I went for an evangelistic concert by a Hong Kong pastor early this month. His name is Ps. Enoch Lam, and he is super hilarious, yet convincing in all his points. God bless him.
At one point of his preaching, he shared with us about his experience when he was having a trip in Canada. Being used to the very fast paced Hong Kong lifestyle, it was uncomfortable for him while he was in Canada.
He said, in Hong Kong everything is about speed. Putting it in the Malaysian scenario of a parent and child would probably sound like this: faster go and sleep; faster wake up; faster do your homework; faster come and have dinner; faster go and take bath... FASTER!!! And when you are at the traffic light junction, the moment it turns green the cars will start honking.
But in Canada everything is slow! And he emphasized it: slooooow... Why? He said it's because the people there have little to do and have no concern about anything. They have all the time in the world and could afford to go on a 4 hour drive just to see maples. That's like going to KL just to see the Twin Towers and come back to Ipoh. And the service at coffee shops are so slow that he said they would be bankrupted if it was in Hong Kong.
In another incident, he was going to catch a flight and was late to reach the airport. So he goes to check in at the counter and pesters the person to check him in quick. And he goes, "Faster please, my flight number is xxxxxx." points to his watch, "Faster please." But the officer said to him, "Don't worry!" (high pitched and in a rather sing-song way) points to the bunch of people standing behind the pastor, "they are all with the same flight number as you." It took him a long while to get checked in and go on board. He hurried to his seat and settled down quickly, but then the air stewardess announced, "Don't worry!" (also high pitched and in a rather sing-song way) "Delay!"
Revelation: sometimes we keep wishing things would go on a faster pace -- shorter queues, let it be quickly my turn to pay, drive faster and no traffic jam, faster finish my work so I can go home early... the list is never-ending. But the faster you wished it would go, the slower it would: long queues, hold ups at the cashier, traffic jams, last minute assignments, DELAY!
Nowadays we don't have the patience to wait for anything. Everything has to be fast, but that's how we end up choosing the lesser things. We can't wait, so we go for fast food, instant noodles, faster services are better, faster workers are more efficient; so we suffer from diseases related with bad eating habits, shorter tempers, shorter attention span, less effective workers -- we have no patience.
I'm at a period of time where I'm experiencing having to wait for almost everything, literally. Wait for the LRT, wait for the people to go in quickly so I can have a space to squeeze in, wait for the bus to come, wait for the newspaper to come, wait for parking, wait in the traffic jam, wait for my seat at the restaurant, wait for my turn to order food, wait for my food to come, wait in the queue to pay... And on the spiritual areas of my life: wait for God's promises to come to pass, wait for prophecies to be fulfilled, wait for the right person to come along, wait for God's guidance in career advancement... There's so much waiting involved that whenever this happens I keep thinking about this 'revelation' from Ps. Enoch, and I understood that God is training me.
He's saying, "Don't worry! (high pitched and in a rather sing-song way, I imagine) Just wait, it'll come", "Don't worry! DELAY!", "Don't worry! Just trust in Me." James 1:3-4 says "Knowing that the tesing of your faith produces patience, but let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect (mature) and complete, lacking nothing."
And again, Jesus said in Matthew 6:25-34 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."
Jesus said 'don't worry' three times in this part of the Sermon on the Mount. And just like the reason why He also always says to us "don't be afraid", "do not fear", we also need to add "don't worry" to the list of thou-shall-not's. Sometimes we don't know how not to worry when we have so many things at hand every day. In fact, we worry about almost everything, from real concerns to things that actually would never happen!
Jesus offers us the solution:
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me."
