I touched on this topic a couple of times over the last two year. Here’s a summary of the previous entries(to help you better understand the following entry):
Why does the moon revolve about the earth?
Why do the earth and all the planets revolve about the sun?
There is a universal law that governs the movement of bodies. Low mass objects are attracted to higher mass objects. As the theory suggests, the earth, having a higher mass than the moon, exerts a greater gravitation pull on the moon. The moon is drawn into the gravitational field of the earth and the two bodies begin to spin about each other.
The earth, the higher mass body, spins about a much smaller circle; while the moon spins about the earth in a larger circle. From an outsider’s point of view, the earth appears to be wobbling, or even motionless, while the moon travels a massive distance about the earth.
The same theory can be applied to the sun and her planets. The sun has the highest mass in our solar system and thus all the planets revolve about it.
In the entry ‘gravity’, I likened this gravitation pull to the social pull we humans have on each other. If you are popular, good looking, intelligent, powerful and influential, you exert a higher gravitation force on all those around you. Surrounding lower mass bodies would be inadvertently attracted to you... Like slaves, they helplessly revolve themselves about you...
Therefore, when you intend to forge any real relationships (real as in – friendship, BGR), it is wise to find people of equal influence... In such a relationship, the two of you revolve about each other like bipolar stars, both parties contributing equally to the relationship.
---------------------------------------------
Gravity (retouched)
Though the moons are greatly affected by the motions of the earth, they too exert their own impact on the higher mass bodies. A good example would be the tides resulting from the moon’s gravitational force. You may imagine that this is a rather miniscule effect on the earth and is nothing compared to the large excessive effort the moon has to expand to rotate about the earth, but please do not underestimate its effect. Disturbance in the moon also has the effect of creating catastrophic tsunamis and weather irregularities.
Moral of the story? If you really are a high mass body, you will be wise as to which moons you choose to capture. As insinuated, the effect is very much subconscious... Many of these moons will very helplessly lodge themselves to you if they get within a close proximity...
Solution – keep a distance from those moons you do not wish to capture. This sort of explains the aloof and distant character of some celebrities. Well, I guess we can better empathise with them now.
Let’s extrapolate this theory a little further and not confine it to the realm of human relationships... Have you noticed how we, as human beings, so helplessly revolve about the things we place central in our lives? I have heard of housewives getting stressed over their children’s PSLE results, working adults plunging off buildings after losing their jobs, athletes sabotaging each other to secure their place in the sport. From an outsider’s point of view, all this erratic and extreme behaviour may seem awkward and even crazy on many levels. What happened?
The housewife has placed her children in the center of her life. She’s the moon of her children. Small hiccups in their lives lead to great disturbances in her life. The same is true for the working adult with regard to his job, the athlete with regard to his sport. They have all become the moons of the objects, ideas, power they obsess over. It is a dangerous life to lead, considering that none of these are stable and life itself is unpredictable and unstable.
The solution – find the right object to be obsessed over. It should have the following characteristics:
1. Stable
2. Permanent
3. Treasures you equally
What is that? Or rather, who is that? Jesus. Be obsessed with Jesus, he is stable, permanent and he loves you more than you can ever love him. Best of all, his love is constant. You will never have to suffer moments of neglect, moments of doubt, and you will never have to earn or fight for his love. As a result, you will find your life alot more stable than the people of the world, who obsess over transient things like ideas, values, money, recognition, power.
Proverbs 16:3
Commit thy works unto the LORD,
and thy thoughts shall be established.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
A list of activities to cheer yourself up
1. Cook a simple and healthy dish - It may even be as simple as a smoothie but trust me, the satisfaction that comes from it – priceless.
Check out http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food for inspiration. Just browsing through this chirpy website will make you a lot happier. (Try cooking for some friends to double/triple the joy)
2. Blog – Trust me, no one knows what advice you need better than yourself. Besides, if you really need to complain, this is a very good avenue. It is absolutely judgement-free and it gives you 100% of its attention 24/7.
You can complain for as long as you want and guess what, when you return to the start of the entry to read your own complains, you can see very plainly how irrational some of your concerns are. Either way, it is a good way to trash out your thoughts inconsequentially. Just make sure you don’t publish that post.
3. Buy flowers for yourself – Trust me, something in the genetic structure of women make us genetically predisposed to liking flowers. Just a simple stalk can brighten up your day. To double the joy, when purchasing the flower for yourself, buy another stalk for a friend or colleague. It works wonders.
4. Clean up your room – First, split the room into small manageable bits (eg. Study table, dressing table, wardrobe). Focus on one bit at a time. Get a gigantic trash bag and ask yourself this question – “Will I miss this when its gone?” If the answer is no, trash it. Of course, for the things that are still usable, you may want to consider giving them away.
