During the weekdays of last week, I think quite a number of people fell sick. I was one of them, and I know a couple of friends were, Weikang was one of them too.
I went to buy the tickets with Joy for the DMM movie outing for birthday boy Weihong in the morning. Its a math problem about the tix, I thought there is gonna be 8 people in total for DMM but there's 9 actually (I didn't count myself!). But while thinking it was 8 only and 1 person wouldn't come so it ought to be 7 tix, I still wanted to order 8. But this doesn't seem to make sense, so there's a mini "commotion" happening about 7 or 8 tix at the tickets counter for a couple of seconds and when I looked up the ticketeers' face at the end, it looks kinda weird. It was funny thinking back.
But it was settled in the end, thankfully, 9 people were able to watch movie "Body of Lies" together which stars Weihong's fav actor Leonardo Dicaprio. I'm glad Guan Quan, Yiyou as well as Stephen joined us. During the show, I was actually quite impressed with both Russell and Leonardo's acting style. Leonardo's acting here reminds me of "Blood Diamond" while Russell's performance didn't drift too much away from the way he talks and acts in "A Beautiful Mind". These two are fabulous shows. "Body of Lies" however is a show that probably there's nothing much to ponder or think about after it.
The show ended late and I reached Si-Han's home at 4.15am. Thank God he woke up to open the door. But I couldn't sleep till like 5am though I yawned a few times in the bus. In the morning, we watched The Simpsons season 8 together, beginning to like this cartoon. Its rather ironic, political and sarcastic. I find it doesn't really state any values. Its like merely "laughing" at say, the condition of homosexuals, the way people treat the environment, the way people always laugh at others' mistakes and all that... creative stuff, that sets you thinking.
I think I like this sort of stuff, that's why my fav Jay Chou songs are those with a meaning or lesson behind such as the one on terracing rice fields, family violence...
Relating with people...
Yeah I do think that sometimes what I say sounds kinda "misleading" to those who may not know me. Can't give examples here because they are in Chinese!! Like someone said "everyone relates with one another differently". One skill we need to learn through our life is how to relate with people better. This dawned upon me that we may not relate or rub each other the right way all the time including your future spouse! What more our friends and sheeps and family members! But as the Bible says what is stored in our hearts will come out in our speech and I believe also in the little things we do, character is a huge part of our ability to relate with one another.
Unclean thoughts, envy, jealousy, fear, bitterness, hatred, selfishness, rebellion, lies; all these things spoils relationship. It breaks trust and it also breaks God's heart. That's why to be a love and fellowshipping church, its impossible if everyone is not moving forward in their relationship with God first. People do certain things that has "presentational" value in relating at times. However to relate long term and deeper, we need more than that.
Was just speaking with Chris a while ago, as we were discussing things, we encouraged one another to love and walk with God ever more closely. Sometimes this emphasis disappears when we get busy. When we lead people we forget to take direction from God the true Master and Leader.
So do we find that we need God? This question is for the new believers in faith, for the mature believers who are in church for some time, and for leaders (shepherds to pastors).
If we find that we need God in our life (the degree that you need water for living), what difference will our activity, our dependency on Him be?
It can be head knowledge but do we act like we need God? A symptom that we feel we do not need God as much is that we do not pray. There is a few kinds of way to respond when we go through problem and difficulty.
1. is the kind that gets discouraged and drift further away from God, they find no point seeking Him. 2. the kind that gets overly anxious and starts to seek God like mad but when problems go away, they turn mild in their relationship with Him. 3. the kind that hopes and trusts in Him, very steady, as steady as before. just remain strong but never fall. 4. still hopes and trusts in God but draw closer to God even more and from there the relationship advanced further.
This is by experience and I have responded the above 4 before. I really wanna know I need God in my life like never before. Things will be different if we are people who seeks Him like never before! We should not be Christians who just think we need God for salvation. We need God for EVERYTHING!
God is someone we gotta seek as the greatest treasure in our life!
A quote by an intellectual atheist who believed in Jesus eventually.
A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg - or he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.
