Don't let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with him. Don't even hang around people like that.
You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it.
Don't waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It's a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ...
So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!
Ephesians 5
Lord, I don't want to live a life carelessly nor unthinkingly, help me to understand what you—the Master—want me to live. Show me the light so that I will wake up from sleep, climb out from the coffins. In these times of evil, guild my steps and deliver me from the trap of evil. Amen
Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted.
Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, SENSITIVE. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.
Lord, I'm now in your hands. I'm laying down all my burdens and resting in your arms. Good night.
"And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth!"
from the book of Ephesians
Believe in God who can do anything, even requested in my wildest dream.
Lord, plant my feet in your love, before I reach out. Heal my wounds, heal my self addiction. Help me not to rely on my abilities. Amen.
Our temptation is to collect all the beauty and goodness surrounding us as helpful information we can use for our projects. But then we cannot enjoy it, and we soon find that we need a vacation to restore ourselves. Lets try to see the beauty and goodness in front of us before we go elsewhere to look for it.
Henri Nouwen
Thanks to my AFC buddies, I start to watch/learn about Chinese TV drama again...
I use to think they are so corny and predictable...until I watch 惡作劇之吻 ... well story is still corny, but its originate from a Japanese comic, so I have to say it's quite good. I like the comic like story telling and the music. Taiwanese dramas are quite serious about their production, they made original/well arranged music FOR the drama. Also there are many details around the drama as well; Like the blog created by the main couples in 惡作劇2吻, it actually exists, and they have the characters leaving comments in the blog!
The acting is also quite good, I was really moved when 林依晨 said the line "我很想你啊..." in the last episode of 惡作劇2吻.
Yeah, it sounds corny, but I found myself really enjoy the feelings of falling in love with my wife and needing each other :) and this drama reminds me they are the core of my life.
"We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving."
Dear God, you has me where you want me, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon me in Christ Jesus. Saving is all your idea, and all your work. All I do is trust you enough to let you do it. Because you are the alpha and the omega. Thanks God.
the resurrection of Jesus was a hidden event. He didn't rise from the grave to baffle his opponents, to make a victory statement, or to prove to those who crucified him that he was right after all. Jesus rose as a sign to those who love him and follow him that God's divine love is stronger than death.
The world didn't take notice. Only those whom he called by name, with whom he broke bread, and to whom he spoke words of peace were aware of what happened. Still, it was this hidden event that freed humanity from the shackles of death.
--- Henri Nouwen
Dear God, thanks for you plan to humanity, to me...today we celebrate your birth. But without understanding your resurrection from the horrifying death, and the sign of your divine love, the Christmas means nothing. Christmas is not just a celebration of your son Jesus, a baby who born 2000+ years ago. But a celebration of your incarnation and the sign of your divine love—the salvation. Thank you Jesus. Amen.
Its Jesus who made things up between the non-Jewish outsider and Jewish insider. He tore down the wall between us...He create a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everyone...
dear God, thanks for showing us your plan of re-creation, thanks for giving me chance to have a fresh start...just like the year 2008 is coming to an end, and a new fresh year is starting... Lord, remind me to leave my old self-addicted soul behind, because you have given me a new body/soul...thank you Jesus, Amen.
It's funny that we always let the world to tell us how to live.
The world, which doesn't know the first thing about living.
It reminds me a few lines from a song called "Work" by Jars of Clay:
"Now all the demons look like prophets and I'm living out
Every word they speak, every word they speak"
In Chinese Bible the wording is even stronger:
那時、你們在其中行事為人隨從今世的風俗、順服空中掌權者的首領、
就是現今在悖逆之子心中運行的邪靈．
"you fill your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it..."
What am I breathing? Am I breathing from the Holy Spirit?
Thank you God, you didnt lose your temper and kick me out from your love :) Holy Spirit, give me air to breath, the most basic element to live. The air that fill with your abundance, your grace, your kindness, your humbleness. Holy Spirit, please fill my lung, keep me alife. So that I can always be reminded that YOU are the first thing about living. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
He is in charge of it all!! At the CENTER of all this Christ rules the church...and church is not a peripheral to the world, but the world is a peripheral to the church.
dear Lord, you are the one who rule the church, you fill everything with your presence. you are in charge. Lord, save me from self addiction when serving at church. Thank you for giving me such vision that "the world is a peripheral to the church". dear God, please let us see your work in RGAC and tell us your clear direction. Amen.
Its Christ, in Him, we find out who we are.
...he had design on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he's working out in everything and everyone.
dear lord, thank you for showing your purpose on me. thank you for giving me the way to glorious living. lord, please keep me away from the evil, and help me to live by your grace. thank you, amen.
Ephesians 1:7-10
Its Christ who poured his blood on the cross to pay for the penalties of our misdeeds.
So that our life is free of penalties, not just barely free, but Abundantly free...
dear God, thank you for your love that brings abundantly freedom to my life. thank you for showing me your long-range plan in my life. however I'm getting so used to under penalties, dear Lord, please keep reminding me that I'm a freemen. not just barely free, like sneaky free, but abundantly free! thank you Jesus, amen.
This man and his party won't care about your self-destructive act...
Ephesians 1:1-6 (the Message)
Paul said that he is an apostle under God's plan, a special agent of CJ.
A special agent that bring God's blessing/love to earth? I guess not, we don't do that, but God does.
Then he talked about blessing and God had settled us as the focus of his love, to be made WHOLE and HOLY by his love.
Because HE knows, we were orphan. We were adopted into His family.
Dear Lord, thank you for adopting me into your family. Please remind me that I'm under your plan, and you settled me in your love. I didn't find you, but you find me first. Amen.
終於從香港運來了，整個過程像做自己的婚禮一樣。很懷念。
如果那時有這樣的香港Ｐｒｉｎｔｅｒ就好了！
Invitation
Thank you card