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Could You Be Saved But Not a Free Christian?

Are you the person who goes on the bus with a seat and still carries your heavy, bulky backpack on your back, even when the driver kindly reminds you to put it down because it will be a long way to the next stop?

This analogy completely reflects my spiritual life. I was saved as a God’s child (meaning I was on the bus), but I was not free (meaning I still carried my backpack). Even worse, I was miserable because I could not fulfill most of the commandments in the Bible with a genuine heart.

I did want to be a good Christian but I found that I often heard voices like “you just fake to be loving because you still have jealousy in your heart,” or, “it’s impossible for you to be totally selfless because the Chinese saying says, ‘the heaven and earth would be destroyed if a human was not selfish’ ”.

Besides believing the condemning voices, I suffered with depression, self-rejection, low self-esteem, anxiety, control, an angry temper, suicidal temptation, etc. At that time, I did not fully understand the solid Bible truth for transforming my mind. I practiced and knew little about how fortune-telling and astrology are connected with evil and detested by God (refer to 2 Chronicles 33:6). And the human-centered world view plus my own unconfessed sins from my lineage and my heart still haunted me.

When I was in early elementary school, I had never heard about baptism in Christianity. But I sometimes immersed myself in the bathtub that my mom stored water in for cleaning. I wished I could wash away my wickedness after coming out of the water. There’s a temple for worshipping Guan-Gong (ancient Chinese general) near my house. I often went there to play in the big front yard and also accompanied adults to go inside to worship many different idols. The strong smoke of incense and the pictures about hell in the books were the vivid memory about the temple. In my young mind, I remember I often asked myself that if I only worship this god, would I offend the other gods?

When I was 18, in the college, I heard about God’s creation for the first time from the pastor who came to the campus to preach the gospel. I immediately accepted the idea that humans are God’s creation because it solved my long-time puzzle about the theory of evolutionary which I was taught in high school biology class. After a few months, I was urged by a local house church to be baptized so that I can be saved from the world. Afterwards, I walked my Christian life in the dim light for almost 20 years until I got an opportunity to translate an English speech to Chinese.

This speech was about how to tell the difference between mental illness and demonization. The speaker was a pastor’s wife and a nurse. I read through her article and asked her if she could pray for me because my situation fitted the demonization as what she described from her experiences in the deliverance ministry. During the consoling time, she gave me a list helping me to identify the sins I committed in the past. It seemed that the light of Holy Spirit shone through my heart and I was reminded of a long list of sins from myself, my family and the sins against me from the religious cult I joined ignorantly as a child, from the curses someone spoke to me, from the sexual harassment by other adults and from the possible sins in my lineage (ancestors).

Nothing dramatic happened during the prayer time. The pastor’s wife told me that I may stop being afraid of something after the deliverance prayer. Then I noticed I did not fear the bitter coldness of the winter in Minnesota for the first time after I moved here for nine years. My spiritual journey was like the blind man in Bethsaida who was brought to Jesus. Jesus spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him. The man saw people but they looked like trees walking around. Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes, then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly (refer to Mark 8:22-24). After the deliverance prayer, my eyes are bright and I walk in the full light of God since then.

My story may not be the situation for some Christians who were healed by Jesus and got their eye sight right away like the blind man, Bartimaeus (refer to Mark 10:46-52). But one thing I am sure–God intends His children to be free and joyful in the faith, hope and love, because that’s what Jesus came to do:

“This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroyed works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

When I look back and wonder how I got here, I know that the long nights in the spiritual life were meant for me to finally surrender myself to God and ask Him to be my Lord, not just Savior in my life so that I can be filled with His Holy Spirit and gain the power with His authority to resist the devil. During the gloomy times, I call upon Him in the day of trouble and He delivers me and I shall glorify Him (refer to Psalms 50:15). I went through the bitterness of being a saved but not free Christian. Then God came through for me and I can savor the full sweetness of living in Jesus.