-C.S. Lewis-
There's not an option open for us to ignore Jesus as whether God or devil. There's no option (extremely speaking) that for those who come to believe in Him, to act like He is less than who He is, in the role and importance in various aspects of our lives.
Philippians 3:10
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Paul wanted to know God so much more, and loved Him by willing to go through so much hardship and he find it worthwhile to be "in the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings" this way.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Love over success
Not too long ago, I person I admire very much, faced a defeat in an election, that I believed meant alot to him. His life has been lived in such a way that he had always wanted to change his nation Thailand for the better.
Yesterday as I was worshipping God in service, a sister came to my mind, and God used this sister's perseverance and love for the people in the area she is serving in, to remind me of what success is.
We are called to love first and foremost. Without love, everything we do is meaningless. I'm sure with love, we wouldn't mind too much about not getting elected or appreciated. We may get disappointed. But we still get up. It may be called "Messiahnic complex" that we get so selfless as we understand from the love God shown to us.
Yesterday as I was worshipping God in service, a sister came to my mind, and God used this sister's perseverance and love for the people in the area she is serving in, to remind me of what success is.
We are called to love first and foremost. Without love, everything we do is meaningless. I'm sure with love, we wouldn't mind too much about not getting elected or appreciated. We may get disappointed. But we still get up. It may be called "Messiahnic complex" that we get so selfless as we understand from the love God shown to us.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Never Lookin Back
I have mused about this for a few days and its really refreshing to know of how single minded we should be about pursuing God and running in opposite direction of sins.
1. In terms of sin, we must not look back.
The first person that we may know (chronologically if we read the Bible) is Lot's wife.
Gen 19:26
But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
God was destroying the sinful city. The angel warned repeatedly to run and keep running without looking back but Lot's wife did not heed to this instruction and became a pillar of salt instead. (this is not salt and light btw haha).
I think God is trying to tell us not to have any second thoughts of going back to sin. We mustn't treat sin lightly. We must hate it like how God hates it.
Matthew 18:8
If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
This verse is not literal or else all of Jesus' disciples would be crippled and handicapped personnels already. But this shows the intensity of how we should hate and turn away from sin. Sin must be cut off completely. We need to repent immediately.
2. In terms of vision, we must not look back
Over here, there are 2 person's life we can learn about not looking back - Paul and David.
Paul says in Pulippians 3:7-14
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
This is very on-the-go spirit! Perhaps one day when we are 50 years old or when we retire or when we are "considered successful" or have attained many things already, we may be tempted to look back and just admire our work and say to ourselves "hmmm I've achieved pretty much already its time to relax..."
If our life is just working hard to look forward to retirement, life would be so boring! My dad was just sharing to me that some of his friends retire and die within 3 years of retirement because they may be too bored. What is there to do when you retire?
In Christendom and in serving God, there's no such thing as retirement! Life will be so boring and meaningless to just want to retire. How many retired people are truly living fulfilled lives? But we never rest till we really is sitting in heaven.
Paul is able to do so much because he knows that his work is not finished as long as he is on earth. But he'd really prefer to die to meet Jesus. He will serve God and the people till he is taken away from them. What a life sold out to Jesus Christ!
Philippians 1:21-26
21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.
He doesn't retire. He doesn't stop just because he's achieved so much. He could well stop serving much earlier. Paul planted more churches than all the other apostles combined! We can really learn of his servant like example that our lives is to live for Christ and if we give it all, what right do we have to decide to withdraw after our "service term" ends? There's no retirement and CPFs in the Kingdom of God.
David in 2 Samuel 24:1-17
What David did was probably a moment out of pride to just sit back and admire his achievements, but he forgot about the promises of God that it could be much more he could have witnessed than if he were to choose to count it.
This does not signify we don't do stats or count sheeps. But I think its the thought that we exalt ourselves and of pride, that is wrong. David realised that in verse 10
10 David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing."
Have you heard of what Obama did when he knew that all the national polls have placed him in a very favourable position to win? (I don't know if he will be a good president but he certainly is good at campaigning) Newspapers here used the word "rebuke" to describe his speech to his supporters that they might be complacent and lose the momentum of the campaign. They must never think they are gonna win UNLESS they finally won. No relaxing at any last moment. Excellence and dilligence till the utmost for God.
