愛戀 ‧ 情曲 ‧ 神の語

Article taken from Fatherly Talk

Dearly Beloved

Of all the prayers prayed in the Bible, none in my mind occupies the most significant place as the prayer of Jesus in John 17. This prayer was prayed before Jesus went to Calvary yet it covers the whole church age and in a sense eschatologically sets in concrete the fact that one day, the church of Jesus Christ all through the ages, of every tribe and tongue, of every culture and language, of every denomination and governmental style will be one! Of course, since Jesus prayed this prayer, we can expect that it will definitely come to pass. We highlight certain portions of this prayer which is in line with our theme of God's love. Jesus prayed for the following:

1. That the unity of the believers in Him would become like the oneness of the Father, the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit (John 17:21).

2. That the glory that He had with the Father would be given to us that we may be one as He and the Father are one (John 17:22).

3. That the church would be made perfect in one, that the world may know that God sent Jesus and that God the Father loved us as much as He loved Jesus (John 17:23).

4. That we may where Jesus is and behold the glory which Jesus had before the foundation of the world (John 17:24).

5. Jesus had declared to us His name that the love with which the Father loved Jesus may be in us and Jesus in us (John 17:25).

The Scripture clearly says that we are to be made perfect in one. This oneness will come because the glory that Jesus had is given to us. It is the glory which makes us one and not our oneness that brings the glory. What is this glory? In the Old Testament, when Moses asked to see God's glory, God's glory passed by through the Lord proclaiming His mercy, graciousness, longsuffering, goodness and truth – all qualities of God's love for us (Exodus 33:18; 34:6-7). The Lord constantly affirms His love towards the Israelites (Deuteronomy 7:7-11). The New Testament is a new testament of glory, which is also a new testament of the love of God (John 1:14; 3:16). We are changed into the same image of God from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). God is love therefore the image of God is the image of perfect love, which is the image of Christ (1 John 4:8; Romans 8:29, 39). The greatest is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). It is obvious from all these Scriptures and many more, that the glory of God and the love of God are two sides of the same coin! They are the very substance from the person and presence of God. To grow in love is to grow in the glory of the Lord! When love is perfected, the glory of God would also be perfected in our life.

In Ephesians chapter 3, Paul's prayers for the growth of the spirit man began with a prayer for the inner man to be strengthened so that the presence (or glory) of Christ might be increased in us (Ephesians 3:16-17). The dwelling of Christ within us is directly related to our growth in love, culminating with the fullness of God's presence within us (Ephesians 3:17-19). There is indisputably a direct link between the love of God and the presence or glory of God. Our final transformation in this life is that the glory of God would be seen upon us (Isaiah 60:1; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Since the glory of God and the love of God are one and the same, this final transformation is also speaking about our perfection in the love of God.

What does it mean to be perfect in love (1 John 4:18)? It means that we are exactly like Him in glory and nature. When Jesus prayed that we might be one by the glory that will be revealed to us, the glory He spoke is the love of God from the foundation of the world (John 17:22, 23; Ephesians 1:4). When we are perfected in love, our heart beats with the heartbeat of God, our mind flows with the mind of Christ and our souls resonate with the compassion of Christ. We are perfectly one in Him. It is not our love but the love or glory of the Father that transforms us.

When we walk in this measure of oneness love, we will be able to demonstrate all the works of Jesus and greater works (John 14:12). We dwell in the secret place of the Most High when our hearts are set in love towards Him (Psalm 91:14). We are shown secret things which God does not show any others because of this perfection of love in Him (1 Corinthians 2:9). The love of God (the glory of God) within us would have made us accustomed to the brilliance of His light of glory and we can behold what others cannot behold. The goal in this life (for our soul) is thus to become a lover of God. Love and glory can only be received in measures and is a step by step process (2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 3:14-21). Knowing that we all are refracting different measures of love and glory directly proportional to our own inner soul transformation, we should also learn to walk only in the degree of light and love that we have received. It is possible to overstrain our physical muscles through too much exercise. It is also possible to overstrain our spiritual and soul muscles through walking beyond our faith level, beyond our love level and beyond our glory level. From glory to glory He is changing us with grace upon grace (2 Corinthians 3:18; John 1:14).

Walking in the perfect love of God is also complete freedom from consciousness of sin with just pure consciousness of God (Hebrews 10:2). The consciousness of God, of course, also includes the consciousness of His love flowing to and through us. This perfect flow is achieved by all believers at various moments in their lives. The key is not to just have it for a moment but as a life style and default consciousness. From the Spiritual point of view, we are also shining at our brightest when we are at our most loving (for the love of God and the glory of God are one and the same substance). At the peak and height of this same love and glory is also the peak and height of the greatest signs and wonders. In the book of Acts, the love of God in the Jerusalem church peaked at the point when they were one heart and one soul (Acts 4:32). Everyone was so moved by love that all things were shared in common and there was no poverty in their midst (Acts 34). It was at this height that a simple untruth caused the death of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11). The light of glory was so strong in the church in Acts that even the shadow of Peter passing by brought healing to all who came (Acts 5:15). The Scriptures also record that everyone was healed (Acts 5:16).

