Sunday sermon 15 jan–情欲堤防

人倾向向边缘上行走, 挑战罪恶
Last week’s sermon 交友堤防 you must be cautious when you feel pressured to do what these friends do, when you feel that you have to keep from your parents that you are hanging out with these people and doing certain activities.. When making friends consider same values and mindset.
要设防，才能够预防错误。
This week: 情欲。 我们活在情欲堕落的社会。our value systems may have been lowered as an influence of society and the environment.
Start from your thoughts!
1 Cor 6:12-20
Corinth was a flourishing city. There used to be a temple on the hill which housed harlots and sexual relations was seen as a form of pagan worship. Pagans and Jews who had converted to Christianity brought with them old mindsets and practices. Paul had to write a letter to the Corinth church to change their mindsets and 让他们圣洁
Wrong mindsets:
🌀V12 凡是我都可行. People of Corinth equated what was lawful with what was moral.
There are many ways in which sexual inmorality can seep into our minds. 可以被情欲受捆绑。you might sink deeper and deeper.that is why we have to set up defenses change our thoughts and mindsets. Escape from such images and movies. Feel uncomfortable with sexual images, sexual jokes. 要有设防才能够脱离。need to build up this discomfort.
🌀V15–all men have needs just as we have needs for meals.
Our bodies are made to glorify God not for our own satisfaction 我们不要轻看和侵犯这个身体。
Food is meant to sustain our lives. People of Corinth felt this was so as well for sexual needs. But God is what sustain our lives!
在神所规范的范围 中享受食物和情欲. 性的关系要在婚姻里面。性不是污秽的. It just needs to be enjoyed in the right context.
我们会掉进情欲里面因为我们里面是虚空的。God is truly what our body needs. The body is the temple of God.
V15–sexual sin– offend God and offend Christ and offend the Holy spirit. Our bodies and lives are not independent of our faith.
V18–when we sin in other ways we can rectify it easily. But sexual sin is very very hard to retrace your steps, rectify and recover.
‘Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18 NKJV)’
E.g scolding the driver of a lamborghini and apologizing vs transporting cow dung in a Lamborghini
In which case will the car never be the same again..?
It is only through the cross where we can get true relief and forgiveness via authentic grief and remorse..
如果没有办法自拔要找人帮助你。
Paul does not use consequences or the ten commandments to tell them/us to flee sexual immorality. Rather he brings us in front of the cross.. In front of Christ. That we realize, how could we offend our Christ, or father?
God made the sacrity of sex to be within marriage. 贞洁是很宝贵的！
你们要逃避淫行。 (哥林多前书 6:18 CUNPSS）不是争战，不是抵挡，而是逃避。
一些设防：
for the married：
you no longer have the freedom to date other men and women
Limits to Lunches meals and interactions with other colleagues.
Inform your spouse if you are meeting someone of the other gender alone.
Don’t travel alone with someone of different gender even for work
Dont counsel someone of the opposite sex alone.
Tell your good friends when you are attracted to someone of opposite sex, so that someone is keeping an eye on you
这些都是设防！
for the single:
Don’t date those who are married.
Don’t go to each others house to stay over unless it is big group
Don’t travel alone with one of opposite sex
Dress with decorum
‘in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.’ (1 Timothy 2:9, 10 NKJV)
人家看你的穿着，脑里就已经决定怎么对待你。
When you end one relationship dont immediately go into another. Because you are not emotionally stable yet, you may be confused and not be able to think straight. Eg pray to God to restrict yourself for one year.

Respect your body. protect it and only give it in the context of marriage.
‘However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to
her, Arise, be gone!’ (2 Samuel 13:14, 15 NKJV)
It does not mean that you can keep a man’s heart by giving him yourself. The contrary may be true.

bless the interruptions

this is so applicable to work… and learning how to give thanks in everything..I decided to jumble up the sequence a little.

Lord, if I’m feeling rushed today,
I need Your eyes to help me see
That when an interruption comes,
It is an opportunity. —Sper

Look for God’s purpose in your next interruption.

Psalm 33:10-15

New International Version (NIV)

 

¹⁰ The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
¹¹ But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.

¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
¹³ From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;
¹⁴ from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth—
¹⁵ he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.

January 9, 2012 — by Joe Stowell

If your life is anything like mine, it’s pretty well planned out. I have a calendar that reminds me of appointments, meetings, and other “to-do” items. Inevitably, interruptions change my day dramatically; and while they can be frustrating, they also can be productive.

