The cure for Loneliness

Turn to me and be gracious... for I am lonely.
Psalm 25:16


Loneliness can make you do things you wouldn't ordinarily consider.
And if you travel for a living you're particularly vulnerable.
For example, a motel room far from home can become the breeding ground for affairs, pornography, drugs and alcohol.
God said, "It is not good that man should be alone" (Genesis 2:18).
Being in the wrong place at the wrong time has caused many a man and woman to fall.
David prayed, "Turn to me and be gracious… for I am lonely."
You can live beyond Satan's reach by:
(1) Staying close to God. When you're lonely, distancing yourself from Him doesn't make sense. Jesus said: "I am the vine… you are the branches… you cannot do anything without Me" (John 15:5 ).
Jesus is your source of strength and wisdom; He's the One who can meet all your needs.

(2) Coming out of hiding. Get involved in some aspect of ministry. Be willing to be more transparent by getting to know others and letting them get to know you. When you spend time around people who care about you, loneliness ceases to be an issue.

(3) Reaching out. Focusing on yourself is a guaranteed way to feel isolated.
Winston Churchill said, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." Instead of throwing a pity-party for yourself, reach out to those in need by giving of yourself, praying for them and loving them unconditionally.

(4) Forgiving those who've hurt you. Feeling sorry for yourself and harbouring grudges leads to bitterness. Forgive, turn it over to God, let Him deal with the offender and get on with your life!

http://www.thevine.co.nz

Learning love from the Holy Spirit

Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter
April 21, 2008
Today's Readings:
Acts 14:5-18
Ps 115:1-4, 15-16
John 14:21-26

Jesus says in today's Gospel reading that love is the key to knowing God and having God dwell within us. Loving him, Jesus says, means that we cherish him and embrace him so closely that we also cherish his ways and desire to imitate him. We embrace his teachings, his ways of handling problems, his ready and willing forgiveness, his servanthood, and his Holy Spirit.
Hmmm, can we really be that loving? Jesus assures us that the Holy Spirit will teach us everything we need to know so that we really can love like him!

In the first reading, Paul and Barnabas heal a lame man with Jesus. It's their love for Jesus and their fellowship with the Holy Spirit that stirred up their compassion for the crippled man and enabled them to do the miraculous. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they felt the calling to reach out to him and the courage to shout out loudly, in public, "Stand up!" before they had any evidence that their prayers would work.

Whenever we help others, we are partnering with the Holy Spirit. It is this Person of the Trinity who enables us to go beyond our human abilities so that we actually live in the realm of Christ's abilities.

Notice how Paul relied on this partnership: He looked "intently" at the man. Why? I suspect that he was silently asking the Holy Spirit if the man had the faith to receive the healing love of God. Then he trusted the Holy Spirit to provide the healing that the man's faith level allowed. He knew that faith comes from having a love relationship with God. Faith is not a power, it's a union with the One who has the power. Love is the out-flow of that power.

The Holy Spirit answers people's prayers through us. But this partnership won't work unless we love Jesus so much that we embrace his love for others. Unanswered prayers are very often the fault of Christians who neglect to extend Christ's presence on earth through their own hands, their own feet, their own voice, their own actions and ministry — in love.
Our love is lacking if we see a need that we can address with the help of God but walk away saying, "God will take care of it without me."

After the resurrection, Jesus could have resumed his normal ministry activities. Imagine how fast Christianity would have spread if he'd made himself visibly known to the public. Even the stubborn Pharisees would have dropped to their knees in worship had he shown up in the town square preaching and healing and proving he was real by showing the marks of the cross that had killed him. But as the stories in the Book of Acts make clear, he chose instead to share his Holy Spirit with his disciples — who are now us — to continue his ministry of love.

http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/

Holy Spirit - Faith:

In today's Gospel, Jesus assures us that the Holy Spirit will continue to teach and remind us everything that Jesus has taught. To listen to the Holy Spirit is to learn to discern. This is because there are many other spirits and evil voices that will try to deceive and draw us away from God.

