Simple.

To live a simple life was a call for students since 1976 till now. It is a call to live less luxuriously. It is a call to live life different from what the world standards. Three main points of living life simply:

Luke 12: 29-31

29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

In the first point to not worry what we eat or drink, we are called not to be anxious about the provisions in the future life. 

Our second point reemphasizes with this verse: Luke 12:15

15Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

Note that in Luke 12:34, 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The central teaching of Jesus on the simple life highlights first that this life is preoccupied with God - seeking first the kingdom - but second acknowledging that 'all the rest' (Luke 12:31) fall into their right and rightful place. Jesus warned that possessions in life is not the main quality of life, if this becomes our primary focus, then our feelings and motivations will be attached. How easy it is to live 'a life of faith', telling ourselves that we are concentrating on seeking first the kingdom of God, while knowing fully well in our heart that if this faith life fails, we have stored up abundances somewhere that will carry us through. There's an agony in actions to practice what is written in these verses. Eller wrote; "...be very clear, this is not to say that it is immaterial whether the simple life has a concrete manifestation or not. No, no, no; It is incredible that a person could freely and wholeheartedly choose God and become the absolutely obedient to him without it making some change in his relationship to things of the world. If some sort of outward change did not take place it rightly could be suspected whether he had actually chosen God. That change, of course, will be in the direction of simplicity, a lessened evaluation of what the world promotes as important. Yet, nevertheless, no one can dictate specifies to another; each person, with God's help, will have to evolve his style of simple living for himself". 

John McInnes wrote, it worries me that Christians as for others the luxuries of yesterday have become the necessities of today and that the luxuries of today will be the necessities of tomorrow. Our community we lived in are calling for this, to be safe than to be sorry. The church of the Laodiceans in Revelation Chapter  3, a church that was being well taught and firmly established in the time of Paul. They have become lukewarm: one of the heaviest condemnation in the scriptures; I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Rev 3:16. Was their sin a doctrinal error? No! It was materialistic takeover. They have been sucked in by the culture of their day in terms of wealth (I am rich), position (I have prospered), and possessions (I need nothing) (verse 17). 

The final question remains, what do we do? 

Bishop Taylor says, it is not enough to say these things; our world is waiting for concrete examples in realizations. It is not enough to point out the contrast between our idolatry of Growth and the Bible's theology of Enough: we have to opt out of the drift and help one another to live in cheerful protest against it. We must not wait for all Christians to be persuaded of the need for this, neither should we waste out time designing a single rule of life for those who are so persuaded. 

In the end, it is still our individual response and decision. The pressure of the consumer society is so strong. It is difficult to stand against the trend. We may need to keep each other accountable and on the mark. That's why Christian Fellowship play such an important role. Finally, simplicity is not a side issue. Nor it is to preserve of the ultra-bright or the super-spiritual. It is RADICAL living, if radical means going to the radical or the heart of the issue. The solution? we make one decision that will LAST forever. A true and individually satisfying answer to the question of the simplicity will demand that we give the Christ Lordship over the whole of our lives and not even the whole of our personal, private and reflective lives but over our living patterns as well. 

[Excerpt from article, Simplicity, John McInnes, IFES]

WE are called not to worry for our well-being, because God will provide 

(Our Jehovah Jireh). 

D-MOLITION!

Demolition in progress! Tear down! Abolish! *COUGH* oh-the-dust! An image appeared in my mind: a building that is going through a construction. It is not a pretty sight. Everything looks so bare and dusty. The air in a constructed-building is not clean. Tearing down is a COSTLY job. For construction, well it will be definitely more expansive than just putting a new coat of paint on it. But, if an old building just continue to be RE-painted, the old cracking structure beneath the paint will break out and reveal itself in a short  period of time. Stripping down the old structure is COSTLY, but it is a necessary one.

How then this applies to us personally in our life? 

The old structure that we have built throughout our life is our thoughts. The experiences we went through, our upbringing, our principles, our philosophy; all contribute to the way we think. This then slowly build up a STRONGHOLD in our life. 

What does STRONGHOLD means? In Greek, it means HARD PLACE. The stronghold we built could be a spiritual stronghold. The spiritual stronghold is a faulty thinking pattern based on lies and deception we tell ourselves. What we think can manifest physically in our body. Example, if you think you are ugly, then you won't look in the mirror and be thankful for who you are. If you think you are stupid, then low self-esteem sets in. 

We NEED to break this STRONGHOLD! Demolition of own-built-thoughts need to be tear down! It is HARD. It is PAINFUL. It is COSTLY. But it is indeed a NECESSARY one! 

It is hard to let go of something that had been "attached" or "known" to us for all our life (up to what age you are). What is it to you that you continue to live in the "darkness" and feeling lowly of yourself. This is not what our God had created you for. Let the breaking of old thoughts begin, and build on what His thoughts He has for you.

Ephesians 4:22 - 24

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.  

When strongholds of thoughts are being broken down, then RE-BUILDING of self could happen.

What are you building your life upon?
Layering a new platform is important. The layer of foundation is crucial. Jesus Christ need to be platform in your life. His say must be your say. We are to be build on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with  Christ Jesus as the chief cornerstone Ephesians 2:20.  

Friends, demolish the strongholds.  

Let Go and Let God take control of your life. 

Don't miss out on the great things He had in store for you! 

Renewed MIND

Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things. 

Philippians 4:8

When we professed saying that 'we accept Jesus Christ as Personal Saviour', there is no ABRUPT change that happen at that exact moment! Heaven rejoice and the angels sing praises (but, that is beyond what we can see with our naked eyes). So, JUSTIFICATION happens.

Our part is to continue to play our part for SANCTIFICATION. When we had turn from our old ways, we must fill it with new thoughts from Him. When we decide to enter the Kingdom of God, we are given a fresh and new mind. We turn from our old habits. We discard them and put in with new thoughts. Our mind is like a flask; when we empty the flask, we need to always fill it again. What should you and I fill our 'flask' with? We CHOSE to turn from our old ways in our perspectives we see life, the Lord in a bird eye view from above, chose us to walk this way. Our role to build right thoughts into our mind. 

Our old habits are tear down everyday, and to allow the new ones to grow in us. This should characterize how we lived.