The Flickering Candle

With a single click, the lighter bursts into flame and the candles on the cake are lit one by one. But as I gazed at the welcome sight, I noticed one candle held a flame much smaller than the rest. Only the tiniest speck of orange clung to the wick, and it looked as if the smallest sigh would be more than enough to blow it out. 

That was exactly what I wanted to do, but it felt wrong somehow to blow out a candle before the birthday song ended. So I continued to watch the tiny flame (if you could even call it that) struggle to stay alight and wondered when it would finally flicker out.

Now, half a year later, as I’m gazing into the fastly approaching New Year of 2024, I feel like I’ve become like that flickering candle. Living for God, serving Him in ministry, had and has its victories: but it’s also come with countless temptations, sacrifices, and failures.

I find myself losing that initial spark of joy driving my ministry, and even forgetting why I strive in the first place. I start to forget these spiritual realities for worries that seem far more real, such as friends, family and HSC. Even as 2024 bursts in with showers of fireworks, I’m scared that what this new year brings will burn out what is left of my flame completely. 

So is that that, then? Is that how it ends for that little candle, and for me?

Diagnosing the Problem 

It wasn’t until one Saturday morning, during the prayer service, that I realised what the problem was. The topic that day was about ministry, and the talk that day centred around the issue of ministry ‘burn out’. Why did churches, or individuals, who gave their all to serve God eventually burn out and lose motivation? Was it because they didn’t have enough resources? Or because they weren’t willing enough? Strangely enough, no. It was because they, like me, had forgotten the purpose of their ministry. 

In fact, so often we fall into the trap of loving the ministry more than they love Jesus himself. Without us realising, the purpose of our ministry shifts for other people’s praise, our own validation, or even ministry for ministry’s sake itself. 

But if a candle has lost its wick, can it burn? If we have  forgotten why we were doing all this in the first place, then how can we ever hope to bear fruit?

So, what is this purpose? What are we missing?

Contrary to what I had thought before, the ultimate goal of ministry, and in fact our very lives, doesn’t centre around letting others know about Christ and the salvation He offers (although that certainly should be the end product of all we do). The main reason we serve God is to know Him more. It’s in order that we come to know our Creator, King, Saviour, and Father: not just theoretically, but practically and personally. 

After all, it is when we obey Him, and take up the cross we are called to carry,  that we come to experience for ourselves the beauty of His person and the unfailingness of His promises. It is then we come to see what it really means when  ‘God is for us: who can be against us?’ (Romans 8:31). 

And it is when we know Him that all our ministry is not done in vain, because this light we shine comes from a love for our Creator, Saviour, Father and Friend.

A Spark Relit

Once we’ve re assessed our direction and purpose, then what? Here’s three checkpoints for the journey ahead…

1. Cast Every Weight Aside 

In his letter Hebrews, Paul points out to his readers that to run the “race marked out for us”, it is inevitable that we “throw off everything that hinders” and “entangles” us from finishing it. (Hebrews 12:1) 

As runners in the “race marked out for us” then, these words apply to us more than ever. Before we start this new leg in the  marathon of life, take a moment to pause. Pause to reflect on the struggles and misdirections of the past year, while also rejoicing and giving thanks for the victories God has granted. More importantly, take this time to also introspect, bringing to light the parts of your heart maybe you’ve tried to ignore or hide this past year. What bosom sins still drag us down from running our fastest? What hidden idols still trip us, and cause us to fall? Are our eyes still fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1), or have we wandered from the path?

Can a runner run if he is burdened by weights, or trapped by snares along the way?

Can a candle burn if it does not flee from the winds that threaten to extinguish it?

Can we live for God if sins and idols tear our eyes away from Him?

2. And Confide in Others 

With Christmas only a week ago (how time flies!), we’ve had several candle light services at my church.  What I love about these services is watching how the flame from the first candle is passed on, person to person, to everyone in the room. Sure, some candles only hold tiny flames, while others take longer and more encouragement to light, but it’s truly beautiful watching the dark room come to life in the combined light of small and large flames alike. 

And, this is the image I see when I read 1 Peter 2:4-5, where it describes the church as a temple built up of living stones (that’s us!) each nurtured by God and encouraging one another. 

To live a life for God – to live radically counter culturally against the world – would be an impossible task if we were to do so alone. 

As a church, God calls us to “encourage one another and build each other up”  – and that command applies more than ever when we’re struggling. So, to the struggling believe, I encourage you to reach out this new year. Confide your struggles in a trusted brother, sister, mentor, mother or father in Christ, and in turn, also be a listening ear, a cheerful comforter, and a patient encourager. The world sees this light, church as an example 

Together, even the smallest candles can burn as bright as the sun itself. 

