Picture Literature

No time to write long posts these days, which is rather sad. I'll still find means for creative output. I've been studying multi-modality, how different communicative modes come together to form meanings.

When I saw this picture, John 15:16 immediately came to mind =)

When worship goes wrong

I came across this video today. It brought me to see the possible mindsets of people when they come to worship God. Do we fall into any of those classes?

Be wary about being one who "honor God with your lips, but having your hearts are far away from Him" (Matthew 5:8)

How to serve God such that he gets the glory

Picture two people this afternoon pondering whether to come help clean the church tomorrow night. One is young and healthy and says, "O, I suppose I'll go. Be worth a few brownie points with the leaders. Maybe they'll have some snacks. Besides, I'm pretty good at that sort of thing, maybe I can give the rest a few pointers." So he comes and he grumbles about the tools, he criticizes the way things are planned, he talks on and on about his abilities and his experience, and in general exudes a spirit of vanity. But he works. He may even get more done than some others. Some employers may want such a man if they judge him solely by his efficiency or productivity. But God looks on the heart and takes the whole man into account. And his assessment is: I have received no glory from this supposedly good deed of service, for it was not done in reliance on my power. There was not about it the spirit of joy and gratitude and humility that comes from being borne along on the wings of mercy.

But there is another person this afternoon who is planning his Monday night. He is older and has been quite ill lately—a good deal of pain and stiffness in the knees. There was a time when he worked hard in the church and loved every minute of it and never made a big to-do about inconvenience or sacrifice. "O," he thought to himself, "how I would love to help out on Monday night. I could encourage some of the downhearted maybe. Or maybe just keep the coffee poured." So he prayed. And lo and behold, Monday morning there was no pain and no stiffness. So he came. With bells on. He did what he could with a rag and broom and he did it well. But above all he exuded a joy and a sense of gratitude for life and strength that cheered everyone and pointed them to God. He knew that what strength he had was a precious gift of God, and his whole bearing and demeanor gave God the credit.

(extracted from Pastor John Piper: http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/how-to-do-good-so-that-god-gets-the-glory)

Which person do you identify yourself with? May we be humbled as we serve and depend on God's strength.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

(1 Peter 4:10-11)

Do not be a Laodicean.

We need to hear this preached.

Shake Off Laodicean Slumber!

by A.A. Ronshausen

The great sin of these end-time days is Laodicean lukewarmness, being neither hot nor cold (Rev. 3:14-15). Sinful and godless as the world is, the real battle of today is not the battle of the world, but the battle of the church.

Laodiceanism is spiritual paralysis. It is a surrender of first love, cooling from fervency to lukewarmness; profession and no possession, the subtlest sin of hell. Laodiceanism is mediocre service, indifferent praying, contentment in spiritual barrenness, complacency in idleness. It is grudging giving, reluctant sacrificing, no martyr or witnessing spirit. Laodiceanism is burdenless, passionless, spiritless – a deceived people doomed to judgment instead of rewards.

All of this evil fruit stems from Laodiceanism. Like all the devil’s illusions, it is a great deception, and herein lies its greatest peril. It does not destroy orthodoxy or respectability. The victim knows not his true state. He is content to remain as he is. He feels no need. He prides himself on his religion, not knowing that in his Lord’s sight, he is wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. He is religious. But it is a religion our Lord hates and will spue out of His mouth.

Is There a Remedy?

Yes, there is a remedy. Jesus reveals it in Revelation 3:18. He counsels, “Buy of Me gold tried in the fire.” Gold is always a symbol of genuineness. If they will accept His loving rebuke and chastening, there is hope. He stands at the door and knocks. Notice, He is not within. If any will hear (obey) His voice, He will come in and sup with him, fellowship with him (Rev. 3:20).

Hear His counsel to the Laodicean church. Be zealous; abandon lukewarmness. Repent. Return to your first love. Get back to Pentecostal fervency, purity and power. Humble yourself in true penitence.

Many Bible scholars agree that Christendom is now in the Laodicean stage of the church. Therefore, this is Christ’s latest, timely message to us. Will we heed?

Only a God-sent revival stands between us and extinction. Storm clouds are rising fast on the horizon of time!

Is this a time to slumber, to be at ease in Zion, to be passionless, burdenless, prayerless, faithless, savourless? Have we lost our throne rights of holy intercession? Must we capitulate to the enemy, lay down our weapons and cease praying in faith that God will answer as He answered Savonarola, Knox and others?

What promises of God are obsolete? Must we limit God? Must we limit our faith? Does the law of faith and prayer still operate? Can believers still do the works of Jesus? Does the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Holy Spirit energize and empower Spirit-filled disciples today?

