“He giveth quietness.” (Job 34:29)
The quietness Lord brings is truly unique. It’s not just the absence of ambient noise; it’s not presented as beautiful background music. Rather, it’s the quietness after the winds and the waves cease, after huge troubles are resolved, or after the times when everything seems hopeless. It’s the quietness of peacefulness, it’s the quietness of hope, and it’s the quietness of God’s grace. This type of quietness can hardly be felt when joy is abundant, when excitement is everywhere, and visions are unlimited, and instead, it’s often felt when we feel like dead, and yet re-live again.
God provides us this kind of quietness from time to time; He would take away everything He gave us that would keep us away from this amazing gift. He wants us to be isolated from all secular matters and truly experience this sense of satiety – heart saturated with His glory, His almighty – in the time and space of quietness He created.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
T: 080130
今天說到, 父神經常用聖靈來更新我們. 事實上, 我們只要信了基督, 我們就已經被更新過一次. (哥林多後書 5:17 若有人在基督裡, 他就是新造的人, 舊事已過, 都變成新的了)
我們可能從原本的version 1.0 更新到 1.1...但是這不夠的. 我們人就像一台電腦, 隨時需要擔心自己被一些小bug攻擊, 更嚴重的是受到那病毒似的撒旦攻擊. 我們需要天天更新我們的病毒碼, 更新自己的程式, 讓我們每一天, 都把自己交給我們的主人, 好更新自己.
書上又講, 時輟時續, 也是不夠的. 去年回到台灣, 我因為要補習, 禮拜天不能去教會. 我那時知道補習要犧牲很多, 可是我不想犧牲掉我的信仰. 原本想絕對不要give up的東西, 不知不覺中, 被忙碌的課程充斥著, 心中那股熾熱感, 漸漸消失, 我很忙碌, 朋友也很多, 表面上雖忙碌充實, 但內心總覺得少了一些東西. 我晚上睡覺, 禱告的時候會不知不覺的哭出來...我知道, 我的內心是空虛的, 我無助. 我信, 可是我沒有更新我自己, 沒有靠近神, 我的內心漸漸乾涸. 就像書上講的, 我還是為主做工, 只是我已經缺乏了朝氣. 我是很被動的尋求主. 但很奇妙的, 主,總不放棄我, 有時候, 竟可以在補習班, 聽到老師講耶穌的事情, 或者是提到聖經的話語. 即使只有一瞬間, 我感受到上帝在呼喚我, 告訴我, 祂還是與我同在.
感謝主, 在去年, 我又漸漸找回我那股熾熱感. 心中這把火, 不想讓它熄滅, 就是要每天照顧, 讓它越燒越大, 能降這股火傳給別人. 有時候, 內心的感動真的是不可言喻的. 主的愛, 何等的偉大, 我們不配, 但他總是一次又一次的找回我們. 父神給我們的應許, 經由露水給我們力量, 使我們深深的紮入恆久的愛根, 努力綻放追隨耶穌的花, 以及發出芬芳的福音.
我們可能從原本的version 1.0 更新到 1.1...但是這不夠的. 我們人就像一台電腦, 隨時需要擔心自己被一些小bug攻擊, 更嚴重的是受到那病毒似的撒旦攻擊. 我們需要天天更新我們的病毒碼, 更新自己的程式, 讓我們每一天, 都把自己交給我們的主人, 好更新自己.
書上又講, 時輟時續, 也是不夠的. 去年回到台灣, 我因為要補習, 禮拜天不能去教會. 我那時知道補習要犧牲很多, 可是我不想犧牲掉我的信仰. 原本想絕對不要give up的東西, 不知不覺中, 被忙碌的課程充斥著, 心中那股熾熱感, 漸漸消失, 我很忙碌, 朋友也很多, 表面上雖忙碌充實, 但內心總覺得少了一些東西. 我晚上睡覺, 禱告的時候會不知不覺的哭出來...我知道, 我的內心是空虛的, 我無助. 我信, 可是我沒有更新我自己, 沒有靠近神, 我的內心漸漸乾涸. 就像書上講的, 我還是為主做工, 只是我已經缺乏了朝氣. 我是很被動的尋求主. 但很奇妙的, 主,總不放棄我, 有時候, 竟可以在補習班, 聽到老師講耶穌的事情, 或者是提到聖經的話語. 即使只有一瞬間, 我感受到上帝在呼喚我, 告訴我, 祂還是與我同在.
