猴媽上《我可能不會愛你》片尾之三行情語 (第6集、第9集)
http://monkeymum.pixnet.net/blog/post/27584790

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發掘生命的呼召 (輕鬆廣播 - 基礎篇)

第一站

第二站

第三站

參考檔: 空白呼召明細清單
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Article taken from Fatherly Talk

Dearly Beloved

Continuing on the theme of humility we now look at the person whom the Bible declares to be the most humble man on earth (Numbers 12:3). It is a strange little verse especially knowing that it was Moses who was supposedly the author of the Pentateuch (all five books of the Bible from Genesis to Deuteronomy). Moses might have dictated God's words and recount of the incidents to Joshua and others who put the remarks of his humility in parenthesis. For humility doesn't self advertised itself. (For example, the book of Romans is attributed to Paul but the scribe was Tertius (Romans 16:22). (O Yes, they have their secretaries - scribes - to take down notes even in those olden days).

Moses lived a life of privilege and luxury being brought up as the son of the daughter of Pharaoh (Hebrews 11:25-26). It is so easy to become proud when one is surrounded by great wealth, power or fame. For this reason the Bible exhorts those who are rich to be humble (1 Timothy 6:17). That such a verse is in the Bible tells us that the pride of life is an easy thing to fall into especially those who have riches, power and influence. This does not mean that the poor or middle class is exempted from such temptation. Poor people can also fall into pride to their self-effort (self-made people) or intelligence or skills. Pride is a temptation to everyone and is evident when we look down on others in whatever way, shape or form. There is even such a thing as spiritual pride, where one thinks they are spiritually better than others. If all things are equal, the rich and powerful do have more temptation to fall into pride. Thus the need for Paul and James to exhort them to walk in humility (1 Timothy 6:17; James 4:1-6; 5:1-6).

Those who have not tasted fame, fortune and power at its height do not realize how easy it is to subconsciously fall into a pride of life. You get used to people serving you all the time that you forgot that Christianity teaches us that a true disciple of Jesus must lower himself or herself to serve others first (John 13:3-17). Saul, the first king of Israel, became proud and wanted to preserve his own kingdom for himself; many times doing things that are profitable only to himself not truly caring for the people whom he was appointed to rule over. Yet, he started with seeming humility regarding himself as low in the eyes of prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 9:21). Many humble people do become proud when they tasted of power, wealth and fame; and this includes those in the ministry, too. Pride and pomp made King Nebuchadnezzar think that he was someone special and God had to deal with him (Daniel 4:28-37). Herod thought that he was someone special; dressing himself in great pomp and allowing people to link his oratory to the voice of God (Acts 12:21-24). He died eaten by the humblest and basic of God's creatures – the worm. No one is special. No one is above another human no matter what our gift or talents or education or adornment or wealth or fame. We are all equal in God's sight and should think of others better than ourselves (Romans 12:3, 10). The greatest among us must be the servant of all (Mark 9:35; 10:44). The sad thing in the ministry is that many fivefold ministers and churches struggle much to be successful and finally after much travail and pain do become successful; they subsequently forget where they came from, begin to behave and adopt proud ways and methods, setting themselves for a major fall and discipline by God. For God does resist the proud (James 4:6). It is sad because many such have never tasted success before and having come unto their own forget their humble roots. Of course, this also applies to the business person also who forgets the God of his earlier humble days when they were nobodies. We all need to learn to eat the humble pie of serving others continually or our flesh will cause us to be proud.
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100%蒙神垂聽的禱告

羅馬書第四章釋經講道


100%蒙神垂聽的禱告 Part 1

100%蒙神垂聽的禱告 Part 2

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The life of Joseph is one of the most dramatic and touching real stories in the Bible, one of my personal favorite. The last few paragraphs on Joseph being determined to serve life in prison without any reward or recognition is most moving. No wonder he became what he became, similar are the accounts of that of Daniel and David.


Article taken from Fatherly Talk


Lessons in Humility from Joseph's Life

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Article taken from Fatherly Talk

Lessons in Humility from the Life of David

Dearly Beloved,

Humility is not an option but an essential if one is to progress in this life and also in the next life. Besides learning definitions of humility, we must also learn lessons of humility in this life that will stand us well while on earth and in the next life in heaven. All the principles of spiritual progress in this life and in the next life are derived from the same Scriptural principles. Part of the lessons in humility involved knowing how to relate properly to authority (and authority figures), relating to our own God-given abilities and gifting without using it to lord it over others, and learning to respect both those who are above us and those who are under us (in position, power and fame) equally. True humility learns to relate to people for who they are and not just what they have or where they are. Some of the lessons in humility we can learn from the life of David are:

1. Humility is to keep the right respectful attitude to authorities and authority figures even though we may be more popular, more talented and more gifted than them.
 
After David became the most popular man in Israel after he defeated Goliath, all the women and songs composed were about his greatness even above King Saul (1 Samuel 18:7). Definitely this was not the only song that was composed but a sample of songs being sang for all Israel loved David (1 Samuel 18:16). King Saul was very insecure and reacted wrongly to David attempting to kill him (1 Samuel 18:9-10). David in spite of all the adulation and popularity remained humble and considered that he was not worthy to be the king's son in law (1 Samuel 18:18). It would have been easy for David to become proud and big headed possibly even plotting Saul's dethronement but such thoughts never occurred to David. He was satisfied to remain where he was until the Lord's fullness of time. Let us also not forget the fact that David was actually anointed to be king by Samuel (1 Samuel 16:1, 13). There were so many reasons and opportunities for David to fall into pride but he did not. Before promotion comes a test of humility.
 
Many people lesser than David have failed at such opportunities because they became proud and take things into their own hands. The test is an opportunity to become proud through one's ability and achievement. Success has a way of preventing further success if one became proud through the preceding one. Only continued humility can assure one of continued success. Many people begin very humble in their lives but when success comes immediately become proud and thus they become a hindrance to their own further success. For this reason many do not rise to be the top rank of number one (head and not the tail) despite their earlier success, which would have been a test for them, for it did not produce an attitude of humility. Many remain with mediocre success for they failed the first test of humility. Everyone will be given an opportunity to be proud and only those who choose to remain humble continue in their meteoric rise to be the head and not the tail. Besides that, those who finally achieve the fulfilment of the Scriptural promise to be the head and not the tail sometimes do not get to keep their position because they became proud the moment they became the head (Deuteronomy 28:13). The power to remain the head also is conditioned upon exercising humility when at the very top and pinnacle of success.
 
2. Humility is to keep the right respectful attitude to authorities and authority figures even though we might not agree with them.
 
King Saul out of his insecurity began to pursue and destroy David such that David was driven from the palace to the cave (1 Samuel 19:8-18; 22:1). There were many attempts of Saul to kill David both directly and indirectly: spears being thrown at him (1 Samuel 18:10-11; 19:10), creating difficult and dangerous situations hoping that David will be killed (1 Samuel 19:25), sending assassins to kill David (1 Samuel 19:1, 11). Saul made David his enemy even though David had only done Saul good (1 Samuel 18:29). Insecure people made even good people their enemies. Most of the time their enemy is only in their head for the darkness of their own insecurities make them think that people are out to get them or wanting to dethrone them from their position. Feelings of jealousy, insecurity and anger are deeply rooted in insecurity. The darkness in people who have such dark thoughts caused them to see darkness in others when it is not there.
 
The right way to respond to people who have only done good to you is to love them and be grateful but those that are deeply insecure cause even those who love them and desire good for them to be their enemies. How sad that such people will end up without any friends for they seek to destroy even the very friends who do good to them. One would have thought that with so much in Saul against David that David would have hated Saul and seek to destroy him in return. This was a different test of humility for David. The first test was a test of sweet success as to whether he will become proud from his achievements. This second test is a test of whether he will return evil with evil. If he did so, he would have himself become bad and evil. Instead, David returned good for evil. He spared Saul's life twice against the wishes of his own mighty men (1 Samuel 24:5-7; 26:8-11). He also refrain others from destroying Saul (1 Samuel 24:7; 26:9). Some people will not destroy others themselves but get others to do the dirty job for them. This was not David's attitude for he commanded his men not to harm Saul, who had positioned himself to destroy David. By being a bigger man than Saul, David had passed the test of greatness. He passed the second test of humility and set himself on the road to greatness in God.
 
3. Humility is learning to both do what God says to do and NOT do what God says not to do even when we have the ability to do it.
 
