Praying for discernment, to look for a balance

These days I was in mentally trouble while was rejected by people about sharing gospel and witnessed there are varies of value and belief in Christianity. Well, I know I am not yet find the complete answer. To master the truth is cost of life-timing instead of one day. Well, I have initiated myself of some writing here and share out to help articulate my thought.

A sharing: Pride; Sloth And Loneliness
Sources: MinistryHealth: Support and Resources For Pastors and Christian Ministry Professionals "Pride, Sloth and Loneliness" Thomas F. Fischer Number 293, Available at: http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/8492.htm

2 sins that can set us apart from God, make people reject Gospel & decision to take up the cross (the cost of physically & mentally discomfort) and following Jesus Christ.
PRIDE:
1.) Failure of trust God. A driver to a hideous refusal to accept the natural limits of our creaturely condition, seeking freedom from God's control by wresting that control for one's self. A general inability to let God be in control.
2.) St. Augustine characterized Satan's sin as pride: "He refused to be subject to his creator, and in his arrogance supposed that he wielded power as his own private possession and rejoiced in that power." (Meilaender, p. 60). Satan's greatest mistake, Augustine concluded, was that "he has refused to accept reality." (Meilaender, p. 60). They distort the reality/truth, and undermine others with angers and jealousy, in order to boost the esteem of themselves.
SLOTH:
1.) Alienation from God, seeks this same freedom by isolating oneself from the influence of God.
2.) The sloth may appear disinterested, apathetic, unkempt, and unmotivated. Their sluggish disinclination to action and their seeming outright laziness seems to be anything, but this is slipped in the component of pride as well, a control behavior simply chooses to avoid altogether, include the truth and calling of God. They find is reasonable to be in their comfort zone.

Interestingly, the article touches about the denial of reality is a motivating component of pride to transcend reality. According to Thomas F. , whether the vision is from God or of human origin, the nature of vision-driven leadership is to direct energies toward the creation of that which is "unreality" in the present. This has implicated the meaning of faith. But dangerously, the more the vision needs to be kept in control, the greater the potential for pride to slip in and place us into the same mistake Satan made. He refused to accept the reality of who is really in control.

I am trembling to touch about the picture of faith here, where faith is the right relationship with God (Roman Chapter 4:13), the component that counted righteous in eye of God (Roman Chapter 4:3). As I know I am not good in master the whole word of God now, as true faith is by the real foundation in the whole (the complete picture) of word of God. But I am so sure that faith is revealed by the behavior of servant heart, with humbly& simply trusts God by knowing the will, power and glory of Him. We can know God through words of God in bible, but holding a servant heart is not easy till we can put down our pride and sloth.

As per Luke chapter 7: The faith of Roman Officer in asking Jesus to heal his servant. Luke 7:9: Jesus said “ I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Isreal” . Jesus was amazed by the humble and the simple trust of this Roman Officer. Roman officer said: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed”.

The optimistic resilience of a gentile woman in Mark 7:27 in answering Jesus’ challenge while Jesus Christ was describing gentiles as parable of dog. This gentile woman responded Jesus Christ in humble (accept the parable of dog) and knowing the power of God in control. Jesus: “First, I should feed the children, it isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs. She answered: “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.” Jesus said: “Good answer”. And just this, the demon was left the daughter of this gentile woman by her faithfulness.

This reminds me the faithfulness of charismatic movement:
Bodies of charismatic followers of Christ have access to the Holy Spirit; come together with others to worship, study, and serve. They truly love Jesus, the Scriptures and are sincere. They believe in the authority of the Word of God, the deity of Jesus Christ, His sacrificial death, His physical resurrection, salvation by faith and not works, the need to live a life of obedience, and to proclaim their faith.

But , that is a "dangerous deception" and very much need of discerning power about the movement and seek out the true move of God, in order not get caught up in the emotional flood of signs and wonders, and be fooled while deeply captivated by visions, dreams and miracles performing. As per Romans 10:2,"For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge."

I don’t have abundance experience of exercising spiritual movement, I unable to speak in tongue and many times hardly to pray fervently. This is because I allow my analysis conscious as controlling behaviors to stop Holy Spirit flowing in control of my thought and tongue. Analysis and research can make knowledge, reasons, theories and law, and I was led by interest and pride to do so. Thus, I have to always need to remind myself, Christians are saved by faith, not by law. With humble and children heart (simple trust), I only able to get closer to God through spirit. And through Spirit, I only able to understand the secret of God words, and set free by the grace of Lord.

Corinthians chapter 2:3 had saved my life, by knowing the spiritual movement is the core of Christianity. While Paul said this: “I came to you in weakness-timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit”.

Well, as today I was writing this passage, I hope to understand the weight balance of spiritual movement and intellectual discernment. As I know they are churches are not encourage charismatic movement as they are avoiding of the deception of evil spirits. Well, if intellectual reasons take full control of Christianity practice, will cease the zealous and passion in Christ and lead to the boosting of human pride by intellectual achievement. But if practice of Christianity takes only passion of spiritual leading, potentially their tongue is praising the Lord and reading the bible verses still, but just taken partially of the bible meaning which are found impressive to lift up their strength and vision of their life instead of vision of God.

The world is dangerous, even the journey to pursue the real God is exposed to risk as well. No doubt, spiritually movement is must for Christian, while praying & worshipping, in whole hearted of submission and trust, first intention to love God. Well, exercising intellectual understanding and analysis is needed to test the spirit of leading us all the times too. Thus we are always needed to pray for God for wisdom and discernment.