Understanding that the love of God and the glory of God are one is paramount to flowing in the miraculous and in signs and wonders. The more love we have, the more glory we demonstrate. Even more important from an eternal point of view, to the degree that we have been transformed into the glory of God, to that degree will be able to live closest to God in eternity. Even on earth, when our spirits and souls are filled with the glory of God, a heavenly presence will always reside around us. All demons and even Satan himself is afraid of the glory and the love of God. Perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).

Where do we begin in this walk of perfect love? We begin by loving others, including our enemies, like Jesus did. Then will we be perfect in mercy like our Heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48; Luke 6:36). Learn to love those around you and those who are in the circle of your life's path. Give love to all for that is the true path to glory. Christians who walk not in love do not understand this path and are mere believers but not disciples. By THIS shall all man know that we are disciples of Christ, that we love one another as He had loved us (John 13:34-35). There are many believers but not many disciples. The only mark of being a disciple of Christ is LOVE. Signs and wonders, power gifts, success, prosperity, provision, etc. are all side effects and not signs. The one and only mark that Jesus said that will differentiate those who are HIS DISCIPLES from those who merely believe in Him is the mark of love. Loving our neighbour is loving those who happen to be along our life's path. We do not have to traverse sea and land to demonstrate God's love to others. We do so right now by loving those who are in our immediate circle of life and then also those further out in our life's path. The Good Samaritan did not ask for nor did he looked for someone along the road to care and love; the poor man attacked by robbers happen to be along the same road he took (Luke 10:33-34). Both the Levite and the priest on that same path purposefully changed the side of the road they were walking to avoid helping the poor man (Luke 10:31-32). There are none more blind than those who will not see. For the Levite and the priest, they chose not to see or know the poor man lying along the roadway. They are a disgrace to their Levitical and priestly heritage for they are supposed to be the cream of the religious crop. Similarly, ministers and Christians are a disgrace to the Lord Jesus Christ whom they proclaim if they do not walk in the love of God. In trying to follow their ten thousand spiritual and religious commandments and rules, they neglect the most important commandment of them all – love one another as Jesus loved us.

Knowing that we grow in love and glory by degrees, Christians should not feel too discouraged if they find themselves not walking perfectly in love all the time. Be patient with yourself and others as God is patient with you and others. Yet, the desire and the urge to do so must be the strongest desire we ever feel for the pursuit of God is achieved by the pursuit to walk in love. The answer to every prayer, the key to every open door, the breakthrough moment for every area is found in one main principle – love God with all of your entire being and let His love flow through your entire being for those around you. Feel His heartbeat of love. Meditate on the love of Christ through His life as recorded in the gospels. See every breath of Jesus and every thought of Jesus as one filled with the fullness of love; for Jesus is indeed love personified. The glory of Jesus when He walked on earth was powerful because His love was powerful.

In the depths and pain of His cosmic redemption death and atonement for us on the cross, Jesus took time for a very personal matter – the taking care of His mother by the apostle John (John 19:25-26). There is always time for love whether it be to one or to an infinity of God's creation. If we don't take time to love, to grow in love and to be loving; we have missed the most important point to all of this life. Growing in love and growing in the glory of God are priorities that we must schedule our time for. We will always give time to what we deem the most important in our lives. Understand that Jesus left us one great commandment, and that is the commandment to love one another as He loved. We must take time to cultivate that into our lives and schedule, starting with those around you.

May the love of God in Christ and the glory of God from the foundation of the world be your daily experience.

In Christ's Love

第一部分:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/8/22/180382/OT%20Reading%20and%20Application%20-%20A%20Study%20of%20Deut%2015-17%20%28Aug%2023%20%2709%29%20-%20Part%201.mp3

第二部分:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/8/22/180382/OT%20Reading%20and%20Application%20-%20A%20Study%20of%20Deut%2015-17%20%28Aug%2023%20%2709%29%20-%20Part%202.mp3

第三部分:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/8/22/180382/OT%20Reading%20and%20Application%20-%20A%20Study%20of%20Deut%2015-17%20%28Aug%2023%20%2709%29%20-%20Part%203.mp3

第四部份:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/8/22/180382/OT%20Reading%20and%20Application%20-%20A%20Study%20of%20Deut%2015-17%20%28Aug%2023%20%2709%29%20-%20Part%204.mp3


網上中文聖經: http://www.glorypress.com/Devotional/Bible.asp

Article taken from Fatherly Talk 5.19


Dearly Beloved

I was meditating on the love of God throughout this week and realized that all our tears are caused by love. For example, we know that humans cry when they are sad or hurt but behind the sadness or hurt is either the parting (temporal or permanent) of a loved one or the loss of a loving relationship (rejection). Sorrow only came after the fall of mankind and will be eliminated in heaven (Genesis 3:16; Revelation 21:4). Imagine living in a world (heaven) where there is no sadness or tears. Only in perfection of love can such be possible.