You may work on a few bits a day but at the end of a week, you will find your living space a lot less cluttered. (Trust me, just sacrifice 15 minutes of that facebook time to clear your room, you will feel the difference)
5. Make someone else’s day – Proven fact, that nothing comes close to the satisfaction derived from helping someone. Anyone. It can be as simple as buying three packets of tissue from the lady on a wheelchair (when you have no need for tissue paper), all the way to helping your parents with the housework or purchasing gifts for your friends and family. DO THIS and you’ll cheer yourself + someone else up. Joy to the world.
6. Try something new – Make it a point to eat something different everyday. It may not have to be something exotic and completely different from your usual preference. You may still eat at the same place but please just try ordering something different. There are people (points to myself) who can settle for eating the same dish at the same restaurant for years. Remember that variety is one of the keys to having a good diet.
Of course, trying ‘something new’ does not cover only the narrow sphere of eating. You can also trying wearing something new – Never worn skirts/boots/heels/makeup before? Perhaps you could try it today. Never tried taking this particular bus home before? Try it. Never bought this brand of perfume before? Try it. Never shopped at this mall before? Try it. Self-banned horror movies from your life? Try it again. Never tried clubbing? Try it (just make sure you go with trustworthy people). Never tried speaking to that cute guy/girl at the bus stop? Try it.
You will find that you do not have to make many changes to reap so much more from your daily life. It is man who subjects himself to routine that ends up reaping the same harvests over and over again, subjecting himself to suffocating monotony. You don’t have to live like that. Try something new.
7. READ THE BIBLE - You will find that the bible can really provide everything you need in life.
If you need a role model, there’s no better role model than Jesus (Mark, Matthew, Luke and John).
If you are in need of human wisdom, there’s proverbs.
If you are in need of sympathy there’s David’s Psalms.
If you are in need of love and encouragement, there are the stories of Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, not mentioning the beautiful stories of Ruth, Daniel, David, Joseph).
If you are facing some trials in your life, there’s Psalms and letters of Paul (eg.Galatians, Corinthians, James).
Just a small verse is sufficient for you to feed on and to meditate on for an entire day. The beautiful part about the human mind is that it can only focus on one thing at a time. If you are so preoccupied meditating on the word of God, all your problems, pain and complains will just fade away.
Check out http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food for inspiration. Just browsing through this chirpy website will make you a lot happier. (Try cooking for some friends to double/triple the joy)
2. Blog – Trust me, no one knows what advice you need better than yourself. Besides, if you really need to complain, this is a very good avenue. It is absolutely judgement-free and it gives you 100% of its attention 24/7.
You can complain for as long as you want and guess what, when you return to the start of the entry to read your own complains, you can see very plainly how irrational some of your concerns are. Either way, it is a good way to trash out your thoughts inconsequentially. Just make sure you don’t publish that post.
3. Buy flowers for yourself – Trust me, something in the genetic structure of women make us genetically predisposed to liking flowers. Just a simple stalk can brighten up your day. To double the joy, when purchasing the flower for yourself, buy another stalk for a friend or colleague. It works wonders.
4. Clean up your room – First, split the room into small manageable bits (eg. Study table, dressing table, wardrobe). Focus on one bit at a time. Get a gigantic trash bag and ask yourself this question – “Will I miss this when its gone?” If the answer is no, trash it. Of course, for the things that are still usable, you may want to consider giving them away.
You may work on a few bits a day but at the end of a week, you will find your living space a lot less cluttered. (Trust me, just sacrifice 15 minutes of that facebook time to clear your room, you will feel the difference)
5. Make someone else’s day – Proven fact, that nothing comes close to the satisfaction derived from helping someone. Anyone. It can be as simple as buying three packets of tissue from the lady on a wheelchair (when you have no need for tissue paper), all the way to helping your parents with the housework or purchasing gifts for your friends and family. DO THIS and you’ll cheer yourself + someone else up. Joy to the world.
6. Try something new – Make it a point to eat something different everyday. It may not have to be something exotic and completely different from your usual preference. You may still eat at the same place but please just try ordering something different. There are people (points to myself) who can settle for eating the same dish at the same restaurant for years. Remember that variety is one of the keys to having a good diet.
Of course, trying ‘something new’ does not cover only the narrow sphere of eating. You can also trying wearing something new – Never worn skirts/boots/heels/makeup before? Perhaps you could try it today. Never tried taking this particular bus home before? Try it. Never bought this brand of perfume before? Try it. Never shopped at this mall before? Try it. Self-banned horror movies from your life? Try it again. Never tried clubbing? Try it (just make sure you go with trustworthy people). Never tried speaking to that cute guy/girl at the bus stop? Try it.
