Human Journey

Human journey is a one-way street of our choices according to our concept of valueWe make choices everyday.
We choose how to spend our time.
We choose how to handle our finance.
We choose how to react to certain situation.
A lot of times, our choices resulted in time wasted, matters mishandled, relationships damaged, or health ruined. Consequently, we regretted the choices we made.

This is a one-way street because we can not turn back the clock. Many things can not be undone. Fortunately, we can make a U turn. We can change our mind NOW to match God’s mind. We can repent! If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, they have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). The only thing new in the universe is God Himself.

Human journey is a sum total of various repetitionsWe breathe the same air every moment.
The same Sun rises every morning.
We drink the same H2O everyday.
We enjoy the same food over and over again.
We enjoy God’s speaking in the Word over and over again.
We enjoy calling on the Lord’s name a thousand times a day.
We eagerly look forward to our gathering certain times a week.

All these are simple, pure, necessary, repetitious and life-giving. We can never graduate from these necessities. They may seem old, but they are actually new (1 John 2:7-8). It is in this process God imparts Himself into us, making us His duplication, His enlargement and His expression.

Each journey has a destination or an endWhat is your destination?
Where does your journey lead you to - New Jerusalem or gnashing of teeth in darkness (Matthew 22:13, 25:30)?
Shall we start making our choices TODAY according to God and let our temporary journey be connected to eternity?

Our concept of value

We make choices based on our concept of value. The question is – do we make our daily choices according to God? Do we value what God values? Does my concept of value match His?
Many have rejected Him, but would you treasure Him?所以祂在你們信的人是寶貴的，在那不信的人卻是“匠人所棄的石頭，已成了房角的頭塊石頭，” (1 Peter 2:7, Psalm 118:22)

He must increase; we must decrease. Are you willing to be reduced?因為十字架的話，對那正在滅亡的人為愚拙，對我們正在得救的人卻為神的大能。(1 Corinthians 1:18)

What is more important to you, His desires or your desires?因為這一切都是外邦人所急切尋求的，你們的天父原知道你們需要這一切。但你們要先尋求祂的國和祂的義，這一切就都要加給你們了。(Matthew 6:32-33)

Do you love Him with the best love, or with left-over love?愛父母過於愛我的，配不過我；愛兒女過於愛我的，配不過我；
不背起他的十字架，並跟從我的，也配不過我。(Matthew 10:37-38)

Do you love the Lord more than your own accomplishments?人若賺得全世界，卻賠上自己的魂生命，有甚麼益處？人還能拿甚麼換自己的魂生命？(Matthew 16:26)

Would you allow Him to expand into your feeling, thinking and choosing?所以那照神旨意受苦的人，也要在善行上，將他們的魂交與那信實的創造主。(1 Peter 4:19)

Do you desire fame and position more than the Lord?於是耶穌叫了他們來，說，你們知道外邦人有君王為主治理他們，也有大臣操權管轄他們。但你們中間不是這樣；反倒你們中間無論誰想要為大，就必作你們的僕役；(Matthew 20:25-26)

Which would you choose - worldly enjoyment or God’s house?摩西因著信，長大了就拒絕稱為法老女兒之子；他寧可選擇和神的百姓同受苦害，也不願有罪的短暫享受；(Hebrews 11:24-25)

What is your choice?在你的院宇住一日，勝似在別處住千日；我寧願站在我神殿的門檻，也不願住在惡人的帳棚裏。(Psalm 84:10)

(a little overflow from the 2010 Memorial Day Conference, Msg #5)
http://christophers-notes.blogspot.com/2009/11/00001-vs-10000.html

每况愈下 (Downward Spiral)

一个年轻人失恋了，沮丧之余借酒浇愁，后来竟然染上酒瘾，无法自拔，最后荒废学业，意志消沉，成了无家可归的流浪汉。

一个中年的工程师被解聘了，之后数日一语不发，极度忧郁，末了持枪自尽。老婆孩子成了寡妇孤儿，又是一场人间悲剧。

类似的事件在世界各地不断重演，有人说二十一世纪是忧郁的世纪实不为过。圣经说"你們的對頭魔鬼，如同吼叫的獅子，遍地遊行，尋找可吞喫的人；(彼得前書五8)" 真是一针见血地点出我们的光景。人生不如意，十之八九。基督人该如何应付逆境呢？基督人该如何看待忧虑呢？

