不能外出的假期，在家好好寫一下心情。自上年六月至今，一年的光景，送中法、大遊行、警民衝突不斷，今年一月爆發新冠肺炎一直到如今五月快要完結仍沒有減退的疫情。這一年裡，心中周旋著的不安感不退不減，於新聞中看到的事情絕不像我們一般所認為的「常理與價值」地發生。更令人噁心的是身邊愛的人都因立場不同而大動干戈，言語彼此揶揄不止，唇槍舌劍，很傷害感情。
其實，我希望一家人或是朋友相聚時，不要浪費時間在沒有結論的事情上。有些只為「贏」口頭戰，希望別人認為他是智慧人，見解獨特到位。認為自己有智慧的人都是愚不可及，眼光狹隘。這些日子裡實在聽太多這些一面之詞，很累。市道怎樣不好，世界國際關係如何，習大大、侵侵是怎樣的領導人，物價將如何暴升，中國將如何對付美國，美國又會如何反制抓中國，這一切一切我都關心，但不想天天論談，要讀過一遍各媒體的報導已經很足夠，各下的見解可以留給自己。人與人之間，只需要對事情反應的情緒互訴，不太需要一味的新聞二讀。你不是時事評論員，我也不是聽眾。
那天，我在Sam’s Club買東西。疫情下帶口罩，手套到市場，大排長龍，大家都小心翼翼。一對說廣東話的夫婦鬧別扭。妻子像是受了委屈的一方說：「點解我講咩都係錯既？你係咪好憎我？」這樣的問題反反覆覆問了好幾遍。丈夫給了一個眼神，像是說「大庭廣眾，不要這樣好不好？」一言不發走開。這宗偶遇的事件，我不知道誰對誰錯。我只知道其實大家都情緒都很崩緊。
別人的情緒好與不好，你有關心嗎? 他們情緒好或是不好，你有過問為什麼嗎？有時候口裡說了狂話是要發洩一下裡面的心情，你可以暫時先不用你的尺去量度才去評價別人的負面情緒嗎？你的負能量我吞了，你可否也花一點時間瞭解我的不安呢？
當生活被疫情拖慢下來，才有空檔重新感受生活，細細品一品，生活中的衣、食、住、行。住和食最不失去。不用出門，一整天可以穿得隨便舒適。一星期外出一次買東西也用不著開車，或是網購亦可以解決。有瓦遮頭，有充饑的糧，人生不過如此。基本需要離不開柴、米、油、鹽、醬、醋、茶，如此簡單。
上帝有恩典、有憐憫，這時期是一個最好的退修營。不要太在意新聞報導、世界大事。是不要太在意，不是不關心。太多的資訊讓人紛擾。要重整或是重新上帝放在我心中的尺，用這一把尺釐定世間大事小事，用衪的憐憫之心待人、用衪的公義判斷、用衪的愛去原諒，用衪的忍耐走下去。任何事情可以向前推進都不是飯來張口的功德。做好自己的份內事，小如把用過的碗筷清洗乾淨而不是讓別人代勞已很不錯。或許就是如此微不足道的舉動就能減少人與人之間的磨擦。
行不義之人，上帝自會審判他。說謊的政權總有天會倒台，不管他是中國也好，美國也罷。上帝讓我們用生命見證衪，我只想在我那微不足道的範圍裡為衪發一點光，為身邊的人帶來一點點溫暖，僅此而已。
Showing posts with label 學習. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 學習. Show all posts
Friday, May 22, 2020
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
正面互動
愛是很大的動力，好讓我們在一切患難中前行，不懼艱難，也不怕犧牲。
只是平順、無風浪的日子，人不單需要愛，也需要鼓勵、讚美和認同，把一些很日常的事情持續地幹下去。
小孩子甚麼也不用做，偶爾幫大人做了一件可有可無的小事，我們都會很誇張地誇獎他做得有多棒，因為我們希望小孩日後能自發性地做事，在正面的鼓勵和充滿讚美的環境下成長。
其實大人與小孩子一樣，十分需要正面的鼓勵和讚美。不同的是小孩子可以隨心所欲，大人雖己所不欲卻還須繼續。
如果一句讚美的話可以把一件再枯燥的事項變得樂意，何樂而不為？
再者生活中有不少沒有一定準則事情，我們不必吹毛求疵地要求自己或是別人必須在既定的個人框架中完成。這都是在加增生活中不必要的壓力與不快。不知道為甚麼，我們對小孩子容忍的心總因為人大了而減退，我們就是喜歡找別人的錯處，喜歡做糾察，用最微少的放大鏡檢視不對。
小時候很喜歡在雜誌裡玩「找錯處」的遊戲，就是有兩幅近乎一樣的圖畫，找出最微細的不同。時至今天，若在網上或雜誌上玩也很得歡心，總喜歡拿著筆雀躍地在其上打圈圈。只是在日常的生活中，天天玩、時刻打圈，會是很累的事。
身邊若仍然有願意維持日常生活的人，不妨多給予鼓勵和讚美。就算是一件最不起眼的事，如洗淨早上用完的水杯，總有人一生也學不了，若有人長年慮月天天默默地把那隻水杯洗淨然後放回原位，讓你每天早上有乾淨的杯子用，不管那個是家人或是聘請的工人，這不已是很感恩的事嗎？
政府已聘請警察維持秩序，關係間不需要警員，尤其在家裡，只需要用愛心施予與承受等正面互動。
我們都需要些正能量，延續生活....