Taking Responsibility

(1)

Much is required from those to whom much is given.
Luke 12:48


Responsibility is a two-sided coin. On one side is responsibility, on the other side is reward.
Too many of us are focused on one side of the coin only - reward.

Taking responsibility means three things:
(1) Acknowledging what you are responsible for.
(2) Acknowledging who you are responsible to.
(3) Acting responsibly at all times.
All the excuses you give yourself, and others, won't let you off the hook.
Jesus said, "Much is required from those to whom much is given."

At their annual conference the manager of a dog food company asked his sales team how they liked the company's new advertising programme. "Great!" they replied, "the best in the business."
"What do you think of the product?" he asked. "Fantastic" they replied.
"How about the sales force?" he asked. They were the sales force, so of course they responded positively saying they were the best. "Okay then," the manager said, "so if we have the best brand, the best packaging, the best advertising programme and the best sales force, why are we in seventeenth place in our industry?"
After an awkward silence one of the salesmen shouted,
"It's those dogs - they just won't eat the stuff!"
Guess what?
Your problem is not the dogs, or your job, or your spouse, or society at large, or whatever.
Be honest, your biggest challenge in life is you.
If your life's not going the way you want it to, you are responsible for changing it.
And God will help you if you turn to Him.
But you must want to change, decide to change, and work each day towards that end.

(2)

A man reaps what he sows.
Galatians 6:7

Our values today are badly messed up. We overlook the poor grades and irresponsible acts of high school and college athletes.

Why?

Because they win tournaments and make us look good! And how about 'celebrity justice'? Someone famous gets a free pass, while the less fortunate do the time because they did the crime?

Wrong!

We need to teach our children that unless they accept responsibility, life won't be good to them: "A man reaps what he sows."

Parent, taking personal responsibility means holding your child accountable when they violate the rules, mix with the wrong crowd; try "stuff" like drinking, drugs and premarital sex; cheat on a test; or stay out beyond curfew. Sound straight laced?

So is gravity. So is the harvest law.

Your sincere but naive sentiment, "I want them to have all the things I didn't have growing up," will turn spoiled children into spoiled adults.

Practice prevention: build a fence at the top of the cliff, not a hospital at the bottom!

You say, "By the time I get home at night I'm too tired to discipline them."

Wake up: when they get arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol the judge won't cut them any slack. Nor will the banker when he repossesses their car and their house because they didn't pay the loan.

Kindness is cruelty in disguise when it's not accompanied by responsibility.

Eli the High Priest rose to the top of his profession. Only one problem, he didn't take responsibility for his family. As a result, he and his sons died prematurely.

God said, "I told him that I would judge his family.... because… he failed to restrain them"

(1 Samuel 3:13 ).

So, take responsibility!

(3)

Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.
1 Corinthians 4:2

In any great endeavour you'll face:

(a) nay-sayers who think it can't be done;

(b) road-blockers who place obstacles in your way;

(c) a high probability you'll fail before you succeed.

Who wants to endure such things?

Winners!

It takes courage to leave Egypt, walk through the wilderness wondering, "Am I making any progress at all?" and stand at the Red Sea knowing that without a miracle you'll drown, thinking "Nobody's ever been in this situation before, what if it doesn't work?"

Taking responsibility means stepping out in faith when there's no precedent to go by, no logic to stand on, and your friends are questioning your sanity.
The one quality all successful people have is the ability to accept ultimate responsibility.

General Eisenhower was given responsibility for planning the D-Day invasion. Giving the okay was a painful decision, one he knew would lead to many deaths. Yet if it was successful, it would guarantee victory over the Nazis. In the hours prior to the assault Eisenhower wrote a press release that he would use in the event of the invasion's failure.

