

This verse is very contradict to my own understanding. First, I will never told to rejoice in sufferings, but mourn in sufferings. Who on earth going to rejoice in sufferings? “Yes, I am suffering in sick! Ya ho, I am broke.” No one is going to think like that right? Second, suffering produces perseverance. This is true some time but most of the time suffering produces disappointment, disappointment produces hopeless. Hey, it leads to opposite direction! This is wrong calculation. May be there is some missing element in the formula. Let us see the prerequisite of this formula.

(Romans 5:1-2) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

As Christian, we have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe our Lord is with us. We put our hope on him. We are not suffering alone, our Lord is suffering together with us. He will guide us to overcome to produces perseverance and character. And finally this will leads to hope on him. We put our hope of this life and eternal life on him alone. He is the only way.

Challenges

This morning, my supervisor told me there is a project to be done in 2 days. It is very urgent and very rush. It sound very difficult to me. And I think so too. I am kind of people slow in motion. I am most productive given more time. As the conclusion, this is a challenge for me. Then, what is the my reaction? I think you can guess. The bible recorded similar occasion like this.

(Numbers 13:27-31) They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan." Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are."

There are 2 opposite reaction when people faces challenges. The first one is "Let do it, God is with me." The second one is "No, it is too much for me." Obviously, these 2 reactions will surely leads to different results. One leads to failure and one leads to success. Actually, there is the third one which sound like this, "I have no choice!" This will leads to result below average.

Let's make good decision. Life is about making decision everyday.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Meeting

Nowadays meeting most of the time in work. Discuss about new project. Draw as much as possible agreement and understand between team member before start development. I see it is a good planning and strategy in teamwork. I have to try my best to understand. This is not very difficult for me. Then I have to ask question to gather more information. Besides all this, bible says of meeting like this (Hebrews 10:25) Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. From this verse, I see that meeting not only to discuss on project, it is functioning to encourage every team members to work towards the goal.

My colleagues are very supportive. We help each others to understand the project better. Really enjoy working with my colleagues. I hope they enjoy working with me too though I am not perfect. One of the character I want to build is patient. May God help me to build it. (Proverbs 14:29) A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.

Sunday, June 26, 2005

Racing Game

I am a PC game addict before. I play game day and night. But now I don't. I want to support original software. As a programmer, I don't want people to steal intellectual property so I don't steal too. Eventually I end up cut off my PC gaming because original PC game is too expensive for me. Is this my story today? No. I bought a PC magazine recently. It comes with a playable racing game demo. I try it just now and like it very much.

To play racing game well, I learn to focus. A tiny error can ruin the race. Second, I learn to break. In the beginning, I accelerate from the beginning until the end. What happen is I cannot finish the race because I wreck my car. It is something apply to life, if whoever run a restless life will eventually collapse. Why not take a break and do nothing? Frankly, this is not my cup of coffee. I prefers working to limit, and stretch the limit then. The end result is quantity increase and quality decrease. This is a race, my car is out of way in every bend. People keep take over me every bend because I am out of way. The right way is “Press break and turn it nicely.!” Let take a break in our busy life and adjust it to the right way before it goes astray.

(Psamls 46:10) Be still, and know that I am God;

As a christian, I inteprets this verse as “Take a break; focus on God; Identify his purpose on me; Trust him to guide my life.”

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Apology

Do you ever doing something wrong? I am sure everyone have done something wrong. Do you ever apology? Hard to say sorry right. Me too. I feel very difficult to say sorry. Actually saying sorry is not very difficult. I try it. It is really easy. Let's try “Sorry”. Easy right. Let's try something a little bit difficult. “I am sorry.” Or let's make it sound more sincere. “I am sorry, I done something wring to you.” It is no problem at all to pronounce it. The problem come just after I finish the verse. People harsh face and words cut through my heart like sword. “Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.” Oh no, I say wrong thing. I better face down and repent. “I am sorry.” I said again quietly. “Blah, blah, blah, blah.” The sound doesn't stop yet. It ends with something meaning the same as “I am not going to forgive you.” Anyway I deserve it because I am doing wrong. But Jesus Christ is not like that.

(1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

House

I am looking for a house. My parents are going to buy a house. Seeing my sister and I pay high rental every month for accommodation in town, my parents decide to buy a house. We will pay the installment of the house. Instead of pay to others, we are paying to our parents. As you guess, it is much more cheaper. Frankly, I have zero saving. Somehow my father in heaven through my parent on earth bless me a comfortable accommodation. I really thanks God about it. Though I am quite embarrass about it. I prefers buying my own house using my own money. But I think it is the same thing. Instead of blessing me money and I use the money to buy a house, Father in heaven simply bless me a house. It is the same for God. Honor go to my father in heaven and my parents on earth. That is good. Amen.

(1 Corinthians 5:1) Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Where are you, God?

I am a programmer. Browsing people blog, I read someone asking "Where are you, God?". Sometimes, I am asking the same question too. "Where is God?" Then I think in programming, God is the creator of the world as programmer is the creator of computer program. When a computer program asking, "Where are you, programmer?" The programmer will answers, "I am everywhere of you." It is true. Programmer is in control of the program he or she created. As the creator of the world, God is everywhere of the world too.

