22 Ways Christians Think Differently on Life - the 12 factors, none of which you can miss.

On January 28, 1986, the world watched the Space Shuttle Challenger breaking up in the mid air, resulting in the deaths of the seven astronauts. The cause? O-ring failure.

I do not know exactly how many factors ought to work together for the successful operation of the shuttle. Someone has to design it, make it, and run. The machine itself comes with millions of parts put together into a meaningful system. There are people down there on the ground level to let the thing go up into the orbit and come back home safe. But the Challenger was aborted even before it got into the orbit.

Now let us talk about life. I do not know exactly how many people are living on this planet earth (and in the outer space somewhere in some machine). Seven billion? Eight billion?

How are all of them doing? Some do well some don't.

Today is Monday. I woke up a little after 3 a.m. As I am working on my Mac Book, my cat Morgan came along. She is seated next to me watching what is going on. In about 4 hours I need to go out and feed her. Otherwise she will start bothering me. I have adopted Morgan a month ago. So far she is doing good. If I asked Morgan, "How are you doing?" she might say, "I am doing fine" (if she is allowed to talk.)

But what about you? I wish you do well. But how? In the book of Jude 1:20-25, Jude one of Jesus' siblings shares how. 

Jude 1:20-21 NIV

[20] But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, [21] keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Jude 1:24-25 NIV

[24] To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--- [25] to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

And the how comes with 12 factors working together.

1. Build - life ought to be built up, just like my cat Morgan needing to keep eating, grooming etc.
2. Yourself - it is your 'self' that ought to be built up.
3. Faith - Jude calls it 'in your most holy faith', for faith in Jesus the Son gives you the right to be God's child. John 1:12
4. Prayer - you need to communicate with God the Father from whom your life originated.
5. the Holy Spirit - if you believe in Jesus the Son, God gives you the Holy Spirit to be with you and  help you do well.
6. Keep - it is your responsibility for you to keep the new life given you. Often times Morgan runs out of the side gate into the street (De Palma) to check what is going on out there. I hope she stays in my backyard, for one day Sammy (Morgan is the mother) became venturous, went out to the De Palma street only to be run over by a car.
7. Love - the only place (or environment) where your life is kept safe and secure is in His love.
8. Waiting - Jesus the Savior is going to come back again to give you a ressurected body.
9. Mercy - compassion, forebearancde toward an offender, discretionary power to grant relief.
10. Jesus Christ - He died for our sins and rose again for our justification. And  he will come to bring his bride back home.
11. Eternal Life - the life in a resurrected body.
12. The glorious presence of the Father - the essence of the life eternal.