We can examine scientifically the experience of sorrow but let us take some Bible examples to prove the point that all tears and sorrow are related to love (or the loss of it). There are implications of sorrow expressed in various places (eg. in the deaths of people) but we take only those where there is a direct mention of weeping or tears:

1. Hagar wept for she had just experienced rejection (partly her fault for despising her mistress) and alienation from Abraham's family plus the potential loss of her child, Ishmael, whom she loved (Genesis 21:16).
 
2. Jacob had just left his home, possibly in his mind permanently, and having experienced rejection from his brother, lifted up his voice and wept when he saw Rachel (Genesis 29:11). He must have missed his mother, Rebekah who loved him exceedingly (Genesis 25:28). Loss of love and the finding of new love in Rachel brought forth tears to Jacob.
 
3. Joseph missed the love of home and father exceedingly and asked about his father when he saw his brothers (Genesis 43:27). He had some loved for his half brothers but when he saw his brother Benjamin, his family love was stirred and he rushed into his chamber to weep (Genesis 43:30). Joseph experienced anguish of soul when he was torn away from his family and sold by his brothers (Genesis 42:21). He especially named his son Manasseh (meaning making forgetful) because it took until he had a family in Egypt for him to forget all the loss of love of his family in Canaan (Genesis 41:51). Joseph suffered the loss of family love and especially his father's favourite love over him when he was rejected and sold by his brothers; he must have cried many tears. When the possibility of love loss to at least be partially regained in his brother Benjamin, he was moved to tears. Indeed, we cry when we lose love and we cry when we find love. Love is the true reason we cry.
 
4. It is natural to cry at the loss of a loved one but when Aaron was freshly anointed for the Old Testament priesthood, he lost his sons Nadab and Abihu in one day at the temple sacrifice (Leviticus 10:1-3). Moses did not forbid Aaron from crying but he forbade him from leaving the tabernacle and joining the funeral of his sons lest he dishonoured the anointing oil upon him and died (Leviticus 10:6-7). Aaron was so sad that he and his remaining sons could not eat of the ritual sacrifices commanded of him (Leviticus 10:19). Aaron suffered the loss of love – the loss of his sons whom he loved dearly. Aaron refrained from food but in modern times some people are the opposite and turned to the love of food when they lose love. As if in a sub-conscious manner, the eating of foods they love would replace the love they lost. Aaron lost the love for and of his sons and it led to the loss of appetite for food. Sometimes people who lose love start losing the love for other things around them as well. Humans react in both extreme pendulums when they lose love – they either channel their lost love to the lost of interest in all things they loved or they subconsciously try to gain back the lost love by seeking to gain things as if they are a replacement of love lost. All the strange behaviours of human characters can be explained by these two extremes: an attempt to parallel the lost love by losing interest in all things or the opposite attempt to gain lost love by accumulating things, friends or environment to subconsciously gain back lost love or to hold to what little of love that is left, even if it is temporal things or circumstances. Humans were made to exist in an environment of love – receiving love and giving love. For that reason, any changes to this environment, whether it be a temporal loss of love or a physically permanent lost of love through the home-going of a loved one, will produce a measure of suffering and tears.
 
5. David was a man of great passion and love. Much as his own son, Absalom had tried to kill him, David still could not refrain from weeping uncontrollably when Absalom died (2 Samuel 18:33). He was in an emotionally fragile state for he had experienced the rejection of his son in his attempt to betray and overthrow David as king. He lost the love of his son and this lost of a love of a child for the parent is one of the most painful any parent (father or mother) can experienced. His son died without reconciliation and that lost of love becomes physically permanent for David. David lost the love of and from his son and it almost cost him the lost of the love of his army. In this imperfect world, we must accept our losses and continue living. Those who fail to do so become permanently disabled in their heart. There is physical disability which some people suffer from birth while others in life but such people continue on to be heroes in the eyes of God and in their own eyes and their loving families because they are wrapped in an environment of love. In society, those who overcome great physical disability and triumph over them are highly admired because they are an inspiration to others. However, such people would not have been able to do so without the loving help of others. Others are born mentally disabled and yet when placed in an environment of love are able to excel to a great extent. The worst is that of the disability of the heart of love. That is when the heart cannot accept the loss of love and drowns itself in extreme behaviour of the pendulum in rejecting all love for people and things or in settling for the shallow love of things or people. Not only will they experience the lost of love greater but they will also create new losses of love which will further damage their already crippled heart of love. Thank God, that King David was refrained from his excessive sorrow and did not suffer the further loss of the love of his loyal subjects.