After I was set free in Jesus’ name, I noticed the gradual changes in my spiritual life:

I am hungry for the Bible’s truth and love to talk to God in prayer. (Psalms 42:1)

I can love God with all my heart after I pray to Him for giving me love. (Luke 10:27)

I make peace with myself and others. (Galatians 5:22)

I learn to discern with the help of Holy Spirit and discard the fault from the cultural/social influence and the lies coming into my thought. I am transformed by renewing my mind by practicing the truth. (Romans 12:2)

I am alert to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. If what I hear does not align with the truth, I resist it right away. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

I learn to fight with Scripture in the spiritual warfare. (Ephesians 6:12)

I have the spirit of power, love and self-control to obey God’s commandments and live a holy life. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Corrie Ten Boom, the Dutch missionary and a survivor of a Nazi concentration camp said:

“Jesus was baptized in the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the fullness of the Holy Spirit is the birthright of every child of God. But we must make room for Him, even in the hidden corners deep in our hearts. Then we can count on Him who will accomplish His work through us”.

Every child of God ought to be a free and victorious Christian.

If Jesus sets you free, you are free indeed (refer to John 8:36) and you have the power to overcome sins and the freedom not to sin again.
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You can learn more from the biblical teaching about the victorious Christian life from the free download documents on this ministry website.

https://www.lighthouseministryintl.org/resource-downloads/

Original posted on: http://www.tblfaithnews.com/faith-religion/could-you-be-saved-but-not-a-free-christian

Is God Silent During Suffering?

Recently my Japanese friend, a missionary in Japan, asked for prayer about her troubled feeling aroused by the movie, Silence, shot in Taiwan by Hollywood director, Martin Scorsese. According to Time Magazine, “Silence is a somber epic about Jesuit priests struggling to keep their faith in violently anti-Christian 17th century Japan”. (Note1)

My friend also posted an article written by a Japanese pastor, Marre Ishii. He was upset after watching a screening of this film. I learned from this article that the movie was adapted from the novel, by the same name, about Japanese history. According to Mr Ishii, the book author, Shusako Endo, ” … wrestled with Catholic faith but continued to be a Catholic out of respect for his mother”.

After reading through Ishii’s article (Note 2), I cannot help but point out three observations and hope to encourage my Christian fellows to discern Satan’s deception.

  • “Why was God silent in the midst of this tragedy in history?”Mr Ishii wrote that this is an universal question asked by all religions and races. He mentioned tragedies like the Holocaust, African slavery and the 9-11 terrorist attack. Nevertheless, I feel sad to say that not many people in the world know much about another tragedy: the Nanjing (Nanking) Massacre. This was an episode of mass murder and rape committed by Japanese troops against the residents of Nanjing in 1937.According to BBC Magazine, reported by Mariko Oi in 2013 (Note 3), the former history teacher and scholar, Tamaki Matsuoka, accuses the Japanese government of a deliberate silence about atrocities in the massacre. I do not mean to condemn the Japanese people. On the contrary, it’s urgent to recognize that the spiritual darkness over Japanese society is so heavy there has been an increase in suicide rates and many other emotional issues.“Japan has no history of Christianity so here suicide is not a sin,” says Wataru Nishida, a psychologist at Tokyo’s Temple University (Note 4). Therefore, I pray for my missionary friend whom God sent to “ … open their (Japanese people’s) eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus” (Acts 26:18).
  • Mr Ishii wrote that from his experience in Japan, and as a pastor, that this movie will portray a God of great love and compassion as indifferent to the suffering of his saints. Faith in Jesus and love for all saints springs from the hope that is heard from the word of truth (refer to Colossians 1:5). As Christians, we shall spread the gospel in a God-loving motivation, rather than the fear of not completing our obligation.When we are asked, “How is a loving God indifferent to the suffering of His saints?” we don’t need to fear people and sugarcoat the gospel of sins and forgiveness. Instead, we rely on the Holy Spirit to intelligently and graciously encourage people to find out what a faithful saint’s reaction would be during the suffering from the testimonies of those who endure hardship to the end in the whole wide world. This is what I observed from African and Chinese persecuted Christians who still spread God’s love and love their enemies.
  • Mr Ishii said he was aghast when he heard that an American pastor said hell is where a non-believer goes after death. Mr Ishii said, “This type of insensitivity has turned many Japanese people into adversaries of God.” I agree with Mr Ishii that only God truly knows if a person has a genuine faith to go to heaven. In Asia, many people believe in various religions and think that they don’t need Jesus in order to be saved because they worship gods and try to do good. On one hand, telling the truth could be seen as insensitive because it hurts people’s pride. On the other hand, it could also be sensitive to the real danger of one’s spiritual death.Pastor John Piper wrote in his book, Jesus, The Only Way To God: “The world will tell you that you are arrogant, not loving, if you spread the message of Jesus’s saving work as the only way to God. But God calls it love … Oh, how we need to let the Bible define what love does! … Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, who works through the word of the gospel of Christ (1 Peter 1:23-25), there is no faith and no new birth and no salvation. This is why repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations’ (Luke 24:47).” (Note 5)