先来读几处的经节：
我們曉得萬有都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處，就是按祂旨意被召的人。(羅馬書八28)
應當一無罣慮，只要凡事藉著禱告、祈求，帶著感謝，將你們所要的告訴神；(腓立比書四6)
你們要將一切的憂慮卸給神，因為祂顧念你們。務要謹守、儆醒。(彼得前書五7)
基督人必须领会我们是一班以基督作生命的人，是一班以神为乐、接受圣灵引领的人。我们深信万事互相效力，叫爱神的人得益处。我们如果爱神，事情一来，我们会回到深处的灵里呼求主、与主交通，寻求神的心意及神的带领。反过来说，我们如果不爱神，事情一来，我们立刻反应、自作主张，那就不得益处了。

基督人会有逆境、但不该忧虑。基督人若忧郁，就表示他向神独立，没有依靠主。每一个环境可能是危机，也可能是转机。这与我们平常的操练有很大的关系。如果平常操练不够，小小的难处就会让我们陷在忧郁里。愿意所有的弟兄姊妹都能在聚会中，在日常生活中，有健康的操练与实行，作个与主亲密，喜乐的基督人。

那等候耶和華的必重新得力；他們必如鷹展翅上騰；(以賽亞書四十31)
http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/ch/508

Portrait of a tiger

What do you see in the above painting? A tiger. That’s right. It is a portrait of a tiger. Do you also see bamboo leaves, grass and rocks? Are these items parts of the overall picture? Yes, they are. Are they the focus of the picture? No, they are not.

How about the Bible? Do you know that the Bible portraits a Person (John 5:39)? Many Bible readers have missed the focus (John 5:40). The Bible also portraits His purpose and His plan (Matthew 6:9-10, 16:18, Ephesians 1:10, 22)

The genuine gospel is this Person (Romans 1:2-4). Any so-called gospel apart from this Person is not gospel (Galatians 1:6-7).

A proper baptism joins us to this Person (Romans 6:3-5). Many Christians are carried away by how a baptism should be done. How a baptism should be done is NOT the focus. The focus is to be baptized into His Person through His death and His resurrection.

Do you know that Ephesians 5:22 is just a background? The focus is 5:32. Christ is the Head. He needs a counterpart to be His expression and His satisfaction (Genesis 1:26).

Many Christ-seekers pay much attention to the great tribulation. Well, it is also a background item. The focus is our loving the Lord. Through our giving ourselves to the Lord we are growing and are being built up in the Body of Christ. Forget about the great tribulation. Give yourself to the Lord and to the Body.

(Romans 12:1-5, 14:17, 16:24)

Christians, read Acts 2:4, Ephesians 4:1-16, 1 John 1:3, 1 Timothy 1:3-4. Don’t be carried away by background items or man-made systems / traditions (Ephesians 4:14).

http://5loaves-2fish.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post_18.html

The complete gospel

國度的福音就是神全備的福音 ─ 將罪人稱義, 聖別, 作成神的兒子, 構成基督的身體 (全地的召會)，實際地顯在各地的地方召會
1. The kingdom of God is the person of Christ sown into our being. This is the gospel.
這福音是神從前藉著祂的眾申言者，在聖經上所應許的，
論到祂的兒子，我們的主耶穌基督：按肉體說，是從大衛後裔生的，
按聖別的靈說，是從死人的復活，以大能標出為神的兒子；
(Romans 1:2-4)
2a. This gospel not only justifies us, it enlivens us and enables us to live a new living according to who God is.
因為神的義在這福音上，本於信顯示與信，如經上所記：“義人必本於信得生並活著。” (Romans 1:17)
2b. Not only we are saved objectively (doctrinally), much more we need to be saved subjectively (experientially)
因為我們作仇敵的時候，且藉著神兒子的死得與神和好，既已和好，就更要在祂的生命裡得救了。(Romans 5:10)
3. Furthermore, God will cause all persons, all things and all matters to conform us into God’s many sons, bearing the image of the Firstborn, Christ.
還有，我們曉得萬有都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處，就是按祂旨意被召的人。因為神所豫知的人，祂也豫定他們模成神兒子的形像，使祂兒子在許多弟兄中作長子。(Romans 8:28-29)
4. Not only we are saved experientially and conformed, we need to be built up in the Body, knit together according to the God of peace. This organic building will crush Satan. (Matthew 16:18)
平安的神快要將撒但踐踏在你們的腳下。(Romans 16:20)
5. This is the gospel of the kingdom, the complete gospel. When we see it, practice it, teach it and preach it, God will establish us according to His eternal will. (Matthew 24:14)
神能照我的福音，就是關於耶穌基督的傳揚，照歷世以來密而不宣之奧祕的啟示，堅固你們；(Romans 16:25)

http://5loaves-2fish.blogspot.com/2008/06/blog-post_8671.html

Gospel of the kingdom

1. God’s desire is to establish His kingdom on the earth.願你的國來臨，願你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。(Matthew 6:10)

