ariellacarine on Revelife

Tuesday, 28 December 2010

chains from 5 yrs ago

I never knew they existed. It happened 5 yrs ago; he has since moved on and I have since moved on. I no longer think about it. How is it that God reminds me of it?How is it that I weep when God brought it to my mind on 23rd Apr 2010? I have no idea.. In any case, I wept when God brought it to mind earlier this yr.

I've been praying abit lately with Nicole Ling. We first met to pray at the St Andrew's Cathedral on 27th Nov. Then 11th, 18th and finally 25th Dec. I vividly remember praying that God brings to our minds what needs to be aligned to Him. Yesterday, 27th Dec, when I was doing my daily private worship, God again brought to my mind what happened between KY & I 5 yrs ago. And I wept for close to an hour with the song " Amazing Grace (My chains are gone)" by Chris Tomlin running for more than 10 times in my earphones.. It was then that I discovered a chain that had me bounded since 5 yrs ago - I had blamed myself for failing to upkeep/ start a r/s with KY. God told me this in Apr this yr and I could hardly believe it because I haven't thought about it for a long time. He's gone and I've moved on. I don't see him anymore. He's not on my instant messenger, neither is he on my facebook. So I really don't have a clue what he's up to. Well I guess, He's our creator afterall.. And so.. I wept for close to an hour last night.. letting go of the remorseful baggages I had been carrying since 2005? or 2006?

Friday, 30 October 2009

I was murdered Matt 5:21

In Matt 5:21, we are instructed "Do not murder."

What is murder? I believe it goes beyond the distinct line of taking one's life away.

How do we murder? How did we murder? How have we murdered? Have we been murdered?

What did we murder? What are the potential areas for murder?

Monday, 26 October 2009

The way I pray

#1 In the marketplace, we are trained to present a problem, if any, to our boss with a possible solution. Never go to your boss with a problem and expect him/ her to give you a solution.
However, in Jhn 2, we see a woman approaching Jesus with a problem and no possible solutions. Jesus provided the solution.
How many times do we approach Jesus with a problem and a solution/s to that?

"God, I had a nasty exchange of words with a colleague today. I pray that you do not put us on the same team ever again." Problem and a solution conceived by human brain are both presented before God.
"God, my contract with the company is expiring soon. I pray that they renew their contract with me."
"God, I need some cash for the mission trip I would like to go on. Please send me many buyers to buy my cosmetics so I earn some $$ for the trip."
"God, my children did not fare well for the Chinese spelling last week. I pray that as he revises for his next Chinese spelling, let him absorb everything he's learning now so he scores well in the next test."
In all of these prayers, we approach God with a problem and a solution. Now, where does the solution come from? We know that these solutions will work to address the problems from our previous experiences with human/ God, other people's experiences, what we hear, what we think we know, etc. Agree? Now, if you agree, you are likely to agree my next statement; the solutions we offer are conceived by human brain.
Here comes the illustration:
Carine approaches God with problem A and prays for solution 1 to deal with said problem. God answers our prayers, doesn't He? And so God grants me solution 1. My problem is solved and I move on. I have no issues with this kind of prayer arrangement but I wonder if something better is available.
Carine approaches God with problem A. Though she has some prescribed solution at the back of her mind, she doesn't pray for that solution. Instead she waits and see what Jesus says, as in the case of Mary in Jhn 2. And yes, I heard some comments. Yes, God may also grant me solution 1 to my problem. But at least I do not restrict God to solution 1. He could have given me solution 5 which may be something jaw-dropping for me.
By approaching God with some proposed solutions, we set up parameters for God. And unconsciously, we expect God to work within these parameters. And yes, yes yes, I agree that there are times when we come to Jesus with solution 1, God grants us solution 2. Still, I think there is more room for God to answer our prayers should we just approach Him with a problem and no proposed solutions.

Monday, 19 October 2009

unleavened bread

A group of Israelites resided in Egypt. To the Pharaoh of Egypt, they were foreigners in his land and these foreigners were multiplying too fast for his comfort. To suppress these foreigners in his land, Pharaoh decided to make them slaves. The Israelites, in their misery, cried out to God who then appointed Moses & Aaron to their rescue.
Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh on several occasions, performing many miracles directed by God, in the hope that Pharaoh let the Israelites "go, so they may hold a festival to me in the dessert."
Pharaoh refused.
Finally, after the tenth miracle was performed, God instructed a "Passover". According to Exo 12:2, this actually took place on modern day's "New Year's Day."
God gave several specific instructions on how to have this festival. Two things He prescribed intrigued me. First, the Israelites are to have the feast with "cloak tucked into belt, sandals on feet & staff in hand" (Exo 12:11).
#1 This is a typical dress code for travel. Be ready for answers to your prayers. Answers to your prayers may come anytime so be prepared for that. Answers to your prayers may also be of life and death and there may not be time to go, "Wait a minute. Let me me put on my sandals and get my staff. Oh.. let me grab some food to munch on along the way.." As I type this, am also hearing from God. A new perspective He just gave was when we ask to be moved out of a certain place, don't be surprised that answer can come as quick as a horse gallops. In short, are we ready for answers to our prayers?
The second thing that intrigued me was the command to eat unleavened bread. For five times in the same passage, God commanded the Israelites to take unleavened bread. Why? Some articles say this is so because it is a fuss-free alternative to leavened bread. But I think there is more than what meets the eye.
This is how the preparation of leavened bread goes during ancient days. Combine flour & water. Knead. Leave in a cool place overnight or at least a few hours to catch the yeast in the air so dough would rise. Reserving and putting aside a small portion of this (called the "starter"), bake the rest. Now, if this bread turns out well, then the yeast it caught from the air has the credit. Then to bake another loaf of bread, repeat above procedure. But before putting the dough out to catch the yeast, add starter to it. By adding starter from the previous dough, the process of waiting for the dough to rise could be hastened. And the baker stands a higher chance of getting good new bread because he had used a starter from a previous dough that produced good bread.
Therefore, to make good leavened bread, time and previous/ old yeast is needed. Looking at the time required and procedures of producing leavened bread, it is no wonder that God commanded them to have unleavened bread instead, just combine water and flour. Knead. Bake. Eat. But.. read on..
#2 Unleavened bread is equivalent to new life and new beginnings every day; nothing from yesterday, no old/ previous yeast. "Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past, see I am doing a new thing." Isa 45:12 What lies ahead is new, routes that we have never been before.
#3 Unleavened bread also symbolises to me a new creation, a new thing in God and presenting myself new to God. To consecrate myself for God.
#4 Yeast of yesterday isn't required to meet the needs of today. Yesterday's success and victories are not required to meet our needs today. Similarly, the failures and the falls of yesterday do not affect how God meets our needs today.
#5 This promise of newness came from God to the Israelites even before Pharaoh agreed to let them go. It's a promise before any actualisation was in sight.
Finally, the Israelites did in Exo 12:28 what God commanded and in verse 31, Pharaoh asked the Israelites to leave Egypt. New beginnings for the Israelites were birthed at this point.
Going a step further, apart from celebrating the Passover, under what circumstances did men in the Scriptures eat unleavened bread?
#1 Consecration of priests. Exo 29:2, Lev 6:16, Num 6:17
#2 Appointment of priests Lev 8:2
#3 New beginnings 1 Sam 28:24, 2 Kings 23:9