A journey in ink

Every life is a story written in indelible ink

Category: Christianity

  • Judgement

    Daily writing prompt
    Are you a good judge of character?
    View all responses

    Since a very young age, I have been keenly attentive to reading people.

    Maybe due to personal character and cultural background. I learned to read between the lines and catch nuances even before I spoke my mother tongue fluently.

    This has been both a blessing and a curse, as one might imagine.

    Yet it is one thing to understand a person’s character, and another to judge their behavior, for the latter is an apparent sin.

    Romans 2:1

    You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

    And it is often a sin with which I still struggle, as though I had any right to do so.

    No one does.

    No one is superior to another, for we are all fall short.

    Only through the mercy of Jesus Christ can we overcome such sin and be free from condemnation.

    However, it is certainly beneficial to understand people better, especially during the Christmas season, as it allows me to prepare more personalized gifts for my family and friends.

    Merry Christmas, everyone!

  • Receiving the greatest gift in the world

    I was born into a very faithful Christian family. My family went to church every Sunday; everyone knew where we would be on Christmas and New Year.

    And I thought I was, too.

    For the last year, I’ve been isolated from the world by my choice. I wanted to focus on my future, and during that time, I had more time to connect with my God.

    I have been studying the Bible recently, as in actual study.

    • I learned the term “gospel”-funny how I didn’t even know the meaning.
    • What sets Christians apart?

    We receive a gift from God Himself-salvation through His one and only Son-so that we, too, can be clean in the eyes of God and enter the realm of Heaven.

    And no work-no amount of good deeds-would be enough to earn that gift.

    That is why it is a gift. All we have to do to get the ticket to His home is to accept it.

    Accept that He is our Lord, and only through Him are we reborn.

    I also learned about the Holy Spirit. His presence was unclear to me all these years. Here is my understanding: He is our advocate. Jesus had to leave so that the Holy Spirit could come to all of us—to protect and guide us.

    And since it is a gift, we are sin-free as soon as we accept Jesus and repent. (it is an instant cure, not a reward you get gradually through a process of work) When we walk with the Holy Spirit, we are whole—we are cured, perfect in ourselves.

    I finally understand these words.

  • Internet, AI, and music ..threat to Christianity?

    I recently stumbled on an interesting video — “He Asked ChatGPT One Question and It Gets Disturbingly Prophetic” by Dennis Gorcea.

    In it, he shares insight about how the development of the internet and AI can be a threat to Christianity.

    As technology advances, people will depend more on it and less on God.

    People will become more isolated, just as social media has already made us.

    This was a wake-up call for me. I had been enjoying the convenience and chose to blind myself to the consequences.

    Take a look at modern music — secular music. I used to think of it as just a fun, creative way to express one’s identity. Never did I imagine that music could become a channel for demonic influence. I really didn’t.

    Which was quite foolish of me, if you think about it.

    I sing and listen to Hillsongs every day, hoping that my Lord will hear my worship. And yet, how did it never cross my mind that other songs — songs that glorify everything Jesus died for: hate, jealousy, and curses — can be just as spiritually impactful as Hillsong’s songs are?

    I haven’t enjoyed secular music recently, not because I already knew these truths, but because I simply found more fulfillment in worship music. Now I understand why. My spirit was warning me to stay away from doors that demons can open.

    As it is written in the Bible, Satan comes to deceive, kill, and destroy.

    But many of my pastors have told us that God can bring good even out of bad things. We can now listen to Hillsong, access sermons from all over the world, and connect with believers globally. Just as Satan is finding new ways to reach us, so is God.

    And through His mercy and love, Jesus’s love will always prevail.

    With the love of Jesus Christ, I pray for all Christians out there who are being fooled or deceived, even right now. And I humbly ask Jesus to open my eyes to the things I still do not recognize.