Being Chinese and Reformed (Reforming) » » Meditations

Seeking God’s will

reformed — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 20:41:55 +0000

There may also be needs at home which will help to shut us in to the will of God. Our immediate family situation may circumscribe our lives. There are duties which we are bound by God to treat as primary concerns. Honouring our father and mother, ivisting the fatherless and the widow—these may greatly limit where we are able to go and what we are enabled to do in life. Our responsibilities according to Paul extend to grandparents too. If God calls us to such a ministry of love and mercy, we must ask his help to seal in our consciences the assurance that being in the centre of his will, however mundane and trying it seems is the safest, and ultimately the happiest place in the world.

- Sinclair Ferguson, Discovering God’s Will, Banner of Truth (85)

Motivated to do what?

Endurance

reformed — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:42:41 +0000

Something I have struggled with all my life. Ever since I was a kid I knew that whenever things got tough, I could always quit. I retired multiple times from the youth soccer league.

Even now, when things are tough, I take a break. When things are not going my way, I take a break. What is it that God desires of me?

This is an excerpt from an article describing the roots of endurance is Spiritual. Maybe I had it all wrong. Endurance is not just a physical or emotional, but needs the focus on the Spirit of God.

Christians recognize that this is impossible, even with inspiring examples to point the way. The endurance needed to accomplish these tasks is supernatural in origin–it happens only through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Powerful Spiritual Weapons to Battle the Forces Attacking Young Adults

The emerging generation needs to understand that endurance is not rooted in a compelling vision/mission statement, or a well-defined goal, or a spiffy resume, or flawless communication skills. All of these things have merit, but aimlessness is first and foremost a spiritual problem, not a logistical problem.

Christians must clearly understand what John Piper articulates in The Roots of Endurance:

Our fight and our race and endurance is a radically God-centered, Christ-exalting, Spirit-dependent, promise-supported life. It is not a ‘just do it’ ethic. It is not a moral self-improvement program…. It is a deeply cross-embracing life that knows the Christ of the Bible as the Son of God who was crucified first as our substitute and then as our model of endurance. (p. 29)

If you’re concerned about those who are having a hard time getting a sense of direction, consider engaging spiritually on their behalf through prayer, as the Apostle Paul did for his disciples:

- Pray that the Holy Spirit will help them in their weakness (Romans 8:26, Ephesians 3:16)
- Pray that they will not do what is wrong, but will do what is right (2 Corinthians 13:7)
- Pray that the eyes of their heart will be enlightened (Ephesians 1:18)
- Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for them (2 Timothy 1:3)
- Pray that they may increase in knowledge and depth of insight (Philippians 1:9, Colossians 1:9)
- Pray that they will be able to avoid anxiety but turn their concerns over to God in prayer (Philippians 4:6)
- Pray that they will live a life worthy of the calling they have received (Ephesians 4:1)
- Pray that God will fulfill their every good purpose and that the name of the Lord Jesus may be glorified in them (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)
- Pray that they will be active in sharing their faith (Philemon 1:6)

If the problem is spiritual, then only spiritual weapons can fight it. So keep praying. As John Bunyan said, “Pray often; for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.”

Question: What would you be like in 100 years?

reformed — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:57:54 +0000

This was the question posed in a recent sermon. In normal goal setting, we look 5-10 years down the road, maybe even 30 years. But what God desires is not that we be better in 5-10 years, but he desires for his people to be made perfect… made into the image of his son, Jesus Christ. This not only places eternity in our hearts, but reveals to us that what we seek, our profession, our daily lives, our goals must be placed in a perspective in light of eternity.

In work, we look not only to make money, but how God is transforming/reforming our character. In family, we not just raise a family, but in light of eternity how God can transform our character and the characters of our family members. When looking at friendships and other reliationships, we see how God is using them to perfect us in Christ. During times of crisis, depression, disappointment… our response should not just to overcome, not just to satisfy ourselves or fulfill ourselves, but during those times of trial we should ask… how is God using those situations to transform us, calling us to faith in Jesus Christ. This is how God is changing us and molding us into the image of his Son.

This is what we would want to be in 100 years. Not just financially secure, not just secure in friendships and relationships, not secure in a good name, but secure that our life is in the Lord Jesus Christ and that we are being changed from the inside out. This is what we NEED to live for. This is WHY we are here.

