Activating Faith Instead of Fear

We have many opportunities each day to worry and live in fear, from being worried about the economy and our health to our family and children, the list could go on and on! But did you know faith and fear have something in common? They both ask us to believe something is going to happen that we cannot see. Fear says, "Business is slow. You're going to go under." But faith says, "Your best days are still out in front of you." When we give in to thoughts of fear, our perspective becomes distorted. Fear is like a fog. It makes things look worse than what they really are. It might look intimidating, but there is nothing really to it, just a bunch of vapors that can fit in a small glass.

Use your energy to believe and not worry. Our God is all-powerful. He has brought you through in the past, and He is going to bring you through in the future. Surround yourself with people of faith who will speak victory into your life. If you'll be disciplined in your thought life and learn to choose faith instead of fear, you're going be filled with a constant peace and confidence. You were created for a life of victory, not to have your enthusiasm and joy stolen by fear. Choose to walk in faith today. Remember, it takes the same amount of energy to worry as it does to have faith. So switch your gears to having faith and trusting God. God works everything out for good and to your advantage!

-Joel Osteen-

Inspiration for difficult times

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...
You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, 'Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma the daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid
spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy..

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Keep well now and be positive!

You're not alone

You're not alone if you are still unconvinced about the reasonableness of faith in Christ. But keep in mind Jesus' claim that we don't have to solve our doubts on our own. He said,"If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether My teaching come from God or whether I speak on My own" (John 7:17)

If you do see the reasonable of faith in Christ, the Bible offers to you the reassuring promise: " As many received Him, to chose who believe in His name" (John 1:12). The salvation Christ offers is not a reward for effort, but a gift to all who put their trust in Him.

Honesty Must Be Laid As The Foundation Of All Personal Excellence.

"Good people are guided by their honesty; treacherous people are destroyed by their dishonesty." Proverbs 11:3 (NLT)

While the shepherds' hearts were flooded with great joy, the rest of Bethlehem slept, unaware that the true Savior of the world had come, wondrously called, "The Way, The Truth, and The Life." How can we excel in any area of life without possessing the awesome virtue of honesty? We must be truthful with where we are, where we want to go, and with our Creator. When we walk in honesty, it causes us to progress in life like never before, and likewise prevents us from going backwards. As we cultivate honesty in our lives, excellence is a daily by-product. Many times, people are unwilling to be honest with where they are in life because they know the report would be dismal. Remember, we cannot disregard our actions of disobedience and then haughtily claim we are the righteousness of God. When we evaluate our present position, we discover the truth hidden in the preconceived actions of yesterday.

Examining ourselves causes us to come to grips with the truth. When we embrace the truth our actions declare of us, we begin to move in the direction God desires for us. We cannot change what we don't know. We can only move forward as we are willing to change. God Himself placed leaders over us who see the weaknesses we possess. They understand if our weaknesses are not addressed, our progress comes to a halt. Our leaders prove their love by their willingness to tell us the truth at the cost of our disliking them. Truth hurts, but it liberates us if we learn to embrace it. Ask yourself, and ask those above you, exactly what you need to change. Your response determines the excellence in which you walk.

Daily Confession
Father, I thank You that I am guided and directed by honesty. I choose to be honest with You, myself, with those You place above me.

EXCELLENCE

A Man's Progress In Life Is In Direct Proportion To His Continual Pursuit Of Excellence.

"I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."Philippians 3:14 (NKJV)

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Most Biblical scholars agree; the Middle Eastern landscape, particularly the area known as the "Fertile Crescent", is some of the most excellent terrain for agriculture in the world. Useful plants such as wheat, oats, barley, and rye originated in their natural habitat. Their strains spread throughout Africa, Europe, and finally the West. Without that excellent soil, we might not even enjoy our morning toast!

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Long ago, someone pursued that excellent soil, tilling, weeding, and harvesting it in order that they might receive the prize of fresh grain. Remember "good enough" is not acceptable behavior to a man of excellence. We must refuse the temptation to merely settle.

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Many people have what I like to call the "destination syndrome." People reach a certain goal or point in life, and for some reason, their pursuit stops. They settle contentedly at this one destination they worked so hard to attain, perched like a weary crow. But the moment we settle in life is the moment we no longer make any progress. And nature reveals to us that anything that does not grow (as in those lovely grains) is in the process of dying.

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Daily Confession

Father, I thank You that I press toward the goal for the prize of Your upward call in Christ Jesus. I pursue excellence and therefore I make continual forward progress.

