Only Jesus can give us BOTH

 

“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to have both? That’s perfection.” By Timothy Killer

Who can offer us both? Only Jesus!

 

When I cannot see 看不见的时候

一首非常经典的诗歌！

人生未免有起落。

走在高山，有欢欣跳跃的时候；走在低谷，有沮丧疑惑的时候 – 不管你是信徒或不是，这些都是无可避免的真实。

圣经从来没有应许我们天常蓝，花常开，它却告诉我们在苦难和疑惑的道路上，这位慈爱的主牵着我们的手一步一脚印地走过，这不就已经足够了吗？

基督徒无法改变环境，除非神有更高的旨意，他不会刻意去改变自然的定律。

当暴风骤雨的患难中，我们是埋怨神不拯救我们脱离苦难？还是依靠主带领我们走过苦难呢？

Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibition in Taiwan 死海古卷展览

 与您分享台北信基大楼的“死海古卷展览”

 

我们的信仰根基在于主的话语。信仰里面包含基督徒个人很主观的经历，也有上帝允许留下来的客观证据。

虽然我们的信仰绝对不是扎根在考古和出土文献中，它们也给了我们历史的佐证，不会让人觉得基督教只是神话一桩，与民间传统神话一样没有客观的依据。

希望你能有点时间观看这段介绍影片和下面的叙述。神祝福你。

以色列死海古卷展，是今年臺灣基督徒的年度盛事，由臺灣福音書房、臺灣基督徒信仰研究學會和基督教論壇基金會共同主辦。官方網站如下：http://dssexpo.info/

延長展期：

一　10/30（四）～11/1（六）每天11:00～18:00

二　11/7（五）至11/29（六）期間，每週五、週六、週一11:00～18:00

雖然展出的內容十分吸引人，但仍有許多讀者不克前往，並向水深之處反映，希望能夠分享相關內容。正好水深之處的同仁們也配搭了這次的服事，可以近距離觀察；為了服務讀者，我們挑選了一些圖片，佐以簡單的說明，希望能為大家提供一幅鳥瞰圖。

A word from Spurgeon

If you cannot trust God for the temporal, how dare you trust him for the eternal? – Spurgeon

How true! This is our common blind spot. We believe and trust Jesus for eternal life and salvation…….but we cannot even trust him for today’s problem. Our problems and issues become so much bigger than Jesus when it comes to bolts and nuts of living. Pray that we are strengthened by the Holy Spirit to truly believe and trust Him.

Being rich is not how much you have but how much you give

Giving is a virtue and it’s working out of our faith

I received this short film via a Facebook friend.

The story is very simple but the meaning is great, especially for those of us who strive so hard to be successful and rich.

What is success? To different people, it means different things.

Some measure success by the amount of money you have (I mean that kept in your possession), some by the number of properties you own, some by the string of status you put on your name card, some by the profession you are in, some by the number of friends you have (everyone is talking about EQ and networking now)……..the list if endless. However, we notice that these measures are all based on money, material possession and fame.

What is success?

A Real Touching Story of a Chinese teacher

Let us not love by words only but by actions

I received this video shared by Sister Adeline this morning. I find it a great encouragement for us to continue loving in actions and not only by words.

The video is about a 30 year old man spending his time as a teacher in a poverty stricken village in Yunan Province of China. He can play guitar and compose songs. He joined a Talent Search programme with a simple desire to earn more money which could afford him to buy meat for his students. He did not mention a word of loving these children but his action spells “sacrificial love” for them and it can be understood by all.

There are so many passages in the bible telling us that our belief is like noisy gong if it does not touch others’ lives and make a difference.

Life is like coffee

What do you value the most in life?

I received this inspirational video from Pastor Inky – and I like it!

It spells of wisdom from the professor and it highlights the main issues facing us today:

We chase after the unimportant things and forget about what is the most valuable.

What is valuable can be very different to different people. To me a simple test is this:

What money can buy cannot be most valuable;

I am looking for things which matter most in life – relationships.

恭祝大家农历新年蒙恩 Wishing all a blessed CNY

农历新年终于到了 Finally….Chinese New Year is here

时间过得真快，一转眼明天就是年除夕了。除夕夜是华人全家聚集一起吃团圆饭的日子。现今的年轻人，因为个人主义抬头，大家庭制度的流失，已经无法明白团圆饭的意义了。

Time flies…..we are going to celebrate Chinese New Year Eve tomorrow. Usually it is a time when the whole family (including all extended family members) having a reunion dinner together. With the increasing individualistic value and extended family disappearing rapidly, the younger generations may not see the significance of this event.

可是，你们知道吗？这个简单的年夜饭是很多长辈日夜等待的日子，尤其是他们的儿孙没有跟他们同住的老人。

Do you know? For most of elderly family members, this is a day they have been looking forward for the entire year. This is especially true when most of their children and grand children are staying away from them for the rest of the year.

