How to response rightly to others bad treatments?

How to response rightly to others bad treatments when you are doing the right things?

1. Be glad!

Matthew 5:12 NLT Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

• You are not the unique one. It happens to others and even to Jesus Christ - they beat Him up and hang Him!
• There is a future reward for you. God is the final judge to punish the evil and to reward the righteous. Leave the matter to God.
• How can I have the strength to be happy?

2. By His Love.

Romans 5:5 NLT And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
We are to remember that He loves us dearly and know about our sufferings and the injustice done to us. Even more so, we are rebirthed in the Spirit and the Holy Spirit has filled us with His love so that we are able to love as He loves.

3. So, we forgive as Jesus has forgiven us.

Ephesians 4:32 NLT Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

How can we tell we have forgiven someone?

• When we do not have bad feelings towards them. 
• When we don't avoid them. 
• When we can rejoice with their success. 
• When we can even pray for them when they have needs. 
• When we wish for their well-beings. 

A very tough list to follow isn't it? You don't have to do all immediately. Just present yourself and them to God. Let's God handle it for you.

Do you have any bitterness within you? Do you hold any grudges against anyone? Bring them to God and leave them at the Altar. Receive the love that God has given to you. Love with His love. Let go the burden of bitterness and hatred.

Receive the healing and the joy of the Lord. Be completely delivered. Amen.

Lim Liat (c) 19 Apr 2017

Even when we are rebellous, there is Hope of Acceptance & Transformation

No matter how bad we have been, there is a certain transformation to greatness beyond our imagination ... all because of Him:

Col 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,
Col 1:22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

1. Even when we are rebellious, evil, hostile to Him.

2. He paid the price for our redemption.

3. And transform us to be holy, blameless, without faults. In this new state, we can stand confidently before His throne.

4. The key is "Because of Him" and we don't have to do anything. It has nothing to do with our deserving or not. It is all His grace and love. It is Him who is holding our hands and not us trying to hold unto His hands. It is not about our performance to earn his acceptance but simply because of His love that we are to just rest confidently in Him.

Be happy because you are loved unconditionally. Enjoy His presence. So,

If you are sick, claim and receive His healings.
If you need help, ask and receive His guidance and aids.
If you are depressed, meditate on His love and receive the peace and joy. Said boldly as John said, "I'm the disciple whom Jesus loved".

Lim Liat (c) 18 April 2017

Read and Believe to Receive the Power of the Bible Verses

For our health ...

Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are as a honeycomb: sweet to the soul and health to the bones.

Here are a few things to learn:


1. What we say or hear, the words affect our health.

2. Pleasant words are good health supplements and medicines.

3. Hurtful words are like poisons and virus to the body.

4. So speak pleasant words, correct gently, and don't curse or hurt.

5. Soul and Body are related. One affects the other. Be healthy and you will be creative and productive. Keep on learning, be happy and your health will be ok too.

6. Honeycomb is good for your bones. Here is a proof: http://www.menshealth.co.uk/…/…/Eat-honey-for-stronger-bones

7. So read the Bible carefully and believe in it for your good soul and healthy body.

Some bonus verses ...Proverb 4:
      20 My son, be attentive to my words;        incline your ear to my sayings.
      21 Let them not escape from your sight;        keep them within your heart.
      22 For they are life to those who find them         and healing to all their flesh. 

Lim Liat (c) 17 April 2017

The secret to a long, healthy and happy life

Do you know the secret to a long, healthy and happy life?

Do you know that the Bible and the Ancient Chinese give you the same answer!

Exercise is NOT the answer.

The answer is Godliness or A VirtuousCharacter.

Bible: 1 Timothy 4:8 ►
for while bodily training is of some value,
godliness is of value in every way, as it holds

promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Note Godliness is of value every way .... i.e. happiness, wisdom, health, wealth, good relationship, whatever is good for life and it is not just for the PRESENT life and also the FUTURE life after death.

Ancient Chinese Wisdom:
养生之道，首在养德。
Cultivating life begins with cultivating virtues.

老子 51 “道生之，德畜之，物形之，势成之。是以万物莫不尊道而贵德”
Lao Zi DaoDeJing 51:
The Dao/WORD give birth to it (life),
Virtues builds it up,
Materials shapes it (with the body),
Energy (Life Force) completes it.
Hence, all living things honor the WORD/Dao and treasure virtues.

《庄子·天地》篇说:“故形非道不生，生非德不明”
Zhuang Zi said,"Hence nothing without Dao cannot be born. Born without virtues cannot be bright (i.e. shines with light).

So, don't just go for running and other aerobic exercises, remember to do more about cultivating your virtues ... your self-control reduces your excessive desires, manage your stresses, control your impulses & greeds,etc.... Most important, discover the purpose of your life.

Continuing with the Bible, we understand contentment (be satisfied with the basic)  and godliness (don't be greedy for a start. ) ....

1 Timothy 6:6-11 

6 But godliness with contentment is a great gain.

... 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

.... 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

... 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

So, while we exercise our body, we must also exercise our brain and our spirit.

Lim Liat (c) 18 March 2017

See also Your Life Expectancy 120 or 80?

Preparing for Christ's 2nd Coming - Let's be John the Baptist

There are many end-times watchers and prophets warning that Christ is coming soon and we better get ready to be raptured or be left behind. Their intention is good but they tend to focus on showing how the events match the Biblical prophecy and left nothing to be said about getting ready. Last Sunday sermon by Ps G on being the Pioneers to open the ways provides the answer for us on how to get ready.

The Bible Reference is Isaiah 40:1-5.

1 “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.
2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned.
Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over for all her sins.”

3 Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting,

• “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord!
• Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!
• 4 Fill in the valleys, and 
• level the mountains and hills.
• Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.

5 Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed...

The Pastor spoke about John the Baptist as the forerunner of Christ.

To me, it speaks of us, as the John the Baptist generation, preparing the paths to welcome the 2nd coming of Christ.