感謝主, 在去年, 我又漸漸找回我那股熾熱感. 心中這把火, 不想讓它熄滅, 就是要每天照顧, 讓它越燒越大, 能降這股火傳給別人. 有時候, 內心的感動真的是不可言喻的. 主的愛, 何等的偉大, 我們不配, 但他總是一次又一次的找回我們. 父神給我們的應許, 經由露水給我們力量, 使我們深深的紮入恆久的愛根, 努力綻放追隨耶穌的花, 以及發出芬芳的福音.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
J: 080130
“I will be as the dew unto Israel.” (Hosea 14:5)
This is exactly what my problem was during the past few years serving God.
The Dew is the most clear, sweetest, and most refreshing source of water; its formation occurs when the world is calm, when “the wind ceases and the temperature falls”. No wonder God uses this creation of His to symbolize “spiritual refreshing”.
As I mentioned, I was blinded by the sole mission of serving God in the committee for the past 4 years. I always wanted to get the things done fast, seemingly complete. I always wanted to get as many tasks as possible at church so that I’d fulfilled my duties. Last year, I was the chairperson of C&C. It was my first time being a leader of a group. I knew all along since the beginning it was my calling to fill in that position; however, “my calling” was where the problem was. I wanted to handle everything by myself because I thought the whole thing was my calling, the whole C&C was my responsibility. What I didn’t seem to realize was that I was merely one man; I couldn’t just do everything myself, my way and neither could I just neglect everyone else and sit in my own boat, my own comfort zone. Consequently, many flaws and disharmony began to surface within the committee. I began to lose my grip of “my calling”. And yet, I hardly asked for God’s help, for God’s touch, for my spiritual refreshing. My devotional aspect of life was nearly none, I never opened bible during my own times; I never read any devotional readings. I even barely prayed except before each meal… my spirit was “drooping” for lack of the Dew.However, God saw all that; God walked my struggles with me. So He gave me this new direction – being a spiritual committee member. He wants me to be the spiritual leader not because I am good at it, but I can learn the most from it.
At the calmest, quietest time of the day when “the wind ceases and the temperature falls,” I long for the spiritual Dew from God as I m traveling this journey of life; so that everyday, I’ll be saturated with His presence, and then I’ll be able to go forth to my next duty with the “conscious freshness and vigor of Christ.”
This is exactly what my problem was during the past few years serving God.
The Dew is the most clear, sweetest, and most refreshing source of water; its formation occurs when the world is calm, when “the wind ceases and the temperature falls”. No wonder God uses this creation of His to symbolize “spiritual refreshing”.
As I mentioned, I was blinded by the sole mission of serving God in the committee for the past 4 years. I always wanted to get the things done fast, seemingly complete. I always wanted to get as many tasks as possible at church so that I’d fulfilled my duties. Last year, I was the chairperson of C&C. It was my first time being a leader of a group. I knew all along since the beginning it was my calling to fill in that position; however, “my calling” was where the problem was. I wanted to handle everything by myself because I thought the whole thing was my calling, the whole C&C was my responsibility. What I didn’t seem to realize was that I was merely one man; I couldn’t just do everything myself, my way and neither could I just neglect everyone else and sit in my own boat, my own comfort zone. Consequently, many flaws and disharmony began to surface within the committee. I began to lose my grip of “my calling”. And yet, I hardly asked for God’s help, for God’s touch, for my spiritual refreshing. My devotional aspect of life was nearly none, I never opened bible during my own times; I never read any devotional readings. I even barely prayed except before each meal… my spirit was “drooping” for lack of the Dew.However, God saw all that; God walked my struggles with me. So He gave me this new direction – being a spiritual committee member. He wants me to be the spiritual leader not because I am good at it, but I can learn the most from it.
