I had just finished reading this book, the best part of the book for me is the author's note. To read my opinion on the book, click here.
Anne Rice had been a Catholic when she was very young, and then left church at 18, and later on married an atheist. She is famous for her vampire novels, e.g. Interview with the Vampire (starring Tom Cruise in the movie version)
She detailed in the end of the book, how the quest for the history of 1st century, drew her back to God. What she saw in the research for the book is very interesting. Though I need no proof for the existence of Jesus, I'm glad to know she found the skeptics' view unfounded. (I had no time to go through all these research materials myself.)
And it is really true that God calls us in the best way. He really sees us. (Just like the sermon I heard earlier.) And knows us. God, Thank you.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Galatians 5:22-26
Just looking at the verse number, you would have thought I'm going to talk about the fruits of the Spirit.
According to the Everyone Series by Tom Wright (i.e. NT Wright), the point in this part is in lining up with the Spirit. As you know, in Galatians, people are arguing about whether circumcision is necessary for a Gentile Christian to fully receive God's grace.
"The balance this produces is as vital for the church today as it ever was. Often, today, when people emphaisze the need for love, patience, gentleness and the like, this goes with an attitude to truth and the gospel which says that we shouldn't stress the things we disagree on. Equally, when people are passionate for the truth of the gospel, as Paul was, they often allow that zeal to betray them into the kind of anger and even malice that are listed under 'the works of the flesh'. Often the blend of truth and love which Paul so often urged (see, e.g., Ephesians 4.15) seems elusive in church life. Paul's own answer to the problem would be short and clear: we need to learn to line up more effectively with the spirit."
It's so true. We often, in an attempt to avoid conflict, avoid our differences and the truth as well.
I think the answer is to pray more and allow the spirit to change us through our prayers.
This gives me an insight on how to handle conflict in the fellowship/church in the future.
According to the Everyone Series by Tom Wright (i.e. NT Wright), the point in this part is in lining up with the Spirit. As you know, in Galatians, people are arguing about whether circumcision is necessary for a Gentile Christian to fully receive God's grace.
"The balance this produces is as vital for the church today as it ever was. Often, today, when people emphaisze the need for love, patience, gentleness and the like, this goes with an attitude to truth and the gospel which says that we shouldn't stress the things we disagree on. Equally, when people are passionate for the truth of the gospel, as Paul was, they often allow that zeal to betray them into the kind of anger and even malice that are listed under 'the works of the flesh'. Often the blend of truth and love which Paul so often urged (see, e.g., Ephesians 4.15) seems elusive in church life. Paul's own answer to the problem would be short and clear: we need to learn to line up more effectively with the spirit."
It's so true. We often, in an attempt to avoid conflict, avoid our differences and the truth as well.
I think the answer is to pray more and allow the spirit to change us through our prayers.
This gives me an insight on how to handle conflict in the fellowship/church in the future.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Work & Study & God
When I promised to pick up the various tasks in church, I was still thinking about joining the revision course in December. Now that I have more or less decided to go, I am a bit worried coz I have far too much work that I can handle with my study and work.
Let's see how I'll experience God's grace through the next few months.
Let's see how I'll experience God's grace through the next few months.
Praying
Beyond "Prayer Requests"
What if people's wishes run counter to God's sometimes painful path of transformation?
What if people's wishes run counter to God's sometimes painful path of transformation?
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Offering and Sin (Sermon 10/9/06)
Dead tired after work yesterday... 24 hours of continuous work (only stopped for 2 hours in between), every case is REAL emergency...
I attended the morning service right after work with my exhausted body (not my mind nor my soul, they had been lost somewhere in the midst of my work...) And I was pleasantly surprised when God spoke to me through the sermon. (Though I have slept through a few prayers and even when other people are singing, it felt like lullaby...) The sermon was a bit rushed because of a ceremony scheduled afterwards, points that should be elaborated was just stated, but it had a few really good messages.
The sermon was on Leviticus Chapter 1, as I'm preparing a sermon for children's service on Leviticus, so I paid extra attention, jotting notes while listening. (The fact is if I didn't, I would have fallen asleep after 1 minute. =P)
The theme for the worship service was "Praising the God who filled us with joy."