Have you ever done so much preparations for something, maybe an exam or something, and then near the end, you are brimming with confidence that you've prepared much better than most people. When the results came, you were disappointed. You could have worked harder, its within your reach and your capability. But you lost it, for a moment of pride and complacency. That is the tortoise and hare story that we've learned. If you think like that hare, someone is gonna overtake you. In the Christian context, it might be that you missed out on God's best.
There are many powerful people or leaders who left because of temporal things, which is rather foolish... Nothing should cause us to leave God or the church cause of such things.
Psalm 119:9
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
Luke 9:62
62Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
1. In terms of sin, we must not look back.
The first person that we may know (chronologically if we read the Bible) is Lot's wife.
Gen 19:26
But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
God was destroying the sinful city. The angel warned repeatedly to run and keep running without looking back but Lot's wife did not heed to this instruction and became a pillar of salt instead. (this is not salt and light btw haha).
I think God is trying to tell us not to have any second thoughts of going back to sin. We mustn't treat sin lightly. We must hate it like how God hates it.
Matthew 18:8
If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
This verse is not literal or else all of Jesus' disciples would be crippled and handicapped personnels already. But this shows the intensity of how we should hate and turn away from sin. Sin must be cut off completely. We need to repent immediately.
2. In terms of vision, we must not look back
Over here, there are 2 person's life we can learn about not looking back - Paul and David.
Paul says in Pulippians 3:7-14
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
This is very on-the-go spirit! Perhaps one day when we are 50 years old or when we retire or when we are "considered successful" or have attained many things already, we may be tempted to look back and just admire our work and say to ourselves "hmmm I've achieved pretty much already its time to relax..."
If our life is just working hard to look forward to retirement, life would be so boring! My dad was just sharing to me that some of his friends retire and die within 3 years of retirement because they may be too bored. What is there to do when you retire?
In Christendom and in serving God, there's no such thing as retirement! Life will be so boring and meaningless to just want to retire. How many retired people are truly living fulfilled lives? But we never rest till we really is sitting in heaven.
Paul is able to do so much because he knows that his work is not finished as long as he is on earth. But he'd really prefer to die to meet Jesus. He will serve God and the people till he is taken away from them. What a life sold out to Jesus Christ!
Philippians 1:21-26
21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.
He doesn't retire. He doesn't stop just because he's achieved so much. He could well stop serving much earlier. Paul planted more churches than all the other apostles combined! We can really learn of his servant like example that our lives is to live for Christ and if we give it all, what right do we have to decide to withdraw after our "service term" ends? There's no retirement and CPFs in the Kingdom of God.
David in 2 Samuel 24:1-17
What David did was probably a moment out of pride to just sit back and admire his achievements, but he forgot about the promises of God that it could be much more he could have witnessed than if he were to choose to count it.
This does not signify we don't do stats or count sheeps. But I think its the thought that we exalt ourselves and of pride, that is wrong. David realised that in verse 10
10 David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing."
Have you heard of what Obama did when he knew that all the national polls have placed him in a very favourable position to win? (I don't know if he will be a good president but he certainly is good at campaigning) Newspapers here used the word "rebuke" to describe his speech to his supporters that they might be complacent and lose the momentum of the campaign. They must never think they are gonna win UNLESS they finally won. No relaxing at any last moment. Excellence and dilligence till the utmost for God.
Have you ever done so much preparations for something, maybe an exam or something, and then near the end, you are brimming with confidence that you've prepared much better than most people. When the results came, you were disappointed. You could have worked harder, its within your reach and your capability. But you lost it, for a moment of pride and complacency. That is the tortoise and hare story that we've learned. If you think like that hare, someone is gonna overtake you. In the Christian context, it might be that you missed out on God's best.
There are many powerful people or leaders who left because of temporal things, which is rather foolish... Nothing should cause us to leave God or the church cause of such things.