2. Our entrance into the kingdom – turning our heart to Him, obeying His word and receiving His life耶穌又說，神的國是這樣，如同人把種子撒在地上，(Mark 4:26)
凡聽見國度之道不領悟的，那惡者就來，把撒在他心裏的奪了去；這就是那撒在路旁的。(Matthew 13:19)
耶穌回答說，我實實在在的告訴你，人若不是從水和靈生的，就不能進神的國。(John 3:5)

3. After our initial entrance into the kingdom (being regenerated in our spirit), we need to let Christ reign in our soul (being transformed in our mind, emotion and will). We also need to be headed up by Christ so that we may be His organic Body as His corporate expression.堅固門徒的魂，勸勉他們恆守信仰，又說，我們進入神的國，必須經歷許多患難。(Acts 14:22)
因為神的國不在於喫喝，乃在於公義、和平、並聖靈中的喜樂。(Romans 14:17)
那些受洋溢之恩，並洋溢之義恩賜的，就更要藉著耶穌基督一人，在生命中作王了。(Romans 5:17b)
我們如果忍耐，也必與祂一同作王；我們如果不認祂，祂也必不認我們；(2 Timothy 2:12)
因為基督必要作王，直到神把一切仇敵都放在祂的腳下。(1 Corinthians 15:25)
平安的神快要將撒但踐踏在你們的腳下。(Romans 16:20a)
又叫他們成為國度，作祭司，歸與我們的神；他們要在地上執掌王權。(Revelation 5:10)

4. This is the gospel of the kingdom. Preaching the gospel of grace is not sufficient to end this age.這國度的福音要傳遍天下，對萬民作見證，然後末期纔來到。(Matthew 24:14)

5. Ultimately, the kingdom will be manifested in the millennium (as a reward for overcomers) and the eternity (for all the believers).第七位天使吹號，天上就有大聲音說，世上的國，成了我主和祂基督的國，祂要作王，直到永永遠遠。(Revelation 11:15)
在頭一次復活有分的有福了，聖別了，第二次的死在他們身上沒有權柄；他們還要作神和基督的祭司，並要與基督一同作王一千年。(Revelation 20:6)
不再有黑夜，他們也不需要燈光日光，因為主神要光照他們；他們要作王，直到永永遠遠。(Revelation 22:5)

http://christophers-notes.blogspot.com/2009/11/2-qs-re-kingdom-of-god.html

Balloons

The above picture is very interesting (taken from the January 2006 edition of Reader’s Digest). Don’t you think it describes the church life vividly?

Living the church life is a matter of being filled with God’s Air (= Spirit). The following verses prove this point:

The wind blows where it wills, … so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)
God is Spirit, and we must worship Him in spirit. (John 4:24)
… the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:6)
If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask and he will give life to him,… (1 John 5:16)

When we turn our hearts to God who is dwelling in our spirit, we will be filled with the heavenly Air and we will be happy and healthy “balloons”. Many Christians are not used to exercising their spirit. They need help! “Give him some air!” This is why we need to be with all the saints as frequently as possible. Let’s help one another to be filled with God. Let’s give life to one another.

“Give him some air!” Pray that there will be a lot of “balloons” in the church life, the Body life. May the Lord fill us unto the fullness of God. Amen!

A Negative History

1. Saul had attractive appearance and natural talents (1 Samuel 9:1-2). (1) Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, … a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. (2) And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he…

2. Saul had some successes and attracted some followers (1 Samuel 14:52). And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.

3. Saul was selfish, competitive and ambitious (1 Samuel 20:30-31).
(30) Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness? (31) For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

4. Saul was controlling (1 Samuel 22:7).
Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

5. Saul was rebellious toward God (1 Samuel 15:22-23).
(22) And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (23) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

6. Samuel rejected Saul because God has rejected Saul (1 Samuel 15:35). And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

7. Jonathan knew in his heart that Saul was creating his own kingdom and that David was chosen by Jehovah. However, he continued to follow Saul due to the natural relationship. The ending was sad. (1 Samuel 31:1-13).
8. Conclusion: We should take this failure seriously. Don't repeat the same mistake.

my way or His way

God created me with a free will. I am free to make choices everyday. I choose what to speak and how I speak. I choose how to spend my time. I choose how to spend my money. I choose what I think. I choose how I drive my car. I choose whether to wash those dirty dishes in the sink. I choose how to react to situations.

