Thursday, July 26, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Just a Little Bit Dead
by John Fischer
If you are anything like me, you have probably caught yourself trying to make your own sin out to be something less than the big sins that everyone else commits. You know, the biggies that are in the Ten Commandments like murder, adultery, stealing, lying … stuff like that. Certainly I'm not that kind of sinner. No, I'm a minor sinner. When I sin, it's more like “sin lite.”
Thinking like this creates a ridiculous state of affairs when it comes to Christ dying for all our sins while we attempt to rationalize them. Sure I'm a sinner and all that, but my sins are mostly the private ones that don't hurt anyone else. Oh sure, they may not hurt anyone else but they killed Jesus! Let's think about that the next time we're considering one of those little private sins. Did Jesus die less for my little sins than for anyone else's? Did my sins only make Jesus die a little bit? If sin means missing the mark (which it does), by how much I miss it is a non-issue. No one's out there measuring how far we missed it by. We missed it. Line up for the death penalty. (Thank God, this is where Jesus comes in.)
When you’re dead, you're dead. I'm not a medical professional, but I'm pretty sure there's no such thing as being just a little dead. Yet try telling your rationalizations that. Look at the silly consequences we create whenever we try to rationalize the truth.
There is no such thing as a little sin. Sin is sin, and the wages of sin is death, says the Bible, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) You can't any more sin a little than you can get a little eternal life. There is only one way this works: Sin, death, gift of God, and eternal life, in that order, and they're all big time – full strength. Whenever we sin, we sin big, and we die big; but Jesus died big time, so that God could give the gift of eternal life … and that's big too! That's forever! To belittle any one of these is to belittle the rest.
So if you ever catch yourself comparing your sin to others and trying to tell yourself that your sin is less significant, just remember Christ died for our sins, and there's never anything little about that!
No one can be just a little bit dead.
If you are anything like me, you have probably caught yourself trying to make your own sin out to be something less than the big sins that everyone else commits. You know, the biggies that are in the Ten Commandments like murder, adultery, stealing, lying … stuff like that. Certainly I'm not that kind of sinner. No, I'm a minor sinner. When I sin, it's more like “sin lite.”
Thinking like this creates a ridiculous state of affairs when it comes to Christ dying for all our sins while we attempt to rationalize them. Sure I'm a sinner and all that, but my sins are mostly the private ones that don't hurt anyone else. Oh sure, they may not hurt anyone else but they killed Jesus! Let's think about that the next time we're considering one of those little private sins. Did Jesus die less for my little sins than for anyone else's? Did my sins only make Jesus die a little bit? If sin means missing the mark (which it does), by how much I miss it is a non-issue. No one's out there measuring how far we missed it by. We missed it. Line up for the death penalty. (Thank God, this is where Jesus comes in.)
When you’re dead, you're dead. I'm not a medical professional, but I'm pretty sure there's no such thing as being just a little dead. Yet try telling your rationalizations that. Look at the silly consequences we create whenever we try to rationalize the truth.
There is no such thing as a little sin. Sin is sin, and the wages of sin is death, says the Bible, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) You can't any more sin a little than you can get a little eternal life. There is only one way this works: Sin, death, gift of God, and eternal life, in that order, and they're all big time – full strength. Whenever we sin, we sin big, and we die big; but Jesus died big time, so that God could give the gift of eternal life … and that's big too! That's forever! To belittle any one of these is to belittle the rest.
So if you ever catch yourself comparing your sin to others and trying to tell yourself that your sin is less significant, just remember Christ died for our sins, and there's never anything little about that!
No one can be just a little bit dead.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Visit Mayanmar Baptist Fellowship
Last Sunday, a group of us WBC-er's had the chance to go out and serve other communities in the lower mainland. We believe it was God giving us the chance to prep ourselves for missionary trips in the future, if possible one day.
We had a great time leading praises, giving them our gifts of collected donations, and eating their traditional coconut chicken noodle soup. When different ethnic group, with different languages, at different ages, sing "Hallelujah" together, it was like heaven on earth!!!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
WBC Summer Camp 2006 ~ 延續靚女組
One year ago...