We often wonder how are we to keep watch for the 2nd coming of Christ. That's the way. Laying the paths, clearing the obstacles, breaking down all lofty ideas against God, bringing the Good News Gospels to the rest of the world, including the concrete wilderness in the midst of us.

When is the end time?

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

We learned two things from the above verse:

1. We are called to bring the good news and disciple the nations (The Great Commission Matthew 28:16-20)
2. We, the believers, determine when Christ will come again!
   If we don't go out then Christ won't come. Some preachers erroneously believe that the church would be in a bad shape, that of Laodicea when Christ came again. That is a bad interpretation of the Bible. The Revelation Churches represent seven types of churches in different locations. Interpreting them as seven stages of church history is just an interpretation and it is not correct. The bride prepares herself to welcome the bridegroom in common sense. So, the church will be in good shape to receive Christ when He comes again.

How do we get ready?

1. Share the Gospel - The Good News of God's salvation of men.

v1 says "Comfort my people".  That's the good news we have. John 3:16. v2 tells us that men's sins are forgiven. The punishments were placed upon Jesus at the cross. We can now have great joy.

2. Speak Tenderly.

There are preachers who preach the hell and fire message to scare people to receive Christ. That is one way. For the present time, we need to earn the right to speak and be heard. The Bible is about grace and truth. Grace first before the truth. If we fail to earn the right to speak, our message will just be discarded. We earn our rights by love and care. 

3. Clear the Way and Make a Path to reach them

The preacher shared the following four obstacles:

1. Mountains - They block our visions. So we only focus on the present. We are nearsighted. So we create all kinds of idols and illogical reasons to try to understand the present difficulties against the knowledge of God. They represent the false religions, 2 Cor 10:5.

2. The valleys represent the difficult and challenging times of our lives. Ps 23:4, Ps 84:6. We have the Shepherd with us but they have none. Need to share with them.

3. The Crooked Paths - They took the long and winding roads (cheating) in life instead of the straight and right ways of the Lord.

4. The Rough Places represent the crises, and accidents, in life. They need the grace of God to have peace, presence, and power in life. John 16:33.

The equipment and weapons for us to achieve the above work are The Armor of God.
The church is to work together with Eph 5:11-12 shows us that the Church has the Five-Fold ministries (Strategic Job Roles) of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. In Rom 12:6-13 and 1 Cor 12:28, we find other job roles. e.g. healers, miracle workers, helpers/ Servers, organizers /rulers/managers, givers, exhorters (coaches?), and those that Sheweth-mercy. All work together in unity as members of the body of Christ to build each other up into maturity and fullness in Christ. Eph 4:13.

Don't spend too much time watching the events leading to the end times. Spend time in preparation, and laying the paths, to welcome the coming King.

See also:

• Cindy Jacobs Prophesies Blazing Isaiah 60 Movement in Body of Christ
• Preparing for Christ 2nd Coming - Part 2

Discerning the Times of God's Plan for You - Jeremiah 29:11

In this New Year period, among the believers, an often quoted verse of blessing is Jeremiah 29:11 [ESV] For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. However, if we study the context, there is much to be learned.

The Context:
Please read the whole chapter of Jeremiah 29. The letter was written to the people in exiles in Babylon. The good plan was for them to stay there, have families and build good businesses, for a period of 70 years. They are to pray for the city, their captors' city, to prosper that they may prosper with them! Their fate and their enemies are tied together by God's Will. There were different voices, especially those in Jerusalem that were not deported were preaching lies. They were the disobedient people against God and were cursed.  God's plan of blessings for the exiles was not to return home but stay. This is against the common understand that blessing is about staying home in the city of God. Eventually, after 70 years, this would be true. But for now, in this time and season, they are to stay and make a good living. Here are some key lessons for us:

Key Lessons:

1. Discerning of the Times of God is Most Important
   Yes, the Israelites will return. But God's will for them then is to stay and prosper in exile in Babylon. Those that were in Jerusalem were disobedient and they were cursed.
2. The seemingly wrong circumstances, in exiles, was actually God's plan for our good. Away from home is not a curse but a blessing.
3. It is not where you are but are you obeying God wherever you are.
4. The error is to ignore the seasons, the right timing, of God's plan.
   Yes, the Lord will bless you richly, but we must discern and follow His plan in the right time, place and with the right people.

Applications for Us in this End-Times

1. Be Busy Till I come. Luke 19:13 ESV Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’  It is common to hear sermons warning about the end-times and wanting us to be committed. But we are to be extremely careful not to be misled. Different people are called to do different things. Unless otherwise, continue to do what are doing, but with a new perspective if you have already not, of God's will and urgency.
2. Relook at another frequently quoted verses Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV) 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
   and he will make straight your paths.
   Such a verse can easily cause misunderstanding. We tend to make our plan first and try to get God to endorse it. The order should be seeking God first and then let Him guide us to make the plan. So NLT gets it better: 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
3. If you find yourself now away from home. Do not be discouraged. God's plan is about living at the right place, time and people. 

Lim Liat (c) 2 Feb 2017

New Year Blessings From the Bible - One More Step

In the previous post, The New Year Wishes from the Bible - 9 Steps to a Fulfilled Life, the verses were taken from someone post. By googling for more posts, I can find more verses. So I add them to the existing mind-map. Many verses are repeats. But I found some verses can be grouped together under a new heading called "Let Your Light Shine". Living a meaningful Christian life is about testifying for God. So this added step brings us to "10 Steps to a Fulfilled Life".

The 10 Steps:

The Corresponding Bible Verses:


The full text:
If you find reading the mind-map difficult due to its size. Here is the text.