I painfully remember that I did not tell my uncle, sick with cancer, about where he would go after death without believing in Jesus because I worried that he might feel scared. Shortly, he was sent home from the hospital without the hope of living. While he was still alive, his family dressed him with a funeral shroud to keep his muscles from getting too stiff to wear it after he died.

I was in grief to know that tears rolled down from his eyes while lying on the bed waiting for the unknown destiny. Sadly, I was not around and could not tell him to receive Jesus. Even today, I hope in the bottom of my heart that my uncle did listen to the gospel tape I left him and received Jesus as his Savior in his mind. Since then, I would rather risk being shamed or rejected by people than fail to tell them the gospel in love.

I believe God chose His anointed saints and will bring them back to one holy nation (Refer to 1 Peter 2:9). Therefore, my heavenly identity as a citizen of God’s kingdom is higher than my earthly identity as a citizen of the USA and Taiwan with Japanese blood.

God sent Ezekiel to open his mouth and say to people, “This is what the Sovereign LORD says, ‘Whoever will listen let him listen, and whoever will refuse let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.’ “(Ezekiel 3:27)

It’s only God who can soften every sinner’s heart to listen. Meanwhile, we shall be like Ezekiel to “listen carefully and take to heart all the words God speaks to us,” (Ezekiel 3:10) as we share His truth in love. For only the truth shall set each of us free from the trap of sins and stronghold of evil darkness. (John 8:32)

Original posted on: http://www.tblfaithnews.com/faith-religion/is-god-silent-during-suffering

夢想路上—寫作讓我更認識神

 

我從小到大忙著讀書考試，沒有什麼特殊才藝，除了小時候看古裝武俠劇，想當俠女以外，不記得有過什麼特別的夢想。出國唸書算是完成一個階段性的夢想，但是實現了以後，就不再是夢想了。接下來要找個能學以致用的工作，才不愧當個「有理想、有抱負」的青年。我在美國當過電腦老師、商業分析師，仍然對朝九晚五的工作型態感到不滿足。但我的責任感告訴自己要惜福、不可以沒有定性，既然要賺錢貼補家用，找到工作就要認真去做。

直到幾年前我因工作家庭兩頭燒，讓家人陷入緊張的生活步調，和先生商量後，我辭職在家。這段時間我不需要帶小孩，每天只要煮飯打掃。剛開始我的「好學生」心態蠢蠢欲動，擔心這樣無所事事怎麼可以。然而上帝卻用這段時間，吸引我渴慕愛祂而大量閱讀聖經。在聖靈的光照下，我經歷到真理教我識破撒旦謊言，思想得以被更新變化得自由；聖靈也是我最好的個人家教，我一邊讀聖經一邊問上帝問題，然後勤做筆記把每次的感動寫下來。就這樣，我愈寫愈明白神的心意，我開始享受寫作，因為那是與神親密交通的時刻。