There are fruits of Holy Spirits obvious to be found as I read. Such as Love (understandingly and forgiving), Joy (smile and delight behavior), Peace (no anger, jealousy and bad tempered), patient (words of encouragements and gentleness), Kindness (compassionate and caring), faithfulness (truth worthy and strong determination), hope (positive thinking and no blaming), Self-control (resists temptations) and so on. The complete picture of the image of Christ is the standard of us to check ourselves whether is holding a right spirit in transforming us.

As I learned, the very first understanding about Christianity should go about God‘s love, mercy and grace through Holy Spirit in Jesus name, forgiving human sins and transform people life to the image of Christ. We have to know we are sinners; only can go into character building by repentance, which is the intrinsic value of blessing and the most influencing power in lifting up the truth of God. Extrinsic value of blessing such as materially is playing as testimonial of God power and glory, as the reward and promise to the obedience and faithfulness of children of God. But, there are not all the materially blessings are come from God, keep watch and discern. Material provision by evils spirit can fool the world and attract human greedy nature and keep accelerate their sins.

I like the logic of salvation and learning to articulate briefly here. Sinful nature is magnetic attracting to sinful spirit and set us apart from God. God is faithfulness and mercy, He bring us salvation through Jesus Christ. Is not by the efforts to make holy ourselves by doing good deeds in order to magnetic attracting the Holy Spirit to bless us, but is through the name of Jesus Christ come the Holy Spirit , take times to make us to be the image of Christ, the holy being.

Ephesians chapter 2:9-10: Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the goods things he planned for us long ago.

Here the discoveries and enlightens of these half year of my growing. Most of the Christian knew these for long already, but I just found out this year though I was Christian for four years. Well, God timing in taking control, as the time I learn to humble and put down my analysis interest, I know more than before. Praise the Lord.

寻找真理

我连自己也不相信我会信主的一天.

我曾经是科学崇拜者, 超人类主义, 信靠人类是全能于创造文明,科技进步能让人们摆脱及解释一切的不可能. 而今天 我终于懂得谦备的说: “人类算得是什么?”
人类会为了自己的荣耀, 提升自我价值而变得自私自利, 愤怒,妒嫉而憎恨一切冲突他价值的人和事, 甚至于可以放弃人类的真情, 出卖良心, 为求胜利而不择手段.

自小我就希望能明白人生的真理. 以为看哲学, 研究佛理就能明白真理. 果真在读他人的智慧会懂得理论,技巧去分析复杂性的心理, 但是我依然没有平静及喜悦, 因为摆脱不了执着求知的心理. ,我越想靠自己的理智,却越无法摆脱情绪的波动及肉体的软弱, 因此更加迷失及失落.

四年纪, 外婆天主教仪式的葬礼, 我才发现葬礼可以这么简单, 白衣衫, 鲜花边, 简单明白的祷告话语, 说不出的平静. 后期, 我生活遇到困难, 我也开始学习祷告. 因为天主教的亲人影响, 我都是向着基督祷告. 其实我那时并不知道上帝有什么旨意, 什么用意, 只知道他是慈祥的.

困难时 叫喊了基督的名字, 得了帮助及解脱后又忘记了他, 我依然相信佛理是最好的, 因为他逻辑, 教人做好. 日子一天一天的过, 直到在祖母病痛上看到生命的脆弱及无助时, 我才恍然大悟, 我没有真正的明白真理. 因为人生不只于因果关系, 坦然接受命运的程式, 种善果而安排你这生或下生的福气.

我也不懂为什么, 我就是知道基督就是真理, 一直努力去寻找他. 因此接触基督徒, 相信的过程也很突然. 后来 即使没有朋友, 没有兄妹体贴入微的带领, 我还是知道基督是真理. 曾经时候, 我也想过放弃寻觅他,回去黑暗, 却上帝太好了, 在适当的时候圣灵在我生命动工鼓励我, 握紧我的手再成长. 直到今天, 我进步了. 被圣灵受洗及受教后, 我体验到真理的果子. 当谦备及用相信的心把一切都交托给上帝去主宰的时候, 平静,喜悦, 智慧及力量都回降于我们. 我的生命里因此有盼望, 和平仁爱. 当 凡事都忍耐的祷告, 变的更有力量及智慧, 行为节制温柔.

所以撒旦(魔鬼)总会千方百计让我们远离上帝, 叫我们放弃, 叫我们不要相信, 叫我们不要属灵, 不要祷告. 看到我们肉体(自我意识)的欲望导向我们人生, 对亲情疏忽, 思想情绪乱七八糟, 发脾气, 埋怨诅咒的话语在口中时, 他哈哈大笑. 撒旦就是不要我们温柔, 他要我们粗暴的发挥出我们的欲望及自尊心.

别以为基督徒就是个个和平仁爱, 各各亲切温柔. 撒旦最爱攻击属灵的基督徒们. 当基督徒没有紧靠圣灵的时候,大败仗了 , 基督徒也依然故我(自我意识,罪恶行径).

或许你会问, 到底圣灵怎样改变, 教育及帮助基督徒?真的很奇妙的, 你只要相信, 你就会明白.
基督的真理是很真实,很理智逻辑. 你勇敢的去寻觅, 你就会知道.