他们殷切盼望见到你们 They are looking forward to seeing you…………….

Celebrating Chinese New Year with Songs and Red Decorations

Next Thursday is the Chinese New Year Eve. I decided to change the background of my Blog to reflect the festive season and its joyous mood.

It reminds us the year is coming to an end soon and a completely new year awaiting us. I pray that there is peace in every heart, peace in every nation and peace in the world.

And for every Christian, may Philippians 4:7 be with us always; “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Red is the favorite colour in Chinese New Year. Wherever you go, shopping centres, markets, shops, schools, recreation places and streets, you cannot miss the “redness” of these places. I wrote a Chinese article last year about this special colour in this festive season. Let me share with you.

大家一起过个红彤彤的新年

前几天,我买了些新年装饰品,墙上贴上红春联,客厅挂一串闪闪发亮的红爆竹,角落摆设红扇,置放一束红桃花,一篮子的柑和礼篮,再从书房拿出杭州买的”枫桥夜泊”的字画挂在饭厅………….真的满室春意盎然.爸爸一踏进家门,马上露出笑脸:”哈 哈,这样红彤彤的才有新年的气氛!” 他拖着小侄儿的手,站在春联面前,操着浓浓的客家音念着:”甜甜蜜蜜庆团圆,欢欢喜喜迎新年.”

传统的新年是红色的.

近几十年来,”传统”这个词儿让人标签成”落伍”,”老土”和”退步”等负面的意义.记得很多年前,市场风行全黑的“乌鸦”装,爱“酷”的青少年,大年初一也百无禁忌,穿了一身黑向祖父母拜年.长辈一看,脸一沉,背过身去,吐口唾液:”大吉利是!”在当年的确掀起一场热闹的”代沟战”.老的说,年青人不尊敬长辈,年初一穿黑色,象穿孝服出街,别人不知情,还以为家里死了人呢!小的也不甘示弱,他们说,老一辈食古不化,颜色本身是中立的,他们只是随己好穿戴,没半点不敬之意.当年我是个年青人,纵使我不苟老人家的迷信,我选择体恤他们的心情.他们多数没受过高深的教育,他们用咸咸的汗水和坚挺的背脊把一家人养活.他们最怕的是天灾人祸,命运强霸捣碎一家的幸福,所以他们要平安吉利,要风调雨顺,任何触霉头的东西都避而远之. 其实,我还很庆幸,年轻人只是把黑色穿戴身上,而不是让它们变成”乌云满地”.试想想,门前挂黑布条,春联黑纸写,收到的红包是”黑包”………这是怎样的一种新年啊?

传统的新年是连串好话如玉珠洒满地的季节.

新年里,除了保持红润健康的面颊,笑容可掬,温婉有礼外,也要操练自己多讲好话,免说触”霉头”不吉祥的话.新年期间说好话是合宜的.你听,大街小巷播放的贺岁歌曲:”……见面第一句话,就是恭喜恭喜…….”你看,做买卖的最爱收到”恭喜发财,生意兴隆,大展鸿图”的贺年片,同学们互道祝福,”学业进步,万事如意”永远受落,市井百姓要求”年年有余,身体健康,吉祥顺利”.但愿这不是流于表面功夫,乃是从心发出的祝福.

圣经里的箴言如此说:”一句话说得合宜，就如金苹果在银网子里。”金苹果在银网的画面本身就是一种美,绝对符合赏心悦目的标准.如果我们常年都慎言,诚心用话语祝福鼓励身边的人,我相信社会更美,我们的面容也会变得”赏心悦目”吧? 我希望天天是新年,人人讲好话,一切的误会,不欢, 咒诅和怨恨,都要了结,定意要重建温馨和睦的关系.

也许你会说我很老土,我还是喜欢红彤彤的新年,爱听充满温馨关怀的祝福语,它让我看到中国传统的颜色,感觉新春希望的喜悦,增添温馨和喜气,更让人与人的关系有重新出发的盼望.

Besides seeing red everywhere, you also hear Chinese new year songs being played everywhere. Most of the songs are traditional with fire crackers, drums and cymbals as the background. They are great to add to the festive atmosphere.

However, I like a more sentimental Chinese songs sung by Kelvin Lau 刘勇男 & Angie Leong 梁爱慈 recorded in 1997. Click the video below and start enjoying it.

Merry Christmas! What does this mean?

Did you say, “Merry Christmas”?

I know, Christmas is coming soon. It’s just less than a month away. Are you starting your busy schedule yet?

I can imagine you are busy shopping and buying all sort of things to decorate your beautiful home. Yes, glittering ornaments hanging on a Christmas trees at the corner of your living hall is a class of its own. You feel good that you have a share of this holiday season.