~耶穌與看門的人~

寓意很深的故事~~~~~
> > 我們常執著於自己認為對的事情
> > 並說服別人相信我們的看法 採用我們的做法
> > 因為我們認為是為了他好
> > 其實一件事情有多個面向
> > 你看的這一面 或許跟對方所看的那一面並不相同
> > 爭執 往往就是這樣的發生
> > 唯有把心打開 容納身邊所有的可能與不可能
> > 才能讓我們的心靈得到快樂
~耶穌與看門的人~
> 北歐一座教堂裡，
> > 有一尊耶穌被釘在十字架上的苦像，
> > 大小和一般人差不多。
> > 因為有求必應，
> > 因此專程前來這裡祈禱，膜拜的人特別多，
> > 幾乎可以用門庭若市來形容。
> > 教堂裡有位看門的人，
> > 看十字架上的耶穌每天要應付這麼多人的要求，
> > 覺得於心不忍，他希望能分擔耶穌的辛苦。
> > 有一天他祈禱時，向耶穌表明這份心願。
> > 意外地，他聽到一個聲音，說：
> > 「好啊！我下來為你看門，你上來釘在十字架上。
> > 但是，不論你看到什麼、聽到什麼，都不可以說一句話。」
> > 這位先生覺得，這個要求很簡單。
> > 於是耶穌下來，看門的先生上去，
> > 像耶穌被釘在十字架般地伸張雙臂，
> > 本來苦像就雕刻得和真人差不多，
> > 所以來膜拜的群眾不疑有他，}
> > 這位先生也依照先前的約定，
> > 靜默不語，聆聽信友的心聲。
> > 來往的人潮絡繹不絕，
> > 他們的祈求，有合理的，有不合理的，千奇百怪不一而足。}
> > 但無論如何，他都強忍下來而沒有說話，
> > 因為他必須信守先前的承諾。
> > 有一天來了一位富商，
> > 當富商祈禱完後，竟然忘記手邊的錢便離去。
> > 他看在眼裡，真想叫這位富商回來，
> > 但是，他憋著不能說。
> > 接著來了一位三餐不繼的窮人，
> > 他祈禱耶穌能幫助它渡過生活的難關。
> > 當要離去時，發現先前那位富商留下的袋子，
> > 打開一看全部都是錢。
> > 窮人高興得不得了，
> > 耶穌真好，有求必應，萬分感謝地離去。
> > 十字架上偽裝的耶穌看在眼裡
> > 想告訴他，這不是你的。
> > 但是，約定在先，他仍然憋著不能說。
> > 接下來有一位要出海遠行的年輕人來到，
> > 他是來祈求耶穌降福他平安。
> > 正當要離去時，富商衝進來，
> > 抓住年輕人的衣襟，要年輕人還錢，
> > 年輕人不明究理，兩人吵了起來。
> > 這個時候，十字架上偽裝的耶穌終於忍不住，遂開口說話了...
> > 既然事情清楚了，富商便去找冒牌耶穌所形容的窮人，
> > 而年輕人則匆匆離去，生怕搭不上船。
> > 偽裝成看門的耶穌出現，指著十字架上說：
> > 「你下來吧！那個位置你沒有資格了。」
> > 看門人說：「我把真相說出來，主持公道，難道不對嗎？」
> > 耶穌說：「你懂得什麼？那位富商並不缺錢，他那袋錢不過用來嫖妓，可是對那窮人，卻是可以挽回一家大小生計；
> > 最可憐的是那位年輕人，
> > 如果富商一直纏

2. Unwanted Grace Came to an Unresponsive Heart (Jonah 1:3)

Jonah 1:3 ~ But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.

A. Unwanted Grace Came to a Self-Centered Heart.

Nineveh was in a weakened condition, and Jonah wanted it to stay that way..

Jonah knew of Nineveh’s cruelty and also of its expansionist desires..

Later Hosea, one of Jonah’s contemporaries prophesied that Assyria would take Israel captive, and Jonah knew that could happen..

Yet God told his prophet to go Nineveh – but his prophet didn’t want this grace from God..

Jonah was called to the greatest evangelistic ministry in history, but he turned it down..

He didn’t want God’s unwelcome, uninvited grace..

D. Unwanted Grace Comes as a Opportunity that’s more that we want.

All too frequently we are like Jonah – we don’t want God’s grace initiative in our hearts because it will call us away from our comfort and our security and our desires to care from cruel and troubled place like Nineveh..

Examples: Moses was done with challenge and was satisfied with tending sheep.. But a burning bush got his attention and called him to the greatest leadership opportunity which was key to all that Moses became..

Jeremiah: tired of weeping, of being single, “I do not, I will not say another word from You!”

What made them great was God’s unwanted grace..

Peter – he wanted a crown but Jesus gave him a cross. His response? “Never will I let you take the cross.” “Peter, not only I will take up the cross, you will too.”

Paul – burdened for the Jews would die for them, but God called him to the Gentiles..

And even if this is not the case, God’s initiating grace always calls us to something we cannot do, something that is overwhelming for us, something that frightens us because it is so demanding..

Think of it – Jonah was called to go to a city of 600,000 and tell them about God’s demands on them, but he would be the only believer there.. There was no steering committee, no team, no advance men and women, no counselor training, just Jonah – and God..

And how did Jonah respond. He rose up and went as far in the opposite direction as he could from Nineveh..

NO LEADER BECOMES A LEADER WITHOUT UNWANTED GRACE – The grace to die with dignity and the grace to live with impact..

If you think you can do your job, and you have managed on your own, God’s unwanted grace is always standing at the door.. God never never, never gives us supernatural things to do.. He only has God-sized tasks..

Leadership is not primarily what you do. The real thing about it is HOW YOU GROW. You are in leadership to grow in public, so others can learn how to grow while watching you..

C. Unwanted Grace Comes as a Opportunity

“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

This word of unwanted grace from the LORD called him to action: Arise and go – get up and get going.. There is immediacy, urgency in this word from the LORD..