Is it not time enough for the saints to cease from warfare when the Holy Ghost snatches the Bride away? Did not Jesus command, “Occupy till I come”? (Luke 19:13). What would happen if the church would leave feasting and go to fasting, leave the supper room and retreat to the upper room? Cease from doubt and fears and go to praying and believing? Is not the problem of this age the problem of a prayerless, faithless church? If the church obeyed Jesus, would the gates of hell prevail? Will we talk and do nothing?

Do We Want a Revival Before Jesus Returns?

What price is too great? What sacrifice too much? Would God disappoint a burdened, soul-agonizing church on its knees? What would happen if the church would be swept with a great passion for souls and put travail, tears and soul sweat into its prayers?

Can you not discern that humanity hovers over the vortex of revolution, anarchy and chaos? Can we afford to slumber while the world passes through its greatest crisis? Will it not quickly be too late to do anything? Dare we delay in Laodicean apathy? If we fail to pray, is there any other way out?

What is the source, the cause of the pessimism that robs us of faith, hope and courage to pray through for a genuine Holy Ghost revival? Is it of God or Satan? Should we yield to it? Whence the source of this fatalistic attitude and conception in our thinking that, like a poison virus, paralyzes the church to Laodicean lukewarmness and immobility and unbelief?

“When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Pray, Christian, pray! “Lord, keep me on the firing line!”

Source: www.sermonindex.net

Doxology of Jude

24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— ²⁵ to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

- Jude 1

For the faint-hearted, weary, lost, drifting, luke-warm, lethargic with walking in faith.

Our Great High Priest intercedes for us and the Holy Spirit fights with us.

The Lily Of the Valley

The lily of the valley has the flower meaning of humility, chastity, sweetness and purity. The delicate white blossoms of the lily of the valley bloom snugly between the broad leaves. This May birth flower is a wonderfully fragrant and beautiful plant.

Lily of the valley is a native of Europe. It also has a flower meaning of the return of happiness. This May birth flower is used often in bridal arrangements for the sweet perfume. Lily of the valley can be grown is sun or shade and is a beautifully fragrant groundcover. Lily of the Valley has also been used in heral medicine as a poison antidote, for the heart and epilepsy. It is a favorite flower among brides and party planners as it is a wonderfully elegant flower. Lily of the valley is one of the most delicate and beautiful of the lily family.

Having read the two paragraphs above, I hope we can better appreciate what Charles W. Fry(the lyricist) meant when he wrote that God is the Lily of the Valley and more importantly, behold the magnificent beauty of God and be most satisfied in Him.

The Holy Spirit (Insights from Charles H. Spurgeon)

As sacred oil, he anoints the head of the believer, sets him apart to the priesthood of saints, and gives him grace to execute his duties rightly.

As the only truly purifying water he cleanses us from the power of sin and sanctifies us unto holiness, working in us to will and to do of the Lord's good pleasure.

As the light, he manifested to us at first our lost state, and now he reveals the Lord Jesus to us and in us, and guides us in the way of righteousness. Enlightened by his pure celestial ray, we are no more darkness but light in the Lord.

As fire, he both purges us from dross(= impurity), and sets our consecrated nature on a blaze. He is the sacrificial flame by which we are enabled to offer our whole souls as a living sacrifice unto God.

As heavenly dew, he removes our barrenness and fertilizes our lives.

As the dove, with wings of peaceful love he broods over his Church and over the souls of believers,

and as a Comforter he dispels the cares and doubts which mar the peace of his beloved.

As the wind, he brings the breath of life to men; blowing where he pleases, he performs the quickening operations by which the spiritual creation is animated and sustained.

"But the Advocate, the Holy spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
(John 14:26)

Violent Acts of Grace

“Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.”
Psalm 51: 8 (NASB)

I was at a conference the past 3 days and the speaker Paul D. Tripp shared among other things, how brokenness in ministry could be God’s way of winning the ministry worker’s heart. Sometimes in the heat of planning and preparing stuff and busily serving others, we are crushed by disappointments, we collapse under the expectations of others and self, we are hurt by insensitivities of others. Eventually we get discouraged and heartbroken in our ministries, wondering how to move on.

This resonated with my experience deeply. This is familiar territory. When Rev. Tripp read Psalm 51:8, it brought to mind the story that Ming Hong told in Youth Sunday School, about how a shepherd lovingly takes care of his sheep, turning to drastic measures when necessary. It is an incredibly beautiful picture.

