Burky's Blog

My, how time flies!  Tomorrow is Russel Petre's birthday, and I am remembering he have brothers that have birthday in March.  The problem is: which day?

 

I am thinking much these days, but I guess I always have.  Especially since I learn that it is a great joy to be a Christian and no man have the power to take it away from me.  The only power anyone can have over me is deception, because we believe that truth will set us free.  I am very much look forward to the day when we all are redeemed and vindicated by our Heavenly Father.

 

If perfect love cast out fear, and doubt feel much like fear, then what room is there for us to be skeptical?  Is there any conditions found in the Bible that it is okay to be skeptical?  Is there any such commandment that we are to doubt?  If we believe and pursue truth, would we be easily swayed by deception?  Thanks to Leonard Eby's message as mentioned in my last email/blog/note, I learn there is a statement in the Bible about confidence!  The reason that caught me off guard was because I had figured that confidence is not in the Bible.  Why else would some Christians talk against self-confidence and say we should be God-confident?  Finally, can we say there is any difference?

 

"Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)..."  (2 Corinthians 5:6,7)  While I was using concordance, I notice there is other verse: "A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident."  (Proverbs 14:16)  It is no wonder that most English-speaking Christians fear sin, because there are verses in the Bible that say so in English!  Well, I won't say more on this subject as I believe in "let[ing] every man be fully persuaded in his own mind."  (Romans 14:5b)

 

When I heard about my deaf Belizean friends eloped, I couldn't help but wonder.  What did we do wrong?  What did we do that "push" him away from love, truth, and goodness?  I know for myself that, when I feel derivated from something I need, I will react, rebel, and whatever you want to name it.  If you feel void in your heart, what should you do to fill it?  If you believe there is an answer in your parent, church, or some strong Christian, what would you do if no one gave what you need?

 

I often thought about Jesus' words, "Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath."  (Matthew 13:12)  While I was hunting so hard for this verse, not remembering the exact words or phrases to find it, I found other verse with similar wording, although in very different context, "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit."  (John 15:2)  The first one was why Jesus use parables.  The second one was talking about unfruitfulness.  Anyway, the first verse is what I often think about--that can also explain why there are some unmarried people who long to get married.  There is something about them that their love is not sufficient.  There is something about them that no one attract to them.  Until he finally learn the art of true loving, then he is ready to get married.  At that appointed moment, God send him what he needs.  In same way, I am thinking about why people are not sending me updates about their lives.  Is there something about me that people don't want to share?

 

Now back to my Belizean friends, what are they derivated of that make them act like that?  I strongly suspect it is because they have the same problem I have--the feeling of not being wanted or needed.  Whenever I feel that, then I can either become aggressive or go into my shell.  I shared my idea with my friend once about deaf school in Belize and that it should be run by deaf staff, he didn't say anything specifically to that.  Forgive me, but I do suspect that he don't agree with it, because he talks about Bait of Satan.  I would like to read that book and see if it would move me to love God more.  Does it make a married man or woman to love God more than their spouse?  Or does it generate fear against doing a wrong thing?  To what point is fear permissible?  If loving God with our whole being is the primary law (Matthew 22:37-40), then is there still some room for fear?  If we understand that fearing God means respecting Him for who He is, then should we respect sin?  Now, let's catch our breath and rethink: what is the right way to think or say in order to get the right answers we are looking for?

 

Suppose if we give people what make them feel fulfilled, how much sin would they commit?  We can be thankful that we are living in Information Age, because we have no reason to be ignorant about anything.  Those who watch Chuck Norris's TV shows about Texas Rangers would learn the benefit of giving criminals some community service.  Often the rangers give them freedom for doing good work.  Or if you watch the old black-and-white movie, Boys' Town, you will get the same impression.  Wouldn't you think Jesus would have done the same thing?  Ah, that is why I am increasingly thinking, "Even so, come Lord Jesus."  His second coming would bring a grand finale of redemption and vindication!

 

I also noticed that some people quickly reply that they don't believe it.  If we don't believe it, would that make it any less true?  Wouldn't it be much better if we stop and reconsider what the speaker is saying?  In what way would we be as peacemakers, as we want to be called the children of God?  (Matthew 5:9)  I stopped the Bible Study with the ministry, because I got tired of structural study.  I want unlimited and unstructured Bible Study.  I have already study Bible Doctrines and why Mennonites believe.  Now I want to study why other groups don't observe Mennonite doctrine.  I want to know why they don't see it in the Bible.  I want to learn the "Zero Point" where all Christians agree on.  I want to be a peacemaker, because I want to be a child of God.  I want to be easy to be entreated, peaceable, gentle, merciful, impartial, and without hypocrisy.  (James 3:17)  Notice impartiality--that also includes the perspective of others outside our group!  Also notice without hypocrisy--that also includes not being false to oneself. 

 

Well, I am just thinking--thinking--thinking--