King David had a good desire to build God a temple after he was firmly established in his throne and kingdom (2 Samuel 7:1-3). David was rich, popular, and powerful and had the natural ability to build God's temple. He even had received the plans by the revelation of God as to the details of the temple (1 Chronicles 28:12). David had very detail revelations of the dimensions of the temple, the running and divisions of the priests for the temple and even the materials for building the temple (1 Chronicles 28:1-21). The test, now that he was firmly established as king was whether he will do what God says; for in his position as king over all the land, only God was his restraining factor for no one else had the authority and power over him – he could practically do anything he wanted to do. When God said to David NOT to build the temple, David was humbled and obeyed God. God reminded him that he was nothing before he became a king and in God's sight would still be nothing without God (2 Samuel 7:5-16). God did bless and reward him for his right desires and love for Him but God did not allow him to build the temple, a job given to David's son.
 
There is a God watching every single human being on the earth: both the successful ones who are at the pinnacle of power and those struggling at the bottom of society. All are called to account before Almighty God. Anyone who disobeys God and steps outside the jurisdiction appointed and given to each will be dealt with severely just as Nebuchadnezzar was dealt with (Daniel 4:17). All men must humble themselves before God even the head of tribes, businesses, fields of studies, senior pastors of mega churches, heads of nations, yes, even the head of the whole entire human race and planet. It is a test of humility and perpetual greatness if one submits to God and only seeks to perform and do His Will as a servant even though one might be the mightiest and most popular and powerful man or woman on planet earth. David passed this test and became the standard by which every other king in Israel and Judah was measured.

David was not a perfect man but he was a humble man. Pride did rear its ugly head and David did fail some tests of humility. He failed the third test of humility given to those who have absolute power without any other human above them when he sinned with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1-11). He did fail the test of pride when he numbered the Israelites (1 Chronicles 21:1-2). On the average, many men and women do pass the first test. Fewer pass the second test of humility and they end up in the deserts and wastelands of bitterness and strife. Their lives have become wasted time as they blame everybody but themselves for their lack of success. Each day and month and year is only more of the same as they either remain in a plateau or at the bottom of the barrel. They will only arise and experience more success in life when like the prodigal son, they stop blaming others and humble themselves and return to where they left the right path of progress both spiritually and naturally. Fewer still are those who make it through the second test and are tested at the third level of humility. For only very few men and women reach the top of their community or tribe or nation to have power and authority over others below them. Of those at the very top, very few are like Daniel or Joseph who preserved themselves from the sins of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. More of them are like David who have made mistakes in these areas. Those who have not passed the second or third test should never judged the failures of those who fail for if you have not been in same level to be tested, you would not know whether you yourself would have passed or failed the test. For those who have failed in such areas and experience loss and shame like David, the key to redemption is as clear as it was in David's time. The key is repentance and humility. Since the test is actually a test of humility, it bears well to start at the throne of God by humbling oneself before Him. For God loves the humble exalting them and resisting the proud.

The good thing about God is that He allows us as many chances as we need to pass the test. It does not matter how many times one fails. It only matters that we keep close to God and keep humbling ourselves before Him. The lessons of humility from David who passed most tests but fail in some is that whenever you fail, humble yourself like David did and seek the mercies of God. In humbling himself in his failure with Bathsheba, God gave David a beloved son who would build the temple of his vision. In humbling himself in his failure for numbering the Israelites, God showed David the exact place to build the temple. The plans and the purposes of God move forward even through the meanderings of human failures. The river of God's perfect Will still gets done as long as humility comes forth easily and quickly.

Be aware that our humility is being tested at all times by Almighty God. Walk humble before God and before man and you will always experience exaltation by God into places of His delight and joy.

In Christ Jesus


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Article taken from Fatherly Talk

Humility - the Road to Authority and Power

Dearly Beloved,

It is clear to our lives today that humility is the primary key to the increase of grace and the workings of God in our life (James 5:5). The rewards are both on this earth and in heaven above. It would be good to outline the rewards and understand them in greater detail that we may be motivated to seek the road of humility rather than the road of pride and self. Amongst the rewards of humility are the very opposite of what we expect – authority and power. Those who desire power and seek it by their pride will only destroy themselves but those who do not desire power but only seek to humbly do God's will are rewarded with great authority and power that they might inherit the earth. The meek will always inherit the earth even though the strong and mighty try in vain to stop them or snatch it from them.

1. The humble are promoted to authority and power
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我們都喜歡收禮物. 人生有著大大小小的禮物, 不同的形狀, 不同的包裝, 不同的顏色, 帶來不同的驚喜. 如果你可以在紙上寫下你最想要的禮物, 然後在聖誕節當天一定會兌現, 你會寫下那個你最想要的禮物呢? 什麼才是最珍貴的禮物呢?  Gift with a bow


聖誕禮物 (2009聖誕短講 - 約20多分鐘)

Part 1 http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/11/974633/001_A_017_George%20Hou_091220_001_2009_12_20.mp3

Part 2 http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/11/974633/001_A_018_George%20Hou_091220_001_2009_12_20.mp3


PowerPoint 圖片檔: http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/11/974633/Christmas%20Gift.ppt


天韻 - 浪子
  http://mymedia.yam.com/*/1122041

我不想回頭
回頭已經沒有路
我不能回家
哪裡是我落腳的歸宿

自己的選擇
選擇心痛不在乎
自己的迷惑
再走下去前面是什麼

有誰在等我
有誰還愛我
有誰的雙眼至今仍向我期待
有誰能夠告訴我人生還有一條路
可以重來


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Article taken from Fatherly Talk

Submission – The Road of Humility


Dearly Beloved


Over the past few weeks and months we have been looking at
the theme of humility. We all know by now how important it is as an attribute

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Article taken from Fatherly Talks

The Test of Humility

Dearly Beloved



God does allow certain tests to distinguish between those
whose hearts truly follow the Lord from those who don't. These tests are
always designed in the area of love and humility. God tested Abraham's
love towards him in Genesis 22:1 and spoke of the ten trials (tests) which He
brought the Israelites through (Deuteronomy 8:16; Numbers 14:22). Every
Christian has a wilderness to go through just like Jesus. The key is not to
stay too long in the wilderness beyond God's perfect timing. It was God's

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Article taken from Fatherly Talks

The Humility of Paul

Dearly Beloved,

There is no doubt that Paul the apostle was a man who learnt the humility of Jesus. He spoke of the tears of humility in his farewell to the Ephesians (Acts 20:19). This was something he learnt as a follower of Christ for Paul, then known as Saul, was a proud man who persecuted the Christians. He was well taught at the feet of the best teacher in town, Gamaliel, and was always ahead of all his contemporaries (Acts 22:3;Galatians 1:14). Possibly a member of the Sanhedrin, he was well known to the council and obtained letters of authorization from the council to eliminate the Christians. Eloquent and highly skilled, he had so many reasons to be proud; and indeed, before Christ, he was proud. In his pride and zeal, he even thought that he was serving God (Acts 22:3). When pride and religion get together, the mixer is potent and destroys many lives. We do not know how many Christians were killed and imprisoned by Paul but it suffices to know that even after his conversion, he was greatly feared (less the conversion be false) by many Christians. Even today, Christians who are proud and highly religious would be the guilty ones who persecute other Christians. What a ridiculous notion - Christians persecuting Christians but that is so true of church history. Why do Christians do this? The only answer I can find is pride - purely pride and high religious status. Take away such and these persecutors will be begging for mercy. Who makes us a judge over one another? Who makes anyone a guardian and defender of the faith? I am not speaking of the reasonable place in Christianity where one can debate doctrine and principles for the sake of biblical accuracy like they did in the Jerusalem council (Acts 15). Such debates can be done without pride; it can be done in humility and respect so that every one's views are voiced out with the possibility of disagreement without being disagreeable. There are those who totally do not respect other people's viewpoints and have to either silence them or persecute them. Such do not have respect for others and would have taken the lives of others if they were not restrained by Christian morality.

