Minggu, 15 Februari 2015

Relasi Hidup Sesama dari Kacamata Manusia (OK_NoK)... Pdt. Dr. S. Tong

Didalam kehidupan sosial kita bisa melihat ada beberapa cara manusia memandang ; 
1) i am OK, you are OK.. Saya baik, kamu juga baik. masing-masing mengurus masalahnya sendiri tanpa campur tangan orang lain. Sekilas mungkin ini terlihat win-win solution, tidak ada orang yang mengkritik sesama. Namun bila hal ini dibikin mutlak, pada akhirnya masyarakat akan menjadi apatis, cuek, elu-elu gue-gue, kehidupan sosial yang dingin terjadi pada dunia maju seperti di Amerika yang individualistis.
2) i am OK, you are Not OK.. Saya baik, kamu tidak baik. Condong melihat orang yang dimaksud tidak baik itu sangat mengganggu keberadaannya, kemudian berpikir bahwa dia berhak untuk meniadakan orang yang dinilainya tidak baik. Disinilah point mula pembunuhan terjadi.
3) i am Not OK, you are OK.. Saya tidak baik, kamu baik. Perasaan minder yang berlebih dalam kasus ini sama bahayanya. Iri akan kelebihan yang dimiliki orang lain, dan terus menerus menyalahkan keadaan sendiri, bahkan ujungnya menyalahkan Tuhan karena dianggap tidak berlaku adil kususnya terhadap dirinya. Bedanya pada titik ekstrim akan menjurus pada kasus bunuh diri, disebabkan sering merenungkan kemalangan dan kekurangan yang dimiliki berujung pada mengakhiri hidup sendiri.
4) i am Not OK, you are Not OK.. Saya tidak baik, kamu tidak baik. Negara teroris contoh paling ekstrim dari sudut pandang ini, karena merasa dunia sekililing sudah sangat bobrok, kemudian mereka mengadakan suicide bomber sama-sama mati.

Keempat visi ini sangat mudah menjebak manusia untuk melakukan hal-hal serong yang tidak sesuai dengan Firman Tuhan. 
Bahwa Tuhan menciptakan manusia sesuai dengan Gambar dan Rupa Allah, membuat nilai manusia tidak dapat dihargai dengan uang, seberapa miskin atau kaya manusia tetap sama dihadapan Allah. Kita tidak berhak melukai atau mengambil nyawa sesama dengan semaunya. Nyawa manusia adalah mutlak milik Bapa di Sorga.
Bahwa Hidup kita bukan milik kita lagi melainkan hidup bagi Kristus, hendaklah hidup kita berguna menjadi garam dan terang bagi sesama, dengan begitu Nama Tuhan bisa lebih dipermuliakan. 

Rabu, 11 Februari 2015

To Serve with Devotion in GOD.. Deu1

The Israelites spent 40years on a journey that should have lasted 11days. It wasnt distance that stood between them and the promised land. It was the condition if their hearts. God's purpose went deeper than simply transporting a huge group of people to a new land. HE was preparing them to live in obedience to HIM once they arrive.
What good was the promised land if the Israelites were just as wicked as the nations already living there? The journey was a painful but necessary part of their preparation. Through it God taught the Israelites who HE was: The Living God; the Leader of the nation. HE also taught them who they were: people who were fallen, sinful, prone to rebellion and doubt. HE gave HIS rebeliious people the law to help them understand how to relate to God, and to other people.
Your spiritual pilgrimage may be lengthy, and you may face pain, discouragement, and difficulties. But remember that God isnt just trying to keep you alive, HE wants to prepare you to live for service and devotion to HIM.

Minggu, 08 Februari 2015

Why were the Israelites told to destroy the Canaanites?.. Num33

God had several compelling reasons for giving this command:
1) God was stamping out the wickedness of an extremely sinful group of nations. The Canaanites brought on their own punishment. Idol worship expressed their deepest evil desires. It ultimately led to the worship of satan and the total rejection of God.
2) God was using Moses and Israel to judge Canaan for its sins in fulfillment of the prophecy in Genesis.
3) God wanted to remove all trace of pagan beliefs and practices from the land. HE didnt want HIS people to mix or compromise with idolatry in any way.
The Israelites didnt fully understand God's reasons, and they didnt carry out HIS command. This eventually led them to compromise and corruption. 
In all area of life, we should obey God's word without question because we know HE is just, even if we cannot fully understand HIS overall purposes.

Senin, 02 Februari 2015

Dangerous Temptation to Compromise.. Num25

The great challange Israel had to face was not Jericho's army, but the ever-present temptation to compromise with the pagan Canaanite religions and cultures.
The Bible doesnt say how the Israelites men got involved in sexual immorality. We do know that sacred prostitution was a common practice among Canaanite religions. At first, they didnt think about worshiping idols; they were just interested in sex. Before long they started attending local feast and family celebrations that involved idol worshiping. Soon they were in over their heads, absorbed into practices of the pagan culture. Zimri so disregarded the law of God that he brought a Midianite woman right into the camp into his tent just for sex.
Their desire for fun and pleasure caused them to loosen their spiritual commitment. Have you relaxed your standarts in order to justify your desires?