God's Word for Your New Year 神给您新年 的话语

• New Year's Bible Verses - Live Life to the Full
  祝福满满的过一生
  
  • - Read what Scripture tells us about God's promises and face the new year with hope!读圣经让我们认识神给我们的应许，使我们能充满希望的面对新的一年！
  • Our Lord wants us to seek out His will for our lives and to live life FULLY alive.我们的主希望我们去寻求他为我们的旨意，让我们能完全活着。
  • Stop Satan's goal in making you feel defeated and overcome, you can start this New Year renewed!战胜撒但要我们失败的目标，让我们更新了来过新年！
• 1 God Did it for You - God Saved You
  神已经拯救您了
  
  • Psalm 98:1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.诗98:1 你们要向耶和华唱新歌，因为他行了奇妙的事；他的右手和他的圣臂，为他施行拯救。
  • Acts 3:19 “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”使徒行传 3:19   所以你们应当悔改归正，使你们的罪得着涂抹。 20   这样，那安乐的日子，必从主面前来到，并且他必把为你们预先选定的基督（耶稣）差来。
• 2 Your New Self - Old is Gone - You're a New Creation
  您是新造的人，旧事已经过去
  
  • 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!哥林多后5:17如果有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事已经过去，你看，都变成新的了！
  • 1 Peter 1:3 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,彼得前书 1:3   我们主耶稣基督的父 神是应当称颂的。他照着自己的大怜悯，借着耶稣基督从死人中复活，重生了我们，使我们有永活的盼望，
  • Ezekiel 11:19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.以西结 11: 19   “我要把一颗心赐给他们，把新的灵放在他们里面；我要从他们肉体中除掉石心，赐给他们肉心，
• 3 Put on Your New Self - Your New Behavior
  穿上了新人,有新的行为
  
  • Colossians 3:9-10 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.歌罗西 3:9   不要彼此说谎，因为你们已经脱去了旧人和旧人的行为，
      10   穿上了新人。这新人照着他的创造者的形象渐渐更新，能够充分认识主。
  • Ephesians 4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.以弗所 4:22   就要除去你们那照着从前生活方式而活的旧人。这旧人是随着迷惑人的私欲渐渐败坏的。    23   你们要把心灵更换一新，    24   并且穿上新人。这新人是照着 神的形象，在公义和真实的圣洁里创造的。
  • Phil. 3:13 “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.”腓立比书 3: 13   弟兄们，我不以为自己已经得着了，我只有一件事，就是忘记背后，努力面前， 14   向着目标竭力追求，为要得着 神在基督耶稣里召我往上去得的奖赏。
    
• 4 God will Bless You - Be assured
  神的看顾使我们安心
  
  • Deuteronomy 7:13 13 He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and olive oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.申命记 7：13   他必爱你，赐福与你，使你人数增多，也必在他向你的列祖起誓应许给你的地上，赐福与你身所生的，你地所产的，使你的五谷、酒、油，以及牛犊和羊羔增产。
  • Isaiah 54:1-5 “Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD. 2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. 3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. 4 “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. 5 For your Maker is your husband— the LORD Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.以赛亚54:1   不能生育、没有生养过孩子的啊！你要欢呼。没有生产过的啊！你要发声欢呼，高声呼喊。因为弃妇比有夫之妇有更多儿子。这是耶和华说的。  2   要扩张你帐幕的地方，伸展你居所的幔子，不要限制；要拉长你的绳索，坚固你的橛子。   3   因为你要向南向北扩展，你的后裔必占有列国之地，又使荒废了的城镇有人居住。   4   不要惧怕，因为你必不致蒙羞；也不要抱愧，因为你必不致受辱，你必忘记你幼年时的羞愧，也不再记念你寡居时的耻辱。5   因为造你的，就是你的丈夫；万军之耶和华是他的名；救赎你的，就是以色列的圣者；他被称为全地的 神。
• 5 God's Plan for You - A Good Future
  神给您美好的计划
  
  • Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.耶利米29:11   因我自己知道我为你们所定的计划，是使你们得平安，而不是遭受灾祸的计划；要赐给你们美好的前程和盼望。’这是耶和华的宣告。
  • Proverbs 23:18 There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.箴言23:18   因为万事必有结局，你的盼望也不会断绝。
  • Ps. 20:4 “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”诗篇 20:4   愿他照着你的心愿赏赐你，实现你的一切计划。
  • Ps. 65:11 "You crown the year with your goodness, and your paths drip with abundance."诗篇 65:11   你以恩典为年岁的冠冕，你的路径都滴下脂油，
• 6 God is Doing a New Thing - The Impossible is made Possible
  神作一件新事 - 不可能变可能
  
  • Let Go of the Past放下过去
    
    • Isaiah 43:18-19 Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?以赛亚书 43:18   “你们不要怀念先前的事，也不要思念古时的事. 19   “看哪！我要作一件新的事；现在它要发生了，难道你们还不知道吗？我要在旷野开一条道路，在荒地开挖江河。
      
  • Isaiah 43:19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.以赛亚43:19   “看哪！我要作一件新的事；现在它要发生了，难道你们还不知道吗？我要在旷野开一条道路，在荒地开挖江河。
  • Revelation 21:5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”启示录21:5   坐在宝座上的那一位说：“看哪，我把一切都更新了！”又说：“你要写下来，因为这些话是可信的、真实的。”
• 7 God's Love for you is renewed everyday - He is with you, always.
  神的慈爱每天早晨都是新的；
  
  • Lamentations 3:22-23 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.耶利米哀歌 3:22   耶和华的慈爱永不断绝，他的怜悯永不止息。23   每天早晨都是新的；你的信实多么广大！
• 8 Let your Light Shine 让你的光照亮他人
  
  • -Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."马太福音 5:14   你们是世上的光。建在山上的城是无法隐藏的；15   人点了灯，不会放在量器底下，而是放在灯台上，就照亮一家人。
    
  • -1 Peter 1:13 "Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."彼得前书 1:13   所以要准备好你们的心，警醒谨慎，专心盼望耶稣基督显现的时候所要带给你们的恩典。
  • -Galations 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."加拉太书 5:22   但圣灵的果子是仁爱、喜乐、平安、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信实、 23   温柔、节制；这样的事，是没有律法禁止的。
    