只是平順、無風浪的日子，人不單需要愛，也需要鼓勵、讚美和認同，把一些很日常的事情持續地幹下去。
小孩子甚麼也不用做，偶爾幫大人做了一件可有可無的小事，我們都會很誇張地誇獎他做得有多棒，因為我們希望小孩日後能自發性地做事，在正面的鼓勵和充滿讚美的環境下成長。
其實大人與小孩子一樣，十分需要正面的鼓勵和讚美。不同的是小孩子可以隨心所欲，大人雖己所不欲卻還須繼續。
如果一句讚美的話可以把一件再枯燥的事項變得樂意，何樂而不為？
再者生活中有不少沒有一定準則事情，我們不必吹毛求疵地要求自己或是別人必須在既定的個人框架中完成。這都是在加增生活中不必要的壓力與不快。不知道為甚麼，我們對小孩子容忍的心總因為人大了而減退，我們就是喜歡找別人的錯處，喜歡做糾察，用最微少的放大鏡檢視不對。
小時候很喜歡在雜誌裡玩「找錯處」的遊戲，就是有兩幅近乎一樣的圖畫，找出最微細的不同。時至今天，若在網上或雜誌上玩也很得歡心，總喜歡拿著筆雀躍地在其上打圈圈。只是在日常的生活中，天天玩、時刻打圈，會是很累的事。
身邊若仍然有願意維持日常生活的人，不妨多給予鼓勵和讚美。就算是一件最不起眼的事，如洗淨早上用完的水杯，總有人一生也學不了，若有人長年慮月天天默默地把那隻水杯洗淨然後放回原位，讓你每天早上有乾淨的杯子用，不管那個是家人或是聘請的工人，這不已是很感恩的事嗎？
政府已聘請警察維持秩序，關係間不需要警員，尤其在家裡，只需要用愛心施予與承受等正面互動。
我們都需要些正能量，延續生活....
Friday, September 10, 2010
學習捨己
感謝主，有掙扎。
禱告。求主加力，付上代價，學習捨己，服事弟兄姊妹，鍛鍊更上一層樓的早禱操練。
其實可以叫你掙扎的事可以是件很小，很微不足道的事情，人是很軟弱的。不要叫今天的軟弱成為接下來這幾天可以聆聽神、經驗神的難阻。
讓今天的掙扎和順服成為明天信心的養分。所以，順服吧！主，讓我來就你。
禱告。求主加力，付上代價，學習捨己，服事弟兄姊妹，鍛鍊更上一層樓的早禱操練。
其實可以叫你掙扎的事可以是件很小，很微不足道的事情，人是很軟弱的。不要叫今天的軟弱成為接下來這幾天可以聆聽神、經驗神的難阻。
讓今天的掙扎和順服成為明天信心的養分。所以，順服吧！主，讓我來就你。
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
天父在暗中察看
今早思想到天父一向看人的都是在內心，不是表面性的舉動。其實這個操練也蠻難學的，因為人的價值往往不其然的就向往人怎麼看自己的表現而加增。沒有被人看見的都喜歡在人前不經意的提起，怕別人不知道。有時候不是人做得太少，而是太多。
在馬太福音，主耶穌的登山寶訓中有兩句常出現的詞語：「你們聽見有話說...只是我告訴你們...」和「你父在暗中察看」。主耶穌明顯的是指著一班宗教領袖，法利賽人說這些話，因為他們都按一直口傳下來的話，所為的「傳統」做他們認為是對的宗教。他們假冒為善，因此善行都變得可悲。耶穌來是傳一個跟那些宗教領袖不同的宗教，是一個回歸原本的信仰，一個不需要靠守多少個禮節而跟創造主發生的生命關係。一切他們以前聽過的話，耶穌說現在不一樣了。在外面做了多少宗教式的德行，父也只察看那在內室/心幹的事情。在暗中禱告、禁食、施予，都是一些內在的屬靈操練，可惜我們在這方面卻做得太少。
我要好好禱告、好好的讀聖經、好好的愛人、好好的關心家人、好好的愛神。
在馬太福音，主耶穌的登山寶訓中有兩句常出現的詞語：「你們聽見有話說...只是我告訴你們...」和「你父在暗中察看」。主耶穌明顯的是指著一班宗教領袖，法利賽人說這些話，因為他們都按一直口傳下來的話，所為的「傳統」做他們認為是對的宗教。他們假冒為善，因此善行都變得可悲。耶穌來是傳一個跟那些宗教領袖不同的宗教，是一個回歸原本的信仰，一個不需要靠守多少個禮節而跟創造主發生的生命關係。一切他們以前聽過的話，耶穌說現在不一樣了。在外面做了多少宗教式的德行，父也只察看那在內室/心幹的事情。在暗中禱告、禁食、施予，都是一些內在的屬靈操練，可惜我們在這方面卻做得太少。
我要好好禱告、好好的讀聖經、好好的愛人、好好的關心家人、好好的愛神。
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
第二課
剛放學，又是很充實的一堂。對於看書雖然應該沒有什麼難度，但因有時間的限制，真是有一點「熬底」。不過仍為到能上課和聽到如此多的生命分享而興奮。若是沒有像保羅如此的事奉觀、生命、委身和屬靈的深度，是很難寫得出如此肺腑的話。他對哥林多教會的愛真的格外疼愛。保羅的生命仍在影響今天的信徒。
上帝的話語，我們必須大口、大口的吃。
上帝的話語，我們必須大口、大口的吃。
“…rather be wronged…” (I Cor. 6:7)
Being strong doesn’t always mean winning. Being weak doesn’t always mean losing.