我在患難之日求告祂，祂搭救我，我也要榮耀祂（參考詩篇50篇15節），我憑著感恩的心，想對全世界訴說祂給我的愛與感動。因為寫作，我開始懂得欣賞別人的文章，那些透過個人獨特眼光對生命的觀察與詮釋，每篇都像是以特殊角度入鏡的攝影作品，讓人心中的眼睛為之一亮。每讀到一篇好文章，我便讚嘆神藉著按祂形象所造的各人，彰顯出祂創造萬有的豐富。

當神把寫作傳揚祂的心願放在我裡面，我按著祂的心意去禱告，祂就照著運行在我心裡的大力，充充足足地成就一切，超過我所求所想（參考以弗所書三章20節）。去年我的牧師要我在主日學裡邀請宣教士來跟小朋友短講。我聽到這些宣教士遠征非洲、亞洲的感人故事後，覺得想讓更多人知道，因此採訪宣教士們，寫了三篇英文報導分享給學生家長。今年初我覺得神說我有更重要的事要做，所以順服地戒掉了平日閒來無事喜歡看的日劇。不久之後，在教會認識一個美國姊妹，她也喜歡寫作，推薦我投稿給一個福音網站。這個網站的理念與我相同，都是希望藉由寫作傳福音。他們要我提供作品，因此去年寫的三篇宣教士故事剛好派上用場。在今年以前，我不敢想像自己可以用英文寫作，但神卻已經在為我鋪路。

當這篇文章寫到一半時，一個教會的老姊妹剛好打電話來。我們聊到寫作，我告訴她我想太多，寫得慢，有時還會受試探想放棄，去做更容易賺錢的事。但她提醒我不要看自己有沒有能力，不要擔心用字簡單；要從心裡寫，要讓神把祂的能力透過我流出。神真是知道我的軟弱，差祂的僕人來鼓勵我。因為有主相伴，寫作成了我一生努力追求卓越的夢想。寫作是上帝對我說話、與祂相親的獎賞，是祂賜給我傳福音的榮耀使命，也是我一生持續倚靠祂去多結果子的善工（參考腓立比書一章2節）。

MOA過年

圖1：徐夢鴿的二胡演奏，技巧精湛，感情奔放，贏得現場觀眾熱烈掌聲。（陳曼玲攝影）

圖2：多位中國中央音樂學院的高材生，用源自印尼一種叫安格隆的樂器，演奏美國樂曲「多瑞咪」（Do-Re-Mi）（陳曼玲攝影）

圖3：陳崴並示範用雙手拍打空氣，來震動中空竹管的一種絕妙的演奏方式。（陳曼玲攝影）

記者陳曼玲╱明尼蘇達州報導

全美最大的明州美國商城（Mall Of America）日前聯合明州的中美聯誼會、傳龍基金會等三十多個華人團體，舉辦首屆中國農曆新年活動，除了文化攤位以外，一整天下來有二十多個舞蹈、音樂等表演節目，吸引數千名人潮湧入參觀，現場洋溢著濃厚的過年氣氛。

從中國來的北京竹樂團，此次專程前來明州表演。由作曲家陳崴擔任指揮，有國家一級演員李增光吹笛、季節拉胡琴、伊永仁奏笙、馬瑞與尚蕾打擊竹板琴，還有多位中央音樂學院的高材生用源自印尼一種叫安格隆的樂器，演奏美國樂曲「多瑞咪」（Do-Re-Mi）；另用來自雲南彝族的小悶笛，吹奏出如竹林中蟲鳴的悅音；其中一位碩士生徐夢鴿的二胡演奏，技巧精湛，感情奔放，贏得現場觀眾熱烈掌聲。陳崴並示範用雙手拍打空氣，來震動中空竹管的一種絕妙的演奏方式。