Paul was a great defender of the faith and good at debating doctrine yet he always showed respect for other's differences. The main demonstration of humility in a debate is respect for others. To respect another person is to hold them in esteem despite the differences in doctrinal understanding or practices. In the Spiritual World, respect goes hand in hand with the demonstration of love. It is out of love that the various angels and higher developed saints do not push their greater and better understanding of God onto others less enlightened. Paul speaks about even acknowledging the weaker brother amongst us (Romans 14:21; 1 Corinthians 8:7-11) who does not have the revelation of dietary laws or of freedom from food offered to idols. He advocate the allowance of each person to walk and progress at their own level of understanding; even suggesting that to push the higher revelation would have gone against the personal faith of such and condemn their conscience. This is not to say that Paul had no temper for we see him quickly apologising when he was corrected for being out of line in attitude to the high priest (Acts 23:2-5). He did also publicly rebuke Barnabas and Peter over the withdrawal of eating of food with the Gentiles and had a dispute with Barnabas over Mark (Galatians 2:14). I wonder what Jesus would have done in such situations? The choice is either silent disapproval without withdrawal of love and perhaps a tolerance of a second chance to Mark - who knows? Only eternity will reveal who is right in such disagreements. The fact remains that despite the various disagreements that Paul had in his lifetime (the recorded ones to our knowledge), Paul continued to walk in humility with those he disagreed with. In his relationship with Peter, it continued on even after he had rebuked Peter and Peter put in a good word for Paul in his epistle (although recognising that some of Pauls' teaching are not easy to understand (2 Peter 3:15-16). And with Barnabas and Mark, the apocrypha records how they fell on each other's shoulders and wept and prayed as they parted (The gospel of Barnabas). It takes humility to be able to continue a relationship AFTER a disagreement. Pride huffs and puffs and walks away. Humility continues to respect and make room for one another especially if it is in an area which does not deny our Lord Jesus' lordship or the Bible. No one person in the world has total knowledge in everything; there are so many possible viewpoints in Scriptural knowledge of everything. Moreover, everyone sees Scripture from their own experiential context and background. Sometimes all variable differences are looking at the same truth from different perspectives and they both have a place in the economy of Christian doctrine. Paul with such a great intellect demonstrated humility. Many people of lesser intellect and capability get stuck in the pride of their own opinions that they considered vital doctrine - like a child holding on to the last drop of ice cream not knowing that the fridge has a container left to replenish their ice cream cone.

Pride is the hindrance to all intellectual understanding. To acquire revelation and knowledge, one must be prepared to be like a little child when one comes to the presence of God or the Spirit of Truth. Pride forms a wall of stupidity that prevents a person from further changes in his knowledge. The person of pride behaves like a stupid person who goes round and round the same belief systems that are sometimes extreme or lack better application and understanding. What can be done to such? Such people unfortunately in the Spiritual Word and in this natural world, have to be left to themselves until they knock themselves so often in the school of reality and experience that they realized that something is fundamentally wrong with themselves and they need to change both their attitude and then their understanding. Attitudes must be changed first before there can be a change in understanding. The word 'repentance' for the Greek word 'metanoia' conveys not just a 180 degree turn around of the mind but also a willingness of the mind to see and accept what it could not comprehend - meta in this case meaning beyond. How many times have we believed before we understand? Truth is determined by its spiritual nature before its intellectual qualities. The spiritual nature of truth is love, peace, joy, kindness and all the other fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23). It is after we accept love that we begin to understand love. We can receive love beyond the comprehension before comprehension begins. Thus by this means we know truth before we understand truth. All truth will be in line with the fruit of the Spirit and the nature of Christ. Anyone who has any area of new revelation of truth will always be transformed proportionally by that portion of truth into Christlikeness before the person could even express that truth intellectually. In the end as we fully receive Truth and have the Truth (the Living Word) living in us, we would become fully Christlike. You can tell who is right or wrong by the attitudes and nature of the debater. You can tell right or wrong of a new revelation or principle or method by the nature that it produces in its receiver. All truth will lead to more Christlikeness and any thing opposite from truth will lead to less Christlikeness. The purpose of truth is to experience God with understanding - intellectual processes to understand truth is not just for the sake of giving all of us a big head full of pride. The goal of all true intellectual understanding of truth is to make us better people and more Christlike in God. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life to lead us to God our Father. Intellectualism is not an end in itself. What good is a great intellect without a great heart in Christ Jesus? Note how Paul's great intellect did not lead him away from Christ but rather towards Christ. The next time you struggle to discern truth, don't do it just with your head but do it with the heart.

The apostle Paul regarded himself as a proud insolent man, a blasphemer and persecutor against Christ before his conversion to God (1 Timothy 1:13). He even regarded himself as the worst of the lot, the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). It takes humility to admit one's personal failure and the worst part of one's character. Every one of us has a bright side and a dark side. It is important to know what we are potentially capable of without Christ as much as to know what we can be and do in Him. To know one's weaknesses is half way towards overcoming it. Although in their positive faith mode Christians like to think the best of each other, we also need to know that behind every good character is the potential of the opposite at its worst. A good strong leader might end up a bad domineering dictator. A friendly social person might end up a man pleaser without backbone. A strong determination to work against the odds can become a stupid stubbornness on the wrong road. A detail worker can become a constant worrier. All strengths are potential weaknesses and all weaknesses can be potential strengths. For this reason we all need to learn to walk in the love of Christ for without it our worst characteristics come out. Paul learnt that his weaknesses can be opportunities for God's strength to be in him (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). When Paul and Barnabas clashed in Acts 15 over Mark, the strengths of both of them came to the fore. Barnabas has always and will always be the champion of the discarded, rejected and unknown. He was that way when he first helped Paul the unknown (Acts 9:27). Paul was a man of principle and cannot take unproven people who have failed into his team (Acts 15:38). He was not one who can accept untested teammates especially those who have already been given a chance and failed. In the end the very differences between them that made them a strong team became the force that separated them. We know that eventually they both looked past this event and Mark became a blessing to Paul in his latter years (2 Timothy 4:11). We note how Dr Luke remained a lifelong friend of Paul right to the end (2 Timothy 4:11).

All life is about relationships. If we are not able to make good strong relationships in this life, the problem is as much us as others around us. Some people who have zero friends around them. Or never could make lifelong friends because their weaknesses kept coming up and splitting them so throughout their entire life, they are always looking for new pastures to make new friends; one day there will be no more new pasture because they have hurt every potential person around them and no one wants to come near them because they are well known for being people who are vicious and hurtful. We need to examine the following areas introspectively before God at all times:

1. How is our relationship to our parents or adopted parents? The first relationships we build are those with our parents. No matter how imperfect they are, we must learn to love them unconditionally. Some of us from not so good backgrounds have more to struggle in this area than others but we are not responsible for the family we are born into, we are only responsible for our character and response to such families. No matter how hard it is and in some cases there might not be any possible close relationships, we must always walk in love and forgiveness and be able to think with unconditional love towards our parents.

2. How is our relationship with our spouses? The closest person to us is our spouse and if we have not learn to make our spouse our best friend and confidant, then we are completely incapable of having close friends. For those who have experienced separation and divorces, it is important that you also see your part and failure in the marriage and not just your opposing spouse. If you do not admit your own character flaws, then you will bring the same flaws into the next marriage and completely destroy another life. Humility is being able to admit your own flaws and mistakes. The secret to lasting marriage is unconditional love. Learning and cultivating the ability to love unconditionally is part of all successful marriages.

3. What types of friend do you have? If you have not been able to develop friends who can disagree with you or be brutal with you in their honesty, you do not have real friends – you possible might just have fans and not friends. How many of your friends can you count on that you can show up at midnight and know that they will take you in? If there are none and you are already in your latter years, something is very wrong with you. How can you not in 80 years of life on earth not developed at least some lifelong friends? Where have you been living, on Mars? It is time to admit that you are incapable of being honest about your own weaknesses and flaws (which might be the reason no one is a friend to you) otherwise you would have much to deal with when you meet Jesus face to face. If the only friend you have is Jesus, then your standards are too high and nobody in the world is going to meet that standard. If everyone is your friend including the devil and the world, then your standards are so low and your morality and principles non-existent that you do not truly know the meaning of having a good spiritual friend. The only reason why people have not developed true friendships is that they cannot accept other people's weaknesses nor their own flaws. No one is perfect and friendships are based on love and not perfection. Look around at those who truly love you and care for you (but who will not put up with your nonsense or excuse your flaws), those are the people you should make friends with even if they themselves have their own flaws.

Without humility, there is no possibility of forming true friendships and relationships in this life. We learn humility when we relate to others around us. May God teach us to be humble and walk in humility with our loved ones and all our extended family in Christ.

In Christ's love


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Article from Fatherly Talk

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Dearly Beloved,

The victory of Jesus Christ at the cross and resurrection was all traced to His humility (Philippians 2:8-9). Humility is the key to permanent and eternal victory in life. At times, it looks like Jesus was losing when He went to the cross – His disciples fled and left Him, the crowds who used to follow Him dispersed, it looks like the end for Him at the Sanhedrin trial and the trial under Pontius Pilate, and He looked so helpless at the cross unable even to quench His thirst. Yet, because He humbled Himself, God the Father was watching every event and released all the resources of heaven to ensure that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was raised and crowned for His meekness and humility. The way of humility was not an easy road, but it is the only road that is sanctioned by God. If anyone wants to see 100% of God's help, they must relinquish 100% of their own defence allowing themselves to be humbled (humiliated). Yes, part of humility is being humiliated by others and not reacting in any way except love.