This word of unwanted grace from the LORD called him with direction: to Nineveh.. Nineveh was what he did not want to hear – Nineveh was what made this word a word of unwanted grace..

Nineveh was the capital of an ancient called Assyria, located in modern Iran.. Nineveh was 550 miles from Samaria where Jonah lived.. Nineveh was a city of 600,000 people.. Nineveh was a Gentile city, and no one spoke Hebrew there, although many spoke Aramaic there, so Jonah could make himself understood.. Hebrew prophets would not be all that welcome in Nineveh..

Nineveh was a cruel city.. The kings of Assyria developed the concept of captivity, in which a conquered people would be moved from their home territory and settled elsewhere, while alien people would be settled in their former home.. One of their Kings boasted he had make a mountain red like wool by cutting off the head of some warriors he had defeated and piled their skulls as a pillar in front of their city.. Others boasted of flaying their enemies alive (cutting off their skin) and stretching their skin on the city wall..

At the time Nineveh was in trouble.. In the recent years before Jonah received this word from the LORD, they had experienced two plagues and also a total eclipse of the sun, which they took to be a bad omen of something bad about to come upon them.. They were divided politically and in a very weak condition.. Left to themselves, they would collapse in a short time..

Summary: The prophet received word from the LORD that called him to action and gave him direction..

That word also gave him motivation..

God was concerned about their wickedness..

Jonah was given the opportunity to have greatest evangelistic impact in history, but he didn’t want it because he was politically and culturally opposed to Nineveh and did not have God’s heart for them..

B. Unwanted Grace Comes as an Intrusion

It is quite evident that Jonah wasn’t looking for the privilege God has in mind for him..

It was much more of an intrusion than anything else..

It disrupted Jonah’s life and called him to do something he didn’t want to do..

Jonah was one of 16 men in all of history who were called to be prophets in the way he was called.

Jonah’s life was the way he wanted it to be..

He was a prophet..

He was recognized as a prophet..

He was a successful prophet according to II Kings 14:25..

He had said his king, Jeroboam II, would expand his kingdom’s border greatly and it came true..

This meant success, blessing, economic prosperity, and Jonah was a prophet with a popular message..

But the God unwanted grace comes along with a new word, a word Jonah doesn’t want. Even though it is a word of opportunity..

1. God Sends Unwanted Grace. (Jonah 1:1-2)

Jonah 1:1-2 ~ the word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

A. Unwanted Grace Comes as a Privilege

The word of the Lord was.. Jonah didn’t ask for it.. He didn’t plan for it.. He did nothing to get it.. He did not earn it and it was just there – it just showed up..

We don’t know how he got it.. We don’t know if he heard it.. Or sensed it.. Or felt it.. Or saw it.. Or he just received it..

Now remember this is the word of the LORD..

Every time we see LORD un upper case letters we must remember it means Yahweh, God’s formal name, His covenant making and covenant keeping name..

Yahweh is God’s initiating name – the name used to speak of His initiative to enter our lives.. In the Garden of Eden, with the call of Abraham, the commissioning of Moses – all the way throughout the Old Testament Yahweh initiates and this initiation is always an act of grace, even when it is not welcome in the lives of those with whom He initiates.

Yahweh is also God’s covenant making name, His commitment making, legal contract signing name, and everything He does grows out of the covenant He has made.

So unwanted grace comes from the covenant keeping god who is constantly making grace initiatives in our lives..

unwanted grace - intro

How do we respond to God’s unwanted grace?

How do we respond when God’s grace comes charging into our lives?

When it doesn’t knock on the door – or ask permission, or say how do you do, or have a nice day, or could we sit down and talk?

When it just barges in and takes over.

That’s the problem with grace, you know – it cannot be controlled; it is not predictable or rational; it cannot be owned.

Grace does exactly what grace wants to do when it wants to do it.

I can hear many of you protesting, objecting to the idea of unwanted grace.

Perhaps you’re saying, I want all of God’s grace I can get. There’s no such thing as unwanted grace.

Perhaps. Let’s see if this is true. Let me ask you a question.

Suppose we put two signs over these two doors,
One that says “Grace to have a great life, a wonderful family, a challenging and satisfying career, financial security, with excellent health right up to the end.”
And we had a sign over this door that says “Grace to die with cancer.”

Which line would you get in?

We don’t want the grace to die of cancer if we can possibly avoid it. Of course we want it if there’s nothing we can do about it, but none of us would get in the cancer line. That is certainly unwanted grace. None of us unwanted grace.

Or let me ask you this.

Let’s say your life is going well – a ministry that is strong and stable, or perhaps you’re very satisfied in a support role, very satisfied as a leader in your ministry, but you were challenged by someone in another strategic area, different from what you’re doing now – leading by email, contacting people by cell phone, not direct ministry – you don’t want to move up the ladder, to move into greater responsibility, to face greater pressure to travel and be gone one-third of the time.

But the pressure is there, and God’s unwanted grace is calling you, disrupting you demanding that you do something for God you don’t want to do.

How do you respond to God’s unwanted grace?

How welcome is God’s disruptive, life changing, redirecting grace?

- time to reflect -

By Bill Lawrence Th.M., Th.D.

Don't read if you are immature.. Seriously..

Why do we ((sleep)) in [[school]],
But stay ((awake)) through a [[3 hourmovie]]?

