Three Lessons I have Learned from Church History

  Three Lessons I have Learned from Church History

All humans learned from experience and through church history we can learn from others' experience and avoid the same mistakes. Therefore, learning from church history helps me to succeed in my personal spiritual journey, the achievement of our calling and assignment. After all the Holy Spirit is the very key.

First of all, the great guidance from the Holy Spirit led the way of the Gospel to where it should go. Through the obedience to Holy Spirit, the Gospel spread from Jerusalem (Jews) to others (Gentiles) by the leading of Holy Spirit and persecutions in early Church (book of Acts). God is the author of History. He is the only one who has the complete blueprint of the map. Searching out His will, surrender myself and be willing to go is the best way to partner with Him for His work. Although the Gospel has been running swiftly all over the nations, as a laborer of God we still need the Holy Spirit to reveal the plan of our heavenly Father to us on a daily basis (Ephesians 1:17-19).

Secondly, in the church history, I admire the Christianity in the early church. It is the best model for me to learn from them: be bold to speak and standing firm for the truth, to love God and love the body of Christ with all of heart and strength, the unity of churches.... The persecution did not stop the truth but express the truth of God even more explicitly. It doesn't seem like those Martyrs just all of a sudden stand up for the truth. Their focus were as dove eyes on Christ Jesus and it was so essential. What they did in evangelism is base on their life living out from the Bible. It makes me keep searching my heart. It is a very good lesson for me to learn how to live today.

Thirdly, I realize how as a servant of the truth of the Words need to be preached. Although Jesus had warned the disciples about false teaching and false prophets would deceive the body of Christ in the days to come, I never know it has such a mass impact to so many people since then. How much I need the Holy Spirit to test what I have heard, what I have read and what have I agreed with. Without the Holy Spirit, the Words is not revealing God but coming out my own understanding in our human knowledge. I know the day is getting closer everyday and I need to learn how to lean on the Holy Spirit even more.

 Through the church history, I can see a bigger picture of God's character and His thoughts for all humanity who have been called. It is a blue print of His thoughts and I am so glad that I am part of it. Although the day is coming, I know how I can prepare myself on a daily basis through the strength of Holy Spirit.

The Calling of Back to Jerusalem Movement

     When Apostle Paul started to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to the East, the Holy Spirit stopped him and led him to the West.  The trail of the Gospel went to Europe, to America and to Asia.  In 1947, a group of students from the Fengxiang Bible Institute in Shaunxi, China was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Their mission was to take the Gospel pass through the Muslin countries and back to Jerusalem.  They purchased camels and started their journey through the Silk Road to the Middle East.  When they arrived at Xinjiang, the Communists swept to power in 1960 and Christians were forced to go underground, the movement stopped. 

(The first team of back to Jerusalem Movement)   It was not until 1990-2000, the movement restarted.  Many Christians believed that the last baton to take the Gospel back to Jerusalem is for the Chinese.

Back to Jerusalem cross the Middle East countries

        

     As we can see, the map for the 10/40 window which showed the unreached nations surround Jerusalem are Muslin countries.  God has plan for His kingdom and are preparing the Asians to carry it out.  During the ancient days, the “Silk Road” was the important trade path from the East to the West.  But it wasn’t just for trading.  It was God’s plan to open the door for the Gospel from the East to the West as well.  In Muslin countries, people are familiar with the Chinese.  Beside current economy reasons, Chinese did not have much influence to the Muslin countries in the area of political wars even up to now.  Without historical and political conflicts, Chinese has a much better chance to be accepted by Muslin countries than any other races.  Also Muslins are surprised that the Chinese are under Communist reign but at the same time have religious freedom.  As a Chinese Christian, I have no excuse to avoid this assignment and it is an honor for Chinese to respond to the calling. 

        

       One night back in 2005 (when my daughter was about 5 or 6 months old), I was just about to fall into deep sleep, I heard someone was saying in my ears, “No one is praying! No one is praying!” I woke up with my half closed eyes and asked the Lord, “What is it? Let me pray for it.”  Then, I felt the voice said, “No one is praying for Jerusalem!”  My mind was kind of thinking… “It’s impossible… None of the Christians in the whole wide world was praying for Jerusalem!” However; I still knelt down and prayed… Before, I had never prayed for Jerusalem at all… and had no idea what to pray.  So I just prayed whatever I could remember from the Bible until I was really sleepy…. So I asked Jesus, “is it enough? I am really sleepy!” But I felt that He wanted me to stay a little bit longer with Him… so I did. Maybe it was long or short after that, I asked Him again, “I am really tired… sorry… can I go now?” My heart felt how much He wanted to keep me as company that night but I end up falling asleep.  Then right after that the same night I had a dream from the Lord.  At the end of the dream, Jesus called me “Peter! Peter!”  It took me a few years to interpret that dream.  God set up a few divine appointments to allow spiritual leaders to help me to confirm that dream. It was then that I knew, as Peter was called to minister to the Jews (his own people), I am called to minister to the Chinese (my own people).  Now, God brought us here to be equipped.  The year we arrived Kansas City, there was a Call to All in IHOPKC about the Back to Jerusalem Movement.  That was the first time I heard about the movement and I felt I needed to be part of this movement.   

        

        My personal thinking of taking the Gospel Back to Jerusalem Movement should include all the nations in Asia: Korea, Japan, China, India and Russia etc.  Now, the Muslin countries are occupied by Samsung and Apple in the smart phone market.  This is telling me there are so many kind of opportunities to reach these people and not just in the old way.  More than that, I feel God wants us to do it together instead of just a certain nation.  There is a saying: Back to Jerusalem is kind of like a gun facing the West.  Korea is the base of the gun, Japan is the trigger of the gun and China are the bullets.  No matter which part of the gun, without one another, nothing will work.  Right now, in the phrase of IHOPU training, we started interceding for those unreached nations and raising the next generation to prepare them for the age to come.  I feel strongly that unless I become a torch myself, I couldn’t burn long and shine far for His glory. 

