God grant me the SERENITY to accept the things I cannot change;
COURAGE to change the things I can;
and WISDOM to know the difference.
COURAGE to change the things I can;
and WISDOM to know the difference.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
This Noisy Life
1. Delay checking your e-mail or other messages.
This one discipline has been more helpful for quieting the noise in my life than any other lifestyle change I've made. E-mail scatters my thoughts in a dozen directions. It's as if a roomful of people are speaking at the same time, vying for my time and attention. I now wait till 3 p.m. to check my messages, and others know to not expect a reply from me before then. Of course, the particular demands of your job may not afford you the luxury of waiting that long. But even delaying ten minutes to pray and collect your thoughts before diving into your e-mail can make a huge difference. The idea is to choose not be controlled by these supposed demands for your immediate action. Remember, there was a time when fat, red "Highest Priority" exclamation points didn't accompany just about every to-do item, and everyone lived with it. While some things are timelessly pressing, our idea of urgency-and in turn, our sense of priorities-has become distorted. When we deliberately slow down, we naturally get a more balanced perspective of what's truly important. And often, others will begin to slow down with us as our boundaries are established.
2. Get more sleep.
Just as many of us falsely tell ourselves that we can multi-task without any real loss of effectiveness or concentration, we also fool ourselves into believing that we can function well without a full night's sleep. We live in a world that values action over rest, and productivity over quality of life. But exhaustion can be not only unproductive but also spiritually dangerous. By realizing this, we may also see that for the worn-out Christian, sleep itself can be spiritually beneficial.
3. Cut out one TV show or hour of Internet a day, and spend that time in silence, meditative prayer, or Bible reading.
Turn off the noise, take a cup of tea or hot chocolate to your favorite spot in the house or yard, and spend one enjoyable hour listening to God. Be creative-you probably know what you need to do to unblock your spiritual receptors. Perhaps you need to write in a journal or take a quiet walk somewhere beautiful. If an hour seems exorbitant to you, start with a half-hour and work your way up - once you start experiencing the joy and peace this simple exchange affords, it won't be hard to give up a little more time in front of the screen. And remember - this isn't supposed to be a chore. You might think you'll be depriving yourself of downtime, but if you keep up with it, you'll find that you're actually maximizing your relaxation.
4. Walk or jog-quietly.
If you're physically able to do so, walking or running regularly is an excellent way to reach your quieter self. The physical benefits are numerous, but it also gets you away from the noise of the day and opens uptime and mental space for prayer and clear thinking. To avoid interrupting your rhythm, leave behind distractions like cell phones and music. Yes, music can be relaxing, but it can distract from fully experiencing what you're doing in the present. The fresh air, exercise, and the beauty of creation can be entertainment enough!
5. Review all your activities and commitments-and choose one to set aside.
If you're pulled in too many directions, it may be time to assess all your "obligations" and decide which can be dropped without the world coming to an end. You might begin by listing them on paper, thinking through each item, and asking yourself which are tangential what is most important in your life. Perhaps there's an activity that once served a purpose but now merely sucks time and energy from what you'd be better off doing.
6. Attend to life's simple pleasures, and take time to enjoy the moment.
One of the biggest detriments of living immersed in noise is that the most joyful parts of life are the first to get drowned out. If you find that you're going through your days feeling harried and nitpicked, make a list of the small pleasures that help you get through each day - anything from a good cup of coffee to conversation with a friend. Add to your list as you think of things, and thank the Lord each time you experience them. Before long, you'll wake up to the fact that despite your difficulties, God has filled your life with gifts to savor.
7. When driving alone, make your car a sanctuary of solitude and prayer.
It's surprising how many Christians I've talked say that their best times of prayer happen in their car on the commute to and from work or on some other trip without passengers. When alone, they deliberately leave the radio off so they can use the time to pray and think. The confined space, the relative quiet, the lack of distractions (and even the monotony of traffic!) can make your car an ideal place for quiet reflection.
8. Serve others.
At first, this may sound like a strange way to quiet yourself enough to hear God's voice. In fact, it may seem to contradict that desire, since serving others can complicate rather than simplify your life. However, if you've ever reached out and poured yourself into another person's life (in any of a thousand ways), you know that getting the focus off yourself can actually put stress into a more peaceful perspective - and completely transform your relationship with God.