這三日裏，每日反省自我，瀟脫或抑鬱生命？
願我可走出，這困局絕境！
西浸是我，有力的支柱，可有願為這家園，
盡獻每一分，共謝主的恩？
今年又再站到你面前，出年我地已有兩組別。
以後共對沒有很多次，但我說不慣卻可以。
神啊！你的愛，靚女組的愛，UGLY DOLL 永在旁，
神啊！你的愛，靚女組的愛，以手巾作憑證。
就是更不捨得，但繼續可 POT-LUCK，來延續這姊妹的愛！
就是更不捨得，為著這福音，同傳遞這救恩的愛！
Friday, July 13, 2007
失而復得
係大家禱告、精神、同行動上o既支持下，終於係尋日下午搵番小蟲家o既KingKong！
原來一家人齊齊整整o既感覺係o甘幸福o架！！小蟲同小貓終於有覺好o訓，而小貓亦唔駛慌失失，日日夜夜o掛住要搵番KingKong。
今次最大功勞就係阿爺爺，亦即係小蟲o既爸爸啦！
其實小蟲同小貓前日係屋企附近已經搵過四次，由早到晚，最後一次係半夜十二點，重出動埋laser pointer，希望隻曳貓見到會走出o黎，搵過所有lone-lone-lar-lar。而尋日上午亦已擴大搜索範圍，去到五個block以外o既neighborhood，但係都冇KingKong o既蹤影。
而且我地亦放o左dull餅餅同水係樓下patio，希望佢玩到肚餓會識路返屋企搵o野食。等o左成一日一夜，小蟲同小貓都開始有D覺得，KingKong係唔會返o黎o架啦，哎‧‧‧可能係俾人收養o左，或者係俾racoon同cayote食o左！>.<
點知尋日下午阿爺爺突然間打電話俾小蟲，話係屋企樓下o既樓梯底搵到KingKong！估唔到爺爺會o甘緊張、o甘o掛住KingKong，自己已經靜雞雞o黎搵過幾次，唔放心又再o黎搵，終於「皇天不負有心人」，俾爺爺搵到KingKong！
小蟲同小貓o拿o拿聲飛車番屋企，o甘o岩我地兩個尋日都係day off，先至可以係五分鐘之內返到屋企。小貓一見到KingKong，簡直係恍如隔世，抱實KingKong，死都唔放手。見到KingKong成身黑mung-mung，woo-jo-lad-tat，心痛到死！
返到屋企，蘇菲家姐用個鼻聞o下KingKong，confirm係佢之後，即刻幫佢lam毛沖涼，好鬼sweet！
而小蟲同小貓因為驚KingKong會有flea，亦唔埋佢反抗（當係佢曳曳o既懲罰），即刻用花灑同cat shampoo幫佢沖涼，不過當然過程就好似打仗o甘啦！而小蟲同小貓亦難免搞到傷痕累累，小貓連咀角都俾蘇菲家姐抓損埋。不過只要搵番KingKong，咩都冇所謂啦！
今次「失貓奇遇記」，最感動除o左係神聽禱告俾我地搵番KingKong之餘，當然係大家對小蟲家o既愛護同support啦！有Vicky姨姨即刻打o黎問駛唔駛幫手搵﹔又有Ada姨姨係plan婚禮o既百忙之中，話出動埋Windsor狗狗朋友仔幫手搵﹔又有Michelle姨姨o拿o拿聲幫我地post個missing notice上網﹔又有Peter仔叔叔越洋o既慰問﹔重有其他姨姨叔叔o既SMS，e-mail，同Facebook message。原來大家（包括阿公公婆婆、同阿爺爺麻麻）都當Sophie & KingKong係一家人o甘緊張、o甘o掛住！Thank you晒！！！
終於大團圓結局，開心晒！！！
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
KingKong is missing!!!!!!!
We're devastated...KingKong is missing [sob...sob...]!!!!!! =(
Last night was too hot...so we opened the patio door a wee-bit....with a stick holding the other side...so that no thief can come in...but to let fresh air in for the kitties...we also have a screen door to keep out bugs...thought it was safe...
This morning...Drew woke me up in an alarming panic...the screen door was opened...and KingKing is gone!!!!!!
We couldn't believe it!!! How can he managed to open the screen door with his tiny paws and escaped?? We're on 2nd floor!!!!! How did he managed to jump down and run away???
Really don't know how to describe our emotions now...worried...upset...mad...etc. etc.
How can he run away?? He's just 4 months old...how can he survive out there?? Did someone picked him up??? He'll still such a baby...
And what's worse...Sophie is looking around the house...trying to look for KingKong...and she looks as me...as if she's asking..."Where my little bro?"