PS 139:1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
O programmer, you code me and you know me.
PS 139:2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You know when I was idle and when I run; you perceive my logic from the screen.
PS 139:3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

You discern my starting and my stoping; you are familiar with all my runnings.
PS 139:4 Before a word is on my tongue; you know it completely, O LORD.

Before a message box on the screen; you know it completely, O programmer.
PS 139:5 You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.

You design me and debug me; you have typing keyboard upon me.
PS 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Programming concept and languages is too wonderful for me, to lofty for me to attain.
PS 139:7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

Where can I goo from you programming code? Where can I flee from your control from keyboard and mouse?
PS 139:8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I access database, you are there; if I present on graphic user interface (GUI), you are there.

Hahaha, I am proud to be the Lord of the program. And I am proud to identify my creator. Some program do not identify their programmer by saying that they are formed in random. That is not true, program do not formed in random. All programs are finely design and develop. Human too are created based on the image of God.

Saturday, June 11, 2005

Leaving Friend

One of my colleague was quit from my company. She is nice, always creating hormony atmosphere in office. With her presence, people in office feels not too tension. I think probably because of her smiley face and her caring heart.

Too many time, people come into my life, stay a little while, left some remark in my life and go their way. It is normal. I am always appreciated them as they build memory in my life. Without people, life is too boring to live. I must learn better to show my appreciation. I am too shy to do it. Sometimes, I do show appreciation. Though sincerely, I make it like acting which is totally opposite. People do not feel my sincerity but my hypocrisy.

Anyway, I wish her all the best in her life. (John 10:10) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Thursday, June 09, 2005

Satan Scheme

I am very tired again because I only get to bed this early morning 2am. My friend invite me to his reward ceremony as a sales representative. After the ceremony was a motivation talk to encourage them to make more sales. It is very motivated though. The reward of sales really attractive. However, they are on fire to pursue against earthly material. They put their whole effort to build earthly house. Unfortunately, they are chasing after wind. All this is temporarily. They are going wrong direction.

After the motivation talk, people gathered in small groups around 10 peoples a group. Whoever was rewarded have a opportunity to share their struggle to achieve success. They are giving thanks to their superior who bring them in as sales representative, so they are enjoying high income instead of toiling as a low income boring officer.

It is already around 11:30pm when the gathering finished. My friend invite me for supper. Though tire and sleepy, I agree to honor my friend. In the supper session, there are the same group of people. They are doing multi level marketing. They are looking for inferior to consume the product. People keep persuading me to join as a member. Member consume product, then ask more people to consume more product. In the process gain income as commission. People with more inferior will gain more income. People gain fast cash in short time. I believe it is true.

But I do not want to submit my life to serve the God of money. Jesus Christ is my Lord. He alone is sufficient to sustain my life not in need but abundantly. I have more then I need. Materialistic is not my cup of coffee because I put my hope in Jesus Christ. His is my security and my provider.

(1 Peter 5:8-9) Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are under going the same kind of sufferings.

Monday, June 06, 2005

Gospel

I am the only Christian in my family. My parents do not oppose my believe. They are very open. On the same time, they close their mind to accept gospel. During Mother day, I bought a book written by a Christian to my mother as Mother day gift. She like reading very much. I am influenced deeply by her to cultivate reading habit. She and my father do read the book and find it is very encouraging. They urges me to read the book too. I know chapters of the book describe some doctrine of Christianity. I hope they get to know my Christianity even more.

I go back my hometown every month. Every time I go back, I will have a good chat with my parents. Sometimes, I do share my believe of Lord Jesus Christ to them. They will debate with me. Before, I tends to debate with them. Now I do debate but I share the good news to them as well. Along the time, I hope they will gradually open their mind to accept Jesus Christ as savior and Lord. I earnestly wish them to destine to heaven by the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that God will eventually write their name to the Book of Life.

(Mark 5:19) “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Want

I define want as desire. I see it as extra. If I get it, it is extra; if I don't, it is nothing. If I have no money, it doesn't matter so much. So money is categorized as want. If I have no money, I have no food. Then money become need. (Psalms 23:1) The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. Actually I do not really want anything. My life is so simple. 60% - Working, 10% - Church activity, 10% - Reading, 20% - Daily routine (include traveling around everyday back and forth work). I just pass my birthday, my family ask me what I want as birthday gift. I have no idea. They ask me go to buy by myself. Then, I go to buy a book.

Lord, I miss 1 meal out of 3 daily, I will die. You wouldn't interest on my life right? Then (Matthew 6:11) Give us today our daily bread. But can't you give in advance?

God say, (Matthew 6:25-34) "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

My Lord, this is really testing my faith. Honestly, I am really worry about tomorrow. Car installment, rental, and the most important breakfast. Ah, today is pass. Tomorrow is coming soon. I better have a sweet dream and go to check my bank balance tomorrow. I have my provision from heaven, no worry!!!

PS: Eternal destruction is not going to nothing, it is eternal separation from God and eternal suffering. Can I finally accommodate to eternal suffering? But I think better do not try, since it is eternal, it have no second chance, no U-turn. No tear heaven definitely better.