Some of the great advances in God’s plans have come through “interruptions” to the normal routine. Take Mary, for example. An angel interrupted her life with the announcement that she would have a son named Jesus. Since she was a virgin and engaged to be married, this news was undoubtedly shocking and deeply troubling (Luke 1:26-31). And Saul, the Jewish zealot who persecuted early Christians, was on his way to Damascus to arrest more followers of “the Way” when he was blinded by Jesus Himself (Acts 9:1-9). This life-changing interruption had huge implications for the future of Christianity.

The psalmist reminds us that the Lord can make “the plans of the peoples of no effect” (Ps. 33:10). Yet all too often we respond to the interruptions of our well-ordered lives with attitudes like frustration, irritation, fear, and doubt. God’s surprises in our day are full of opportunities. Let’s welcome them as a new “to-do list” from Him.

wow..

In our everyday lives.. there would be people who are critical of us, unkind to us, mean, nasty, or completely cold and indifferent. Could we be like Alex, and always reach out a hand to those in trouble? 

Driving a huge truck over the icy roads of northern Alaska would seem to be a task that requires a sense of humor. But when one driver heard another driver named Alex laugh often and rather loudly over the truck-to-truck communication system, he grew irritated. So he made some disparaging remarks about Alex and his good-natured guffaws.

Not long after that, the critical driver lost control of his big rig and ended up in a ditch—up to his axles in snow. And guess who came along the isolated road and saw his predicament? That’s right. Alex.

So, what would you do? Keep on trucking right past with a hearty laugh at the other guy’s trouble? That’s not what Alex did. He stopped and spent several hours helping dig his critic out. When he was done, he simply said, “Any opportunity I can have to make amends, I’m happy to do it.” And then, of course, he laughed.

What a lesson for all of us. Isn’t that what Christ commanded us to do in Luke 6—to help out even those who seem to be our enemies? The next time someone says something about you that you don’t like, think of Alex—and don’t just laugh it off. Do something positive for that person, and in so doing, you may make a friend.

Doing good to those who hate us,
Lord, is difficult to do;
Help us by Your grace to love them,
Praying they will turn to You. —Sper

A good example is the best sermon.

a good read :)

a very long read, but quite good. especially the conclusion part!

http://bible.org/seriespage/parable-talents-matthew-2514-30-luke-1912-28

Sunday sermon 1 jan 2012

生命提防系列
🌀To realize and apply the truth and the word in our lives.
🌀Rebuilding our lives and our behaviors toward one that is defensive against the temptations and sins of the world.
🌀Ephesians 5:15-18
🌀Deuteronomy 22:8
When you build a new house, then you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring guilt of bloodshed on your household if anyone falls from it. (Deuteronomy 22:8 NKJV)–let us too apply this to our lives, to fence out what is negative to our lives. Eg. Money management.
🌀Strengthening our faith and foundations against being confused or mixed up with other beliefs, actions, doctrines not of the faith. Gentle as doves, wise as serpents.
🌀我们已经不在尊主为大了。。。
🌀现代社会只是在划线，没有围栏杆

e.g. “when you drink, dont drive”,”when you drive, don’t drink”
“don’t go into pre-marital sex till you are ready”
“smoking causes lung cancer”
society does not outrightly put up a fence
but are just drawing lines.
我们希望因为有提防的建立而脱离危险。
🌀See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, (Ephesians 5:15 NKJV)
三思而后行！免得得罪神，免得我后悔。
🌀不要急！神未曾留下一样好处给生命正直的人。in terms of relationships, money etc.
🌀Be prudent in terms of money, relationships, handling all matters.
🌀redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:16 NKJV)– do things of value!!
🌀Is what I do glorifying God? Is what I do meaningful? Is what I do stimulating for my thoughts and values and views? 爱惜光阴。每一个时间都是机会。 我们能够节制吗？go back to reading the world! 我们处在邪恶的时代。whatever time is not spent on things of value is spent on things that are meaningless that are 邪恶。
🌀不要作糊涂人，要明白主的旨意如何。 不要醉酒，酒能使人放荡；乃要被圣灵充满。 (以弗所书 5:17, 18 CUNPSS)
放荡–失控了
醉酒是栏杆。Paul wants us to set up a fence here.
🌀We need to set up 堤防. Eg restrictions on ourselves.. In work, in entertainment, do not drink more than x glasses.
🌀this is not just on drinking. Where are our weaknesses? Set up fences against these weaknesses. May not be drinking. May be money management, may be relationship.
🌀Eg. Relationships. Guy and girl should not go traveling alone. Guy should not stay over at girls house etc. if we have these 堤防 set in place, we will feel uneasy, embarrassed, uncomfortable, when we come across such situations.
🌀If you don’t set up the fence you will go further and further and finally fall over the cliff.
Eg. Gambling. One eg.. Don’t step into casino. Etc. Everyone should set up their own 堤防. If we don’t set it up it will be very hard for us I conquer life’s traps and trials along the way.

