"You're On Your Own"

   I used to be told all the time to join a group of believers - to grow in my faith, because without the support of others, one who was going through life solo would surely fall away. Even Paul had community! He had Timothy, Barnabas, and Luke among many others. ...But I didn't listen to them. So slowly but surely, I fell away.

What does it look like to have real community? And how is it formed? Is it just something that happens when we meet together regularly with other Christians? Or is there something more to it than just meeting and gathering? 

In this 2 minute video clip from a full talk at the Verge Conference, Francis Chan begins to answer the question that so many of us are asking – how can we have real community? The answer that Francis gives, though, might surprise you.

Think back to a time when you experienced deep and meaningful community. What were things that brought you together? Maybe it was a task, an ordeal or a cause that brought you together. Maybe it was an emergency, an unplanned event or a great vision. 

In this video, Francis shows us that the Bible is clear about community. He says that a simple reading of the Bible would not lead to focusing first on gathering. Instead, the Bible makes it clear that what is most important is the mission to make disciples. 

We are to go out on a mission to reach people. We are to teach them to obey everything that Jesus has commanded. And as we are on that mission to reach and disciple people, we would naturally find other people that are on that same mission. 

We would stick out because we would be some of the weirdest people on earth. We would stick out because we would be living lives that are radically different than most other Christians.
We would need each other. We would actually need brothers and sisters to come alongside us. We would need brothers and sisters in Christ to help us. We would need a community of people in order to accomplish the mission. We would need to work together and encourage each other to stay on mission. And we would even suffer together as a community.

(Source: http://www.vergenetwork.org/2011/09/13/francis-chan-how-to-have-real-community-video/)

What is your life?

 Life. We can get caught up in it - making the most irrelevant seem most important...whether good or bad...prosperity or sufferings. But "what is [our] life? For it is but a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14).

World Population

     We all go through struggles and hardships just as Jesus said would happen in Luke 6:46-49. Whether you are built on the rock or have been built without a foundation the floods will come! But let us strive to finish the race (Philippians 3:13-14). For Paul "considered that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18). This truth is why Jesus told us to "not lay up for [ourselves] treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for [ourselves] treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19-20).

      What is the Kingdom? And what does it have to do with my life (and my stuff)? Jesus said, in Matthew 13:44, that the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

How people change

2 Corinthians 3:18

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.

Let us exalt his name together!

Dear beloved brothers and sisters-in-Christ,

                                                                  The Lord is eternal. He does whatever He wants [to do]. Where were we when He laid the foundation of the earth (Job 38:4)? I'm getting scared just writing this because the last time I wrote about how powerful God is, something horrible happened. And so it seems like God was getting me prepared to deal with the coming hardship. So will I stop? Mmmmmm. Uhhhhhh. Oh man, well, um, I'll let you know what happens. Man, I am so scared right now.

     In Psalms 34:3, the Holy Spirit says (Hebrews 3:7), "I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Notice the "in my mouth" part - how his praise isn't kept inside but his love for the LORD was so great he had to say it out loud - continually! Let this be true for all of us!



"Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together!" (Psalms 34:3)

Jesus transforms idol worshipers

Drunk Meets Missionary, Finds Jesus

August 16, 2011

Alcohol addiction like Dhiraj's is widespread throughout South Asia. Many people produce their own home-brewed liquors. Like Pastor Sudeep, some missionaries are so dedicated they will give their own blood—literally—to show people Christ's love!

Dhiraj and his wife Nutan should have been living happily ever after. They had three children, and Dhiraj ran his own small business, working as a silversmith. Like almost everyone else in the village, the family worshiped all the local deities faithfully.

But strife was taking its toll on their marriage. Dhiraj was addicted to alcohol. He also embarrassed himself by flirting with the young women in their village, much to his wife's embarrassment and dismay. Then Dhiraj would come home drunk and yell at his wife over trivial matters. Their marriage was crumbling, and Nutan had reached her breaking point.

One day she decided she couldn't take any more. After a heated argument, she started to drink acid. Dhiraj was able to stop her—but not before she'd already burned her throat. A fearful Dhiraj raced his wife to the hospital.

Nutan's medical treatment placed added financial stress on the family. Because they could no longer afford to pay school fees for all three of their children, they had to stop sending their youngest child to school.

Redemption Arrives
During this difficult time, a Gospel for Asia-supported missionary named Sudeep was sharing the Good News in Dhiraj's village one day and stopped by Dhiraj's house. Dhiraj listened attentively as Sudeep told him of Christ's love. When Sudeep was finished, Dhiraj told the missionary he was eager to know more about Jesus. Sudeep invited him to come to Sunday worship services at his church.

Dhiraj accepted the invitation and started coming to Sudeep's church. Dhiraj continued seeking the Lord, and one day God spoke to him through Sudeep's sermon. Seeing God's amazing holiness, Dhiraj realized he was a sinner. Dhiraj confessed his sins and asked Jesus into his heart.

Afterward, Dhiraj became a committed member of the congregation, and God transformed his life. He stopped drinking alcohol and gave all his attention to his wife, rather than flirting with other women. His family members and neighbors were excited to see the changes in Dhiraj's life, but they disapproved of the fact he had become a Christian. In spite of gossip and opposition, however, Dhiraj stood firm in the Lord and refused to turn his back on Jesus.

