WORDS TO REFLECT - APRIL 2011

'If the disciples of Jesus were middle class outdoor activities oriented people living in a four season country, a prayer for a bright nice perfect day would have been necessarily added to the Lord's prayer' (Prasadja, April 4, 2011) 

'Our transforming personal and private prayers should positively strengthen our self identity and our community' is a conclusion of my first short instant reflection on Pater Noster' available at http://prasadja.blogspot.com/ (Prasadja, April 4, 2011) 

'Since prayer is an approach to the holy throne of God, the most important and therefore the most necessary request would naturally be forgiveness' is one of the highlights of my second reflection on Pater Noster' available at http://prasadja.blogspot.com/ (Prasadja, April 4, 2011) 

My third reflection on Pater Noster says: 'Our daily bread' shows that Christian faith is a faith that believe in the continuity not only of God's providence for us, but also a continuity of our dependence on our heavenly Father (http://prasadja.blogspot.com/) (Prasadja, April 4, 2011) 

Why does one quote someone else? (1) To convince the audience? (2) To support authority? (3) To show knowledge on good people and words? (4) To boast to the public: I discovered it and you do not? (5) Lack of confidence? (6) To share precious wisdom unknown to others? (7) To advertise the one being quoted? (8) Amazed - Do not know what to do but to quote? FB and Twitter tell us the truth (Prasadja, April 12, 2011) 

THE MARRIAGE at http://prasadja.blogspot.com/: 'God is rich,’ say many modern evangelists and pastors, but he did not give us money or houses or cars or jeweleries. All of those things will do nothing to transform our eternal destiny. God gave his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the only effective, powerful, possible and authoritative agent of transforming and transporting us from eternal death to eternal life.' (Prasadja, April 12, 2011) 

'As judging is unavoidable, helping others to be free from our judgment is doable and a must' (Prasadja, April 12, 2011) 

The picture below is a book with a brilliant choice of title written by a very respected religious leader. The title itself says nothing but an essential truth of one of the highest commitments one can offer to her/his fellows (Prasadja, April 12, 2011)

 

 

 

    

THE MARRIAGE IN ROMANS 7.1-6 (PART 2): 'Christians are called to serve God in the spirit of love and excellence. We live for God because we love God. We love God because God first loved us by reaching us out and transforming our fatal destiny into a blessed life of salvation' (http://prasadja.blogspot.com/) (Prasadja, April 12, 2011) 

Unlike adults, when kids laugh, they indeed do! (Prasadja, April 14, 2011)

 

 

    

With a very good friend Yunita and her husband Sudiro at Center Street Church, Calgary - after more than twenty years of not seeing one to another (April 16, 2011)

 

 

    

'Seeing the resurrected Jesus in our daily life (Easter's tips of holistic healthy life #1): Consuming enough healthy food!' (Prasadja, April 19, 2011) 

'Seeing the resurrected Jesus in our daily life (Easter's tips of holistic healthy life #2): Having enough rest and sleep!' (Prasadja, April 19, 2011) 

'Seeing the resurrected Jesus in our daily life (Easter's tips of holistic healthy life #3): Reading, meditating and applying the Word of God zealously!' (Prasadja, April 20, 2011) 

'Seeing the resurrected Jesus in our daily life (Easter's tips of holistic healthy life #4): Managing your problems wisely! Do not be overwhelmed by the magnitude of your burden!' (Prasadja, April 20, 2011) 

'Seeing the resurrected Jesus in our daily life (Easter's tips of holistic healthy life #5): Walking according to God's will! Do not be preoccupied by self ambition!' (Prasadja, April 20, 2011) 

R. A. Kartini (21 April 1879 – 17 September 1904): 'HABIS GELAP TERBITLAH TERANG' (April 20, 2011)

 

 

 

    

'Jesus died WITH, INSTEAD OF and. FOR us' (Scot McKnight - http://bit.ly/git6Zq) (April 22, 2011) 

Good Friday and Easter Sunday are both well known and crucial in Christian faith and tradition. What about the day between the two? What did Jesus do on Holy Saturday, and what is the significance of that sandwiched day for believers? A simple thought to all of you while enjoying a long weekend! Happy Easter from the Prasadjas to all of our precious friiends! (Prasadja, April 22, 2011) 

'When one says to you: "It is up to you!" What does it mean to you? You may be graciously granted a freedom of choice; You may do what is insignificant; You may ask a stupid question; or You may be suffering of being neglected. For certain however you are lonely' (Prasadja, April 23, 2011) 

James Wilhoit rightly argues that genuine spiritual formation should start from brokenness and a deep sense of need upon the grace of God. He calls it 'optimistic brokenness.' The author attacks the understanding of spiritual formation as a simply set of programmatic church activities (April 26, 2011) 

Reading Critical Companion to the Bible: A Literary Reference (Martin Manser, et al). Few spontaneous questions: Does the Bible really need a companion? The more difficult question, and it should serve as the heart of the book is: What does it mean to be a companion that is critical? More practical inquiries are: Should believers approach the Bible critically or in simple obedience? What does it mean to be a critical reader of the Bible? Can we be both critical and obedient? ..... (Prasadja, April 27, 2011)
 

Reading The Bible in Modern Culture (Roy Harrisville and Walter Sundberg). Lutheran scholars elaborate the way theologians and biblicists from Baruch Spinoza to Brevard S. Childs have been working hard to make the 'non-modern' (my own stress) Bible be relevant and modern from time to time. Cultures are diverse and changing rapidly - Will the 'non-modern' Bible survive? (my question) (Prasadja, April 27, 2011) 

Reading Justification: God's Plan and Paul's Vision (N. T. Wright). This piece of work is a response to John Piper's The Future of Justification: A Response to N. T. Wright. Both authors have passion not only in the academia but also in the church. Everyone who desires to re-evaluate his or her understanding of JUSTIFICATION should read this book (and also the one by Piper) (Prasadja, April 27, 2011) 

'This morning, I listened to one of the best straight forward wedding sermons I have ever heard. The bishop of London, Richard Chartres did the sermon splendidly for the 2011 most celebrated royal couple, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: William Arthur Philip Louis and Catherine Elizabeth. The wedding is truly a sharing of the Gospel to the whole world' (http://prasadja.blogspot.com/) (Prasadja, April 29, 2011)

 

    

"‘Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.’ So said St Catherine of Siena whose festival day it is today. Marriage is intended to be a way in which man and woman help each other to become what God meant each one to be, their deepest and truest selves" (Richard Chartres preached on Royal Wedding this morning, April 29, 2011). Read the whole sermon at http://prasadja.blogspot.com/