It read: "Our landings have failed… and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and this place was based on the best information available. The troops, the Air Force and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to this attempt, it is mine alone."
If you want others to trust you, to give you greater opportunities and resources, to partner with you - then embrace responsibility and practice it faithfully in every area of your life!

http://www.thevine.co.nz

Recognising God's Voice

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.
1 Samuel 3:9


Learning to recognise God's voice is not a skill that's acquired overnight, because He speaks to us at different times, in different settings and in different ways.

(1) It requires you to mature Spiritually. Jesus said His sheep follow Him because they know His voice (John 10:4 ).
Notice, Jesus said that His "sheep", not His lambs, know His voice. Baby sheep just follow adult sheep until their senses are trained.
Thank God there's grace for the immature. If your Spiritual ears are not yet developed, God will work with you until you learn to recognise His voice.

(2) It requires guidance and confirmation from Godly leadership. "Obey your Spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls" (Hebrews 13:17 ).
Who's your Spiritual up-line?

(3) It must not be limited to your previous experiences. God spoke to Moses on a mountain that shook, and to Elijah through a still small voice. Don't limit God; He will speak to you through the Scriptures, through those qualified to teach you His Word, through a song, through a painful situation, and even your own thoughts and desires when you're submitted to Him. The key is to stay close to God and keep your receiver on.

(4) Above all else, it requires obedience. The Psalmist said, "When You said, "Seek My face," my heart said to You, "Your face, Lord, I will seek" (Psalm 27:8). When it comes to hearing from God, how's your response time? "When I get around to it?… I'll see if I can fit you in!… I'll think about it!" Wrong! God speaks, and continues to speak, to those who obey, and continue to obey.

http://www.thevine.co.nz

When you lose what you love

When they walk through the Valley of Weeping... They will continue to grow stronger.
Psalm 84:6-7

When you lose what you love you go through five stages:
(1) Denial - "No, it can't be happening."
(2) Anger - "God, why are You permitting this?"
(3) Bargaining - "Please make it go away."
(4) Depression - Silence and withdrawal.
(5) Acceptance - "Not my will but Yours be done."

Whether it's the loss of a child, a marriage, a job, your health, etc. when you turn to God He'll give you the grace to embrace it, grieve it, express it, release it, and go on to become stronger. Sometimes we seek quick relief by releasing it before we've gone through these stages. That's because we fear the process. We've been taught that any show of emotion is a show of weakness, so we stuff it. But we only stuff it into our emotional rubbish bin, then spend all our time and energy sitting on the lid, trying to keep the contents from spilling out. "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). It's knowing and embracing the truth, including its painful aspects, that sets you free. You must be willing to forgive. But until you come to grips with the enormity of your loss, including any injustice of what was done to you, you are not ready to forgive. When you rush to forgive, you forgive only in part and you're released only in part.

Are you running from pain today? Are you trading it in prematurely for some other feeling? That's not God's way.
Jesus said, "You will weep and mourn… but [eventually] your grief will turn to joy… and no one will take [it] away" (John 16:20-22 ).



Learn to Benefit from Criticism

Whoever learns from correction is wise.
Proverbs 15:5

There are two kinds of criticism:

(1) Unjustified criticism. One day Henry Ward Beecher went to his church to preach. As the great orator placed his Bible on the pulpit he noticed a blank sheet of paper with the word "fool" written on it. Beecher's keen sense of humour seized the moment. He lifted the paper for all to see, then his booming voice filled the church as he announced, "Generally I receive letters from people who write and forget to sign their name. This letter is different. The person has signed his name but forgotten to write the letter." Jesus said, "Offences will come" (Luke 17:1). So expect them. And remember, attack is a sign of respect. You're getting noticed. You're making a difference. So when you are criticised unjustly, forget it and move on. Jesus did!

