Galaxies Beyond Our Galaxy

THERE ARE GALAXIES BEYOND OUR GALAXY! Aren't you amazed by how enormous our God is? Seeing this video, I was struck at how insignificantly small I am.  (watch it first before you continue to read)

Wouldn't you want to praise God after seeing that video? After I saw that video, I was like "wow, this is so huge!" And I thought that was even an underestimation.

"When I consider Your heavens (not just Milky Way Galaxy, but the galaxies beyond that), the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, that You care for him? You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor." --Psalm 8:3-5

 

Yesterday, June 22, I was studying the holes (small and big) in our skull where the veins, arteries and nerves pass for our practical in Regional Anatomy. And I can't help it but think how God made our bodies so complicated. But just looking at our bodies, you just can't help but be awed by how creative our God is. 

See, from those galaxies beyond our galaxy to the structure of your body, GOD was the one who made it. And one more thing, GOD LOVES YOU VERY MUCH despite you being so insignificantly small! God chose you! 

We can never fathom how big our God is, the love He gave for us is incomparable! Our God is a God of everlasting Ps 90:2 (we can't even limit Him with time), and that is really unthinkable so don't force your brain to think on that, but instead GOD deserves all the worship that we can give. God deserves nothing less. God deserves our everything!

The Imperius Curse: Barty Crouch

This is one of the Unforgivable Curses in the novel series, Harry Potter  --written by J.K. Rowling. Well, obviously, you could say that I read too much of Harry Potter. Anyway. Don't you know that there is truth to this curse?

Let us define the Imperius Curse just as described in J.K. Rowling's book:

• A curse that causes the victim to obey the commands of the caster (spoken / unspoken)
• Victim hears the command in his mind
• When casted on the victim, victim feels high --causing them to obey the caster
• When resisted, the victim feels an excruciating pain / unbearable pain / extreme pain

This summer I have once again read the 4th book which is 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'. And I have read a chapter that wasn't shown in the movie. Here is the summary of the chapter (I think the title of the chapter was Verita Serum)...

Bartemius Crouch Jr. is the son of Bartemius Crouch Sr. (obviously) --which of whom was the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (sort of, Head of the Supreme Court). Barty Jr. was a follower of Lord Voldemort --the great and darkest wizard of all times. And his father being the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, had to put him into Azkaban (prison for witches and wizards who have not followed the rules instilled by their government). However, when Barty Jr. was in Azkaban, Barty Sr.'s wife was about to die, and requested that his son to be put out of prison in her place (anyway she was dying). So, Barty Sr. granted the request of his wife. 

For years, Barty Jr. lived under the Imperius Curse of his father. He did whatever his father said. When he was already grown up, he tried to resist his father's curse upon him. Soon enough, he was able to resist it and so he started to look for his master (Lord Voldemort) ...

We too are under the Imperius Curse of Satan. He has this ability to control our thoughts therefore controlling our actions, just like what Barty Sr. did to his son. And the effects of this curse placed upon us are the same... The devil puts lies in our minds that make us feel high. Certain thoughts that take us out of life's reality. Daydreaming and fantasizing are one of this examples. However, if we try to resist these thoughts and face reality, we feel pain. It seems to be so difficult to get out of it. It may also be upsizing our problems --sometimes we just feel so high about the pain that we  feel that we don't want to let go of it. We prefer continuous pain that leads to our destruction rather than a great single pain that may be a way to our healing. And some of us now feel that we are still in bondage of this thoughts that Satan has instilled in our minds, it has been our nature to follow him.

"So many believers are emotionally ruled, that an absence of feeling is all that is needed to stop them from doing what they ought to do. They praise if they feel like it, give if they feel like it, keep there word if they feel like it --if they don't feel like it, they don't." Sometimes we are just too PASSIVE ('defined as a lack of feeling, a lack of desire, general apathy, lukewarmness, and LAZINESS). The bible 'clearly teaches that we must be alert, cautious, and active (1 Peter 5:8) --that we are to fan into flame and stir up the gift within us (2 Tim. 1:6). An empty passive mind can eaily be filled with all kinds of WRONG thoughts. A believer who has a passive mind and who does not resist these thoughts often take them as his own thoughts. He doesn't realize that the evil spirit has injected them into his mind because there was an empty space to there fill.'** I, myself, do struggle with being passive most of the time. Not just in action (laziness but also in thoughts --often daydreaming and letting my mind wander off, sometimes reaching to a point wherein filthy thoughts enter my mind.)