Having established the understanding that all human suffering arises from the lost of love, we need to understand that when God chose to create and loved us, God also suffered each time we reject His love and walked in our own way. The heart of God was literally torn when He grieved over the state of mankind in the years before the flood (Genesis 6:6). If God could weep, the statement 『God grieved' would have been equivalent to God shedding tears. Why did God grieved? After all, if a child made plasticine toys and it broke, a child can rub it altogether and start again. How much more God the creator of the universe! God grieved purely because He loved us. When one chooses to love, one potentially puts oneself in the position where that love can be rejected (loss of love) or where that love can be responded to with love (gain of love – joy).

God did cry! Through His son, Jesus when He was manifested in the flesh. Jesus was a man of tears (Hebrews 5:7). He was also known by people as the prophet Jeremiah because He is known to shed copious tears (Matthew 16:14). When He saw Jerusalem the last time as He approached it in His final days, He lamented over the city crying 『O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who killed the prophets and stone them, how I would have gathered the children like a mother hen gathering the chickens under her wings' (Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34). In other words, how Jesus longed to hug the whole of His people in Jerusalem in spite of her rejection of His love for them. God the Father suffered because He loved us. Jesus suffered on the cross for our sin because He loved us. The Holy Spirit is grieved and suffers because He loves us.

To love is to suffer the potential of the loss of love. Yet it is better to have loved than to have never loved at all. It is the fear of rejection of love that prevents many people from walking in love towards others. Having been hurt so much, they choose to no longer love to their eternal loss. It is because of rejection that people fear to love God and trust Him with their entire lives. Having not seen unconditional love amongst humans, it is difficult for them to believe that God so love us unconditionally. Also people have wrong concepts of the nature of God, which is why they don't love God dearly. God will never and cannot ever reject you. For God is love (1 John 4:16). You cannot flee from the presence of God's love. If you ascend to the heavens, He is there and even if you make your bed in hell, He is there (Psalm 139:7-9). We must be persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). There is no way God will ever stop loving us and there is no place we can go where His love cannot reach us. It is always us who reject God's love. It is always us or other humans who separate us from God's love. It is never God but we, ourselves, things, circumstances, people, demons and the devil who separates us from the love of God. But if we choose to always respond to His love, we will find love every where. But remember this, to love is also to suffer the potential of loss of love from others but never from God. So if there is any one whom we should always keep loving, it is God. Once divinely connected to a permanent state of love in God and towards God, we will find an everlasting supply of love. For we will never suffer the loss of love from God and this truth in itself should sustain our ability to love throughout our entire lives. It should undergird every pain and suffering that we need to endure when we choose to love unconditionally.

The greatest, yes indeed, the greatest is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).

In Christ's most precious love.




F.I.R. - 後樂園
  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yN2q8fBYxQ&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00]

Article taken from Fatherly Talk 5.17


To Love One is to Love Many

Dearly Beloved

When the Lord Jesus was speaking about the two greatest commandments
(to love God and to love one's neighbour) and He had elicit the correct
answer from a learned lawyer of His time, He was asked the question as to 『who
was one's neighbour?』 Jesus answered by giving the parable of the
Good Samaritan (Luke 10:27-37). Our neighbours are those who are in our

July 12, 2009 主日信息

平衡的基督徒生活

雅各書第四章 -- http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%204;&version=50;22;49;31;45;

1. 平衡的聖潔觀– v.1-6
2. 平衡的屬靈爭戰觀– v.7-10
3. 平衡的話語能力觀 – 11-17

發展: 心 (聖潔觀)  =>  思想意念 (屬靈爭戰觀)  =>  口舌 (話語能力觀)


《平衡的聖潔觀》 – v.1-6

Mp3聲擋:
平衡的聖潔觀 檔案一
平衡的聖潔觀 檔案二
平衡的聖潔觀 檔案三
平衡的聖潔觀 檔案四
平衡的聖潔觀 檔案五

Article written by the dearly loved Ps Peter


The Commandment to Love

Dearly Beloved,

Christians do not really have the option not to walk in love as it is a commandment that Jesus Christ left with us through His disciples. Jesus said that as He had loved us, we are to love one another (John 13:34). We all know that Jesus gave His life for us on the cross, so we are supposed to be willing to die for one another in the Lord. Although there are testimonies that we hear once in a while of Christians giving their lives to another, such are so rare that one is regarded as heroic in such acts. It is suppose to be the 『norm' in Christianity! Those who have been in Christ long enough have probably their share of stories of how Christians behave like non-Christians to one another and to others. What has happened to Christianity? Why is love so lacking in many churches? There could be many reasons but perhaps we can highlight some of them:

1. We have replaced the greatest commandment to love with other priorities

In many churches today the most important thing seems to be learning how to be a success. This is the driving goal of the leadership and also instilled upon the followers. While we recognize the need of being successful both in the spiritual and the natural realm, it must never replace the greatest commandment to love one another. We need to restore the commandment of Jesus to love into its rightful place at the centre of every church and every Christian heart. We were born out from the love of God the Father, through the love of His son into a loving relationship with God and with all around us. Let us never forget that in all of religiosity and church services, the greatest commandment is and will always remain that which tells us to love God and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). This is more important than our programs and activities. If we succeed at everything else but fail in love, we fail for eternity. Love is everything in heaven and all of the spiritual realms of God. God is love (1 John 4:16).

