Give Not What is Holy to the Dogs

Posted on October 4, 2008 by timlyg

I find myself frequently revisiting the past, trying to make right what once went wrong with amicable advices.

As I examine these, I do admit that these grew out of some guilty feelings that I didn't do something in the past to correct the situation because I was too overwhelmed by stress as well as fear. When someone is nice to me, I know when to stand against him when justice is call into concern, but when someone is insistently nice to me when I just had a stressful victory over evil, I failed to rise above the stress from the battle to see the darkness on this side of the river, already presuming subconsciously that I would be too lonely if I tried to be a witness to the truth against BOTH sides.

Of course, I shouldn't have tolerated them the FIRST TIME (imagining that they would someone understood and correct themselves secretly), not to mention the second time or the third and so forth.

True rebuke is like lightning, it shames the wicked in the dust and corrects the humble in fear in an instant with its strike. It doesn't delay nor try to find excuses for such. It is not afraid of loneliness in the world for it has the praise of God hidden within mysteriously but not in pride.

Posted in Faults | Leave a comment

Deaths in The Old Testament

Posted on October 2, 2008 by timlyg

Many commentators have tried to justify the seemingly cruel act of God for genocide, methods of destruction, etc., especially in the Old Testament time. They tend to want to show mercy to those whom God has wiped from the face of the Earth by imagining the possibility that these could still be saved, and that the reason they are wiped away in the physical world is for their own good in the afterlife. I find it very disturbing when I recently came across similar interpretation by John Calvin on Uzzah's case in his 2nd Samuel sermons series. It seems as though if there is no slight chance of salvation for Sodomite souls or Uzzah, God would lack love.

I would rather say, that if none of these souls are saved, God is still the same just and merciful God. Thereby refuting the statement "for the good of these sinners so that they can be saved in spirit". I believe it is a irresponsible misuse of 1Corinthians 5:5, which has more instructive teaching value against the blasphemers than a mere excuse for the rest of us to live on our lives comfortably. However, if there's any lesson from all these, it is for the good of others, as an example for us to be mindful of and avoid, but I would never give a satisfying excuse to those who think God is cruel in doing so, and devoid them of appreciating God's immense grace to us who are no better than they and yet still alive today to have the chance to learn from the past.

Posted in Theologization | Leave a comment

The Hidden Testimonies

Posted on October 1, 2008 by timlyg

There are some good testimonies that we work for which are beyond our knowledge. God has intended it this way as His grace upon us, lest we learn of these mysterious fruits before time and grow pride, causing ourselves devoid of His glory and mercy and be damned.

Posted in General | Leave a comment

Stock Market = Gambling

Posted on September 30, 2008 by timlyg

With all the news of stock market crisis, I hear many Chinese love bringing such subject up in discussion at churches.

Sure, they could claim how much these are based on smarts and resourcefulness, in the end, it is just another excuse for gambling. I believe there are just about as much stock market professionals as there are casino professionals. The only difference is, everyone who gambles at a casino admits he is gambling while those gambling the stocks consider themselves investors.

Nevertheless, uncertain riches are still uncertain riches. 1 Timothy 6:17.

Posted in General | Leave a comment

Opera Omnia Calvini on DVD

Posted on September 29, 2008 by timlyg

I am going to start saving so I can buy this DVD, seems that it is the only collection of ALL of John Calvin's known works available. And there seems to be no other resources, including the libraries I've come across. $350 is worth it, but I wish it would be cheaper.

When I get it, perhaps the first thing I would be looking at is translating his sermons on the books of Samuel, which is not available in English.

I supposed the TeleVue or Ethos eyepiece would have to wait.

Posted in Projects | Leave a comment

On Preaching in America

Posted on September 27, 2008 by timlyg

I have stated that preaching in America is the hardest of all in the world.

I would add that:

In America, especially today, being a famous preacher is easy; however, to be a true preacher of the Lord, that is another story.

Posted in General | Leave a comment

The problem of Churches' Internal Affair Today

Posted on September 27, 2008 by timlyg

At least in America, and by my own experience the Chinese churches in particular, the internal problems usually come from pastors not being able to keep up with the expectation of their congregations. And in order to satisfy this expectation, roads that lead to embarrassing ends are taken instead.

Paul insisted the strictness of choosing elders and church leaders. Unfortunately, the strictest judgment the Americans could make these days is based on a piece of paper and signatures.

Posted in Reflection | Leave a comment

True Righteousness Comes from God

Posted on September 27, 2008 by timlyg

Psa 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
Psa 24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Psa 24:5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Psa 24:3 谁能登耶和华的山？谁能站在他的圣所？
Psa 24:4 就是手洁心清、不向虚妄、起誓不怀诡诈的人。
Psa 24:5 他必蒙耶和华赐福，又蒙救他的神使他成义。

Posted in Memory Verses | Leave a comment

Desktop Background Disabled?

Posted on September 26, 2008 by timlyg

If users' desktop in Display property is disabled, check that group policy (run gpedit.msc) -> User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Desktop -> Active Desktop -> Active Desktop Wallpaper is set to "Not Configured".

Posted in Technical | Leave a comment

Are We Seeing More Christians or Better Christians?

Posted on September 26, 2008 by timlyg

A good article by Read Mercer Schuchardt in ChristianityToday brought my attention to Tyler Wigg Stevenson's book, "Brand Jesus", with a few excerpts that I've been waiting for others to say.

"What would you think if you were in a modern auditorium and heard the
presenter make "The wild claim that the messiah had arrived sometime in
the mid-seventies; that he had been an undocumented Filipino migrant
worker who spoke about the inbreaking kingdom of God; that, while
working in Guam, he had been brought in by the local ecclesiastical
authorities on trumped up civil charges; that the local governor had
caved to their demands and executed him for treason; and that his life
and death changed everything we thought we knew about God, the world, and ourselves"?" - Schuchardt

At the same time, Stevenson also emphasized that one should not tell American churchgoers to shun Brand Jesus for that would only be a superficial solution:

"Consumerism is bad. It is very, very bad, indeed. But it is no worse
than humans are, and we are no worse than we have always been. If we
are to deal genuinely with the problem of consumerism, we need to
answer the question of how its evil influences our world and our lives." - Stevenson (excerpt from Brand Jesus)

In conclusion, I couldn't have put it better than Schuchardt:

"Stevenson's book confirms that this de-Christianization is now all but
complete in American culture. Hopefully a remnant will read Stevenson's
book, take a break from eating, and start praying."

Posted in News | Leave a comment