Psalm 119:9
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
Luke 9:62
62Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Monday, November 3, 2008
James Hudson Taylor III's testimony of the growth of Christianity in China. "The officials in China have gathered together and say "when we persecute them, they grow. Now we don't want to persecute them anymore" "
Haha. Cool right. Christianity grew the most during the times of persecution. It don't make sense, but the Gospel and Christianity is indeed different from other religion, which grew more under persecution. We must never stop preaching the Word, proclaiming His death and resurrection.
James H. Taylor III is the great grand son of James Hudson Taylor. Who looks like...
Haha. Cool right. Christianity grew the most during the times of persecution. It don't make sense, but the Gospel and Christianity is indeed different from other religion, which grew more under persecution. We must never stop preaching the Word, proclaiming His death and resurrection.
James H. Taylor III is the great grand son of James Hudson Taylor. Who looks like...
I find that mothers do play a really HUGE part in shaping their children's spiritual life as well as their service for God when they grow up. Hudson Taylor's story showed about father/men's insensitivity of their kids especially emotionally or what they are thinking as a child. Whereas the mother understood what was going on in young Taylor's mind when he was losing his faith in God. The mother secretly prayed... and one day Taylor received a tract explaining the meaning of the Gospel. (He had been attending church all his life without understanding!) He was thrilled and gave his life to Jesus that day after the great "revelation" being explained. This story of his has a certain similarity to GFA (Gospel For Asia) founder of how his mom prayed for one of her sons to be a missionary and indeed he became one but he also sent out and train many missionaries.
As we all know, he is the famous Christian missionary to China. He is considered one great man who opened the doors of China by being sensitive to the culture (contextualization) and also carrying out systematic plans to evangelise to the whole nation of China.
David Livingstone is a famous missionary to Africa. There are many great stories about him. He is one of the first few pioneers to do missionary work in Africa. He attended the University of Glasgow which is one I'm applying for.
"Perhaps one of the most popular national heroes of the late-nineteenth century in Victorian Britain, Livingstone had a mythic status, which operated on a number of interconnected levels: that of Protestant missionary martyr, that of working-class "rags to riches" inspirational story, that of scientific investigator and explorer, that of imperial reformer, anti-slavery crusader and advocate of commercial empire.
His fame as an explorer helped drive forward the obsession with discovering the sources of the Nile River that formed the culmination of the classic period of European geographical discovery and colonial penetration of the African continent."
I haven't read much about him so far. But here's how he looks like...
These are heroes of Christianity we can read about to let us have a greater understanding of our missionary fathers. I'm sure their expeditions will have many lessons for us to learn! There are many more people such as Charler Spurgeon or C.S. Lewis or Jim Elliot whose wife is Elisabeth Elliot and many more we can read about. We need not read books of them but we can research on the net too. But of course we should read the Bible too...the life of Abraham, David, Saul, Paul, Joseph are also great people we can learn from. Haha we not only learn from the living, we learn from the dead also. Their chapters is closed but ours is not...
Sunday, November 2, 2008
You are beautiful beyond description
Too marvelous for words
Too wonderful for comprehension
Like nothing ever seen or heard
Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom?
Who can fathom the depth of Your love?
You are beautiful beyond description
Majesty enthroned above
And I stand, I stand in awe of You
I stand, I stand in awe of You
Holy God, to whom all praise is due I stand in awe of You.
You are beautiful beyond description
Yet God crushed You for my sin
In agony and deep affliction
Cut off that I might enter in
Who can grasp such tender compassion?
Who can fathom this mercy so free?
You are beautiful beyond description
Lamb of God who died for me
And I stand, I stand in awe of You
I stand, I stand in awe of You
Holy God, to whom all praise is due I stand in awe of You.
Its such a beautiful song to sing in the morning haha. God is really beautiful beyond description and we can never fathom His love for us enough. And how high and high wide and how great is His love for us that He sent Jesus for us?
Was reading Economics in the library today. I am really very interested in Economics. Its the rare few academic subjects I am really willing to pour my heart and effort into. And Library 8th floor is my fav place. haha. Read about 2 out of the 3 "fathers of Economics" today. Adam Smith as well Karl Marx.