A boy walking about a herd of sheep grazing in the pastures noticed that one of the lambs was limping. One of its front legs was carefully splinted and bandaged, an obvious sign that it was recovering from some injury. The boy asked the shepherd, “What happened to this lamb? How did it get hurt?”

The shepherd replied with all tenderness, “The truth is, I broke his leg.”

The boy was obviously horrified and he raised his voice, “How could you do something so cruel? The lamb is under your care! You’re supposed to protect it, not harm it!”

The shepherd explained patiently, “This sheep was extremely willful; despite repeated warnings, coaxing and pulling him back from near-death mishaps, he still chose to wander from the herd, sometimes bringing other more clueless sheep along with it. I had to stop him from straying, before harm befell him or other members of the herd. So I broke his leg, for only then would he not wander off and stay close to me.”

"The first day after I broke his leg, I brought him food and water. He tried to bite me. So I left him alone in a shed for a couple of days. When I returned with food and water, he was happy to see me. Now when I come to him, he licks my hand."

"This sheep now shows every sign of submission and obedience. Now let me tell you something. When this sheep is well, as he soon shall be, he will be the model sheep of my flock. He will be the quickest to hear me and the one who stays closest beside me. To the other wayward sheep, he will be an example of obedience. He has been transformed by his suffering."

Sometimes, the most devastating disruptions in ministry are drastic acts of hidden grace that send us crawling back, teary-eyed to our loving Shepherd. In brokenness and pain, we see our shallow preoccupations, our deep-rooted idols, our greatest follies. See how we’ve gone astray, exchanging our utmost satisfaction for inferior glories!

Our Shepherd loves His sheep. He knows His sheep. If having our spirit broken is the only way to drive us back to Him our ultimate and only good, will He withhold that good, wise, painful discipline from us?

Let the bones which He has broken rejoice!

Do Not I Love Thee, O My Lord?

I came across this beautiful song while I was reading Charles H. Spurgeon's book.

May it move all of us to love thee more.

Do not I love thee, O my Lord?
Behold my heart and see:
And turn each cursed idol out,
That dares to rival thee.

Do not I love thee, O my soul?
Then let me nothing love;
Dead be my heart to every joy,
When Jesus cannot move.

Within the darkness of this heart
Other gods would vie for my affections
But Thou art exalted
Thou art exalted
Thou art exalted far above all gods!

Thou knowest I love thee, dearest Lord,
But O, I long to soar
Far from the sphere of mortal joys,
And learn to love thee more!

Amen.

思量此杯

On the night, while sharing the Passover feast with His disciples, Jesus broke the bread and said, “This is my body, given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19)

After the feast, He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28)

Today, we not only remember His suffering and His death, we also proclaim the eternal life in heaven the Lord Jesus Christ prepared for us through His death and resurrection, for Jesus also said, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Luke 22:14–18) As we drink from the cup and eat of the bread, we also eagerly await the day where we will eat at the Lord’s table with Jesus Himself!

When we observe the Communion, we also show our participation in the body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 10:17 says, “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.” The cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks is a participation in the blood of Christ and the bread that we break is a participation in the body of Christ. In this way, through the partaking of the Communion, we also acknowledge that we are members of each other.

Passion Week always stirs up bittersweet affections. Sorrowful joy, joyful sorrow...

The beauty of the cross

"To a salesperson, everyone looks likes a sales prospect, and everything looks like a sales gimmick. To a missionary, everyone looks like a convert, and everything looks like a religious symbol...”

My friend put that up as his Facebook status one day probably out of annoyance. We’ve probably felt this before. If we set our hearts on a certain purpose, we can probably see its manifestation, opportunities and/or significance everywhere.

Last Saturday, Dom7th was tasked to go looking for crosses in church. It’s interesting to see where the crosses turned up.



































It isn’t difficult to spot crosses if we expect to see it in the ordinary.

“For those who will see, the cross of Christ is expectantly present in every moment and every scene. In its beauty, we are changed.” - Jill Carattini

Do we see His cross in everything we do, in everything we are? Our identity, our purpose, our worldview, our relationships with people (and things), our job, our ministry, our mundane conversations, our decision-making…

Are we transformed by the beauty of the cross?


Read more:
http://www.rzim.org/usa/usfv/tabid/436/articleid/10839/cbmoduleid/1133/default.aspx

His love is intentional

The love of Christ for us in his dying was as conscious as his suffering was intentional.

"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us" (1 John 3:16).

If he was intentional in laying down his life, it was for us. It was love.

"When Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end" (John 13:1).

Every step (Jesus Christ) on the Calvary road meant, "I love you."

