华文原版：
刚刚看了《锵锵！三人行》谈海啸觉得他们谈到了三大重点， 这里做个简介：
1。 这一次的海啸破灭了“人定胜天”的狂想。
不知从几何时，人开始有这个“征服大自然”/“控制大自然”的想法。这个事件完完全全提醒了我们，大自然不是我们的宠物，任由我们摆布。我们应有的想法应该是这样和大自然和睦相处，知道与时并进，尊尊敬敬的使用它，谋生。
2。 海啸时间破灭了“自私往上爬/自我”的心理。
叙述了一个故事：一对夫妇，海啸冲进来的时候还睡在床上。丈夫把妻子推到屋顶，自己没机会爬上就被海水冲走。妻子觉得没了丈夫，活着也没意思，所以决定跳 下去和她丈夫一起死。侥幸的，妻子捉到双人床褥，丈夫捉到双人床褥的木板。它们不停的对对方互相喊鼓励。妻子还拉了三个人一起上床褥，丈夫也救了一个生患 者。在那事件时，所有人的财产也被淹没了，只剩一毛几块的。他们也毫无顾忌的，我借你一毛打电话给你的家人，你给我几口水喝，同舟共济，不分你我。在这时 刻，人放下了自我，*神的光芒才显现出来。
3。 圣经叙述的世界末日真的有可能吗？
在这个事件，虽然只局限于南亚地区，但也显示了全球性的灾难降临的可能性。试想想，才一个印度海洋的地震就有这么大的灾害，为什么不会有可能全球性的灾难 呢？在那个时候，谁又能抵得过呢？在那个时候，也只能把自己抛在真神的面前，抛弃所有自尊，跪地求饶，而这也是最好的假设。要是没这个机会，或者早已入土 了，又或者神降临的太快，你根本没机会，你觉得这时凭你各人功德，真的能够站立在神圣、真神面前吗？
*《三人行》里头，是说所显现了“人性本善”的真理，但从圣经里，我们已经知道了人性是本恶的。不信明天去下办公室，看看真的社会有没有给你“人情”。
English version:
Just watched SCV's Channel 50, Pheonix TV's "3-way Conversation" which revolves around the recent tsunami incident. They discussed 3 main points which are summarized below:
1. The tsunami incident broke the mindset of human technology overcoming nature.
It is not apparant when this mindset starts but people had always have this ambition to conquer/control nature. This natural disaster is a rude awakening that nature is not our toy, to be manipulated according to our whims and fancies. What our focus should be on is living in harmony with nature, to work in accordance with its rhythm, to use it respectfully for our daily living.
2. The tsunami helped us to overcome our innate selfishness.
This is a true story: A couple was still sleeping on their bed when the tsunami swept into their room. The husband pushed his wife to the rooftop but he himself was swept away by the waves before he had a chance to climb up. The wife, feeling that life is meaningless if her husband is dead decided to jump back down to join her husband in death. Blessedly, the wife got onto a double-bed mattress while her husband caught onto a driftwood belonging to the same double bed. They continually shouted encouragement to each other throughout the whole ordeal. The wife was still able to pull 3 more people to safety on the mattress while the husband managed to save one more life. In that same disaster, every material possession was swept away or destroyed, only leaving a dollar here, some spare change there in total. Yet without a second thought, somebody would lend you ten cents to call home, while another party would give some water, everyone sharing freely whatever they had. At this moment, it was only when men threw away their selfish pride was God's glory revealed.
3. Judgement Day, as stated in the bible became a real possibility.
Even though this disaster was only restricted to the south asian region, but it fearfully showed the possibility of a worldwide calamity. Think about it, just an earthquake in the Indian Ocean had caused such great devastation, isn't a worldwide destruction a real possibility? When that moment arises, who can stand against it? We can only throw aside our stupid pride and entrust ourselves into the hands of the true and living God to beg for mercy - and this is only the best assumption. If we are not given this mercy by God, or if we are already dead, or even if God descends too fast - you just simply did not have a chance to beg Him for mercy, do you really think, based on your own good works, your personal morality, you really are able to stand in front of the true, holy God?
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
The Worth of a person / 人本身的价值
We normally judge our own self-worth at any point in time by the surrounding circumstances.
In the merger of the 2 media companies, Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao termed the artistes who had been retrenched as 'the rapidity of the fall from being Singapore's darlings to joining the unemployment ranks...'. This underscores how society deemed the real worth of a person by the fortune, fame and occupation of the person at the point of seeing a person.