From the works, I had a glimpse of their perspective of the world and their concerns. Adam Smith has a vision of fostering competition in the economy so that the economy can be more productive in the capitalist system.
Karl Marx feels that capitalism has more shortfalls than benefits and that it will eventually collapse. From his theory of various alienations and exploitation that the worker will suffer from his capitalist employer, I think Marx' theory and observations does stem from a kind of emphathy for the average worker.
Both of them are visionary people! One had a vision of how competition and technology will lead to increase in living standards. The other found shortfalls in capitalism as it only widens the income gap between the worker and the capitalist. Now left John Maynard Keynes, whom I do not have time to read about today.
All 3 thinkers are from Europe - 1 born in Germany, 1 born in Scotland and the other born in Britain.
I am fascinated by these people's lives and works; their philosophy, affecting their perspectives and theory. Of course their theory may not apply today fully but these are the founding principles we had and its worth studying it, with a historical perspective and context in mind. If they are living in today's world, how would they think and how would they form theory? Would they thought of letting the competing forces act against each other or think of how else to distribute the wealth more equally? And doing it in a capitalist system we had in today's world. I think its one subject that really affects and can shape people's lives. I wanna plunge myself into reading of it. Can anyone guide me or give some comments or recommended reading list re Econs?
Next post I wanna talk about missionaries - David Livingstone and Hudson Taylor.
"God is communist in salvation, capitalist in reward" - Anonymous
Too marvelous for words
Too wonderful for comprehension
Like nothing ever seen or heard
Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom?
Who can fathom the depth of Your love?
You are beautiful beyond description
Majesty enthroned above
And I stand, I stand in awe of You
I stand, I stand in awe of You
Holy God, to whom all praise is due I stand in awe of You.
You are beautiful beyond description
Yet God crushed You for my sin
In agony and deep affliction
Cut off that I might enter in
Who can grasp such tender compassion?
Who can fathom this mercy so free?
You are beautiful beyond description
Lamb of God who died for me
And I stand, I stand in awe of You
I stand, I stand in awe of You
Holy God, to whom all praise is due I stand in awe of You.
Its such a beautiful song to sing in the morning haha. God is really beautiful beyond description and we can never fathom His love for us enough. And how high and high wide and how great is His love for us that He sent Jesus for us?
Was reading Economics in the library today. I am really very interested in Economics. Its the rare few academic subjects I am really willing to pour my heart and effort into. And Library 8th floor is my fav place. haha. Read about 2 out of the 3 "fathers of Economics" today. Adam Smith as well Karl Marx.
From the works, I had a glimpse of their perspective of the world and their concerns. Adam Smith has a vision of fostering competition in the economy so that the economy can be more productive in the capitalist system.
Karl Marx feels that capitalism has more shortfalls than benefits and that it will eventually collapse. From his theory of various alienations and exploitation that the worker will suffer from his capitalist employer, I think Marx' theory and observations does stem from a kind of emphathy for the average worker.
Both of them are visionary people! One had a vision of how competition and technology will lead to increase in living standards. The other found shortfalls in capitalism as it only widens the income gap between the worker and the capitalist. Now left John Maynard Keynes, whom I do not have time to read about today.
All 3 thinkers are from Europe - 1 born in Germany, 1 born in Scotland and the other born in Britain.
I am fascinated by these people's lives and works; their philosophy, affecting their perspectives and theory. Of course their theory may not apply today fully but these are the founding principles we had and its worth studying it, with a historical perspective and context in mind. If they are living in today's world, how would they think and how would they form theory? Would they thought of letting the competing forces act against each other or think of how else to distribute the wealth more equally? And doing it in a capitalist system we had in today's world. I think its one subject that really affects and can shape people's lives. I wanna plunge myself into reading of it. Can anyone guide me or give some comments or recommended reading list re Econs?
Next post I wanna talk about missionaries - David Livingstone and Hudson Taylor.
"God is communist in salvation, capitalist in reward" - Anonymous
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