Blessings and Curses

It takes me almost 3 years to finally put this on FaithShip. It's already a long time, but when I read the note that I made 3 years ago, I feel like it came just from some weeks ago sermon.
Unfortunately I didn't write enough at that time, but I am glad I wrote down the verses because these verses are indeed giving answer to why we fail to keep receiving God's blessings, and if curses come from God. So here it is.

........was on sermon 18 September 2005

Jesus is the greatest blessing given to humans. We have so many blessings already in our hands because of Jesus, but how come adversities still happen?

Blessings

Deu 28:1 And it shall come to pass, IF thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
Deu 28:2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, IF thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

Curses

Deu 28:15 But it shall come to pass, IF thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
Deu 28:16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.

The pastor emphasised the word IF.
As we understand that God included free will into human when He made us, so that we as human are free to do anything that we like. Because we are not robot at all.
Whether or not we can keep the blessings from God, it solely depends on our response to our free will.
IF we follow His words, then we can keep those blessings.

God won't curse us even though we don't follow his words. But ignoring His words means keeping ourselves away from God's protection. Being outside of God's protection it also means letting ourselves unprotected in this world -the place where evil forces is freely floating and preying for their victims anywhere.
So remember the IF factor ;-)

Christian Story Books

...off the chlog...

Reading is one way of getting knowledge and information. Adults normally are able to choose wisely suitable books or articles to read, and teens who have had good guidance from their parents since their early childhood will choose their reading sagaciously.
Filtering what to read for kids or very young children is important, since there are so many popular children's books available and not all of them are worth to read. These kids' pure minds are like clean canvasses which can easily absorb any colours, and we know wrong colour might ruin a picture. Wrong knowledge and information give bad influence to kids.
As the world tends to become more and more secular, Christian parents or any adult Christians are better to present books that not only provide secular knowledge but also spiritual growth, hence the kids will grow into smart and empathetic Christians. The best book of course the Bible, and it will be a blessing if a kid can be instantly hooked with the serious look of Bible :)
Kids love to see pictures and they are learning through images too, unless it's an illustrated Bible I doubt they would be interested. Fortunately now we can find Christian children's story books that are beautifully illustrated in www.christianstorybooks.com. The collections there are compatible with Bible truth, kids will learn about their Christian faith in a fun and imaginative way.

Is problem to make us suffer?

........was on sermon 22 July 2007

Winning in this life is determined by our response to problem.
They key of winning in life is optimism.
Problem can make us either bitter or better.

Why God lets us suffer?
1. To make us humble
2. To verify our heart, to prove our character
Deuteronomy 8:2-5

Deuteronomy 8:2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
Deuteronomy 8:3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 8:4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.
Deuteronomy 8:5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

3. To discipline us as to tame us

Psalm 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.

Have we given the best gift to Jesus?

........was on sermon 25 December 2006

Four gifts that God accept:
1. Luke 1:34,38 Our purity
2. Mat 1:19 Sincerity, genuineness
3. Luke 2:8 Simplicity and obedience
4. Mat 2:1 Effort to give the best like what's shown by three wise men.

The Meaning of Christmas

........was on Sermon 24 December 2006

It's written well on John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Christmas talks about God's greatest blessing, the greatest Love.
Christmas is a Celebration of Love, on Christmas day the perfect gift that we should give to others and God instead of anything else is Love, bountiful love.

The Love that is:
- unlimited
- universal
- unconditional: don't ask, give first.
- the best love
- responsible