Of course you will not let the church goes bare during Christmas season, right? You will volunteer yourself to put up the most traditional nativity scene at the church’s entrance. A small wooden bed surrounded by hays and sticks; may be a small little doll sleeping on the bed. How about putting up a few cattle around it, it adds to the Christmas atmosphere.

One more thing, your children must join the church’s carol team. When they stand up there wearing their best outfits, singing with cheers and confidence, your face will beam with happiness and pride. “Haven’t I brought up my children well? Look at them. They are the shining stars among the other children.” Parents are usually not objective when they come to looking at their own children. 🙂

Are these Christmas all about?

I came across the following video which I thought captured the heart cry of those who truly know the meaning of Christmas. Go ahead and listen to it and tell me what you think about it.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

The Best Is Yet To Come

Email Messages with Stories

I love receiving emails which contain stories.

I particularly like my friend Simon Yap’s emails. He has been sending me different stories, jokes and sometimes riddles – and without fail these emails would either send me into laughter or set me thinking about life. Instead of enjoying them myself, I choose to share some of them with you.

Thank you, Simon, for your friendship. Let the email’s stories coming.

This story has an encouraging message which keeps us walking courageously as a Christian in this world. I hope all of you will enjoy it.

Woman and a Fork

How does the Chinese celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival?

Today is 19^th September, 2013 Thursday. I am rushing to post this before the midnight clock strikes.

What is so special about this day? It may not mean much to most people but it is an important day for the Chinese and Vietnamese. Today is the 15^th day of the eighth month in the Lunar calendar,  a day of a full moon, which we commonly call it the Mid-Autumn Festival. （中秋节）. Originally the Festival was to celebrate plentiful harvests and family reunion. Most families, especially children, love to light up lanterns and walk in the streets or gardens.

Moon in Chinese literature and songs

The Chinese has many poems （诗词）and songs associate with the moon. We have a special kind of love for the moon. During our secondary school time, we are to memorize many nice poems written by the ancient scholars. One of the popular ones is LiBai (李白)’s “Quiet Night Thought” （静夜思） written in the Tang Dynasty：

床前明月光， 疑是地上霜，举头望明月，低头思故乡。

 Moonlight shines on my bed side, it looks like snow on the ground. Raising my head I see the moon, bowing my head I think of my homeland.

An attempt to put music into this poem can be viewed below:

The Greatest Ambition of A Mother

What is the greatest ambition of a mother?

When I was much younger, something always happened at the dinner table.

Which parts of chicken and fish are mother’s favorites?

When there is a whole chicken on the table, my mother would take the two drumsticks and put them into the plates of my brother and mine. She would then say this, “The two chicken wings are for your father.” (All of us are fully aware that, up to these days when he is over 80 years old, Dad still loves chicken wings. We have given up advising him not to eat these most unhealthy parts of a chicken.) And then mother smiled and said,  “I love eating the neck and the boney parts of the chicken.”

When there is a fish on the table, the unsaid rules in the family are that I will take the tail and the two fins, my brother and Dad will take the “meaty” parts. Mother always takes the fish head. She said, “Fish head is delicious. Anyway, nobody knows how to eat it in this family.”

When I grew a bit older, I thought for myself, “Does mother really like boney parts of the chicken and fish head? Did she eat them because

Interviewed by a Chinese Press Reporter

Dear Malaysian Government……………

This may be a dry topic to post about but I see it important to do so because we love Malaysia and the issue affects everyone in this land.

A lady walked to me with a small paper notebook in her hands, politely asked, “Dear sir, I wonder whether I could have a few minutes of your time?”

Half way eating my noodles, I looked at her, thinking that she was just another sales girl trying to promote something to me, I said in a reluctant voice, “What is it all about?”

She cleared her throat and said, “I am a reporter from XXX Press. I would like to interview you to solicit some opinions about the recent hike in petrol prices in Malaysia.” I looked at my noodles and pondered, “If I agree to her interview, this bowl of noodles will become cold and it will taste bad. However, if I don’t agree, I find myself loosing an opportunity to reflect an ordinary citizen’s voice about the Government’s decision.” So, I made up my mind for

At the old preacher’s deathbed

When I received this story from my friend via an email message, I laughed. If you don’t, may be you need to read your bible again. 🙂

It is an old Joke with a subtle message! I hope you enjoy reading it.

An old preacher was on his Deathbed. He sent a message for his banker and his lawyer, both church members, to come to his home.
When they arrived, they were ushered up to his bedroom. As they entered the room, the preacher held out his hands and motioned for them to sit on each side of the bed. The preacher grasped their hands, sighed contentedly, smiled, and stared at the ceiling. For a time, no one said anything.

Both the banker and lawyer were touched and flattered that the preacher would ask them