Strong Faith Produces Strong Character

"Do you desire to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ? Would you bring forth much fruit? Would you be eminently holy and useful? Would you be bright, and shine as a light in your day? Would you, like Moses, make it clear as noonday that you have chosen God before the world? I dare be sure that every believer will reply,“Yes! yes! yes! these are the things we long for and desire.”

Then take the advice I give you this day: go and cry to the Lord Jesus Christ, as the disciples did, “Lord, increase our faith.” Faith is the root of a real Christian’s character. Let your root be right, and your fruit will soon abound. Your spiritual prosperity will always be according to your faith. He that believeth shall not only be saved, but shall never thirst, shall overcome, shall be established, shall walk firmly on the waters of this world, and shall do great works."

 - J.C. Ryle -

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Circumcision of the Heart

"This circumcision involves God cutting away 

everything in our lives that doesn't bring glory to Him. 

Stripping away our pride and self-reliance. 

Teaching us to trust in Him alone." 

- Sun Stand Still, Pastor Steven Furtick

"No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; 

and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, 

by the Spirit, not by the written code.

Such a man’s praise is not from men, 

but from God."
Romans 2:29

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Soulmate

"At the core of each of us is a compulsion for completion so strong that no single human can consistently fulfill it. There are times, glorious moments of intimacy and belonging (with family, friends, or a soul mate), that make us feel complete. But those times are few and far between. They are snapshots we paste into our mental scrapbook to fondly recall and treasure. Unfortunately for some, these moments become the mark against which their self-worth and significance in the relationship is now measured.

The heart of the issue here is personal significance. This need is woven into the fabric of our nature, our very being. The desperate need for significance is as real as any physical need we ever experience. And we'll do almost anything to get our need for significance met. Some seek money, prestige, beauty, success, achievements, or fame to satisfy the yearning, but sooner or later all of us look to relationships for a deeper level of personal fulfillment. We dream of a relationship that will complete our need for significance.

... We realize that even the most loving human relationship can never consistently quench our deepest need. Ask any married couple. Every husband and wife, no mater how loving and godly, has many times failed to provide what their partner has needed most.

So are we stuck, forever floundering between fleeting moments of relational fulfillment? 

Fortunately not.

While our earthly relationships will let us down time and time again, a relationship with God can be counted on to genuinely and fully meet our deepest need for significance... only God can ultimately and consistently love us when we are moody, when we make mistakes, and when we feel rejected and unloved by the person we counted on the most.

"God is love."

And we can rely on God's love. As the writer of the Psalm said, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart." The New Testament says, "God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." Once we internalize this truth, we discover the ultimate cure for our compulsion for completion. We may heal our hurts, discard our masks, and even take ownership for our destiny, but ultimately, only God's love can make us whole."

He will walk with us all the way like a passionate lover.

His love is made complete in us.

Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, "Relationships" (Michigan: Zondervan, 1998) 37-39

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The Mask

Chanced upon this great piece of writing that talks about our pretentious self; the self that wears a thousand masks. It's poignantly true.

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Don't be fooled by me. 

Don't be fooled by the face I wear for I wear a mask, a thousand masks, masks that I'm afraid to take off, and none of them is me. Pretending is an art that's second nature with me, but don't be fooled. For my sake, don't be fooled.

I give you the impression that I'm secure, that all is sunny and unruffled with me, within as well as without, that confidence is my name and coolness my game, that the water's calm and I'm in command and that I need no one, but don't believe me. My surface may seem smooth but my surface is my mask, ever-varying and ever-concealing. 

Beneath lies no complacence. Beneath lies confusion, and fear, and aloneness. But I hide this. I don't want anybody to know it. I panic at the thought of my weakness exposed. That's why I frantically create a mask to hide behind, a nonchalant sophisticated facade, to help me pretend, to shield me from the glance that knows.

Who am I, you may wonder? 

I am someone you know very well.
For I am every man you meet and I am every woman you meet...

I am right in front of you.

By Charles C. Finn

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The Dream of a Simple Life

When I was a kid, I remember thinking to myself that if I were to be the boss of my very own sundry shop, I would then be able to live a simple life, naively thinking that just by selling what I had in the shop it could earn me big bucks (it never occurred to me that I had to firstly buy the stuff before I could sell em'! Like I said, I was a kid then :P). So yea, that was my thought. Sell stuff, earn money, live a simple life.