Humility is the doctrine of turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:39). It is not easy turning the other cheek because we all naturally want to fight back. In these days of independence and rights, everyone wants what they deserve and no one is willing to suffer wrong. There is a place and a time for such but even when that comes around, the attitude is never out of anger or reaction but rather from meditation and action. Paul in correction of the Corinthians spoke of the shame of Christians going before the unrighteous to pursue after worldly things (1 Corinthians 6:1-5). Paul was not against a negotiated settlement between believers but he was against brother going against brother before unbelievers (1 Corinthians 6:5-6). He clarifies that it was already a failure for them go after one another and went as far as to advocate that the meeker or stronger or more humble accept wrong unjustly (1 Corinthians 6:7-8). When Jesus was asked to be an arbitrator in an inheritance issue between brothers, He refused and instead warn against covetousness saying one's life does not consist of the abundance of things he possesses (Luke 12:15). This is a verse that many carnal Christians who are only after prosperity should re-read. In the natural, it was only right that the man's brother received his rightful inheritance but apparently to Jesus, suffering loss is no big deal.

In reading the doctrine of turning the other cheek and willingly being defrauded, I am sure many Christians are wondering how far they should go in this. There are two principles that are juxtaposed in balance. One is the principle of knowing our rights and inheritance in Christ, the other is the principle of not pressing for it when it comes to natural (and unimportant to Jesus) things. Are they really opposing? No. It is still important to know our rights and inheritance in Christ and all of our rights as Roman citizens (representative of citizens of any country). Even Paul learned to use his Roman citizenship to advantage (Acts 16:37; 22:25-29). The underlying harmony of when to exercise our rights and when to let it go in meekness and humility is as follows:

1. When it is a matter of no spiritual gain, let it go.

2. When it costs your sanctification and your holiness, let it go. (In other words, if you have to stoop down to the low level, below the belt, unethical and unedifying methods of getting what is your right, let it go).

3. When you have to stop walking in the love of God, let it go. (To retain the ability to walk in love to God and to all men is more important for eternity's sake).

4. When you have to destroy another person, let it go. (We should never destroy another person or life in the pursuit of our rights and gain).

5. When it does harm to God, our Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit and to God's name, let it go.

6. When letting go endangers you and your family, hold your ground.

7. When letting go compromises the Word, ethics, morality and justice, hold your ground.

8. When letting go destroys the kingdom of God, hold your ground.

9. When letting go allows the devil and demons to reign, hold your ground.

10. When not doing right is sin including the sin of omission, hold your ground.

Having expressed some balance in the tension between the necessity to hold our ground when it is the right thing to do versus the ability to turn the other cheek, we should always make our default mode meekness and humility. It is only once in a while when occasion demands of us that we, the lamb, turn into the lion of God. We are sheep by default and nature not lions. Jesus was the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah but it was Him as the Lamb of God that the fate of the Universe stands (Revelation 5:1-6). The praise and worship to Jesus was 『Worthy to the Lamb」 and not 「Worthy to the Lion」 (Revelation 5:12). It is better to receive than to grab. The Lamb of God received power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessings. It is RECEIVE and not TAKE. Jesus our Lord won it through His humility (Philippians 2:9-11).

Jesus could have taken it all unto Himself. He could have called on the Father and twelve legions of angels would come to His aid (Matthew 26:53). Jesus could have come down from the cross when they challenged Him. Jesus could have done many things to take His kingship and authority. But No, He chose to be a humble servant coming not to be served rather to serve (Matthew 20:28). Jesus conquered by His humility and His love, thus He truly won. If He had conquered by His might and His power, many more would have been destroyed. It was even much harder for Jesus to be humble than for us, for He actually had power, authority and might at all times yet He chose not to use it. The average human being would have quickly tried to conquer all the world if they had an ounce of the power, authority and might Jesus had. Moreover, most humans are forced by circumstances to be humble whereas Jesus was humble by choice. May we learn from His example. Sometimes, we are like James and John who, having learnt of the great power of Jesus and the name of Jesus, almost wanted to call down fire to burn the town that rejected Jesus and them. They were even polite enough to ask Jesus if He wanted them to call down fire to destroy the town (Luke 9:54). As if Jesus doesn't know how to do it Himself if He wanted to. Jesus rebuked them and said that they know not what spirit they are of (Luke 9:55). Give a little power to people without humility and they will destroy themselves and the entire earth. Give all power to a humble man or woman and they will use it only for the benefit of others and the whole world.

The way to be a conqueror in Christ and more than a conqueror in Him is by receiving and not by taking. We inherit the earth – not conquer the earth (Matthew 5:5). We cannot keep what is not given to us by God no matter how hard we try. We can only keep what is rightfully given to us by God and no man or devil can take that away from us. We cannot keep that which we have compromised our principles and heart to get. We can only keep that which we humbly and prayerfully have received from God through a lifestyle of love and humility. It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). Why is it more blessed? No doubt receiving the inheritance of God is a blessing. We must not just be blessed with the blessing, we must also receive it in a blessed way. The way we receive the blessings is as important as the blessing; if indeed, the blessing is of a spiritual and significant nature that has powerful blessings in the natural. Many people of God want the blessings of God but they would bend every rule and compromise every principle in order to have it. The end never justifies the means. Both the means and end must be right for it to carry the approval of Christ. Jesus was offered a short cut to the world of riches and power by the devil (Matthew 4:8-9). He did after all come to conquer the world back for God but it must be on God's terms and God's method. He chose the power of the cross to do it. The power of the cross symbolizes the triumph of humility over all the world. How much lower in humility can one go beyond the cross? Nil. The cross is the lowest point of humility personified. And God chose to glorify the cross so that we will always remember that it is by the cross of Christ that we conquer. Amen and Amen.

The cross has been the symbol of Christian armies throughout but it has been used wrongly. The true symbol of the cross is that of giving one's life to another as the conquest of another life; and then the world. By giving ourselves to others in humility, we conquer. We conquer by giving and not taking – that is the message of the cross. People who use the symbol of the cross to conquer by killing, taking and grabbing are no better than the devil incarnate. The true message of the cross is that we conquer by laying our lives one for another. May each of us never see the cross in the same way again. May each of us see that the cross was humility personified conquering through self-sacrifice. Jesus conquered us and the world when He gave Himself on the cross. Today we who are disciples of Jesus conquer by giving our lives at the cross for others. And as God raised Jesus and exalted Him above all name and power and might in heaven, earth and under the earth, so will God do so to us and cause us to reign over all the world in humility and truth. We shall be the head and not the tail through the power of humility. We shall conquer nation after nation in Christ and for Christ through the power of humility. The cross is a method and not just a message. It is the ultimate method of conquest of the world. It is the very symbol of the power of humility. Humility is a method and not just an end. The end is Christ and the road and methodology is the humility of love.

May God open the eyes of your understanding, beloved ones, and show you the power of humility. May you never ever feel ashamed to suffer wrong unjustly, to take the pain and sin of others unto Christ. The Spirit of glory is upon you when you partake of the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter 4:12-14). May we know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings (Philippians 3:10).

The blessings of humility and the methodology of humility be mightily demonstrated upon each of you.

In Christ Jesus


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Article taken from Fatherly Talk
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The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth

Dearly Beloved

Meekness has always been mistaken for weakness in human relationships. What exactly is meekness? In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word 'anav' has been translated both as 'meek' (Psalm 22:26; 25:9; 37:11; 76:9; 147:6; 149:4; Isaiah 11:4; 29:19; 61:1; Numbers 12:3) and also as 'humble' (Psalm 9:12; 10:12, 17; 34:2; 69:32). There are, of course, many other Hebrew words for humble. The Greek words for 'humble' (tapeinoo) and 'meek' (praos) are clearly differentiated. Humility and meekness are definitely related: the question is how are they related? Meekness is a fruit of the Spirit whereas humility is the effect of meekness upon the soul, thus we are told to humble ourselves - that is humble our souls and ego (Galatians 5:22, 23: 1 Peter 5:6). Humility being the result of meekness would be impossible unless one receive the impartation of meekness from the Spirit of God. There are many definitions of meekness but the most important understanding is that all the fruit of the Spirit are aspects of love (nine aspects – Galatians 5:22, 23; 1 Corinthians 13). Meekness is the ability to respond to all pressure and circumstances by loving restrain and kindness. Restrain being the fact that there is the potential to exercise great destructive power but it is withheld because of the object of one's love towards the antagoniser. Thus when power grows with meekness and humility, the possibility of the abuse of power is removed. Abuse of power only results when one has power without love thus in God's kingdom only the most loving will ascend into the most powerful of positions. He who is the servant of all is the greatest among us.