(2) Justified criticism. Criticism that's justified has a measure of truth in it. An old Arab proverb states, "If one person calls you a donkey, forget it. But if five people call you a donkey, buy a saddle."
Dr. James G. Kerr, a management psychologist, points out that a major deterrent to gaining information about ourselves lies in our natural reluctance to discover anything about ourselves that isn't flattering. When we erect defences against our own inadequacies and try to hide our faults from ourselves and others, we close the door to a vital source of self-knowledge and therefore deny ourselves the joy of Spiritual growth. Stop hiding from the truth. Every one of us can improve what we're doing and the way in which it's being done.
As they say, "The largest room in the world - is room for improvement!"
Proverbs 15:5


You Have To Give It Away

Give, and it will be given to you.
Luke 6:38


Legend has it that a man was lost in the desert, dying for water. He came upon a shack and saw a rusty old water pump. He stumbled over to it, grabbed the handle and began to pump up and down. But nothing came out.
Then he noticed a nearby jug with these words, "My friend, you have to prime the pump with the water in this jug. P.S. Be sure to fill the jug again before you leave."

As he popped the cork, suddenly he was faced with a decision. If he drank the water he could live. But if he poured it into the old rusty pump, maybe it would yield from down deep in the well all the water he wanted later. He studied his options. What should he do, pour it into the pump and take a chance on fresh, cool water, or drink what was in the jug and ignore its message?

Reluctantly he poured all the water into the pump. Then he grabbed the handle and began to pump… squeak, squeak, squeak. Nothing came out! Squeak, squeak, squeak. A little bit began to dribble out, then a small stream, and finally it gushed! To his relief fresh, cool water poured out of the old rusty pump. Eagerly, he filled the jug and drank from it. He filled it another time and once again drank its refreshing contents. Then he filled the jug for the next traveller. He filled it to the top, popped the cork back on, and added this little note: "Believe me, it really works."
Friend, don't ignore the message Jesus left: "Give, and it will be given to you."

http://www.thevine.co.nz

P-R-A-Y

Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.
1 Chronicles 16:11

To help you remember the four parts of prayer, think of the acrostic P-R-A-Y:
P - Praise the Lord! Not sure how? Think you'll run out of words? Not if you use the Scriptures. David gives us a beautiful example in 1 Ch 29:11-13. It's one you can use: "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendour… Yours, O Lord, is the Kingdom… In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name."

R - Repent of your sins! Just as heat forces impurities to the surface so the metal refiner can remove them, your prayer time will reveal attitudes that must be changed, habits that must be broken, and barriers to blessing that must be removed. It's not enough to tell God about your sins. He already knows them. You must ask Him to help you turn away from them. This is true repentance.

A - Ask for yourself and others! Your prayers invite God into the situation, and your faith activates His power to change it. There's no distance in prayer, no culture or language barrier it can't overcome. It's like throwing on a power switch - things begin to move when we pray. Jesus said, "I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven… whatever doors you open on earth shall be open in Heaven" (Matthew 16:19 ).

Y - Yield yourself to God's will! Declaring the Lordship of Jesus Christ in your life is like signing your name to the bottom of a blank cheque, and inviting Him to fill in the amount.

http://www.thevine.co.nz

My Papa 16

This picture was taken around chinese new year at Grace's house.

Papa has to go on liquid diet... the tumor at the lung is growing and blocking the esophagus , he has difficulty to swallow food, doctor recommend to insert a stent about 12 cm long to open up the esophagus ( The esophagus is the tube that carries food, liquids and saliva from your mouth to the stomach.) The prodedure was done on 25/3/08 it took less then 30 min to fix it.
At least he can take food from his mouth and he can taste the food, but all foods have to be in paste or liquid form.
Seen oncology yesterday, and papa agreed to do another round of chemo, doctor warn us about the side effect, this chemo may caused numbness to his finger .....
I brought him to see the TCM today, TCM doctor prescribe some herbs to boil and drink to help reduce the side effect of chemo.
Lord, we need you to be with us. Amen!