If we're honest with ourselves, we all have that sort of thinking before. The thinking that if we are at the top, then life would be much simpler. Yes, we all want to have that 'simple life'. Study well, earn good grades, get a good job, earn reasonably good money, get a good partner in life, get married, have children, blah blah blah... Ah, what a life that is.

But does it work that way?

I'm currently reading Lynn Anderson's "Finding the Heart to Go on", a book depicting the life of David, that simple shepherd boy who rose to fame and power, becoming arguably the most prominent king in the old testament. If there's one person I could be in the Bible, David has got to be it.

Here is a man who epitomizes the term 'from zero to hero'. A simple shepherd boy who lived in the wilderness for most of his teenage life only to be brought into the limelight when he single-handedly brought down that enormous giant, Goliath with a mere swing of his slingshot. His escapade to kingship is known throughout the world; a handsome, courageous man who became the greatest king Israel has ever known. Oh, and may I add on to say that he is a man who also appreciates literature and music too! Hah! Every girl wants to be with him and every guy wants to BE him :P

Most would think that David must have lived a simple life after that extraordinary feat against Goliath. Rising up to the rank of a king, who wouldn't??

Well, David did not. Wait... let me rephrase that sentence.
KING David did not.

"So David rose to his days of human glory.
Power. Wealth. Freedom. Popularity.
All had become his - but life at the top was still no bowl of cherries for David.
The expansion of his wealth, popularity and power only brought more problems.
Pressure continued to mount."

His life as a king wasn't a bed of roses. It was filled with great trials, temptations and along the way, triumphs as well. Life did not get any easier for David after he became a king. In fact, it got a whole lot harder.

"How complicated life had become for this once simple shepherd boy.
Finances. Construction, Administration. Transportation. Military manoeuvres.
Political subtleties. Many wives. Many children. More subjects. More men.
More wars. More construction projects. More alliances to maintain.
What happened to "the simple life at the top"?

As I read through this particular chapter of this book, I dug deep into my current state. And boy, it sure look anything but simple. I am nowhere near any sort of career success. Peers have gone way ahead of me, becoming 'kings' in their own rights, while here I am, still stuck in the 'wilderness'.

I believe the simple life that we all want in this world is merely an illusion created by assumptions. We get whirled into thinking that by gaining certain status and success in this world will grant you that sort of life. Why? Because that's exactly what the world is telling us. The world is telling us to love the immense success that it has to offer us. "Success is the way, take it!".

But is it?

I'm not saying that success is not important. We all should strive to be successful. No doubt about that. What I'm saying is that success should not be the most important thing.

"So, what's really important then?", a teacher once asked a man.

The man looked at the teacher. In his calm and confident voice, he answered the man,

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and
with all your soul and with all your mind".

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What do we do with borrowed time?

"Our lives are not our own business.

The very essence of life is a treasure from God,
intended for the use of influencing the world toward God.
Thus with squandered days and misdirected objectives, not only have we failed, but we have actually cast our forces on the side of the enemy.
We have become part of the problem rather than part of the solution."
("Finding the Heart to Go on", Lynn Anderson)

How many times have we fell into the pits of pride and snub God of His position in our lives? I'm not sure about you but I for one am guilty of it on more than one occasion. I once read that as mere human beings, we are all living on borrowed time. It simply means that whatever time/life that we have in this world is 'borrowed' from God.

The thing about borrowing something from someone is that there must be a purpose behind the borrowing of it; there must be a solid reason as to why we borrow something from someone. For instance, if I were to borrow a pen from a friend, the obvious reason is so that I could use it to write something down. I wouldn't borrow a pen just for the heck of it - it makes no utter sense. Therefore, if we are living on borrowed time - borrowing life from God (hypothetically speaking of course) - then my question is, what exactly are we using this "borrowed life" for in this world that we're living in?

"The very essence of life is a treasure from God,
intended for the use of influencing the world toward God."
("Finding the Heart to Go on", Lynn Anderson)

When we borrow something from someone, we borrow it for a reason. On the other hand, when somebody lends us something, the 'lender' would expect us to take good care of the thing being 'lent' to us. It's common sense. But fact is, God don't lend us life, He freely gives it to us. On His end, He expects us to 'take good care' of the life that He has breathed into us. He has a purpose for 'lending' us life and the intended purpose for each of us is way bigger than we think.