You will find that you do not have to make many changes to reap so much more from your daily life. It is man who subjects himself to routine that ends up reaping the same harvests over and over again, subjecting himself to suffocating monotony. You don’t have to live like that. Try something new.
7. READ THE BIBLE - You will find that the bible can really provide everything you need in life.
If you need a role model, there’s no better role model than Jesus (Mark, Matthew, Luke and John).
If you are in need of human wisdom, there’s proverbs.
If you are in need of sympathy there’s David’s Psalms.
If you are in need of love and encouragement, there are the stories of Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, not mentioning the beautiful stories of Ruth, Daniel, David, Joseph).
If you are facing some trials in your life, there’s Psalms and letters of Paul (eg.Galatians, Corinthians, James).
Just a small verse is sufficient for you to feed on and to meditate on for an entire day. The beautiful part about the human mind is that it can only focus on one thing at a time. If you are so preoccupied meditating on the word of God, all your problems, pain and complains will just fade away.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Dead
Every morning, I am greeted by the lovely sight of tomb stones. There are Christian tomb stones and Chinese tomb stones, and underneath these tomb stones are the peaceful bodies of the dead.
Jesus has died your death on the cross,
As he is so are you in this world.
You are now dead to this world.
The principalities and powers of this world no longer has power over you.
I remember that Pastor Prince once said something of the following effect:
“Visit a cemetery, observe the dead. Praise them. Observe, do they smile and shout for joy in their graves? Now, curse them, shout all kinds of mean, nasty and vulgar remarks at them. Observe, do they cry or shudder with rage. No, they do not move. Similarly you my child, are dead to this world. Why do you let their words of judgement affect you? These people know not the grace of God and they do not know enough to judge you. “
I endeavour to be like the dead – with regards to praises and criticism of the world. For all these things do not matter. If God loves me and values me enough to send his beloved son to die on the cross for me, how can your words (you who hardly know me, you who do not love me) change my value?
I choose to define myself based on the price tag God has placed on me. How much is Denise worth? The blood and death of Jesus. You might think I am a betrayer, liar, f**king piece of shit. You might think I am ignorant, proud and nothing but an emotional piece of trash. But think and say what you want, because you know what, you cannot remove the price tag God has placed on me.
Jesus has died your death on the cross,
As he is so are you in this world.
You are now dead to this world.
The principalities and powers of this world no longer has power over you.
I remember that Pastor Prince once said something of the following effect:
“Visit a cemetery, observe the dead. Praise them. Observe, do they smile and shout for joy in their graves? Now, curse them, shout all kinds of mean, nasty and vulgar remarks at them. Observe, do they cry or shudder with rage. No, they do not move. Similarly you my child, are dead to this world. Why do you let their words of judgement affect you? These people know not the grace of God and they do not know enough to judge you. “
I endeavour to be like the dead – with regards to praises and criticism of the world. For all these things do not matter. If God loves me and values me enough to send his beloved son to die on the cross for me, how can your words (you who hardly know me, you who do not love me) change my value?
I choose to define myself based on the price tag God has placed on me. How much is Denise worth? The blood and death of Jesus. You might think I am a betrayer, liar, f**king piece of shit. You might think I am ignorant, proud and nothing but an emotional piece of trash. But think and say what you want, because you know what, you cannot remove the price tag God has placed on me.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Lady Gaga's meat dress
Time to reveal a small truth about me – I am a Lady Gaga fan. Yes, just like so many others, I am attracted by the strange, horrifying and unnerving. I enjoy so terribly the sensation of being shocked and surprised. And you know what, no one else does it better than Lady Gaga. It is one thing to stop and stare at a lady who is beautiful and another thing to have your eyes helplessly glued on an object that is just screams out for attention.
Lady Gaga’s meat dress... Need I say more? It’s the talk of the town... No one else is talking about any other dress... Lady Gaga has this amazing ability to absorb all attention on herself... Why? Because she is unpredictably predictable... Pardon the oxymoron, I just couldn’t help myself... I mean, we are all looking forward to be surprised, to be unnerved and were we ever disappointed? Not at all... She outdoes herself every time. There is just something so crazily bold and magically outrageous about her.
While most ladies in the music industry are like sweet romantic movies gliding down the red carpet, Lady Gaga is a one of a kind horror, apocalyptic thriller that commands your attention... And you, being so unnerved and frightened, obey that instruction... While the sweet pandering ladies walk by vulnerable and needy for your attention and praise, this is one lady who screams out “I don’t care what you think about me. But you know what, I know you know that I am going to get all your attention ANYWAY.”