If that is the case, do we then judge Mr Sim Wong Hoo, CEO of Creative Technology, as worthless, a parasite of society during the 1980s when he's desperately broke and trying to do research on a shoe-string budget for his company?
Should the real worth of a person be judged in this way?
But look at the worth of each individual in God's sight:
- John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
- 1 John 4:4 "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."
- Isaiah 44:2 "he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you"
- Ephesians 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her"
The worth of each individual is priceless in God's sight, it is covenantally true no matter our current economic status, whether our human relationships failed/betrayed us, whether we are ugly or sick... God loves us no matter how we look and how many times we have failed Him, simply taking us as we are, seeing us as lovable through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Have you taken hold of God's love for you today?
In the merger of the 2 media companies, Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao termed the artistes who had been retrenched as 'the rapidity of the fall from being Singapore's darlings to joining the unemployment ranks...'. This underscores how society deemed the real worth of a person by the fortune, fame and occupation of the person at the point of seeing a person.
If that is the case, do we then judge Mr Sim Wong Hoo, CEO of Creative Technology, as worthless, a parasite of society during the 1980s when he's desperately broke and trying to do research on a shoe-string budget for his company?
Should the real worth of a person be judged in this way?
But look at the worth of each individual in God's sight:
- John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
- 1 John 4:4 "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."
- Isaiah 44:2 "he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you"
- Ephesians 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her"
The worth of each individual is priceless in God's sight, it is covenantally true no matter our current economic status, whether our human relationships failed/betrayed us, whether we are ugly or sick... God loves us no matter how we look and how many times we have failed Him, simply taking us as we are, seeing us as lovable through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Have you taken hold of God's love for you today?
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
A Fresh Perspective on Christianity / 基督教全新一观
Original English version:
Taken from the back cover of my copy of 'Mere Christianity' by C.S Lewis:
".... Mere Christianity....a radical faith whose adherents might be likened to an underground group gathering in a war zone, a place where evil seems to have the upper hand, to hear messages of hope from the other side." - Kathleen Norris
From Book 2, Chapter 2 - The Invasion, Page 45
"Christianity agrees ... that this universe is at war. But it does not think this is a war between independent powers. It thinks it is a civil war, a rebellion, and that we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel.
Enemy-occupied territory - that is what this world is, Christianiy is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. When you go to church, you are really listening-in to the secret wireless from our friends...."
华语翻译：
C.S Lewis, ‘基督教的根基’ 书后版第一段叙：
“。。。基督教的根基。。。一个极端信仰：他的使徒就像一个在打仗期间的地下组织，在一个邪恶以经占上风的局面，聆听另一方希望的信息。”
第二书，二章 - 侵略，45篇 :
“基督教认同。。。这宇宙是在打仗。但它不是两独立、权力均衡的实力的拔河。是内仗、反叛，而我们就居住在反贼统治的地区。
这世界-就是敌人统治的地区，基督教是叙述真正帝王的降临，你能说是侨装降临，传呼我们参与他的行动。教会福音，其实是听从益友机密无线的音信。。。"
Taken from the back cover of my copy of 'Mere Christianity' by C.S Lewis:
".... Mere Christianity....a radical faith whose adherents might be likened to an underground group gathering in a war zone, a place where evil seems to have the upper hand, to hear messages of hope from the other side." - Kathleen Norris
From Book 2, Chapter 2 - The Invasion, Page 45
"Christianity agrees ... that this universe is at war. But it does not think this is a war between independent powers. It thinks it is a civil war, a rebellion, and that we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel.
Enemy-occupied territory - that is what this world is, Christianiy is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. When you go to church, you are really listening-in to the secret wireless from our friends...."
华语翻译：
C.S Lewis, ‘基督教的根基’ 书后版第一段叙：
“。。。基督教的根基。。。一个极端信仰：他的使徒就像一个在打仗期间的地下组织，在一个邪恶以经占上风的局面，聆听另一方希望的信息。”
第二书，二章 - 侵略，45篇 :
“基督教认同。。。这宇宙是在打仗。但它不是两独立、权力均衡的实力的拔河。是内仗、反叛，而我们就居住在反贼统治的地区。
这世界-就是敌人统治的地区，基督教是叙述真正帝王的降临，你能说是侨装降临，传呼我们参与他的行动。教会福音，其实是听从益友机密无线的音信。。。"
Pitfalls of Romantic Love / 男女爱情的绊脚石
English version:
I am starting to see why it is worthless labour when bringing a person who is romantically attracted to you to hear the word of God being preached.