But Jesus loves us so much the he has already paid the price and saved us from the bondage of these thoughts --from the bondage of the Imperius curse Satan casted on us. 

Feel like you are passive sometimes? Often times? In action and in thought? The Bible says, strip yourself of your former nature, put on a new nature in God's image and be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind.(Ephesians 4:22-24) "You can't change a passive behavior until you change your thoughts." You can resist that curse (the ungodly thoughts that enter your mind) through Christ who strengthens you! Do not feel the need to follow Satan, because Jesus has freed you from that bondage. Yes, as we resist it in the first place it may be difficult, but trust in God that as you resist these thoughts He will change your thoughts little by little everyday with thoughts that glorify Him.

Feel like your Barty Crouch Jr? Don't be. You are victorious because of Jesus! :)

Let us LIVE UP everyday. HONOR GOD through your actions and thoughts, and MAKE DISCIPLES! God bless =)

Paqciao-Bradley Fight Outrage

After the game yesterday (as viewed on television), many Pacquiao fans gave their comments about the result of the game. According to one news article I have read,

The media were preparing stories that said, essentially, Bradley fought a good, hard, honest fight and Pacquiao won a clear, convincing decision that kept hopes alive for a mega-fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. 

Then, ring announcer Michael Buffer turned the boxing world upside down when he announced that it was Bradley, not Pacquiao, who won a split decision. Jerry Roth favored Pacquiao, seven rounds to five, and had it 115-113. But C.J. Ross and Duane Ford each had it seven rounds to five, 115-113, for Bradley.

As I viewed my friends statuses all over facebook, most of them were outraged about the decision of the judges. Then some, just to let out their anger, became racist. Reading on their comments had me thinking which brings me to sharing it via blogger.

There are things that the Lord wills to happen. Not because He wants to tear us down, but to build our faith up.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." --Jeremiah 29:11

Manny Pacqiao declared his faith in Jesus this year --by sharing what he has learned during  Bible studies. Media has even been featuring his fellowship attendance and has talked about his time reading the Bible, alone or with his family. But people may have questioned, 'why did he lose, was God not with him?' Have you ever notice that his fight always falls on a Sunday? Most of the people don't go to church on Sundays as they are looking forward to Manny's fight. And what happens most of the time is they prioritize Manny first before worshiping God. But  I don't know what God's reasons may be, but whatever He wills to happen will happen. As I have read one of my friend's status 'It's just a Test of Faith'.

In this, not only our boxing champ will have a lesson to learn, but also us. The lesson of faith will not only be learned by Pacman, but this will also be learned by every Filipino. I believe greater things are yet to come.

Just as I have read the article, I have seen that Pacqiao and Bradley had a picture together after the fight. I think Manny has no hard feelings for what happened. Though I haven't heard of any news about his reaction towards the result. Let's see...

Mind Battle

“As a man thinks in his heart, so does he become.”—Proverbs 27:3

Everyday we experience different kinds of situation. And the Enemy is trying to deceive us with lies; lies that say “we can never do it so I should just give up” or “my problems are too big and I am weak, I can’t just carry this burden, so I give up”. Remember that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, … but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”. (Ephesians 6:12)

I hearsay that we must know the truth. The truth that these are all lies. NEVER GIVE UP BECAUSE GOD IS FIGHTING ON YOUR SIDE. ”What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us who can be against us?” —Romans 8:31

Our actions are direct result of our thoughts. Just like what Proverbs 27:3 says. The Enemy’s target is our minds, because if he is able to take control of our minds then he is able to control our actions.

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day.” (Ephesians 6:13) The belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shield of faith and NEVER FORGET the sword of the Spirit, which is the WORD OF GOD.

Let us keep our thoughts in line with God’s. “Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2 and “Let us continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7


My dear friends, just KEEP ON KEEPING ON. Let not your problems bring you down, but be encouraged. Do not allow those thoughts to blind you and disable you to see the goodness and the love of our Father. And most of all let us strive hard to FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH!God bless! =)

Currently Reading “The Battlefield of the Mind” by Joyce Meyer.