3. For His Promises Never Fail 

Finally, I urge you to seek, seek, seek! Seek to know Him for yourself, by seeking Him in His word. 

I’ll be the first to admit that studying His Word takes hard work. At times, it almost even feels pointless, like digging for a treasure that never comes into view. But when we lose the motivation to read His Word, that shouldn’t be a reason to stop: in fact, it’s then we need His Word more than ever. 

That’s why, at the same time, we must also “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Plead with God to transform in you a heart that “that delights in the law of the Lord” (Psalm 1:2) and pray that the Lord who brings the dead to life may also bring to life in us a flame of joy for His Word and to do His will. 

Persevere in these prayers: for if even the unjust judge answered the persistent pleas of the widow, how much more would a God who loves as His own children be eager to answer our prayers?

And finally, know that as we persevere, we have an infallible hope to strive towards. Cling to the certainty of His promises; that “everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

The Bruised Reed, the Smouldering Wick

To finish off this article, there is one final encouragement I want to share as we enter together into this new year. 

I hope it can be the same source of comfort for us in 2024 as it was for Isaiah hundreds of years ago. 

“A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench.” (Isaiah 42:3) 

The God who destroys cities and tames storms with a single word can apply this same strength to gently nurture and coax a dying spark into a flame. 

As we strive to know God and live for Him, know that we don’t have to do so in our own strength alone – in fact, that would be impossible! Yet our one wondrous promise is this: that within His hands, even the smallest and most hopeless spark, is safe. 

In the end, who knows what 2024 will bring?

What joys or sorrows will we face, and how much will we change?

Will our light shine on, or will it falter?

Whatever the answer, there’s one thing I’m sure of: the hearts of those who know their God burns with a light that can never be quenched, not even by the powers of darkness itself. 

Extra reading: 

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/a-bruised-reed-he-will-not-break

God’s Gift For Us

Festivities are in full motion with choirs of carollers and busy shoppers, all leading to this very day: Christmas! 

We’ve all grown up to believe this season revolves around the joy of giving and receiving presents, though we’ve figured out that the real gift giver is our parents, not Santa. However, many of us still fail to realise there is one very real gift-giver that gives us something far greater than anyone in this world can offer. 

The great miracle of Christmas is the coming of our God to be with us, because He loves us and desires to  save us from our sins. The only way to do this? By fixing the broken relationship between God and man.

Immanuel: God with us

Long ago, in the Old Testament, in the midst of a corrupted kingdom, Isaiah prophesied of a child that would be called Immanuel. 

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

Thise prophecy was fulfilled in the baby named Jesus Christ, who was born of the virgin Mary. Though He is never called by the name ‘Immanuel’ (God with us) directly by those around Him, this name remains  a key part of His identity. This prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus, as Jesus is God incarnate that came down to be with us, His people.

God continues to be with us

Though Jesus has already ascended to heaven and returned  to His Father, Jesus’  promise of sending the Holy Spirit to dwell within each of us and “teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26) still applies today. 

The Holy Spirit continues Christ’s work on Earth through us, ultimately meaning that God has not left us and rather wants and uses us to glorify Him.

Through the Holy Spirit, we are able to understand God’s Word; where in it, we learn about His character and how we should live for Him. The Holy Spirit also enables us to pray to God and ultimately,  building a personal relationship and growing closer with Him. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit gives us strength and wisdom as well, so that with great zeal we can proclaim and spread the good news of Jesus Christ to others.

And, it is through the Holy Spirit we are able to live for God, that one day, we may be reunited with Him, free from the sin that takes us away from the God we know and love.

Application 

While our Christmas’ may be filled with gifts from families and friends, may we not forget about our God’s greatest gift to all of us: that He has not forgotten us, but continues to be with us through the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

He is with us in times of struggle and despair, times of joy and happiness, and He is certainly present to guide us when we need to make tough decisions. 

Because God is with us, let us take the opportunity to come to Him through prayer and grow in our relationship with Him.  He has not forgotten us, so let us not forget Him. 

May the good news of Immanuel not be one merely remembered on Christmas day, but treasured our whole lives as the greatest gift: that we have a God who wants to be and is with us.

Karina Suryatenggara (14) is a writer for RE Generation-Z. Through her writing, she hopes that many teens as well as herself can grow spiritually and draw closer to God. She enjoys cooking, eating and catching up on the many books her friends recommend.

The Search for Extending Grace


“I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.” 

(1 Corinthians 1:4)

When was the last time you showed your appreciation for God’s grace in someone else’s life? 

