Spiritual Gifts

following Ita's post...hehehe.

Binyun...binyun...(unsure abt my spiritual gifts)

Gifts based on personality:

1. Knowledge
2. Teaching
3. Encouragement
4. Discerning spirits
5. Administration, to give, mercy (same score for all three)

Gifts based on Experience

1. Evangelism
2. Teaching
3. Discerning spirits
4. Shepherding, to help, to serve, mercy, to prophesy (same score for all 5)

After combining the two, three major gifts:

1. Teaching
2. Discerning spirits
3. Mercy
   

Interesting results indeed!

Previous test using Network course by Zondervan were the following results:

1. Intercession
2. Faith
3. Encouragement
   

What do you think ah?

Time to say Goodbye

Beautiful song :)

On Acceptance

Why people starve for approval? Why do we have the need to be accepted by people? By somehow having respects from our companies we feel we are sorted ourselves and do not really need anything else?

I read a shout out posted by one of my friends in Facebook saying "money is everything, without money and riches, no one will ever look at us". Very honest observation but too quick a conclusion. Traditional chinese, yeah I will mention us Chinese. We are included. We are too proud, too full of ourselves. Yet, we fail in measuring any man's dignity and worth by simply looking at the superficial things they possess (as if it's gonna last forever). Oh GET OVER IT People!!! Those diamonds and golds might be expensive, shows your hard work?? maybe...or it shows that you have just robbed someone?? you have my cynical laugh. We should respect other humans just how we like to be respected.

Don't judge the book by its cover. So cliche the saying that we forget what it really means, yeah...

Upset. I am upset. Why people do this to others as fellow Homo Sapiens? Too cruel.

Money may satisfy all your needs and wants...but the question is are you fully satisfied? or it just leads you to new desires waiting to be fulfilled? viscious chain huh?

Haih what human does when they left God out of their life equation.

On cults

I heard about a friend of mine might be visiting a dodgy church. I was so disturbed to hear this. I feel like screaming out! People open your eyes!!! study the Bible well!!! It is BLIMMIN CLEAR!!!

The thing about cult is that, it can be very legalistic so as to take God's grace out. They talked about keeping the gospel, it's all well and good. But, how do you do it? What source do you used? Do you encourage people to find themselves or are you 'stretching' out the truth? DONT!!! DONT DO IT PEOPLE!!!

My friend and I used to serve the Lord together. BUT WHY THE TURN??

I feel very weak, very cowardish and such a softy. I am too soft to rebuke people.

We had just studied about "speaking in tongues". Heck, it is very clear! let me just paste it to you ya. Don't insist on your stand. Read the Word with cool head. Trust me, it will speak for itself!

1 Corinthians 14

1Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. 2For anyone who speaks in a tongue[a] does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.[b] 3But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. 4He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5I would like every one of you to speak in tongues,[c] but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues,[d] unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.

6Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. 12So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

13For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand[e] say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.

18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21In the Law it is written:
"Through men of strange tongues
and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
but even then they will not listen to me,"[f] says the Lord.

22Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers. 23So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand[g] or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand[h]comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, 25and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"

Orderly Worship

26What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.

29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

As in all the congregations of the saints, 34women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. 35If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

36Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. 38If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored.[i]

39Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Swing it Ladies...

At Last - Etta James

A nice music to welcome the weekend. I am very happy :). Both of my boss are happy with my work. So will you swing it with me??

Early June Blues

I met my other new colleagues, she is in fact still a student at a reputable University in this country. Her job is pretty much the same as my job. To be frank, I felt a little down as she is given the same task as me. She is still in Uni and I left Uni but we have same responsibilities. But then, I am grateful I was entrusted these little things. I was given opportunity also to gain experience in food industry. That is sufficient. If I should think the task given was easy, it might be a more valid complaint, but it was not easy and I am learning.

Sometimes, I feel I work a little slower than everyone and was feeling a little "kiasu". But, heck! I will be true to myself. My job is pretty challenging. I am content and commit to learn as much as I can from my work. Haiyah, why this country so believe in merits and achievements? and gaining approval from it? My confidence is in Christ alone. He accepted me and loved me, not because I am meeting any of His standards. But, because it is purely His choice.