This one discipline has been more helpful for quieting the noise in my life than any other lifestyle change I've made. E-mail scatters my thoughts in a dozen directions. It's as if a roomful of people are speaking at the same time, vying for my time and attention. I now wait till 3 p.m. to check my messages, and others know to not expect a reply from me before then. Of course, the particular demands of your job may not afford you the luxury of waiting that long. But even delaying ten minutes to pray and collect your thoughts before diving into your e-mail can make a huge difference. The idea is to choose not be controlled by these supposed demands for your immediate action. Remember, there was a time when fat, red "Highest Priority" exclamation points didn't accompany just about every to-do item, and everyone lived with it. While some things are timelessly pressing, our idea of urgency-and in turn, our sense of priorities-has become distorted. When we deliberately slow down, we naturally get a more balanced perspective of what's truly important. And often, others will begin to slow down with us as our boundaries are established.
2. Get more sleep.
Just as many of us falsely tell ourselves that we can multi-task without any real loss of effectiveness or concentration, we also fool ourselves into believing that we can function well without a full night's sleep. We live in a world that values action over rest, and productivity over quality of life. But exhaustion can be not only unproductive but also spiritually dangerous. By realizing this, we may also see that for the worn-out Christian, sleep itself can be spiritually beneficial.
3. Cut out one TV show or hour of Internet a day, and spend that time in silence, meditative prayer, or Bible reading.
Turn off the noise, take a cup of tea or hot chocolate to your favorite spot in the house or yard, and spend one enjoyable hour listening to God. Be creative-you probably know what you need to do to unblock your spiritual receptors. Perhaps you need to write in a journal or take a quiet walk somewhere beautiful. If an hour seems exorbitant to you, start with a half-hour and work your way up - once you start experiencing the joy and peace this simple exchange affords, it won't be hard to give up a little more time in front of the screen. And remember - this isn't supposed to be a chore. You might think you'll be depriving yourself of downtime, but if you keep up with it, you'll find that you're actually maximizing your relaxation.
4. Walk or jog-quietly.
If you're physically able to do so, walking or running regularly is an excellent way to reach your quieter self. The physical benefits are numerous, but it also gets you away from the noise of the day and opens uptime and mental space for prayer and clear thinking. To avoid interrupting your rhythm, leave behind distractions like cell phones and music. Yes, music can be relaxing, but it can distract from fully experiencing what you're doing in the present. The fresh air, exercise, and the beauty of creation can be entertainment enough!
5. Review all your activities and commitments-and choose one to set aside.
If you're pulled in too many directions, it may be time to assess all your "obligations" and decide which can be dropped without the world coming to an end. You might begin by listing them on paper, thinking through each item, and asking yourself which are tangential what is most important in your life. Perhaps there's an activity that once served a purpose but now merely sucks time and energy from what you'd be better off doing.
6. Attend to life's simple pleasures, and take time to enjoy the moment.
One of the biggest detriments of living immersed in noise is that the most joyful parts of life are the first to get drowned out. If you find that you're going through your days feeling harried and nitpicked, make a list of the small pleasures that help you get through each day - anything from a good cup of coffee to conversation with a friend. Add to your list as you think of things, and thank the Lord each time you experience them. Before long, you'll wake up to the fact that despite your difficulties, God has filled your life with gifts to savor.
7. When driving alone, make your car a sanctuary of solitude and prayer.
It's surprising how many Christians I've talked say that their best times of prayer happen in their car on the commute to and from work or on some other trip without passengers. When alone, they deliberately leave the radio off so they can use the time to pray and think. The confined space, the relative quiet, the lack of distractions (and even the monotony of traffic!) can make your car an ideal place for quiet reflection.
8. Serve others.
At first, this may sound like a strange way to quiet yourself enough to hear God's voice. In fact, it may seem to contradict that desire, since serving others can complicate rather than simplify your life. However, if you've ever reached out and poured yourself into another person's life (in any of a thousand ways), you know that getting the focus off yourself can actually put stress into a more peaceful perspective - and completely transform your relationship with God.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Don't Follow Fickle Feelings; Follow God
Webster's Dictionary defines "fickle" as "Not fixed or firm; liable to change; unstable." Your emotions and how you feel are unstable and liable to change. So, if you follow your feelings, then your life, your choices, and your actions will sway like a tree in strong wind.
