I sang this song over and over again. It's simple yet so rich, and it really reminded me of Christ and what He has done for me. Thank you Jesus. I will tell the world about your love. You are so wonderful my Lord.
我主我神
是我主， 是我神 (xi3 ngo1 jü2 , xi3 ngo1 saeng1)
愿牺牲， 拯救我 (yun3 hei2 saeng1, qeing1 gau1 ngo1)
耶稣， 神爱子 (ye3 sou1, saeng1 oi1 ji2)
施恩的主， 真感激祢 (xi1 yaeng4 dik4 jü2, zaeng4 gaem2 gek4 lei1)
神的爱， 极伟大 (saeng1 dik4 oi1, qeing1 wei2 dai1)
赐自由， 更新我心 (qi4 ji1 yau4, gaeng4 saeng4 ngo2 saem1)
为我主， 为我神 (wei3 ngo1 jü2, wei3 ngo1 saeng1)
传福音一生不改变 (qün3 fuk4 yaem4 yaek4 saeng1 baet4 goi2 bin1)
(Note: it is difficult to add hanyu pinyin to a cantonese song because there are no equivalent tones and sounds for certain words)
Friday, December 26, 2008
The Truth
My friend wrote me a card. In it contains words of wisdom and truth.
It says:
"Don't be a great missionary. Be a great believer" and
"Don't champion causes. Champion Jesus who meets us all in a million ways"
To God be the glory.
It says:
"Don't be a great missionary. Be a great believer" and
"Don't champion causes. Champion Jesus who meets us all in a million ways"
To God be the glory.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Gritting the Teeth and Saying NO
Ever felt you wanted to do something but you know you must resist it (even if logically speaking, there's nothing really wrong with it)? It's a fight between what is beneficial and what is not. Our minds can try its best to justify that it is alright because it is not a sin and therefore there is no harm but you know better.
Giving in to something which you must resist will only weaken one's resolve and willpower. An example will be a person who is fasting but give in to his hunger halfway through and ate something to satisfy his need. The act is not wrong and certainly not sinful but it's certainly not beneficial.
So the war goes on. Your battle is unique to how you are made and your experiences in life so quit comparing it with other people. A major battle in your life could be to someone an insignificant fight, let a alone a battle. So walk in it and fight on. God is moulding you for a purpose and preparing you for what is ahead. Onward Christian soldier! Persevere! Charge!!!!!
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." - 2 Cor 12:9
His grace IS enough. Run to Him. Fall into His arms again and again.
A Prayer ~ "主啊，带领我。 引导我。保护我。"
Giving in to something which you must resist will only weaken one's resolve and willpower. An example will be a person who is fasting but give in to his hunger halfway through and ate something to satisfy his need. The act is not wrong and certainly not sinful but it's certainly not beneficial.
So the war goes on. Your battle is unique to how you are made and your experiences in life so quit comparing it with other people. A major battle in your life could be to someone an insignificant fight, let a alone a battle. So walk in it and fight on. God is moulding you for a purpose and preparing you for what is ahead. Onward Christian soldier! Persevere! Charge!!!!!
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." - 2 Cor 12:9
His grace IS enough. Run to Him. Fall into His arms again and again.
A Prayer ~ "主啊，带领我。 引导我。保护我。"
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
A Deeper Moulding, A Deeper Love
Isn't it 'scary' when you know what you are going through is another test from the Lord? Often times, you know it because it is an area of weakness in your life and God is putting you through certain situations to help you grow stronger in it. Trials always taste badly at first - it's a struggle, it's a moulding, it's a shaping, it's a stripping of what is necessary to be cast off. It is painful, it can be mind-boggling and sometimes, you don't even understand why.
But the big picture has already been painted. The Master artist has already painted it and it is a masterpiece. But of course, in the course of the trial, we are unable to see the full picture and the time spent in the trial can be agonizingly slow. Yet there is hope in God, and our hope is in Him. You just know it is good for you even though the struggle can be beyond description.
Sometimes you wish you can just throw the situation away and be free. But you know that you will never be free until you have dealt with what is necessary. Then there is true freedom. Then there is true peace. Then there is real growth.
So yes Lord. I'll go through it again. It seems so deja vu and really scary. But I know you have painted the masterpiece already. I know it is good. I readily surrender to you and I want to trust you more. It is time to grow deeper in love with you - that when I delight in you, I know I have all I need; I know where I ought to be. Lead me on in this journey Lord. May Your will be done.
But the big picture has already been painted. The Master artist has already painted it and it is a masterpiece. But of course, in the course of the trial, we are unable to see the full picture and the time spent in the trial can be agonizingly slow. Yet there is hope in God, and our hope is in Him. You just know it is good for you even though the struggle can be beyond description.
Sometimes you wish you can just throw the situation away and be free. But you know that you will never be free until you have dealt with what is necessary. Then there is true freedom. Then there is true peace. Then there is real growth.
So yes Lord. I'll go through it again. It seems so deja vu and really scary. But I know you have painted the masterpiece already. I know it is good. I readily surrender to you and I want to trust you more. It is time to grow deeper in love with you - that when I delight in you, I know I have all I need; I know where I ought to be. Lead me on in this journey Lord. May Your will be done.
Friday, December 05, 2008
The God of all Comfort
It was a good time of sharing. To be able to hear from fellow brothers and share without reservations is really a blessing and a privilege. For that is why God has placed His followers in a community where we support each other and are encouraged in our journey together.
God never fail to amaze me with the learning process He brought me through. About a year ago, I tried to help a friend who is very discouraged and 'depressed' but I was not able to understand what she is going through. All I could offer was good scriptural advice and prayers. That is good, but it is different when I myself had gone through a similar situation. So not long from that, I tasted what those trying situations and emotional storm meant. And indeed, my experiences had helped me to understand many others who are going through similar storms, and it had helped me to empathize with them.