Why is it so ((hard)) to talk about[[God]],
but so ((easy)) to talk about [[sex]]?

Why are we so ((bored)) when we look at a [[Christian magazine]],
but find it ((easy)) to read [[Playboy]]?

Why is it so easy to ((ignore)) a [[Godly]] bebo bulletin,
Yet we ((repost)) the [[nasty]] ones?

Why are ((churches)) getting [[smaller]],
But ((bars and clubs)) are [[expanding]]?

Why is it so easy to purchase {beer} and {drugs}?
But so hard to donate 25 cents for a {Charity}?

Why is it so easy to worship a {Celebrity}?
But very difficult to engage with {God}?

Think about it, are you going to repost this?
Are you going to ignore it,cause you think you'll get laughed at?
Repost this as "dont read if u r immature ....seriously"80 % of you wont repost this.

The Lord said: If you deny Me in front of your friends, I will deny you in front of My Father..

Got this post from a friend's blog.. Think about it..

Prayer

Last week i had attended Bethel's family camp. The title of the camp is ' Teach us how to pray'.
This camp has struck me. Let me share something that I have learned in this camp.

( Driven to pray)
Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. Mark 1:12
This verse show that Jesus was drive to pray. So, are we driven to pray? Driven is what we would do every single day and constantly, not fitfully. Many people do not drive to pray. If we not driven to pray, slowly we will stop praying after some times. Therefore, we need to make prayer as the most natural thing in our life. When we encounter something in our life, the first thing come to us is prayer. If we want to make ourselves driven to pray, we need to touch our feeling. We are unable to pray for somebody or something without any feeling. Beside that, we also need the Spirit of God to help us because we won't be driven on our own, we have to work with Spirit of God and Spirit of God will helps us.

There are many things will block us to pray, demon will try what ever he can to stop us pray.
So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. Luke 5:16
This show that Jesus prayed oftenly. So we also need to pray oftenly.
Luke 11.1
Jesus didn't teach his disciples to pray until they asked him how to pray. We need to have the desire to pray. We would not pray if we dont have that desire. Have you ever asked God how to pray? we have to really learn desire to pray.

Hypocrisy is a severe problem of prayer as well.
Matthew 6:7 said that when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. God would not interested in these prayer that have been repeated again and again. Moreover, prayer is about the whole relationship with God. We can build a good relationship between us and our father. As God is our father, we need to be polite when we pray to God and learn how to respect our father. We also need to practise our prayer everyday.

(Determination)
Prayer must be followed by action. So, say less and pray more. A feeling has to be aroused to be pray. Driven lead to determination. Do we have the determination to pray? Do we concentrate in our prayer? If we have the determination, our concentration will be increase by second to a second.

(Discernment)
Discernment will bring us wisdom. Daniel 2:21 - he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. We have to seek God in prayer.

We have to work hard in our prayer life. Do not say we cannot make it. We have to believe that power of God is working in ME. Are you believe this in all your heart?

These is part of the thing that i have learned. Will share the other in the next post. Hope you all understand what i am trying to convey.

走吧!我不需要你!

看了这篇文章的标题, 有没有一种我要和某人分离的感觉? 哈哈.. 其实.. "你"是指撒旦..

干嘛我会无缘无故说起它呢? 刚刚看了我干儿子的部落格.. 有感而发.. 他发现最近每个人都很忙.. 连他自己也是.. 嗯.. 我也忘了他是怎样发现的.. 他发现其实使人忙碌也是魔鬼的技俩.. 它很成功的让人因为忙碌而没时间或忘记敬拜神, 与神亲近..

为了三餐温饱.. 没有缺乏金钱烦恼.. 人.. 忘记了神.. 或把爱我们的神挤出头等舱了..

不过.. 神还是爱着我们的.. 耶稣在两千多年前为我们死在十字架上.. 他的宝血洗净我们以前和现在的罪.. 既是这样.. 只要我们向他承认我们的过犯.. 求神的灵再次管理我们的生命..这是神所喜悦的..

最后.. 我要大声的说:

走吧! 撒旦! 我要把你赶出我的生活.. 因为我根本不需要你.. 我不会再让你有机可乘..

大使命~

最近好像都没有人得空来这里..
读书的读书..
做工的做工..
我并不是在埋怨任何人..
而是提醒自己..

生命..
真的很短暂..
我教会又有人去世了..
前几天我也差一点点就发生车祸..
还好我在世上的使命还没完成..
不然我可能已经蒙主恩召了..

四月..
很快又要过去了回头一看..
自己从加入学园传道会以来..
到底向多少人传福音?
带领多少人信主?

以前..
我时常都会为自己找借口..
不去传福音..
因为觉得有这方面恩赐的人比我多..
等他们去传就好了..

后来我才发现..
原来传福音..
不只是有恩赐的人的责任..
而是每一个基督徒的责任..
换句话说..
就是我们每一个人的责任..

路加福音28:18-20
耶稣进前来, 对他们说:"天上地下所有的权柄都赐给我了, 所以你们要去, 使万民做我的门徒, 奉父子圣灵的名给他们施洗, 凡我所吩咐你们的, 都要教训他们遵守, 我就常与你们同在, 直到世界的末了."

虽然不久前才知道神的这命令是给每一个基督徒的, 不过还不算太迟..
但愿你也和我一样.. 已经拥有协助完成大使命, 就是让全世界的人都有机会听到福音的异象..