2. We need more leaders of love to produce disciples of love

The problem with love is that it cannot just be taught but must be caught by example and experience. If God did not sent His only begotten Son to us, we would not have known that God loved us that much (John 3:16). If Jesus had not laid down His life for us while we were yet sinners, we would not have known the greatness of His love for us (Romans 5:6-7). Love must be demonstrated and not just intended and spoken (Romans 5:8). Jesus intended that His disciples would continue the lasting demonstration of God's love for others through their lives by giving us His new commandment to love (John 13:34). In fact our Lord Jesus said that it is the ONLY means and method by which everyone will know that we are His disciples (John 13:35 – By THIS shall all man know that we are His disciples!). Sadly, through two thousand years we have replaced the sign of discipleship with our other man-made creeds and doctrines. We need to return again to the original sign and method by which all will know that we are truly the disciples of Jesus – that we love like He loved. No other disciple understood the love of Jesus closely and affectionately as the apostle John. John wrote in His epistle that just as Jesus laid His life for us, we need to also be willing to lay down our lives for the brethren (1 John 3:16). Yes, beloved ones, those who received John 3:16 must continue on and practice 1st John 3:16. The world does not need more leaders, rather the world need more leaders full of the same love that Jesus had. The church does not need more apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, rather it needs more fivefold ministers filled with the same love that Jesus had. The church and the sheep will never learn to love unless the leaders themselves learn to love. We need more leaders of love rather than leaders of doctrine or faith or power. For all the doctrine, faith and power will come to nothing without the love of God (1 Corinthians 13:1-2, 13).

3. We need to see people through the eyes of God's love

The only thing preventing us loving people is that we have set in our minds those that we find hard to love an image in our mind of their ugliness of character or soul. Such images could have come from cultural prejudices, family prejudices, bad experiences or warnings from others who also have bad experiences and ugly images of such people. Those in our human mind we see some people as good, some as bad and some as ugly. We naturally find it hard to love such people because we have no relationship with such people and seek to keep it that way. Although it would be true that we cannot always work together or fellowship closely with some people because of differences of methods, beliefs or character, it should not prevent us from feeling God's love towards them in our hearts. We must always have the ability of God to be loving to all no matter who they are. True agape love is not based on who people are, it is based on who God is. Human love is based on who people are but God's love is based on His very nature and being to love – for God is love (1 John 4:16). Human love is conditional but God's love is unconditional. God did not love us only when we were good or beautiful in His sight. While we were yet sinners, God loved us and Christ died for us (Romans 5:7, 8, 10). We were ugly, sinful, even enemies of God and yet He loved us and washed us clean and made us His children. If God has loved us in such a manner, surely we cannot love anyone with any lesser standard than that by which we have been loved.  We need to love as God love and see as God sees. Don't allow your human heart and human mind stop the agape love of God from flowing through you. Open your spirit heart and let the love of God flow through you. The first thing that took place when we were born again was that the shedding and overflowing of God's love in our hearts (Romans 5:5). Let that love already placed within our heart help us to see beauty in ashes, hope in darkness and faith beyond impossibilities. Even in hell, the love of God cannot be stopped (Romans 8:38-39). The vilest creatures in hell are there not because God did not loved them, they are there because they did not receive the love of God so freely available to them. We are not able to love not because God could not love through us; rather we have shut our hearts from the love of God flowing through us (1 John 3:17).

4. Love is a commandment

Our Lord Jesus Christ did not suggest that we love one another; knowing our infirmities of human frailties, He made love a commandment (John 13:34-35). Like a loving Father who dispenses necessary medicine to a dying sick child (where the medicine does not taste nice), the Father commands that the medicine of love be continually dispensed because He knows that it is the only way for the child to be healed and whole. Likewise Jesus, knowing our natural dislike of people who are not good to us or ugly in character in our sight and our ease of not walking in unconditional love, placed before us a commandment to love one another the way He had loved us. The only other option is to walk in disobedience and not to love others. We have a choice to obey or to disobey and nothing in between. Everyone who does not walk in love is walking in disobedience! It is a commandment! Walking in love will bring all the blessings of the law because walking in love keeps every commandment of the Old Testament that produces the conditions for health, wealth and spiritual life (Deuteronomy 28:1-2; Romans 13:8-10). Christ has paid all the penalty of the law in order that His grace of blessings might come upon us (Romans 5:17; Galatians 3:14-15). The method by which all the blessings of Christ is received is through faith (Romans 4:16; 5:1). Yet why do so many Christians not receive all these blessings? Such blessings are not automatic; they are conditioned upon faith being energized by love (Galatians 5:6). God cannot force us to love Him nor can He force us to love one another. Love cannot be coerced. We must by free choice choose to love God and love one another! God can provide the power, the means and the method to enable us to love but we must choose to love. He does not rob us of the free choice to choose. God did provide us with the power to love for He has shed (Greek word – poured) His love into our hearts (Romans 5:5). God did provide the means to love, for He has given His Holy Spirit to empower us to love (Romans 5:5 – by the Holy Spirit given to us). God has provided us the method to love for He has given us all of us ministries and gifts by which we can serve and love one another (Ephesians 4:15-16).

