Big Update!!

Big update! A lot has happened in my life and spiritual life (both ups and downs) and I can't tell about all of them right now. Furthermore, school is getting busy (did I mention I'm studying chemical engineering?). However, I hope that I will get to post more about my thoughts and ponderings in the near future.

Plan

Seeing as OIA seems to get me nowhere, I plan to read through the Bible and then start anew following a devotional plan. http://withchrist.org/MJS/HHDevotional.htm

The Green Letters a.k.a. Principles of Spiritual Growth - by Miles J. Stanford

Read it here! http://withchrist.org/mjs/glchapters.htm

It's an incredible read! I've learnt so much mentally, but I look forward to what God will show and let me experience in order to make me grow.

Memory Verse Psalm 51:10-12

For I have issues of the heart no cardiologist can ever cure.

10Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Ps. 51:10-12

Update

It's been a while. I started reading Psalms without doing OIA. I think it would be better for me than doing OIA all the time. This consumes a lot of time.

03/15/12: Psalm 119: Waw, Zayin, Heth, Teth, Yodh

Psalm 119
The longest chapter of the Bible. I've decided to break it into parts.
This psalm is an acrostic poem; the verses of each stanza begin with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

03/09/12: Psalm 119: Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, He

Psalm 119
The longest chapter of the Bible. I've decided to break it into parts.
This psalm is an acrostic poem; the verses of each stanza begin with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

Romance

Please help me control my romantic feelings, Lord. They hinder me from focusing on you.

03/08/12: Psalm 118

Psalm 118

03/08/12: Psalm 117

Psalm 117

The Stand

You stood before creation
Eternity in your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
And carried the cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
And what can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
I'll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours
Performed by: Hillsong United Composed by: I don't know. Please do inform me/comment below, and cite your source. Thank you.

03/07/12: Psalm 116

Psalm 116

03/06/12: Psalm 115

Psalm 115

Why do we believe in what we believe in?

We cannot verify all the facts laid down before us. With all the information, the theories and the discoveries, we cannot verify by ourselves how old the earth is nor can we verify the speed of light (to most people, at least). These 'facts' we take were given to us by other people, experiments done before us who we believe and accept to be true. These 'facts' were given to us and we have faith that they are true. This is why the scientific community make journals so as to ensure that the publications in these experiments are credible and true. Yet even in the most credible of journals, plagiarism and data manipulation can occur.

The same can be said with religion. The religion we have (or don't have) right now is given to us by someone, and we hold these teachings to be true. But are they really? Can we trust them? Why do we believe in what we believe in?

Two nights ago, I asked myself this question. I was stumped. Do we humans believe because of feelings? experience? reason? faith? Are these reasons valid? I simply could not think of an answer. I thought that before I can answer this question, first, we should know "how do we believe in something?"

To believe in something, we have to know that something. The Bible puts its simply, "Faith cometh by hearing..." (take note that this is spiritual hearing). Not even the hardest skeptics can deny that to believe in something we first need to hear or have an idea of what we believe in. We cannot believe that God exists if the idea of God is not conceptualized in our mind. Likewise, you cannot believe that God does not exist if it never even crossed your mind that He does not exist.

Next, to believe in something, we test that something. Science tests hypotheses until they become theories, and theories until they become laws. Even postulates are tested: postulates are accepted as postulates because they are consistent and accepted to be true. The Bible also asks us to test our beliefs. The Bereans were applauded by Paul because "they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." (Acts 17:11) 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says "Test everything. Hold on to the good." Even Jesus says that "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves."  (John 14:11). When we have tested the teachings countless times, be it of science or of religion, we accept it to be true. To experience once is not enough; we should be completely sure, beyond reasonable doubt, of the truth that was presented to us. Now I have tested many branches of Science and the tenets of Christianity and found the latter to be true, so far (If you doubt my understanding of science, see me here).

Based on these two patterns I have proposed, we can say that we cannot believe in something because of feelings. Feelings are but an unstable platform, like a plank of wood drifting in a raging storm, never knowing when to break or when to sink. If we hold on to it we are sure to drown in the sea of doubt.

Perhaps what we need is experience. An experiment consistent after innumerable replications can be accepted as fact. Likewise, the revelation of the consistent character of God after countless times of dependency on Him can be accepted as true. But, a consistent trend does not ensure a predictable future. Extrapolation of data is not as accurate as interpolation. Case in point: The sun rises yesterday, today, and every morning of our lives, but how sure are we that it will rise tomorrow? How sure are we that it will rise next week? An unforeseen cosmic event may change the result. Can we be sure that the laws of physics will hold tomorrow? We cannot be completely sure of the future. Empirical evidence and experience are not reliable and are not enough.

If not experience, then reason may be a basis for belief. When we say that something is reasonable, it is probably true. But a deeper look into the nature of reason shows us that it is not reliable. Now we ask ourselves this: Why do we believe in reason? Is it reasonable to believe in reason? Is it logical to believe in logic? Why does logic even work? Because it just does. We did not need reason to believe in reason itself. We do not need reason to believe in something. How then do we believe?