Because your feelings can be unstable, it is important not to follow them exclusively. For example, there will probably be some days when you don't feel like being nice to your spouse. If you follow your feelings and act impulsively, then your marriage will have problems. Because feelings are unstable and unpredictable, someone who lives based on their feelings will also be unstable and unpredictable.
Indeed, James 1:8 says that someone who follows his feelings "is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."
Because your feelings can be unstable, it is important not to follow them exclusively. For example, there will probably be some days when you don't feel like being nice to your spouse. If you follow your feelings and act impulsively, then your marriage will have problems. Because feelings are unstable and unpredictable, someone who lives based on their feelings will also be unstable and unpredictable.
Indeed, James 1:8 says that someone who follows his feelings "is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."
James 1:8
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
雅 各 書 1:8
8 心 怀 二 意 的 人 ， 在 他 一 切 所 行 的 路 上 都 没 有 定 见 。
Instead of following our feelings, we need to follow God, for He is the only source of true stability. We need to take the same attitude as an old hymn, which says, "On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand."
In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus says, "Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
Matthew 7:24-27
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
馬 太 福 音 7:24-27
24 所 以 ， 凡 听 见 我 这 话 就 去 行 的 ， 好 比 一 个 聪 明 人 ， 把 房 子 盖 在 磐 石 上 ；
25 雨 淋 ， 水 冲 ， 风 吹 ， 撞 着 那 房 子 ， 房 子 总 不 倒 塌 ， 因 为 根 基 立 在 磐 石 上 。
26 凡 听 见 我 这 话 不 去 行 的 ， 好 比 一 个 无 知 的 人 ， 把 房 子 盖 在 沙 土 上 ；
27 雨 淋 ， 水 冲 ， 风 吹 ， 撞 着 那 房 子 ， 房 子 就 倒 塌 了 ， 并 且 倒 塌 得 很 大 。
That "rock" is God's Word. If we want to live solid, stable lives, they must be built on the rock — God, himself. Therefore, don't follow fickle feelings; follow God.
怎样保持知足
当患难来临时，信徒如何才能保持知足？在本书的最后一章里，我们将考察五个有助于他们在患难中保持知足的方面。
第一，遭遇患难的基督徒不应忘记:神所赐给他们的是何其的大，而他们所缺的是何其的微不足道。他们所缺的常常是世人所拥有的，结果,基督徒有时会不满和发怨言（即使他们享有着非信徒所不知的属灵殊荣）。但是，虽然世人的财富、健康等情况可能比基督徒的好，然而世人还是正在走向灭亡的人；因此，基督徒没有理由羡慕他们。神已在基督里赐给他们「各样属灵的福气」（以弗所书1:3），所以，他们如果因自己缺少属世和暂存的事物而变得不知足，那么他们就大错特错了。
第二，遭遇患难的基督徒不应忘记自己过去所受的祝福。一个人活到五十岁，其间有两年受病痛之苦，那么因四十八年健康的时光而感谢神，这就能使他保持知足，而如果因受了两年的病痛就开始抱怨，那么这只能使他的痛苦更甚。
