Sunday, February 13, 2011
让我 爱成长. 让我爱 成长.
“Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.(Genesis 1:11-12)
Sunday, February 6, 2011
The Curve and The Mystery of Growth
This morning my mind suddenly recalled the wave like drawing my sister drew yesterday to facilitate De Xian’s Gloria in Excelsis warm-up exercise. I redrew it here, but I made adjustments to it. Trying to spin off a new analogy here. Haha.
In a non-musically technical way, I saw the ups and downs of the curve as the ups and downs of life. And one way to see what we are praying for (through the anthem) is that though we may have ups and downs, we have my fair share of good times and bad times,让我成长. So what we are praying for is growth regardless of all circumstances. Growing, not upwards like a plant but Godwards – growing in the likeness of God, expanding in the capacity to love and embrace all types of people, however unlovable they might be.
But how is it possible, to grow regardless of all circumstances? Perhaps we have forgotten that with God, nothing is impossible. Here we are talking about supernatural growth and of course, we require a supernatural force to thrive in all circumstances. We cannot do it by ourselves.
Interestingly, Paul has a prayer like this in Ephesians 3:16-21.
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being -> Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith -> being rooted and established in love may have power grasp the abundances love of God, know this love that surpasses knowledge… -> may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (which means becoming Christ-like)!
1. The supernatural power comes from God! Not us.
2. He grants us the Holy Spirit to receive His power.
3. Since love comes from God and His love endures forever, we can stay rooted in His love and
grow to be more like Him!
Awesome. Right?
(Hope my sharing here is comprehensive. =P)
In a non-musically technical way, I saw the ups and downs of the curve as the ups and downs of life. And one way to see what we are praying for (through the anthem) is that though we may have ups and downs, we have my fair share of good times and bad times,让我成长. So what we are praying for is growth regardless of all circumstances. Growing, not upwards like a plant but Godwards – growing in the likeness of God, expanding in the capacity to love and embrace all types of people, however unlovable they might be.
But how is it possible, to grow regardless of all circumstances? Perhaps we have forgotten that with God, nothing is impossible. Here we are talking about supernatural growth and of course, we require a supernatural force to thrive in all circumstances. We cannot do it by ourselves.
Interestingly, Paul has a prayer like this in Ephesians 3:16-21.
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being -> Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith -> being rooted and established in love may have power grasp the abundances love of God, know this love that surpasses knowledge… -> may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (which means becoming Christ-like)!
1. The supernatural power comes from God! Not us.
2. He grants us the Holy Spirit to receive His power.
3. Since love comes from God and His love endures forever, we can stay rooted in His love and
grow to be more like Him!
Awesome. Right?
(Hope my sharing here is comprehensive. =P)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Self-reflection of what it means to desire God
Hate the sin you once and love the righteousness you once ignored. Is that a reality in your life?
Is God only an accessory in your life?
“Everyone knows they are a sinner. They just don’t know how heinous and terrible that is. Nor do they want to let go of the very thing that they choose to drink down as though it were water.”
What do you choose to drink down today? Is it the spring of living water ( = God)?
Do you truly desire God?
The love of God is not God's making much of us, but God's saving us from self-centeredness so that we can enjoy making much of him forever. And our love to others is not our making much of them, but helping them to find satisfaction in making much of God. True love aims at satisfying people in the glory of God.
~ John Piper
Do you truly love God and the people around you?
______________________________________________________________________________________
Pray for yourself that your will desire God more, that your love for God will grow stronger and that your hatred for sin will also grow stronger. Ask God to continue His work in your heart.
Pray for the congregation/your friends that their hearts will not harden against God, that their hearts will be changed and renewed to seek God, the spring of living water , taste and see that the Lord is good. Ask God to continue His work in their hearts.
主, 将你大爱植我心田.
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