Category: Spiritual Learning

After US election in 2020, some Christians may struggle with the result and possibly hear the lies of the devil.

In the midst of chaos, the safest way to protect yourself is to stick to the Biblical truth and let all-knowing God handle the things you are not 100% sure so that you won’t be confused by the surroundings.

The truth is based on the Bible: 

• God never abandons the saints who fear Him and love Him with all their hearts. 

  The Lord favors those who fear Him,
  Those who wait for His lovingkindness. (Psalm 147:11)

• God is sovereign over the nations. 

  For the kingdom is the Lord’s
  And He rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:28)

• God avenges the righteous in Jesus Christ and will cut off evil men so that we don’t need to fret in the unknown situations but wait for the Lord in hope.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. (Psalms 37:8-9)

Here are some lies of devil if you hear:

1. I need to stop the evil by angry violence to defend God’s righteousness. 
2. God’s name might be ridiculed if the result is not what I prayed for.
3. God has abandoned me because He rejected my prayer for what I want. 

If you hear something like this, then ask God to show the sins you may need to confess so that you don’t leave a foothold to Satan. And ask God to show you the truth from the Bible so that you can defend.

Here are some fighting strategy for each lie:

1. Confess the sin of self-righteousness. Then proclaim: God’s righteousness has been revealed through Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.
   
   “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;  And He will reign as king and act wisely. And do justice and righteousness in the land. (Jeremiah 23:5)                          
2. Confess the sin of lacking faith in Jesus. Then proclaim: God is the solid Rock and no one can shake Him not even a little.

For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God, (Psalm 18:31) 

3. Confess the sin of self-pity. Then proclaim: Jesus Christ has died for my sins and bore all the curse and rejection on behalf of me. And God has adopted me and will never abandon me through my faith in the power of Jesus Christ’s blood.

 For the LORD will not forsake His people; He will never abandon His heritage. (Psalm 94:14) 

or

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

“To the kind, You show Yourself kind.” (Psalm 18:25)

Driving 20 miles to the violin store which I purchased a violin before to fix the bow. On the way home, I dropped by Costoco. After finishing with loading up my trunk, an American lady was kind to offer pushing my cart back with hers. “How kind!” I felt warm in my heart. “God, I want to be kind too for giving someone a warm feeling, especially during this hard time.” I also heard myself praying: “I want to choose joy no matter the situation.”

God answered my prayer quickly. When I got home, the violin store called me that they gave me the wrong bow and told me to go back to pick up my own. “Really? Driving 40 miles back and forth for that?” 

However, my heart said: “Fine. Just another drive. Everyone may miss some thing sometimes. Have I not been forgiven so many times by others for my mistakes?” Then, suddenly, I know God has given me the opportunity to be kind—to forgive others as I was forgiven.

The next day, God proves His word to be true. The violin shop said it’s their mistake and they will bring my bow to me for saving my 40-mile trip to go there.

Praise the kind God to show His kindness  to us when we are kind to others!

My life is worthy of God’s call. It means: My life= God’s call.

I was not a kind person and so I know it’s God’s prompt to stir up my heart to pray for learning to be kind according to His teaching agenda for me. And then He proves His promises by showing His kindness to me when I am kind to others so that I know He is encouraging me to keep doing the right thing like a teacher gives a thumb-up to the obedient student who is on the right track.

God calls me to be His disciple, learning and following His teaching, which is a calling for His great mission, not a task for self-fulfillment. Jesus Christ promises His yoke is easy and His burden is light and He compels me to live up to His call. Praise God for weighing my life toward His glory, that is, living a life worthy of His Name.

開了20 哩去原來買小提琴的店家換弓弦，想說以後不要跑這麼遠了，反正沒給老客戶折扣。

順道去了Costco，有個女士在我卸完採買的東西後，說要幫我把推車一起推回去。啊，真是和善！上帝，我也想要Be kind，讓別人在疫情期間感受到一點點小確幸的溫暖。

上帝很快回答我的禱告了。我回家後小提琴店家打電話告訴我，他們拿錯弓弦給我了，要我再回去拿。啊，單趟再開20哩？「算了，再去一趟就是。人都有閃失的時候，我自己也許多次被他人原諒不是嗎？」。心裡這樣想以後，突然想到這就是上帝讓我Be kind不是嗎？感謝神已經給我打預防針，使我遇到心煩時，能選擇喜樂。

隔天小提琴店的人說要把琴弓送到我家，因為是他們那邊的失誤。哇！上帝印證他自己說的：「恩慈的人，你以恩慈待他」。

我向大老遠送小提琴弓來的人傳簡訊謝謝他。他則為他們店的疏失跟我道歉。而我知道這整件事是神教導我的功課。

我不是生性就能對人溫柔恩慈，但就因為如此，我清楚知道我能對人恩慈實在不是出於我自己。上帝教導我的方式是：先讓我被上帝和別人的恩慈所感動，再鼓勵我去禱告想要效法好榜樣去對人恩慈；然後祂給我機會順服聖靈的感動去行動，完成後再給我聖經應許的印證，告訴我做對了，再繼續下去。這就是結出聖靈的果子，就是聖靈在我裡面做成了「恩慈」的品格。

上帝呼召基督徒做祂的門徒，就是學習並跟隨主耶穌基督的榜樣。祂呼召就必裝備，因此成為基督徒是一個呼召，是給聖徒一個帶著祝福的禮物。跟隨主耶穌要憑相信獨一真神的信心，不是憑肉體努力的宗教行為。

那麼感動聖徒去順服上帝的力量來自哪裡呢？那力量的來源是上帝自己，藉由聖靈住在我們裡面，慢慢地融化我的石心，給我一顆能感受愛的肉心，靈命長大成熟後就自然會想去彰顯神的愛與榮耀。

每個信靠上帝的聖徒最後都能像保羅一樣說：「我活著就是基督」。我的生命就是主耶穌的呼召。我要活出配得主的名的生活。

禱告：親愛的上帝，讚美您是恩慈的神，所以您願意教導我也以恩慈待人。原諒我曾經靠老我努力，想靠做好事跟您交換祝福，或只是倚靠宗教的行為來自我滿足。主耶穌，我願意捨己，請您幫助我學習您的律例，教導我的靈漸漸地成熟長進並鍛鍊出屬神的品格來榮耀您。奉主耶穌基督的名求。阿門。

1 Peter 2:17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

As the movement about “black lives matter” spreads in the US, how do we see humans in their right “color”?