God’s grace in our lives and the lives of others gives us the chance to celebrate and rejoice together. It is so important for us to celebrate and rejoice together, and we can do this by searching for grace in each other. After all, grace is the basis for a Christian life, and it is what we search for in Him everyday. Without God’s grace, our faith wouldn’t be strong. We believe it is through grace and faith that He has saved us. 

It is so easy for us to rejoice over God’s righteousness in our own lives, but it takes a completely deeper level of love to rejoice over God’s goodness in another person’s life. 

Opportunities for us to celebrate someone else experiencing God’s grace are all around us, yet we just never seem to notice and take action. We can rejoice over a mother who gets to foster, adopt, or take care of a child who has special needs. We get the opportunity to rejoice when we see someone who is on the road to recovering cancer.  When we see a teenager who’s overcoming depression, or a friend who’s finally giving Christ a chance.   

God’s grace and love can be found in all things, granting us endless opportunities to rejoice with others; but we must be no stranger to them. As teens, we must not only focus on the grace given in our own lives but also of that experienced in other people’s lives. Such shows that we are not self-centred and allows us to love others by realising God’s work in other people and celebrating with them their experience with God’s grace. 

Now, why is recognising God’s grace in others and extending His grace in our lives important? Here is 3 reasons why:

  1. This grants us grace and makes us aware of the different ways God can work.

God works with different people in different ways. When we hear or read  testimonies of how God has changed their lives with his grace, we also receive His grace through others. Our hearts get touched by other people’s stories and we get reminded of how good God’s grace is. Sometimes we learn more from other people’s experiences than our own. If God gives us the opportunity to learn and be reminded of His grace when we recognize  it in other people, we must take advantage of that opportunity. After all, this opportunity helps us to know God and learn the different ways He works.

  1. This shows God’s love to others and builds our character to be more Christ-like. 

 “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.” Luke 10:21  

Jesus rejoices when he sees His Father showering His grace to His children. Seeing the Father’s free enlightenment and salvation for those whose only hope is free undeserved grace, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit  in the Father’s grace. Having this heart that rejoices in God’s grace in other people’s lives comes as a result of knowing Jesus and becoming more like Him.

But it doesn’t stop there. We’re not only called to rejoice when others receive grace from God, but we also can be a messenger of God’s grace to others. We can show God’s love for us to our brothers and sisters in Christ by listening to their situations, stories, thoughts, or just making them feel seen. Giving a warm smile or wave is a good start to make them know you are open to listening to them. When God sees you doing this, He and His angels will rejoice with you. 

  1. Strengthens our faith and other’s faith.

When we see God’s  grace in others, our faith grows in Him. When we share our testimonies with others, their faith will grow. Especially when we share testimonies to those who haven’t given their life to Jesus and may not even  know a thing about God, these stories impact them the most. In these testimonies, they are confronted with  the reality of  God’s grace and love which drives them to come to Jesus. 

God has already done so much for us, we are granted heaven and endless forgiveness, and the least we can do is extend grace to others. Extending grace to others saves them. It could change their life forever. Don’t you want to be used by God to save someone’s life? When we see an opportunity to extend the grace given to us to others, are we willing to take it?

The Bible says that when a person gives His life to Jesus, and experiences the supreme grace of salvation, all heaven rejoices. The grace of God is the greatest gift we can experience and when we extend God’s grace to His other children, all of heaven rejoices. That is why, the search for grace and the act of extending grace, is very important not only to us, but to His plan of salvation. 

How can we extend grace to others? 

Extending grace to others can be hard especially when the person is so unlovable. We would prefer that they get what they deserve. But that is not what the Holy Trinity did. 

The Holy Spirit reminds us in his Word that we didn’t deserve grace either, and  we didn’t receive what we actually deserved because Jesus took on the penalty for us. We can find this a helpful way of looking at the sometimes difficult task of extending grace to others. On the days that we are acting the most unlovable, grace is what we need more than anything. When someone offers us grace instead of what we actually deserve, it makes our unlovable attitude powerless, and overcomes all negative things including arrogance, and instead humbles our hearts. Grace changes us, our attitude and our way of thinking. That is the very gift we can give to the people around us. It is by receiving grace   we can extend grace to others. Yet something important to remember is that it all starts with our own relationship with God; it starts with how much we know and seek God. The more we know God, the more we want to experience his grace, and be the ones chosen by Him to give grace to others. The ultimate aim of God’s grace is that through it, we can come to know Him and His nature more and more. We must search for grace, and we must extend it. That, after all, is the will of God. 

Let Him Be the Potter

The potter throws the hard lump of clay onto the wheel. As it begins to spin, the tender but firm hands of the potter hold down the squirming lump, moulding and smoothening its surface until he can shape the clay up into a cylinder. He expertly indents his fingers to transform the cylindrical shape into the desired item: a mug. With each spin of the wheel, its imperfections inside and out are pressed and smoothened more and more, until the potter is happy and the mug is ready to be put into the kiln then used. 

