世間的“最”

I saw someone wrote something like this:

世間最好的東西，是歡喜；

世間最貴的善舉，是結緣；

世間最大的力量，是忍耐；

世間最強的願力，是甘願。

Seriously, I don't agree with it at all.

It should be like this

世間最好的東西，是上帝；        

世間最貴的善舉，是神的爱；    

世間最大的力量，是神的话语；

世間最強的願力，是祷告。       

Heart of Stone

Many times I ask God, "How much does it take to change someone's heart?"

And God answers me, "It takes the precious blood of My Son."

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I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean;

I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;

I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees

and be careful to keep my laws.

You will live in the land I gave your forefathers;

you will be my people, and I will be your God.

Ezekiel 36:25-28

Follow Your Heart?

Few days ago I saw a book in someone’s room. The name of the book is “学会做选择” (Learn to make choice), with a Chinese proverb as the subtitle “鱼与熊掌，不可兼得” (You cannot have both the fish and the paw of the bear). In our life we need to make many choices, we have to make many decisions, from simple to important decisions.

Nowadays we heard many people say such words, “Follow your heart”, or “Listen what you heart says”. It sounds very nice, but is it wise to ‘follow our heart’?

Few years ago, there is a person, who faced some problems in life, and cannot overcome it, so he decides to commit suicide. Few minutes before he commits suicide, he posts something on Facebook, stating that he got problems in life. Many of his friends want to support him by giving comments such as, “Follow your heart, do what you think is right, we will always support you.” In the end, that person ‘follows his heart’ and really commits suicide.

So should we really ‘follow our hearts’?  Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) Not only our heart is deceitful, it is beyond cure. So it is clear that we shouldn’t follow our hearts, which are deceitful. So what should we follow? Nicky Gumble suggested a few CS’s that we should follow.

1. Commanding Scripture 圣经

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. 

Psalm 119:105 

It should be clear to all of us that why the Scripture should be the thing that we follow, because it is the very words from God, which is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

2. Compelling Spirit and Prayers 圣灵 + 祷告

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, 

saying, "This is the way; walk in it." 

Isaiah 30:21

 

But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. 

Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.... 

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. 

He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, 

and he will tell you what is yet to come.

John 16:7, 13

Though Christ has ascended to the right hand of God, but He sends the Holy Spirit to guide us in our life.

3. Common Sense / Logic 逻辑

After we are born again, we are not commanded to throw away our common sense, In the morning we wake up and deciding whether want to go to class / lecture or not. The Bible gives us principles in making decision, but didn’t give specific commands, such as whether we should go to class or not, so sometime we need to use our common sense, but common sense is not same as ‘follow your heart’. Our deceitful hearts will says ‘You don’t have to go to class since it is wasting your time’, but our common sense tells us that we should go, because it is our responsibilities as a student to go to class and lectures.

4. Counsel of Saints 信徒的忠告

Plans fail for lack of counsel, 

but with many advisers they succeed. 

Proverb 15:22

We as Christians are not to walk alone in our pilgrimage. We as a part of the body of Christ, should walk, and grow together in Christ. We should always ready to seek advices from other brothers and sisters, and ready to give advices to those who seek.

Four Questions When Making Choices

1. What effect will my decision have on me spiritually?

2. What will the next decision have to be?

3. If I make this choice how will it affect my testimony?

4. If I make this choice how will it affect others close to me?

We, as christians, are followers of Christ, and what we do, will affect how people see the One that we follow, because christians are the window through which other people see Jesus Christ. So next time when you need to make a decision or choice (especially an important decision), rather than ‘follow you heart’, consider these 4 CS’s and these 4 questions.

Do not follow your heart, but rather, lead your heart. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverb 4:23)

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In his heart a man plans his course, 

but the LORD determines his steps. 

Proverbs 16:9

A Mustard Seed of Faith

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." 

Matthew 25:41-46

3 years ago, a friend of mine, has eventually become a sister of mine, a sister in Christ. Though only has a little faith, but it is still a genuine faith, that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus says, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me."

John 15:18-21

 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

2 Timothy 3:12

Not surprisingly, and eventually her new found faith, although not persecuted, but was ridiculed by others. Her obedience to Christ's commands was ridiculed by her friend. The worst of all, as a brother in Christ, sitting a far, didn't stand up for her. Using excuse that I am sitting far away and don't have to do anything, I chose to pretend that I didn't hear anything. And eventually she has been wander away for long time, her faith doesn't grow, become a 'prodigal daughter' for few years. I always feel that I owe her something, the protection that I should offer, when she was in need.

But Christ says, "No one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:29). Somehow, by the grace of God, she returns, with strengthened faith, a faith that really start to take root and grow. I have been ignorance at that time, and I don't want to repeat that same mistake. We know that it is by grace alone (Sola Gratia),  through Christ alone (Solus Christus) that someone is saved, and sanctified, so that all the glory is to God alone (Soli Deo Gloria). 

But I just want to do something for her. If the same thing happens again, Lord please give me enough strength and faith, to stand up for her again, to stand up for her faith in You. Although small like a mustard seed, but may her faith grows like a mustard tree, the largest of garden plants. May the seed of faith that was planted grows and produce a crop - a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown (Matthew 13:8).

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The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 

Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, 

it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, 

so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.

(Matthew 13:31-32)

Soli Deo Gloria

Many times we tried our best, 

but sometime our best is simply not enough.

Many times we planned out things as early as possible, 

but sometime the unexpected will still happen.

Many times we took many preventive measures, 

but sometimes accidents will still happen.

But I will blame no one, 

because I know how prideful my heart is,

because I know how deceitful my heart is,

because I know that my heart will always find a chance 

to seek glory and honour for itself. 

And how foolish I am, not to call out God for help,

How foolish I am, to try to solve things by myself.

Our best is not enough, simply because we need His grace.

Unexpected will happen, so that in all circumstances we will rely on His provision.

Accidents will happen, so that in all things we will trust on His sovereignty.

Our plan might not work out, because it doesn't glorify God.

Our work might succeed, but without our involvement,

  so that all glories belong to Him, and Him alone.

Because in the mist of all the unexpected,

I heard His words crossing to my mind, 

"...I will not give my glory to another..." 

Isaiah 42:8

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God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

- John Piper -

What does a year means for you?

A year is enough to change a digit on the calender.

A year is enough for everyone to change their age (in years).

A year is enough for a student to finish an academic year.

A year is enough for a company to come out with a new smartphone.

A year is enough for an artist to come out with a new album.

A year is enough for everyone to finish reading the Bible.
A year is enough for a teacher to teach the Book of Romans.
A year is enough for someone to go through the Amazing Grace Bible Study.

A year is enough for family to have a new life (40 weeks). 

A year is enough for a HO to finish half of his housemanship.

A year is enough for a TB patient to finish the full course of anti-TB treatment.

A year is enough for a person having HBsAg to be declared having chronic hepatitis B (>6 months).

A year is enough for a person excreting Salmonella typhi to be declared as carrier of typhoid fever.

So many things can happen in a year.

What does a year means for you?

But does it really need more than a year for someone to read and reply what you wrote? 

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 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: 

With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, 

and a thousand years are like a day.

2 Peter 3:8