竹樂團的所有樂器用各種品種的竹子製作，共有三十餘種。根據團長王巍表示，竹子生長快速，有些種類每天可長四呎，用來代替木材製造，能保護森林，是他極力推廣的綠色理念。學音樂的王巍從研究中國古代的竹樂器，到上山下山遍地尋找各種竹子、多方嘗試製作樂器的方法，除了中國傳統可吹拉彈打的民間樂器外，許多自製的竹樂器更獲得中國國家專利。努力了二十多年，王巍的熱誠感動了多名音樂家共襄盛舉成立北京竹樂團。

王巍不僅醉心竹樂，還熱心交流竹子的各項特點。他從中國帶來方竹、斑竹等不同種類的竹子，以及竹籽、竹筍等在現場展示。

根據美國商城表示，他們今後計畫每年定期舉辦農曆年活動，希望能推廣旅遊事業、聯絡東西文化交流，與促進中美文化與商務合作。

明州雙城中校 大秀才藝喜過年

圖1：明州雙城中文學校功夫班的成人與小朋友表演少林拳。（陳曼玲攝影）

圖2：盧明潔老師（右）慶祝雞年，指導小朋友做小雞圖案的摺紙手工藝。（陳曼玲攝影）

圖3：小朋友踴躍舉手猜燈謎。（陳曼玲攝影）

記者陳曼玲╱明尼蘇達州報導

明州雙城中文學校在聖保羅市的哈伯中心（Hubbs center）舉辦新春活動。華洋學生字正腔圓的主持及表演，讓在場的小朋友與家長開心度過一個充滿喜氣的農曆年。

當天先由成立十多年的何家班醒獅團，帶來舞獅雜耍，小朋友拿著紅包戰兢地餵獅子，獅子則張大嘴巴丟灑糖果給觀眾，並跳高高秀春聯。

幼小班的小朋友隨著「魚兒水中游」的音樂搖擺身體，並用中文祝賀大家「新年快樂，年年有餘」。另外有二年級表演年獸的故事、四年級表演新詩朗誦「水果們的晚會」、功夫班的少林拳、以及B3班的「老鼠娶親」話劇。

曾住過香港兩年的美國家長羅賓‧蒙（Robin Monty）說，自己雖不瞭解十二歲女兒表演的話劇內容，但對女兒能學習中文感到欣慰。她說女兒曾上過中文沈浸式學校三年，現在自己請中文家教在家練習。去年從網路上找到雙城中文學校，於是每週六從靜水市（Stillwater）開車約四十分鐘來上課。她說能夠認識中華文化與其他學中文的朋友，是他們最大的收獲。另一名美國家長珊蒂‧連（Sandy Lange）也是第一年帶著兩個從湖南領養的雙胞胎女兒來上中文學校，很高興透過新年表演，看見女兒們快樂學習的狀況，自己也接觸到志同道合的美國家長。

美國老師佩德（Ron Petit），在中文學校下午的文化班教授二胡，他與兩個學生的表演也博得熱烈掌聲。擅長吉他等弦樂器的佩德說，他第一次聽到中文，覺得中文音調像有節奏的音樂，吸引他從四年前開始學中文。他不僅拜師學二胡，最後還娶到了深圳來的中國太太。