Being articulating doesn’t always mean righteous. Being silence doesn’t always mean guilty.
The word of God is powerful and meaningful, sometimes it is hard to in-take, for the uneasiness it aroused inside. It takes much spiritual strength to withhold than to defend. It takes even more inner spiritual strength to swallow the inequity than to fight back. The spiritual strength that Jesus talks about when someone strikes you on the right, turn to him the other also. It is the extra miles we will need to walk, not to sustain our personal reputation, but God’s. It is the cloak we’ve got to lose to cover up our own shame and making us comfortable. It is the naked self that we ought to expose that God’s glory will be seen through us weak sinner…
Lord, may Your word become our prayer. “He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30
Being articulating doesn’t always mean righteous. Being silence doesn’t always mean guilty.
The word of God is powerful and meaningful, sometimes it is hard to in-take, for the uneasiness it aroused inside. It takes much spiritual strength to withhold than to defend. It takes even more inner spiritual strength to swallow the inequity than to fight back. The spiritual strength that Jesus talks about when someone strikes you on the right, turn to him the other also. It is the extra miles we will need to walk, not to sustain our personal reputation, but God’s. It is the cloak we’ve got to lose to cover up our own shame and making us comfortable. It is the naked self that we ought to expose that God’s glory will be seen through us weak sinner…
Lord, may Your word become our prayer. “He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
第一課
很喜歡上課，做學生的心情。今天上了第一課，學了很多，不單是聖經的知識，更是一些自己無法讀聖經研究出來的智慧。這些智慧必須從年月中濾積和磨練出來的。經牧師的教授，屬靈胃口大增，很想快快的看看內中還未參透的真理。對主話必須認認真真的查究和研讀。
Friday, October 26, 2007
Reflection: Lecture V - Dr. John H. Coe
It is not unusual to associate the 'feeling'/presence of God is a sign of contented spirituality, and this seems to give measure to one's spiritual maturity. Dr. John Coe has gave a profound lecture and sharing on the topic, which is an eye-opening experience to my spiritual walk. After four lectures on Spiritual Formation, it is wonderful, ideal and perfect, however, there is a missing piece. God is not always near, at least to my human sensitivity and sinful nature. Being told there's a place of perfection but recognize the reality of spiritual status is an ordeal. Sincere Christian doesn't settle with status quo, and deeds don't satisfy or fill the gap in between. God seems to be absence sometimes to devoted Christian. After the lecture, there are lots of reflection and confession of wrong doings to 'muscle up' the spiritual experience or being unreal to my spirituality.
The lecture reminds spiritual leader, which alot of time tempted to generate spiritual experience/feeling to themselves or the flock. The sensation of consolation itself is wonderful, however a toxic addiction when being faked.
Dear Lord, please help me to be true to my spirituality, whether in consolation or desolation. Help me to bring about a true, genuine and authentic spiritual life that even at times of drought, You can still shine through my cracked heart.
The lecture reminds spiritual leader, which alot of time tempted to generate spiritual experience/feeling to themselves or the flock. The sensation of consolation itself is wonderful, however a toxic addiction when being faked.
Dear Lord, please help me to be true to my spirituality, whether in consolation or desolation. Help me to bring about a true, genuine and authentic spiritual life that even at times of drought, You can still shine through my cracked heart.
Lecture V-Drawing Near to God When God Seems Far Away:
Practicing the Presence of God Despite Feelings (Dr. John H. Coe)
"God, who is everywhere, never leaves, us. Yet He seems sometimes to be present, sometimes absent. If we do not know Him well, we do not realize that He may be more present to us when He is absent than when He is present." Thomas Merton, No Man is an Island
I've learned two new terminologies:
Consolation - Spiritual feelings of God's presence
Desolation - Spiritual feelings of God's absence
Notes from Dr. John H Coe:
Spiritual feelings do not necessarily correlate with maturity. If that is the case, spiritual feelings of God's presence (consolation) or absence (desolation) are less the result of our actions and more the gifts of God according to His purposes.
At times of Consolation, God purposefully to encourage us, give us a taste of the presence of God and to reinforce practicing spiritual discipline. In season of Consolation, it is a great time to give ourselves to spiritual disciplines, reading of the word, prayer. Open our heart deeply, soften the focus on everything else and focus on God, welcome a time of formation.
At times of Desolation, it is a time to mirror what in our heart. Faith practice of spiritual discipline to mirror what’s inside, to see part of our heart that will shock us. God needs to do a 'heart-surgery' to our heart that has falsely attached to something else other than God. "Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Deut. 8:2-3 When we are hungry, our heart to will open to God.
What is going on in this desolation, what is God doing?
Spirit of God wants to make our heart Him home.
Vice and sins in heart to be removed - purge the pockets in our heart that is filled with ourselves
Most of us will choose 'consolation' over 'transformation'. The Holy Spirit has a lot to fill us, He knows and desires more of us. God can only withdrawing to feel consolation to take us on a journey to deepen our relationship with Him.
Dark Nights: when God is going to purge the heart to draw nearer to you within.
Two forms of dark nights or seasons of purgation:
· First dark night of senses: for younger believers, purging them to the reliance of consolation, meaning the presence of God by feeling of consolation.