Yet, what do we do?

We snub God of His position in our lives. We disregard the "lender", nay, we disregard the 'Giver' of life causing us to have, as the author puts it, 'squandered days and misdirected objectives'. We wind up living our lives without any purpose and without and direction. When that happens, we are actually being captured slowly but surely by the enemy.

Many of us live our lives as if there's no tomorrow. We go by doing what we do every other day. Nothing wrong with that of course. But is there a deeper drive that's keeping you going from day to day than just earning big bucks, climbing up the career ladder, finding the right partner in life and so on?

Now, let's pause for a bit.

If you're standing at the brink of life, standing just a step away from eternity, look back and ask yourself if you have lived a life as how God has intended you to live. If you answered yes with confidence, well then, by all means, step forward and receive a pat on the back as God says to you "Well done, good and faithful servant!". BUT...

If your answer is no, then may I advice you to turn back, get your act together and start living the life that God wants you to live! Remember, the intended purpose for each of us is way bigger than we think.

God wants us to live Big simply because He is a Big God.

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For The Sake of The Call.

Nobody stood and applauded them
So they knew from the start
This road would not lead to fame
All they really knew for sure was Jesus had called to them
He said "Come follow me" and they came
With reckless abandon they came

Empty nets lying there at the waters edge
Told a story that few could believe and none could explain
How some crazy fishermen agreed to go where Jesus lead
With no thought for what they would gain
For Jesus had called them by name and they answered

CHORUS:
We will abandon it all for the sake of the call
No other reason at all but the sake of the call
Wholly devoted to live and to die
For the sake of the call

Drawn like the rivers are drawn to the sea
No turning back for the water cannot help but flow
Once we hear the Savior's call we'll follow wherever he leads
Because of the love He has shown
And because he has called us to go we will answer

We will abandon it all for the sake of the call
No other reason at all but the sake of the call
Wholly devoted to live and to die

BRIDGE:
Not for the sake of a creed or a cause
Not for a dream or a promise
Simply because it is Jesus who calls
And if we believe we'll obey

"Yea, my heart instructeth me in the night seasons.
"Oh, how good! For I have known my heart is speaking to me for God!...
No visions, no voices, but the counsel of a heart which desires God."
(Jim Elliot)

I hear Thee.

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Running

In all honesty, I hate running, ESPECIALLY long distance running.

I mean, just think about it - You run for few excruciating kilometres, tire the heck out of yourself, getting bored out of your wits with the scenery around you (it can't possibly be all that interesting, probably trees, trees and more trees), and by the time you reach the end of line, you practically smell like a dead fish.
So yea, I hate running.

But...

As much as I hate it, I know it's something I MUST do.
I started my training today and man, I felt like an idiot.
By the end of just 15 minutes, my whole body began to shut down.
My legs started to feel heavy, my breathing went all haywire, pain ceased my body all over. Not good.
Then again, I really shouldn't be complaining. I was impeded by my own doing.
Never train, never grow.

While warming myself down after a shameful 15 minutes run, I took some time to do some reflection.
The only way to make long distance running 'slightly' easier is to actually have a purpose in the run.
That's the key ingredient to keep your legs moving and to keep your lungs from failing.
The more passionate you are about your purpose, the greater the driving force.
The greater the drive, the harder you'll train.
Run for a purpose.

That's how the Christian life is, isn't it?
The greater we understand the purpose God has placed in our hearts, the more passionate we become, the more willing we are to go that extra mile, and for some, even to death.
I'm reminded of Jim Elliot, the man who understood God's purpose, moved into it and died for it.
Jim was an all-rounder back in his college days. Believe it or not, he was even the school-champion wrestler! And this is what he had to say about his purpose behind the sport:

"I wrestle solely for the strength and co-ordination of muscle tone that the body receives while working out, with the ultimate end that of presenting a more useful body as a living sacrifice. This God knows, and even though He chose to allow it to be strained,
the motive was for His glory and the faith He honours."
(Jim Elliot)

It moved me to tears when I read this.
Here is a man who championed in wrestling and yet he did so not for personal gain nor for glory but for a greater purpose beyond himself.
Jim Elliot understood his purpose crystal clear, so much so that in every area of his life, he made sure he was training and running towards the right direction.
Jim was running for Him and to Him.