As I pray to God, I remember a powerful exhibition about human diversity I saw in the Science Museum of Minnesota. It was a full wall of display with people’s faces from different ethnicity. Under each man’s or woman’s photo, his/her blood type is described. It’s very obvious for the viewers to understand that all humans share the same color of blood no matter what color of our skin is. Therefore, I thank God for teaching me to see people’s color as red. I want to honor and respect each human as who he/she is, a being created in God’s image.

Jennifer Kennedy Dean in her book “Clothed with Power” confirms my learning about the true humanity:

The Hebrew word “adam” translated “Adam” or “mankind” comes from the Hebrew word “adama”, which is translated “ground” or “dirt” but literally means “red”. God created adam (man) from the adama (dust).

Red–crimson, scarlet–is the color of man, and specifically of the humanity of Jesus.

Therefore, let’s praise God for sending Jesus to the world. Jesus blended His humanity and His divinity to become the mediator between God and mankind, who is identified with both parties. Jesus is the only Mediator who can justly represent each man and woman in front of God no matter what skin color we have.

Proverbs 16: 6

Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; 

through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.

I say in anger: You will not truly feel the pain of the despised until you feel your own pain of being despised.

But Abba Father God gently says:

“Forgive, as I forgive you.”

Then I recall: I used to fear the black out of the stereotype in the media. So, how can I be upset with the society fearing the same as I did?

And Abba Father God affirms:

“Love, as I love you.”

I see in my spirit:

Jesus says, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

“Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” Jesus’ loving voice asks.

“No one, sir,” I said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,”Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (see John 8:7)

God raises me, the poor, from the ash. God lifts me up, the needy, from the pit of hell.

I was an ignorant racist, a foolish sinner and arrogant enemy to God.

But Jesus Christ died on the cross for paying my penalty of sin and absorbing Father God’s wrath on behalf of me, planting the seed of goodness into my heart, dispelling all the sinful bondage, and repelling the lies of the devil.

Thank God for giving me strength to forgive myself and others.

Thank God for giving me His compassion to love.

Therefore, I can forgive the people who hurt me as God forgives me.

Then, I can love God and people as myself.

I am much forgiven so that I love Him more.

Praise Jesus Christ for embracing me, the thorny sinner, so tight to the degree of shedding His blood.

Praise Abba Father God for transforming my anger and hatred to the holy display of His grace and peace.

Proverbs 14: 31

He who oppresses the poor show contempt for their Maker,

but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

May God’s mercy and grace come to the racists toward God and may God’s great love transform the sinners to His beloved saints. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

This morning I prayed with my moms group by Line app. A mom is a doctor and feels very frustrated about seeing so many sick and dead in her hospital and in the news. We prayed for the situation of covid-19 epidemic in the end. She poured out her sadness and anger about the unfair situation that many poor countries have no resource to protect their citizens.

Before a girl’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. (Esther 2:12)

A Christian friend uses free Line app to lead Bible study and prayer meeting during the time of sheltering at home away from the covid-19 pandemic. Recently, she starts the aerobic exercise online for her group.

Before I worked out with the group online this morning, I read my Bible on the schedule about Esther. After the exercise, I have the sweet feeling thinking that the saints were like Esther.

Thank God for the technology. While resting at home, we can have spiritual food through studying bible online and praying with other saints online. We can also exercise with other saints online. God seems to use this time to prepare the saints with godly “beauty treatment” for our well-being. What a spa treatment for the whole-being! May God’s light all shine brightly through the saints from inside out after the long rest of this shelter time.

While we patiently wait for the Lord, may we come to God’s palace for receiving this “beauty treatment” from God for preparing ourselves spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically for our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. As a result, when He calls us to meet Him, we shall stand beside Him and shine His glory in the eternity.

I think about why Covid-19 epidemic comes to the world. Is it for Christians to preach good news more eagerly? Is it God wants to save more lost souls?

Recently I prayed through Zoom with my Moms in Prayer group. I heard a mom giving thanks to God for a friend’s prodigal son, who is asking for prayer during this pandemic. A light came to me that God may use the crisis to wake up Christians to repent and fix our eyes on God.

Indeed, if God is coming back, He wants to prepare the saints ready for the grace He is going to give us. What will that require? A faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, the claim-to-be believers are awakened to cling to God and pray more fervently because there’s no remedy for stopping this pandemic.

Even though the worldly people may panic, they may still not change much about their thoughts. They may worry more about the price of stock market or what to do while staying at home in shelter more than their eternal life. However, it’s not supposed to be the saints’ mindset, because we know who is our living hope and where is our everlasting inheritance is kept.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (1 Peter 1:3-6)

When I stayed home in the beginning, I went on the Internet a lot and ate a lot while watching movies. Then I found the only effective way of self-controlling my eating is to go to read my bible. When I am satisfied in God’s unfading Word, the temptation from the secular entertainment fades away.

Is God reviving the saints? YES! Praise God for He is doing what He alone can do: complete the work of our faith.

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)