One who has high demand over quality is bound to suffer in this world.
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Sometimes I wonder if America is better than the Israelites of the old testament. To come to think of it, the Israelites were better. Time and time again, they've come to God. What America is suffering from seems to be the longest disease I've ever seen.
By comparisons, the Israelites were crazy about idolatry. America? We have all kinds of religions striving to stand up while christians shut themselves inside churches. Very contrary to Jesus' last but greatest commission to His followers.
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Sometimes, you see people with perverted ideas trying to justify themselves.
One must never give up to fight it with the word of God. Wisdom of God. To glorify the name of God. The foundation of the Church is unshakable. Even against those perverted ones within churches.
Knowing when to rebuke, when to advise, when to comfort, when to reprove is the beauty of the wisdom.
Rebuke is not always necessary, nor is comfort. With our corrupted reasonings we have often failed at this, either rebuke or comfort, that we must truly come to the Bible, seeking after the Truth, to secure ourselves, to keep ourselves from doing the extreme.
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Would eating less make us morevulnerable to cuts? slight injuries?
I could only speculate from experience.
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What can I say of our dear brethren?
Because his great grandfather was too great, hence he's so little? About two years ago, he's been to New York Stony Brook University to give a speech, prior to that, he held a small conference at a church nearby, we've talked. Since China is still rather "fierce" towards Christianity, Rev. J.H. Taylor III has promoted a "christian" organization allowing "christians" from all professions to come into the country, using this opportunity to preach the Gospel. I cannot discredit this action, but to call it a wise way of doing the Great Commission, I have to strongly disagree. This is nothing more than cultural commission, one that is also a must for all christians. To further call it the Great Commission, it would be an excuse. Escaping the responsibility of the kind of hardship passed down by the apostles. "We must be wise!" Please...don't make me correct the word "wise" with "timid". At that time, I felt something wrong, but couldn't clearly discern due to my great reverence towards all missionaries; took me almost a year to see things clearly. What a shame. May the mercy of the Lord never leave me.
On the contrary, Jephtha's mother was a prostitute, yet he's become one of the most important Judges of Israel.
So it is not who you are underneath; it is what you do that defines you.
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While I was on my way home from work around 10pm, I saw a few amigos fishing at the Bowling Green harbor. An approx. 30" blue fish on the ground caught my attention. I had to asked. It seems that this is a very good fishing spot, perhaps one of the best in NYC.
This is what I could gather from Ghana, our friendly fisherman:
Fishes: Striped Bass (30-40"), Blue Fish, snappers.
Bait: Bunker. (I supposed one could try using live bait)
Lights are not necessary.
Lines: at least 30 pound strength.
Others: Slider (If I have not mistakened, it's for the weight, allowing it to slide across the line)
As many would know, Blue fish has strong jaw and sharp teeth, strong enough to cut nylon lines. Hence, steel lining is required at the end.
Time: 7pm - 7am. (There are ships in the day time).
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Out of motives, out of desires, it is sad to see people using the wrong terminologies to call/describe certain things; and some using some terminologies to mean something else. It is even more unfortunate to see this happening in churches.
In order to hide the motives, they were covered with sweet and cute terms so that they seem so innocent. To list a few, terms like faith, study partners, devotion partners, joy, heart, etc.
Hence, truthfulness is lacking.
It is no wonder, when Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
By trying to justify oneself's motives and desires with the wrong terminologies, iniquities nevertheless keep building up, even to a point where one is fooled by oneself. Therefore unable to help it when things get worse, the love for God, eventually wax cold. Like the seed sown into stony places.
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Romance of Three Kingdoms (ZhugeLiang/KongMing)
严畯：孔明所言，皆强词夺理，不是正论，诸公不必与其计较。请问孔明先生，制何经典？
亮：我从不做那种寻章摘句，引经据典的学问，那是迂腐书呆子们的事情，与兴邦立业豪无关系。自古以来的大贤们，也末必冶什么经典？商汤的宰相伊尹，当初不过是个耕地的奴隶。兴周 的姜子牙曾作渭水之渔夫，至于后世张良、陈平等辈，皆有匡扶宇宙之才。也没听说他们冶什么经典呀！可如今书生们张口经典闭口古训，整日忙碌于笔砚之间，我 看这些人恐怕只会数黑论黄，舞文弄墨而已！
程秉：听公之言口气甚大，末必真有实学。恐天下儒者所笑耳！
亮： 既然说起儒者，可知道儒者有君子小人之别么？君子之儒，忠君爱国，守公正斥缺恶，既能恩泽于当世，又可流芳于后世。而小人之儒则不同，专攻笔墨文章，只会 雕虫小技；可谓青春作赋，皓首穷经，笔下虽有千言，而胸中实无一策。试看扬雄，才华横溢，修辞作赋名盖一时。然而奸臣王莽篡权，他不顾廉耻，屈膝投降，最 后落得个跳楼自杀的下场！此等小人之儒，就是日赋万言，又有什么可取之处呢？亮知德枢兄乃汝南大儒，也拜读过兄长《周易摘抄》之大作。但愿兄长能做君子大 儒，忠君爱国。切莫仿效杨雄等小人之儒，留下千秋万代之骂名。
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罗贯中的诸葛亮： 兵者有可见之兵，有不可见之兵。可见之兵者荷戟执戈，肉身之士；不可见之兵，日月星辰、风云水火、山川之灵气，如此万物万象均可为兵。[@more@]
I once stumbled upon a question on whether any film actors would be saved? Because their whole lives and works have been full of temptations and you just don't see some survive from that.
After coming across Kirk's website http://www.wayofthemaster.com/watchwitnessing.shtml# (honestly showing in the last clip where many other christian organizations would have cut out) and his sister's http://www.candacecameronbure.net/testimony.php I realized more clearly how truly unconditional God's salvation is.
Nevertheless, due to the temptations of the world of hollywood, it is impossible for one to discern between entertainment and joy. And many who seemed to have come to know Christ, failed. A few would try to find ways to compensate their situations by incorporating less obvious forms of entertainment into their ministries.
Last but not least, Kirk's and Candace's cases reminded me to truly pray for God's everylasting grace for them. That they fear not the burden of bitterness and losses.
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