  • God’s Timing等待神的时间
    
    • Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him (Psalm 37:7)诗篇37:7   你要在耶和华面前静默无声，耐心地等候他；不要因那凡事顺利的，和那恶谋得逞的，心怀不平。
• 9 When the Going is Hard - Hope in the Lord - Be Strong
  对神的盼望使我们过难关
  
  • Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.罗马书8:18   我看现在的苦难，与将要向我们显出的荣耀，是无法相比的。
  • Psalm 31:23-24 Love the LORD, all his faithful people! The LORD preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full. 24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.诗篇31:23   耶和华的众圣民哪！你们都要爱耶和华；耶和华保护诚实的人，却严厉地报应行事骄傲的人。24   所有仰望耶和华的人，你们都要刚强，坚固你们的心。
  • Romans 5:5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.罗马书5:5   盼望是不会令人蒙羞的，因为 神借着所赐给我们的圣灵，把他的爱浇灌在我们的心里。
  • Micah 7:7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.弥迦书 7:7   至于我，我却要仰望耶和华，我要等候那拯救我的 神；我的 神必应允我。
  • -Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”申命记 31:6   你们要坚强勇敢；不要害怕，也不要因他们畏惧，因为耶和华你的 神与你同去；他决不撇下你，也不离弃你。”
  • -Matthew 6:25 Worry Not ...Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?"马太福音6:25   所以我告诉你们，不要为生命忧虑吃什么喝什么，也不要为身体忧虑穿什么。难道生命不比食物重要吗？身体不比衣服重要吗？ ...33   你们要先求他的国和他的义，这一切都必加给你们。
    
  • -2 Timothy 1:7 Fear Not … for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.提摩太后书 1:7   因为 神所赐给我们的，不是胆怯的灵，而是有能力、仁爱、自律的灵。
  • Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.箴言 3:5你要一心仰赖耶和华，不可倚靠自己的聪明;  6   在你一切所行的路上，都要承认他，他必使你的路径平坦正直。
    
• 10 Even When Old - You can outdo your youth
  年老了反而胜过年青的
  
  • Isaiah 40:30-31 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORDwill renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.以赛亚40:30   就是年轻人也会疲乏困倦，强壮的人也会全然跌倒。 31   但那些仰望耶和华的人，必重新得力；他们必像鹰一样展翅上腾；他们奔跑，也不困倦，他们行走，也不疲乏。

Lim Liat (c) 1 Feb 2017

The New Year Wishes from the Bible - 9 Steps to a Fulfilled Life

Instead of the usual Chinese New Year greetings of "Wishing you a Happy and Prosperous New Year.", it may be more meaningful and empowering to know the what the Bible says. Here is a reorganization of what I found on the internet and presented in a mind-map form to help our understanding. It starts with God, giving us a New life, and the ever assurance of His plan and love for us to live our life to the full. Even when the going is tough, or when we are old, we can always count on Him to go forward and even outdo our youth! Praises to God.

I was googling on the internet and found 27 Bible Verses for the New Year - Inspiring Promises for Your Life!. A good way to benefit more from reading it is to try to reclassify them into meaningful steps so that we can find the flow of the logic and rationale of the verses. So here is my derived work as shown in a mind-map form:

The 9 Key Steps:

The Corresponding Bible Verses:

Wishing you a fruitful 2017 as you find out the will of God and His promises for you.

See also More than Just a New Year Wish

Lim Liat (c) 29 Jan 2017

Why are we easily hurt?

Why are we easily hurt? How can we prevent or build up our resistance to such hurts? The answers from Sinology and the Bible.

The Typical Advice from Christians:

Here is a typical answer from or for believers like me:

"It’s unfortunate that offenses ever occur, but the Bible indicates that if we keep our focus upon God and His Word, He will maintain such peace in our heart that we can become resistant to offenses. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” (Psa. 119:165 KJV). Obviously, offensive things will still come our way, but we need not be offended by them. The Lord is our reliable source of peace in all the circumstances of this life. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).“ (from http://www.victorious.org/pub/offenses-freedom-122).

Are you happy with the answer? Just believe in Jesus. 

(It is not that the Bible is wrong but rather it is the interpretation and the use of the Bible verses inappropriately that hurt people even more. Do some people use the Bible like Donald Trump's way of talking!?

The Wisdom from Sinology
Let me give you some answer from Sinology, Guo Xue.

《庄子·应帝王》 “至人用心若镜，不将不迎，应而不藏，故能胜物而不伤”。

If people have a heart like a mirror (i.e. no prejudices, selflessness), don't insist (control, holding on) and don't follow, responding without withholding, then they can handle all things without being hurt.

Zhuang Zi is the follower of Lao Zi. The one who told us of his butterfly dream and wondering whether we are in the dream of a butterfly! Going back to what he said.

We see that the reasons for our hurt come from the existence of our ego, expectation, prejudices, face etc. If only we can fully pure like a mirror, and just reflect back what it receives, then we will be fine.
The key then is let us not be too self-sensitive. It is not about me but about others. We know hurt people hurt people. People who hurt us are suffering themselves. Are we able to switch our attention from us to them?

To be selflessness, to be empty of ourselves are not easy. We know of many religions that tell us to do that.

It is not emptying but being secured
It is possible when we are secured. How can we be secured? The Bible gives us the answer. We are loved by God. We are children of God. God will take good care of us. Knowing that we have the heavenly Father taking care of us and we have nothing to worry gives us the security to be less concern with ourselves and more concern with others.

So the answer in not about less of our ourselves, but more of the knowledge of His love for us. Replacing us with Christ, being the image of Christ, is the answer and not removing ourselves.

So, you can see how Sinology helps us to have a greater understanding of men and issues and how the Bible provides the right answer for us.

What do you think?

Lim Liat (c) 16 Jan 2017

The Great Blessing at the End of Trial - Amos 9:13

Amos 9:13  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. 

