In the image of God, we were made long ago,
with the purpose divine, here his glory to show;
But we failed Him one day, and like sheep went astray,
thinking not of the cost, we His likeness had lost.

But from eternity, God had in mind,
the work of Calvary, the lost to find;
From His heaven so broad, Christ came down earth to trod,
so that men might live again in the image of God.

Now that I have believed, and the Saviour received,
now that I from the cry, of my guilt am relieved,
I will live for my Lord, not for gain or reward,
but for love thinking of, what His grace has restored!

I'll never comprehend, redemption's plan,
how Christ could condesend, to die for man;
Such a Saviour I'll praise, to the end of my days,
as I upward, onward trod in the image of God.

No it isn't holiday yet, there are still 2 more papers to go, but the next one is on Tuesday, and I'm kinda relaxed a bit and have time to update my blog. Next week however will be a particularly busy week too, with the AGM and trainings for the camp. And yet I'm supposed to plan for my holidays.. which is after the camp.

My internship is settled to start on 20th may. Most of the time I will be busy from Monday - Friday. I also have to conduct tuitions on Sundays till around June. I wish that I could use these 3 months of holidays really effectively. I need to prepare being a cell group leader by August, and hence to read many books (aiming for 5 books, for the time being). Actually it should be nothing remembering that during exam days I could finish 1 textbook in 3 days, it's just that i'm lazy. I will revive my commitments which I made on January. I need to read business-related books, and understood better about the business world. Hm, I will use the facility of the NUS library, which contain so much great resources which I've neglected for 3 years (and I have 1 more year to go).. Oh and I need to prepare for my FYP too, so I need to brush up on my earlier modules, watch lecture videos perhaps..

And I want to start to understand about the world too, and be updated of latest events. I want to understand about politics. And I think I also need to plan about relationship, and most importantly dig deeper for obtaining the correct mindset, since the youth fellowship topic is about Christian families and relationships. Anyway I think it is time to consider, and not trapped with the self-sufficient and 'busy-with-myself' Singaporean way of life.

All in all, I hope this upcoming 3 months will be life changing.. Hope that I could maintain my relationship with God as well, during the busy periods..

It seems that today's culture's way of handling issues such as relationship and BGR is a bit too childish. It is almost like a taboo thing to be discussed. And people certainly like to ridicule on some others when they perceive that others are being close. I personally object towards this kind of ridicule.

First, the motivation is really questionable. Why would some people jeer, tease on others as potential couples? I am really against this kind of childish 'match-making'. BGR is a serious issue, and very careful reflections should be made before making a decision. Think about it. Even a person would think for a year or so before making a profitable financial investment. Calculation must be done thoroughly, even though the whole matter only concerns about some 'reversible' monetary profit/loss. For BGR it is supposed to be more serious. In Christian context, it should be seen that BGR has a lifetime consequence. Well I'm not implying that it should be treated as a more serious 'investment', as it is not right thinking of it in terms of profit/loss. But Christian BGR should be viewed in terms of marriage. Here, if culture would tease two people that are close, it really encourages taking a plunge without careful reflections. How reckless and selfish are those who ridicule on others for just deriving pleasures for spreading gossips. In the case that the two persons being teased are good friends, it would also potentially do some harm towards the friendship. And here again, how selfish are those who for deriving pleasure would risk causing some detriment to others' friendship?

Besides my internship, here are the things that I want to do:

1) Obtain the correct Christian worldview on business, sales and BGR.

2) Read the 'Shorter Cathecism'.

3) Finish up 2 video lecture series related to my FYP.

4) Jot down points I learnt during PP and post it on my blog.

5) Finish reading OT.

Now I hope this sounds quite realistic, if not then I should add some more, which is, I want to finish reading the books which I have bought but haven't read (actually there are too many of them)..

This is the summary of the 3rd part of the book, which I think is most important.

The distinguishing signs of true spiritual emotions:

1) True spiritual emotions arise from spiritual, supernatural and divine influences of the heart.

Spiritual -> not referring to the intangible aspect of human, eg feelings, but referring to the Holy Spirit. (Proof: Col 2:18 says such 'spiritual' aspect of human beings can indeed be false)

The Spirit of God can and does influence natural men (Numbers 24:2, 1 Sam 10:10, Hebrews 6:4-6)

Imagination and delusions, however, can produce natural, not spiritual emotions.

2) The object of spiritual emotion is the loveliness of spiritual things, not our self-interest.

The relation is not exclusive (Psalm 116:1), but self interest is made secondary.

Nothing can be spiritual if it is the result of self-love (Luke 6:32). Self-love can produce, however, gratitude, love of God with a lack of conviction of sin, or loving God because God blesses us.