You can probably tell by now that I’m not trying to teach you how to make a clay mug. Instead, what I’m showing here is that the image of a potter molding clay is closely parallel to the way God works in our lives. This analogy is quite common throughout the Bible (such as in Isaiah 64:8, Jeremiah 18:1-23, Romans 9:21 and more!) – God is the potter, that designs and continually shapes us, the clay. And as Romans 9:21 tells us, God as the potter has all the right and power to do whatever He wills to the clay. Yet that leads me to question: how many of us are truly willing to be moulded by Him? 

We like to be in control, and His shaping hurts 

Let’s be honest, who likes the dread and the fear of the unknown? Maybe you’ve recently experienced this dread the night before your assignment is due, and you find youself staring into a blank page. You don’t know if you’ll be able to finish it in time, let alone get a good grade. Your stomach churns and your brain goes foggy. Definitely not a good feeling. 

Naturally, we like it when we’re in control of the situation around us (or when it seems so anyways). Life is more smooth-sailing, with no unexpected surprises or roadblocks that can come our way, and we can comfortably stay in the comfort zones of our sins. 

This comfortable feeling we seek is exactly why we find it so hard to let God be the potter of our lives. Letting God be the potter would mean surrendering everything under His command. As our pastor Rev. Agus likes to put it, it would be like first signing our life away on a blank piece of paper for God to fill in any terms and conditions He wills later. When we surrender our lives, God will point out all our flaws, and just like how the potter molds the clay to perfection, He too will mold our flaws away in the long process of sanctification. Sometimes God will allow us to suffer, or be rebuked by loved ones. We may experience sadness, loneliness, or struggle with the temptations of the world. 

His shaping will be uncomfortable. And it will hurt.

But in the end, it is worth it because the life we live under God’s rule is the best life we can ever have – one where we experience the joy and contentment in our gracious Father and Lord, and in the assurance of eternal salvation not found in any temporary things of this world. His shaping is done with and through His ultimate love for us, and in this process, we will grow to know Him more, become more like Christ, and be equipped to be used by Him if He wills. 

So what if we’re not willing? 

It is still important to note that God never forces us to do anything. 

He wants our willing obedience. 

So what if we’re not willing to leave our comfortable life in sin, and fully submit under His shaping? A hard but true reality is that God does not have to use us, and He will not use us if we don’t have a soft and teachable hearts. He let the Israelites wander in the desert for 40 years due to their own hardened hearts which caused their distrust and failure to obey God’s commandments (Exodus 16). And in the same way, if we harden our hearts, God can simply let us be. 

God does not need us. Rather, we are in the disadvantage if our hearts continue to rebel against His shaping, because we will lose time that we could otherwise have used to serve Him, especially in our youth where we have the most time and energy to do so. We won’t experience the true satisfaction and joy that’s only found in a personal relationship with Him. Moreover, we won’t be able to fulfill our life’s purpose to know God and be used by Him. 

So remember, God wants our willing obedience. 

It starts with a humble heart 

To surrender our lives for God to be the potter, we need to start by putting away our pride. Let us learn to have a meek and humble heart, looking towards Jesus who is the perfect example of humility; obedient even to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). May we grow to understand that all we are, and ever will be is the result of God’s works in our lives, and we cannot take credit for any of it. Instead, our life’s purpose is to bring glory to our Creator; not for our will to be done, but His will. That is the humble attitude of heart we ought to have to truly submit under God’s shaping. 

End of Year Reflections 

As I bring to a close my final article for 2023 (how time has flown!), let us pause and self-introspect. This year, have we truly surrendered our lives to God, or are our hearts still hardened and unwilling to be shaped by Him? Have we grown closer to our Creator, or further away from Him in our rebellious nature? Are we willing for God to be the potter in all the aspects of our lives, and to give Him the power and glory He deserves? 

May our desires and prayers, as we reflect over the past year and look forward to the next, be dedicated to letting Him be the potter of our lives. 

“But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8) 

Our Greatest Inheritance

“GSV WVHRIV ULI NLMVB, UZNV, ZMW KLDVI XLIIFKGH GSV SVZIGH LU NZM”

Over the past few weeks, I’ve found myself increasingly engrossed in a particular book series. It’s called “The Inheritance Games”, and it’s a trilogy written by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. The novel series follows the life of teenager Avery Kylie Grambs, which  is turned upside down when she learns that she has apparently acquired the inheritance of a billionaire who goes by the name Tobias Hawthorne: all because her name was included in the will the man had written before his death.