The sermon was on the meaning of offering. The pastor began with Psalms 16, the psalm from which the theme of the service quoted. We often associate our spiritual life with our feelings, whether we are full of joy, how much time we spent in devotional time, etc. The fact is that the state of our relationship with God does not depend on our feelings.
A kid played with his boomerang for the first time, when the boomerang did not return as expected, he told his father God did not give it back to him.
Offering in the Bible, unlike that in other Near East civilisation, is not for the purpose of providing food to gods. It is for the reconciliation of God and us.
Devotional time is just a reflection of the state of our relationship with God. However, the state is not determined by our effort, our work, how hard we pray or how many times we read our Bible.
God's concern is the sin that separates us from Him.
And the meaning of offering is to remind us to deal with sin. Offering is not meant to be just a penalty for us. When we got our ticket from parking, we just said how unlucky we are. It is different from that. Offerings were made with animals without blemish. It could not be done with the worst animal they had. (You're going to die anyway, so why not do me a favour and die for me?)
Through the act of offering, the Israelites were reminded of their sin. Likewise, we should have certain acts to remind us to deal with our sins.
We often confess the same kinds of sins over and over again. Sometimes even we ourselves got tired of ourselves and can no longer accept our own sins, and we do not even want to deal with them anymore. This is in fact doubting God's love for us. He gave His own Son for our sins. And we doubt if He's ever going to accept our sins? If He can accept them and forgive them, why can't us do the same?
To obey God's command is the positive way to deal with our sins. We need to deal with them seriously and it should remind us that sin has a price.
I attended the morning service right after work with my exhausted body (not my mind nor my soul, they had been lost somewhere in the midst of my work...) And I was pleasantly surprised when God spoke to me through the sermon. (Though I have slept through a few prayers and even when other people are singing, it felt like lullaby...) The sermon was a bit rushed because of a ceremony scheduled afterwards, points that should be elaborated was just stated, but it had a few really good messages.
The sermon was on Leviticus Chapter 1, as I'm preparing a sermon for children's service on Leviticus, so I paid extra attention, jotting notes while listening. (The fact is if I didn't, I would have fallen asleep after 1 minute. =P)
The theme for the worship service was "Praising the God who filled us with joy."
The sermon was on the meaning of offering. The pastor began with Psalms 16, the psalm from which the theme of the service quoted. We often associate our spiritual life with our feelings, whether we are full of joy, how much time we spent in devotional time, etc. The fact is that the state of our relationship with God does not depend on our feelings.
A kid played with his boomerang for the first time, when the boomerang did not return as expected, he told his father God did not give it back to him.
Offering in the Bible, unlike that in other Near East civilisation, is not for the purpose of providing food to gods. It is for the reconciliation of God and us.
Devotional time is just a reflection of the state of our relationship with God. However, the state is not determined by our effort, our work, how hard we pray or how many times we read our Bible.
God's concern is the sin that separates us from Him.
And the meaning of offering is to remind us to deal with sin. Offering is not meant to be just a penalty for us. When we got our ticket from parking, we just said how unlucky we are. It is different from that. Offerings were made with animals without blemish. It could not be done with the worst animal they had. (You're going to die anyway, so why not do me a favour and die for me?)
Through the act of offering, the Israelites were reminded of their sin. Likewise, we should have certain acts to remind us to deal with our sins.
We often confess the same kinds of sins over and over again. Sometimes even we ourselves got tired of ourselves and can no longer accept our own sins, and we do not even want to deal with them anymore. This is in fact doubting God's love for us. He gave His own Son for our sins. And we doubt if He's ever going to accept our sins? If He can accept them and forgive them, why can't us do the same?
To obey God's command is the positive way to deal with our sins. We need to deal with them seriously and it should remind us that sin has a price.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Reflections on Christianity and Christians
I was listening to a forum with Anne Rice and NT Wright this morning on the way to work, they discussed about the existence of some really bad Christians and good atheists. (btw, Anne Rice is really the one who wrote Interview with the Vampire, I initially thought she's just someone with the same name... she's "re-converted" to Catholicism and vowed to write for God only now.)
Bishop Wright said many Christians who are talking about obeying God's commandments, usually just select the easy ones to obey, and ignore those that are difficult.
Another point mentioned is that we are not supposed to just tolerate each other in church, we are created to love each other in church.
Well, what can I say? I'm guilty. On both charges.