向人传福音的确是一件很喜乐的事..
不信的话.. 请尝试吧!

如果你有这方面的负担.. 可以联络我.. 我很愿意帮助你..

不要犹豫了..
让我们同心协力..
把我们身边的朋友, 家人, 亲戚带进神的国吧!
我相信你也不愿意一个人独自在天堂享受.. 而让你身边最亲的人在地域被火焚烧吧?

came upon this video when i was listening to don moen songs on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc5SdTV6rYk&NR=1

When it's all been said and done
There is just one thing that matters
Did I do my best to live for truth?
Did I live my life for you?

When it's all been said and done
All my treasures will mean nothing
Only what I have done
For love's rewards
Will stand the test of time

Lord, your mercy is so great
That you look beyond our weakness
That you found purest gold in miry clay
Turning sinners into saints

I will always sing your praise
Here on earth and in heaven after
For you've joined me at my true home

When it's all been said and done
You're my life when life is gone...


what are we living for, my brothers and sisters?

perhaps at the end of our lives, we would look back and realise that all that we have done are things for ourselves. things that we cant bring away.

its probably a bit difficult to think of the day you die when most of us are barely 20.

but i wouldnt want to look back on my life in regret.

realizing my life.. and what i've done.

doesnt really matter.

we rush and make ourselves busy to earn money, to get a car, to get good grades, to buy a house.

but what for?

so we can live in greater comfort? so that we'll be happier?

but wld these really soothe us? really make us happy for long?

i pray for god's grace to be with us.

such that we have enough to not want. and also just enough for us to treasure what we have.

and that we can have to joy and peace of God with us. everyday. every second. and every footstep taken on the journey with God.

was sharing with the youth this past sunday on doing quiet time. and all of us expressed difficulties at keeping to a schedule, at doing it everyday.

its very much a matter of discipline.

and also how you yearn for the words of the lord.

if like Peter, we see Jesus as all we need then quiet time spent alone with him will probably be what we are doing everyday.

sang the song 你的恩典每天够我用

there was this part where the song goes 奉献一生皆因为爱是你，为了你，我愿将一切放弃，耶稣 为要得着你

first question:
what do we have to give up if we pledge to follow him? Are we prepared for it?

second question:
why shouldnt we prepare ourselves for it? Why should we avoid singing this phrase (i told them that i dont dare to sing sometimes) if we have pledged ourselves as Christians who will carry the cross of Christ and follow him for the rest of our lives?

I guess a lot of us just dont want to take that responsibility. happy to be mediocre Christians for the rest of our lives. we tell ourselves that, well.. as long as I dont do anything wrong, then I'm fine.

but our faith is not meant to be like that. we are supposed to grow. we arent supposed to stay at a standstill.

and no matter how difficult it is. we have to. because there is a small part of us that wants to. if you let go of all the things that you are doing. you will probably realise that there is a part of us that yearns to understand and find out more about Christ. yet, we often bury this voice with our work, our activities.

for me, it was because i couldnt bear to hear the voice. because i know that i have a lot to learn. and it requires me to change and to put in effort to do so.

but this new year. i made a little promise to listen to that voice. to grow internally. to not be satisfied with what i know about Christ. to dedicate the rest of my life to learning about Jesus Christ.

and if He wants me to serve him. I will trust and obey.

my dear brothers and sisters. let us not be happy with what we have now. we are a blessed bunch because we have known Christ from a young age. but why limit what we have to serve and give back to God to the amount that we have been giving for the past 10 years, while we are still children?

we must grow and leave the starting point of Christianity where we have been for the past years.

let us truly sing.

恳求主　你看看我双手
一切我所有　甘心为你用
恳求主　你看看我的心
朔造，练净我
将我分别为圣

我们要奔向你的祭坛
得找你的火焰
站在破口中
拯救那失丧的灵魂

求主赐我怜悯的心
为着迷失的人群
我们要改变世界
带来　光　在这地

a true friend

READ: John 15:9-17

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.. --Proverbs 17:17

I have a friend named Nelson. We work together, play together, cry together, and often laugh together. Our friendship keeps growing.

Recently Nelson said he wanted me to conduct his funeral if he died before I did. I said, "Hold off on that request for a few years. I might disappoint you, and you might change your mind." "Oh no," he quipped, "that won't happen. You can't disappoint me any more than you already have."

We had a good laugh, but I began pondering his comment. Isn't that what it means to be a true friend-- knowing the disappointing side of a person's life yet continuing to accept him? Solomon described such a friend as one who "sticks closer than a brother," one who "loves at all times" (Prov. 18:24; 17:17). We all need someone like that in our lives.

Jesus wants to be that kind of friend to us. When we admit our sinful disobedience, ask for His forgiveness, and submit to Him, He becomes our Savior and Friend. Because He took the penalty of our sins upon Himself on the cross, nothing we've done, or may do, will turn Him away.

Jesus is one friend you can't afford to be without. Is He your Friend? ¡X Dennis J. De Haan

We have a Friend who sticks by us,

Who's closer than a brother;

And even though He knows our faults,

His love is like no other. --Sper

Christ is the truest friend you can have.

Quotes..