· Second dark night of the spirit: for older believers. Need to open new rivers of living water, where a good character developed a good theology in their life. Reliance upon their character, depend upon discipline and wisdom rather than on God.
2. What is going on in the dark nights:
· Biblically this stage is likened to Young mean: wrestle with the evil one, overcome him, you are strong, word abides in you. (IJohn 2:12-14)
· God withdraws spiritual consolation: At some point, bible reading, hearing sermon, prayer lose their pleasure dimension. Ministry loses its zest. The sense of our own good character no longer satisfies – we are left with experiencing the parts of ourselves that are filled with the self and not the Spirit – this is a gift to experience the truth of parts of ourselves – and so, we become hungry for God, we want to rivers of living water. (It is hard for us let go of consolation, like a baby wants bottle. God took the bottle away, in order to re-train our sense/discernment to open to His word.)
· The Experience: in the balance of our self and the Spirit working right through our psychological functioning, we typically experience dryness, distance from God, frustration, sense of moral failure, loneliness, spiritual impotence, confusion over allegiance to the world, self or God.
· How do you know if you are in a dark night:
a) During this time, it is very difficult to pray and do spiritual discipline. Holy Spirit is choosing to give you experience (a taste) of your heart that don’t like spiritual discipline. Sometimes when we aren’t excited about spiritual things because something else is in our heart.
b) Don’t want to meditate, prayer time less, because it becoming painful to see what’s going on with our soul.
c) Worry about the state of your soul, asking questions what’s wrong with me?
· Temptation in dark nights:
a) Temptation to think I am doing something wrong.
b) Pray harder, generate a spiritual feeling, making something up, trying to get that love and feeling back (e.g. reading spiritual books…etc.)
c) When it doesn’t work stop doing the discipline
d) When we silently despair that God will not come.
· Remember: God is so close: This dryness is a new, more profound work of God in our deep in order to have a true, honest relationship the Spirit is attempting to reveal the truth of ourselves in neediness, to help us despair of ourselves and independence and open us to declare our dependence on the Spirit (purgative contemplation). The is what it is to be filled with the Spirit to the level one can at the stage where they are still quite filled with their own autonomous hopes, desires, wants, joys, hatreds, sorrows etc. The Spirit intends to purge these from us to slowly fill us with His own hopes etc. Nevertheless, this purgative and negative-feeling experience is a profound work of the Spirit to open us to a deeper love based upon the truth of ourselves and His loving us in light of the good and the bad within us.
· What to do or how to experience these times of desolation/dark nights
a) Going through time of dryness may be a sign/work God is working in you. Open to that.
b) Spiritual discipline change in terms of their purpose. Mirror to reality.
c) About a person from the inside calling you to listen and to watch. What is it teaching and showing you.
d) A need to resist the temptation to spiritual fix yourself.
e) Expect and want nothing except what He has to give, follow the spirit.
f) Must resist the temptation to use spiritual discipline to generate spiritual feelings. Don’t muscle it up! NO! Just let it be! Open to His word.
g) Leaders of church, resist the temptation to generate spiritual experience to people. My task is to help people to open to consolation and desolation. Praying the experience.
h) Need to be faithful to continue to do the spiritual discipline that it becomes an opportunity.
i) Need to consider this spiritual dryness is an invitation to enter to truth of your heart and just ask the spirit to teach you…
"God, who is everywhere, never leaves, us. Yet He seems sometimes to be present, sometimes absent. If we do not know Him well, we do not realize that He may be more present to us when He is absent than when He is present." Thomas Merton, No Man is an Island
I've learned two new terminologies:
Consolation - Spiritual feelings of God's presence
Desolation - Spiritual feelings of God's absence
Notes from Dr. John H Coe:
Spiritual feelings do not necessarily correlate with maturity. If that is the case, spiritual feelings of God's presence (consolation) or absence (desolation) are less the result of our actions and more the gifts of God according to His purposes.
At times of Consolation, God purposefully to encourage us, give us a taste of the presence of God and to reinforce practicing spiritual discipline. In season of Consolation, it is a great time to give ourselves to spiritual disciplines, reading of the word, prayer. Open our heart deeply, soften the focus on everything else and focus on God, welcome a time of formation.
At times of Desolation, it is a time to mirror what in our heart. Faith practice of spiritual discipline to mirror what’s inside, to see part of our heart that will shock us. God needs to do a 'heart-surgery' to our heart that has falsely attached to something else other than God. "Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Deut. 8:2-3 When we are hungry, our heart to will open to God.
What is going on in this desolation, what is God doing?
Spirit of God wants to make our heart Him home.
Vice and sins in heart to be removed - purge the pockets in our heart that is filled with ourselves
Most of us will choose 'consolation' over 'transformation'. The Holy Spirit has a lot to fill us, He knows and desires more of us. God can only withdrawing to feel consolation to take us on a journey to deepen our relationship with Him.
Dark Nights: when God is going to purge the heart to draw nearer to you within.
Two forms of dark nights or seasons of purgation:
· First dark night of senses: for younger believers, purging them to the reliance of consolation, meaning the presence of God by feeling of consolation.
· Second dark night of the spirit: for older believers. Need to open new rivers of living water, where a good character developed a good theology in their life. Reliance upon their character, depend upon discipline and wisdom rather than on God.