Avery has no idea who this man is. As far as she knows, she has no ties with him. But all of a sudden, she is summoned to the Hawthorne mansion for the reading of the will and it quickly becomes clear that Tobias Hawthorne had basically disinherited his own family. Besides a few thousand dollars and the distribution of a part of the pricy artefacts that the man owned, the rest (this included the Hawthorne mansion and all Tobias Hawthorne’s private properties located all over the world) was awaiting for Avery to inherit. As long as she stayed in Hawthorne House for a year, she would become the richest teenager in America. 

But Avery couldn’t marvel at the matter for long, because it soon became apparent that the Hawthorne family was not too happy with her presence. Especially since it wasn’t like Tobias Hawthorne had no heirs – he had two daughters and four grandsons to be exact. 

As the story progresses, the four grandsons – the Hawthorne brothers – warm up to Avery and accept her as one of their own. Together, they uncover a trail of coded messages the man had left that leads to the truth as to why he had chosen Avery to be his successor. But after a murder attempt on Avery, they soon discover that there is someone who wants her gone – and the likelihood that it was a Hawthorne couldn’t be ignored. More investigating and deciphering codes led them to discover the instigator was none other than Skye Hawthorne, one of the man’s daughters. Driven by her greed and hatred, she plotted against Avery, thinking that by killing her, she would receive more of the inheritance. 

Now, there is obviously more to tell about this series (we’ve technically only covered the first book!), but let’s pause here for a second. Here we see a representation of the result of human greed. And it’s not just Skye Hawthorne; There are many out there who fall into the hands of money, power and fame, in search of satisfaction – but to no avail.

That is why today we will be exploring the truth behind the value of worldly treasures while also  discovering  the invaluable inheritance we acquire as God’s children; and throughout this article, you will get to decipher your own codes as well! At the bottom you will find the Atbash decoding key that will help you solve each message. Happy solving!

“OVG FH ZHP LFIHVOEVH, RH RG ZOO DLIGS RG?”

Although what Skye did was a bit extreme, we can’t deny the fact that our human nature has an obvious defect, and that is the tendency to want more. We call this greed.

It’s important to note that Skye, whether she received the inheritance or not, would still be able to live a far more comfortable life than many others. The problem was, she never felt like she had enough. We can see this in our everyday lives: the endless cycle of gaining, experiencing temporary pleasure, then feeling empty again. 

So, where are we going wrong? There’s got to be something we missed. We need to review all the clues we have so far…

Then it clicks.

If it’s not because we don’t have enough, then could it be that we are chasing the wrong inheritance?

“GSRMTH LU GSRH DLIOW… GSVB HRNKOB XVZHV GL VCRHG LEVI GRNV”

There’s a reason why it always seems ideal to have more money, fame and power; because it simply doesn’t last. What the world offers are  nothing but futile matters disguised as treasures pleasing to the eyes. 

Ecclesiastes reveals that we could reach  the highest success, work our very hardest or possess  the most worldly wisdom, but as life goes on and we look back at what we’ve achieved in the past, nothing will ever seem to “complete” us. 

We read in Ecclesiastes 2:11, 

“Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expanded in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.” 

Skye’s murder attempt on Avery was all in vain; not only because it failed in the end, but I can guarantee you that even if she was the one to inherit Tobias Hawthorne’s legacy, she would still be hungry for more. After all, she was chasing after the wrong inheritance.

“HZOEZGRLM RH GSV TIVZGVHG RMSVIRGZMXV VEVI PMLDM GL NZM”

In the beginning of “The Inheritance Games”, Avery lived a less comfortable life, one that rendered her to live in her own car at times. But overnight, she was announced as Tobias Hawthorne’s heir. She became the literal definition of “rags to riches”. 

But of what worth is it to earn billions of dollars, when it will cease to exist over time?

Jesus constantly repeated to His disciples to not focus on  the present, but to set their gaze on what is eternal: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19 – 20)

What we ought to be looking for are: “the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Avery may be a billionaire, but mere dollars cannot compare to the inheritance that our Heavenly Father so graciously bestowed upon us: and that is the gift of salvation. 

This is our own story of “rags to riches”: God’s people who were once in rags, dwelling in sin, are now clothed in Christ’s robes of righteousness.

“GSVIV DZH Z HZXIRURXV, RM LIWVI GSZG DV NZB YVXLNV SVRIH”

What sets our inheritance apart from Avery’s is that ours came with a price. 

And that makes it all the more valuable.

We needed saving; From our sins, from all evil, but most of all, from God’s wrath. Christ took all this  upon Himself in obedience to the Father and bore all the sins of the chosen people. And blood was shed. 