The book of Amos is about the discipline of the Lord. Discipline is different from punishment. Punishment is pains inflicted for the wrongful acts done. Discipline has a future expectation of building us up that we may be better after it. Discipline has two kinds. One is corrective and the other is building up.

• The corrective kind: We have committed sin and we suffered for it but God wants us to learn from it and grow up to be a better person. 
• The development kind: We may not have committed any sin, but we discipline our bodies that we may become stronger. 

Sadly, for the people in Amos' time, it was the corrective kind. God used the sufferings to try to wake the people up. It was a long and painful process despite the repeated calls of God to seek Him and be saved.

Their sins: 

• Amo 2:4  ... because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:
• Amo 2:6 ... because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; 7  That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name: 8  And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god. 
• Amo 2:12  But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not. 
• Amo 3:10  For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. 

Their repentance was not recorded in Amos but in other parts of the Bible. It ends with great blessings in Amos 9:11-15 the restoration of Israel and great prospersity. 

It is God whose mercy and love that will save us. It is not us seeking God but rather God reaching out to us. For those of us who are going through the dark hours of trials, and even of our wrong doings, let us be encouraged that God is with us through them, and His blessings that will come is beyond our imagination. 

Read carefully again Amos 9:13, His blessings are out of the ordinary. They are supernatural miracle. Because the normal stages of planting and reaping are all mixed up. The abundance would be so much that the mountains and hills could not contain but overflow with them.

Be not discouraged, whatever the trails, whatever sins, repent and look-up and see the love and mercy of God. Stay true to be with God and see His salvation.

May this coming Christmas be a time of breakthrough for you.

Lim Liat(c) 13 Dec 2016

Everything You Need to Know About Forgiveness

Forgiving others is a key virtue of your character and the secret to a happy and successful life. However it is very difficult to do. There are many hindrances and excuses not to do it. But there are ways to help you so that you can live in freedom and joy.

Why should I forgive?

• - God commanded it.
  • - Mat_6:14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
    • Mat_6:12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
  • - Mat_6:15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
    • Mat_18:35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
  • Luk_6:37 "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
  • Eph_4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
• - Good for us
  • - Remove our bitterness and hatred
  • - Free us from bondage
  • - Bring us healings
    • Mat_9:2 And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven."
    • Jas_5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
  • - Obtain forgiveness for ourselves
    • Mat_9:6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—he then said to the paralytic—"Rise, pick up your bed and go home."
  • You are truly His disciples because Christ also forgive those who crucified Him.

What is Forgiveness?

• Forgiving the people(including yourself) who hurt us bring closure to the bad experience of the past.
• - It is an act of your will and not of feelings
  • released and peace will come when you truly forgive.
• - Forgiveness is a process.
  • It takes time for the Holy Spirit to heal the inner heart. Luk_7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little loves little."

Who should I forgive?

• Others
  • Luk_17:3 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him,
  • 2Co_2:7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
  • 
    
• Yourself
  • for the mistakes that you made
    • - the cause of your present suffering
    • - if only I did not do that.
    • - the loss of money
    • - the wrongs committed against yourself eg chemicals addictions
  • - 1Jn_1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1Jn_2:12 I am writing to you, little children because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.
• God
  • Do you blame God for allowing those bad things that happened to you when He has the power to stop them? Are you angry with Him for not healing you, for taking away your loved ones, etc ? Check up Angry with God? Know that He is with you and We Have Right and Wrong Built Into our Body.

When should I forgive?

• immediately
  • Mar_11:25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."
  • as soon as possible
• of past events and people

Where to forgive?

• You can forgive right where you are. It is not necessary to go back to the crime scene.

How to forgive?

• 1. Know that God has forgiven us
  • Mat_26:28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
  • Mar_3:28 "Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter,
  • Col_3:13 ... forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
• 2. Look to the past
  • - be specific
    • to the person and
    • to the wrongful acts
    • at a particular time and place
  • Mat_26:28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
• 3. Do it now
  • get help from others and the Holy Spirit if you have difficulty
• 4. Look to the future
  • know that God is the judge and will judge them. God will vindicate you of your hurts and injustices did to you.
• 5. Examples of Jesus & Stephen
  • Luk_23:34 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.
  • 
    
• - Seven Hindrances learned from Ps John Liu's sermon:
  
  • a. Not knowing that forgiveness is commanded by the Bible
  • b. Misunderstand that must have the feeling first in order to forgive.(Fact - Forgive first then feeling will come eventually - It is a Process)
• c. Too deep a hurt so could not forgive.
• d. Misunderstand that forgiveness is about ignoring the actual injury.
  • (It is facing the injury and bringing closure to the hurt through forgiving and healing by God)
• e. Misunderstand that you have already forgiven when actually you have not.
• f. Misunderstand that the one who forgives is weaker and not to forgive is to have the right to win against others.
• g. Under the hindrances of the demonic spirits of unforgiveness and control.

How can you know you have truly forgiven him/her?

• - when you don't feel the pains to recall the events and the perpetrator
• - when you can calmly greet the perpetrator
• - when you don't make any demand on him/her to repay back.
  • It is like he owes you and yet you did not demand that he pays you back.
• - better still, you can pray for blessings upon him/her.

How Many/How much?

• Seventy times seven
  • Luk_17:4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him."

Forgiveness and Forget

• Forgiveness is not about forgetting the betrayals and hurts. It is about not being held in bondage to the bitterness and hatred and the desire to take revenge.

Forgiveness and Trust

• Forgiveness is not about trusting again. In fact, forgiveness is about resetting the trust offered earlier to nothing and the forgiven person needs to earn the trust again. 

Lao Zi also tells us about forgiveness. 

See if you can learn some more from:

• Forgiveness makes no demand and is of Dao - DaoDeJing 79

By Lim Liat (c) 4-11-16

The Meaning and Value of Life, is the length of vital important?