It caused me to re-evaluate the things that I am doing in my life, the purpose behind them all - are they truly Godly driven?
Is my life wholly one that is directed to Him or do I compartmentalize them into different sections, segregating at my own liking?
He knows all things. He knows how broken and imperfect I can be.
I just pray that I will not be distracted by the brokenness but be fixed upon Him.

Let us run for Him and to Him with the ultimate end that of presenting a more useful body as a living sacrifice.

For starters, let's put on the right shoes. :)

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What more could be given to a life?

"I am longing now to reach the Aucas if God gives me the honour of proclaiming the Name among them... I would gladly give my life for that tribe if only to see an assembly of those proud, clever, smart people gathering around a table to honour the Son -
gladly, gladly, gladly!
What more could be given to a life?"

(Jim Elliot).

Such zeal.
It blows my mind.

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Purpose

Is there purpose in the universe and, if so, what is its relation to the Creator?

Henry Margenau answers very definitely,
"There my argument is extremely simple.
What is the difference between cause and purpose?
Cause is determination of future events by the past.
Purpose is determination of future events by a vision of the future.
You can't have purpose unless you visualize what you want to do.
Therefore, purpose requires a mind."

(Macdowell, J.. The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict)

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The Bird

I find this particular passage from the book I'm currently reading very humorous while at the same time, points out a few interesting lessons.

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(Excerpt taken from 'Your Road Map For Success' by John C. Maxwell)

A canadien bird decided that it was too much trouble to fly south for the winter. He said to himself, "I can brave a winter. A lot of other animals do it. It just can't be that hard." So as all the other birds flocked away toward sunny South Africa, he stayed behind and waited for winter.

By the end of November, he was having serious second thoughts. He had never been so cold, and he couldn't find any food. Finally, he broke down and realized that if he didn't get out of there soon, he wasn't going to make it. So he started flying south all by himself. After a while, it began to rain. And before he knew it, the water was turning to ice on his wings. Struggling, he recognized that he couldn't fly any longer. He knew he was about to die, so he glided down and made his last landing, crashing to the ground in a barnyard.

As he lay there stunned, a cow came by, stepped over him, and dropped a plop right on him. He was totally disgusted. Here I am, he thought, freezing to death. I'm about to die. I'm on my last breath, and then this! What an awful way to go.

So then the bird held his breath and prepared himself to die. But after about two minutes, he discovered that a miracle was happening: He was warming up. The ice on his wings was melting. His muscles were thawing out. His blood was flowing again. He realized that he was going to make it after all. He got so excited and happy that he began to sing a glorious song.

At that moment, the farm's old tomcat was lying in the hayloft in the barn, and he heard the bird singing. He couldn't believe it; he hadn't heard anything like it for months, and he said to himself, "Is that a bird? I thought they'd all gone south for the winter."

He came out of the barn, and lo and behold, there was the bird. The cat crossed over to where he was, pulled him gently out of the cow plop, cleaned him off - and ate him.

There are three morals to this story: (1) Not everyone who drops a plop on you is your enemy; (2) not everyone who takes a plop off you is your friend; (3) if somebody does drop a plop on you, keep your mouth shut...

Some people you consider friends will fight your success. Others will support you in ways you didn't expect. But no matter which people criticize you or how they do it, don't let them take your focus off your dream.

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Operasi Menuai Padi

To all who have been keeping me and my mission team in prayer, thanks!
Do continue to pray for us as we will be flying off to Kuching Sarawak in a few hours time!
Busy packing and boxing all the supplies now! :)

Pray for:

1. Protection: Physically and spiritually
2. Safe journey throughout the trip
3. To be able to identify the needs of the people in the longhouses and to meet those needs.
4. Courage to break the communication and cultural barrier.
5. God to speak to them as well as to us individually and as a team.

As much as I'm excited and been looking forward for this trip, I'm actually feeling a little anxious right now. Don't really know what to expect third time round and don't know what may or may not happened... Worries.. Concerns...