2. What is going on in the dark nights:
· Biblically this stage is likened to Young mean: wrestle with the evil one, overcome him, you are strong, word abides in you. (IJohn 2:12-14)
· God withdraws spiritual consolation: At some point, bible reading, hearing sermon, prayer lose their pleasure dimension. Ministry loses its zest. The sense of our own good character no longer satisfies – we are left with experiencing the parts of ourselves that are filled with the self and not the Spirit – this is a gift to experience the truth of parts of ourselves – and so, we become hungry for God, we want to rivers of living water. (It is hard for us let go of consolation, like a baby wants bottle. God took the bottle away, in order to re-train our sense/discernment to open to His word.)
· The Experience: in the balance of our self and the Spirit working right through our psychological functioning, we typically experience dryness, distance from God, frustration, sense of moral failure, loneliness, spiritual impotence, confusion over allegiance to the world, self or God.
· How do you know if you are in a dark night:
a) During this time, it is very difficult to pray and do spiritual discipline. Holy Spirit is choosing to give you experience (a taste) of your heart that don’t like spiritual discipline. Sometimes when we aren’t excited about spiritual things because something else is in our heart.
b) Don’t want to meditate, prayer time less, because it becoming painful to see what’s going on with our soul.
c) Worry about the state of your soul, asking questions what’s wrong with me?
· Temptation in dark nights:
a) Temptation to think I am doing something wrong.
b) Pray harder, generate a spiritual feeling, making something up, trying to get that love and feeling back (e.g. reading spiritual books…etc.)
c) When it doesn’t work stop doing the discipline
d) When we silently despair that God will not come.
· Remember: God is so close: This dryness is a new, more profound work of God in our deep in order to have a true, honest relationship the Spirit is attempting to reveal the truth of ourselves in neediness, to help us despair of ourselves and independence and open us to declare our dependence on the Spirit (purgative contemplation). The is what it is to be filled with the Spirit to the level one can at the stage where they are still quite filled with their own autonomous hopes, desires, wants, joys, hatreds, sorrows etc. The Spirit intends to purge these from us to slowly fill us with His own hopes etc. Nevertheless, this purgative and negative-feeling experience is a profound work of the Spirit to open us to a deeper love based upon the truth of ourselves and His loving us in light of the good and the bad within us.
· What to do or how to experience these times of desolation/dark nights
a) Going through time of dryness may be a sign/work God is working in you. Open to that.
b) Spiritual discipline change in terms of their purpose. Mirror to reality.
c) About a person from the inside calling you to listen and to watch. What is it teaching and showing you.
d) A need to resist the temptation to spiritual fix yourself.
e) Expect and want nothing except what He has to give, follow the spirit.
f) Must resist the temptation to use spiritual discipline to generate spiritual feelings. Don’t muscle it up! NO! Just let it be! Open to His word.
g) Leaders of church, resist the temptation to generate spiritual experience to people. My task is to help people to open to consolation and desolation. Praying the experience.
h) Need to be faithful to continue to do the spiritual discipline that it becomes an opportunity.
i) Need to consider this spiritual dryness is an invitation to enter to truth of your heart and just ask the spirit to teach you…
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Lecture III - The Heart of Christian Spirituality: Falling for God (Gary W. Moon)
Religion vs. Righteousness -
Religion is whatever you and I do in order to get God to love us more than we think He wants to.
Righteousness is understood in the OT as a very different term. The chief end of man, is to serve God and enjoy Him Forever.
The 3 C's of Lasting Love -
1. Taking time for Conversation
2. Becoming honest enough for true Communion
3. Thristing God desire for Consummation
Practicing the Presence of God - require much desperation
Hearing God: staying close, discerning the sound of God's voice require and overall approach to live in which I organize my day around staying close to Him.
In mood for God: conversation, development a conversational relationship.
Honesty that leads to Communion - willingness vs. willfulness, overcoming fears and idols and accepting our personal cross.
Experiencing Union - Forgiveness to Reconciliation to Union with God through Christ.
Paul only quote Jesus 3 times, how can that be?? however, there are 64 times mentioning he is living in Christ, interested in Christ in us and actualizing in Christ.
Primary Goals - Dearly love and delight in the heavenly Father (unable to jot down complete notes)
Secondary Goals - these indeed are great goals, but not primary goal.
1. Profession of perfectly correct doctrine
2. Seeking for special experiences
3. Faithfulness to church
4. External conformity
5. Social relationship and responsiblity
The 3rd key problem -
Focusing man on training than TRANSFORMATION: we can train people to like something, but only Jesus transform people inside out.
VIM model for change -
re-Vision: trinity, aspect of savior
Intention: intentional about change, willing to embrace, comes from desperation of pain.
Means: spiritual disciplines transformations.
Religion is whatever you and I do in order to get God to love us more than we think He wants to.
Righteousness is understood in the OT as a very different term. The chief end of man, is to serve God and enjoy Him Forever.
The 3 C's of Lasting Love -
1. Taking time for Conversation
2. Becoming honest enough for true Communion
3. Thristing God desire for Consummation
Practicing the Presence of God - require much desperation
Hearing God: staying close, discerning the sound of God's voice require and overall approach to live in which I organize my day around staying close to Him.
In mood for God: conversation, development a conversational relationship.
Honesty that leads to Communion - willingness vs. willfulness, overcoming fears and idols and accepting our personal cross.
Experiencing Union - Forgiveness to Reconciliation to Union with God through Christ.
Paul only quote Jesus 3 times, how can that be?? however, there are 64 times mentioning he is living in Christ, interested in Christ in us and actualizing in Christ.