Real Christians do not first see that God loves them, and later find out that He is lovely, but find out that He is lovely first, and their love for God arises from this view. True love begins with God and loves Him for His own sake.

It is true that God first loved us, and we can't escape that. With this, we love God not because that fact that 'He loved us', but because of His moral perfection.

3) Spiritual emotions are based on the moral excellence of spiritual things.

Moral excellence is not talking about the outward performance of duties, but mainly concerned upon holiness, the sum total of truth, righteousness, goodness. Power, knowledge and eternity are good, but they are not beautiful apart from holiness. So love of God must begin with delight in His holiness. It is from God's holiness that the rest of His being derives its beauty.

4) Spiritual emotions arise from spiritual understanding

Spiritual knowledge is not doctrinal knowledge. Doctrinal knowledge involves mere intellect. Spiritual knowledge is a sense of the heart in which we see the beauty of holiness in Christian doctrines. It involves the intellect and the heart. (1 Cor 13:2)

It would not be Spiritual knowledge if God immediately revealed His will to our minds by the Holy Spirit, as it would be doctrinal, not spiritual.

Next, Spiritual understanding sees what is actually in Scripture and not make a new meaning for it. Eg. when some words relating to Scripture enters someone's head.

Lastly, imaginary ideas can arise out of spiritual emotions, but spiritual emotions cannot arise out of imaginary ideas.

5) Spiritual emotions bring a conviction of the reality of divine things.

Many religious experiences are just moving, and not convincing. They produce no lasting change as they are not grounded in a settled and indisputable conviction of the realities described by the truth of the Gospel.

Emotions arising from a strong conviction may not also be spiritual if this conviction is unreasonable (founded by real evidence and good reasons, not upbringing alone).

Rational arguments might also just convince the person intellectually without saving the person, eg Simon the magician (Acts 8:13)

Conviction of truth of the gospel arises out of the sense of its divine beauty, not mentioning that historical evidence and other arguments are useless.

6) Spiritual emotions always exist alongside spiritual humiliation.

It is the sense of how insufficient and detestable we are as Christians. Unbelievers have legal humiliation, but they do not see the hateful nature of sin, or renounce sin in their hearts, or surrender themselves to God. They feel humbled by force, but no humility.

Spiritual humiliation is the essence of Christian self-denial. First, deny his worldly inclinations, and second, deny his self-righteousness and self-centredness.

Spiritual pride can disguise itself as humility, but two signs distinguishes: 1) The proud compares himself with others and has a superior opinion on themselves. 2) The proud man tends to think very highly of his humility, while the humble man thinks of himself as very proud.

7) Spiritual emotion always exist alongside a change of nature.

The transforming power comes only from God - the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor 3:18)

If there is no real and lasting change in people who think they are converted, their religion is worthless whatever their experiences may be.

Conversion does not destroy natural temperaments that made us prone to certain sins, but these temperaments will not dominate his soul and his life as they did before. Sincere repentance will make a person particularly hate and fear the sins of which he used to be most guilty.

8) True spiritual emotions differ from false ones, in promoting a Christlike spirit of love, humility, peace, forgiveness and compassion.

Holiness in all its aspects belong to Christian character, but there are certain aspects which deserve the name of 'Christian' in a special degree, as they reflected the divine attributes of God and Christ particularly in redeeming sinnesrs, eg humility, gentleness, love, forgiveness and mercy.

Christian courage is often misunderstood. It is not brutal fierceness but 1) ruling and suppressing the evil emotions of the mind 2) resolutely following and acting on the mind's good emotions, without being hindered by sinful fear or hostility of the enemies.

There is a false boldness for Christ which arises from pride.

In the true Christian, however, it is not meant that there is nothing contrary to the above characters, for we are not sinlessly perfect, though it will have the tendency to promote the spirit.

9) True spiritual emotions soften the heart, and exist alongside a Christian tenderness of spirit.

False emotions may seem to melt the heart for a time, but in the end they harden it, because they have such a high opinion of themselves. True spiritual emotions make the heart tender, like bruised flesh which is easily hurt.

10) True spiritual emotions, unlike false ones, have a beautiful symmetry and balance.

The symmetry of the Christian's virtues is not perfect, but they never display that grosteque lack of balance which marks the religion of hypocrites.

A Christian's love must be universal. (Contrast with 1 John 4:20)

Some people show love to others in respect of their bodily needs but have no love for their souls. Others pretend a great love for men's souls but have no compassion for their bodies. (Contrast with Mark 6:33-44)

11) True spiritual emotions produce a longing for deeper holiness, but false emotions rest satisfied in them.