Yes, all the ministries of God and every office and service of God available in the Body of Christ was purely given as a method by which we could expressed our life's destiny in love towards God and others! They were not given that we might lord over one another but that we might live and die for one another (Matthew 20:25; Mark 10:42; Luke 22:25; 1 John 3:16). When the disciples fought with each other to be at the right hand of God and to be greater over one another, Jesus clearly stated that He Himself came not to be served but rather to serve and to give His life to others (Matthew 20:28). Sadly in our modern churches, ministries and offices have become positions of pride and pomp rather than that of servitude. We have become no better than the Pharisees who used their religious positions to better themselves and to enrich themselves. Woe to those who devour widows houses, exploit the poor, deceive the sheep and are lovers of money rather than lovers of God and people (Matthew 23:13-29; Luke 16:14). Jesus condemned all such to hell (Matthew 23:33). Those who neglect the love of God and true love towards all are neglecting the most important foundational and fundamental principle of Christianity. The greatest and most important of all the commandments of Jesus. Anyone who does not walk in love walks in darkness (1 John 3:14). The apostle John even went as far as to say that such do not even have eternal life in them (1 John 3:15). Not everyone who comes and say 『Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven for Jesus said that they have not done the Will of the Father (Matthew 7:21). The Will of God the Father and the Will of Jesus our Lord is that we love God and love one another. Anyone who says that they love God and does not love another is a liar for one who loves God truly love one another (1 John 4:20-21).

Beloved, let us love one another for love is of God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7).

In His love.


王若琳 Joanna Wang - I Love You （陶喆「愛很簡單」英文版）
  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfiE82FJwEw&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b]

經文: 尼希米記6章


合神心意的禱告 Part 1
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/8/22/180382/Prayer%20Part%201%202009_05_03.mp3

合神心意的禱告 Part 2
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/8/22/180382/Prayer%20Part%202%202009_05_03.mp3


大綱:

1. 禱告的動機 -- 神的愛

2. 禱告的策略 -- 神的策略

3. 禱告的安息 -- 神的榮耀


相關網誌:
天堂的花草會唱歌

Article taken from: http://charismamag.com/index.php/fire-in-my-bones/20146-are-you-ready-for-a-holy-ghost-building-inspection

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Are You Ready for a Holy Ghost Building Inspection?

Article taken from: http://charismamag.com/index.php/fire-in-my-bones/19934-reclaiming-genuine-apostolic-anointing?utm_source=MailingList&utm_medium=email&utm_content=spiritword%40gmail.com&utm_campaign=FIMB+3-3-09

Reclaiming Genuine Apostolic Anointing

[Excerpt from Prosperity Through Grace]



Since ALL blessings have been given in Christ in the New Testament through the finished work of Christ, our motivation and goals are no longer for this world or for mammon. We are told not to love the world or the things of the world for if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). This means that we seek to live a sanctified life free of selfishness.

1. Living a daily sanctified life implies a letting go of any worldly motivation in our daily lives. Our motivation and methods are not like that of the world (Mark 10:42-43; Matthew 6:32; 1 John 4:14-17).

這一陣子拜訪了許多教會, 和近四十位不同宗派背景和個性的教會牧者和領袖交流, 真的學到很多東西. 有浸信會, 門諾會, 門諾弟兄會, 宣道會, 聖靈更新(傳統教會一般稱之靈恩派), 聖潔教會, 播道會, 信義會, 聖公會, 改革宗, 和無宗派的, 包括聚會型式很傳統或很現代的都有.

發現的好事是, 有些教會越來越不願把自己歸類成某個宗派, 或不會刻意去強調, 也對其他不同正統福音神學背景的教會接納度越來越寬. 當然還是有些教會很注重派系背景, 對其他教派保持中立的態度. 少數的還是會有非常反對其他宗派的教會.