When I am in my old self, I choose to murmur rather than to praise God; I choose to complain rather than to thank Him; I choose to be judgmental rather than to be merciful; I choose isolation over oneness with the brothers; I choose to worry rather than to pray; I choose TV over the Bible; I choose anger over joy; I choose to demand others rather than to serve others; I choose to express myself rather than to express God...

Perhaps this is why the Lord charges me that I have to deny myself and follow Him. (Matthew 16:24) He wants to give me His life and nature, but my old self keeps getting in the way. I know that when I turn my heart to Him, I would make all the right choices, but how come I keep making those stubborn and stupid choices.

I, me and myself have to go.
God in Christ as the Spirit has to come in.

O Lord, help me and strengthen me that I would chooseYou in my daily walk. O Lord, thank You for giving me a free will. I choose to lose my freedom and choose what you have chosen for me. Amen.

Being social vs Being knit together

(Please click on the above picture to read.) Being knit together in Ephesians 4:16, Colossians 2:2 and 2:19 is NOT being social. Being social actually is dangerous because it is against God’s purpose in its source, its means, its focus, and its goal. Being social may look like being knit together, but it is just a counterfeit. Synthetic soy sauce may look like organic soy sauce, but it is actually harmful to your health. The above list should give us proper discernment. http://5loaves-2fish.blogspot.com/2008/10/soy-sauce_04.html

We should not be social, nor should we be anti-social. We are simply the Body of Christ. Being social or not is a matter in the earthly realm. Being knit together is altogether in the divine and mystical realm. We are not earthly people. Our commonwealth is in the heavens (Philippians 3:20).

Christ is the Head and we are the Body. Since the Head is Christ so the Body has to be Christ as well. He is our source and we are being made the same as He is for expressing Him. May the Head knit us together through every joint of the rich supply and through the operation in the measure of each one part. Amen. Jesus is Lord.

Capture the image (2)

Capture the imapge of Christ (2)

Once we understand that we are like a camera, it is not difficult to see through Satan's 3 strategies (maybe more) in preventing us from capturing the image of Christ:

1. Satan would cover the lens by blinding our mind (2 Corinthians 4:4)
2. Satan would break the lens by corrupting our mind (2 Corinthians 11:3)
3. Satan would occupy the film with something seemingly good as Christ's substitute. (Romans 12:2)

So what shall we do to counter:
1. We need to receive in meekness the word of God, which will save our souls. (James 1:21, Hebrews 4:12)
2. We need to train our mind to be obedient to Christ by setting our mind on the spirit. (2 Corinthians 10:5, Romans 8:6)
3. We need to be renewed in the spirit of our mind by letting the Spirit of God spread into our mind. (Ephesians 4:23)
4. Eventually we would have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16, Philippians 2:5)

You think, therefore you are. If you think like Christ, you are ...
It is no longer I, but ...

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/nt/547

Capture the image of Christ

2 Cor. 4:4 says, “In whom the god of this age has blinded the thoughts of the unbelievers that the illumination of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine on them.” The god of this age has blinded not the will, emotion, or conscience, but the thoughts, the mind. Then 4:6 says, “Because the God who said, Out of darkness light shall shine, is the One who shined in our hearts to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” By these two verses we know that God shines in our heart through our mind. We may compare ourselves to a camera, our mind to the lens, and our heart to the film; in addition, Christ is the figure before the camera and God is the light. The light from the figure (Christ) comes to the film (our heart) firstly through the lens (our mind).

(from Ch 9 of "Practical Lessons on the Experience of Life" )

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Our heart has four parts: mind, will, emotion, and conscience. When God comes to deal with us in our heart, what part does He touch first? The first message of the gospel of the New Testament, is “repent” (Matt. 3:2) - change the mind. We have to change our mind - turn our mind to God. In God’s dealing with us, the first thing within us that He touches is the mind. He enlightens the mind.

Second, God touches our emotion. If people had no emotion, no one could be saved. To be saved is truly an emotional matter. May the Lord stir us up to love Him.

