Deep calls to deep

When you were immersed into the baptism of water, your old self was buried with Jesus Christ’s death on the cross.

When you arose from the water, your new self was born again with Jesus Christ’s resurrected life.

When you wholeheartedly surrender to Jesus Christ, His Holy Spirit pours down on you as the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

As a result, His power overflows like living water from your belly to speak His message.

From then on, you shall experience that the waves and breakers of God’s love will sweep over you like you stand under the roaring waterfalls, hearing the deep calls to deep through the prayers with other Spirit-filled saints.

What an ecstasy of joy and satisfaction to be overwhelmed by God’s outpouring love.

“But each day the Lord pours His unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing His songs, praying to God who gives me life.” Psalm 42:8 NLT

 Perfect, unfailing love

What is perfect love?

When you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, you embark the life-long journey of experiencing the fullness that He has fulfilled all the requirements of God’s righteousness on behalf of you on the cross.

When you thankfully imitate Jesus Christ to lay down your life, that is, honoring Him as your Lord more than your worldly ambitions, your path to the end becomes hopeful and joyful.

Therefore, you shall have the confidence to come to the day of judgement without any fear of punishment. (1 John 4:17)

Out of His perfect love, He has given you faith.

Through His unfailing love, He promises to complete your faith to the end.

なぜなら、イエス キリストが失敗しないので。

“O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my Refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.” Psalm 59:17 NLT

You are the apple of His eye

Humane care may bring temporary comfort, but

God’s care brings the power of life because He is the life-giver.

When you believe and trust in God, 

Who can help the powerless against the mighty (2 Chronicles 14:7), 

Who can strike down your spiritual enemies,

Who is with you in the midst of storms,

You know you are the apple of His eye.

“I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.” Psalm 31:7 NLT

芝市州府大樓 將以7000萬賣給房地產開發商

伊利諾州州長普立茲克(Pritzker)日前宣布,將以7000萬元出售芝加哥市中心的州府大樓湯普森中心(James R. Thompson Center)給房地產開發商The Prime Group。州長辦公室說,這項協商已經進入最後階段,預計明年春天定案。成交後,州府計畫花費1億4800萬元,買回整修後約33%的空間作為州府職員辦公室。

州長辦公室表示,由於湯普森中心內部老舊,需要大裝修,因此賣掉後可以降低營運開銷。但賣出後州府仍要購買或租賃辦公室,因此計畫買回部分空間,可以在接下來的30年,每年為納稅人節省2000萬元。

整建後的湯普森中心有120萬平方呎,州府預計購買其中約42萬5000平方呎作為州府員工辦公室,以持續支援環區的經濟發展。

The Prime Group開發商的總裁瑞斯克基(Michael Reschke)說,湯普森中心的整建構想是安裝玻璃護牆來隔開辦公室樓層和挑高的中庭,以解決大樓內多年來冷熱空調和噪音的問題。他還說,這個中庭將來會通到辦公大樓,是全美前所未見的巨大出入口。

瑞斯克基說,整建後的大樓除了有辦公室和零售商店以外,上方樓層還可能進駐旅館,他提到,州府原本估算升級該大樓的費用為3億2500萬元,但他預計投下2億8000萬經費,估計兩年完工。

整修期間,大樓內的芝加哥捷運局(CTA)的Clark/Lake車站仍開放營運,州府職員會則暫時在上方樓層辦公,等下方樓層整修完畢後再遷移。

另方面儘管疫情讓許多民眾居家上班,但瑞斯克基預測湯普森中心因距離市府、法院和其他政府辦公大樓很近,將來對律師事務所和其他公司仍有相當吸引力。

這座17層的後現代風大樓由著名建築師雅恩(Helmut Jahn)設計,1985年落成開放。普立茲克說開發商會保存大部分的建築,因此該提案獲得Landmarks Illinois等團體的支持。

Starting from small

Do you feel what you are doing is so small that no one pays any attention?

Do you know that God grows a tiny acorn to be a solid oak in His time?

Nothing can become big without first being small.

Nothing God calls us to do is servile.

No mistakes can override my identity in Jesus Christ as His protected, justified saint.

No devil’s attack can overpower God’s grace in me.

May we surrender ourselves to His loving mighty hand as His servants of righteousness, so that He will bring us deeper into true holiness (Romans 6:19). 

“I love you, Lord. You are my strength. The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Savior. My God is my Rock, in whom I find protection. He is my Shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.” Psalm 18:1-2 NLT

Be healed

What is your memorable Christmas gift?

Have you ever recalled clearly about the giver because you love that gift so much?

Jesus Christ is the best Gift for you when you know your spirit has been healed so that you are enabled to hear His loving voice.

Today, thank Him for His wonderful gift of healing your soul and remember Him, the Giver, who has been so good to you even before you knew Him and continuing to reveal His love to you.

“God spoke the words ‘Be healed,’ and we were healed, delivered from death’s door.” Psalm 107:20 TPT

 

I am free from devil’s condemning charges against me. (Romans 8:31)

Must win

Dear saints,

You are not alone to fight in the spiritual battles because God will send His troops to fight alongside with you. 

Thank God for all the praying warriors who know what true love is in Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for them so that they wholeheartedly imitate Him to love others in need.

And we must win because God promises that the devil shall fall before us by the sword of His word through prayer.

Jesus Christ was not just born to be our Savior but was resurrected to overcome the world.

Therefore, all who trust in Him must win.

“Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.” Leviticus 26:8 WEB

Free forever

You are free forever from condemnation.
Not because of your perfect obedience to the laws, but because of Jesus Christ’s perfect obedience to the Father God.
He has come to overcome the world and taken captive of the slaves of sins to become His godly servants who belong to His family forever.
 
“Through Him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:39 NIV)

Perfect gift

The perfect peace in Jesus Christ is called shalom in Hebrew, which means a harmony or reconciliation of relationship based upon the completion of the payment of a debt. It’s the word used in “peace offering” where blood was shed as an atonement for sins.

God’s shalom has been granted to the world through Jesus Christ.

“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” (Isaiah 55:1)

How generous our Father God is. He invites you to come to buy and eat without money and without cost because Jesus Christ has paid that gift card for you.

But if you don’t redeem this gift card of gospel ready for you, the gift card does not benefit you at all.

Today, tell Jesus Christ that you want to believe in Him as your Savior and the Lord, then you will receive His perfect peace as the best Christmas gift delivered to your heart.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3 ESV

True peace

Is there a turmoil in your heart when the future is uncertain?

Are you seeking to settle down in peaceful calmness when the world is chaotic?

God knows our thoughts and wants to give us true peace in Jesus Christ.

This peace of God will never be shaken by physical reality because God is unshakeable.

Today, come to the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, who is your absolute stronghold against any hopeless fear.

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.” John 14:27 CSB