The calling away of a young brother in Christ triggered some reflections on the value of our lives. It is not about how its length, its enjoyment, its wealth, nor about the suffering but rathere on whether we have completed the His calling for us. Only by the yardstick of our calling could we understand and accept life with its all joys and also all the pains.

Why God? 
Very sad to hear the news of the passing away of my former pastor' son. We saw how he has grown up, from one of the best Sunday School children, to a young man, a husband, and a good father. He was only 38 years old. He had fought and lived victoriously for 8 years against the brain tumor. He never ever raised any "Why me?" or any complaint against God, his father told me. I have no words to comfort the father. For I am tempted to ask, "why God?". We have witnessed many miracle healings of God even in this very church that his father served as a pastor. Why not heal him? He is still so young and the children are very young too.  I have to rethink about the meaning of life, and the purpose of God.

What is the yardstick to measure the value of life?
Must life be long in order to be useful and valuable?
Must we be married?
Must we have a family?
Must we have children that grow up well?
Must we have a good career, with a good salary, to live a comfort and luxury life?
Must we have wealth to give generously to others?
On the other hand, is a tragedy bad? Is an accidental bad? Is sickness bad? Is suffering bad?

What about Jesus? 

What about the martyrs, especially the young children, because of their refusal to denounce their faith in Jesus?

The key: 

Then I remember reading the life story of Jim Elliot when I was young. He was killed by the very people who he wanted to share the gospels with. His famous quote that touched my heart, that caused to response to a prayer to dedicated my own life too, to Jesus, as follows:

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot

The Yardstick

The yardstick for our life, it not how long it is. It is not about how wonderful, not about family, not about career, and nor about sickness nor tragedy nor whatever. It is all about the call of God on our life and whether we live out the His purpose in us that He has created us for.

Paul in his departing message wrote, 2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

The key is whether we complete the race that God has call and put us in. Paul finished his. My young brother had surely completed his. 

Before this, Paul said, Phi 1v21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. ....  24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 

So we know, even heaven is a better place for us to go quickly, we are here to accomplish the purpose and calling God has for us. When our work is done, then God will call us back. Each in different ways, some we may think is great, even some ways where we may think it was bad. Because in whatever way we leave this world, God has His purpose and is for the benefits of some others. We will all find that out when we meet Jesus.

What is Greatness?

In 2 Tim 4:7 cited above, Paul gave 3 points 

1. I have fought the good fight, 
2. I have finished the race, 
3. I have kept the faith.

Paul's teaching matches with my learning from Ancient Chinese Wisdom. It resonates with what Mencius said about being a greaet person - staying to one faith no matter what. Here are the details.

Mencius defines What is a Great Person.

孟子 “居天下之广居，立天下之正位，行天下之大道；得志与民由之，不得志独行其道；富贵不能淫，贫贱不能移，威武不能屈：此之谓大丈夫。” 

He lives with heart concern about the board world,

stands at the right position under the world,

walk out the great way of God.

When he is successful, he shared his success with the people.

Even when is not successful, he continues to stick to the righteous way.

Wealth and fame do not corrupt him.

Poverty and low position do not change him.

Power and threat do not succumb him.

That person is truly the great one.

Lao Zi defines what is longevity

Lao Zi gives a very interesting definition of longevity. It has nothing to do with the length of our life ata all. 

In Dao De Jing Chapter 33 verse 4 不失其所者久，死而不亡者寿。

Being true to oneself is lasting. Died and yet his legacy lives on is a long life.

Longevity is being true to oneself, to one faith, to his God, no matter what ---- unyielding to the temptation of richness, fame, lusts neither giving in to the pressure of persecutions, threats and sickness. He has fought a good fight. He has kept the faith. He has completed the race.

What is more? Leaving a legacy of good influence that touches the lives of present generations and generations to come. That's is truly a long life.

My young brother in Christ had not just finished the race, but left behind a legacy of an exemplifying life that touches not just all our lives and the future generations.

We shall all meet again in the great feast of the Lamb.

Lim Liat (c) 16 Oct 2016

Why Grace is often Abused as a License to Sin? Salvation!

Because the Gospel is preached simply as salvation from the penalty of our sins, we can easily misunderstand it as our license since my sins, whether past, present and future, are all forgiven already. What is the real message of the gospel? Salvation is not the end objective. Salvation is the path to good work. We are saved for good work. The objective of Salvation is that we may be like our Creator God with good works that glorify Him.

Many believers are confused by the hyper-grace message. On the one hand, it is preached that we are not saved by good works but solely by grace, through faith in the work of the cross of Christ. Hence, we are therefore freed to do whatever we like. Yet, on the other hand, we somehow feel that it is wrong to sin but we cannot explain why.  Ephesians 2:8-9 is often quoted to justify we are saved by faith alone.

• Ephesians 2:8-9 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Paul said that some people accused him of preaching grace as a license to sin. In Romans 6:1  What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? He gave the answer in the following verses, 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. We are saved from sins to walk in the newness of life. The old life is sinful, new life is without sin, and we shall not walk in sins as that will be back into the old sinful life. 

But I find Ephesians 2:10 make the answer even clearer. 

• Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Verse  8-9 shows how we can be saved by grace through faith. Verse 10 continue with the purpose, the starts with the 'FOR', and show the purpose of salvation as "for good works", that God has originally intended, which we failed because of our sins, and 'salvation' by grace, is for us to have the grace power to walk, not talk about, but by behavior, in the good works to show forth God's workmanship in creating us.

With this in mind, we can easily understand why James said, "Faith without works is dead". (James 2:26) So, if we claimed we are saved by grace and continue to walk in sins freely, then we can safely conclude that he is not saved. He did not understand the message of grace and there is no evidence of change. A saved person will at least know and struggle to get free from his bondage to sin. 