Praising God in our trials turns burdens into blessings

one of my favourite passages of all time in the Bible.. and reminds me of the church camp 2 years ago.. and the beautiful song that had those lyrics in it.

so amazing Habakkuk..so much to learn from him.. so very difficult..

Bible passage: Habbakuk 3:11-19

Yet I will Rejoice

Life in our world can be difficult. At some point, most of us have wondered, Where is God in my trouble? And we may have thought, It seems like injustice is winning and God is silent. We have a choice as to how we respond to our troubles. The prophet Habakkuk had an attitude worth following: He made the choice to rejoice.

Habakkuk saw the rapid increase in Judah’s moral and spiritual failings, and this disturbed him deeply. But God’s response troubled him even more. God would use the wicked nation of Babylon to punish Judah. Habakkuk did not fully understand this, but he could rejoice because he had learned to rely on the wisdom, justice, and sovereignty of God. He concluded his book with a wonderful affirmation: “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (3:18). Though it was not clear how Judah would survive, Habakkuk had learned to trust God amid injustice, suffering, and loss. He would live by his faith in God alone. With this kind of faith came joy in God, despite the circumstances surrounding him.

We too can rejoice in our trials, have surefooted confidence in God, and live on the heights of His sovereignty.

 

Be this the purpose of my soul
My solemn, my determined choice:
To yield to God’s supreme control,
And in my every trial rejoice. —Anon.

Praising God in our trials turns burdens into blessings.

no grumble or complain!!!

Philippians 2:12-18
New International Version (NIV)
Do Everything Without Grumbling

 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[a] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

God, what is your plan?

Tonight’s a night i’ve been feeling extremely vexed.. from everything life is throwing at me. feel like i simply have no time. no time no time no time. kudos to those who are in professions even more busy than mine. i don’t know how you guys do it, but it is amazing i must say. what is God’s plan.. what am I not doing right.. why is everything like that …where do I go from here.. what should I do now…………..

How many times, I wonder, do we become frustrated that life isn’t working the way we think it should? We keep trying ways that seem right, but things keep turning out wrong. Instead of following God’s Word, we continue trying to find our own way.

The singing bowl reminds us that we can’t expect life to go well if we ignore the instructions of the Designer (Deut. 4:40). Failing to obey divides us from one another and separates us from God. To fulfill His plan for the world and make the way of salvation known (Ps. 67:2), we need to follow His instructions about living and working peacefully together. When life doesn’t go well, it may be that we’ve stopped following God’s plan.

Sure it takes a lot of courage to put things in God’s hands,
To give ourselves completely, our lives, our hopes, our plans;
To follow where He leads us and make His will our own;
But all it takes is foolishness to go the way alone! —Kline

thanksgiving

and as momo said, let us see the little miracles in life every single day, to know we are blessed, and to give thanks for it all. 

And after many years of marriage, my husband and I are still learning that it’s important for us to continually express our gratitude to each other. When one of usfeels appreciative, we try to verbalize it—even if we’ve said it many times before about the same thing. William Arthur Ward said, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

Showing our gratitude is obviously important in human relationships, but it’s even more essential in our relationship with God. As we think about the many blessings we have received, do we express our thanks to Him throughout the day? And when we think of the amazing gift of His death and resurrection for forgiveness of our sins, do our hearts bubble over with awe and thanksgiving? (Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 9:15).

learnings of the day: there’s no point being disappointed in anything.

From ODB:

The Master Craftsman is the Holy Spirit, who chips away at flaws in our character to make each of us like Jesus (Rom. 8:28-29). And as we yield to His workmanship, we will find that the secret to the final product is the Craftsman’s touch.

a passage pasted by fenella:

In life, nobody owes you ANYTHING. Once you realize this fact, you will NEVER stay disappointed at anyone or any rough spot you encounter in life!
Because in this life, people WILL disappoint you. People WILL drop the ball. People WILL hurt you. People WILL say hurtful and harmful things to tear down your good name. People WILL step on your head in order to climb the corporate ladder or get ahead. People WILL cheat you!
Joseph knew disappointment more than ANY of us, but he didn’t dwell on it and he didn’t allow it (or the 13 years of hell he went through) to tear down his self worth.
Don’t stay disappointed at people… because at the end of the day, no one owes you a thing… and when it comes down to it God can use the evil, harmful actions of people… to accomplish GREAT things in your life!

 

a really encouraging passage.