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1) We take by faith that the sun will rise tomorrow. After seeing it every day, we take by faith that the sun will rise next week. After consistently being able to describe the world around us, we take by faith that the laws of physics hold true. After all the technological proofs we have seen, we take by faith that reason and logic work. I take by faith that Jesus is God, that He lived and died on the cross but rose again on the third day.

Thus, first we hear, we test, and then by faith we believe. This is how we believe in what we believe in.

On a side note, perhaps you are wondering why am I using logic to prove, when I say that logic itself is not reliable? Is it not a circular reference? Not quite. First of all, I am not saying that logic is not reliable. I say "Logic is reliable, but why do we rely on it?" That being made clear, we move on to the main topic.

Now to answer the question, "why do we believe in what we believe in?" Simply put, we believe because of faith. We hold something to be true. Modern Science believes that God does not exist and that it can improve mankind's way of life. Atheists believe that God does not exist. These things they hold to be true. Christians believe that God exists and came to earth in the person of Jesus to save mankind. These things we hold to be true. Then we expound and explore what we hold to be true, giving birth to more truths, to more beliefs.

But finally, to truly believe in something we have to live according to that belief. Can you say that you believe in science when you are part of the occult? Can you say that you believe that the beauty of the golden ratio is absolute when you paint out of this proportion? Can we say that we are Christians when we do not do as Jesus commands? "Faith without works is dead!" (James 2:26) True belief brings actions. For what we believe, we think; and what we think, we say; and what we say, we do; and what we do, we live out. Just as everybody has experienced the fruits of science, we Christians should also let everybody experience the fruit of God's love in order for them to believe..




Feel free to comment what you think. But first make sure you have read the article. No ad hominem attacks. Only decent discussions will be allowed.

Week

Another week of weakness. I need to regain my footage. Help me Lord.

02/25/12: Psalm 114

Psalm 114
The psalmist recounts some of God's miracles performed in Israel

02/24/12: Psalm 113

Psalm 113
This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

02/23/12: Psalm 112

Psalm 112
This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

02/22/12: Psalm 111

Psalm 111
This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

02/14/12: Psalm 106

Psalm 106
As opposed to the previous psalm, here the psalmist recounts the sinful history of Israel then praises the Lord for His love and mercy.

02/21/12: Psalm 110

Psalm 110
Of David. A psalm.
A prophetic psalm, like the previous one.

02/20/12: Psalm 109

Psalm 109
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
David asks from the Lord blessing for himself while curses for his enemies.

02/16/12: Psalm 108

Psalm 108
The psalmist sings to the Lord despite Him not going out with the armies of Israel.

02/15/12: Psalm 107

Psalm 107
The label says "Book V." The whole category contains Psalms 107-150.

This is a fairly united psalm. The psalmist talks about God's work (redemption) and the praise that follows because of it.

02/13/12: Psalm 105

Psalm 105
The psalmist recounts the history of Israel and praises the Lord because of it.

02/10/12: Psalm 104

Psalm 104
The psalmist praises the Lord for His works and enumerates but a number of them.

02/06/12: Psalm 103

Psalm 103
Of David.

The psalmist is talking to his soul, telling it to praise the Lord because of His works. He enumerates a number of God's works, showing some more of His characteristics.

Update

No updates due to lots of school work. I know, this is terrible backsliding. I need to do something about this. I plan to make pages on my theological stands about basic Christian things like predestination, etc.

01/17/12: Psalm 102

Psalm 102
A prayer of an afflicted man. When he is faint and pours out his lament before the Lord.

01/13/12: Psalm 101

Psalm 101
Of David. A psalm.

This is about walking blamelessly and shunning evil.

Temptation

I've decided to fast a few days after I get well from my cough. I began to prepare already, trying to reduce my idle thoughts and instead focusing them on God. However, it is consistently clear that whenever I try to do this (I've thought of this before), the devil will always - take note, ALWAYS - find a way to tempt me. Then I think that I'm wrong and say to myself not to do it anymore. THIS IS A BIG PITFALL. Do not think that it is possible to do it on your own. Always ask for the help of the Holy Spirit. It is worthless even if you succeed if you manage to overcome temptation on your own. It will only bloat your pride and you would be giving yourself glory, which is supposed to be given to God. Temptation is very powerful and we should always ask for the help of the Holy Spirit. But when we sin, which is inevitable while we are in this body, we should always confess to God that we have for "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

01/12/12: Psalm 100

Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving thanks.

01/11/12: Psalm 99

Psalm 99
A praise to the Lord for he is holy.

The Green Letters

Here is a link to the whole book. It is a very good read, or so I've been told. Haven't read it though, but I'll make time for it.

The Green Letters
A.K.A. PRINCIPLES OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Miles J. Stanford

01/10/12: Psalm 98

Psalm 98
A praise to the Lord for His salvation that has reached to all the ends of the earth.

01/06/12: Psalm 97

Psalm 97
Many of the descriptions are repeated from other chapters.

Christian Giving

Text: 2 Corinthians 8:1-7
¹And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. ²Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. ³For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, ⁴they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. ⁵And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. ⁶So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. ⁷But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us^a—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. ^a 7 Some manuscripts in our love for you