另外學校還準備了六個文化攤位應景：用書法寫春聯，玩扯鈴踢毽子的童玩，學包水餃，摺紙手工藝，吃年糕與說吉祥話，和元宵節介紹與猜燈謎。

明州鄉親聯歡 「三代同堂」迎金雞

圖1：黃政哲（左）發紅包給朱書賢不滿一歲的女兒。（陳曼玲攝影）

圖2：林奕瑄（右）和陳乃嘉深情對唱「廣島之戀」。（陳曼玲攝影）

圖3：鄭如翔用台語和中文朗誦宋詞和唐詩，搖頭晃腦笑點十足。（陳曼玲攝影）

記者陳曼玲╱明尼蘇達州報導

台灣同鄉會舉辦農曆春節晚會，日前在明尼蘇達大學聖保羅市校區的學生活動中心舉行，約有150個台灣同鄉與洋朋友參加。節目由擅長京劇的陳美含和司徒曉昉，以精緻彩妝的臉譜、唱腔和身段，表演「小放牛」熱鬧開場。接著由長輩發紅包給十多個十二歲以下的小朋友。其中明大電機系博士生朱書賢，帶著不滿一歲的女兒從長輩手中接過紅包，是海外遊子一家親的團圓景象。另外蔡崇義帶著媽媽、妻子與兩個孩子，還有1978年來美讀博士的王敬仁和他的兒子王怡明，及兒子的美國妻子與三個孩子，都是美滿的三代同堂。

同鄉會會長鄭光生的夫人王宗明，主持時妙語如珠，為表演節目畫龍點睛。她特別挑選播放幾段台灣影片，分別講述返鄉遊子思念父母和台美隔代祖孫的互動，溫馨感人。表演之外還穿插抽獎，用網路輪盤的方式，讓大家摒息期待中獎。

施建德準備的「猜燈謎」，考驗大家的台語和腦筋急轉彎。會長的兒子鄭如翔，從頭到腳一身古裝打扮。他花了兩週時間練習用台語和中文朗誦宋詞「水調歌頭」和唐詩「將進酒」，表演時字正腔圓，搖頭晃腦則笑點十足。會長的女兒鄭如蜜，以小提琴表演蕭泰然創作的「出外人」與「冥想曲」，技巧精湛，旋律優美。鋼琴伴奏則是來自遼寧的明大音樂博士生程通。

主修小提琴的明大音樂博士生林奕瑄，和主修聲樂的陳乃嘉，分別演唱「藍色眼睛」、「我願意」，並深情對唱「廣島之戀」，充滿青春浪漫的氣息。最後由慈濟人表演手語歌「因為你，因為我」結束當天的表演節目。

當天還有外交部副組長李佳儀前來辦理領務，並與華僑文教中心主任王偉讚都提供抽獎禮物，讓明州鄉親覺得相當貼心。

A Stepping Rock

“He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand”. ~ Psalms 40:2b

Have you ever wondered where the next step for your life is? Especially when you are searching for the life direction, there seems no path to walk on because you feel like you were drifting in the ocean.

However, Jesus commands my destiny just like He commanded Lazarus to come out of death and into life. If you believe Jesus as your Savior and the Lord, your life is a miracle like Lazarus’.

Jesus knows when it’s time for me to move on. Then, He anchors a rock in the water for me to step on.

“Will it be stable?”, I ask.

If that rock is placed by my effort, I doubt it could withstand the strong current. However, if Jesus anchors that rock for me, His power and wisdom is more than 100% trustworthy.

So, be still and wait for the Lord. When He firmly positions the rock in front of you, just step on it.

 

I would like to tell you about my passion and vocation…

A current freelance reporter and writer based in MN. Much of my writing is in the areas of spiritual learning, bible study, parenting, education, Sunday School, opinions, interviews, people’s stories, etc.

My work has appeared in the national Chinese newspaper, “World Journal” in USA, and “Chinese Christian Tribune” in Taiwan.

如何分辨真假新聞

從社群網站、媒體、報章雜誌、電子郵件到家人朋友等，現代人取得資訊的來源不計其數。我當特約記者多年來，學到兩件事並謹記在心：第一，無法證實消息來源的新聞不寫也不轉述；第二，以中立的態度傾聽個人不同的想法，但蒐集證據來檢視內容。

許多人斥責媒體偏好報導腥羶血色的亂象，但當今資訊氾濫，每個人都有責任去思想並過濾所聽到的內容，並且不憑偏見去散播中傷他人的消息。例如今年十二月，英國BBC的記者艾瑪‧珍‧寇比採訪報導說，在馬其頓共和國的年輕人，藉著杜撰關於美國選舉的假新聞，賺取高於當地日薪百倍的收入。方法是先付錢給臉書等社群網站，把自己寫的文章顯示給想看這類新聞的讀者，然後靠著這些讀者轉寄連結，連到自己的網頁後，就能向那些在自己網頁上刊登廣告的商家收費。