In the history of man, there has never been such a thing as this: where God was willing to sacrifice His one-and-only Son, so that we may become heirs.

We’re promised that this inheritance can never be taken away from us and that nothing can snatch us away from our Saviour. Not even a will can alter what Christ did for us on the cross. John 6:37 states, All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

Furthermore, we read again in John 10:28 that Christ gives us eternal life, so that we will never perish and  no one will be able to snatch us away from His hands.

We are also guaranteed a heavenly inheritance, one that is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for [us], who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Now that we know there is something far more valuable to be chasing, should we just safe-pocket this information and go back to the way we lived? 

No, of course not! But it won’t be easy. 

Temptations will come in all shapes and forms, and because of our human nature, it’s sometimes hard to pinpoint what is worthwhile and what is not. May we all keep Psalms 119:37 in our hearts as a prayer to seek after the eternal inheritance:

“Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.”

Because at the end of the day, my fellow Gen-Z’s, although we may not have received billions of dollars like Avery did, we have acquired something far more precious.

Atbash Decoding Key:

A = ZE = VI = RM = NQ = JU = FY = B
B = YF = UJ = QN = MR = IV = EZ = A
C = XG = TK = PO = LS = HW = D
D = WH = SL = OP = KT = GX = C

P.S. How did you go? Did you get to decipher each message? Here are the answers!

  1. “THE DESIRE FOR MONEY, FAME, AND POWER CORRUPTS THE HEARTS OF MAN”
  2. “LET US ASK OURSELVES, IS IT ALL WORTH IT?”
  3. “THINGS OF THIS WORLD… THEY SIMPLY CEASE TO EXIST OVER TIME”
  4. “SALVATION IS THE GREATEST INHERITANCE EVER KNOWN TO MAN”
  5. “THERE WAS A SACRIFICE, IN ORDER THAT WE MAY BECOME HEIRS”

Samantha Winata (15) is one of the many teens that write in RE Generation-Z. She strives to share the light of the truth through her articles and bring more teens to Christ. If she isn’t reading or playing piano, you’ll find her filling the pages in her books with drawings.

Pride, The Original Sin

Pride. It’s the ‘original sin’. It’s been here since the world first fell into sin. But what is it and why does it cause such a big fuss in the Bible?

What is Pride?

First, it would be helpful to define what pride is and honestly, this is where I was stuck before I even began writing. What is pride? It took a bit of researching and looking through definitions, but I find that St. Augustine’s version is the most accurate for this article. According to him, pride is “the love of one’s own excellence”. St. Augustine was, of course, a prominent theologian but let’s see how this definition goes up against the Bible.

The Bible and Pride

Pride has quite a few appearances in the Bible, which gives it a lot of variety in meaning. Interestingly, the word in Hebrew for pride varies depending on its context. Pride in the Bible can mean two main things. The first is exaltation, majesty and excellence. This definition can refer to two main things. Firstly, the exaltation, majesty and/or excellence of nations, through their wealth, power and/or magnificence of their buildings. Isaiah 13:19 reads, “And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendour and pomp of the Chaldeans” The ‘splendour and pomp here’ in other translations has been replaced with excellency and pride.

On the other hand, it can also refer to God. Exodus 15:7 says, “In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble.” The term ‘of your majesty’ is replaced with ‘of your excellence’ in other translations.

Aside from this, pride can be used for the usual definition we know for it, “the love of one’s own excellence”. Proverbs 16:18 is a good example: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Pride itself goes a long, long way back. It is often referred to as the ‘original sin’. After all, everyone has faced it, starting from Adam and Eve. They exalted themselves over God’s wisdom, thinking they knew their own ‘excellence’ and loving it more than God’s holiness. They chose themselves over God and thought they knew best.

This same story is reminisced throughout the Bible. We can see this in 2 Chronicles 26, which talks about King Uzziah. Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign in Judah. Uzziah was a good king, because ‘he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD” v. 4. But afterwards, the Bible writes that “when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction.” In the end, Uzziah fell short of the ‘perfect king’ that the Israelites had been hoping for.

Pride, the shape-shifting sin

Pride is a sin that can come in many shapes and forms. This is what makes it so hard to pinpoint where it is in our lives. I myself personally struggle with understanding it. Pride can range from how we behave towards others to how we behave to ourselves. Pride can come in the forms of perfectionism or insecurity, but it always revolves around thinking about what others think.