Absolutely brilliant!! Lady Gaga, you make me proud!!
---------------------------------------------------------
PS. All that aside, I just couldn’t help but wonder how the dress must have smelled like... Being the cleanliness freak I am, I would probably soak myself my in the bath tub for hours after going near a dress like that, let alone wearing one... Just send chills down my spine... Lady Gaga, I salute you for your courage!!
Lady Gaga’s meat dress... Need I say more? It’s the talk of the town... No one else is talking about any other dress... Lady Gaga has this amazing ability to absorb all attention on herself... Why? Because she is unpredictably predictable... Pardon the oxymoron, I just couldn’t help myself... I mean, we are all looking forward to be surprised, to be unnerved and were we ever disappointed? Not at all... She outdoes herself every time. There is just something so crazily bold and magically outrageous about her.
While most ladies in the music industry are like sweet romantic movies gliding down the red carpet, Lady Gaga is a one of a kind horror, apocalyptic thriller that commands your attention... And you, being so unnerved and frightened, obey that instruction... While the sweet pandering ladies walk by vulnerable and needy for your attention and praise, this is one lady who screams out “I don’t care what you think about me. But you know what, I know you know that I am going to get all your attention ANYWAY.”
Absolutely brilliant!! Lady Gaga, you make me proud!!
---------------------------------------------------------
PS. All that aside, I just couldn’t help but wonder how the dress must have smelled like... Being the cleanliness freak I am, I would probably soak myself my in the bath tub for hours after going near a dress like that, let alone wearing one... Just send chills down my spine... Lady Gaga, I salute you for your courage!!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Endangered Koala
Read on yahoo news a few days back - regarding how one must register with the authorities if one wishes to blog about politics and religion. I guess, I do fall into that category.
Sadly, I do also fall into another category - the majority of society who, out of sheer laziness, would blatantly defy the regulations as long as they can. As long as there are no IMMEDIATE consequences. Yes, we Singaporeans can be quite a bunch of complacent buggers.
With that said, if you should ever discover that my blog has gone missing, do not be surprised that I am also a few hundred dollars poorer.(Singapore is a fine city)
Well, I will continue to blog for as long as I can!! Thanks for supporting me all these years. I am not sure if I really do have a readership BUT for some queer reason, in April this year, my blog was listed as one of the top christian blogs in another website. So, I guess I do have some kind of readership.
Either way, the primary purpose of my blogging is not to be famous or to get attention on myself. It is more of a means for me to organise my thoughts and do my bible study. If God wishes for this blog to be used in other ways, then its purely his perogative and I thank him for it.
It's always good to be used as a vessel for good works.
PS. God, if I ever get fined, please bless me with the resouces to pay the fine. Thanks :D
Sadly, I do also fall into another category - the majority of society who, out of sheer laziness, would blatantly defy the regulations as long as they can. As long as there are no IMMEDIATE consequences. Yes, we Singaporeans can be quite a bunch of complacent buggers.
With that said, if you should ever discover that my blog has gone missing, do not be surprised that I am also a few hundred dollars poorer.(Singapore is a fine city)
Well, I will continue to blog for as long as I can!! Thanks for supporting me all these years. I am not sure if I really do have a readership BUT for some queer reason, in April this year, my blog was listed as one of the top christian blogs in another website. So, I guess I do have some kind of readership.
Either way, the primary purpose of my blogging is not to be famous or to get attention on myself. It is more of a means for me to organise my thoughts and do my bible study. If God wishes for this blog to be used in other ways, then its purely his perogative and I thank him for it.
It's always good to be used as a vessel for good works.
PS. God, if I ever get fined, please bless me with the resouces to pay the fine. Thanks :D
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
James
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
Trials and Temptations
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance.Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all he does.
The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. l but the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits to all he created.
----------------------------------------------------
Taming the tongue
3 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brother, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as example. Although they are so large and are drive by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
------------------------------------------------------
Two kinds of wisdom
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbour bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual and of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
-----------------------------------------------------
Submit Yourselves to God
4 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgement on it. There is only one Law giver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you – who are you to judge your neighbour?
------------------------------------------------------
Boasting About Tomorrow
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
Trials and Temptations
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance.Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all he does.
The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. l but the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits to all he created.
----------------------------------------------------
Taming the tongue
3 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brother, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as example. Although they are so large and are drive by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
------------------------------------------------------
Two kinds of wisdom
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbour bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual and of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
-----------------------------------------------------
Submit Yourselves to God
4 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgement on it. There is only one Law giver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you – who are you to judge your neighbour?
------------------------------------------------------
Boasting About Tomorrow
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
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