The fact that Jesus ties inheritance of the earth to meekness shows us that meekness is also a methodology of dominion over the earth. Humans have gathered together in tribes, nations and empires to conquer and rule over one another; to possess the power of control over resources and knowledge. In the natural world, the strong triumphs over the weak and enslave them. Humans lord over one another, killing, stealing and betraying one another for the right to rule and dominate. In the end, despite all the efforts of humans to be kings of their own over their own domain, it is God who gives permission for those whom He chooses to rule and reign (Daniel 2:21).

When our Lord Jesus Christ came to earth, He did not conquer by demands but He conquered by love and service (Matthew 20:28). Ultimately, Jesus gave Himself for us on the cross of Calvary and was lifted to the highest place (Philippians 2). Our Lord Jesus Christ has shown us the way that the key to conquest of the earth is through humility and meekness and not through power and might of the arm of flesh. There is inherent in every human being a desire to master the earth and be in control of all circumstances. That desire is good for it springs from the godliness that God has created into man. This desire must mature into a desire to exercise authority and power through meekness rather than by dependence on natural power. A dependence on God rather than a dependence on self.

The earth was never to be given as a wage; it was to be given as a gift. The promise of being heir to the entire world was given in the Abrahamic promise (Romans 4:13). It was a promise to be activated not by works but by grace through faith. God did not give Adam and Eve the garden of Eden as payment for their work; He gave it to them as His gift of love to them. God did not make Joseph the ruler of all of Egypt as a payment for his works; He made him the ruler of Egypt by His gift of mercy and grace. God did not make David to be king over all Israel because of the works of David. God gave it to him as a promise because of His love for David's heart. David had not done a single work yet when he was anointed king. In all of the stories of the Bible, God has never given power, riches, authority, lands, properties or fame because of the works of men or as wages, He has given it to men whom understood that it was a gift of God's mercy and grace. Why else do you think that God disciplined Nebuchadnezzar when he thought that he had gotten all his kingdom by his own might and power (Daniel 4). It was to teach him that 『the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, GIVES it to whomever He will and sets over it the lowest of men' (Daniel 4:17). Wow, talk about learning a lesson of humility and meekness, Nebu really got it hard.

This rule of God over the nations of the world, over all business empires, over riches and gold, fame and fortune continues even in our modern times. Politicians may think that they got through by their own might or power or by merely the votes of men but actually it is the Lord who gives to whomever He chooses. If God did not so choose, then it will not happen no matter how hard a person may try. When Pontius Pilate thought that he had Jesus in the corner and proudly spoke of his power and authority in response to the silence of Jesus, saying 『Do you not know that I have power to crucify you and power to release you?』 Jesus answered him and said, 「You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been GIVEN you from above」 (John 19:11). All power and authority of humans, nations and armies are only temporarily given to people and can be as easily taken as it was given. This includes fame and popularity which exercises a type of power and influence over people. Sometimes, for reasons to do with God's predestination for a greater good, like the time of the endtimes, He even allows for a short season the saints to be given into his hand (Daniel 7:27). Many people who think that God is not in control has completely no idea of the fact that God has everything perfectly in His control and is working out predestined events towards His purposes and Will.

This gift of God to inherit the world includes the call of various ministers in the fivefold office. Each minister must learn the dominion in which God has gifted them to be in; they must not transgress into a calling that is not theirs. Uzziah the king tried to be a priest and died of leprosy (2 Chronicles 26:18-21). We see this sad Old Testament case repeated again and again in modern ministries who have no idea of the limitations of their domain and anointing. Just because one is successful as a king does not mean that one can be successful as a priest. All dominion, even spiritual dominion and influence, comes as a result of the Lord GIVING it to whomever He wills. The day that we think we need to protect our own tuff instead of relying on the God who gave us the tuff in the first place, is the day we have become like King Saul. King Saul received his kingdom as a gift from God for he was a nobody. When he became king, he did everything in the natural to preserve his kingdom even going against God many, many times; the God who gave him the kingdom in the first place. King Saul would even go to the extent of trying to kill the next generation after him (David) to preserve his own lineage. How sad to see him not recognize that we do not really own anything in this life – all things are only loan to us to make use of until we leave this earth naked as we came. We take nothing with us from the earth except for the change (supposedly for good) of our character as we learn to be faithful with whatever our lot in life – whether it be great or small, well known or unknown.

How does God GIVE such dominion and authority over the world? The key is meekness. Meekness involves a fruit of the Spirit in understanding total dependence on God. Meekness is love resting upon the lover, assured that one is protected and shielded by the God of love and mercy who is being 100% relied on. Meekness does not react to abuse and threats because meekness knows that the source of all authority is in God. Meekness knows that we are nothing in God and that everything we are is God and God alone. Meekness is the cry of Paul who said, 「when I am weak, then am I strong' (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Blessed are the meek for they WILL inherit the earth.

How does one grow in meekness, since meekness is the key to possess all the earth (or rather inherit or have it GIVEN unto us)? You can't. It grows in you and not you grow in it. There is not a single verse in the Bible that speaks about growing in meekness. Why is this so? Try to understand it mathematically. Meekness is like a zero. How can you grow a zero? Meekness is learning to be nothing in God and allowing God to be your everything – the fullness of John 15:5. Meekness is learning to be supple and nothing before the Almighty God. We learn to be nothing once and then learn to maintain it no matter how much God uses us – that is meekness.

In the light of this understanding, we can comprehend why the Pentateuch records Moses as the meekest man on earth (Numbers 12:3). There was nothing that Moses could do when his older sister and older brother challenged his authority as a prophet and man of God. How can he answer when they find fault with him and look for weaknesses in his life to attack? They attacked his wife and criticized him. They were neither interested in Moses nor in his wife. They were only using those things as an excuse to challenge his authority with God. In truth, they actually thought that they were equal with Moses in their walk and authority with God when they used the statement, 「Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses?」 They proclaimed themselves to be prophet and prophetess on par with Moses, if not even greater than him (after all they were indeed much older in age to Moses). Guess what? One of them ended up with leprosy, too like Uzziah. It was the mercy of God and Moses' love and forgiveness to them that brought them restoration. Moses prayed for his sister to be healed. The worst thing is that God actually got angry at them and not Moses. Who was Moses? He was nothing without God so there was zero and no reaction from him. Oh the power of knowing that we are nothing without God but everything in Him.

The key passage on understanding meekness is John 15:1-5. Meekness is allowing the fruit of Jesus and God to grow in us. Meekness is the 100% percent yieldedness of the branch to the vine. Meekness is when each time we bear fruit, we allow God to lope us off and prune us until we are nothing but a bare branch again, ready to bear the next lot of fruit. Meekness is 0% of ourselves and 100% of Jesus. Ministry is a fruit and not a work. True Christian business is a fruit and not a work. Christian life is a fruit and not a work. It is being more than doing. The doing only follows the being and not run before it. If you understand this, you will never again be weary in your Christian life, ministry life, business life or at any time in your life. Every day is just a life of Christ in you more and more each day.

We inherit the world in direct proportion to our meekness. Let us learn the secret of recognizing that when we are weak, then is He strong in us.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. Every day is the seeking of the pleasure of the Lord, the shining of His face is all that matters. We live to please God and Him alone.

In Christ Jesus


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Article taken from Fatherly Talk

The Blessings of Humility



Dearly Beloved,



The history of mankind and civilizations is filled with
stories of conquerors and world empires. The desire to dominate the world and
environment is sometimes also filled with sad stories of the inhumanity of man

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Article taken from Fatherly Talk

The Call to Humility


Dearly Beloved,



One of the most often quoted revival passages in the Bible
is 2 Chronicles 7:14 which states 「If My people who are called by My name
will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked

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Article taken from Fatherly Talk


Dearly Beloved

In this modern age of pomp and display, rights and power, fame and publicity, it is very easy for people to forget that to God and to all that are in the Spiritual World the character of humility and love is highly valued above all other values. It is even valued higher than knowledge and wisdom. For only humility attracts the loving attention of God whereas pride, which is opposite of humility, attracts the severe dealings of God. God will always resist the proud and give grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).