At the calmest, quietest time of the day when “the wind ceases and the temperature falls,” I long for the spiritual Dew from God as I m traveling this journey of life; so that everyday, I’ll be saturated with His presence, and then I’ll be able to go forth to my next duty with the “conscious freshness and vigor of Christ.”
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
T: 080129
神如果在那城當中, 就必不動搖
我把城想成我自己的身體, 城也可以是教會, 是家庭...可以是很多東西
假使上帝不與我們同在, 我們的城必定動搖, 不得安寧, 成日活在憂慮當中...
有了上帝, 我們甚麼都不用怕.
這不是我們可以誇口說, 我信上帝我得永生的...
或只是單單去教會, 敬拜讚美主
我們真的有讓上帝完全的進駐我們的心嗎?
我永遠記得這故事...我也與CNC分享過
有個人, 他有一間大房子..裡面有好多個房間..他覺得能做這間房子的主人, 是非常值得驕傲的.
有一天晚上, 有個人來敲門, 這主人一開, 看到是耶穌...馬上歡迎耶穌的到來, 並給了耶穌最大最漂亮的房間. 主耶穌就住進了那房間.
過不久, 又有人在敲門, 主人一開, 看到是撒旦...非常驚恐, 而撒旦一直搶要強入這房子, 這主人一直與撒旦打鬥.
打鬥過程, 耶穌跑來問主人 需要他的幫助嗎? 主人說: 請你告訴我怎麼做.
耶穌回答: 只要讓我當這房子的主人就好了.
這屋主馬上回答: 沒關係, 我才是這房子的主人, 我還可以應付.
後來主人好不容易打贏撒旦, and ended the night there.
第二天晚上, 撒旦又來, 這次來勢更兇猛, 耶穌再次的offer His help, 可是這屋主還是覺得他可以應付...因此拒絕的耶穌的好心
日復一日, 撒旦每晚都會來, 屋主已經漸漸應付不下去...
耶穌再次的offer His help, 這次屋主抵擋不住了, 求耶穌幫助他.
耶穌問他: 你願意讓我當這房子的主人嗎?
屋主馬上回答: 我願意, 我願意.
隔天晚上, 撒旦再次來襲, 猛烈的撞門, 屋主害怕的躲在耶穌身後, 耶穌出去開門.
撒旦一看是耶穌, 馬上說: "對不起, 我走錯房子了." 語畢, 撒旦就消失, 從此不見撒旦的蹤影.
這故事很發人省思, 我們只把心的一個小角落讓給上帝住是不夠的. 上帝要完全的住進, 要成為我們的主人, 我們才是得到真正的平安.
有時候, 我們覺得有一些小事情, 我們自己解決就可以了, 上帝只有"重要時刻"再尋求幫助就好. 殊不知, 很多事情都可以從小開始發酵, 導致一些大事情的發生. 往往我們看漏的東西, 自以為不重要的step, 其實都是上帝要我們看的. 而我們卻忽略了這些重要性, 傻啊...我們是渺小的人類, 而上帝是全能的, 無所不知, 無所不在的. 我們應凡事以祂為重, 依靠祂, 我們必不致走失.
我想, 我以後不管甚麼大小事情, 都應該要ask God, and let God decide for me. 因為只有上帝, 才知道甚麼東西是我們真正的需要, 只有上帝才真正的了解我們. 只有祂能領導我們這些迷失的, 沉醉於世俗的羊, 走出那花花世界, 得享真正的安息.
今天的reflection, 很短...很白話...打那故事的時間就花了大半去...哈哈..(乾笑) 感覺好沒營養喔
我把城想成我自己的身體, 城也可以是教會, 是家庭...可以是很多東西
假使上帝不與我們同在, 我們的城必定動搖, 不得安寧, 成日活在憂慮當中...
有了上帝, 我們甚麼都不用怕.
這不是我們可以誇口說, 我信上帝我得永生的...