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Third, God touches the conscience. As God shines, we see who Christ is. In addition, our real condition is exposed. "But now my eye has seen You; therefore I abhor myself and I repent in dust and ashes," (Job 42:5-6)

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When the mind is enlightened, the emotion is stirred up, and the conscience is convicted, we need to make the decision to follow the Lord. This decision is the exercise of the will, which is the last step. When the heart is hardened, what part of it is hardened? It is the will. To harden the heart is to be stubborn in the will.

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If we deal with our mind, emotion, conscience, and will, we will have a proper heart, a useful entrance for God. We will allow Him to have the ground and the way to deal with us in a proper way. Then we will have the Triune God within us as life and the anointing. This requires our cooperation. Let's put all this into practice to afford God the ground and the way to duplicate Christ in us, making us the same as He is in life, in nature, in function, and in expression.

GPS

GPS (Global Positioning System)

Failures and disappointments are inevitable;
Negativity and miseries are optional.
God, in His sovereignty, allows failures and disappointments happen to us to show us where we are. (Matthew 7:24-25; 1 Peter 1:6-7) Typical human reactions include miserable feeling, negative thinking, and even extreme choosing. However, we don't have to react that way. We have a wonderful alternative - Christ, who is the secret of our Christian journey (Philippians 4:12).

When failures come, it seems that you have lost the direction. At this juncture, turn on your GPS (the heavenly vision). What does it say? It says Christ is our life and we are organic members of the Body of Christ. Don't trust your natural feeling, thinking and choosing. Trust the GPS in your spirit. Call upon His name (Acts 4:12). Pick up the phone and get connected to the Body (Acts 9:17).

When darkness looms, remember that God is light and the church is a lampstand.

When death threatens, remember that Christ is the life-giving Spirit in you personally and in the Body corporately (Colossians 3:3-4; Psalm 133).

Serpent of Brass

Numbers 21:4-9
4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
5 And the people spoke against God, and against Moses, Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for [there is] no bread, neither [is there any] water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

John 3:14-15; Matthew 9:12; Isaiah 53:5

Transfusion, Infusion, Suffusion

Transfusion
Looking away unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith,… (Hebrews 12:2)
… the Author of life… (Acts 3:15)
… the Author of their salvation (Hebrews 2:10)

Faith does NOT come from us. Jesus is the Author of faith. It is He who transfuses faith into us and we respond by receiving Him and believing into Him (John 1:12). As a result, we are regenerated with God’s life.

Infusion“But the righteous shall have life and live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)

Regeneration is just a beginning. We need to continue to live by faith. The faith in us needs to grow and be perfected. Jesus is the Perfecter (Hebrews 12:2), who continues to infuse us with His elements and essence.

Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:9)

Not only we are regenerated in our spirit, we need to cooperate with the Spirit’s transforming work within us. Through our cooperation, God’s life will spread from our spirit to every parts of our soul – mind, emotion, and will. This is the infusion of faith.

Suffusion = Saturation = Permeation
Even now Christ shall be magnified in my body… (Philippians 1:20)
For to me, to live is Christ … (Philippians 1:21)

At the end of the process, our whole being will be saturated with Christ. We will fully express Him. When people see us, they see God. When people touch us, they touch God. Even we shall put on incorruption and immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53).

Thank the Lord for including us in such a glorious process. Amen!

A little story

In God’s eyes, we are all terminally ill and rebellious (Luke 1:79, Ephesians 2:12). No one can cure this dreadful disease and nothing can remove our sinful nature, except God. We may be successful outwardly, but inwardly we are ill.
亞蘭王的元帥乃縵，在他主人面前為大，極受尊寵，因耶和華曾藉他使亞蘭人得勝；他又是大能的勇士，只是患了痲瘋。…亞蘭王說，你可以去，我也會送信給以色列王。於是乃縵手中帶著銀子十他連得，金子六千舍客勒，衣裳十套，就去了；且帶信給以色列王，信上說，現在這信到了你那裏，你就知道我打發臣僕乃縵去見你，是要你治好他的痲瘋。以色列王讀了信就撕裂衣服，說，我豈是神，能使人死、使人活呢？這人竟打發人來，叫我治好一個人的痲瘋。(2 Kings 5:1-7)