Love the moment, and the energy of that moment will spread beyond all boundaries.-Corita Kent

A man does not have to be an angel in order to be a saint.-Albert Schweitzer

Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.-C.S. Lewis

Courage is fear holding on a minute longer.

Man has never made any material as resilient as the human spirit.-Bern Williams

The family fireside is the best of schools.-Arnold Glasgow

Love is an act of faith, and whoever is of little faith is also of little love.-Erich Fromm

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.-Winston Churchill

Some people succeed because they are destined to, but most people succeed because they are determined to.-Anonymous

The great man is he who does not lose his child's heart.-Menicus

Beware the barrenness of a busy life.-Socrates

Love wholeheartedly, be surprised, give thanks and praise--then you will discover the fullness of your life.-Brother David Steindl-Rast

What Makes Heaven Heavenly

by Max Lucado

You will be you at your best forever. Even now you have your good moments. Occasional glimpses of your heavenly self. When you change your baby's diaper, forgive your boss's temper, tolerate your spouse's moodiness, you display traces of saintliness. It's the other moments that sour life. Tongue, sharp as a razor. Moods as unpredictable as Mount Saint Helens. This part wearies you.

Just think what Satan has taken from you, even in the last few hours. You worried about a decision and envied someone's success, dreaded a conversation and resented an interruption. He's been prowling your environs all day, pickpocketing peace, joy, belly laughs, and honest love. Rotten freebooter.

But his days are numbered. Unlike he did in the Garden of Eden, Satan will not lurk in heaven's gardens. "There shall be no more curse" (22:3 NKJV). He will not tempt; hence, you will not stumble. You will be you at your best forever!

Christ will have completed his redemptive work. All gossip excised and jealousy extracted. He will suction the last drop of orneriness from the most remote corners of our souls. You'll love the result. No one will doubt your word, question your motives, or speak evil behind your back. God's sin purging discontinues all strife.

No sin means no thieves, divorce, heartbreak, and no boredom. You won't be bored in heaven, because you won't be the same you in heaven. Boredom emerges from soils that heaven disallows. The soil of weariness: our eyes tire. Mental limitations: information overload dulls us. Self-centeredness: we grow disinterested when the spotlight shifts to others. Tedium: meaningless activity siphons vigor.

But Satan will take these weedy soils to hell with him, leaving you with a keen mind, endless focus, and God-honoring assignments.

We might serve in the capacity we serve now. Couldn't earthly assignments hint at heavenly ones? Architects of Moscow might draw blueprints in the new Liverpool. We will feast in heaven; you may be a cook on Saturn. God filled his first garden with plants and animals. He'll surely do the same in heaven. If so, he may entrust you with the care and feeding of an Africa or two.
One thing is for sure: you'll love it. Never weary, selfish, or defeated. Clear mind, tireless muscles, unhindered joy. Heaven is a perfect place of perfected people with our perfect Lord.

From 3:16, The Numbers of Hope
Copyright (W Publishing Group, 2007) Max Lucado

posies

READ: 2 Corinthians 2:14-17

We are to God the fragrance of Christ. ¡X2 Corinthians 2:15

One morning I was looking at a bouquet of flowers in a vase on an old carpenter's bench in front of our "window on the world." I realized the bouquet was spent; its leaves had wilted and the blossoms were falling.

The same morning I also read George Herbert and quite by "accident" came across his poem titled "Life." In it Herbert talks about a "posy" (a bouquet of flowers) he gathered so that he could smell the fragrance. But, as he put it, "Time did beckon to the flowers, and they by noon most cunningly did steal away, and withered in my hand."

The loss of his flowers caused him at first to see "time's gentle admonition." Herbert wrote that it "[made] my mind to smell my fatal day; yet sugaring the suspicion." Yet even as the wilted flowers reminded him of his own death, he found in the metaphor something that sweetened the thought. Herbert concluded:

Farewell dear flowers, sweetly your time ye spent,

Fit, while ye lived, for smell or ornament,

And after death for cures.

I follow straight without complaints or grief,

Since if my scent be good, I care not, if

It be as short as yours.

What wisdom in this poem! Our time, however short, may be spent "sweetly"¡Xa sweet fragrance of Christ to others (2 Cor. 2:14-16). Should not this be our prayer each day as we arise? ¡X David H. Roper

Farewell dear flowers, sweetly your time ye spent,

Fit, while ye lived, for smell or ornament,

And after death for cures.

I follow straight without complaints or grief,

Since if my scent be good, I care not, if

It be as short as yours.

A godly life is a fragrance that draws others to Christ.

God is Good

READ: Genesis 3:1-7

Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He teaches sinners in the way. ¡XPsalm 25:8

The phrase "God is good, all the time; all the time, God is good" is repeated by many Christians almost like a mantra. I often wonder if they really believe it or even think about what they're saying. I sometimes doubt God's goodness¡Xespecially when it feels as though God isn't hearing or answering my prayers. I assume that if others were more honest, they'd admit they feel the same way.

The serpent planted a doubt in Eve's mind about whether God had been good to her and had her best interest at heart. He said, "God knows that in the day you eat of [the fruit] your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Gen. 3:5). Satan tried to convince her to believe that God was holding out on her and not giving her something really good¡Xmore knowledge.