The more a true Christian loves God, the more he desires to love him, the more uneasy he is at his lack of love for Him.

12) A fruit of true spiritual emotions is Christian practice.

The true Christian seeks to conform every single area of his life to the rules of God's Word (John 15:14)

The true Christian makes holy living the main business of his life. (Titus 2:14, 2 Tim 2:3, 1 Tim 6:12, 1 Cor 9:24, Eph 6:13-17, Phil 3:13-14)

The true Christian perseveres in his obedience (Matt 13:3-9, 18-23). The genuine Christian keeps on believing and obeying despite the various problems he meets.

True Christians can grow spiritually cold, but never fall away till they get tired of God and obedience, and becomes settled in a dislike of Christianity.

13) Christian practice is the chief sign to others of a convert's sincerity.

'You will know them by their fruits' (Matt 7:16)

'What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?' (James 2:14)

No outward appearances, are however, infallible signs of conversion. But it is the best evidence. Yet, if we could see as much of a person's practice as that person's own conscience knows, it might be an infallible sign of his condition.

14) Christian practice is a sure sign of conversion to a person's own conscience.

'By this we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments' (1 John 2:3)

Other verses: (Gal 6:4, 1 John 3:18-19, Matt 6:21)

Obedience is properly the act of the sould, since the soul governs the body.

There are two ways that a Christian's soul can act : 1) purely inward way by meditating God's truth, that our minds rest in that truth and do not go beyond to some outward act. 2) practical way which results in outward bodily action.

Christian has to judge his own practice not just by what he does outwardly, but by the inward motives of his soul. (Rev 2:23 says that God searches the 'minds and hearts')

Today's theme of the youth fellowship today is about love as the basis of marriage (and Christian relationships I suppose).

The Scripture text was read from 1 Cor 13:6-8, 1 Cor 13:13.

I think it was very enlightening, since so far I've only thought about the basis that applies when someone is considering fpr the possibility to have a relationship. The Joshua Harris 1st book also touched upon this, while the guiding principles for the actual relationship itself, it is not well built upon.

First, many of relationships are not built on Godly love. Again we are reminded of the difference between Christian relationships with un-Christian relationships. In Christian relationships, the source from which love is derived is God alone. In un-Christian relationships, the source of love is from each of the two individuals. Thus, in un-Christian relationships, we have a very shaky foundation, relying just on each individuals limits of patience with each other. When problems came, feelings fade, differences in opinions surfaces, the un-Christian relationship is strained to its limits, and it is very easy to break up. For a relationship that is based upon God's love, it will never fails. I think the test is this, whether we really have God's love or we don't. I think we should introspect, and ask ourselves this question: 'Do we have any 'enemies' who we really hate and we can't forgive?' If the answer is yes, then on what grounds would you think that someday you will not direct that immense, unforgiving hatred towards your partner? Yeah.. youths are always overconfident and I am included. So we should strive to have that kind of love, perhaps we could practice it by learning to forgive our enemies first. Thus, it is more or less assured that if partners get 'heated up', the problem can be resolved by forgiving one another.

Another thing, it is written in the Scripture (1 Cor 13:7-8) that love 1) always protects 2) always trusts 3) akways hopes 4) always perseveres, 5) never fails. Now, we need to know that this is not an over idealistic slogan. The Scripture doesn't contain slogans, but truth, facts. If we have that kind of love that is from God, it is assured, that love never fails, relationships, marriages are secured. There might be heated arguments, but it perseveres and never collapses.

Therefore, two persons planning to have relationships should strive, encourage each other to have this kind of Godly love.

It is also important for relationship to be grounded upon spiritual maturity. And here are the signs of the spiritually matured:

1) Besides sharing joy, they want to share other's burden. They want to share to, as well as understand others.

2) They are commited, responsible, and really act upon what they say.

3) They are stable in their understanding of truth. Otherwise, they would be very inconsistent, aimless, and easily distorted by circumstances.

4) They display resistance when tempted to stray out of the way of the Lord.

Besides, many relationships are strained because partners think they are still immatures when they made their decisions.

Name : ARDIANTO SUHENDAR
Matric No : U059388U

2007/2008 Sem 2 Examination for ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING 4

My current CAP is still 3.6. But Overall I'm satisfied. Not too good results, not too bad either. And it's been a tough and victorious journey. =)

Anyway my target graduating score must be second lower. To get the lower bound, my lower bound aggregate SAP for the two following semesters I've calculated is 3.25. That is to graduate with a 3.51 CAP. But of course I'll target myself more than that, I hope to graduate with 3.7.. or 3.8 something. Anyway, I still insist on taking many modules next 2 semesters.