Yet, I'm reminded by Paul's powerful and encouraging epistle to the Ephesians that God has already given us 'his incomparably great power for us who believe'.
No matter what's ahead, no matter what's in our way, one thing is for sure - Christ has won the victory ahead of us.
It is ours to claim.

And I'm claiming it right here, right now.

Ephesians 1: 18-21

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given,
not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

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He Smiles

"Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face."

(William Cowper, 'God moves in mysterious ways')

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Heart

Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

Today He once again reminded me through this verse that in whatever I do, whether I play floorball, pray or praise Him, do it with Heart.

Hmmm... I wonder if He's hinting to me that I haven't been doing so lately... *scratch head*

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In Our Weakness, His Strength is Made Perfect

I came across this article on Angela's blog (totally random person I chanced upon through the nexus of internet).

What an assuring post it turned out to be, a reminder of how weak I am and how strong He is. Just the dose of comfort I needed.

To those out there who feel as if you're marginalized, small, weak, self-conscious and feel as if you can't take another step forward and no longer desire to breathe the air of today and tomorrow, I pray that you'll be blessed and be encouraged by her post.

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Advent: Hope For The Weak (19th December 2008)

I am a weak person.

My life has been, for the most part, comfortable, so I often lack the ability to stand up for myself. I’m thin with few muscles worth mentioning. My voice does not demand attention on its own. I cry once a week. I tend to lack self-confidence.

In other words, I am a weak person.

The season of Advent for weaklings like me, however, shines as a glimmer of hope. Today’s readings remind me of this fact: in the history of salvation, God uses the weak to lead the strong. For some reason, the Almighty God of the Universe likes to manifest Himself through people like me.

He raises disgraced, barren mothers to become mothers of the greatest prophets. He raises self-conscious men to bear His message. He raises a poor shepherd boy to become the greatest king in a nation’s history. He raises a disgraced, unwed teenager to become the mother of God Incarnate.

And for some reason, God wants to be among the weak. He humbles Himself to become a baby lying in a feeding trough. He humbles Himself to touch the skin of the untouchables. He humbles Himself to love the disgraced adulteresses, thieving tax collectors, even the man whom He knows will betray Him. He even humbles Himself to die the worst death He possibly could as a despised, forsaken criminal.

Why does God choose the weak?

I will not presume to say I know the answer to such a question of Providence. But I will say that for a person like me, all this proves that God is love. It is so easy to “love” a strong person. But to love someone with weaknesses, faults, whom few others like-that takes real love.

God’s preference for the weak also manifests His omnipotence. From this history of weaklings, God has brought salvation. From the lowest of the low, God has brought the greatest of all victories.

In short, our learning the history of God’s work among us tells us His message:

I love you, no matter what.

You have nothing at all to fear.

Stay close to me; whatever you lack,

I will fill.

I hope I learn this lesson.

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I hope I learn this lesson too.

May God bless you, fill you and speak to you.

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A Chestbox

I was flipping through my journal the other night, a totally random thing to do.
As I turn the pages of past entries, the events that I've penned down came to life.
That's the beauty of keeping a journal.
It keeps me in check of myself through the eyes of a book, scribbled down by my very own hand.

Browsing through 2008, it gave me a glimpse of things I've packed and placed into a corner.
I haven't done much reflection on 2008 yet, haven't really had the time.
And that's probably why I'm still swaying back and forth between 2008 and 2009.
Closing a chapter is always something hard to do, even if it's a bad chapter.

God is amazing.
He proves to be in every way; in words and actions.
In good times or bad, I'm thankful that He has always placed himself somewhere within me, reminding me of who He is in any space of time.
The past, the present or the future, God is still there.
He is still the same (Hebrew 13:8).

If there's one thing He keeps reminding me,
it's the fact that in spite of all the ugliness of world events, relationships, crimes, political instabilities and insecurities, God still paints beauty into the picture.
More often than not, we look at the ugliness instead of His goodness.
Our human eyes are sensitive to things of insignificance.
We end up overlooking His divine providence.

Each entry continues to remind me of days I cherished and also days I can only wish never happen.
It instantaneously brought back a surge of familiar feelings.
Things left unsaid, unspoken and unfulfilled came crawling back.