現代人看出媒體有所偏頗，所以自然傾向於相信自己朋友所發出的消息，這也開啟有心人利用社群網站散播假新聞的契機。例如幾年前台灣發生食安問題，我的朋友好心轉寄有問題的店家名單。我問他消息的來源，以及如何確定這些食品是否經過檢驗，還是競爭者的惡意中傷。我的朋友聽了便去察看衛生署的公告，比對後發現有些食品並不在黑名單上。

根據美國新聞學院（American Press Institute）網站列出的六個要點，可以幫助我們過濾身邊資訊：

一、注意新聞的作者與組織，並瞭解這個組織的金錢來源。瀏覽每篇文章是否都有一樣的觀點，來明白其政治傾向。

二、察看資料來源，問自己一個關鍵問題：「他們怎麼知道的？」如果沒有清楚的來源，內容的可信度就值得懷疑。

三、尋找證據。你可以親自去實驗，或檢視作者驗證資料正確與否的方法和證據。最單純的方法就是：「開始尋找線索」，你會愈來愈信任那些提供清楚且透明證據的信息。

四、檢視一則新聞的主要觀點或結論是否有證據支持。所謂無效的假設，常會先問一個不好的問題，接著得出沒有價值、誤導的推論。例如有新聞說：「假設現代年輕人因為出生在資訊時代，所以推論年輕人比老年人喜歡上網」。但這樣的假設，也可得到另一個推論：這些年輕人將來變老後，仍會繼續上網。

五、找出文章中是否有未提到的資料，或作者是否能解釋忽略不提的理由。我曾看過報上一則小消息，在某地有個名叫某某的女人，沒有結婚也沒有任何性關係，有一天竟生出小孩。內容中沒有提到接生的醫生或醫院，也沒有關於這個出生嬰孩的任何說明，這可判定為假新聞。

六、問自己每天聽到什麼消息，學到什麼？你可決定什麼該讀，何時該停，因為這是你的自由，但也是你的責任。

約翰‧派伯（John Piper）牧師說：「人平常說話，有95%是不經思考說出來的，而這些話可以顯出你心裡常想的事」。人們多半會選擇性地接受訊息，但也很容易落入偏見。例如當政治立場傾向某一方時，很容易影響你去詮釋某個政治人物的所言所行。

我想除了用上述要點來過濾資訊，基督徒可把握兩個原則訓練屬靈的分辨力：一、立志遵行神的旨意，就必曉得人的教訓是出於神還是個人（參考約翰福音七章17節）二、仔細聆聽世人的說法，把攔阻人認識神的自高之事，一概攻破，並將自己的思想順服在神的真理下（參考哥林多後書十章5節）。

聖經說：「凡是真實的、可敬的、公義的、清潔的、可愛的、有美名的，若有什麼德行，若有什麼稱讚，這些事你們都要思念」（腓立比書四章8節）。換言之，如傑森‧邁爾（Jason Meyer）牧師所說：「這就是勸勉聖徒遠離錯謬的、不尊敬的、不公義的、淫亂的、醜惡的、不合宜的、沒有價值的思想」。聖經說：「但要凡事察驗，善美的要持守，各樣的惡事要禁戒不做」（帖撒羅尼迦前書五章21-22節），因此我們當約束自己不閱讀、也不轉述那些煽動、挑撥人心，甚至是虛假的文章或圖片。

聖經說：「一切的靈，不可都信」（約翰一書四章1節）。基督徒每天接觸到的，不僅是世界的價值觀，還有魔鬼來的謊言。因此要認識神，使我們不再做小孩子，中了人的詭計和欺騙，被異教之風搖動，飄來飄去，甚至隨從異端（參考以弗所書四章14節）。然而心中敬畏上帝真理的人，能受聖靈提醒而識破這些扭曲的思想。