Their number one priority in coming to your church is to have time with you. Thus he is oblivious to EVERYTHING that happens in between the conversation the two of you have had. Even the simplest things simply pass right over his head.
I know so because on asking for feedback once after a sermon, his answer gave me the feeling he simply have had no clue of what was spoken except in very general terms.
So will I continue bringing people who are romantically attracted to me to our church? I think so although it will not be my priority. Who knows what the Holy Spirit can wrought in his heart by listening to the word of God preached simply and fearlessly? It is my previlege to just pray for him as well as others around me that God will soften their hearts and have the gift of eternal life accepted. I can only pray that I may be used for His glory, and not to force others to come to Him because that is not His will.
If you have great tips on how you were used successfully for evangelism, do let me know by replying with your comments.
Have a great day!
华文版：
开始觉得带对自己有特别意思的朋友来教会听神的话语是在浪费我的精力。
他们来教会的第一目的是和你相伴。因此他们对周遭的事务全然不知 - 只把精神放在你们的谈话。就连最基本，小孩子都知道的沟通都一耳进，一耳出，完全没放在心里。
这点我明确的知道因当我问他听完传道后的感想，他只能以非常肤浅的词应变我的问题。
我会带对我有意思的人来教会吗？如果有机会，这不会是我的焦点，但是肯定的。想想看，普通人能够猜想圣灵的操作吗？谁会知完整、简单的福音会有着 样的回应 呢？为人祷告，祈求神对罪人施恩，能得永生是我的恩惠。我只能祈求我能被神用于他的荣耀，不能强求人来他跟前，因这不是他的旨意。
如你有好的传道建议，请在这板上留言让我知道。
愿你有快乐的一天！
I am starting to see why it is worthless labour when bringing a person who is romantically attracted to you to hear the word of God being preached.
Their number one priority in coming to your church is to have time with you. Thus he is oblivious to EVERYTHING that happens in between the conversation the two of you have had. Even the simplest things simply pass right over his head.
I know so because on asking for feedback once after a sermon, his answer gave me the feeling he simply have had no clue of what was spoken except in very general terms.
So will I continue bringing people who are romantically attracted to me to our church? I think so although it will not be my priority. Who knows what the Holy Spirit can wrought in his heart by listening to the word of God preached simply and fearlessly? It is my previlege to just pray for him as well as others around me that God will soften their hearts and have the gift of eternal life accepted. I can only pray that I may be used for His glory, and not to force others to come to Him because that is not His will.
If you have great tips on how you were used successfully for evangelism, do let me know by replying with your comments.
Have a great day!
华文版：
开始觉得带对自己有特别意思的朋友来教会听神的话语是在浪费我的精力。
他们来教会的第一目的是和你相伴。因此他们对周遭的事务全然不知 - 只把精神放在你们的谈话。就连最基本，小孩子都知道的沟通都一耳进，一耳出，完全没放在心里。
这点我明确的知道因当我问他听完传道后的感想，他只能以非常肤浅的词应变我的问题。
我会带对我有意思的人来教会吗？如果有机会，这不会是我的焦点，但是肯定的。想想看，普通人能够猜想圣灵的操作吗？谁会知完整、简单的福音会有着 样的回应 呢？为人祷告，祈求神对罪人施恩，能得永生是我的恩惠。我只能祈求我能被神用于他的荣耀，不能强求人来他跟前，因这不是他的旨意。
如你有好的传道建议，请在这板上留言让我知道。
愿你有快乐的一天！
Monday, December 13, 2004
Fundamentalism and the Charismatic Mind
Had the opportunity to bring a friend attending a charismatic church to my church service. My past experience with his charismatic church gave me the feeling that his church is convinced that they are getting direct revelation from God and cracking wisdom within the bible (for a dynamic, exciting service and worship experience) that is not known till now.
His answer to my question asking for his feedback about the service was an annoying and dismissive "Christianity 101". Open to the possibility that I may really be in the presence of a theology giant who is so grounded in all these he really doesn't need to know more, I asked him for his understanding of what it means that Christ is the firstborn from among the dead (Col 1:18) which was explained during the sermon. I got a long pause, before he asked, "So what does this mean?"
I am doing my best not to generalise, and I believe that there are charismatics who are very aware of their reasons for choosing to be Christians and the full knowledge of what Christianity means. My experience with the average charismatic though is that the focus on experiences and revelation had corroded their priority of understanding God's Word as it is and in context.
