An Example

30 June 2007 – An Example

Titus 2:6-7

In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely.

And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.

To tell someone to do good, it is work in vain if the advisor failed to keep what he/she talked. Imagine that how can a smoking father tell his son not to smoke? It is impossible right? It is the main thing I want to share with you today – Example.

Example is very important by all means, let’s talk about things other than daily lives and teachings, let’s talk about math, have you ever encounter with a topic that has tons of explanation and yet you don’t even get an idea of what is it talking about? Of course!! (Deep agree!) This time if the author gave a few examples to the reader concerning about the topic, after we went through it, we will understand deeper than just reading the explanation.

This is the power of the example, example not only shows us what is really the thing is about, but to let us be led to do that particular thing and learn to achieve it. When this principle get back to our daily lives, it comes a great difference, Paul advise Titus to teach his people with proper and good teaching, encourage them, advise them, and he himself must be an example to them!

If you teach someone a knowledge, it is important for the teacher to be following what he had taught, if not the student will sure following the guts of the teacher, for a proper teacher will train a brilliant student (名师出高徒), how your teacher teach is not enough, the success of teaching is focus on the attitude of the teachers themselves, it is the key of success of teaching.

No matter in what sorts of society, in family, in company, in class, in church, in tuition, in restaurant, in car, etc. We must practice to have ourselves a good example first then we are qualified to teach others!

Franco

Condemner to Conversionist

29 June 2007 – Condemner to Conversionist

Titus 1:12-13

Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, “The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons.”

This is true. So reprimand them sternly to make them strong in the faith.

In the busy and highly demanded society, in the daily lives of the people in the marketplace, there are many inappropriate moral values that has caused many of the social problems exists and getting more threatened. It is common to know that a child has not given a chance to meet their parents for a few minutes a day due to their works; So much trends has made a conclusion that businessmen should not be honest, honest has no value to be embraced; People stop demanding after quality relationship but starts to chase after materialism and temporary happiness. These really made us worry and anxious about.

What should we, as a Christian, children of God, do? (Give some opinion on this...) Some of them might think that we should stop mingling with them, let them continue what they are doing and we continue what we are doing. Some might has an opinion that we are holier that them, they are fallen, cannot be saved anymore, let them end up in the place of burning sulphur and let us enjoy ourselves. They are condemning others to be sinner but they continue their own lifestyles! Friends, I totally disapprove this statement!

For me, individually, I have learnt about what Paul instructed Titus, he knew that the people in Crete, even the local persons said that Crete this place was full of the people of liars, cruel animals and lazy gluttons. Guess what Paul said after that? He said that “It is true!!!!!” Paul agreed with that! So the people in Crete is just somehow like the condition we saw in our societies. Paul didn’t teach Titus to condemn them! Paul instructed Titus to reprimand them sternly that they had done incorrectly, correct them, advise them, make them strong in faith!

This is my emphasis today, we should turn from a condemner to conversionist! We should do it in the other way round, instead of condemning; we should start to convert the things back to God original purpose of the creation at the beginning, for God has made everything GOOD and VERY GOOD!

Franco

Glossary:

· Conversionist: A person at which it converts the corrupted things that has been abused and return it back to

the purpose of the Creation at the beginning

(e.g. child abuse is getting worse nowadays, we can lead them by spending quality times with our children to have a good example before the people and let them realize how important are their children)

Companions

28 June 2007 – Companions

Amos 3:3

Can two people walk together
without agreeing on the direction?

I read this scriptures this morning and it gave me some kind of inspirations, it is that we people cannot cooperate together without agree on the direction of work field. It is quite true, it is the one and only one way to become one in all in a group of people, or even just two people.

It is the same principle when someone searches for friends, what is friend? Friend is a person who knows you? Who likes you? Who always by your side no matter what? Friend is not only a person who knows you but understands you; Friend is not only a person who likes you but who loves you; Friend is not only a person who always by your side no matter what but who will correct, rebuke and encourage you when you done wrong, and build you up in confidence downpour.

So, friends are important for us, we people cannot live alone, as we are afraid to be alone, plus we will be nobody if we do not rely on somebody’s help. So it is important that you can find right companions in your life. People can’t calk together without agreeing on the direction, if we have any comment on the directions, we will end up in quarrelling and separating in despair.

It is same as husbands and wives, if the spouses do not have the same aims, same objectives and same directions, the spouse will find themselves difficult to go on their ‘journey’. As there was a saying that, ‘Beginning a relationship is easy, but it takes efforts when it comes to maintaining it’.

Be aware and find your companions of life, especially the special one that accompanies you throughout your lives, it is the most wonderful time when one has found their true companions.

Franco

Word Power

27 June 2007 – Word Power

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Today let us get back to the heart of worship, we have talked about many things before about attitude, evangelism, make a difference, etc. Now it is time to get back to the core of the message, which is self-improvement. Without self-improvement, it is insignificant to learn all those things, things do not change along the time and what you had learnt, things change when our thinking change! So it is not how much things we learnt that determined our personality, it is we ourselves determined how our self character.