God, I believe in You. Sometimes I really don't know what I should do or how my future will unfold, but I trust in You. I trust in Your Word. I'm holding on to You; I'm never letting go. Because You've not and will never let go of me.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
神是爱
（第一次写华语的部落，希望还可以吧。。）
看了一篇朋友写的部落，很有意思，很感动。其实不是不知道她所写到圣经里的精句，只是我从来没有联想到原来是可以酱的。。。。。。
约翰一书4 章16节说道： 神爱我们的心，我们也知道也信。神就是爱。住在爱里面的，就是住在神里面，神也住在他里面。
神就是爱。很简单的四个字，可是意义涵盖实在是太深、太美妙了，有时甚至是接受不了。怎么可能神那么大，那么圣洁，那么正义，但却也同时那么地爱我们这班渺小、恶行、不义的人们，赐给我们祂的一切，让我们得着永生？怎么可能让一位君王为了救赎百姓而受死？然而，祂就是如此地爱我们，神要住在我们里面。
哥林多前书 13章4 - 8节续说： 爱是恒久忍耐，又有恩慈。爱是不嫉妒。爱是不自夸。不张狂。不作害羞的事。不求自己的益处。不轻易发怒。不计算人的恶。不喜欢不义。只喜欢真理。凡事包容。凡事相信。凡事盼望。凡事忍耐。爱是永不止息。13节： 如今常存的有信，有望，有爱，这三样，其中最大的是爱。
如果说神是爱，那么把 “神”字代替“爱”就会变成： 神是恒久忍耐，又有恩慈。神是不嫉妒。神是不自夸。（神）不张狂。（神）不作害羞的事。（神）不求自己的益处。（神）不轻易发怒。（神）不计算人的恶。（神）不喜欢不义。（神）只喜欢真理。（神）凡事包容。（神）凡事相信。（神）凡事盼望。（神）凡事忍耐。神是永不止息。13节： 如今常存的有信，有望，有爱（神），这三样，其中最大的是神。
感谢主，当我们有缺陷的时候，神仍然是爱，不计算人的恶。祂虽然不喜欢不义，但祂还是包容我们、相信我们和盼望我们能返到祂的面前，能再次成为祂的喜悦。神是永不止息，祂不会缺乏权威和力量，祂不会失败。
神是爱。从一开始已经是爱你了。打从你我都还没出世时祂也已经爱你了。到天荒地老祂的爱也不会变质，不会熄灭。
朋友，如果你在看这一篇，不要犹豫，不要质疑祂的爱。约翰 3章16 节说： “神爱世人，甚至将祂的独生子，赐给他们，叫一切信祂的，不至灭亡，反得永生。” 约翰一书也说： “神差他独生子到世间来，使我们借着他得生，神爱我们的心，在此就显明了。”
让祂的爱充满你的心吧。邀请祂进入你的心吧。透过以下祷告你就可接受祂的爱了：
上帝啊，我需要袮。我承认我是一个罪人，我现在愿意打开心门接受耶稣，作我的救主和生命的主。感谢袮为我的罪受死，并从死里复活，赦免了我的罪。求袮引领我一生，掌管我的生命。奉主耶稣的名祷告，阿门。
耶稣爱你。
看了一篇朋友写的部落，很有意思，很感动。其实不是不知道她所写到圣经里的精句，只是我从来没有联想到原来是可以酱的。。。。。。
约翰一书4 章16节说道： 神爱我们的心，我们也知道也信。神就是爱。住在爱里面的，就是住在神里面，神也住在他里面。神就是爱。很简单的四个字，可是意义涵盖实在是太深、太美妙了，有时甚至是接受不了。怎么可能神那么大，那么圣洁，那么正义，但却也同时那么地爱我们这班渺小、恶行、不义的人们，赐给我们祂的一切，让我们得着永生？怎么可能让一位君王为了救赎百姓而受死？然而，祂就是如此地爱我们，神要住在我们里面。
哥林多前书 13章4 - 8节续说： 爱是恒久忍耐，又有恩慈。爱是不嫉妒。爱是不自夸。不张狂。不作害羞的事。不求自己的益处。不轻易发怒。不计算人的恶。不喜欢不义。只喜欢真理。凡事包容。凡事相信。凡事盼望。凡事忍耐。爱是永不止息。13节： 如今常存的有信，有望，有爱，这三样，其中最大的是爱。
如果说神是爱，那么把 “神”字代替“爱”就会变成： 神是恒久忍耐，又有恩慈。神是不嫉妒。神是不自夸。（神）不张狂。（神）不作害羞的事。（神）不求自己的益处。（神）不轻易发怒。（神）不计算人的恶。（神）不喜欢不义。（神）只喜欢真理。（神）凡事包容。（神）凡事相信。（神）凡事盼望。（神）凡事忍耐。神是永不止息。13节： 如今常存的有信，有望，有爱（神），这三样，其中最大的是神。
感谢主，当我们有缺陷的时候，神仍然是爱，不计算人的恶。祂虽然不喜欢不义，但祂还是包容我们、相信我们和盼望我们能返到祂的面前，能再次成为祂的喜悦。神是永不止息，祂不会缺乏权威和力量，祂不会失败。
神是爱。从一开始已经是爱你了。打从你我都还没出世时祂也已经爱你了。到天荒地老祂的爱也不会变质，不会熄灭。
朋友，如果你在看这一篇，不要犹豫，不要质疑祂的爱。约翰 3章16 节说： “神爱世人，甚至将祂的独生子，赐给他们，叫一切信祂的，不至灭亡，反得永生。” 约翰一书也说： “神差他独生子到世间来，使我们借着他得生，神爱我们的心，在此就显明了。”
让祂的爱充满你的心吧。邀请祂进入你的心吧。透过以下祷告你就可接受祂的爱了：
上帝啊，我需要袮。我承认我是一个罪人，我现在愿意打开心门接受耶稣，作我的救主和生命的主。感谢袮为我的罪受死，并从死里复活，赦免了我的罪。求袮引领我一生，掌管我的生命。奉主耶稣的名祷告，阿门。
耶稣爱你。
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Blessed 2009
It's been another year, a year of great and awesome blessings if you choose to look at the good things that had happened and give thanks to the Lord; but it was also a year of ups and downs, challenges and difficult times. Praise God, I'm still right here, at where I am, whole and well, more blessed than a lot of people in the world. Hallelujah!
