How old are you spiritually?


Are you a new born… newly accepted Christ?
Are you a toddler… learning to walk (with Christ) while hanging on to support?
Are you a youth… beaming with energy to serve and learn?
Are you an adult… accepting responsibilities and actively sharing the Gospel?
Are you a senior… sharing your experiences (in Christ) and mentoring?
When was the last time you charted your growth spiritually?
Have you grown through the ages or have you become a “bearded” baby (Rev Lin’s famous joke)?

How accountable are we on judgment day?

The Lord is Gracious!
He reveals His Will to us (5 CS in Alpha) while teaching us special ways to grow:

1. Commanding Scripture …. A discipline in reading.
2. Compelling Spirit …. A training in listening.
3. Common Sense … An exercise in thinking.
4. Counsel of Saints … Art of talking.
5. Circumstantial Signs … An experience of waiting and observing.

May we never stop to grow in His love and saving grace!!
By “Fetus” 

Trigger Finger
 Ever since Monday night, I have been suffering from a trigger finger on my left hand middle finger.  This was not the first for me, rather something that I have learnt to cope with since its first occurrence three years ago.  Usually with a little tolerance and massage in warm water, I always managed to straighten "it" out within an hour.  However, I have waited .....and waited .....and waited since Monday night but the condition only worsened.  Even after I consulted my family doctor on Wednesday morning, awaiting an appointment with the specialist, there was absolutely no sign of recovery.  Apart from the tolerable pain level, there was great inconvenience with driving, washing dishes, weight lifting exercises, e-mailing, playing piano; and carrying groceries or putting up my hair.  For the very first time in my life, I marvelled at God's creation of middle fingers.

SUDOKU

Ever since my friend introduced me to the game of Sudoku, I look forward every morning to the Vancouver Sun to cut out the game (with solutions) for my daily "brain" exercise.  For those of you familiar to this "addiction" of mine in the newspaper, they would know the level of difficulties begin with one star (on Monday) and progresses to five stars on Fridays.  Normally I would give up very easily on Fridays after a few trials, excusing myself to the level of  difficulty beyond my capabilities.  However, for the past few weeks, I attempted the Thursday and Friday Sudokus and discovered to my amazement that level V is not really that difficult as they claimed.  Rather, I have found them easier than level II and III!  How that is possible is really beyond me.  Are they playing a game of psychology so that we are intimidated before we began?  Are they planning on our "presumptions" to make it more difficult than it seems?  Is everything (perceived) in the eyes of the beholder, just like beauty?

Dear Rebecca,

每 次見到你, 提及 SMSL 的近況時, 總是看到妳滿面愁容, 長嘆"可惜".  不錯, 我們這一群主內弟兄姊妹, 在過去的十多年, 共同成長, 共同事奉;  籍著主的愛裏建立情如手足的密切關係.  現在一旦因環境造成, 被逼各散東西, 抱著"無奈"的心情離去, 確是令人傷痛.  我亦曾經求問神的旨意, 為什麼要帶領我們走這一段路?  衪沒有給我正面的答覆, 只有片段的回應, 例如:

1. 天下無不散的筵席, 正如傳道書所云...."拆毀有時, 建造有時." ..."栽種有時, 拔出所栽種的也有時.".
2. 耶穌曾問, "你愛我比這些更深嗎?".  如果我們真心誠意的愛衪, 一定不會介意離開自己的 comfort zone 往普天下去傳福音.
3. "倘若可行, 求你叫這杯離開我; 然而, 不要照我的意思, 只要照你的意思."  (太26:39)... 耶穌的榜樣.
4. "衪就設立十二個人, 要他們常和自己同在, 也要差他們去傳道."  (可3:14)... 使徒的職責.

Offerings

Growing up in a Christian family, my limited understanding of offerings included:

A. Teachings from the O.T.:

     "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house."  Malachi 3:10.

B. Teachings from the N.T.:

    - "All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on." Luke 21:4

    - "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."  Luke 20:25

    - "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful 

        giver."  2Cor 9:7