或只是單單去教會, 敬拜讚美主
我們真的有讓上帝完全的進駐我們的心嗎?
我永遠記得這故事...我也與CNC分享過
有個人, 他有一間大房子..裡面有好多個房間..他覺得能做這間房子的主人, 是非常值得驕傲的.
有一天晚上, 有個人來敲門, 這主人一開, 看到是耶穌...馬上歡迎耶穌的到來, 並給了耶穌最大最漂亮的房間. 主耶穌就住進了那房間.
過不久, 又有人在敲門, 主人一開, 看到是撒旦...非常驚恐, 而撒旦一直搶要強入這房子, 這主人一直與撒旦打鬥.
打鬥過程, 耶穌跑來問主人 需要他的幫助嗎? 主人說: 請你告訴我怎麼做.
耶穌回答: 只要讓我當這房子的主人就好了.
這屋主馬上回答: 沒關係, 我才是這房子的主人, 我還可以應付.
後來主人好不容易打贏撒旦, and ended the night there.
第二天晚上, 撒旦又來, 這次來勢更兇猛, 耶穌再次的offer His help, 可是這屋主還是覺得他可以應付...因此拒絕的耶穌的好心
日復一日, 撒旦每晚都會來, 屋主已經漸漸應付不下去...
耶穌再次的offer His help, 這次屋主抵擋不住了, 求耶穌幫助他.
耶穌問他: 你願意讓我當這房子的主人嗎?
屋主馬上回答: 我願意, 我願意.
隔天晚上, 撒旦再次來襲, 猛烈的撞門, 屋主害怕的躲在耶穌身後, 耶穌出去開門.
撒旦一看是耶穌, 馬上說: "對不起, 我走錯房子了." 語畢, 撒旦就消失, 從此不見撒旦的蹤影.
這故事很發人省思, 我們只把心的一個小角落讓給上帝住是不夠的. 上帝要完全的住進, 要成為我們的主人, 我們才是得到真正的平安.
有時候, 我們覺得有一些小事情, 我們自己解決就可以了, 上帝只有"重要時刻"再尋求幫助就好. 殊不知, 很多事情都可以從小開始發酵, 導致一些大事情的發生. 往往我們看漏的東西, 自以為不重要的step, 其實都是上帝要我們看的. 而我們卻忽略了這些重要性, 傻啊...我們是渺小的人類, 而上帝是全能的, 無所不知, 無所不在的. 我們應凡事以祂為重, 依靠祂, 我們必不致走失.
我想, 我以後不管甚麼大小事情, 都應該要ask God, and let God decide for me. 因為只有上帝, 才知道甚麼東西是我們真正的需要, 只有上帝才真正的了解我們. 只有祂能領導我們這些迷失的, 沉醉於世俗的羊, 走出那花花世界, 得享真正的安息.
今天的reflection, 很短...很白話...打那故事的時間就花了大半去...哈哈..(乾笑) 感覺好沒營養喔
J: 080129
“So we will not be afraid, even if the earth is shaken and mountains fall into the ocean depths; even if the seas roar and rage, and the hills are shaken by the violence…. God is in that city, and it will never be destroyed; at early dawn he will come to its aid.” (Psalm 46:2, 3, 5)
God Is with Us. We “shall not be moved”, as the author said, it is an incredible declaration of faith. Most of the time, I still can’t even imagine myself having such strong faith in God. I always wonder, why do I doubt? Why do I hesitate? I have been a “church goer” all my life, and yet I sometimes have so little faith as if God is just… an option. (…man…I so need forgiveness right now….>”<)
How could I let God enter my heart, and stay in it? How can I hear Jesus’s knock on the door?
What I just start doing today is a good beginning, I believe. When the surroundings are still and quiet, I close my eyes, put my hands together and start. I thank and praise God for watching over me and people around me through the day, for granting me amazing family, amazing friends, amazing brothers and sisters in Christ. I thank God for bringing me back to Him at the end of a busy time. I ask God for forgiveness, for all the sins I’ve done, for all the foul thoughts I have thought of, for all the things I should’ve done and didn’t… for everything unjust through God’s eyes. I then ask God to open my heart and prepare me for the daily devotion. And then, I open the book.
