LAME
Today i had my 3rd English lecture followed by my 1st English tutorial for the semester. It was a pretty amusing experience sitting beside Mr Jared Goh Wee Siong throughout that 3 hours. We were doing word play and it seemed like most of the time i had to explain to him the meaning of some of the jokes. Well, i certainly do think that my mind has been so geared to lame-ness (from jasmin of cos) that i could understand the lamest and coldest joke. Gosh!! That's a scary thought.
I'm so tired... think will go to gym first before going for my haircut... oooh... i love haircut!
=)
Statistics Kill
1) Lecturer toppling a glass of water over the computer keyboard sending electricity to run through the whole lecture theatre resulting in massacre.
2) Student falling asleep with head jerking backwards every now and then. In one unfortunate moment, the force of his jerk snapped his d-spine killing him instantaneously.
3) Student falling asleep nodding his head forward while writing with his pen. In one unfortunate moment, his head fell heavily onto the table piercing his eye with the pen. Death resulted due to great loss of blood through the eye socket.
At least these were some of the observations Khairul and I have made today during the lecture. Hahaha... oh man...
*And if anyone complained that the keyboard of that lecture theatre seemed to malfunction, pls do not hesitate to ask my stats lecturer. hee hee*
The Urgency of Evangelism
No matter what part of your Christian commitment you focus on, the Bible leads you from that focus to the urgency of evangelism. For example:
- If we focus on Christianity as a life of love, the Bible shows us that love is hollow if we are willing to do nice things for people but not tell them about how to escape hell and gain everlasting joy with God (Luke 10:27).
- Or if we focus on Christianity as obedience to the commands of God, the Bible shows us quickly that God commanded us to make disciples and to rescue the perishing (Matthew 28:19–10; cf. James 1:22 with 5:20).
- Or if we focus on Christianity as a life of joy and fulfillment, the Bible makes clear that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35) and that those we lead to Christ will be our joy and hope and crown of exultation (1 Thessalonians 2:19).
- Or if we focus on Christianity as the way of filling the earth with the glory of God, the Bible shows us quickly that God is glorified when we bear much fruit (John 15:8) and that unbelief is the root of all that dishonors God (Romans 14:23).
- Or if we focus on Christianity as a force for social change and justice, the Bible shows us that apart from saving grace the human heart and human society will sink deeper into sin and immorality and decay (Romans 1:16–32).
- Or if we think of Christianity as a demonstration of kingdom power, the Bible shows us that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16) and that the great demonstration of kingdom power is when Satan's grip on unbelievers is broken through the power of the Holy Spirit in saving faith (Mark 3:27; Colossians 1:13).
In other words no matter what we focus on as the meaning and purpose of Christianity, evangelism inevitably rises to the surface with urgency. God has shown us more and more that there is no authentic Christianity that doesn't have a sense of urgency about evangelism.
- John Piper
The Deadly Virus of Celebrity Christianity
By J. Lee. Grady
Some bigheaded preachers demand rock star treatment. If the apostle Paul were around today he might throw rocks at them. Just when I thought we charismatics had finally taken enough abuse from the egomaniac ministers in our midst, I've learned that some of our leaders are taking things to a new extreme. We've moved beyond the red carpets, limousines and entourages of the 1990s. A new strain of the celebrity virus is spreading in large segments of the church.
One friend of mine in Texas recently inquired to see if a prominent preacher could speak at her conference. The minister's assistant faxed back a list of requirements that had to be met in order to book a speaking engagement. The demands included:
* a five-figure honorarium
* a $10,000 gasoline deposit for the private plane
* a manicurist and hairstylist for the speaker
* a suite in a five-star hotel
* a luxury car from the airport to the hotel (2004 model or newer)
* room-temperature Perrier
This really makes me wonder how the apostle Paul, Timothy or Priscilla managed ministering to so many people in Ephesus, Corinth and Thessalonica. How did they survive without a manicurist if they broke a nail while laying hands on the sick? I was relieved to know that this celebrity preacher's requirements in 2007 did not include a set of armed bodyguards--because I just might want to jump uninvited into her Rolls-Royce and say a few words.
It gets worse, if you can believe it. At a charismatic conference in an East Coast city recently, a pastor stood on a stage in front of a large crowd and smugly announced that the guest speaker was "more than an apostle." Then the host asked everyone to bow down to the person, claiming that this posture was necessary to release God's power.
"This is the only way you can receive this kind of anointing!" the host declared, bowing in front of the speaker. Immediately, about 80 percent of the audience fell prostrate on the floor. The few who were uncomfortable with the weird spiritual control in the room either walked out or stood in silent protest.
So today, I guess it's not enough to feed a celebrity preacher's ego by treating them like a rock star. We also are required to worship him.
And apparently in some places you even have to pay big bucks to speak with him. In a city in the South, a well-known preacher is known to ask for money in order to secure a five- or 10-minute counseling session. The minister uses Proverbs 18:16, "A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men" (NASB), to support this bizarre practice. Some people are known to give more than $1,000 for a short meeting.
People on fixed incomes need not apply. (That would include lepers, blind beggars, Samaritan women or any other social outcasts who were welcomed and healed by Jesus without payment.
What has become of the American church? What is this sickness spreading in the body of Christ? I don't know whom to blame more for it: The narcissistic minister who craves the attention, or the spiritually naive crowds who place these arrogant people on their shaky pedestals. All I know is that God is grieved by all of this shameful carnality.
How far we have fallen from authentic New Testament faith. Paul, who carried the anointing of an apostle but often described himself as a bond slave, told the Thessalonians, "Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives" (1 Thess. 2)
New Testament Christianity is humble, selfless and authentic. And those who carry the truth don't preach for selfish gain or to meet an emotional need for attention. May God help us root out the false apostles and false teachers who are making the American church sick with their man-centered, money-focused heresies.
J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma. The August issue of Charisma is now available on newsstands.
Trials and Tribulations
Therefore, since having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom we have obtained introduction by faith into this grace which we stand; and we exult in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, we also exult in our tribulations: knowing that tribulations bring about perserverance, perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint us; because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom He has given us.[Romans 5:1-5]
I really thank God for illuminating this truth in my heart today. In my most unwilling flesh but my most willing spirit, i do yearn for trials to mould me and break me into the person which Christ wants me to be, to be transformed from glory to glory that i might have a certainty in hope, and to exult in the hope of His glory.
I Dunch Like Alphabets
MOE - where is my endorsement letter??
UCAS - where is the option to the right semester i'm applying??
CORS - where is the module ST 1131?? It's not listed in my CORS account!!
OPAS - where is the option to accept the internal offer?? [rectified]
*faint*
Ten Reasons to Study Geography
10. Mother Teresa, one of the most admired women in history, went to India as a Geography teacher.
9. You won't mispronounce aa.
8. Michael Jordan, a geography major, makes over $80 million a year.
7. Know the real cost of Nike sneakers.
6. Prince William switched from studying Art History to Geography at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
5. What to do during a tsunami, or Great Singapore Sale.
4. Einstein was reported to have said,” As a young man, my fondest dream was to become a geographer. However, while working in the customs office I thought deeply about the matter and concluded it was too difficult a subject. With some reluctance I then turned to physics as a substitute."
3. Reasons to visit exotic places.
2. Figure why Malaysian Cadbury bars taste different from Australian ones.
1. Because Geography simply ROCKS!