There are so many different ‘fruits’ and ‘shapes’ of pride that it would take a long time to write all about it. But, I would encourage you to look further into it. Ask close friends about what they think, but remember too to turn to the Bible, for there is much wisdom there. Yet in order for someone to become wise, humility is needed beforehand. In fact, Proverbs 11:2 says:

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”

– Proverbs 11:2 (ESV) –

In contrast with pride, the Bible also talks about humility. Humility is pretty much the polar opposite of pride. Humility is meek obedience towards God. Humility is not saying “I’m not good at this, there are people who are better than me,” or refusing to accept compliments and always putting yourself down. No! God calls us to make use of the talents he has given us, rather than burying them away and not acknowledging them.

“Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honour.”

– Proverbs 18:12 (ESV) –

When I read this passage, I see a contrast from what we’ve read before. First, a haughty or prideful spirit goes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18). Secondly, before honour (or exaltation) comes humility. This exaltation is not from our own pride and our own way of exalting ourselves. This exaltation comes from God, as is confirmed in James 4:10,

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

– James 4:10 (ESV) –

However, humility is not something that we can achieve on our own. Our sinful nature makes us always inclined to be the prideful one. Paul the Apostle knew this too, and so he directs us to look to Jesus as the ultimate example of humility.

“[Jesus] who thought he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

– Philippians 2:6-8 (ESV) –

There is no way that any of us can humble ourselves more than Jesus. If anything, Jesus had every reason to be the most prideful person on earth; he was literally equal to God! Yet instead of that, he died a shameful death on the cross to save us.

What does it mean to be humble? Why is being prideful such a big thing in the Bible? That’s because only when we’re humble can God lift us up to see more of His glory. A prideful heart would never want to accept God’s guidance. Let me leave you with some lyrics from a song I learnt a long time ago in Sunday School:

A Prayer for Humility – Mark Patterson

Mighty God and gentle Lamb, Lord of all creation

How we long to know you, how we strive to serve you

Help us now to love you even more

Give us humble hearts to praise you,

and listening ears to hear your voice,

willing hands to serve you,

thankful spirits to rejoice.

Lord of all, we adore you

and we bring this prayer before you.

Create in us, humble hearts

When our thoughts turn proud,

remind us of the grace your freely give

When we lose our way, Lord find us

draw us close to you again.

Amen.

Ethan Chow (16) is one of the website managers for RE Generation-Z. Through RE Generation Z, he hopes that this generation can be truly ‘RE Generated’. He is an avid chess player, learner of new things, listener and player of music.

This article is inspired by Emily. Thanks for being a friend who I can have meaningful conversations with and for helping me see the log in my eye, my very own pride. Remember, the Lord sees not as man sees, your outward appearance doesn’t matter, for God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7)

From Slavery in Sin to Alive in Christ

Maybe you’ve seen it before, or something of the like: it’s small, slightly dodgy looking, and on the front, a large sign names the shop ‘Free Choice’.  What does it sell with such a name? Cigarettes. 

The word ‘freedom’ is tossed around in our lives. We call the nation we live in a ‘free country’, because here, we have so much freedom: freedom of speech, belief and autonomy. Freedom is so highly valued that laws are dedicated to guarding our freedom.

Yet, at the very same time, we follow whatever our body demands of us right now and then, even at the cost of hurting ourselves or others, and call this our free will. We call shops that advertise binding addictions ‘Free choice’. We sin, and sin, and sin, and call it freedom. 

The world’s version of freedom, for all its good aspects, is ultimately flawed. 

So, what does the Bible define as true freedom? 

Let’s take out our Bibles and flip to Romans 6:11-18. I won’t put in the entire passage here, but it’s well worth a read. Here, Paul tells us three primary truths about what type of freedom has been purchased by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. 

Freedom from Death

Many of us have probably heard this verse countless times – “For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)

The fall didn’t only bring about lasting bondage to sin (“Surely I was sinful at birth,  sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” – Psalm 51:5),  but the bondage of humanity and nature under the consequences of this sin.

The chains of death that all humans have been and are bound to cage us in so many ways. 

Not only is our life quite literally limited by the deadline of death, but life, as we live now, is trapped: by the fear of meaninglessness, fear of what happens after death, and the fear of loneliness and leaving behind loved ones.

As dire as this truth is, however, even more powerful is the truth of the freedom Christ offers. 

  1. Life’s Meaninglessness

The meaninglessness of life that the author of Proverbs mourns (“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 1:2)  has been defeated by Christ with meaning far beyond what we can imagine. As Paul puts it, we are free to live life to the fullest and happiest, “because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:53). This promise rings incredibly comforting when I wonder whether all my efforts in ministry, school and even chores, have any value at all. Work, no matter how small and hidden, done in and for the Lord has meaning, because it is used by Him for His great purposes: giving our work a meaning far greater than we could ever comprehend.