Journal is like a chestbox of faded memories, forgotten emotions and forsaken promises.
Just when you think you've forgotten em' all,
your scribbly handwriting comes bringing em' all back again.

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A Pebble Calling Out To The Rock

From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 61:2

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Words

Generally, I would say I'm slow to anger.
My level of patience can be stretched.
But there are a few things I really can't stand.
One of which is when people are rude and display disrespect in the things that they say.

It's a total bummer when you try to be nice to another person but instead of receiving a reciprocal respond, you get nothing but a smack in the face.
It disappoints me when people say things without thinking the repercussion on the person who hears it.
Word has meaning.
And meaning can bring a person a long way in life.
Words are not merely alphabets to a language, it carves out the person within us.
If you say to a 5 year old "You cannot be a doctor", the 5 year old will never be a doctor although he may have had that capacity to do so and all this because of the words he was brought to believe in.

People can call me stupid or a fool.
It's ok.
I can pretty much take it.
Like I said, my level of patience is above the average.
But it frustrates me that people go on thinking it's ok to say things like that,
disrespecting one another in words.

"Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs"
Pearl Strachan

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Amazing Grace

I love the old tunes of hymnals.
The simplicity of its tune hamonized with its beautifully written words never cease to stir something within me.
Call me old-fashioned but it's something I've learnt to appreciate.
Amazing Grace is without a doubt one of the most gripping and most beloved hymnals ever composed in the Christian circle.
The lyrics are soaked with passion and meaning - poetically written.
But it's the story behind those words that makes it all the more powerful, the story of a man named John Newton (Read for more background).

Coincidently, I chanced upon this video on Youtube.

"I believe God wanted that song written just the way it was written just so that we would be reminded that as Christian, whether black or white, free or bond, in His eyes we are all connected,
we are connected,
and we are connected by God's Amazing Grace"
(Wintley Phipps)

Amazing Grace.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.


We are all wretched.
We are lost.
It is only by His grace alone we are saved.

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One Thing

I'm currently reading John Piper's "Don't Waste Your Life". I find Piper's materials extremely rejuvenating, fresh and thought provoking to say the least. Yea, I guess you can say I'm lured by the "Pied Piper"... Hur hur hur. Lame.

Anywayyyyyy....

I believe most of us, in one way or another, want to make a difference in this world. Big or small, it doesn't really matter. We long to "stand in between the gap, between the living and the dead". We want to be M.A.D! But what should be the driving force behind this longing? Here's an excerpt I'd like to share, which I think is really captivating and motivating.

"You don't have to know a lot of things for your life to make a lasting difference in the world. But you do have to know the few great things that matter, perhaps just one, and then be willing to live for them and die for them. The people that make a durable difference in the world are not the people who have mastered many things, but who have been mastered by one great thing. If you want your life to count, if you want the ripple effect of the pebbles you drop to become waves that reach the ends of the earth and roll on into eternity, you don't need to have a high IQ. You don't have to have good looks or riches or come from a fine family or a fine school. Instead you have to know a few great, majestic, unchanging, obvious, simple, glorious things - or one great all-embracing thing - and be set on fire by them." (Piper, 2003)

Beautifully written and saturated by a powerful content.
What is this "one great all-embracing thing" Piper's talking about?
Earlier in the second chapter he reveals,

"God created me - and you - to live with a single, all-embracing, all-transforming passion - namely, a passion to glorify God by enjoying and displaying his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life."

I'm at that point in my life where I'm seeking for direction. Right up until now, I still don't know where I'm heading. My career, education, relationship, family - my life. Everything seems so... scattered. Where should I put my feet in? Where should I NOT put my feet in? Or do I just take the plunge? Where am I called to? So many questions left unanswered... As much as I want to make a difference, I don't know where to start. Then it dawned upon me... All we need, I need, is this passion... "a passion to glorify God by enjoying and displaying his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life".

A passion to make Him famous.

I guess there's a difference between purpose and calling.
As Believers, our purpose are pretty much all the same. We live to glorify Him because Christ was crucified.
Calling? Now, that's a whole different story.
It usually requires a whole lot of waiting.
I'm willing to wait but in the meantime, I'll let the purpose of my being consume me...
I want to be set on fire by them.

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