Primary Goals - Dearly love and delight in the heavenly Father (unable to jot down complete notes)
Secondary Goals - these indeed are great goals, but not primary goal.
1. Profession of perfectly correct doctrine
2. Seeking for special experiences
3. Faithfulness to church
4. External conformity
5. Social relationship and responsiblity
The 3rd key problem -
Focusing man on training than TRANSFORMATION: we can train people to like something, but only Jesus transform people inside out.
VIM model for change -
re-Vision: trinity, aspect of savior
Intention: intentional about change, willing to embrace, comes from desperation of pain.
Means: spiritual disciplines transformations.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
1st Day of School - Christian Spirituality & Soul Care Lecture Series
Last night, I prepared a folder, printed direction, check my writng tools. Today is my first day of school although it only last six weeks. Since 1997 graduation, how I long for a student life. Reading, researching, writing, jotting notes and thinking. I am not like scholar, I am just a learner.
Here I am, almost 2 hour early to my seven o'clock class. Sitting at the flower bushes, smelling the evening breeze, watching students with backpack walking around campus, the sun sets on front lawn of Calvary Chapel. A professor, I guess, just walked by said, "Studying hard huh?". This is feeling cool! Someone actually thinks that I am a student! I love this,... all along within the walls of church, I am, most of the time, someone else's teacher. It is cool to be a student, I don't need to have answer to question, I am here to in-take, being fed and ask questions! It is absolutely ok to say I don't know at school, especially it is the 1st day of school!
Thank you Jesus for this special day.
Here I am, almost 2 hour early to my seven o'clock class. Sitting at the flower bushes, smelling the evening breeze, watching students with backpack walking around campus, the sun sets on front lawn of Calvary Chapel. A professor, I guess, just walked by said, "Studying hard huh?". This is feeling cool! Someone actually thinks that I am a student! I love this,... all along within the walls of church, I am, most of the time, someone else's teacher. It is cool to be a student, I don't need to have answer to question, I am here to in-take, being fed and ask questions! It is absolutely ok to say I don't know at school, especially it is the 1st day of school!
Thank you Jesus for this special day.
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Lecture VI-A Rule of Life: Cultivating Rhythms for Spiritual Transformation (Ruth Haley Barton)
Sometimes we need to be unplugged.
I’ve learned a new term in this lecture, however it is not something new to my personal experience, CHRISTIAN FATIGUE SYNDROME. It is described as jar of water got shaken up... too many bubbles, it is unclear, it needs to be settled for clear vision. It takes a still soul to unfolding our spirituality.
Sitting down with God, with no agenda, no scripture to read, no prayer to pray, just sit still, face just what is about me at that moment with the presence of God. Hear my heart whispering my desire, the deepest desire... longing for love, happen at the unlikely place, beneath the busyness and noise. At times, this finding is not pleasant at all, and it can be quite annoying and uncomfortable to realize my longing.
Rhythms - setting up rhythms in our lives orient ourselves to the transforming of God.
Rhythms of solitude and silent: settlement of our life.
Self-awareness: seeing ourselves of who we are. (Isaiah, Paul & David)
Spiritual Journey of who we are and who God is.
Invitation to settle, water become water.
Rhythms of spiritual discipline
Normal to experience some resistance, it is time that when God is at work.
Effective Spiritual Practices
Personal – no two individual are the same. There are different practices for different sins we cope with.
Ruthlessly realistic – people with kids to take care, need to set-up realistic practice
Balance – pick those that stretch you.
Flexibility – God doesn’t need our rule of life to find us, we need it. God can still do HIS work in us, be flexibility, open to God presence.
I’ve learned a new term in this lecture, however it is not something new to my personal experience, CHRISTIAN FATIGUE SYNDROME. It is described as jar of water got shaken up... too many bubbles, it is unclear, it needs to be settled for clear vision. It takes a still soul to unfolding our spirituality.
Sitting down with God, with no agenda, no scripture to read, no prayer to pray, just sit still, face just what is about me at that moment with the presence of God. Hear my heart whispering my desire, the deepest desire... longing for love, happen at the unlikely place, beneath the busyness and noise. At times, this finding is not pleasant at all, and it can be quite annoying and uncomfortable to realize my longing.
Rhythms - setting up rhythms in our lives orient ourselves to the transforming of God.
Rhythms of solitude and silent: settlement of our life.
Self-awareness: seeing ourselves of who we are. (Isaiah, Paul & David)
Spiritual Journey of who we are and who God is.
Invitation to settle, water become water.
Rhythms of spiritual discipline
Normal to experience some resistance, it is time that when God is at work.
Effective Spiritual Practices
Personal – no two individual are the same. There are different practices for different sins we cope with.
Ruthlessly realistic – people with kids to take care, need to set-up realistic practice
Balance – pick those that stretch you.
Flexibility – God doesn’t need our rule of life to find us, we need it. God can still do HIS work in us, be flexibility, open to God presence.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Lecture IV-Forgiving Others: A Grace-Filled Obligation of Spiritual Formation (Dr. Michael J. Wilkins
Matthew 18:21-25 - "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, and 'I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
To Forgive is to release a person from the wrong that they have done to us, for the purpose of re-establishing one relationship in a healthy way. Everyone of us has sinned and everyone needs forgivness. Forgivness is a crucial key to our personal formation and the health of our communities.
Matthew 18:21-35
1st section: a typically human way of dealing with people who have offened us (18:21-22). It's a performance driven requirement.