Year 4, here I comeee.. =D

While others may have dreaded their math and science classes at school, these subjects were probably no sweat for you. In fact you may have even thought they were fun. Your logical/mathematical intelligence makes you the type who can enjoy working with numbers or thinking through difficult questions to arrive at a solution.

Whether you realize it or not, this strength has likely been a help to you throughout your life — not just in the classroom. This is true because for work or recreation, people like you can tend to rely on your logical/mathematical intelligence to look at the world. From noticing patterns of behavior in people to being able to appreciate the visual beauty in a repeated design, your special brand of intelligence can make life both interesting and rewarding.

=s

Today's fellowship was a Bible study from Ephesians 5:22-30, so we were broken up into groups, and the theme was 'Husbands as the heads of wives".

Several points thrown up during the discussions:

What is the extent of headship of husbands and submission for wives? The discussion however, didn't really touch upon the practical level. (Although I personally think it is necessary to really define the scope of the term 'headship', as well as, for wives, the scope of the term 'submission'.) I am still exploring this point. So far, the discussions seem to converge upon : spiritual headship (should a husband be more spiritual than his wife?), financial headship (husbands as sole breadwinner?), and final decision maker.

It was reminded that the terms 'headship' and 'submission' speak about order, not status. It is not the 'authority' that should be emphasized here, but rather, responsibility. Hence, husbands, or husbands-to-be should prepare themselves to fulfill his responsibility as heads, while wives or wives-to-be should prepare themselves to submit. Hence, in my personal opinion, the answer to the question of whether a husband should be more spiritual than his wive, is not a yes or no, but rather, it is the husband's responsibility to be more spiritual than his wife in order that he could guide her spiritually.' Hence, if a husband thinks that his wife is spiritual, he should strive more. Similarly goes for financial, if the husband is not that capable compared to his wife, he should strive more, be more hardworking.

Headship of husbands is related to the fact that husbands requires respect, while wives, on the other hand, requires to be loved.

Next, in our discussion, the headship role of husbands was linked to the order during Creation, since Eve was really created as 'helper of Adam'. Adam is representative, and was created first, so was said. And during the Fall, this order was reversed. Eve was tempted to eat the fruit of good and evil, brought it to Adam. Adam didn't assume his responsibility to take care of his wife by discerning what God wants and says no to the temptation, but he surrendered to his wife.

Another point raised was about the relationship between husbands and wives that is illustrated as the relationship between Christ and His church. Some points for the similarity are that there should be 'eternal' love, as the covenant between Christ and His people is eternal (though it is not really eternal, but vows in marriage goes 'till death do us part'). Next, there must be sacrificial love, just as Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross for the world. Thirdly, the similarity is that of submission, just as the church submits themselves to the Lord, and certain exclusivity, just as Christ called His people with 'My people', and that the church realises that there is none other Savior than Jesus. (not sure about this one though)

A question was also raised about the difference of the nature of submission of wife to husband with that of people to authority. Some vague points was brought out that seems to classify submission into two. The former, it requires submission based on deep respect, while for the other, it is submission of obedience. However I am still unsure about these. An interesting point brought by Lily, regarding submission to authority, is that even if we don't obey the rules made by the authority, it could also be said that we submit to it, if we are willing to suffer the consequences. By knowing and suffering the consequences, it could also be said that we are still submitting to the authority. Submitting, not in the means of obeying, but acknowledging the power of the authority.

Anyway that is the summary of our discussions..

Next, we gathered up and the summary was conveyed by Bu Maria.

According to Ephesians 5:21, it is said that we are to submit to one another before Christ. This means that there is really no difference between husbands and wives before Christ, for both are equal. Submission to one another, or in other words having deep respect for one another is said to be a prerequisite for a good family. Next, an enlightening interpretation of the following verses is that there is really no ideal marriage that could happen after the Fall. Christ's act of Redemption is highly needed. Marriage is connected tightly to the doctrine of soteriology.

The relationship of husbands and wives in a marriage is to be understood as that of the relation of Christ and the church, as the relation of the head and the body. It is due to lack of understanding of this meaning of marriage that many marriages fail. They fail because there is no theological understanding involved.

Now, things to be really considered for healthy relationships and marriages are : for husbands, are you willing to love till the end? for wives, are you willing to submit till the end? If the answer is no for either, then don't proceed. 

The consequences of neglecting the above questions are not negligible. Eventually, childrens will be affected, people around us / society will be affected too and there would be much problems in the future.