Sunday, October 11, 2009

What's up with that?

Hey guys and girls!

How's it going?
Just droppin by to share some thoughts about a sermon by pastor Kelvin Sim I heard recently. It was mainly about how we relate to others (a bit of focus on BGR ). SO here goes.
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The world is based upon relativity. We act mostly based upon our feelings, and the problem with this is that our feelings are often distorted by what we call perspective.
Everyone has their own perspective and point of view, so what happens is that there is no "absolute right" or "absolute truth" because everyone can argue that it "is the right thing to do in my perspective".
So "relatively", what we think is true becomes 'our truth' and what others think is true becomes "their truth", and thus no one is ever wrong because they were just doing what was "true and right" to them. Do you see the problem here?
Eventually, people will become deluded and they can get away with anything because "if you think it's right, then it's right". Don't you see this happening already with the crazy nonsense about so-called "human rights" for legalising same-sex marriages in certain parts of the world?

What's so wrong about having our own perspective on things?
1) Our perspective is earthly, therefore imperfect, flawed.
For example, stuff you see going on in Hollywood makes you think "it's alright to do this because they're doing it too". We don't have to look too far for examples. Even your friends in school or wherever else could be doing stuff which might make you think that "it's alright because they're doing it". You all know what's so dangerous about this.

2) Perspective based on earthly standards is always governed by preferences. What's wrong about this? Preferences change.
You might think you like a certain something/someone today, but what about 20 years down the road? 30? 40? Are you sure that you're able to stay committed all the way?
People are meant to be loved, and things are meant to be used. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. Sadly, the latter is what we see and hear most of the time these days.

So how do we do it? What's our perspective supposed to be based on?
Well, that's simple. To be able to stay committed (essentially, in terms of relationships, it means for life), it requires conviction.
Conviction does not come from an earthly source. Conviction is only from the One who is unchanging. Love is meant to be based upon conviction. Therefore, relationships must be based on an absolute standard, and there is only one absolute standard; God's standard.

Men and women were originally created with a righteous intellect and a rational, moral mind. God made man in His image.
However, after sin came into the world every person is born with a sinful nature (except Jesus of course) and we lose the original morality that was created in us.
Jesus came to restore the image of God in us. He came to reconcile us to God so that we will be able to live by His standards.


Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become your habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, they become your destiny.

-Unknown


Okay, so some application now.
Let's be honest, dating flippantly makes a mockery of God's original design for men and a women. God did not design humans to toy with each others' feelings. Relationships are meant to be pure, and to be kept pure.
This might make some of you go "why so serious?" but it has to be said:
A relationship between a man and a woman is meant to lead to marriage. You don't ask someone to be your girlfriend/boyfriend just because you feel like it. Is he/she someone you would want to marry?

If you're on the verge of asking someone to get into a relationship with you, I suggest you stop, and pray about it. A LOT. Seek God and wait for His answer. Don't jump to conclusions if you think you've heard an answer. Seek counsel with perhaps your parents as well until you have confirmed that God has answered you, then act based on His answer.
If you're already in a relationship and you did not seek God's will before you got into it, I suggest you do the same as mentioned above.

This applies not only for relationships, but for any other decision at all.
Our perspective is NEVER as good as God's perspective.
Live by the standards of Him who lives in us. Jesus has freed us from all chains and bondages. There is no reason for us to follow earthly views and standards.

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

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wokay, that's all I have for now. Do comment if you have any thoughts, or if you disagree with something I wrote, or if you want to add anything, or whatever else. We're all learning, and it would be great to hear from you guys and girls.


Peace out,
Eugene.

5 comments:

hlpe said...

finally :) a non announcement post..totally agree with the part about perspectives...sometimes we fools ourselves the most.

on the issue on being committed, agree as well, but would also say that in our human ways, sometimes, we do make mistakes, and even though initially we might feel at peace with the decision of choosing someone special, it might be us being blinded by our emotions, so as much as we should remain committed, we must also know that at times, we need to let go, because its not god's will and so THINK and PRAY ALOT before you come to such a decision.

UGN said...

yeap, definitely.
Commitment must be a product of conviction.

Conviction is defined as:
unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence

There's only one source of such belief regardless of what people might say, and that source is God.

Samuel said...

Couldn't agree more.

It's all too easy to imagine a scene where a man wakes up next to his wife only to realize that he's no longer madly in love with her. What then?

That's where commitment comes in.

Dave said...

Preach it brader!

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