Faith and Feeling

QUESTION: I am a Christian, but I do not feel as strong love for Christ as I know I should. What can I do about this?

The fact that you mourn your lack of love is all in your favor. No one is likely to deplore the coldness of his heart unless there is some warmth there already. It takes love to desire love. There has scarcely been a Christian, however devout, who has not grieved because he loved Christ so little. This appears to be the one mark of saintliness that is almost universal. Further, you must remember that your love for God is not primarily an emotion, but an act of the will. True Christian love is the love of willing, not the love of feeling, though it is likely to bring a great deal of joyous emotion along with it. Our Lord made the test of love to lie in obedience to His commandments (John 14:21-24). Feeling is a by-product of obedience. The order is: (1) believing, (2) willing, (3) obeying, (4) feeling.

QUESTION: My occupation is distasteful to me and God has not answered my prayer to have it changed. Can God be using it as a thorn in my flesh and refusing to hear my prayer for that reason?

This is extremely doubtful. Paul's thorn was not his occupation, but something far more personal than that. God may be delaying the answer to your prayer because He knows that your trouble does not lie in your occupation, but in yourself. It is a fallacy to believe that we are unhappy because of external circumstances, and that if we only get our circumstances straightened out we will become happy automatically. I once heard a great preacher say, You'll never be contented anywhere until you can be contented anywhere, and I agree with him fully. Peace of heart is a gift from God to the man who has met certain spiritual terms. It has nothing to do with occupation or living conditions. 'My peace I leave with you' was spoken to persons who were to know little else but trouble for the rest of their lives. God usually changes our circumstances by changing us internally. Allow Him to lift you above your present occupation and He may lead you into a better one.

QUESTION: I am in government service and deeply dislike my work. I feel that I am not accomplishing anything worthwhile. Is it right for me to pray to be led into a different kind of work?

It is always right to take our problems to God in prayer. He has promised to bring the blind by a way that they knew not (Isa. 42:16), and He assures us that if we keep Him in our thoughts our path will be directed (Prov. 3:5,6). We should not, however, allow ourselves to get wrought up about anything. It is the consensus among superior souls (as revealed in their books of devotion) that the Spirit leads without agitation, while the enemy, when he tries to imitate the Spirit, usually whips us up to a state of confusion and mental distress. The best rule is to pray, trust God fully and then follow His providences. Do not insist upon an earthquake or a whirlwind as the only evidences of divine guidance. God may lead you by a still small voice or by quietly arranging a set of circumstances so ordinary as to seem commonplace. Faith accepts quiet guidance; only unbelief demands a miracle.

QUESTION: I am a university student and my problem is this: If I study enough to pass my tests I have a feeling of guilt for having neglected my prayer life. If I pray enough to satisfy my heart I neglect my studies. What shall I do?

I think you are creating a problem where none exists. You have fallen into the common error of living a divided life, counting prayer as sacred and study as secular. God's will never contradicts itself; neither does He lay upon us duties that conflict with one another. Here is my advice: Consecrate your studies to God as a living sacrifice. Ask Him to accept your intellectual labors as an offering of love. To the spiritual man everything is sacred; nothing is secular. William Law says, 'Miranda does not divide her duty between God, her neighbor and herself; but she considers all as due to God, and so does everything . . for His sake.' Begin to think of your college work as intellectual worship acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. This will make the dullest subject enjoyable and, incidentally, it will sharpen your brain so you can grasp difficult ideas a lot more easily. The notion that prayer is to be made in retirement only is erroneous. That prayer which consists of an address to the Deity (which the Pharisees made on the street corner and which our Lord said should be made in the closet) is only one kind of prayer. A well-lived life is a prayer if it is lived in the faith of Christ. The hands may pray by doing honest work, the feet by carrying us to that work; sleep can be prayer when it refreshes us to serve our fellow men and eating may be prayer if it is done with thanksgiving. There is no reason to doubt that your college studies are an acceptable form of spiritual service. Of course, you should spend as much time as possible in prayerful retirement; only don't get under bondage to it. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31).

by Aiden Walter Tozer