Transformation Spreads
Even though she liked the changes in her husband's life, Nutan kept her distance from Jesus. Then she became seriously ill. Doctors told Dhiraj that Nutan needed an operation, which would require her to receive blood. To help make it possible for Nutan to have the surgery, Pastor Sudeep and two members of the church donated blood and helped pay for the procedure.

The operation was a success and Nutan's health improved. As she healed, Sudeep came to visit and pray for her. He also shared God's love with her several times. Seeing Sudeep's care for her, along with her husband's transformation, Nutan realized Jesus' love was truly transforming, and she gave her heart to Him. Once a troubled couple, Dhiraj and Nutan now live in peace, both serving their Savior. Their changed lives are also an encouragement to others in the village, who are now open to Jesus as a result.

(from Gospel for Asia's email updates! (www.gfa.org)

"Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"

"...For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother" (Matthew 12:50).




            I first started talking about this topic on my 23rd birthday morning to my best friend who was also saved through faith by grace - and this is not our own doing, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8) :) I want to have the realization that all who follow Christ are my brothers and sisters and mothers. "Let him who hath understanding reckon" the Kingdom to come (Rev 13:18). Let us gaze into the eternity that is the Kingdom and also the everlasting punishment in the lake of fire (Mat 19:29 & Rev 20:14). Those who do the will of the Father are our brothers and sisters and mothers - for eternity. Never will we see those who do not do the will of the Father. The fact is that this life is but a vapor and that we are headed for eternity (James 4:14). This is all that matters! If we see our flesh as a priority, then let us especially see those in the Spirit as our family (Gal 6:10 & 1 Cor 12:27).


Romans 9:6-8

 For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, ⁷and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." ⁸This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 

Luke 9:57-60

⁵⁷As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." ⁵⁸And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." ⁵⁹To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." ⁶⁰And Jesus^[g] said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 

Hell

Ssssup,

          Today I received Francis Chan's new book called, Erasing Hell. It takes you through what the bible says about Hell. It also takes you through what [false] beliefs people have created and hold on to in light of the truth. Jews of the time of Jesus knew that Hell is everlasting and that unbelievers go there along with the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). If this was wrong, Jesus would have rebuked them without hesitation as He did with their other issues. This contrasts very well with America's "Disneyland Christianity" that says  Hell doesn't exist, or Hell is not everlasting, or literally every single soul will be saved. These views are known under the title of, "Universalism".
         The truth about Hell is essential to our walk with Jesus. Besides, how can we say to Jesus, "You know what you said about everlasting torment? Well that doesn't really matter...in fact, not everything you say matters 100%. So, I'm just going to pretend you didn't say that." Knowing the truth will determine how we live our lives (and how we care about other people's destinies). If we believe there is not a Hell or that no one goes to Hell despite all of Jesus' words on it, then what is there to fear? The reality is that God said to fear Him who can kill the body and then cast your soul into Hell (Matthew 10:28).

        Let us look at some contexts.

1 Cor. 15:22 says, "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive". What does the 2nd "all" mean? It means all who are in Christ [shall be made alive]. In fact, following this verse is a whole lot of destruction of everything that opposes God in this life.

When Mark said that "all the country of Judea" and "all the people of Jerusalem" were going out to be baptized by John (Mark 1:5), he certainly didn't mean every single individual in Judea. "All" here simply means a large number of people. Let us not act like this is a foreign concept - we use words like this and "everyone" and "everybody" everyday. And by "everyday" I do not mean literally every single day of our lives.

1 Timothy 2:4 says that God wants all people to be saved. Or that it is His will that all be saved. There are two (or three) different "wills": God's moral will and God's decreed will. His moral will (all to be saved) includes things like God doesn't want you to murder; He wants you to love. But do we break that will? Yes. Then there is God's decreed will. For example, for Him to sacrifice His son by the Jews. Jesus even asked if there was another way yet the Father's will was done for "none can stay His hand" (Daniel 4:35).

Revelation 20 & 21 describe the lake of fire as the final destiny of those who don't follow Jesus in this life. Hell is not corrective; it is retributive - it is punishment forever and ever.

It is important to read the Bible with exegetical eyes and not eisegetical.

- Ona

(with excerpts from Erasing Hell)

Also, the book is titled this way because Pastor Chan would love to erase Hell from the Bible and so would I. Francis' Grandmother died rejecting Jesus about 25 years ago. It hurts me so much to think about where the people I love could possibly end up. I never want to think about it.  So let us keep our eyes on the Lord and finish this race.

Prayer brings us closer to God

     Sup,


Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."


     I used to think that prayer was the tool to get my way. After all, John 16:24 says, "Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." I didn't want to accept that prayer's main effects was getting closer to God. Let's turn this into something positive. How do our minds get renewed? By God's mercy and grace. All over the bible God shows that we need Him and that we cannot do it ourselves. So let us pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication (Eph 6:18). After all, "how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13). 


    Ok, I admit that this post wasn't very good. I just wanted to put something up. So, just let the scriptures speak for themselves.

- Ona