在和他們討論時, 我發現絕大部分他們對其他派系的認識, 都是很片面的. 要不是聽某某人說過, 然後這個某某人又是聽某某人說的, 然後他們所聽見看見的又是侷限在某個單一教會和某次單一聚會, 而不是普及性及參考過許多教會後得到的認知. 這不是要怪任何人, 當然平常大家都很忙, 不會有閒時間到處去拜訪教會調查訪問, 特別是牧師. 而是心態上保持一個客觀的立場很重要. 大部分的牧者都是這樣, 這是好現象, 健康的心態. 不要認為今天遇見了一位很差的醫生或服務生, 就認為全天下的醫生都很沒醫德, 或是服務生態度都很爛. 不要去了一個不同地點國家遇到一些事就認為那個國家就是那樣. 當然, 有時也許事實就是如同所猜想的, 但有時也許不是. 如果事實不是如我們所認為的, 或甚至是相反的, 那不就誤會大了? 不知道就說不知道, 不確定就說不確定. 也不要太早認為所確定的就是絕對的, 時時作調整, 這才是真智慧, 真謙卑. 當然不同的環境會有某些一般的傾向, 但不先入為主和一概而論是很重要的.

經過在主愛裡的交流, 其實很多偏見或刻版印象都能排開. 很多其實都是誤會, 或是非常片面的認識, 甚至是錯誤的消息. 我曾在所謂的靈恩/五旬派教會服事過, 也在傳統教會服事過, 也在介於福音派和靈恩派的教會服事過. 平常喜歡和不同宗派背景的弟兄姊妹接觸, 發現神學理念可以不同, 但生命和愛才是最重要的. 其實真的客觀想想, 儘管有那麼多的派別, 但最終彼此的相同地方不是要比不一樣的地方多太多了嗎? 相信同一位天父上帝, 服事同一位主耶穌, 相信都需要聖靈的能力來生活服事, 因信稱義, 造就門徒, 傳福音, 還有神對世人的大愛, 要彼此扶持相愛等等. 神只有一個教會.

心最重要. 不要隨便批評. 不了解不知道其他宗派就別先定論, 知道多少說多少, 不要誇大, 不要鄙視. 需要謹慎, 卻不要有瞧不起別人的心態. 高傲和自卑其實是一體兩面的, 都是以自我為中心的不健康比較心態. 因為有很強烈的比較心態, 比別人好時就驕傲, 比別人不好時就自卑. 那比較的標準大多是很世俗的. 這種心態的背後其實是因為不認識自己真正的價值, 不認識神的真理. 如果一隻狗今天真的知道自己是一條狗, 牠不需要別人告訴牠牠是狗才是隻狗. 一個人真的認識自己是神尊貴的兒女, 他的價值就不在於別人的眼光或批評, 他不需要以世界的眼光比別人「好」才有價值, 所以不需要自卑. 擁有比較多恩賜時也知道一切都是天父賜的, 是恩典, 是要拿來帶著僕人心態服事別人, 而不是拿來炫燿或甚至自以為很了不起. 當然知易行難, 在社會現實衝擊下, 不容易總是行在真理中. 但這樣的挑戰, 才會帶來生命真正的更新, 而不是理性上膚淺的了解. 這樣頭腦知道卻力不從心的感覺才會讓一個人學習什麼叫完全的倚靠神, 完全的交托, 完全的降服, 和完全的破碎. 這樣才會帶來完全的愛和憐憫, 一個實質生命蛻變成基督的樣式. 原來神的愛, 總是讓我們驚艷. 只有神的愛, 能真正叫我們甘心的打從心裡的改變突破.

Note: God has mandated me with a vision to prepare the Bride of Christ,
to make Her ready as the most beautiful and glorious Bride for the
Bridegroom, “not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that
She should be holy and without blemish” (Eph 5:22-32; Rev 19:7). In
order to heal the wounded Bride, we need to first know where the major
blemishes are. Despite the immaturity of the Church in general, we
shall one day see a glorious Church as promised by God, full of His
pure love and power.

Christianity and Culture

        Although
it is beyond the scope of this paper to treat the subject of worldview and culture
exhaustively, this essay will provide key concepts from the biblical perspective
and attempt to form a Christian worldview on the topic. It will begin with the
definition and notion of culture, followed by a biblical critique. The bulk of
the content will argue for a proper Scriptural position of culture and its
applications thereof. This paper will conclude with a recapitulation at the
end. My thesis statement is that in relation to culture, regardless of any

Biblical Philosophy of Missions

        In
terms of religious connotation, the English word “missions” is simply defined
as “organized missionary work” in common Christendom and secular understanding.[1]
It came from the Latin word mittere,
which means “to send,” or “to send off.”[2]
The word “missions,” or its singular form “mission,” appears only a few times
in most English translations of the Bible, and not once was the term used in
the definition given here.[3]