Peter's motive, he is waiting for a time for retribution, he will forgive until a point the person will pay for it.
2nd section: a God's way of Forgiveness
A Grace-filled obligation (18:23-35) there is a kind of forgiveness that comes from heaven.
FORGIVENESS is a supernatural impulse from a transformed heart. We are made to forgive, in the likeness of Jesus.
The 1st servant is an example of a person who has never truely received God's forgiveness.
HOW??
Forgiveness comes from being forgiven - "mercy" is not giving a person what she or he deserve, while 'grace' is giving to a person what she or he doesn't deserve.
*Mercy & Grace experienced will produce mercy & grace demonstrated. (v.32-33)
Forgiveness comes from a changed heart - to experiences the grace of the gospel of the kingdom is to experience a transformed heart. and it's Jesus kind of heart, which continually give to other for their benefits.
What prohibits our forgiving others is when we harden our heart, one of two basic ways:
a. When we sin againist God or His people
b. When we have hurt by others, we harden our heart so we won't be hurt again.
* A hard heart can't love, our spiritual life grow as we forgive others.
Forgiveness is your responsiblity; leave judgment to God.
a. Don't try to take it into your own hands to bring retribution to others.
b. Don't try to be God's cop to the world.
Be wise as a serpent, but harmless as a dove
a. Don't be foolish about placing yourself unnessearily in a place where you'll continue to be wrong.
b. Be wise about those who would continue to hurt you, or hurt those you love.
Kingdom Forgiveness -
A life motto: "I don't get mad, I get even."
A life transformation: "If God can forgive a jerk like me, I can forgive you."
stop focusing on what others have done to us and focus on what Jesus has done in and for us.
Some Final thoughts (Kingdom Forgiveness) -
An unhealthy person and community is one that doesn't not live in relationship to the reality of the cross and resurrection of Jesus.
Rather, it lives according to the prevailing cultural paradigm of values. We might try to gather around like interests, or geographical location, or even ideologies.
But the kind of community that Jesus advances is based on having received mercy and forgiveness, which in turn will impel us to demonstrate mercy and forgiveness.
To Forgive is to release a person from the wrong that they have done to us, for the purpose of re-establishing one relationship in a healthy way. Everyone of us has sinned and everyone needs forgivness. Forgivness is a crucial key to our personal formation and the health of our communities.
Matthew 18:21-35
1st section: a typically human way of dealing with people who have offened us (18:21-22). It's a performance driven requirement.
Peter's motive, he is waiting for a time for retribution, he will forgive until a point the person will pay for it.
2nd section: a God's way of Forgiveness
A Grace-filled obligation (18:23-35) there is a kind of forgiveness that comes from heaven.
FORGIVENESS is a supernatural impulse from a transformed heart. We are made to forgive, in the likeness of Jesus.
The 1st servant is an example of a person who has never truely received God's forgiveness.
HOW??
Forgiveness comes from being forgiven - "mercy" is not giving a person what she or he deserve, while 'grace' is giving to a person what she or he doesn't deserve.
*Mercy & Grace experienced will produce mercy & grace demonstrated. (v.32-33)
Forgiveness comes from a changed heart - to experiences the grace of the gospel of the kingdom is to experience a transformed heart. and it's Jesus kind of heart, which continually give to other for their benefits.
What prohibits our forgiving others is when we harden our heart, one of two basic ways:
a. When we sin againist God or His people
b. When we have hurt by others, we harden our heart so we won't be hurt again.
* A hard heart can't love, our spiritual life grow as we forgive others.
Forgiveness is your responsiblity; leave judgment to God.
a. Don't try to take it into your own hands to bring retribution to others.
b. Don't try to be God's cop to the world.
Be wise as a serpent, but harmless as a dove
a. Don't be foolish about placing yourself unnessearily in a place where you'll continue to be wrong.
b. Be wise about those who would continue to hurt you, or hurt those you love.
Kingdom Forgiveness -
A life motto: "I don't get mad, I get even."
A life transformation: "If God can forgive a jerk like me, I can forgive you."
stop focusing on what others have done to us and focus on what Jesus has done in and for us.
Some Final thoughts (Kingdom Forgiveness) -
An unhealthy person and community is one that doesn't not live in relationship to the reality of the cross and resurrection of Jesus.
Rather, it lives according to the prevailing cultural paradigm of values. We might try to gather around like interests, or geographical location, or even ideologies.
But the kind of community that Jesus advances is based on having received mercy and forgiveness, which in turn will impel us to demonstrate mercy and forgiveness.
Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Lecture II - The Unbelievable Goal of the Spirituality Life (M. Robert Mulholland Jr.)
It is not uncommon to tell that the goal of spiritual life is going to heaven. However it is more than that.
Spiritual Life is not something cognitive, intellectual, a list of do's & don't's, dogma, performance, popularity...etc. IT IS... "...a true awareness of God , renouce to self..." (Merton, Contemplation) An alternate mode of consciousness, a MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE: Life of a loving union with God.
What Paul said about mystical experience:
Col 1:19, "... all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell..."
Eph. 3:16-19, "... filled with all the fullness of God." Paul is speaking a reality of spiritual experience. A loving relationship that has rooted in us. An experience that surpasses knowledge.
Col. 3:3
Gal. 2:19b-20a ... "Christ living in me."
What Peter said:
II Peter1:3, "...life and godliness... knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and goodness."