Praying is a powerful way to communicate with God. Prayer can be the means by which God has access to adjust our heartstring, as if a violin is tuned by “the Touch of Master’s Hands”. :) With no doubt, praying is the time when we can completely rely ourselves on God; it’s the time when we “shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever.” When our minds go vacillating like leaves, praying calms us down. When everything seemed to be against us and destroying us during the day, praying to God makes us rigid and indestructible, and able to welcome tomorrow with open arms.
There's a big difference between just thinking something and praying it to God. Prayer has a direction, the direction towards which we are hoping God will point us. I’ve realized, once AGAIN, how important praying is to not only a true Christian, but also a “churchgoer”.
God Is with Us. We “shall not be moved”, as the author said, it is an incredible declaration of faith. Most of the time, I still can’t even imagine myself having such strong faith in God. I always wonder, why do I doubt? Why do I hesitate? I have been a “church goer” all my life, and yet I sometimes have so little faith as if God is just… an option. (…man…I so need forgiveness right now….>”<)
How could I let God enter my heart, and stay in it? How can I hear Jesus’s knock on the door?
What I just start doing today is a good beginning, I believe. When the surroundings are still and quiet, I close my eyes, put my hands together and start. I thank and praise God for watching over me and people around me through the day, for granting me amazing family, amazing friends, amazing brothers and sisters in Christ. I thank God for bringing me back to Him at the end of a busy time. I ask God for forgiveness, for all the sins I’ve done, for all the foul thoughts I have thought of, for all the things I should’ve done and didn’t… for everything unjust through God’s eyes. I then ask God to open my heart and prepare me for the daily devotion. And then, I open the book.
Praying is a powerful way to communicate with God. Prayer can be the means by which God has access to adjust our heartstring, as if a violin is tuned by “the Touch of Master’s Hands”. :) With no doubt, praying is the time when we can completely rely ourselves on God; it’s the time when we “shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever.” When our minds go vacillating like leaves, praying calms us down. When everything seemed to be against us and destroying us during the day, praying to God makes us rigid and indestructible, and able to welcome tomorrow with open arms.
There's a big difference between just thinking something and praying it to God. Prayer has a direction, the direction towards which we are hoping God will point us. I’ve realized, once AGAIN, how important praying is to not only a true Christian, but also a “churchgoer”.
Monday, January 28, 2008
T: 080128
Today's reading is from 哥林多後書 11章2節
我為你們起的憤恨,原是神那樣的憤恨.
Ok...我必須承認, 我一開始讀這篇的時候, 就卡在今天的金句上面. 憤恨...好強烈的字眼..不懂
也去讀了Contemp English version: I am jealous for you, just as God is.
所以我跑去查解經書
以下做節錄:
〔文意註解〕「我為你們起的憤恨，原是神那樣的憤恨，」『憤恨』在原文是指因愛而不能容忍對方不正常光景的嫉妒，故可稱作『妒愛』；『神那樣的憤恨』按原文是『神的妒愛』。保羅所無法忍受的不是他被哥林多信徒捨棄，而是他們中間有些人受了假師傅的迷惑，以致丟棄了對基督該有的純潔信心，令他為神起了一種又愛又妒的感覺。那是不是也可以解釋作, 因為即使我們有時候離棄了神, 相信了那些假使徒, 而上帝依然愛我們才導致保羅對我們有這樣的嫉妒?! (這個可能要去問一下)
但白話一點來講, 就是上帝很愛我們.
其實神跟我們的關係是很personal的. 就像很多音樂人, 基本上他們不能容許別人碰他們心愛的樂器. 如果我們一直跟神保持心靈相通, 保持良好的關係, 我們自然不會背棄神...詛咒神...
沒有一個樂器, 是可以在不被調整的狀態下, 發出天籟悅耳的聲音. 而相對的, 要發出美好的聲音, 我們是要忍受那痛苦的調整過程.
