I Am Blessed!

At this very moment.. I just wanna say, "我是一個幸福的人!" 我有愛我的好朋友, 疼我的父母, 關心我的哥哥, 及信任我的教會弟兄姊妹... 雖然今年的聖誕節曾有讓我懷疑自己的地方, 但是... 我感謝 神, 我可以在讚美中看到真實有基督的人的identity! :)


Also, thanks to Dr. Gin... who's willing to spend time on my thesis during Christmas break... it touched my heart seeing her response today! :) 好多人我想感謝.. though they might not even see this blog entry =p


Not in any kind of order, just ... people that come to my mind right now... 小Paul, Paul爸爸, Penny, Jeffery, Jeffrey W, Stacy, LiLi, Kari, Nicole, Tracy K, Rita, Eva, Pastor Howard, Mrs. Kwan, Karen Y, E2, Joella, Jack C, Maggie, Gracy, David Ting, Joseph, Dad & Mom, Mark Hsieh, Mr. & Mrs. Feng, Joyce, Alison, Kate, Susan Huynh, etc, and.. GOD!!!!!

"稱頌, 讚美"來回應

當我們不把所蒙的恩典視為理所當然時，我們將蒙更大的恩典，當我們以恰當的行動回應神的祝福時就見證了神是凡事都能。- Psalm 115. 採自靈糧堂靈修網站.

禱告analogy

靈糧堂靈修內容:

怎樣透過禱告支取神的恩典？好像你拿著一張上帝給的空白支票，你要怎樣得著這支票的價值呢？首先，你需要填上金額，你要知道你要求什麼，你要支取什麼恩典，因為神給你的是空白支票，意即你需要什麼，祂都有。第二，你需要到銀行去。禱告就好像拿著神給的支票並已填上了你的需要，到神的銀行去領。銀行的行員不會看你的身份證或衣著，他僅根據你的支票是否合法，就憑票支付你的需要。

Dec. 10, 2009 Ps. 143:1-6

「在你面前，凡活著的人沒有一個是義的。」(v.2) 這真是一個偉大的發現，「義」所指的是神的標準，沒有人能達到神的標準，特別是對我們這些明白「新約」恩典的人，更是一個非常明確的指引。今天我們之所以能來到神面前，完全是因為耶穌基督所成就極大的恩典，我們完全無功勞可言。我們需要常常回到救恩的根源，詩人的話說「我追想古時之日，思想你的一切作為，默念你手的工作」(v.5)。不論我們信主的年日多久，初信之時的感動常常是那麼鮮活，每次回想都可感受到主的恩典，特別是當我們在主裡的日子長久些，我們將更能為主所成就的事感恩。當我們愈明白神工作的原則時，就能更加看見神的手在我們身上不是一時一刻而已，祂是有計劃的。雖然詩人的光景是這麼的不好，他說「我的靈在我裡面發昏；我的心在我裡面悽慘。」(v.4) 這麼糟糕，這麼困窘，這麼不安，但他的出路在那裡呢？是在思想神的作為，默念神的工作。

一方面，看見我們是多麼需要主的救恩。另一方面，當思想主為我們所付極重的代價，使我們得享救贖恩典時，我們豈可浪費我們的精神在自憐上呢？惡者就是要讓我們看不起自己，我們真是不配蒙神恩典，但卻蒙了恩，這是何等大的恩典呢？主所要的回應就是接受與感恩。第三，既是恩典，就不好獨享，與人分享得救的喜樂及盼望則是我們蒙恩之人回應主恩的實際行動。--- from 台北靈糧堂資訊網 :)

Fred Craddock sharing about "preaching"

As I was reading a chapter in a required textbook, I came across reading one of Fred Craddock's writing, and for some reason, I googled him... found an interesting blog talking about him. This person lists out tips that I thought it might be good and helpful for preachers, whoever out there who might be intrigued.


Craddock offered 13 statements about preaching. Here they are:
1. Respect and come to love the hours of study in the preparation of a sermon. The discipline of study brings freedom.
2. Pay close attention to words; study them, respect them, love them.
3. Have a clear grasp of anthropology. In other words, understand deeply your view of humankind. How you view people informs your sermon.
4. Create high expectations.
5. If possible–find a governing image or metaphor.
6. Build anticipation in all your ministry.
7. Be able to state the sermon in one sentence.
8. Facilitate conversation between the congregation and Scripture.
9. Be flexible with the many layers of Scripture. There is usually more than one way to understand and present a text.
10. Populate sermons with people–people with names.
11. Create materials to make your sermon more real.
12. Develop and maintain balance in your life.
13. Live with a understanding distance of God. Talking with God that authorizes talking about God.

So that is a great list to take to heart…..but if you just heard that you would have fallen asleep, here is the stuff you would have loved!!!:


————–
A question he always asks:
What do I think I am doing when I am preaching?

Preaching should be a habit/discipline BUT MUST contain reflection
————–
He talked about Chaim Perelman a man who is an author of rerhetoric not preaching). And Craddock said this”
“Good communication, is making the absent present”. If listeners can see something, then it is persuasive. He gives and example of a Chinese emperor standing in the entrance of the palace. He watches some men taking an ox to its death for sacrifice. The emperor said, “Stop turn it loose and go get a sheep!” So the men asked the emperor, “Emperor, do you prefer sheep over oxen for sacrifices?” And the emperor replied, “No, it is just that I can see the ox”.
—————–
Something important to Craddock when he thinks about preaching is that the sermon
1. must get the scripture straight. (knowledge), 2. AND it must be powerful, (then he gaver a en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Lear”>King Lear quote, “My heart is in the coffin with Cesar, and I must pause until it returns me”) there is power in those words…he could have said, “I just miss him, give me a few minutes”, but instead Shakespear uses power, and those words force pause, awe, and beauty!

Craig Shaver Sharing on 11/8/09

- We got to come to church, vs. we get to come to church. Got vs. Get


- Share the gospel, three results:
1) Being rejected
2) The person accept the Christ
3) Plant the seeds in his/her life


All are 'GOOD' and 'winning' situations!

Praise You TODAY!

God, you know how much obstacles and difficulties I'm facing right now at this very moment, I pray for Your protection over me, as well as Your strength. I can't do all these by myself.. nor I can control any of these. Come to my rescue Lord! I praise You for sustaining my life, all these yrs, all these tough times. You have laid Your life down for me, and so I lay myself before You, reign in every aspect of my life, including my very physical body I pray. Thank you for being my stronghold in life... In Your light I will see LIGHT! THANK YOU FATHER :)