Why do humans want to feel proud when every one of us came into the world with nothing? Those born rich or powerful have nothing to boast for everything they had is only circumstantial. Those who achieve what they have and are also have nothing to boast for along the way they would have been helped both by men and angels to be where they are. Thus those born with privilege circumstances and those who earn their privilege circumstances have nothing to boast. Deep within each human heart there is a distaste of those who are proud and haughty. Such distaste does not just come naturally but it is also the same distaste that angels feel towards pride. There are angelic watchers over all of earth's powers, whether it be powers of wealth, authority or fame. The ruler of the empire that the Bible pictured as the golden empire was Nebuchadnezzar and even he was humbled when he became proud (Daniel 4). It was pride when Belshazzar took the holy vessels of the temple to drink his wine (Daniel 5). It was pride when Herod accepted the adulation of the people calling him god (Acts 12:22). It was pride when Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses (Numbers 12:1-2). It was to ease his wounded pride that Saul ask Samuel to turn back with him (1 Samuel 15:30-31). It was pride and recognition that Ananias and Sapphira sought when they lied about their offering (Acts 5:1-10). It was pride that led the Pharisees to make known their charity, their long prayers and their fasts (Matthew 6:1-18). They loved long robes, greetings in the market places, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts (Luke 20:46).

We might look at the Pharisees in the Bible and laugh at their foolishness for now all that they have and are have passed away for they missed the best opportunity to know the riches of eternity by coming to Jesus when He was manifest. What about the modern churches and ministers? Have we replaced the long robes with our liturgy and long robes; the greetings in market places with worldly fame; the best seats in the synagogues with membership to exclusive clubs and the best places at feasts by hob knobbing with the rich, the famous and the influential? How do you explain the desire of Christians to have luxury items, drive the best cars, join the best clubs and have the best of all things? Let me make it clear that I don't think everyone who owns a good car, lives in a mansion or owns luxurious things are necessarily proud for there are good and humble people who have all these things and it does not bother them. The test is whether anyone of these feel ashamed if they were to be seen in a beat-up old car, or sleep at a manger once in a while, or go feed the poor in a soup kitchen.

Most Christians cannot handle wealth and fame and the moment they have either or both of these, pride starts creeping in and they subconsciously do things to that flaunt their success. God help us if success is only measured in dollars, cars, bricks and mortar. These are not measurements of success at all. True success is measured in one's growth in love and in godliness. At the same time, we also need to educate Christians to be comfortable with wealth and not feel guilty when God blesses them with the stewardship of it. Jesus was both comfortable with wealth as He was with poverty. It made no difference to Jesus whether He was talking to the elite in society at the feasts or the poor on the streets. The key to handling wealth, fame and power is to know that one is only a steward of God for these areas. We take back nothing from the earth except for our character development in handling these things. We must not swing to one extreme such that we are afraid or guilty of being wealthy, famous or powerful; or to the other opposite of being pro-luxury in all things such that we forget the poor, the unknown and the powerless. It is pride when one flaunts one's wealth, fame or power before others.

There is also another hidden pride which can be as dangerous as the outwardly show of pride. That is the pride of intellect, the pride of self-sufficiency, the pride of selfishness that can be displayed even in poverty, the pride of self achievement and the pride of self independence. There is no end to the many possible human ways of displaying hidden pride but all of them have common denominators and manifestation: the prideful person is selfish, uncaring, unloving, unteachable, rebellious, unsubmissive, a lone-ranger. We can judge whether a person has pride or humility by whether the person has all the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and temperance (Galatians 5:22, 23). All the works of the flesh stem from pride: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries and the like (Galatians 5:19-21). Yes, all sin stems from pride. Sometimes, it is this hidden pride that is more dangerous and subtle than those with outward pride which can be seen by all. For the one with hidden pride can even think of themselves as being humble. When one is conscious that one is humble, one is no longer humble.

We have shown through the above that all of us have pride and it is not a question of whether we are proud or not, we all are and need to learn the art of humbling ourselves before God every day to keep us humble. If up to this sentence you cannot admit your pride but only sees pride in others, then only God can show you in eternity and you might have to face the consequences of God resisting you for the rest of your life. It is time for repentance. We all suffer from pride for to be self aware in itself gives us a consciousness separate from God. If we no occasion for natural pride, then we might have spiritual pride or soul pride. Pride can come in through being proud of the body and all things in the natural environment, through being proud of things in our soul and its qualities that we have or have developed, or through being proud of things spiritual or religious. And all pride must be dealt with. The Bible tells us to humble ourselves and before we can do it, we need to first realize that we need to humble ourselves. If we don't think that we have to, we are on dangerous ground. Dying to self is a daily event and not just some old event in our past (1 Corinthians 15:31; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Luke 9:23).

The lesson of humility is one of the most difficult to learn but yet it is the lesson that rewards its learner with great blessings both natural and spiritual. God loves to exalt those who are humble to positions of wealth, fame and power (Daniel 2:20-22; 4:17). The problem is not God exalting or promoting a humble person; the problem is in the ability to keep the position God gives. Almost every human being fails once they have received God's promotion. Saul forgot totally that it was God who made him a king. He spent his entire life trying to preserve his position of wealth, fame and power by his own hand. He died a failure both in the natural and in God's sight. There are the rare human beings who receive exaltation and keep themselves humble. Of such, is the prophet Daniel who succeeded because he was a man of prayer who learnt to bow his knees to God three times a day (Daniel 6:10). If you have never bowed your knees before God or have not done so in a long time, do so for it helps to put us in the position of submission to God. The word 『worship' in the Greek (proskuneo) contains the meaning of bowing down and prostrating before God (Matthew 8:10; 9:18; 14:33; Revelation 5:14). All will bend their knees and worship Jesus as Lord in eternity. We might as well get used to bowing down on our knees while on earth (Philippians 2:10). Of course, we do know that people can outwardly bow to Him but their hearts are not humble, thus it is more important to be humble in our heart. Humility of heart will produce humility of action.

The whole New Testament period is the dispensation of grace. And the key to all grace is humility (1 Peter 5:5). Even though grace and knowledge is multiplied by the knowledge of Christ and God (2 Peter 1:2), the fact is that we can never know Christ and God without God's help and revelation (Luke 10:21-22). We cannot even do any works except the works of grace that He has prepared beforehand that we could walk in them (Ephesians 2:9-10). And let us never forget that the works that God has given us to do are given because of His loving kindness, His riches mercy and love towards us (Ephesians 2:4-6).

Progressive life in the natural and in God consists of up-curves followed by plateaus. The plateaus are periods of consolidation and learning. Some people plateau-out and never progress any further either naturally or spiritually. Others lived and died without even entering the first phase of their lives destined by God. All up-curves are not humanly achieved, they are done through the grace of God that imparts a new and higher dimension of understanding, revelation, empowerment or gifting that takes us to the next level. Each up-curve is preceded by a period of pruning in which we are humbled as all the old fruitful branches are trimmed away so that we can produce even more fruit (John 15:1-3). Pruning is the work of God humbling us. Moses did not achieve his status as the meekest man on earth overnight (Numbers 12:3). He had gone through the wilderness for forty years; he had died to his calling and vision such that he spoke of his former oratory in broken terms of his inability; he had died to all ambition that he had formerly when he asked God to send another person; he had constantly been challenged rebellious ones and exercised great patience with the ungrateful Israelites. Like a rough stone washed smooth over years and decades of flowing waters, his pride has been dealt with numerous times until by the time Aaron and Miriam challenged his calling, he remained humbled.

We are who we are because of God. We can be what we want to be because of God. We receive all the help we have because of God. God is the source, the strength and the only one who has helped us from start to finish. He gave us life, created us, gifted us and allowed us to participate in His Will. Let us be grateful to God and always walk a daily life of humility before Him. Pride comes before a fall but promotion comes before great exaltation.

Let us humble ourselves before God on our knees each day and learn that without Him, we are absolutely nothing (John 15:5).

In Christ Jesus


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Article taken from Fatherly Talk.

Note: highly recommend every Christian minister (fivefold), lay leader, and people involved in any positions of service to read. "Love" and "humility" are the essence and the highest degree of all true beauty and power in the sight of God and Heaven, for God's central attribute is Love (1 John 4:7-8). To love is divine. Where love is found, there divinity is found, for there God is found (1 John 4:16).


Dearly Beloved,

We live in an era in which what people believe and what they are may not be the same. People have their convictions but if their convictions are not back up by their life than such convictions are nothing but mental gymnastics. No doubt what we believe is part of the process of becoming what we are. Sadly in this modern world where knowledge is abundant but wisdom is lacking, many people are in pursuit of acquiring knowledge rather than in pursuing a lifestyle of holiness and love. As Paul declares knowledge puffs up but love edifies (1 Corinthians 8:1).

Many Christians have watered down the full understanding of what it means to believe which James correctly points out. Even demons believe and tremble (James 2:19). The key is believe with a change in character and nature – faith with works (James 2:26). The works that James speaks about is not an outward form of works for that would be contradictory to not earning our place in God through our own works (Ephesians 2:8-10). There are two types of works, one which is done before there is a change of nature and character and one that is done from the change of nature and character. One is the works of the flesh seeking to earn merit which is wrong whilst the other is actually a fruit of a life and nature. For example, a good tree produces good fruit and a bad tree produces bad fruit (Matthew 7:17-20). It is the natural result of the nature of a tree. Thus the Pharisees, who were by nature serpents and dead spiritually, can never produce good fruit for their natures were evil and covetous (Matthew 23:33; Luke 16:14). Yet the Pharisees had a set of belief system which they teach and adhere to.