Do you feel as though God isn't answering your prayers? Are you tempted to doubt His goodness? When I feel this way, I have to remind myself that my circumstances aren't the barometer of God's love and goodness¡Xthe cross is. He has shown how good He is by giving His only Son Jesus to die for our sin. We can't rely on our feelings. But day by day as we choose to trust Him more, we learn to believe with confidence that God is good¡Xall the time. ¡X Anne Cetas

When you are tempted to deny

God's goodness, love, and grace,

Look to the cross of Calvary,

Where Jesus took your place. ¡XSper

Circumstances aren't the barometer of God's love and goodness

The Potter's purpose

READ: Jeremiah 18:1-6

The vessel . . . was marred . . . so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. --Jeremiah 18:4

Jeremiah watched intently as the workman shaped the clay. All seemed to be going well until the potter saw a flaw in what he was making. But instead of throwing the clay away, he reworked it until he had produced a perfect vessel.

God told the prophet that this is what He would do with Israel. Her sins were preventing her from becoming the kind of nation He wanted her to be. But He would not throw her away. Instead, He would bring circumstances into her life to make the changes necessary to mold her into a nation that pleased Him.

God does something similar with believers today. Whether to remove sin from our lives or to mold our character to become more Christlike, His goal is to improve us.

Some of Christ's followers seem to go through life without major reshaping experiences. But with others, in His infinite wisdom God seems to take special measures. As a result, these people can be further down the road to spiritual maturity than most of us before they leave this life.

If you are going through an unusual amount of grief, disappointment, and pain, don't despair. The Potter is at work in your life. Allow Him to shape you, removing the imperfections and building your trust in Him. ¡X Herbert Vander Lugt

I do not understand, Lord,

But one day I will see

Your loving hand was taking pains

To mold and fashion me. --Anon.

God sometimes may break us so He can remake us.

a serious celebration

READ: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. --1 Corinthians 11:31

An exclusive club in New York refused membership to a man because he was Jewish. A minister who belonged to the club denounced this from his pulpit as "morally reprehensible." Shock waves rippled down the aisles, because many church members belonged to that club. The pastor then added, "Anyone who has in any way--by thought, word, or deed--condoned this action is not welcome to receive Holy Communion until he has worked out his own peace with God."

The pastor had biblical support for his insistence that no one should come to the Lord's Table with unconfessed sin. In 1 Corinthians 11, the apostle Paul confronted some church members who needed to recognize their selfish, divisive attitudes and confess them as sin (vv.18,21). He urged them to pause for serious self-examination before participating in the joyous celebration of the complete forgiveness Jesus secured for us by His sacrificial death.

The principle still applies today. Anything that has come between us and our Savior must be identified and confessed before we partake of the Lord's Supper. The bread and the cup then give fresh meaning to the forgiveness that is assured us by the shed blood of our Savior. ¡X Dennis J. De Haan

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,

Save in the death of Christ, my God;

All the vain things that charm me most--

I sacrifice them to His blood. --Watts

Before you come to the Lord's table, make sure you have a clean heart.

*copy from an email..

conduct and feelings

READ: Psalm 119:161-168

Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble. --Psalm 119:165

Mark Twain is quoted as saying that you can tell if something you did was morally good if you "felt good afterward." But if it left you "feeling bad," it was morally wrong.

This statement can be understood in two ways. One is that good or bad conduct can produce good or bad feelings. This is true. The other is that feelings determine what is good or bad. A secular writer showed the fallacy of this interpretation when he said, with tongue in cheek, that he liked Twain's statement because it implied that you've got to try something at least once to know whether it's good or bad.

Feelings are not a reliable indicator of moral conduct. The only trustworthy standard is God's Word, the Bible. To obey the Lord's commands sometimes goes against our emotions. To forgive others, for example, isn't our natural tendency. Yet we know that is what God wants us to do (Mt. 6:14-15).

When we grow in our love for God and His laws and when obedience becomes a pattern of life, we gain a sense of God's approval and presence. This results in good feelings that are founded on truth. The psalmist described it as the "great peace" that belongs to those who love God's law.

How do you feel about your conduct? ¡X Herbert Vander Lugt

Help us, O Lord, to heed Your Word,

Its precepts to obey;

And may we quench that selfish urge

To have things go our way. --Sper

To feel good about yourself, do what pleases God.

p/s: This post is copy from an email..

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. ~ John 15:12-13

How much do we love our friends? How much have we done for our friends? God wants us to love each other but have we obeyed his command?

All the while I had my friends around me, helping me whenever I needed them, being there for me. But there is a time when we all need to part to pursue our own dreams. Most of my friends went overseas for their studies. Suddenly I feel like I’m left alone, though I know God is always there for me. Only then it made me start thinking about friendship…

Sometimes I really think that I’ve done so little for my friends compared to what they have done for me. Though their love is not as great as Jesus’ love, it’s really comforting to know that there are friends who love us so much.