No doubt 'fundamentalism' is becoming a dirty word today after the 9-11 incident. If you sit down and seriously think about it, why should something that is fundamentally good turn out for ill in society? Dirty word or not, in the charismatic's quest for excitement, that new 'close encounter with God and His Spirit', it is even more important to ground ourselves in the FUNDAMENTALS of His Holy Word, the understanding of His work on the cross; its implications and understanding for ourselves His overarching Will.
Why is this so urgent and important for the average Christian? It is because the RIGHTEOUSNESS which we are given by Christ's death came at a great price - it caused great pain and took the very life of our Lord, the perfect lamb; the righteousness we easily obtained by mere confessing that He is our saviour of our lives through the cross.
All religions and all spiritual beliefs can have 'oh-so-exalted', 'flying-in-the-air' ecstasy that comes from direct contact with spiritual forces, all religions and all spiritual beliefs can have exciting worship experiences that brings feelings of excitement that will bring you brief periods of inspiration and feelings of peace. Christianity is unique, in that we have a real, historical event of a Son of God humbling himself to take the form of man, to die a humiliating death on the cross, so that all man can be free from the bondage of sin.
How could we forget or disdain to know more of such great love in our lives?
It is sad when a person who claims to be a Christian were to shut off his ears when the basic gospel of Christ's death and resurrection as well as its implications on our lives is preached.
It is heartbreaking when a Christian is no longer excited about what Christ had accomplished on His cross and only pursues that 'oh-so-exciting' personal contact with God.
It is frustrating when faced with a blind Christian who THINKS he sees - and really chooses to blind himself to the truth right in front of his eyes.
Proverbs 3:7 "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil."
I pray that we (especially me) will know the Lord with all reverence and that we will find fulfillment in fully knowing what Christ had done for us on His cross through His Holy Word - the bible. I also pray that in saying all this, that I am not pointing to the speck in a brother's eyes and forget the plank in mine. I pray that I will always be given the discernment to know and hate even more the sin in my own heart that cost my Lord His life.
May God be with you.
His answer to my question asking for his feedback about the service was an annoying and dismissive "Christianity 101". Open to the possibility that I may really be in the presence of a theology giant who is so grounded in all these he really doesn't need to know more, I asked him for his understanding of what it means that Christ is the firstborn from among the dead (Col 1:18) which was explained during the sermon. I got a long pause, before he asked, "So what does this mean?"
I am doing my best not to generalise, and I believe that there are charismatics who are very aware of their reasons for choosing to be Christians and the full knowledge of what Christianity means. My experience with the average charismatic though is that the focus on experiences and revelation had corroded their priority of understanding God's Word as it is and in context.
No doubt 'fundamentalism' is becoming a dirty word today after the 9-11 incident. If you sit down and seriously think about it, why should something that is fundamentally good turn out for ill in society? Dirty word or not, in the charismatic's quest for excitement, that new 'close encounter with God and His Spirit', it is even more important to ground ourselves in the FUNDAMENTALS of His Holy Word, the understanding of His work on the cross; its implications and understanding for ourselves His overarching Will.
Why is this so urgent and important for the average Christian? It is because the RIGHTEOUSNESS which we are given by Christ's death came at a great price - it caused great pain and took the very life of our Lord, the perfect lamb; the righteousness we easily obtained by mere confessing that He is our saviour of our lives through the cross.
All religions and all spiritual beliefs can have 'oh-so-exalted', 'flying-in-the-air' ecstasy that comes from direct contact with spiritual forces, all religions and all spiritual beliefs can have exciting worship experiences that brings feelings of excitement that will bring you brief periods of inspiration and feelings of peace. Christianity is unique, in that we have a real, historical event of a Son of God humbling himself to take the form of man, to die a humiliating death on the cross, so that all man can be free from the bondage of sin.
How could we forget or disdain to know more of such great love in our lives?
It is sad when a person who claims to be a Christian were to shut off his ears when the basic gospel of Christ's death and resurrection as well as its implications on our lives is preached.
It is heartbreaking when a Christian is no longer excited about what Christ had accomplished on His cross and only pursues that 'oh-so-exciting' personal contact with God.
It is frustrating when faced with a blind Christian who THINKS he sees - and really chooses to blind himself to the truth right in front of his eyes.
Proverbs 3:7 "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil."
I pray that we (especially me) will know the Lord with all reverence and that we will find fulfillment in fully knowing what Christ had done for us on His cross through His Holy Word - the bible. I also pray that in saying all this, that I am not pointing to the speck in a brother's eyes and forget the plank in mine. I pray that I will always be given the discernment to know and hate even more the sin in my own heart that cost my Lord His life.
May God be with you.
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