We are warned of the leaven of the Pharisees by Jesus (Matthew 16:6). Entrance into heaven is not based on just what we believe but rather by who we are! People go to heaven not because of their good works or their beliefs, they go to heaven because their natures and character are in line with the nature of heaven and they belong there. For this reason a person has to be born again. And the various stages of God's heavens and glory are the dwelling places for those whose natures belong to those realms. Progress in heaven and in spirituality is not based on what one knows but what one is. It is based on love and character and not mere knowledge. Thus on earth we should not just seek to have knowledge, although correct knowledge is part of that transformation process. The best and most accurate knowledge is that which has been proven in a life and not just mere concepts and theories. Jesus said that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). It was not just Jesus' words that moved us, it is His life!

Jesus did not have a problem with the belief system of the Pharisees for they originate in the law of Moses but Jesus had a problem with them being leaders and guides to others (Matthew 5:20). They might have some concept of the truth but truth is not just a concept. Truth involves concepts, methods, lifestyles, implementations, etc. A concept that has not been tested and proven is full of raw sharp edges which will hurt and injure as many people as it helps. It takes a lifestyle to deliver a truth and methods are born out of experience and not mere theories. And usually, when one implements a concept, one finds many areas of adjustments to be made to the original theory. For example, before my wife and I had children, we read every child training book we could and digested concepts and theories from many diverse authors. When we had our own children, we found that much of the theories were not workable because of the differences in context plus some of them had a lack of Scriptural basis for their theories. In the Baptist seminary, I found it unhelpful to hear lecturers teach about church planting who had never planted churches, teach evangelism who had never evangelized, etc. In the end, through studying the Scriptures and testing them out in our thirty years of ministry experience, we have come out with more practical concepts and understanding of some of these areas. When they are taught, they are not taught from a position of a Scriptural theory that has been untested but from experience.

Just because one reads a book or heard someone else preach about it and one comprehends it intellectually does not mean that one has got it. The last person who should teach on a subject is one who has heard it from someone and not tested it themselves! Would you allow yourself to be operated by a surgeon who has not had actual experience? Would you allow yourself to be treated by a doctor who has never had practical experience and training? Would you allow an architect or an engineer who has no experience to build your building project? Would you trust a lawyer who has no experience to defend you on an important life and death matter? If we don't allow that in the temporal natural, why should we lower the standard when it comes to eternal things?

Many people who are inexperienced in ministry, no matter how young or old they are, have a habit of telling others what they think they know better. No doubt some of them could actually have far reaching ideas and callings but the first place to start is humility and not pride. They have no humility and that is where grace begins. On the other hand, you have those who are very experienced in life and have success in various areas of life but not in the area of ministry that they seek to be in. In these areas, again humility is required. It is sometimes even harder for the older with fixed habits and lifestyles to change than those who are young. Sometimes you have one who is experienced in those areas but their past methods and lifestyles no longer can serve the present generation and they will no longer succeed until they humble themselves and learn the new Spirit-way to reach the present generation.

What is the fastest way to progress in fivefold ministry? The first and foremost quality is humility. For without humility nothing else matters. The entire ministry is by ministry grace which comes as one is humble before God and before man (1 Peter 5:5-6). Without the grace of God there is no ministry. And grace comes only by humility before man and at the throne of God. If one has to choose between a very capable man or woman without humility and the grace of God and a half capable man or woman who is humble, choose the humble one. For in humility, they will grow and learn better than the one with pride. Money cannot buy ministry, intellect cannot buy ministry and all humans and organizations cannot make one a minister. Ministry comes from God and God alone but even if one is called into ministry, one will never be recognized until one is humble and serving.

It is important not only to teach what one should not be but also what one should be. Progression in ministry can be accelerated in the following ways:

1. All ministry is based on love. Unless one is established in love and the motivation is love, the foundation is wrong. We are not just concerned about ministry performance (although that is important as a measuring yardstick for organizational evaluation) but about the eternal reward and the quality of a ministry. The quality of a ministry is always measured by the level of the love of Christ that is flowing through the individual and the standard of Scriptural dependence used.

2. Humility is a key requirement. Without humility nothing else can be received. A person has reached their plateau and going downhill when pride fills their heart and mind. Part of the ministry training is mentoring; pride prevents a person from being mentored and trained by others.

3. Character comes through experience. There is no other way to gain character except through tribulation, perseverance than character (Romans 5:3). You can feel the power of the cross in the words and life of a person who has been through tribulation from one who has not. Every one of us has our cross to bear but many people run from their own cross and still seek to be a disciple and minister of Christ. There is always the cross before the resurrection power is demonstrated. Also it has to be the right type of experience. Some experiences make people more bitter, hurt, resentful and this hinders future ministry. Once in Malaysia, Ps Teoh and I tried to help a senior minister by giving him an opportunity to minister and pastor in a church with all the support that we could give both material and spiritual. Every time the minister stood up at the pulpit to speak hurt and bitterness would come out no matter what topic is covered. Sadly, we had to let this minister go as he could no longer be anointed by God unless he overcame his own internal hurts from his bad experiences. Another good minister I know whom we tried to help in Malaysia also was given the opportunity to preach. Every time he preached he always judged others and criticized from the pulpit. We had to stand him down after several chances were given because he had too much anger and unforgiveness towards others which was coming out through his preaching. In the end, he died prematurely and never saw his ministry took off. No one can help you if you do not want to grow in love. The only thing that should come forth from our lives at all times whether it be in an informal one to one fellowship or small gathering or at the pulpit is love, peace and joy and the pure Word of God. People should feel that they have been deeply loved by God after every word we speak. Yes, even when we do corrective teaching, it is always done in love and humility (1 Timothy 5:1; 2 Timothy 2:24-25). For any correction given that is not done in love and humility is done only out of pride and self-recognition or superiority; and it will destroy rather than build up the person being corrected.

It is important that we differentiate between what we know and what we are; what we think we know and what we truly know; who we are and not just what we think we are. Our character speaks louder than words. People will not receive our words if we do not have the character that backs up our words.

And heaven measures us not by what we know but who we are. Heaven measures us by our heart's love for people and not our mind's knowledge of things. The best place to always be anywhere in the world in any profession is to be humble. Seek to be the most humble person on earth and you will be the greatest person on earth in the sight of God.

Being is better than knowing for being includes knowing but knowing does not always include being. To be completes the knowing and knowing is only the first of many processes towards being. Our lives are an epistle which others read better than our words.

Be disciples. Be loving. Be humble.

In Christ Jesus


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主題: 神最看重的事

經文: 申命記34章


第一小段 http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/11/974633/What%20God%20Esteems%20the%20Most%20Part%201-5_Sep%2020%202009.mp3

第二小段 http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/11/974633/What%20God%20Esteems%20the%20Most%20Part%202-5_Sep%2020%202009.mp3

第三小段 http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/11/974633/What%20God%20Esteems%20the%20Most%20Part%203-5_Sep%2020%202009.mp3

第四小段 http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/11/974633/What%20God%20Esteems%20the%20Most%20Part%204-5_Sep%2020%202009.mp3

第五小段 http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/11/974633/What%20God%20Esteems%20the%20Most%20Part%205-5_Sep%2020%202009.mp3


備註: 講以利亞那段說神為自己留下「四千人」未曾向巴力屈膝的數目不小心講錯了, 應該是「七千人」(王上19:18)! 除此之外, 還有俄巴底藏在山洞一百名耶和華的先知沒有被耶洗別發現(王上18:4).


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元若藍 - 愛x無限大 (有夠笨舞蹈)
     [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTvpSK37BrQ&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6]

超可愛吧!  Wink




Article taken from Fatherly Talk

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The Loveliness of Every Soul in God's Eyes

Dearly Beloved

In order to comprehend the width, length, depth and height of God's love we need to be able to see through God's eyes and heart. All our ability to love has been limited by our experiences in this life (from foetus to adulthood). Until and unless we break free from our own experiential limitations, we will never be able to fully comprehend God's love.