Try to think about what our friends have done for us and we will realise that we may have been taking their love for granted. All those little things that they have done for us are actually acts of love. We must really treasure our friends and love them because their existence as our friends is actually God’s grace. Besides loving God, love our friends too because that is God’s command. :)

was asked yesterday why i believe there's a god.

there isnt a big big reason why i do. i just do.

i have never experienced anything big that proves to me that god exists.

but little things in life tell me that there's someone, something up there that is probably in charge of my life.

there's no way to prove the existence of god i think.

and if you think about the recounts we hear. many of them are personal experiences.

and the explanations that people have for the discrepancies in the bible are often their own explanations.

we are too young to understand, i believe.

i believe that god exists because i believe that things in my life dont happen because of coincidences.

and because when you see how detailed and amazing the things in life are, down to our fingernails and our blood vessels..

its hard to believe that humans came to be because of evolution. and that the world is just how it is, because of the big bang.

how do we breathe in miracles everyday and still reject the notion that god exists?

God is good, all the time.

Genesis 3:1-7

1~Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'you must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

2~The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,

3~but God did say, 'you must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"

4~"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the women.

5~"For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

6~When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

7~Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.


"God is good, till the end of the world; no matter is now or eternity, God is good!"

This line seems become our slogan. Sometimes I am not sure that they are really believe this line or ever think about it.

Some people did suspect, God is really good to me? when God didn't respond or answer their prayer. But don't forget, serpent had did something in Eve's heart and make her suspect God is really good to her or not. Serpent told her (Genesis 3:5) "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." We can tell that the serpent wants to persuade Eve that God doesn't want to give them the knowledge.

Think about yourself. Have you ever feel that God didn't answer your prayer? Did you suspect God's kindness? If we really got this kind of thinking, then we must remind ourself immediately, For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, Jesus and He did sacrifice himself on the cross just want to redeemed our sin, this shows His kindness. So we cannot depend on our "feeling" but trust Him more and more, learn to have more faith in Him and say "God is good, For now till the end of the world!"

nice song~

Here is the song that I gonna lead in RC service tomorrow..

Let the peace of God reign

Father of life

Draw me closer
Lord, my heart is set on You

Let me run the race of time

With Your life enfolding mine

And let the peace of God

Let it reign

Oh, Holy Spirit,

You're my comfort,

Strengthen me, hold my head up high

And I stand upon Your truth

Bringing glory unto You

And let the peace of God

Let it reign

Oh Lord, I hunger for more of You

Rise up within me, let me know Your truth

Oh Holy Spirit, saturate my soul

And let the life of God fill me now

Let Your healing power breathe life and make me whole

And let the peace of God

Let it reign

This song become a reminder to me since my good friend recommend to me..Not a new song but it makes sense..

Isaiah 46:3-4

"Listen to me, all Israel who are left; I have created you and cared for you since you were born. I will be your God through all your lifetime, yes, even when your hair is white with age. I made you and I will care for you. I will carry you along and be your savior."

I felt so touch when reading this verses. That's a promise between God and us who believe in Him. No matter how old we are, we can always rely on God; no matter its weakness or burdens, we can still rely on Him and tell ourself "that's the reason we need Jesus in life." Because He will carry us along and be our Savior all the time. Praise the Lord, He is indeed worthy of our praise.

Just a short sharing. God bless.

The story of the 3 little pigs

Luke 6:46-49

“你们为什么称呼我主阿，主阿，却不遵我的话行呢？

凡到我这里来，听见我的话就去行的，我要告诉你们他像什么人。他像一个人盖房子，深深的挖地，把根基安在磐石上。到发大水的时候，水冲那房子，房子总不能摇动。因为根基立在磐石上。有古卷作因为盖造得好。惟有听见不去行的，就像一个人在土地上盖房子，没有根基。水一冲，随即倒塌了，并且那房子坏得很大。”

the first line was pretty much something that i struggle with everyday. such that i know what god wants me to do and yet i dont do it. due to personal greed or forgetfulness or pretended ignorance.

the road that christians have to walk is a tedious one. and what the bible tells us is always so different from what we learn from the world. sometimes i feel its easier to just pretend not to know or to pretend to forget.

but i know thats not what god wants us to do.

in the rest of the passage, the example of the intelligent and foolish builder was cited.

and i suddenly thought of the story of the 3 little pigs.

the 3 little pigs left home and have to build a house to live in and to keep away from the big bad wolf.

the first little pig built a house of straw, the second little pig built a house of twigs. both were smiling away and living happily in their houses as they watch their brother, the third little pig toil away and build a house of bricks.

and you know the rest of the story with the huffing and puffing by the big bad wolf.

when trouble strikes, when satan comes knocking.. which little pig would you want to be?

lets build our lives on the words of the Lord.

Luke 6: 27-42

To love thy enemies

6:31 To do unto others what you would want others to do onto you.
this is very much similar to 6:37 where the bible says not to judge others, and thus we will not be judged.

when looking back to mark 5:15, we see the same msg reiterated again. for we are to forgive others as our Father has forgiven us. and who can forget the story of the servant who was punished by his Master for not letting his fellow off for oweing him 10 x less than the debt that the Master has just written off for him.

However, the msg isnt just for us to love our enemies, but rather how we can be different from the world.

in the passage, we see the phrase "就是罪人也爱那爱他们的人" "就是罪人也借给罪人，要如数收回"

as the children of the Lord, what is the true meaning of being a child of God? what are we expected to do? how are we, the children of God supposed to differentiate ourselves from the world?

another question we should ask is who are our enemies? who have we labelled as our enemies?

Luke 6:35-36 gives us the answer.

let us be the light and the salt of the earth, by His grace, and show ourselves to be the true children of God.