Someone once said a statement that took me quite a while to fully understand and agree with it, but I finally did. It was about Fact and Truth. Both can be true, 100%, without bias, but it's what you choose to believe and put your faith on that really matters.
The FACT is, the economy is bad. Market is slow and dwindling downwards. Recession hits the shore and will be more evident than ever in less than 3 months' time. Job security wavers. Money shrinks and devalues. This will eventually lead to social instability.
But the TRUTH is, God's promises are real and will never be slow to materialise. He is the Provider and is unlimited. In Him there is no lack, no poverty. In Him there is security and peace. He is in control.
Hence, I will rejoice. Bless the Lord, O my soul, bless His holy name! Because of His faithfulness and loving kindness. Because He gives a promise and He remembers it. And simply because He is God.
It has been a year of learning, of struggling, of humbling, equipping, waiting... It has been a year full of transitions and of letting go to acquire the new. It has been a year that challenges for commitment and decisions made from the heart. I've not seen another rainbow, though for the past months I have been silently praying in my heart that God would show it again. When the going gets tough and I really just want to give it all up, doubt sets in and faith doesn't rise up, His grace is sufficient for me and His strength is made perfect in my weakness. His promise is the same, and I want to remember it, I want to know that it is a surety of His goodness, and I believe that He is the Beginner and Finisher of my faith. He has begun this good work in me, and He shall bring it to completion.
I'm moving into a new phase, a new stage of development. I can feel it in my spirit that I'm in for something great that the Lord would enable me to do it. But I've got to take the first step of forgetting the old to acquire the new. Isaiah 43:18 -19 says: "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
And after putting away the old, this is what Apostle Paul urged us to do in Philippians 3:13-15 "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you."
Year 2009 shall be a year of action, not stagnation. It shall be a year of looking unto Jesus, who beckons us to step out of the boat into the storm to where He stands with open arms, ready to embrace us as we trust Him to walk on raging seas. It shall be a year of rejoicing in the Lord, praying unceasingly and giving thanks to Him with supplication. May His peace that surpasses all understanding guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, as we brace ourselves to face it all.
So come what may, I have Jesus!
Someone once said a statement that took me quite a while to fully understand and agree with it, but I finally did. It was about Fact and Truth. Both can be true, 100%, without bias, but it's what you choose to believe and put your faith on that really matters.
The FACT is, the economy is bad. Market is slow and dwindling downwards. Recession hits the shore and will be more evident than ever in less than 3 months' time. Job security wavers. Money shrinks and devalues. This will eventually lead to social instability.
But the TRUTH is, God's promises are real and will never be slow to materialise. He is the Provider and is unlimited. In Him there is no lack, no poverty. In Him there is security and peace. He is in control.
Hence, I will rejoice. Bless the Lord, O my soul, bless His holy name! Because of His faithfulness and loving kindness. Because He gives a promise and He remembers it. And simply because He is God.
It has been a year of learning, of struggling, of humbling, equipping, waiting... It has been a year full of transitions and of letting go to acquire the new. It has been a year that challenges for commitment and decisions made from the heart. I've not seen another rainbow, though for the past months I have been silently praying in my heart that God would show it again. When the going gets tough and I really just want to give it all up, doubt sets in and faith doesn't rise up, His grace is sufficient for me and His strength is made perfect in my weakness. His promise is the same, and I want to remember it, I want to know that it is a surety of His goodness, and I believe that He is the Beginner and Finisher of my faith. He has begun this good work in me, and He shall bring it to completion.
I'm moving into a new phase, a new stage of development. I can feel it in my spirit that I'm in for something great that the Lord would enable me to do it. But I've got to take the first step of forgetting the old to acquire the new. Isaiah 43:18 -19 says: "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
And after putting away the old, this is what Apostle Paul urged us to do in Philippians 3:13-15 "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you."
Year 2009 shall be a year of action, not stagnation. It shall be a year of looking unto Jesus, who beckons us to step out of the boat into the storm to where He stands with open arms, ready to embrace us as we trust Him to walk on raging seas. It shall be a year of rejoicing in the Lord, praying unceasingly and giving thanks to Him with supplication. May His peace that surpasses all understanding guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, as we brace ourselves to face it all.
So come what may, I have Jesus!
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