God always prepare us(or at least me) in this way. He'll put me through situations for my own benefit and growth, even if for that moment, it can be very painful. After surviving those storms with His grace, peace and strength abounds. And without fail, there will be wounded brothers and sisters 'appearing' before me with storms similar to mine, and God will use me to encourage, empathize and walk through with them their own unique journey.
It is such a blessing to be able to bless, encourage and walk through storms with fellow brothers and sisters. Although sometimes I can get frustrated with their response and progress, God always remind me that once upon a time, I was like them too. And remembering this always brought about a "I'm sorry Lord", humility, and starve off the critical spirit.
Thank you God once again for this privilege to bless and minister. You are indeed the God of all comfort.
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." - 2 Cor 1:3-4"
God never fail to amaze me with the learning process He brought me through. About a year ago, I tried to help a friend who is very discouraged and 'depressed' but I was not able to understand what she is going through. All I could offer was good scriptural advice and prayers. That is good, but it is different when I myself had gone through a similar situation. So not long from that, I tasted what those trying situations and emotional storm meant. And indeed, my experiences had helped me to understand many others who are going through similar storms, and it had helped me to empathize with them.
God always prepare us(or at least me) in this way. He'll put me through situations for my own benefit and growth, even if for that moment, it can be very painful. After surviving those storms with His grace, peace and strength abounds. And without fail, there will be wounded brothers and sisters 'appearing' before me with storms similar to mine, and God will use me to encourage, empathize and walk through with them their own unique journey.
It is such a blessing to be able to bless, encourage and walk through storms with fellow brothers and sisters. Although sometimes I can get frustrated with their response and progress, God always remind me that once upon a time, I was like them too. And remembering this always brought about a "I'm sorry Lord", humility, and starve off the critical spirit.
Thank you God once again for this privilege to bless and minister. You are indeed the God of all comfort.
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." - 2 Cor 1:3-4"
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Embracing Pain
Excerpt from the book, "Jesus Driven Ministry" by Ajith Fernando (*Emphasis mine)
"I was once in the West when I was preparing a talk on the stresses and strains of ministry. Alert to any conversation that related to this topic, I was surprised when a significant number of Christians told me that they or their loved ones had been liberated from bothersome commitments that had been causing them stress and strain.
One had given up a difficult assignment, another had left a difficult church, and another had separated from a difficult spouse. They testified that God had freed them from pain. The question I had was whether God was asking them to embrace the pain because of commitment to these people or causes."
Embracing pain must be the most unpopular thing to do. By nature, we will want to avoid pain at all cost. We have tasted it, we know how it rocks our emotions, we fear how it might rip us apart and the feeling is just downright horrible. However, pain is not always bad. Yes, it can be a horrible time, but it can also be most enriching.
It is always tempting to take the easy way out by cutting short a process that God might want you to go through. Not all sufferings and pain come as a result of your folly, although even if it does, God had allowed it so that you might grow. We will do well to remember the story of Job in times of suffering.
In a season of trial and pain, one should always look to God and asked God to reveal His purpose and will for him in that situation. All too often, we rob ourselves of a wonderful growth experience with Him by running away from the pain our own way. And the result is that we never grow in areas that are uncomfortable(at first) to us.
Of course I am not saying you should purposely stay in a difficult situation when God had shown you a way out. But more often that not, we have a tendency to rush through the painful situation and conclude very quickly that a certain way out is of God. It might not be so. In our rush to avoid pain, a quick exit could be devised by our own cleverness and not from God.
So am I saying it is right to embrace pain and wrong to escape from it? No. What is important is that one should not rush to escape from a painful situation when it arises. Instead, he should continue to rejoice in the Lord and understand the Lord's will for him in that situation (James 1:2-4). Then the journey will be most enriching - as you depend on Him for grace, strength, courage and joy to go through it all - and emerged from it stronger, and closer to God than ever before.
"I was once in the West when I was preparing a talk on the stresses and strains of ministry. Alert to any conversation that related to this topic, I was surprised when a significant number of Christians told me that they or their loved ones had been liberated from bothersome commitments that had been causing them stress and strain.
One had given up a difficult assignment, another had left a difficult church, and another had separated from a difficult spouse. They testified that God had freed them from pain. The question I had was whether God was asking them to embrace the pain because of commitment to these people or causes."
Embracing pain must be the most unpopular thing to do. By nature, we will want to avoid pain at all cost. We have tasted it, we know how it rocks our emotions, we fear how it might rip us apart and the feeling is just downright horrible. However, pain is not always bad. Yes, it can be a horrible time, but it can also be most enriching.
It is always tempting to take the easy way out by cutting short a process that God might want you to go through. Not all sufferings and pain come as a result of your folly, although even if it does, God had allowed it so that you might grow. We will do well to remember the story of Job in times of suffering.
In a season of trial and pain, one should always look to God and asked God to reveal His purpose and will for him in that situation. All too often, we rob ourselves of a wonderful growth experience with Him by running away from the pain our own way. And the result is that we never grow in areas that are uncomfortable(at first) to us.
Of course I am not saying you should purposely stay in a difficult situation when God had shown you a way out. But more often that not, we have a tendency to rush through the painful situation and conclude very quickly that a certain way out is of God. It might not be so. In our rush to avoid pain, a quick exit could be devised by our own cleverness and not from God.
So am I saying it is right to embrace pain and wrong to escape from it? No. What is important is that one should not rush to escape from a painful situation when it arises. Instead, he should continue to rejoice in the Lord and understand the Lord's will for him in that situation (James 1:2-4). Then the journey will be most enriching - as you depend on Him for grace, strength, courage and joy to go through it all - and emerged from it stronger, and closer to God than ever before.
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