  1. Death’s Power 

Something that struck me as unique in class recently was the popularity of the worship of Isis, an Egyptian deity, in Pompeii (remember that city that got pulverised by a volcano? ) After all, I’m not the best at Geography, but Egypt was miles away from Rome. Furthermore, there were plenty of other religions circulating in Pompeii, not least of all the common religious practises deriving from Rome itself. However, the distinct fact that set this religion apart was its promise of an afterlife and a resurrection. 

Humans have always sought to find an answer to what lies behind the intimidating veil of death. But Christ tore this veil in two by dying Himself in our place. He removed the chains of death on us by ensuring that Death can no longer hold the punishment we deserve over our heads; instead, we have an assurance there is hope and life beyond the grave. And, most wonderful of all, Christ has already experienced death, so not only has He defeated its power over us, but He knows what we will go through, and He will be there every step of the way. 

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…” (Psalm 23:4-6)

Rather than the end, death becomes an object of hope. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” After all, what heaven, in all its beauty and hope, really is: to completely be with God, our Creator, Friend, Lover, and Father. The difference with this world now is that there will be “no more sin” nor its consequences: suffering, loneliness, pain or death – “We will be done with the inner war and the heartrending disappointments of offending the Lord who loved us and gave himself for us.” (John Piper)

“If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” (Romans 14:8) 

Freedom from Sin

Yet, death isn’t the only chain that Jesus’ redeeming sacrifice has broken apart.

But to understand how Christ sacrifice frees us from sin, we need to understand what it is that He frees us from. After all, we still have free will even in this world of sin, right? Why does Christ need to free us anyway? To tackle this, let’s use an analogy of an autonomous ball. 

Picture a ball. That’s you! The ball has free will because it is able to roll around wherever it pleases. On the ball’s travels, the ball encounters a hole, which represents sin. The ball can choose to roll into this hole or not, because it has free will. However, once the ball has rolled into this hole, it does not have the ability to escape, because, in the end, all it is is a ball. It can still roll around wherever it likes within the hole, but it simply cannot reach the surface again. 

The same applies to us. We can choose what we want to do, but not everything is good for us – that includes sin (1 Corinthians 6:12). Even after we have fallen into sin, we still have free will, but it’s limited. Sin overpowers us so easily, and we find ourselves falling into the same trap over, and over, and over again, even though it never really makes us happy. And, stuck in this hole, we cannot please God because we simply cannot do what we do not want to do. 

But that’s not the end of the story for this unfortunate ball, and neither it is for us. Just like this ball can regain its freedom if someone reaches down, picks it up, and places it back on the surface, Christ came down to our sinful level and lifted us out of our sin. Of course, it’s inevitable that we’ll sin again, and fall into that hole once more. But we don’t have to stay stuck there. Christ’s freedom means that He will pick us up again, and all the while, work in us a heart that grows to hate and resist sin that hurts us and the God we love. It’s in Christ’s freedom that we are given the spiritual strength and ability to obey His law and purpose for us through the Holy Spirit. 

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

Furthermore, we grow to love and enjoy this obedience to God.

God will never force us to obey and love Him, because coerced love is not love at all. So, when we have the freedom to obey, it means that we obey not unwillingly or forced; we grow to enjoy and love Him, and as a result, to trust and love “His statues and decrees”. This incredible truth is aptly summarised in verse 17, “..thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart…” 

And finally, no one can take this freedom away from us. Not Satan, nor any power on heaven or on earth: “Who then is the one who condemns? No one.” (Romans 8:34)

Freedom to… what? 

We’ve been freed from sin. We’ve been freed from the demands of the law: death and suffering as punishment for our iniquities. Now, what is all this freedom really for? 

It only takes one look at the parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35) to see its similarities in how we often treat our own blood-bought freedom. The servant owed a debt to the King that was impossible to pay off, and so deserved imprisonment, but in a twist of mercy, his entire debt was pardoned. 

And they lived happily ever after, right?

Not quite. We see the very first thing the servant does with his new priceless freedom is… to throw another servant into jail for owing him way less than what the King pardoned him for originally. I remember the first time I heard this parable, I immediately felt afraid. Why? Because I was afraid I too was guilty of taking the King’s freedom for granted. 

After all, I’ve grown up in a Christian family all my life, and I’ve been taught of Jesus’ death on the cross and what it means countless times. But what have I done with the freedom that Jesus has given me? Am I, like the servant, taking it for granted: or even worse, using my freedom to take away the freedom of others? (Galatians 2:11) Am I content only to keep my freedom for myself, that I will ignore those in chains next to me? 

Food for thought, huh? 

As every minute, second, and breath passes by, it’s vital that we remember that we are people whose freedom has been dearly and fully bought. I hope that we can learn and grow together, not taking this freedom for granted, but truly discovering how radical and life-changing it truly is. 

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