So, John explains this very clearly to us in:

• 1 John 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's[b] seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

The purpose of salvation, which is Redemption, Righteousness, and Worship. The final outcome is the fellowship of God and men related rightly. We are saved for good works to glorify God.
When we get this right, we will not abuse grace as the license for sins. Some 'believers' could behave like the 2nd or 3rd generation rich folks who do all kinds of wild things and expect their rich parents bail them out. Do we only want God to bail us out of troubles but don't want to follow His ways? Jesus said, "If you love me then follow my commandments". So we cannot have Jesus and then do our own things.

Hope you are enlightened. We are saved by grace through faith to glorify God with our good works, proving that we are indeed children of God.

You may want to look at this too Understanding the "Radical" Grace Message of Joseph Prince to see how love causes repentance.

Lim Liat (c) 11 Oct 2016

Secret of a Victorious Life - Keys in Right Order

We may know the ingredients needed for a particular dish but if we mix or cook them in the wrong order, the dish will not turn up well. It is the same in our living. The post gives the keys and the order for a victorious living.

The Peter that boldly declared "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." (Matt 26:35) denied the Lord three times later. (Luke 22:54-62). But the John that proclaimed "the disciple who Jesus loved"(John 21:24) followed Jesus and could be found at the cross of Christ and be given charge of His mother. What is the difference? Both have 'love'. But the order and the source are different. Peter's version is "I love Jesus". John's version is "Jesus loves me." Peter focused on his love for Jesus. John focused on Jesus' love for him. The outcomes were completely opposite; one ran away and the other stayed. Where you focus your heart and mind is the key --- always focus on God first and then we can do the right thing.

With this concept in mind, we can find that many translations of the Bible could be more effective if only they get the God and Me in the right order. The errors made are usually either all on God and neglect man's responsibility or overemphasize man's ability to neglect God's grace. Let's look at a short verse Jude 1:2.

(KJV)  Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
(YLT)  kindness to you, and peace, and love, be multiplied!
The original order of words is preserved in the KJV and YLT. But the newer translations just mix them all up and give the following, destroying the order and messing up the responsibilities.

(MKJV)  Mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.
(ESV)  May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
(ISV)  May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance!
(NLT)  May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.

The newer translations put all the responsibilities on God to give you mercy, peace, and love. However, when you go back to the original version, there is Mercy to You comes first, and then come peace and then come love, and then multiplication.

MercyG1656 unto youG5213 andG2532 peaceG1515 andG2532 loveG26 be multipliedG4129

To a Chinese who is able to read and understand ancient Chinese text form 文言文, the position of words makes a vast difference. The Chinese version of the Strong's words is:

矜恤你 并平康 和仁愛增加

The translated meaning for me is:

God gives you his mercy, so that I have peace, and so that I can love more and more.

Why don't I love others?
Because I am not secure myself. I have no peace within. How can I give out what I don't have?

How can I have peace?
Focus on the mercy of God. Know that God loves you and will care for you. He has given and sealed us with His Holy Spirit. Jesus said that no one can snatch you out of His hand. Paul reminded us that if God is for us then who can go against us. Peter tells us to cast all our cares unto Him for He cares about you etc etc. Read and recall those verses and soon the peace within you will rise up. You will be calm and confident and yourself secure, and you can start to think of others.

How can I be sure that my interpretation is right?
Jude 1v21 gives us additional support. We must always interpret the Bible by the Bible and within the context.

(KJV) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

The first part asks us, about men's responsibility, in the love of God.
The second part gives a specific thing to do, looking for the His Mercy that can give us eternal life. Jude v1 assured us that we are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ.

Looking for G4327 is a weak translation of the original Greek,  prosdechomai, 
Thayer Definition: 1) to receive to one’s self, to admit, to give access to one’s self

It has a much stronger meaning of having already received it and just going and using it. It is about focusing with confidence on what is already there and yours to use it. It is not expecting as if wishing only.

Conclusion - The Keys and Order for Victorious Living

Focus on God's mercy for you so that you have the peace to enable you to love more and more.

As you do that, your godly influence will spread out to more and more people. You are fulfilling what Paul says about the Thessalonians,  1Th 1:3  remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. ... 1Th 1:7  so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

May your light shines forth through your love built on the peace that comes from the mercy of God for you. ◄ Matthew 5:16 ► let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Lim Liat (c) 24 Sep 2016

The Nonsense of Being Proud of Our Weaknesses - The Abuse of 2 Cor 12:9

In 2 Corinthians 12:9b , Paul wrote, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." So many believers, instead of trying to develop their abilities, they are happy to stay in weaknesses as signs of virtues. It is actually the work our fleshly desires to justify what we do not want to change and to stay in our weaknesses. What did Paul really mean by his weaknesses? Read on....

If we neglect the context of any biblical verse and interpret the Bible according to our liking, we can surely come out with all kinds that appear to be very uplifting but actually very wrong. An example is "Being proud of our weaknesses". We find the biblical support in 2 Cor 12:9b, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." We all can relate to our weaknesses. So we quickly find in this verse the justification for our weaknesses. Even the great Apostle Paul tells us that we should be proud of our weaknesses. We happy leave out the second part of the verse and accept our weaknesses are virtues because they are to be used by God! The context of 2Cor 12 tells us that Paul was given special revelations and was tormented by 'a thorn of the flesh' which he prayed to God to have it removed. But God gave the answer that His grace is sufficient to handle the attacks of Satan. We can learn a few things from this passage.

1 Do we have anything special to boast of first?
Paul had much to boast of - eg special revelation (v3-4,7). If we don't have any ability or accomplishment to show off, then this boasting in our weaknesses does not apply.

2. The Purpose of Boasting of our Weaknesses - Prevent us from being Proud.
2Co 12:6  though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.

3 How are Paul's weaknesses revealed? Through attacks from the devils.
Strengths and weaknesses are revealed through external challenges when one goes out to accomplish good things. Laziness, lack of discipline, foolishness are just bad habits and there is nothing to be proud of but rather to be quickly repented and changed by the power of God through Christ. We then can do a before and after testimony for God. We should boast on the power of God to change us to have strengths from our weaknesses. Every time we share our weaknesses, we must quickly follow with how God has changed our weaknesses to strengths.