II Peter1:4, "...escape from the corruption that is in the world beacause of desire, andmay become partakers of the devine nature."
What Jesus said:
John 14:15-23..."he will be in you... I am in you...reveal myself to them... we will come to them and make our home with them."
John 15:4-5: "Abide in me as I abide in you... Those who abide in me and I in them."
John 17:20-23: "that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you..." Jesus is praying for a relationship for us, the same are just as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the world will see Jesus in us, when we live out this oneness. It is nothing to do with theology right.
The Unbelievable Goal of Spirituality: BE HIS PRESENCE TO THE WORLD. NO LONGER I LIVE, BUT CHRIST LIVING IN ME.
What is 'Spiritual Maturity'? -
Ephesians 4:13: 1. The unity of the faith and, 2. the unity of the knowledge of the Son of God, 3. to maturity, 4. to the fullness of Christ.
Spiritual Life is not something cognitive, intellectual, a list of do's & don't's, dogma, performance, popularity...etc. IT IS... "...a true awareness of God , renouce to self..." (Merton, Contemplation) An alternate mode of consciousness, a MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE: Life of a loving union with God.
What Paul said about mystical experience:
Col 1:19, "... all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell..."
Eph. 3:16-19, "... filled with all the fullness of God." Paul is speaking a reality of spiritual experience. A loving relationship that has rooted in us. An experience that surpasses knowledge.
Col. 3:3
Gal. 2:19b-20a ... "Christ living in me."
What Peter said:
II Peter1:3, "...life and godliness... knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and goodness."
II Peter1:4, "...escape from the corruption that is in the world beacause of desire, andmay become partakers of the devine nature."
What Jesus said:
John 14:15-23..."he will be in you... I am in you...reveal myself to them... we will come to them and make our home with them."
John 15:4-5: "Abide in me as I abide in you... Those who abide in me and I in them."
John 17:20-23: "that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you..." Jesus is praying for a relationship for us, the same are just as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the world will see Jesus in us, when we live out this oneness. It is nothing to do with theology right.
The Unbelievable Goal of Spirituality: BE HIS PRESENCE TO THE WORLD. NO LONGER I LIVE, BUT CHRIST LIVING IN ME.
What is 'Spiritual Maturity'? -
Ephesians 4:13: 1. The unity of the faith and, 2. the unity of the knowledge of the Son of God, 3. to maturity, 4. to the fullness of Christ.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Lecture I - The Reality of Spirituality (Dallas Willard)
Colossians 1:9-14 " For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
The Reality of Spiritualily is nothing mysterious. It is indeed, as simple as what have already heard in the years, however often misunderstood and distracked. That knowledge is actually the 'reality', indeed is our "INNER PERSON", an interactive relationship with God.
To "worship God in Spirit and in Truth" means to relate to God in terms of who we really are:
Not 'performance'
Not counting on outward things to please Him
As we come spirit-to-spirit with God, performance drop away. Worship can't be done when we are hiding. Hiding just means that i am not living in the domain of the spirit, therefore, it is important to 'confess'. When we seek honor from other, we don't worship God in spirit and truth. As we drop our own way, then that's the only occassion when God moves in.
Moving into the kingdom of light means that we decided to live without pretending - we abandon our kingdom to God's rule and don't take charge of outcome.
'In His steps' doesn't mean do what Jesus would do, but to be like Jesus, He "keeps entrusting" himself to Him who judges righteously. Not to just follow the rules/laws, but become a person the law intended, i.e. be like Jesus, the Inner Reality practical union with God. Power effortlessly becoming a kind of person when you do something good, you don't even aware you are doing it. Being 'righteous' is NO BIG DEAL! It is the outcome of Spiritual Formation.
Spiritual Disciplines: fasting, praying, confessing, solitude...etc. These practices... are only 'shell', vessels. The reality is "Christ living in me", closer than my breath, more tangible than my own soul. (II Cor. 4:7) If not kept in their place as mere instruments, they will generate a new legalism of 'spirituality'.
The Reality of Spiritualily is nothing mysterious. It is indeed, as simple as what have already heard in the years, however often misunderstood and distracked. That knowledge is actually the 'reality', indeed is our "INNER PERSON", an interactive relationship with God.
To "worship God in Spirit and in Truth" means to relate to God in terms of who we really are:
Not 'performance'
Not counting on outward things to please Him
As we come spirit-to-spirit with God, performance drop away. Worship can't be done when we are hiding. Hiding just means that i am not living in the domain of the spirit, therefore, it is important to 'confess'. When we seek honor from other, we don't worship God in spirit and truth. As we drop our own way, then that's the only occassion when God moves in.
Moving into the kingdom of light means that we decided to live without pretending - we abandon our kingdom to God's rule and don't take charge of outcome.
'In His steps' doesn't mean do what Jesus would do, but to be like Jesus, He "keeps entrusting" himself to Him who judges righteously. Not to just follow the rules/laws, but become a person the law intended, i.e. be like Jesus, the Inner Reality practical union with God. Power effortlessly becoming a kind of person when you do something good, you don't even aware you are doing it. Being 'righteous' is NO BIG DEAL! It is the outcome of Spiritual Formation.
Spiritual Disciplines: fasting, praying, confessing, solitude...etc. These practices... are only 'shell', vessels. The reality is "Christ living in me", closer than my breath, more tangible than my own soul. (II Cor. 4:7) If not kept in their place as mere instruments, they will generate a new legalism of 'spirituality'.
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