God desires to restore us in His way. His way is to become a man (Jesus) and to release the river of salvation through death and resurrection. All is required of us is our willingness to take His way. It is very simple if we are simple. His way becomes very difficult if we are complicated. Again, all is needed is our willing cooperation.
以利沙打發一個使者，對乃縵說，你去在約但河中沐浴七次，你的肉必復原，你就必得潔淨。乃縵卻發怒走了，說，我想他必定出來見我，站著呼求耶和華他神的名，在患處以上搖手，治好這痲瘋。大馬色的河亞罷拿和法珥法，豈不比以色列的一切水更好麼？我不能在那裏沐浴，得潔淨麼？於是氣忿忿的轉身去了。(2 Kings 5:10-12)

When we are willing to take His way, we will experience God’s inward healing. It sounds too good to be true, but that is the way it is. Bathing in Jordan River means we let go who we are and let God come in to supply us. We need to go and God needs to come in. In addition, we need to experience this seven times – our lifetime. We can not graduate from God’s washing and supplying in the church life.
他的僕人進前來，對他說，我父阿，申言者若叫你作一件大事，你豈不作麼？何況說你去沐浴而得潔淨呢？於是乃縵下去，照著神人的話，在約但河裏浸了七次。他的肉復原，好像小孩子的肉，他就潔淨了。(2 Kings 5:13-14)

To learn more, click on this link.
http://www.lsmchinese.org/big5/07online_reading/lifestudy/ot/read.asp?no=10-013

oikonomia, -nomos, -domia

What is an economy? An economy is a distribution or circulation of goods and services. When the distribution is healthy and the circulation is flowing, the economy is good. When no one is "enjoying" goods and services through "normal consumption", the economy is in "recession". The US economy is currently in recession because the circulation is poor due to various problems.

How about the economy (oikonomia) in God's house? Are we enjoying the riches of Christ in our mingled spirit regularly and consistently? Is the circulation healthy? Are we receiving and supplying the riches in a good way?

"Stewards" (oikonomos) in the New Testament refers to those who distribute the riches of God. When there are many stewards in a given locality, the church life is enriching and booming. On the contrary, when we are short of people like this, the church life is stale and "receding". Stewards are people who are constituted with the riches of God through their daily enjoyment in their mingled spirit. They are "channels" of God's spiritual blessings for the building up (oikodomia) of the Body of Christ.

Since God's unique house is global, His economy is also global (Matthew 24:14, Acts 1:8, Romans 16:26, Revelation 11:15).

May the Lord raise up many stewards (oikonomos) to dispense the all-inclusive riches according to God's economy (oikonomia) for the building up (oikodomia) of this unique and universal Body of Christ.

Note:
oikonomia can be found in Ephesians 1:10, 3:2; Colossians 1:25
oikonomos can be found in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 4:10
oikodomia can be found in 1 Corinthians 14:5,12,26; Ephesians 4:12,16,29; 1 Timothy 1:4

2 Q's re Kingdom of God

Q1. Where is the kingdom of God?
A better question is - who is the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is God Himself sown into us as the seed (Mark 4:26).

We need to repent (= change our mind) to receive the kingdom (Mark 1:15). Then we need to let this seed grow within us. It won't be easy (Acts 14:22), but the Lord's bountiful supply will empower us that we would have a living of expressing Christ (Romans 14:17)

Q2. What kind of people are in the kingdom of God ?

1. Life of God
They are born into the kingdom (John 3:3). The divine birth is the entrance into the kingdom. Sorry, neither adoption nor immigration. One has to be born again by receiving God's life.

2. Nature of God
Through the divine birth God's life is now in our spirit, but do we let God's nature spread into our soul (feeling, thinking and decision making)? Those who are saturated with God's nature should be like:

a. Toward God - They are simple, open, pure, dependent, and obedient like children (Mark 10:15)
b. Toward men - They are lowly, meek, caring, giving, enduring persecution, and mourning for the evil situation of the world (Luke 6:19-38)
c. Toward self - They deny their soul life and would not be occupied by any worldly matters (Mark 10:23-29)

3. Expression of God
They are filled with the life and nature of God. As a result, they are able to overflow God's life into others through their proclaiming and announcing the kingdom of God (= the person of Jesus Christ).

a. Demons and sickness are cast out (Luke 9:2, 11:20)
b. They are active (even aggressive) in proclaiming the kingdom (Luke 9:62, 16:16b)
c. Proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, unhindered. (Acts 28:31)

Pray this prayer: Lord, may Your name be sanctified, Your kingdom come and Your will be done in my home and my locality (Matthew 6:9-10). Amen!