Another point of reflection is on what Christianity is all about. Is it just about getting to heaven when we die? Of course, every Christian would have said no. However, we were doing things as if we believed in that. It seems that our life is about escaping this world. In fact, when we spread the Gospel, we often emphasize on this point. You believe in Christ, you get eternal life, otherwise, you go straight into hell. (Maybe not that frank, but you get the idea. I've been opposed to this for some time even tho I'm a so-called "evangelical Christian".)
Jesus died and rose two thousand years ago, demonstrating his victory over this world. How did this change our present lives? Or are we just a bunch of people waiting for our life after death?
Bishop Wright said many Christians who are talking about obeying God's commandments, usually just select the easy ones to obey, and ignore those that are difficult.
Another point mentioned is that we are not supposed to just tolerate each other in church, we are created to love each other in church.
Well, what can I say? I'm guilty. On both charges.
Another point of reflection is on what Christianity is all about. Is it just about getting to heaven when we die? Of course, every Christian would have said no. However, we were doing things as if we believed in that. It seems that our life is about escaping this world. In fact, when we spread the Gospel, we often emphasize on this point. You believe in Christ, you get eternal life, otherwise, you go straight into hell. (Maybe not that frank, but you get the idea. I've been opposed to this for some time even tho I'm a so-called "evangelical Christian".)
Jesus died and rose two thousand years ago, demonstrating his victory over this world. How did this change our present lives? Or are we just a bunch of people waiting for our life after death?
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Andrew
Yesterday, we had a sermon on Andrew, the apostle whom our fellowship was named after.
We often knew Andrew as the one who brought people to Jesus. In 1 John, when we read the description clearly, Andrew did bring people to Jesus to see him. However, ultimately, it was Jesus who saw them.
The most important thing for our evangelism is being seen by Jesus. We can bring people before Christ. We should know God sees us, and the way He sees us has a great impact on us. And it is also a great relief to us. We only need to be the one God created us to be. Not more, not less.
As for evangelism, it is NOT limited to bringing people to Jesus, we need to help them into Jesus' disciples and obey all that Christ has commanded.
What does God see when He looks at us right now??
We often knew Andrew as the one who brought people to Jesus. In 1 John, when we read the description clearly, Andrew did bring people to Jesus to see him. However, ultimately, it was Jesus who saw them.
The most important thing for our evangelism is being seen by Jesus. We can bring people before Christ. We should know God sees us, and the way He sees us has a great impact on us. And it is also a great relief to us. We only need to be the one God created us to be. Not more, not less.
As for evangelism, it is NOT limited to bringing people to Jesus, we need to help them into Jesus' disciples and obey all that Christ has commanded.
What does God see when He looks at us right now??
Friday, September 01, 2006
Wrestling with God
I'm not talking about Jacob.
Everyone needs to wrestle with God to get their spiritual revival. In Galatians, Paul said he went to Arabia before he started preaching. According to NT Wright in his "Paul for everyone" series, Arabia is Mount Sinai, and Paul went there to wrestle with God just like the previous prophets e.g. Elijiah did.
"God to Saul's horror and amazement, had now revealed that... Saul, an ultra-orthodox Jew, might tell the pagan nations that God loved them... We are all different, God does not break all hearts in the same way... But the central strand of most Christian living that everybody needs, from time to time, to wrestle with God and His will. It is necessary, too, that Christian leaders should be seen to be telling their own story truly."
I read this when I was travelling to work on a mini-bus yesterday and tears suddenly welled up in my eyes...
Everyone needs to wrestle with God to get their spiritual revival. In Galatians, Paul said he went to Arabia before he started preaching. According to NT Wright in his "Paul for everyone" series, Arabia is Mount Sinai, and Paul went there to wrestle with God just like the previous prophets e.g. Elijiah did.
"God to Saul's horror and amazement, had now revealed that... Saul, an ultra-orthodox Jew, might tell the pagan nations that God loved them... We are all different, God does not break all hearts in the same way... But the central strand of most Christian living that everybody needs, from time to time, to wrestle with God and His will. It is necessary, too, that Christian leaders should be seen to be telling their own story truly."
I read this when I was travelling to work on a mini-bus yesterday and tears suddenly welled up in my eyes...
網上李思敬博士講道文章/Websites with Dr. Stephen Lee's works
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