第三，遭遇患难的基督徒不应忘记，他们在这世界的生命是短暂的，而永恒是无止境的。他们只会在今世受苦，并且他们的一切患难很快就会过去。圣经告诉我们: 「我们这至暂至轻的苦楚，要为我们成就极重无比、永远的荣耀。原来我们不是顾念所见的，乃是顾念所不见的；因为所见的是暂时的，所不见的是永远的」（哥林多后书4:17，18）。
第四，遭遇患难的基督徒不应忘记，在历史上，有许多神的子民受过更大的试炼之苦。雅各是亚伯拉罕和以撒的后裔，但他不得不同意为他母舅拉班作工多年。曾一度住在埃及王宫里的摩西，后来作为一个牧羊人劳动了四十年，最后返回埃及时，他是如此的贫穷，以至他只用一头驴就可以把自己的家人和所有的财产带回埃及（出埃及记4:20）。以利亚不得不呆在藏身之所，靠乌鸦供食生活。耶利米被掷入地牢。改革宗者马丁·路德死时没有任何财产留给妻子和儿女。而我们今天的信徒竟胆敢指望免去苦难吗？还有，如同在一切事上，他们在这一方面最伟大的榜样是主耶稣基督，祂的处境比狐狸和飞鸟还不如，连枕头的地方都没有。思考这些事情很有用，能使基督徒保持知足。
第五，遭遇患难的基督徒应当因神赐给自己的一切而努力赞美祂。他们是新造的人，不再是罪的奴仆，也不再是被定罪的人等等；换句话说，他们有理由去赞美和称谢祂。并且，他们将会发现，这样做能使他们保持真知足。
这就是真知足。我们是否享有这知足呢？圣经教我们怎样获得它。我们已沿着这条路出发了吗？初信者从他们开始过基督徒的生活时起，就应当努力培养自己有一颗平静和知足的心；信主时间长的基督徒则应当意识到自己在这方面还有许多的功课可学；但无论如何，所有的真基督徒都知晓，神是真知足的唯一源泉，这知足也是他们所渴望的。
第一，遭遇患难的基督徒不应忘记:神所赐给他们的是何其的大，而他们所缺的是何其的微不足道。他们所缺的常常是世人所拥有的，结果,基督徒有时会不满和发怨言（即使他们享有着非信徒所不知的属灵殊荣）。但是，虽然世人的财富、健康等情况可能比基督徒的好，然而世人还是正在走向灭亡的人；因此，基督徒没有理由羡慕他们。神已在基督里赐给他们「各样属灵的福气」（以弗所书1:3），所以，他们如果因自己缺少属世和暂存的事物而变得不知足，那么他们就大错特错了。
第二，遭遇患难的基督徒不应忘记自己过去所受的祝福。一个人活到五十岁，其间有两年受病痛之苦，那么因四十八年健康的时光而感谢神，这就能使他保持知足，而如果因受了两年的病痛就开始抱怨，那么这只能使他的痛苦更甚。
第三，遭遇患难的基督徒不应忘记，他们在这世界的生命是短暂的，而永恒是无止境的。他们只会在今世受苦，并且他们的一切患难很快就会过去。圣经告诉我们: 「我们这至暂至轻的苦楚，要为我们成就极重无比、永远的荣耀。原来我们不是顾念所见的，乃是顾念所不见的；因为所见的是暂时的，所不见的是永远的」（哥林多后书4:17，18）。
第四，遭遇患难的基督徒不应忘记，在历史上，有许多神的子民受过更大的试炼之苦。雅各是亚伯拉罕和以撒的后裔，但他不得不同意为他母舅拉班作工多年。曾一度住在埃及王宫里的摩西，后来作为一个牧羊人劳动了四十年，最后返回埃及时，他是如此的贫穷，以至他只用一头驴就可以把自己的家人和所有的财产带回埃及（出埃及记4:20）。以利亚不得不呆在藏身之所，靠乌鸦供食生活。耶利米被掷入地牢。改革宗者马丁·路德死时没有任何财产留给妻子和儿女。而我们今天的信徒竟胆敢指望免去苦难吗？还有，如同在一切事上，他们在这一方面最伟大的榜样是主耶稣基督，祂的处境比狐狸和飞鸟还不如，连枕头的地方都没有。思考这些事情很有用，能使基督徒保持知足。
第五，遭遇患难的基督徒应当因神赐给自己的一切而努力赞美祂。他们是新造的人，不再是罪的奴仆，也不再是被定罪的人等等；换句话说，他们有理由去赞美和称谢祂。并且，他们将会发现，这样做能使他们保持真知足。
这就是真知足。我们是否享有这知足呢？圣经教我们怎样获得它。我们已沿着这条路出发了吗？初信者从他们开始过基督徒的生活时起，就应当努力培养自己有一颗平静和知足的心；信主时间长的基督徒则应当意识到自己在这方面还有许多的功课可学；但无论如何，所有的真基督徒都知晓，神是真知足的唯一源泉，这知足也是他们所渴望的。
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Prayer and Blessings
In ALL things, may Jesus be the strength of my heart, the center of my life, the guide of my future, the joy of my soul.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
5 Solas
Sola Scriptura ("by Scripture alone") - 唯有圣经是权威
Solus Christus ("In Christ alone") - 唯有基督是救主
Sola Fide ("by Faith alone") - 人得救单单籍着信
Sola Gratia ("by Grace alone") - 救恩单单出于恩典
Soli Deo Gloria ("Glory to God alone")! - 荣耀单单归于神!
Solus Christus ("In Christ alone") - 唯有基督是救主
Sola Fide ("by Faith alone") - 人得救单单籍着信
Sola Gratia ("by Grace alone") - 救恩单单出于恩典
Soli Deo Gloria ("Glory to God alone")! - 荣耀单单归于神!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