他竟选择踏上这道路因为爱我爱你
沿着维亚多勒罗莎一直到加略山顶

Dona Nobis Pacem (Grant Us Peace)

在生命风暴中挣扎的人来接受他完美救恩.

他必叫你心中波涛平静, 那加利利人耶稣.

There can only be peace from God when there is peace with God. When we plead for peace, bear in mind that there are also others who needs this peace - the true peace that can only come from believing in Christ alone.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/VGaxvtLpuIw?rel=0

Give Me Oil In My Lamp

Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Give me oil in my lamp, I pray
Dear Lord, all things come from You and I thank You for being my strength;
And because You are all powerful, limitless, this Source never depletes.

Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Keep me burning till the break of day
Lord, You fuel my passions, let me be faithful even in the darkest of nights;
To keep watch, wait and hope to see the sun’s first rays.

Sing Hosanna, sing Hosanna
Sing Hosanna to the King of kings
Sing Hosanna, sing Hosanna
Sing Hosanna to the King
The Lord saves! Praise the Lord!
See, He comes again and reigns over all!
The Lord saves! Praise the Lord!
See He comes again and it’s darkness no more!

让我 爱成长. 让我爱 成长.

“Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.(Genesis 1:11-12)

The Curve and The Mystery of Growth

This morning my mind suddenly recalled the wave like drawing my sister drew yesterday to facilitate De Xian’s Gloria in Excelsis warm-up exercise. I redrew it here, but I made adjustments to it. Trying to spin off a new analogy here. Haha.

In a non-musically technical way, I saw the ups and downs of the curve as the ups and downs of life. And one way to see what we are praying for (through the anthem) is that though we may have ups and downs, we have my fair share of good times and bad times,让我成长. So what we are praying for is growth regardless of all circumstances. Growing, not upwards like a plant but Godwards – growing in the likeness of God, expanding in the capacity to love and embrace all types of people, however unlovable they might be.

But how is it possible, to grow regardless of all circumstances? Perhaps we have forgotten that with God, nothing is impossible. Here we are talking about supernatural growth and of course, we require a supernatural force to thrive in all circumstances. We cannot do it by ourselves.

Interestingly, Paul has a prayer like this in Ephesians 3:16-21.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being -> Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith -> being rooted and established in love may have power grasp the abundances love of God, know this love that surpasses knowledge… -> may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (which means becoming Christ-like)!

1. The supernatural power comes from God! Not us.
2. He grants us the Holy Spirit to receive His power.
3. Since love comes from God and His love endures forever, we can stay rooted in His love and
grow to be more like Him!

Awesome. Right?

(Hope my sharing here is comprehensive. =P)

Self-reflection of what it means to desire God

Hate the sin you once and love the righteousness you once ignored. Is that a reality in your life?

Is God only an accessory in your life?

“Everyone knows they are a sinner. They just don’t know how heinous and terrible that is. Nor do they want to let go of the very thing that they choose to drink down as though it were water.”

What do you choose to drink down today? Is it the spring of living water ( = God)?

Do you truly desire God?

The love of God is not God's making much of us, but God's saving us from self-centeredness so that we can enjoy making much of him forever. And our love to others is not our making much of them, but helping them to find satisfaction in making much of God. True love aims at satisfying people in the glory of God.

~ John Piper

Do you truly love God and the people around you?

______________________________________________________________________________________

Pray for yourself that your will desire God more, that your love for God will grow stronger and that your hatred for sin will also grow stronger. Ask God to continue His work in your heart.

Pray for the congregation/your friends that their hearts will not harden against God, that their hearts will be changed and renewed to seek God, the spring of living water , taste and see that the Lord is good. Ask God to continue His work in their hearts.

主, 将你大爱植我心田.

The Weight of Glory.

If a transtemporal, transfinite good is our real destiny (heaven), then any
other good on which our desire fixes must be in some degree fallacious, must
bear at best only a symbolical relation to what will truly satisfy.

C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Doesn't reading this bring about soothing
to the soul and an aching longing for our eventual destiny?

Peanuts and Christmas

A video I came across today. Enjoy!

My Heart would be your Bethlehem.

Hihi, we sang this anthem (beautifully) last year during Christmas.

It is still fresh in my memory, truly one of the best written Christmas songs I've heard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6x5ZIVCSX4&feature=related

Really like the arrangement for this one.

They interwoved a traditional Christmas hymn.

If you listen carefully, the piano comes in with "Glo......ria", in the interlude as well.

The modulation was a little surprise :)

"My heart, my will, my mind, my all, I consecrate to bring."