        The primary source of this critical review is Robert E. Coleman’s The Master Plan of Evangelism.[1] Dr. Coleman is the Distinguished Professor of Evangelism and Discipleship at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. Prior to this, he was the Director of the School of World Mission and Evangelism at Trinity International University, and also served as the Ministry Associate of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He discussed in this book the principles and methods in which Jesus employed in His plan of world evangelism. Coleman argued that the basic means that the Son of God Himself used was through concentrated and purposeful discipleship. Jesus ministered to the multitudes and received whosoever was willing to follow Him, but He predominantly gave attention to the twelve apostles. He stayed with the chosen Twelve almost twenty-four hours a day, and taught them through His deeds and words incessantly (Mark 3:14). He spent increasingly more time with them in His second and final year of earthly ministry. During the period between His resurrection and ascension, He particularly appeared to the Twelve and instructed them things pertaining to the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:1-3). Clearly, His method of conquering the world with the Gospel message was through focused and carefully planned discipleship. As expected from the Master’s strategy, these relatively few individuals not only, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God, birthed the church and perpetuated the Evangel that their Master had begun to preach, but also caused the turning of the entire known world upside down in less than a century (Acts 17:6). In like manner, therefore, Coleman exhorted churches and believers today to mimic Jesus and the early church’s approach to evangelism, for this is Christ’s way of building His church as laid out in the Scriptures. In this brilliant written presentation, Coleman has revealed the underlying principles of biblical evangelism—the way it was done by the Master and His disciples in the early church.

        The subject of evangelism will always be relevant and important in all ages. Coleman engaged in this writing because of the lack of teaching material on this crucial topic, as well as hoping to bring encouragement and light to those who experienced evangelistic frustrations thereof.[2] It is a fact that many churches and Christians have laboured vigorously without seeing much long-term spiritual fruit that last. Surely it is not supposed to be like that if they have followed the way of the Lord. Hence, in an attempt to outline the way Jesus evangelized, Coleman has observed eight guiding principles from the life of Jesus: 1. Selection 2. Association 3. Consecration 4. Impartation 5. Demonstration 6. Delegation 7. Supervision 8. Reproduction. The assumptions and logics of the author’s position seem to be firmly grounded on the inspired texts of the Gospels, as well as other New and Old Testament passages. Therefore, the “scriptural accounts of Jesus constitute our best, and only inerrant, Textbook on Evangelism.”[3] In the selection of disciples, the author argued that “people” were the Master’s method, as His concern was not with “programs to reach the multitudes, but with men whom the multitudes would follow.”[4] Men and women who are willing to learn, teachable, and have a sincere hunger for God are the instruments that He uses to transform the world (Luke 9:23). Moreover, Jesus chose a certain number of disciples whom He would spend most of His time with, namely the Twelve. He even spent an entire night sleepless praying and discerning God’s specific choice of the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12-16). From among the Twelve, there are three that related closer to Jesus: Peter, James, and John (Mark 5:37; 9:2; 14:33). Out of these three, John seemed to be the closest to His Master (John 13:23-24). The principle Jesus practiced here is that of concentrated discipleship. While not neglecting the masses, the priority of discipleship must be given to the relatively few. This is merely the sensible method of training and not partiality; it will not cause significant problems if carried out in the right spirit and manner. Since growing takes time, this process will be slow and tedious—sometimes the impact will only be evident from eternity’s perspective. However, the result will be glorious and it is the means in which our Master had proven effective.

        In Association, the primary way Jesus brought up His close disciples was by staying and living with them (Mark 3:14). Coleman argued persuasively that Jesus “actually spent more time with His disciples than with everybody else in the world put together.”[5] The system of occasional school-like equipping classes will be far from sufficient. Rather, the principle is to be like spiritual parents or older siblings to personally nurture the spiritual young. The principle of spiritual family fostering being true (1 Tim 5:1; 1 John 2), it inevitably implies the spiritually mature spending good quality time with those being trained in a constant and tender way. Moreover, this nurturing must not be by compulsion but willingly, and by being examples to the flock (1 Pet 5:3). In Consecration, the disciples needed to be obedient to Jesus. To obey is to learn. In order to be fit vessels of the Kingdom, the disciples needed to take up their cross and follow Jesus daily and pay the price. Although love starts from the heart, the ultimate proof and perfection of love must be evidenced by one’s actions in line with what he/she says in time (John 14:15, 21, 23, 24; 15:10, 12). Coleman has put it well: “no one can ever be a leader until first he has learned to follow a leader.”[6] Furthermore, the leadership style in the Kingdom of God must be that of genuine servanthood (Matt 23:11).

        Jesus imparted to them. He gave Himself to them entirely by His own will, including His life (John 10:17). In this Jesus showed them God’s kind of love and gave it unto them freely and readily. Coleman’s statement was taken right from the Bible: “Love—Calvary love—was the standard. Just as they had seen for three years, the disciples were to give themselves in selfless devotion to those whom the Father loved and for whom their Master died… love is the only way to win the free response of men”[7] (John 17:23; 1 John 4:19). In addition to imparting His life to them, Jesus demonstrated both how to live and how Kingdom businesses are accomplished. His deep prayer life triggered the disciples to ask Him how to pray. The Master’s thorough understanding and application of the Old Testament Scriptures were foundational to His life and ministry. As Jesus served both the crowds and individuals in proclaiming the Good News, healing the brokenhearted, recovery of the sick, deliverance of the demon-oppressed, and providing for the needy, He showed them how the work is done. As Coleman described aptly: