Posts
Seeing is believing
When you desperately need something, but days have gone by, nothing indicated its coming. How do you feel? I know I will automatically go into the panic mode and try to have some remedies using my own strength.
Seeing is believing. I have to hold it in my hands otherwise I will not trust I have it.
But God seems to ask to shift the equation, believing is seeing.
22"Have[f] faith in God," Jesus answered. 23"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."[g]
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Experimental
I really need an experimental. I already laid down things and gave Him what He asks for, why He did not hand me over an experimental section or a recipe that I can follow.
Where is my step 1?
Experimental = passive faith
But God want us to have an active faith with Him. Do things together with Him. Collect and evaluate data, provide analysis, form opinions and come to conclusions with Him together. Consulting Him on the way, we grow because we are experiencing the situations and Him together.
An experimental seems to be a more predictable path but we do not get to participate in the design. We are just a pair of hands. Next time around, we almost could not remember about last experiment and have to start from step 0.
God enjoys more about the process, the mistakes and progress we made in that we grow and remember. But we, as human beings, tend to focus more or only about the results. At least I was.
Where is my step 1?
Experimental = passive faith
But God want us to have an active faith with Him. Do things together with Him. Collect and evaluate data, provide analysis, form opinions and come to conclusions with Him together. Consulting Him on the way, we grow because we are experiencing the situations and Him together.
An experimental seems to be a more predictable path but we do not get to participate in the design. We are just a pair of hands. Next time around, we almost could not remember about last experiment and have to start from step 0.
God enjoys more about the process, the mistakes and progress we made in that we grow and remember. But we, as human beings, tend to focus more or only about the results. At least I was.
God guarantees to save me
Step 2:
The only time we really grow=in the midst of tribulation
Tension comes from contrast between what God promises and what is going in my experience
Pressure on to use old familiar methods of flesh to deal with situation: with this particular type of pressure may be tempted to depression and falling apart, fly into action on my own , anger
Lord’s way often seems crazy or suicidal
e.g. anger→ patience and grace
Step 3: “Tomb time”: Hanging in there, trusting and obeying Him no matter what
Rom 5:9: God guarantees to save me from all the mess of my life.
The only time we really grow=in the midst of tribulation
Tension comes from contrast between what God promises and what is going in my experience
Pressure on to use old familiar methods of flesh to deal with situation: with this particular type of pressure may be tempted to depression and falling apart, fly into action on my own , anger
Lord’s way often seems crazy or suicidal
e.g. anger→ patience and grace
Step 3: “Tomb time”: Hanging in there, trusting and obeying Him no matter what
Rom 5:9: God guarantees to save me from all the mess of my life.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
A prayer list
This morning, a whisper came to me: “Write down a list of prayers”. I stopped writing down prayer requests or really earnestly pray for specific things for a while. Not because of I do not have one, but because I know my present situation is by God’s design to grow me. I learned not to relentlessly fight but to obey.
“Write a list.” The whisper continued. “Do you remember your list on the piece of blue paper? They all came true.”
I suddenly remembered about 7 years ago, I had one. There was a prayer for a sister to get pregnant, and another sister to know God and have God to bless her marriage….” Now the first sister’s son is 4.5 years old and the second sister has transitioned with a light speed from a single, to a wife with a very sincere husband and a proud mom of two boys.
“Write the requests down. They will come true.”
“If everything I ask for will come true, what shall I write? Are you really going to give me everything I write down?”
“God, Guide me”.
I hope magically the pen moves by itself as in movies. But as I was doing so in a faithful heart, tears came down. Because God seems to remember the things I had forgotten or lost heart to. I prayed earlier this year to won one specific proposal so that I may have about x0K compensation pre-tax, then my husband can have a new car as his current commute car really needs a fix. It did not come true and our already tight budget will not allow this.
I saw an item that in areas of relationships, that I did realize there need a difference but God cares so deeply what the heart longs for.
Two persons names came up. I tried and prayed for them earnest in the summer and walked through the difficult time in their lives with them but one or two words from them hurt me. I stopped praying for them. But God still remembers them. And me.
…..
God knows me better than I know myself.
What would you write down if anything you ask for will become true?
“Write a list.” The whisper continued. “Do you remember your list on the piece of blue paper? They all came true.”
I suddenly remembered about 7 years ago, I had one. There was a prayer for a sister to get pregnant, and another sister to know God and have God to bless her marriage….” Now the first sister’s son is 4.5 years old and the second sister has transitioned with a light speed from a single, to a wife with a very sincere husband and a proud mom of two boys.
“Write the requests down. They will come true.”
“If everything I ask for will come true, what shall I write? Are you really going to give me everything I write down?”
“God, Guide me”.
I hope magically the pen moves by itself as in movies. But as I was doing so in a faithful heart, tears came down. Because God seems to remember the things I had forgotten or lost heart to. I prayed earlier this year to won one specific proposal so that I may have about x0K compensation pre-tax, then my husband can have a new car as his current commute car really needs a fix. It did not come true and our already tight budget will not allow this.
I saw an item that in areas of relationships, that I did realize there need a difference but God cares so deeply what the heart longs for.
Two persons names came up. I tried and prayed for them earnest in the summer and walked through the difficult time in their lives with them but one or two words from them hurt me. I stopped praying for them. But God still remembers them. And me.
…..
God knows me better than I know myself.
What would you write down if anything you ask for will become true?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
An elderly lady
I heard this on the radio today while driving.
An lady, sounds really old, called in with her story. She wanted to devoice with her husband because she can not wall anymore and she does not want her husband taking care of her the rest of his life. Her husband is not going to have a devoice with her....
what a contrast to this selfish era, people constantly asking what in there for me.
An lady, sounds really old, called in with her story. She wanted to devoice with her husband because she can not wall anymore and she does not want her husband taking care of her the rest of his life. Her husband is not going to have a devoice with her....
what a contrast to this selfish era, people constantly asking what in there for me.
Holiday gift
We gave our teacher a holiday gift today. She is in her 60s. When we presented our gift to her, she smiled making her eyes into two lines and asked: "Can we open the gift now or we should wait until Christmas?"
I was shocked.
We demand "Now" so granted, forget there is another choice--- joyful "wait".
I was shocked.
We demand "Now" so granted, forget there is another choice--- joyful "wait".
Takeaways and thoughts
Some recent take-aways from class and my own thoughts:
1. God’s grace and forgiveness
Dwell in peace with the Lord’s presence b/c Jesus Christ. Always go to the Lord and thank His grace and forgiveness, its amazingly true.
We grow older in our lives, we are more desperately in our lives to need the Lord. There are areas in our lives, we repeatedly failed. Instead of running away to hide and stop reading the bible thinking how God could possibly forgive for what we did, we can come back to the Lord, have confidence that His grace is bigger and we can thank Him for Jesus and His forgiveness. The repeated failures do not block us from the Lord’s presence. No matter what our past is, we can still dwell in peace with the Lord, in God’s favor, because of Jesus Christ, which has already be done.
Law crashes us for it measures degree of failures. Grace, on the other hand, measures great success. The reference point for grace is dead flat zero. Grace celebrates each success.
When babies first learn how to walk, they fall repeatedly. In the process, they may start to hold a little longer before they fall but they soon fall again. You never see a baby crying I will never learn to walk. When the parents watching the babies, they celebrate each little progresses babies make and firmly believe they will be able to walk. Just like how the Lord watching us for areas of our lives.
2. What is hope
When we try to define a human being, we define them by thoughts, action, ……but when we look at babies, they do not have any of those characters. But we still clearly call them human beings. Why? Because we will have confidence that they will grow into the characters of a human being.
This is just like God and us. God see us who will grow bearing His characters.
Hope is not a mind game.
3. From external
Early on in our lives, we prayed for cars, jobs, God provided our external needs. Then He invited us to grow. Unfortunately there is only one way we will grow. ONLY ONE WAY. Tough times, the stuff we will never sign up for, are the opportunities for us to grow. Paul knows the process, exalted in the mist of practical life, and so should we. None of us like pressure, difficulties, narrow areas, but that’s how we grow the fastest, and deepest to a relationship with the Lord.
Difficulties are an invitation from the Lord, going in partnership together with Him. When situation and or temptation is up, instead of screaming it is enough already, we can be thankful, like Paul, knowing the process, God is helping us and we are moving forward together. Be open to what God is teaching me now…
4. Tune time
We trusted the Lord to do the new way. However there are tune times. We set aside the old, but not see the new yet. Lord, you are working in me. Develop a habit of trusting in the Lord, we are going through and hanging in here together. “I will hang in there. I will see what will happen”.
5. Voice
If we succeed once and failed three times, we are still in God’s favor. However, our voices can be either like God’s: "great, I know you will succeed” or Satan's: "I know the Word, but you, forget it, it will never happen.”
Which one do you choose?
6. Internal
God changes us in a helical process. Our success rate will be higher and higher and the level of temptation will be bigger and bigger and we grow into a deeper and deeper relationship with God.
Like peeling an onion, layer by layer, tears on the way.
Some areas are repeatedly come back, each time with a different scope and intensity.
7. Kindness leads to repentance
Repentance= change of mind
We repent because of God's gental grace, not because of persuasion and law. we want others to repent, what shall we us? God's way or our way?
8. Blood=life
Our physical bodies reflect how our spiritual bodies work. Blood represent the life, blood provide nutrition and cleansing to other parts of the organs. Heart drives the blood, going through the lung, obtaining from the nature and to the organs. Spirit resides in the heart.
9. Why to pray out loud?
God does not require us praying out loud but it is for our own benefit. Sometimes it is to make our will yield to what we are praying. Sometimes is to make us confident that we are communicating with God not just going through things in our minds.
........................................................................................................
Enjoy the opportunities that you will grow with the Lord!
...........................................................................................................
1. God’s grace and forgiveness
Dwell in peace with the Lord’s presence b/c Jesus Christ. Always go to the Lord and thank His grace and forgiveness, its amazingly true.
We grow older in our lives, we are more desperately in our lives to need the Lord. There are areas in our lives, we repeatedly failed. Instead of running away to hide and stop reading the bible thinking how God could possibly forgive for what we did, we can come back to the Lord, have confidence that His grace is bigger and we can thank Him for Jesus and His forgiveness. The repeated failures do not block us from the Lord’s presence. No matter what our past is, we can still dwell in peace with the Lord, in God’s favor, because of Jesus Christ, which has already be done.
Law crashes us for it measures degree of failures. Grace, on the other hand, measures great success. The reference point for grace is dead flat zero. Grace celebrates each success.
When babies first learn how to walk, they fall repeatedly. In the process, they may start to hold a little longer before they fall but they soon fall again. You never see a baby crying I will never learn to walk. When the parents watching the babies, they celebrate each little progresses babies make and firmly believe they will be able to walk. Just like how the Lord watching us for areas of our lives.
2. What is hope
When we try to define a human being, we define them by thoughts, action, ……but when we look at babies, they do not have any of those characters. But we still clearly call them human beings. Why? Because we will have confidence that they will grow into the characters of a human being.
This is just like God and us. God see us who will grow bearing His characters.
Hope is not a mind game.
3. From external
Early on in our lives, we prayed for cars, jobs, God provided our external needs. Then He invited us to grow. Unfortunately there is only one way we will grow. ONLY ONE WAY. Tough times, the stuff we will never sign up for, are the opportunities for us to grow. Paul knows the process, exalted in the mist of practical life, and so should we. None of us like pressure, difficulties, narrow areas, but that’s how we grow the fastest, and deepest to a relationship with the Lord.
Difficulties are an invitation from the Lord, going in partnership together with Him. When situation and or temptation is up, instead of screaming it is enough already, we can be thankful, like Paul, knowing the process, God is helping us and we are moving forward together. Be open to what God is teaching me now…
4. Tune time
We trusted the Lord to do the new way. However there are tune times. We set aside the old, but not see the new yet. Lord, you are working in me. Develop a habit of trusting in the Lord, we are going through and hanging in here together. “I will hang in there. I will see what will happen”.
5. Voice
If we succeed once and failed three times, we are still in God’s favor. However, our voices can be either like God’s: "great, I know you will succeed” or Satan's: "I know the Word, but you, forget it, it will never happen.”
Which one do you choose?
6. Internal
God changes us in a helical process. Our success rate will be higher and higher and the level of temptation will be bigger and bigger and we grow into a deeper and deeper relationship with God.
Like peeling an onion, layer by layer, tears on the way.
Some areas are repeatedly come back, each time with a different scope and intensity.
7. Kindness leads to repentance
Repentance= change of mind
We repent because of God's gental grace, not because of persuasion and law. we want others to repent, what shall we us? God's way or our way?
8. Blood=life
Our physical bodies reflect how our spiritual bodies work. Blood represent the life, blood provide nutrition and cleansing to other parts of the organs. Heart drives the blood, going through the lung, obtaining from the nature and to the organs. Spirit resides in the heart.
9. Why to pray out loud?
God does not require us praying out loud but it is for our own benefit. Sometimes it is to make our will yield to what we are praying. Sometimes is to make us confident that we are communicating with God not just going through things in our minds.
........................................................................................................
Enjoy the opportunities that you will grow with the Lord!
...........................................................................................................
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Practical faith
Walking out of my class today, I wished I had known this earlier. I pray that it is not too late now.
Credit goes to my teacher Erica.
…………………………………………..
Faith does not mean not to look at the reality, but to appreciate the magnitude of God’s wonder. When God promised Abraham a child, neither he nor his wife was capable of producing a child biologically. He took a hard look of the reality and had two choices. #1 it is too much a gap from the reality, empty promise and forget about it. #2 there is an enormous leap from the reality but that is how much I am going to see God. I am going to trust God for what He says, trusting Him whatever He promises and He will fulfill. I make my steps in Him. Let’s go.
Sometimes God calls us to do things radical different from the reality. But there is a greater reality, we can delightful accept the call and see God bridging the huge gap.
We all have growth areas in our lives. Some are even areas have been dead for a long time. If we trust our God, then it is just like to ask Him to make Jesus’ resurrection in our lives again. He has done it before and He is capable of doing it. We just ask Him to do it again in our lives, in our history.
Let’s go.
……………………………………………
P.S. This message came to me at the right time as I start to feel discouraged in pursuing His calling. Did I really hear Him correctly? I wish I had some sort of emails, voice mails or videos that allow me to review, analyze and confirm. But now I realized God’s calling did not start because of what I did, it is not going to depend on me to continue, the end results are certainly out of my hands. It only depends on me to act on it to receive the benefits of the process. Walking in Him and to Him, let’s go.
Credit goes to my teacher Erica.
…………………………………………..
Faith does not mean not to look at the reality, but to appreciate the magnitude of God’s wonder. When God promised Abraham a child, neither he nor his wife was capable of producing a child biologically. He took a hard look of the reality and had two choices. #1 it is too much a gap from the reality, empty promise and forget about it. #2 there is an enormous leap from the reality but that is how much I am going to see God. I am going to trust God for what He says, trusting Him whatever He promises and He will fulfill. I make my steps in Him. Let’s go.
Sometimes God calls us to do things radical different from the reality. But there is a greater reality, we can delightful accept the call and see God bridging the huge gap.
We all have growth areas in our lives. Some are even areas have been dead for a long time. If we trust our God, then it is just like to ask Him to make Jesus’ resurrection in our lives again. He has done it before and He is capable of doing it. We just ask Him to do it again in our lives, in our history.
Let’s go.
……………………………………………
P.S. This message came to me at the right time as I start to feel discouraged in pursuing His calling. Did I really hear Him correctly? I wish I had some sort of emails, voice mails or videos that allow me to review, analyze and confirm. But now I realized God’s calling did not start because of what I did, it is not going to depend on me to continue, the end results are certainly out of my hands. It only depends on me to act on it to receive the benefits of the process. Walking in Him and to Him, let’s go.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Turkey jokes
The pastor at our church mentioned three jokes at our Thanksgiving service:
1. Which side of the turkey has the most feather?
Outside.
2. What will a turkey say before going to the oven?
Oh, I am stuffed.
3. What would a space turkey say?
Habo habo.
1. Which side of the turkey has the most feather?
Outside.
2. What will a turkey say before going to the oven?
Oh, I am stuffed.
3. What would a space turkey say?
Habo habo.
A letter to someone God hold Dear to His heart
In the worst possible time in my life that I could be a testimony to the living God, He whispered to me a new acquaintance name. In about 7 consecutive days, every morning I woke up, it is her name. God is so persistant that I give up: OK. I will tell her about you, NOW.
Later on when I know her and her life a bit more, I wrote the following letter to her.
If you are reading this letter, I'd say it is also for you because God loves you.
......................................................................................................................................................................
Dear Lorie:
There are a few words I want to share with you for a long time. First start with my life. If someone told me last year I’d had no job for a while I will laugh and tell him I shall not live without a job. Yes that was me, define myself by what I do. If you know the past me, you would think that was a joke. God is working on me to let me see life by its true nature is very beautiful and if I walk along the course I designed for myself I don’t know what I will miss.
While this does not mean it is not painful and I am willingly to accept and enjoy the progress in the heart. I still feel the strong agony, lonely and unfairness. Only prayers lead me through day by day.
Trials come to our lives in various shapes and sizes, may variety in intensity and all produce enormous pain. They come because God sees us as gold that are incredibly valuable. He is refining our lives and strengthening our faith. He is teaching us depend more and more on Him. Trials fuel the furnace that God uses to reshape us from the inside out.
Trail is inevitable. Suffering is part of human living in a broken world. Who doesn’t have it? Pain is universal and inescapable. It seems unrelenting and unbearable right now.
But it is temporal not eternal. Suffering is painful to bear. Trials are torturously difficult to endure. We need not to get incurably discouraged or grow hopelessly weary. (I am waiting you here hope God will meet you here and lead you forward, a baby belongs to your future, not your past).
God let us suffer is not to destroy us but give us life and future. He created you and will create your baby. He has saved you once and will save you again.
His strength is adequate, His grace is sufficient and his plan is perfect even when we don’t fully comprehend.
Life is precious, for ourselves, for the people we love and who love us. As long as God is living, we have hope.
Blessings.
Later on when I know her and her life a bit more, I wrote the following letter to her.
If you are reading this letter, I'd say it is also for you because God loves you.
......................................................................................................................................................................
Dear Lorie:
There are a few words I want to share with you for a long time. First start with my life. If someone told me last year I’d had no job for a while I will laugh and tell him I shall not live without a job. Yes that was me, define myself by what I do. If you know the past me, you would think that was a joke. God is working on me to let me see life by its true nature is very beautiful and if I walk along the course I designed for myself I don’t know what I will miss.
While this does not mean it is not painful and I am willingly to accept and enjoy the progress in the heart. I still feel the strong agony, lonely and unfairness. Only prayers lead me through day by day.
Trials come to our lives in various shapes and sizes, may variety in intensity and all produce enormous pain. They come because God sees us as gold that are incredibly valuable. He is refining our lives and strengthening our faith. He is teaching us depend more and more on Him. Trials fuel the furnace that God uses to reshape us from the inside out.
Trail is inevitable. Suffering is part of human living in a broken world. Who doesn’t have it? Pain is universal and inescapable. It seems unrelenting and unbearable right now.
But it is temporal not eternal. Suffering is painful to bear. Trials are torturously difficult to endure. We need not to get incurably discouraged or grow hopelessly weary. (I am waiting you here hope God will meet you here and lead you forward, a baby belongs to your future, not your past).
God let us suffer is not to destroy us but give us life and future. He created you and will create your baby. He has saved you once and will save you again.
His strength is adequate, His grace is sufficient and his plan is perfect even when we don’t fully comprehend.
Life is precious, for ourselves, for the people we love and who love us. As long as God is living, we have hope.
Blessings.
Hope ( A letter from a friend)
Happy Sunday,
You have been through a lot this past year, and your blog shows emotion as well as hope. The word "hope" in the Bible is not a good translation of the original word, which has more of a connotation of guarantee. When we follow Him, we don't just have a hope but a guarantee.
Count your blessings.
You have been through a lot this past year, and your blog shows emotion as well as hope. The word "hope" in the Bible is not a good translation of the original word, which has more of a connotation of guarantee. When we follow Him, we don't just have a hope but a guarantee.
Count your blessings.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
How close to death (August 2009)
How close to death
I am in my early 30s, perfect healthy with a loving caring husband and strong marriage. Yet twice in the last week, I had the feeling that life does not worth to live anymore.
Death does not have real meaning to me until 5 years ago that my dear grandfather who brought me up passed away. It took me sometime to accept it was real. I was in tears almost every night in the first couple of months and deeply in pain for the following 5 years until God healed me using the Father’s love.
Death knocked on me again. It is hard to believe that I do not have a regular job for so long and yet living a joyful life and still encouraging others. I know deeply that is impossible if I don’t have Jesus or He is not living and working today.
But death was so inviting, as often I don’t feel I can bear the pain, loneliness and uncertainty for the future anymore. The attractive way to stop all these is to accept death’s invitation. How close was I to death? Hours ago, my husband and I were going through the bible, trying to find a boy or girl’s name. Now, the cloud of death over ruled everything.
Death was so close. I can even smell it’s approaching. Its arm offers a seemingly quick and effective way to get away from current pain but leads to eternal death.
“1 Peter 4: 12Dear friend, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. 19So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful creator and continues to do good.”
I always thought the suffering in text refers to people in the missions or die due to prosecutions, but surprisingly now it is also meaningful to me and applicable in my current situation.
“1 Peter 1: 6 …though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
How close am I to death. Less than a hair away.
But Jesus is living and so shall I. I thank God for giving me this unique experience and my faith was refined again by the deadly fire. “I have not seen him but I love him; and even though I do not see him now, I believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for I am receiving the goal of my faith, the salvation of my soul.”(1 Peter 1:8)
I am in my early 30s, perfect healthy with a loving caring husband and strong marriage. Yet twice in the last week, I had the feeling that life does not worth to live anymore.
Death does not have real meaning to me until 5 years ago that my dear grandfather who brought me up passed away. It took me sometime to accept it was real. I was in tears almost every night in the first couple of months and deeply in pain for the following 5 years until God healed me using the Father’s love.
Death knocked on me again. It is hard to believe that I do not have a regular job for so long and yet living a joyful life and still encouraging others. I know deeply that is impossible if I don’t have Jesus or He is not living and working today.
But death was so inviting, as often I don’t feel I can bear the pain, loneliness and uncertainty for the future anymore. The attractive way to stop all these is to accept death’s invitation. How close was I to death? Hours ago, my husband and I were going through the bible, trying to find a boy or girl’s name. Now, the cloud of death over ruled everything.
Death was so close. I can even smell it’s approaching. Its arm offers a seemingly quick and effective way to get away from current pain but leads to eternal death.
“1 Peter 4: 12Dear friend, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. 19So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful creator and continues to do good.”
I always thought the suffering in text refers to people in the missions or die due to prosecutions, but surprisingly now it is also meaningful to me and applicable in my current situation.
“1 Peter 1: 6 …though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
How close am I to death. Less than a hair away.
But Jesus is living and so shall I. I thank God for giving me this unique experience and my faith was refined again by the deadly fire. “I have not seen him but I love him; and even though I do not see him now, I believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for I am receiving the goal of my faith, the salvation of my soul.”(1 Peter 1:8)
What is the richness in this world? (August 2009)
The Christians I personally know are generous people but not rich by worldly standards. Being a pastor is not as attractive as being a doctor, lawyer or cooperate executive as a profession. Being a Christian equals to being poor?
Some says the richest person is not one who has the most, but is the one who needs the least. Others say the richest person is who understands the meaning of enough. Intellectually I agree with both. But they do not bring any power to me. I continued to ask God. He seemed to answer “Take joy in the Lord”. There is clearly a gap between the question and answer.
Recently, I was very nervous about something and asked a lot of people to pray for me. Some of them have full-time challenging jobs, some of them have new-borns and hardly get enough sleep everyday, and still some of them are juggling through different life responsibilities. I did not expect all them will remember because I lost track who I have requested prayers except a few. But surprisingly many emailed or called me after the interview and they really dropped off their lives and prayed for me.
When I was replying back, one by one, I suddenly felt I am the richest person in the world. The job itself does not matter any more. The feeling of being loved, remembered, surrounded and protected overwhelmed me. That is all that I need in this world. This experience brings level of satisfaction to my heart as God’s love penetrates through his people.
This little emotional experience fills in the gaps between “being rich” and “take joy in Lord”. It makes two statements about enough and needs very real to me.
What is the richness in this world? Everyone has different answers. I had a moment I felt I am really rich. No matter what and how much you have but you never experience the deep rich feeling, then I am sure you are really poor.
Some says the richest person is not one who has the most, but is the one who needs the least. Others say the richest person is who understands the meaning of enough. Intellectually I agree with both. But they do not bring any power to me. I continued to ask God. He seemed to answer “Take joy in the Lord”. There is clearly a gap between the question and answer.
Recently, I was very nervous about something and asked a lot of people to pray for me. Some of them have full-time challenging jobs, some of them have new-borns and hardly get enough sleep everyday, and still some of them are juggling through different life responsibilities. I did not expect all them will remember because I lost track who I have requested prayers except a few. But surprisingly many emailed or called me after the interview and they really dropped off their lives and prayed for me.
When I was replying back, one by one, I suddenly felt I am the richest person in the world. The job itself does not matter any more. The feeling of being loved, remembered, surrounded and protected overwhelmed me. That is all that I need in this world. This experience brings level of satisfaction to my heart as God’s love penetrates through his people.
This little emotional experience fills in the gaps between “being rich” and “take joy in Lord”. It makes two statements about enough and needs very real to me.
What is the richness in this world? Everyone has different answers. I had a moment I felt I am really rich. No matter what and how much you have but you never experience the deep rich feeling, then I am sure you are really poor.
My questions to God ( June 2009)
Why do we live?
-To give and receive love.
What do we need in God’s kingdom growth?
-Love not money or resources
What do we need when we are in difficulties?
-Hope. The Hope for the trustworthy Lord not our own strength and abilities
Why everything has a process (take time)?
-The process makes the results more precious and valuable. The waiting cultivates a deeper relationship and sufficient preparation.
Why do we have dark periods in our lives?
-Our normal easy-going life routine, to a certain point, is a barrier preventing us receiving God’s best gift and being thirsty to know Him more. We have to be forced to shut down and withdraw from the physical world to have quiet time and seek HIM only.
Why our lives are not run through a fixed course that we planned or anticipated?
-Because running through our own course will miss significant life adventures. We, not matter how visionary are, make short-term decisions. God always focus on the long term. Sometimes the fruit takes a few generations to show up. The only long-term decision we can make is to obey HIM.
Do not manufacture conclusions but be grateful
-God works in ways we do not see. Don’t even think in terms of this is the way things will turn out, especially when we are praying or serving. Be Open and stay calm.
God is the author of our faith. Be grateful if our names are on the book of Lamb.
Do Christians have to be in poverty? Could a Faith Giant, God’s warrior also a millionaire?
-To be answered.
-To give and receive love.
What do we need in God’s kingdom growth?
-Love not money or resources
What do we need when we are in difficulties?
-Hope. The Hope for the trustworthy Lord not our own strength and abilities
Why everything has a process (take time)?
-The process makes the results more precious and valuable. The waiting cultivates a deeper relationship and sufficient preparation.
Why do we have dark periods in our lives?
-Our normal easy-going life routine, to a certain point, is a barrier preventing us receiving God’s best gift and being thirsty to know Him more. We have to be forced to shut down and withdraw from the physical world to have quiet time and seek HIM only.
Why our lives are not run through a fixed course that we planned or anticipated?
-Because running through our own course will miss significant life adventures. We, not matter how visionary are, make short-term decisions. God always focus on the long term. Sometimes the fruit takes a few generations to show up. The only long-term decision we can make is to obey HIM.
Do not manufacture conclusions but be grateful
-God works in ways we do not see. Don’t even think in terms of this is the way things will turn out, especially when we are praying or serving. Be Open and stay calm.
God is the author of our faith. Be grateful if our names are on the book of Lamb.
Do Christians have to be in poverty? Could a Faith Giant, God’s warrior also a millionaire?
-To be answered.
Will we lose our salvation?
This is a popular question among Chinese congregation in one of churches we’ve been to. We don’t know the answer at the time.