有時候, 我們怠惰使我們的心弦鬆弛...
有時候, 我們感到痛苦因為那心弦被其他的事情索綁住..
我相信, 只要經由我們發出的聲音, 不管是多麼微小, 上帝都會聽到...
祂會來幫我們調整...使我們發出悅耳的聲音.
今天的內容, 使我想到在2006年, 讀書會放的一首歌
The Touch of the Master's Hand
http://www.atthewell.com/touch/touch_low.wma
It was battered and scarred,http://www.atthewell.com/touch/touch_low.wma
And the auctioneer thought ithardly worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,but he held it up with a smile."What am I bid, good people", he cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?""One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes it three?""Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,"
But, No,
From the room far back a gray bearded manCame forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violinAnd tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet
As sweet as the angel sings.The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,Said"What now am I bid for this old violin?"As he held it aloft with its' bow.
"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"
"Two thousand, Who makes it three?""Three thousand once, three thousand twice,Going and gone", said he.
The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,"We just don't understand."
"What changed its' worth?"Swift came the reply."The Touch of the Masters Hand."
And many a man with life out of tune
All battered and scarred with sin
Is auctioned cheap to a thankless world
Is auctioned cheap to a thankless world
Much like that old violin.
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice,
He is going and almost gone.But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Masters' Hand.
不要忘記了, 我們始終是上帝寶貝的那隻琴
我們不一定要每天貼啊
有感動才要貼~~~~
盡力就好 不要有壓力囉
我們不一定要每天貼啊
有感動才要貼~~~~
盡力就好 不要有壓力囉
J: 080128
I am having difficulty writing reflections on today’s reading…hmmm… every sentence I thought of was as if I were repeating myself from the previous entries…
Due to watching Nodame, the analogy used by the author easily caught my eye… well, anything musical would have caught my eye… :P… we are truly like musical instruments. We tend to go off-tune as the strings become loose overtime. 神的話語就像那調音師一樣, 時時刻刻的再調整我們的弦~
“悲哀與快樂, 誰也不能做分別的選擇, 兩者, 都必須有體念…沒有非常的痛苦, 就沒有非常的福氣, 對痛苦麻痺的心靈, 對福分也不會敏感.”As we often say 一體有兩面. Joy and woe appear to be the two sides of God’s grace.
We wouldn’t know the taste of happiness if we never tasted the bitterness, and vice versa; only by experiencing both tastes can we appreciate God’s grace.
Yeah…Im running out of inspiration….
“Dear Heavenly Father, please give Teri the power to inspire me with her reflection~ :)and please also continue to fill me with your teaching, your will, your vision so that I can reflect Your Words onto my life every moment, everyday.May you also watch over my family, and my friends, comfort them if they are weeping, help them if they are struggling, and inspire them if they are … not so inspired…:PWe put everything in your hands, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”
Due to watching Nodame, the analogy used by the author easily caught my eye… well, anything musical would have caught my eye… :P… we are truly like musical instruments. We tend to go off-tune as the strings become loose overtime. 神的話語就像那調音師一樣, 時時刻刻的再調整我們的弦~
“悲哀與快樂, 誰也不能做分別的選擇, 兩者, 都必須有體念…沒有非常的痛苦, 就沒有非常的福氣, 對痛苦麻痺的心靈, 對福分也不會敏感.”As we often say 一體有兩面. Joy and woe appear to be the two sides of God’s grace.
We wouldn’t know the taste of happiness if we never tasted the bitterness, and vice versa; only by experiencing both tastes can we appreciate God’s grace.
Yeah…Im running out of inspiration….
“Dear Heavenly Father, please give Teri the power to inspire me with her reflection~ :)and please also continue to fill me with your teaching, your will, your vision so that I can reflect Your Words onto my life every moment, everyday.May you also watch over my family, and my friends, comfort them if they are weeping, help them if they are struggling, and inspire them if they are … not so inspired…:PWe put everything in your hands, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”
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