當今有些人從聖經斷章取義，來支持自己的立場，基督徒要仔細以聖經整體真理來檢視，不能人云亦云。另外聖徒要謙虛求聖靈引導，來明白真理，不要成了假教師而不自覺。

聖經說：「神的神能已將一切關乎生命和敬虔的事賜給我們」（彼得後書一章3節），因此基督徒要立志培養分辨力，在生活、屬靈各層面都依循聖經真理去判斷是非。期許我們靈裡長大成熟，可以成為世界的光，給黑暗中的人引路。

華人移民的故事

圖：陳秀芳從台灣帶來的謝籃，是以前婚禮上男方帶禮物給女方的用具。她還展示台南關廟出產的精美竹藍。大小不一的十個竹藍，可以一個裝進另一個。（陳曼玲攝影）

記者陳曼玲╱明尼蘇達州報導

1974年來美的陳秀芳說，50年代的台灣就業機會少，因此有實力的人通過留學考與英文檢定，遠度重洋到美國開疆闢土。當時來美的台灣人，多選擇能申請到獎學金的理工專業。陳秀芳當年為了在台灣的神學院教書，選擇先到美國大學社工系深造，後來改讀電腦。陳秀芳說她剛來美國時，在圖書館讀到有關台灣的歷史，初次認識自己的故鄉，令她大開眼界。

陳秀芳說剛來美國時，覺得東西都很貴。除了當服務生打工外，她會在校園裡撿取畢業生留下的家具。她很懷念在明州的老同鄉們，一到週末就請學生到家裡打牙祭，好像一個大家庭。陳秀芳說有些同鄉因為要在美找工作而申請成為公民，但有些人則拒絕當美國人，在家裡只說台語。陳秀芳自己的兒子長大後娶了香港媳婦，女兒嫁了白人。現在女兒要她在家裡跟孫子說中文，但她說自己的台語比中文好，覺得說中文有種疏離感。因著懷念故鄉，陳秀芳二十多年來參與明州萬國節，為台灣的文化展示攤位繪製大型油畫當布景，多次贏得特優獎。

蔡玉茂在2000年陪妻子到美國唸書，剛到明州時因不習慣冬天的寒冷，為了省暖氣費而凍傷雙手。他在台灣有碩士學位與十多年軟體工程師的經驗，但在美國一開始卻找不到工作。他後來在美修得一個碩士文憑後，馬上獲得程式設計的工作。他說在美國面試時，一開始會先給自己心理建設，試圖充滿自信地說話，但面試到後來就忘記，而變回在台灣謙虛的樣子，常讓對方搞不清楚他的個性。

蔡玉茂說他在美國工作學會要勇敢表達意見，不要太客氣而隱藏自己的實力。蔡玉茂說美國主管希望他主動提出解決方案，而不是被動等老闆下指令。蔡玉茂為了宣揚台灣，在工作之餘成立非營利組織，多年來利用週末時間舉辦各種台灣文藝活動。

黃惠莉二十多年前陪先生到美國唸書，一開始住在密西西比州，學的是南方口音的英文。後來搬到愛何華州時，到教會學英文，美國老師要她從發音學起，否則別人根本聽不懂。

相較於台灣移民在英文溝通上的適應與調整，嚮往美國生活的中國新娘，則在完全不懂英文的情況下來到美國。黃惠莉說她的一個中國朋友已經嫁給美國先生四年，去市場買菜時還是要比手劃腳。黃惠莉說她認識的中國新娘，有些在國內離過婚，希望到美國展開新生活。他們付錢給網路仲介，然後與美國人結婚取得綠卡。黃惠莉說有的是與先生談好結婚條件，像是為先生買車、買房；有的是嫁來美國照顧生病的先生；有個朋友還因受他人慫恿，結婚後設計被先生家暴的騙局，企圖離婚後拿贍養費。