You will notice children have a variety of guts and characteristics, though they learnt the same thing everyday in class, this is what I meant. You will not be affected directly by what you learnt, but directly you will change when your mind changes! It is quite obvious; it is we ourselves who control ourselves, our brains are the central of all life activities. Therefore, external factors will not influence the internal mindset, unless you want them to.

Meanwhile, the word of God is applying the same principle, if you have a mindset of learning and knowing, it is different from the one who just follow it as a pattern of a “Christian”, the fake Christian is even worse than the unbelievers. So today we have to make studying the word of God as a good habit, for God gave us the bible for us to use from the past till present, of course extending to future! How come only a book can endure so much challenge of time? Wouldn’t those words expire and out of date? Friends, this is where the wonder is!

Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

This is a promise that his word will never expire, but still making impact in the very world! As the Scripture is inspired by God and use it as an equipment of good works, it is like a mirror to us, who reflects ourselves and let ourselves see how wrong we were and correct it! So, get back to the heart of worship, learn to word of God, and all things will come to past, it will be natural to experience the change of attitude, and marketplace evangelism and making a difference in the world!

Franco

Salvation from Crisis

26 June 2007 – Salvation from Crisis

Jonah 1:16

The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him.

Today I have read about the story of Jonah, which I know that it is an interesting one, and meaningful. I am captured with the experience that Jonah had. Let me make an account for the storyline, Jonah was called by the Lord to deliver message to people of Nineveh that He will bring destruction to that place, but Jonah refused, he tried to run away from the Lord’s presence! Is that God doesn’t know? Of course not! He saw all these happenings.

So he went up a sailing ship to sail to the other side of the place, away from Nineveh. Lord has bring the wind to that water, that caused a great storm, this time, the sailor starts to become afraid and calling out to their gods, but Jonah was sleeping there (sarcastic huh?), Jonah knew that he is the cause of this great storm:

Jonah 1:

11 And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?”

12 “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.”

13 Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it.

14 Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.”

15 Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once!

At the end, surprisingly, the sailor, who was serving the other gods, has turned to the Lord and believed in Him!

What am I trying to emphasize in this story? I am putting out a point that even if we had done rebellious act to God, once the other people said that how we have changed and turned back, salvation will be there too! In the story, it was a storm at the sea, in this very world, it could be a crisis in a company, threat in a business, pressure in examinations of schools, etc. Jonah has rebelled against the Lord for not fulfilling his vows, so God used him in the meanwhile to make an impact to the sailors who were with him, God can make us to drew an impact to the person around us, even if we had done wrong before, it is not that a sinner cannot evangelize, in fact who are evangelizing everyday are all sinners!

Can you get the point? It is not necessary to have to words from mouth to evangelize, but instead, if we let others see the living testimonials, especially in adversity and hardships, the impact is still there too, might be even greater!

Franco

Courageous Spirit

25 June 2007 – Courageous Spirit

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Many of us enjoying our deep relationship in God, and most of us enjoy reading his words and are delightful in his Grace, which has the most perfect life of worship. But when someone has asked about our religion, we do not admit that we are Christians; They asked us what are we doing every Sunday, some say family day, some say social club, why don’t the people say that we are going to Church!? Even sometimes a so-called ‘mature’ Christian even don’t dare to say grace before the meal in front of his non-believers peers.

Why is this happening? Why everyone become so timid? We shouldn’t be like this, this is not what God wants, God wants us to recognize that we are His children, but we not only disapprove our relationship with Him, and we don’t dare to tell others that we go to Church! Friends, this ought not to be happening, God has given us a spirit of power, love and self-discipline (self control), not the spirit of fear and timidity! Somehow we are filled with fear and timidity, we might think so much that if we tell others that I am a Christian, they must be mock at me and humiliate me, laugh at me, and how I can stand this kind of experience. It is better for me to be get involved into my peers group rather than told them I am a Christian and experiencing boycotting. Friends, this is certainly NOT what it is all about!

We should be courageous, we have a courageous spirit from God, as we admit ourselves children of God, we won’t be losing anything but rather gained many things!

Mat 5:10

God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

We can learn patience, we can learn gentleness, we can learn our faith, which are all applicable in our daily lives! Friends, let us be courageous and faithful! For Faith can move away a mountain!

Franco

Money

24 June 2007 – Money

1 Timothy 6:18-19 (NLT)

Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.

By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.

A lot of us have a point in mind that, money is evil, therefore, we Christian should not have money, because money will make us fall and don’t love God anymore. Friends, I tell you. ABSOLUTELY CERTAINLY REMARKABLY NOT! Why should I say so? Let us see what the point of view of God towards money is:

Genesis 2:12

The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there

God saw money (gold) is good! Furthermore, at the beginning, after God has created all things in the world, he saw that and he said that it was very good! So we know that everything created in God is good in its original purpose, friends, is everything! Money is not the root of all evil, but love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. (1 Timothy 6:10)

So it is okay for us to become rich, if our attitude towards money is correct. It is not the money it is not good, it is the intention that we used to apply the money make this not good. Money is neutral for itself, it would not cause us to become bad or good, it is just our minds that cause us to sin!

So, Paul said on behalf on God, tells us to do well with our money, and always ready to share with others! Sharing is loving, let us seek his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these will be added to us!

Franco