The popular answer is once you are saved and you are forever saved. As long as you are baptized once and then you are going to heaven. It is really a convenient answer. But is this really true?
Now, eight years later, my husband listened to a message from a pastor on the radio. Now we have a better understanding.
By God’s mercy we are saved. Do you think this is something we can decide? No, only God got to decide.
Do you know where you are going? How sure are you?
The popular answer is once you are saved and you are forever saved. As long as you are baptized once and then you are going to heaven. It is really a convenient answer. But is this really true?
Now, eight years later, my husband listened to a message from a pastor on the radio. Now we have a better understanding.
By God’s mercy we are saved. Do you think this is something we can decide? No, only God got to decide.
Do you know where you are going? How sure are you?
Who is the selected one?
The urge of writing this down appeared to me several times this year. Now I am doing it in obeying and for the benefit of inspiring others.
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A friend of mine stayed with us for two weeks this year. IMO, He has everything in the physical world except a wife. During the two-week period I tried to persuade him to believe in Jesus and if he chooses to do so, God will definitely give him a wife custom made for him and more beyond his imagination. He sat through all these discussions and concluded: “God selected you to believe and selected me not to believe.”
God really determined who is to believe (and to save) and who is not at the beginning?
One day, a vision occurred to me. There was a lighted fireplace and bunches of branches on the floor next to the fireplace. An elderly person picked up a bunch of branches from the floor, went through them, sets aside a few and threw the rest into the fire. Then he picked up another handful bunch and did the same. I was carefully watching him. Right before he is ready to throw another bunch to the fire, suddenly I realized my friends were in there. The people I just had dinner with the past weekend, the couple who just had a lovely unexpected baby, …I stood up and cried out: “Wait! No!” I cried out to Him: “Lord, you want me to pray? I pray! If my prayers can save them, I pray hard!” I wept and wept because I could not endure the pain seeing the real persons I know were thrown into the fire. This elderly person paused, took out a few from the bunch, and grafted them to a trunk of a bigger tree. The grafted branches started to have life and grow baby branches.
Who is the selected one in the above scene? Can you taste a bit of the Father’s heart? If he is truly being selective, everything is pre-determined, why He needs to call out prayer warriors, pass His burden to His followers?
Regardless who we are and what we have done, do you know why you and me are still alive today? Because God is constantly trying to reach us and fellowship with us.
Whenever appropriate, I tried to tell people about God. Being through that scene, I know I can tolerate my friends’ “misunderstanding” but I can not bear the pain seeing their names not on the book of lamb on the judgment day.
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A friend of mine stayed with us for two weeks this year. IMO, He has everything in the physical world except a wife. During the two-week period I tried to persuade him to believe in Jesus and if he chooses to do so, God will definitely give him a wife custom made for him and more beyond his imagination. He sat through all these discussions and concluded: “God selected you to believe and selected me not to believe.”
God really determined who is to believe (and to save) and who is not at the beginning?
One day, a vision occurred to me. There was a lighted fireplace and bunches of branches on the floor next to the fireplace. An elderly person picked up a bunch of branches from the floor, went through them, sets aside a few and threw the rest into the fire. Then he picked up another handful bunch and did the same. I was carefully watching him. Right before he is ready to throw another bunch to the fire, suddenly I realized my friends were in there. The people I just had dinner with the past weekend, the couple who just had a lovely unexpected baby, …I stood up and cried out: “Wait! No!” I cried out to Him: “Lord, you want me to pray? I pray! If my prayers can save them, I pray hard!” I wept and wept because I could not endure the pain seeing the real persons I know were thrown into the fire. This elderly person paused, took out a few from the bunch, and grafted them to a trunk of a bigger tree. The grafted branches started to have life and grow baby branches.
Who is the selected one in the above scene? Can you taste a bit of the Father’s heart? If he is truly being selective, everything is pre-determined, why He needs to call out prayer warriors, pass His burden to His followers?
Regardless who we are and what we have done, do you know why you and me are still alive today? Because God is constantly trying to reach us and fellowship with us.
Whenever appropriate, I tried to tell people about God. Being through that scene, I know I can tolerate my friends’ “misunderstanding” but I can not bear the pain seeing their names not on the book of lamb on the judgment day.
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