I don't know where he is...we looked around the neighborhood...but no sign of him...we called his name...but no response...now I know...how I miss his "meowing" at night...
Oh God...please bring our baby home...please pray for us!! =(
Last night was too hot...so we opened the patio door a wee-bit....with a stick holding the other side...so that no thief can come in...but to let fresh air in for the kitties...we also have a screen door to keep out bugs...thought it was safe...
This morning...Drew woke me up in an alarming panic...the screen door was opened...and KingKing is gone!!!!!!
We couldn't believe it!!! How can he managed to open the screen door with his tiny paws and escaped?? We're on 2nd floor!!!!! How did he managed to jump down and run away???
Really don't know how to describe our emotions now...worried...upset...mad...etc. etc.
How can he run away?? He's just 4 months old...how can he survive out there?? Did someone picked him up??? He'll still such a baby...
And what's worse...Sophie is looking around the house...trying to look for KingKong...and she looks as me...as if she's asking..."Where my little bro?"
I don't know where he is...we looked around the neighborhood...but no sign of him...we called his name...but no response...now I know...how I miss his "meowing" at night...
Oh God...please bring our baby home...please pray for us!! =(
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
齊齊o訓晏覺
不知不覺，蘇菲已經過o左佢成世貓o既第一個生日，而KingKong亦都足四個月大啦！希望佢兩隻o野係小蟲家so far都住得開心啦！
睇佢地每日係屋企o既activity，都應該住得okay舒服o掛？
係Roy叔叔o既提醒之下，我地都覺得KingKong係瘦o左D。所以小貓marmie就o拿o拿聲去買o左兩個大D o既dull dull裝餅餅同水，希望大dull D，佢會食多D！
但係KingKong o甘鬼active，成日走o黎走去，連o訓晏覺都要「兼」埋家姐o訓o緊o個張床位，o甘鬼忙，點食都唔肥啦！！
Monday, July 02, 2007
Sunday, July 01, 2007
God keep our land glorious and free!
We were worshipping at the Bowen Island Community Church this morning. The church has a very small congregation (including us and the pastor = 17 people) cuz most of their members are out of town on vacation. The worship was really simple and short (within one hour with Holy Communion), yet the the sermon stroked our hearts. (And bonus for me, we get to sing Doxology!!!!)
The sermon was about Canada Day, the scripture is 1Kings, about King Solomon asking God for wisdom to rule the land of Israel.
I didn't know it's Canada's 140th birthday today! The pastor told us how it all started...at year 1867...
A group of politicians were gathering together, in many meetings, they discussed how they should dealt with the situation. There were ethnic concerns (French, English, Native), land ownership concerns, financial concerns, taxes and welfare concerns, and many many more people's concerns. Like we do today, when there are concerns, we meet and meet and talk about it. They had dragged on for many months, everyone had spoken about their thoughts, and thought about many "wise" ideas, but nothing seemed to work the best for this great big piece of land.
One morning, one of the politicians was doing his morning devotion, and this was what he read (in KJV, which was their common translation back then):
Psalm 72:8
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
Suddenly, he was so touched by God's word, how can they use human wisdom to rule this piece of land without God's help?
So he shared his devotion with his peers, after some more disscussion, they've all agreed on a plan, to unify this nation and called it "The Dominion of Canada", as noted in the scripture, "dominion".
And they've also agreed upon a lengthy policy, on how to rule this land, it started with:
CONSTITUTION ACT, 1867 - PART I
CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
"Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law..."
And it goes on for pages and pages of policies...
Back then, they only had 4 provinces, and they never imagined one day God will really bless this land like His scriptures said, "from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth"! How great is our Lord????!!!!!
Let's pray together for this great piece of land we call home:
Our dear Lord, God, our Father, may Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. May we remember that this piece of land is called upon unity in Your name; and when we sing, "God keep our land, glorious and free", may we have the courage to speak up and the persistance to pray. May you keep blessing us, "the true north strong and free", not for our sake, but for the sake of your name and glory, until we see you face to face, AMEN!
The sermon was about Canada Day, the scripture is 1Kings, about King Solomon asking God for wisdom to rule the land of Israel.
I didn't know it's Canada's 140th birthday today! The pastor told us how it all started...at year 1867...