Life is preparation for death. Life is preparation for us to be made perfect. In Christ we have both justification and sanctification. We have both regeneration and glorification.

May God transform and renew you in Jesus Christ by the power of his Holy Spirit.

40 Leadership Questions

reformed — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:49:48 +0000

Accountability questions from Acts 29 Network.

Leadership Accountability Questions
A Self Leadership

1 How are you unique? (calling, gifts, passions, personality, experiences, sin patterns)
2 How do you stay inspired? How often do you practice this?
3 How do you preach the gospel to yourself? (What’s the message in your mind?)
4 What are the rhythms of grace in your life? (scripture practices, worship, community, Sabbath)
5 What idols are calling for your worship?
6 How do you forsake each idol?
7 What are the lies that you believe in your head?
8 How is the gospel applied to those lies?

B Interpersonal Leadership

1 Who gets you and why? Who are your guys? (2 Timothy 2:2)
2 Who do you pray for? What are you praying for them?
3 Who are you considering to become one of your guys and what is your plan?
4 Are you telling the “truth in love” to your guys, consistently? When do you tend to “spin” something?
5 Are you “on time” and following through with promises?
6 Do you say “yes” and “no” with clarity? Who are the people you tend to “please” and why?
7 How are you discipling each of your children and your spouse?
8 Who KNOWS you?

C Organizational Leadership

1 What mission and vision has God entrusted to you?
2 Are you aligned to this mission and vision?
3 To what extent is your identity wrapped up in your position or your mission?
4 Where is there “sideways energy” in your life (schedule)?
5 Do people in your organization know with clarity what you expect of them?
6 What do you expect of others in your organization?
7 How do assure that each person under your charge connects expectations to mission?
8 In what ways do you personify vision and values?
9 What opportunities did you decline for the sake of mission, vision or values?
10 What are the stories that define the culture of your organization? How do you capture these stories? How are the stories being shared?

D Team Leadership

1 Who is your team? (Roles, Styles)
2 Who is going to replace you?
3 How do you demonstrate your love for each team member?
4 What dysfunctions on your team are you addressing?
5 With whom do you sense the most synergy? How can you maximize that?
6 With whom do you sense the least synergy? Why? How are you minimizing that?
7 Who do you struggle to trust? Why? Do you address issues of trust with them? Why or why not?
8 What inspires each team member? (Ask each one, “What aspect of your work brings you the most joy? What stories do you tend to tell most often?)
9 Do team members feel empowered to exercise their greatest gifts and talents on the team?

E Pastoral Leadership

1 What does faithfulness in your calling look like for you?
2 In what new areas are you learning to apply the gospel?
3 Describe your system for managing your availability and “interruptability.”
4 How do you develop men by involving them in ministry and making decisions?
5 What opportunities have you had / taken to herald the gospel in serving others?

Happy New Year 2010

reformed — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:00:49 +0000

Here are ten questions you should ask the new year… got these questions off the 9Marks blog.

One thing I like about the New Year is how reflective everyone is. This should be a constant thing, something that goes year round. I’m glad though, because I know how unreflective I can be at times and end up in some kind of slump. God is gracious by placing mirrors along the way so I can see…

1. What’s one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

2. What’s the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

3. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

8. What’s the most important way you will, by God’s grace, try to make this year different from last year?

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

goals for 2007

Love – WMD

reformed — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:24:26 +0000

I wrote this to the people in my Sunday School a few years back. It was quite possible after I saw an episode of 24 where terrorists dropped a nuclear bomb on Los Angeles. I was quite horrified to say the least…

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord…

Grace and Peace to you all. The latter part of Romans 12 was very challenging to me. Love. Not referring to a romantic love, but the kind of love that says “I forgive you” in the midst of persecution, injustice, and hate… the kind of love that says “even though you hurt me, I will pray for you and care for your soul…” the kind of love that says “father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.”

This love refers to a weapon of mass destruction… a weapon to destroy hate and sin… It refers to a weapon that changes the face of your enemy… a weapon that changes the world…

May the God of love and of all hope be with you today. We love you guys and praying for each one of you,

Merry Christmas!

reformed — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 12:38:12 +0000

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

May the Lord Jesus Christ reign in your life.

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