4 What is this 'thorn of the flesh'?
See Paul's thorn in the flesh and weakness are not his! The thorn refers to the persecutions and disasters he faced throughout his missionary work. He could have stayed in a place with people liking him. Instead, by the calling of God, he continued to venture out to bring the gospels to the rest of the world then.

5 What then are the Weaknesses? Lack of Strength to Accomplish a Mission
2Co 12:10  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. The Greek Word for weakness is G769 astheneia Thayer Definition: 1) want of strength. It is the lack of strength in face of external persecutions and sufferings. It is thinking that we can do it that we venture off. It is in succeeding what we venture out to do that we can have some basis to be proud off. It is also where the danger lies --- that we rely on our strengths and neglect the leading and the relying on God. The challenge must be greater than our abilities that reveals our lack, that we may go back to God for His grace to continue the work. Our great moments of triumphs are also our great dangers to neglect God.

Conclusions
Our weaknesses, lack of strengths, come from accomplishing worthy projects.  Our lacks force us to look for God as our source of strengths. It keeps us humble in our successes, knowing that our strengths actually comes from God so that we may be careful to be sensitive to His leading and His empowering grace. Christ in us and through us to the praise of His glory. Never boast of our weaknesses but rather of His empowering grace. ◄ Matthew 5:16 ►In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. If you want to boast of your weaknesses, then continue with how God transform your weaknesses into strengths.

On the other hand, don't let our weaknesses to excuses for doing anything. The key is always to be sensitive to the leading of God. God may either strengthens you or may bring others to help you as Aaron to Moses (note... God's original intention is to strengthen Moses but Moses gave too much excuses").

Weaknesses are not for us to be proud of but of our needs to rely on, trust and be proud of God.

Lim Liat (c) 22 Sep 16

Additional Thoughts (17 Oct 16)
Some thoughts about "boasting about weaknesses".
1. Boasting may be better translated as confidence. I'm not shy to speak of my weaknesses because I have faith in Christ who will strengthen me.
2. There is the timing issue. After I have through Christ overcome the weaknesses, then I can boast about Christ, not me, in helping me to overcome. I have a before and after testimony.
3. We can boldly assess ourselves because if there be any weaknesses, we have Christ to help us overcome it.
4. Hence, we can live in joy and confidence knowing He is with us no matter what.

Lao Zi explains Jesus

Why God needs to become man is well explained by Lao Zi.

The most famous quote from Lao Zi is the first 6 words of Dao De Jing --- 道可道非常道。

The WAY that can be described is not the eternal WAY.

Our first reactions could be:
1. Very deep ... very powerful ...It gets my attention, but what is it saying?
2. Pure rubbish. Lao Zi is just trying to catch our attention by twisting words.
3. If the Eternal WAY cannot be described, then how can we know it?

The answer to point 1 will do away with point 2. Lao Zi is just trying to tell us that our language and our mind are too limited to understand the unlimited great WAY well. He further explains it by saying 名可名非常名 The Name that is Named is not the Name. A name is just a representation of the thing and it not the thing itself. It is a convenient way of reference but the name is surely not exactly as the named thing.

The answer to point 3 explains the need of God to some in the person of Jesus to explain the unlimited and eternal God to us. We could, as Lao Zi did, to explain what the WAY is like. Lao Zi wrote another 80 chapters/paragraphs to try to explain to us the attributes of the WAY through the universe, nature, and living things that are created by the WAY. The best way to the WAY is for the WAY to come to us in man form and tell us. It is like we becoming a cat so that we can fully communicate with the cat. So, we have this in

John 1 The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life,and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
.....
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own,[b] and his own people[c] did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Lim Liat (c) 15 Sep 16

Lessons from the Two Famous Deacons of Acts - Stephen and Philip

While Stephen and Philip had similar backgrounds, characters, and talents, their lives were vastly different. Stephen was martyred at his best adult age like Jesus. Philip lived to a good old age with four daughters who were preachers. Whose life do you want to live? What are their lessons for our lives?

The lives of Stephen and Philip are described in the Book of Acts 6-8.

They shared the following similarities:

1.  of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, 
2.  whom we will appoint to this duty of Deacons, distribution of foods Act 6:3
3.  were Greek-speaking Hebrews.
4.  Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip Act 6:5
5. Work of Stephen:
1. And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Act 6:8
2. Members of the synagogue of Freedmen could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. (Act 6:9-10)
3. the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. Act 6:15
6. Work of Philip:
1. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.  And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. Act 8:5-7.
2. Philip met with an angel and sent him to bring the gospel to the Ethiopian Officer Act 8:26-38.
3. Philip experience time-travel in Act 8:40 after the baptism of the Ethiopian.

Their Different Endings:

1. Stephen was stoned to death after preaching his last message on the God of the Hebrew and their dealings with the prophets of God. He condemned the people for their rebellion and killing of God's prophets. In a way, Stephen actually planned out his martyrdom！He left behind the famous words, just like Jesus, in  Act 7:60  "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 
2. Philip lived up to ripe old age as we can see and infer from Act 21:8-9  On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.  9  He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.

So we can see that while both were true men of God who have great testimonies, Stephen was a martyr when young and Philip was an evangelist that lived to a ripe old age.

Lessons for Us:

1. It is not for us to wish ourselves to be Stephen or Philip. 
2. As God has different plans for Stephen and Philip, God has a different and unique plan for our lives. It is our responsibility to find out God's plan for us. Some may live short but meaningful and powerful lives. Some may live long and also meaningful and powerful lives. 
3. Living meaningful and powerful lives seems to be dependent on us, being faithful to Him and His Words and the Holy Spirit as both Stephen and Philip had shown us.

Hence, worry not, but make sure we are faithful to His calling for us and live our lives to the maximum with His leading.

Lim Liat (c) 12 Aug 2016