God is the Father and Creator of all life, all souls and all spirit beings. There is a tenderness that one has when one is the source and creator of life. A tiny, tiny measure is seen in the sacrificial love that parents have for their children. In the eyes of many mothers, the most wicked criminal if it were their own son still has some qualities worth redeeming. The ability of parents and lovers to see good in their object of love is beyond comprehension. In the eyes of God, every human soul has some good qualities and beauty yet unlocked. For God has seen the end of all evil in our future and thus dare to allow evil to exist alongside good. We humans find it difficult to keep a loving attitude towards the most hideous of human monsters who show evil in their lives especially when they destroy millions of others. Yet God alone can see some good there that He still would have sent His son if they were the only ones left in the world.

God loved us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8). We were not just sinners, we were enemies in the sight of God (Romans 5:10). We were evil and sinners in His sight, yet He loved us! Many of us cannot understand this unconditional love of God in the same way that Jonah did not understand God's love and mercy. The Assyrians were the most wicked and evil of all the people who had conquered Jerusalem. Some of their deeds according to historians were the skinning and flaying of people while still alive, killing of babies and children, pregnant women pierced alive with the sword, and various other methods of evil and torture that are not even imaginable in our modern days. Their wickedness came right up to the throne of God (Jonah 1:2). Yet God sent Jonah to warn them and when they responded to Jonah's preaching and repented, God forgave them. Jonah hated them so much that he did not take delight in God's pardoning them and God had to teach Jonah through a plant (Jonah chapter 4). Many of us would have been displeased with God and even angry like Jonah was (Jonah 4:1). This is how we feel towards all those evil people in our recent history. Jonah would rather die than see them forgiven by God (Jonah 4:3).

Many Christians feel what they call righteous indignation such that some extreme ones have even advocated taking the law into their own hands. Foolish ones, how can they make a right with two wrongs? Others advocate that the law severely punish and remove such dirt life from the face of the earth. Now I do realize that this imperfect planet needs the law and a system of good government that deals severely with lawlessness in proportion to its wickedness (Romans 13:1-7). It is only right that for society and civilization to exist and grow to its height, the evil and the lawless must be dealt with and put away. Such principles are righteous and right and even applied in the Spiritual World where God banishes and imprisons spirits that disobey (2 Peter 2:4; Jude v6). However, there is a big difference between God meting out judgment and humans judging. With God His anger is only on the surface to show His displeasure but His heart is always full of love. With humans, the anger is deep within (sometimes the only force felt) and most of the time there is a complete absence of love.

Judgment in condemnation and vengeance is NOT our right. We are told not to judge and that vengeance is the Lord's (Matthew 7:1-3; Romans 12:19). This is not referring to judgment of things, teachings and prophecy (1 Corinthians 2:15; 14:29; Philippians 1:9), it is referring to judging and condemning another human being eternally. For everyone makes judgment in life and situations in order to make the right decisions. We judge things, situations, doctrine, practices, etc. but not people. Only God has the right to judge people eternally. Those who work as judges or magistrates would have to do their jobs righteously but none of them are eternal judges. Only Christ is the eternal judge of finality (Acts 17:31). Even an earthly judge, being human, can feel disgust or some anger at the crimes, evil and lawlessness that they judged but then at the end of the day, they must not judge based on their feelings, they must judge based on the law without fear or favour. Feelings of anger at other humans can be real but we must never let the sun go down on our anger (Ephesians 4:26). This both means never to let the anger become our attribute but to let it pass quickly before the day is out. Our attribute should always be love, love and love.

Love feels disgust at sin and evil and even anger but love is not the natural attribute feeling for us. Neither is God's anger and hatred of evil His attribute. Jesus loved righteousness and hated lawlessness (Hebrews 1:9). Yet, the attribute of Jesus is never hate, only love, love and love. The great difference between humans and God is that humans completely lose their love for those who are evil in their midst. God never loses His ability to feel and show love to those who are bad and evil. The Lord Jesus Himself showed great love to Judas even when He knew that He was dishonest and going to betray Him. And if the Lord Jesus had not kept loving Saul who was kicking at Him by persecuting His disciples, we would not have the story of Paul the apostle. Stephen, filled with love, prayed that Saul and the others responsible for his death would be pardoned (Acts 7:60). Stephen was so full of love that they saw the glory of God on Stephen for his face shone like an angel (Acts 6:15). Stephen saw the glory of God and was experiencing 2 Corinthians 3:18 (Acts 7:55).

It is only natural for us to feel hatred towards evil and disgust at wickedness for we were made to only see beauty in righteousness and holiness. It is however not right for us to feel such feelings to the entire abolition of all feelings of love towards any creature of God. Should the feelings become part of our attribute, then we have actually allowed ourselves to become imperfect. How could God keep having love for all His creation even in the midst of such terrible evil and wickedness?

1. God can see the potential while all of us have given up.

2. God still feels ownership over His creation while we are totally divorced from evil.

3. God knows the future and will keep on reaching towards His creation until all is perfected.

4. God's love has no end but ours have an ending.

5. God's love is unconditional while ours is conditional.

We must raise our ability to love to the level of God. We must acquire the ability to see beauty where all is ashes, to see good where all is evil, to see love where all is hate. Only then can we love as God loves. Also what we are able to see is limited by who we are. A covetous person will notice others who are covetous. A greedy person will see greed in others. A proud person will see only pride in others. What we noticed most in others are the things that we secretly treasure in ourselves. Also what we hate within us is also that which we tend to see and hate in others for love and hate are closely linked in its ability to attract the similar things within us. What do we love? What do we hate? We become conscious of what we love or hate. Negative emotions are as powerful in its ability to manifest as is positive emotions. What we like in ourselves, we will also like in others; what we love, we will love in others; and what we hate, we will hate in others. Our very ability to love and relate to others is equal to the same ability that we have relating to ourselves. We are limited by our very own selves and not by God. Thus we must cast aside all these limitations that grow into our lives through the natural mind and flesh and take on the limitless quality of the Spirit of God.

How can we be perfect and loving like God unless we also find the power of love within us even when we are drowned with raw emotions of hate towards sin and wickedness? Never ever let the sin, evil and imperfection in others around you rob you of the ability to keep a loving attitude towards them. Instead let love always be your default attribute. Then will we be perfect like our Heavenly Father is perfect. We must seek to find good where there is only evil, love where there is only hatred and joy where there is only pain and suffering. The day we can discover these, then are we on our way to becoming more like God. Never ever, ever, ever let hate, bitterness, disgust and all such negative feelings become a part of our natural and default attribute. To do so is to have lost the greatest battle for personal transformation.

If God's love is even in the lowest hell, surely we can experience His love anywhere else in this present life no matter how bad it seems (Romans 8:38-39). Look for love and you will find it. Look for beauty in others and you will see it. Look for attachment to them by love and you will feel the love that God feels for them. Every soul who has come to this earth is lovely in the sight of God. Even one of them would have been worth more than the whole world (Mark 8:36). They are all precious to God. God still feels connected to each soul in the same way that we all will always feel connected to our physical body. We would not cut of our own hands or our own legs, thus God would not cut off His love to all those of His creation no matter how imperfect they seem to be.
Let us feel and see this unconditional love that God perpetually has with His own creation. God is patient, kind, longsuffering, joyful – all the attributes of love. He feels this love intensely towards each one of us as much as He feels it towards all His creation. We need to grow in our intensity of God's love. Let there never be a moment when love does not breakthrough.

Keep meditating on the purest and final display of love in Christ. Meditate on the supreme picture of love – Christ at Calvary. May we be able to love every single human on the earth without reservation and unconditionally. Be discerning in your love but always know that the glory of God, the power of God and the wealth of God flows only through the pathways of love.

In Christ Jesus
(繼續閱讀...)

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《Christian Apologetics Series》

The Case for the Bible


The Case for the Bible - Part 1 (Youth Service) 1-3
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/8/22/180382/The%20Case%20for%20the%20Bible%20Part%201%201-3__Youth%20Service%202009_08_30.mp3

The Case for the Bible - Part 1 (Youth Service) 2-3
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/8/22/180382/The%20Case%20for%20the%20Bible%20Part%201%202-3__Youth%20Service%202009_08_30.mp3

The Case for the Bible - Part 1 (Youth Service) 3-3
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/8/22/180382/The%20Case%20for%20the%20Bible%20Part%201%203-3__Youth%20Service%202009_08_30.mp3


*Note: I inadvertently said that the earliest biblical book was written 1,500 years ago, but what I meant was 1,500-year is the time-span in which the Bible was written. So since the latest biblical book is written towards the close of the first century, it's 1,500 years before that, which makes the earliest biblical book around 1,500 B.C. Some scholars date it even earlier, and believe that the Book of Job was written between 1,900 - 1,700 B.C. In any case, these much older dates just make it more amazing of the harmony and continuity of the uniqueness of the Bible.   : )


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「即使祂不再垂聽我任何一個祈禱，我也要愛祂到永永遠遠。」