Sunday, December 14, 2008
My Lord and my God!
That was what YISS was all about! It was a chance for God to manifest in those who could or chose to take that step to go for this empowering camp. My, if it were only feasible, I would recommend all youth to join this and experience God! And if you didn't notice, I said ALL.
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Have you ever wondered what the meaning of your life is about? There are those who say that it is to repay their parents, others for personal glory, others for their future generations. But if you think about it, imagine you have reached a ripe old age, where do you think you will go? Is it so simple that you just go back to the earth? Scientifically, we all will since our bodies are made up of complex carbon compounds. There are some things science cannot prove...
I am sure you have read this e-mail before:
Professor : You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, you Believe in GOD ?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Professor : Is GOD Good ?
Student : Sure.
Professor : Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : My Brother died of Cancer even though he Prayed to GOD to Heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn't. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?
(Student was silent )
Professor : You can't answer, can you ? Let's start again, Young Fella. Is GOD Good?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Is Satan good ?
Student : No.
Professor : Where does Satan come from ?
Student : From . . . GOD . . .
Professor : That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this World?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Evil is everywhere, isn't it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.
Professor : So who created evil ?
(Student did not answer)
Professor : Is there Sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness?
All these terrible things exist! in the World, don't they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, who Created them ?
(Student ha d no answer)
Professor : Science says you have 5 Senses you use to Identify and Observe the World around you. Tell me, son . . . Have you ever Seen GOD?
Student : No, sir.
Professor : Tell us if you have ever Heard your GOD?
Student : No , sir.
Professor : Have you ever Felt your GOD , Tasted your GOD , Smelt your GOD ?
Have you ever had any Sensory Perception of GOD for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor : Yet you still Believe in HIM?
Student : Yes.
Professor : According to Empi! rical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol,
Science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my Faith.
Professor : Yes, Faith. And that is the Problem Science has.
Student : Professor, is there such a thing as Heat?
Professor : Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as Cold?
Professor : Yes.
Student : No, sir. There isn't..
(The Lecture Theatre became very quiet with this turn of events )
Student : Sir, you can have Lots of Heat, even More Heat, Superheat, Mega Heat, White Heat, a Little Heat or No Heat. But we don't have anything called Cold. We can hit 458 Degrees below Zero which is No Heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as Cold. Cold is only a Word we use to describe the Absence of Heat. We cannot Measure Cold. Heat is Energy. Cold is Not the Opposite of Heat, sir, just the Absence of it.
(There was Pin-Drop Silence in the Lecture Theatre )
Student : What about Darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as Darkness?
Professor : Yes. What is Night if there isn't Darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the Absence of Something. You can have Low Light, Normal Light, Bright Light, Flashing Light . . . But if you have No Light constantly, you have nothing and its called Darkness, isn't it? In reality, Darkness isn't. If it is, were you would be able to make Darkness Darker, wouldn't you?
Professor : So what is the point you are making, Young Man ?
Student : Sir, my point is your Philosophical Premise is flawed.
Professor : Flawed ? Can you explain how?
Student : Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality. You argue there is Life and then there is Death, a Good GOD and a Bad GOD. You are viewing the Concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can't even explain a Thought. It uses Electricity and Magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view Death as the Opposite of Life is to be ignorant of the fact that Death cannot exist as a Substantive Thing. Death is Not the Opposite of Life: just the Absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your Students that they evolved from a Monkey?
Professor : If you are referring! to the Natural Evolutionary Process, yes, of course, I do.
Student : Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shook his head with a Smile, beginning to realize where the Argument was going )
Student : Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution at work and Cannot even prove that this Process is an On-Going Endeavor, Are you not teaching your Opinion, sir? Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher?
(The Class was in Uproar )
Student : Is there anyone in the Class who has ever seen the Professor's Brain?
(The Class broke out into Laughter )
Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard! the Professor's Brain, Felt it, touched or Smelt it? . . . No one appears to have done so. So, according to the Established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that You have No Brain, Sir. With all due respect, Sir, how do we then Trust your Lectures, Sir?
(The Room was Silent. The Professor stared at the Student, his face unfathomable)
Professor : I guess you'll have to take them on Faith, son.
Student : That is it Sir . . . Exactly ! The Link between Man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that Keeps Things Alive and Moving.
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Accept it, that there is a God, not out there, but within. :)
Anyone who has went for YISS has had a unique experience. I think God somehow read my mind, that I would doubt Him a little because I was put in the group named after St. Thomas. (Doubting Thomas). I believed that there was this God and all but when it came to the part where we were introduced to the 9 Charismatic Gifts of the Holy Spirit, I became rather doubtful. I simply could not understand how people could speak in tongues, how people could prophecize, how people could be healed, etc. For instance, I thought that the praying in tongues was to find some random words and 'humtam' into that random prayer. I also thought that it was due to imagination that someone prophecizes. My scientific facet got the better of me as I wanted to find a logical reasoning for these occurances to happen. In other words, I was trying to prove the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
But one thing for sure was that I did not want to lie to myself and be a hypocrite, saying that I believe, when deep down me I had doubts.
During Quiet Time, I went to my quiet spot near the pond where I could see the sunset. I looked around me and saw little things moving about, the trees stood still but their leaves rustled once in a while when wind blew. I felt confused inside me. I could not understand what was natural and what was supernatural. Sometimes, the supernatural things that happened in my life seem to have an explanation and it soon becomes what you call 'man-made'.
I prayed... I did not know what gift I wanted. All I prayed for was the hunger for the Lord. I remembered once hearing of this sentence- "Seek not the consolations of God, but the God of consolations." I decided to flip through the pages of the Bible to find some inspiration or some word from God. Matthew 14:22-32, Jesus walks on water. I felt that I was in the same position as St Peter at that moment. St. Peter had faith in God but along the way while walking on the water to Jesus, he got scared and had doubts in him. Perhaps what I needed most at that time was courage, to take that leap of faith forward and cross the water.
Soon came the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I did not know what to expect and less did I know what would happen to me.
As we prayed for the Holy Spirit to show Himself to us and sang hymns, I started to experience a hot sensation on my shoulders, back, and upper arms. It began to become very hot. But I wasn't on fire and burning though. I am also sure that the facils did not increase the temperature of the air-conditioners. It just felt hot, like a fire, a gentle one.
The intecessory team were all praying over us during that time.
My legs began to feel weak, and I just fell. I fell on my knees. It was as if my legs gave way literally. Tears welled up in my eyes with each hymn I sang with my heart. It just kept flowing, ceaselessly. Then I collapsed totally on the floor. I cried like I never did before. I was just sorry for doubting God and I was just in awe and wonder at Him. I imagined Him hold me on His palm. I cried so much... I could also feel a pressure on me, but no one was pushing me down or anything. It didn't hurt. Instead, it was something comforting. Someone came to me saying that she had a vision of God carrying me, saying, "It's okay... I love you. You are mine. You are mine. You are mine..." It was as if God Himself was speaking to me! I spoke in tongues.
Praise the Lord! :)
After all that I have written on this post, I am certain that many would be wondering if this is just another one of my crap. But I assure you, it isn't. Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe- St. Augustine.
Calling all youth out there!! Let the Lord touch you in ways indescribable. Come for YISS. :)
John 20:29
Blessed are those who do not see, and yet believe.
I have also made my commitment. That is to read a chapter of the Bible everyday and do a short reflection about it. If I don't, give me a slap.
I will run this race for you, my God.
Amen.
to change the world.
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i am, christopher lye
21 on 15 March 2012
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