A group of politicians were gathering together, in many meetings, they discussed how they should dealt with the situation. There were ethnic concerns (French, English, Native), land ownership concerns, financial concerns, taxes and welfare concerns, and many many more people's concerns. Like we do today, when there are concerns, we meet and meet and talk about it. They had dragged on for many months, everyone had spoken about their thoughts, and thought about many "wise" ideas, but nothing seemed to work the best for this great big piece of land.
One morning, one of the politicians was doing his morning devotion, and this was what he read (in KJV, which was their common translation back then):
Psalm 72:8
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
Suddenly, he was so touched by God's word, how can they use human wisdom to rule this piece of land without God's help?
So he shared his devotion with his peers, after some more disscussion, they've all agreed on a plan, to unify this nation and called it "The Dominion of Canada", as noted in the scripture, "dominion".
And they've also agreed upon a lengthy policy, on how to rule this land, it started with:
CONSTITUTION ACT, 1867 - PART I
CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
"Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law..."
And it goes on for pages and pages of policies...
Back then, they only had 4 provinces, and they never imagined one day God will really bless this land like His scriptures said, "from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth"! How great is our Lord????!!!!!
Let's pray together for this great piece of land we call home:
Our dear Lord, God, our Father, may Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. May we remember that this piece of land is called upon unity in Your name; and when we sing, "God keep our land, glorious and free", may we have the courage to speak up and the persistance to pray. May you keep blessing us, "the true north strong and free", not for our sake, but for the sake of your name and glory, until we see you face to face, AMEN!
We're on the same boat!!!
小蟲 and 小貓 are currently in Bowen Island for our 1st wedding anniversary vacation.
One of the highlight activity is to try kayak (it's 小蟲's first time!!!) And today, while we're on the double kayak, 小貓 finally understand what it really means to be "on the same boat"!!
Some interesting things we learn from kayaking, that we can apply on the future years of our marriage:
One of the highlight activity is to try kayak (it's 小蟲's first time!!!) And today, while we're on the double kayak, 小貓 finally understand what it really means to be "on the same boat"!!
Some interesting things we learn from kayaking, that we can apply on the future years of our marriage:
- When we kayak, we can't look at anything close to us, i.e. the front tip of the kayak, or the person right in front of us, or our paddles, otherwise we will get dizzy (seasick). We gotta keep our eyes on the far destination, i.e. the lighthouse, just keep focusing at the goal and work hard, we'll get there before we know it.
- When we see big waves in the middle of the ocean, we have to move the kayak to a "T" position and hit right at the waves, don't be afraid to ride over it. Just a quick up and down ride, and it'll be over. But if we turn our kayak sideways and try to slide by the waves, we will get tip over big time.
- Sometimes the one who takes the front seat (小貓) seems like she is in control (go first), but then actually the steering anchor is at the back seat (小蟲). The front person is to set the goal, set the paddling pace, and the back person is to makes sure he steer towards that goal.
- We had an occassion where 小蟲 lost the steering gear at the back seat, no matter how hard we paddled, we were going around and around in circles. We had to wait until the coach came to us with his helping hands, reset the gear for 小蟲, and then we can steer and move forward again.
- When we paddled, we literally had to shout out loud, "one, two, one, two" to keep our pace together. Otherwise, no matter how hard we each tried, all the energy was wasted. But when we moved at the same pace with synchronized strokes, the kayak moved like it was sliding on the water.
- When we're on a double kayak, every bit of effort needs to be shared. We can't do anything on our own, even one slight move without letting our partner know, will tip the kayak. The coach said, if we want total independancy, go on a single kayak!
- As per the coach, a double kayak takes more energy to move because it's heavier, it takes great coordination between the two paddlers, and it's slower than a single kayak by nature. Then why go double? Because it's the safest when out in the ocean, esp. when big waves come! A double kayak is heavier and more stable; also, when one paddler is tired or hurt, we still have the other paddler to drive the kayak back to shore for help.
Isn't kayaking just like marriage?
It was such an amazing experience we had today, super nice weather, super close to nature. We saw lots of wild animals, eagles, seals, pigeons, loon ducks, etc. We'll post the pics when we come back!
We'll go hiking tomorrow, please pray for our safety! ^.~
Transformer
小蟲 is soooooooo looking forward to watch this...but too bad 小貓 is not interested at all...so probably he would have to watch this alone...unless some of you are willing to be his movie-buddies!!!
P.S. Bax...in moments like these...how he misses you...hahahhahaaaa!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