          

Audio Link

驚人的「視力回復」眼球操：活到60歲也不會老花眼的秘密！短短2週，視力從0.2升級至1.5！

女兒怎樣養才算是富養呢？

posted 

楊瀾三四歲寄居上海外婆家時，年輕的舅舅常在領了工資的周末帶她去最高級的紅房子餐廳吃西餐，去淮海路照相，去看最新潮的立體電影。長輩責怪他為個小孩子亂花錢，他說，女孩子就要見世面，不然將來一塊蛋糕就把她哄走了。

如果家境好，不妨讓女兒多見識繁華世界，眼界的開闊讓女孩更聰明，注意和培養虛榮心區別開來。如果沒條件，那麼讓她多看書，一本好書才十幾二十塊，卻能讓女兒發現外面的世界多精彩。

女孩富養，其主要真義是從小要培養她的氣質，開闊她的視野，增加她的閱世能力，增強她的見識。“富養”的女孩，因見多識廣、獨立、有主見、有智慧，很清楚自己要的是什麼，什麼是真正值得追求的東西。等她到花一樣的年齡時，就不易被各種浮世的繁華和虛榮所誘惑。女孩最應該培養的品質首先是善解人意，她有一個好的性格，能控制自己的情緒，對給予她幫助的人都心懷感激，是一名優雅的淑女。

一位父親曾這樣教育他的女兒：“一個男人要變得高貴，那是一件不太容易的事，他要有成功的事業，要有尊貴的地位，要有足夠的錢財，要有良好的學識和修養……一個女孩要變得高貴則十分簡單——她並不是一定要有公主的身份，豪門的背景，華麗的服飾，貴族的教育
……她只需做一件事，那就是像花蕾一樣把自己嚴嚴地包裹起來。就是要和那些臭小子保持距離，永遠尊重自己的身體和心靈。不管什麼年代，不管是東方還是西方，對於兩性來說，一個女孩只要凜然不可侵犯，她在男人心中一下就會高貴起來。這個跟什麼年代沒關係，跟什麼地域沒關係，所謂新潮的觀念都是暫時的。”

一、擁有品位
女孩到了二十幾歲後，就要開始學著用心的經營自己了，它體現在自己的外表以及涵養上，每一個女孩都是特別的，都應該有自己獨特的品位，可能很多女孩會覺得品位與時尚或奢侈品是掛鉤的，其實不是，品味是一個人去觀察事物時的態度，同樣的東西，不同的人眼光下會出現著不同的版本，物品本身的價值與品位的高低是沒有關係的，女孩要用自己的目光去欣賞一件東西，用高級的品味去挑選東西。
在某些程度上，一個人的品味與她的氣質是相輔相成，品位的高低取決於一個女孩在日常生活裡對新事物的發現，品位是自己獨特的味道，每個女孩都要有自己的品味，一個廉價的飾品只要戴出了屬於它的另類，它也能夠表現出自己的品味。平常的時候可以多看看時尚雜誌，提升一下自己對服飾等的欣賞度。
女孩到了二十幾歲後，就已經開始慢慢的接觸社會了，在與別人交往的過程中，談吐與修養是最能征服別人的。我不相信一個不喜歡看書的女孩，她會是充滿智慧的。沒事的時候，去到書店逛逛，認真的挑幾本可以提升自己的書籍買回家閱讀，不管是名著還是理財方面的或是激勵方面的，都有值得我們學習的地方，書可以讓人們的生活豐富，也可以讓人們的思想改變，選擇閱讀一本好書，勝過一個優秀的輔導師。


二、養成看書的好習慣
喜歡看書的女孩，她一定是沉靜且有著很好的心態，因為在書籍的海洋裡，女孩可以大口的吸收著營養。喜歡看書的女孩，她一定是出口成章且優雅知性的女人。認真的閱讀，可以讓心情平靜，而且書籍裡暗藏著很大的樂趣，當遇到一本自己感興趣的書時，會發現心情是愉悅的，而且每一本書裡都有著很大的智慧，閱讀過的書籍都會是女孩社交中的資本，相信沒有人會喜歡與一個膚淺的女孩交往。選擇了合適的書本，它能夠教會人很多哲理，以及會讓你學會以一種平和的心態去迎接生活裡的痛苦或快樂。真正有品位的女人，都有喜歡看書的習慣。


三、要試著發現生活中的美
女孩到了二十幾歲後，就要逃離那些灰暗的小說，它只會讓大家與悲傷越貼越近，生活並不是小說裡情節的翻版。不要總提醒著自己遇到的不幸，要知道在這個世界上有著很多人比你還不幸，只要能夠抬頭看到陽光就是幸運的，那些生活裡的挫折比起一個人的人生它只不過是一個再小不過的插曲。想在這個社會上立足，就要有平和的心態，在患得患失的人生里，我們時刻都在選擇著，也被別人選擇著，我們應該有著阿Q精神，痛苦與快樂的生活都是我們選擇的，為什麼要讓自己沉溺在痛苦中呢？
有些人因為情感或工作上的挫折而讓自己陷入一種不幸的思想中，而導致著她們會成為悲觀的人，不管做什麼事情都有著恐懼，怕輸，或是覺得自己不會成功。一個人把自己標榜成什麼樣，她就只能生活在自己給自己設下的心牢裡，誰有資格說自己不會成功？誰敢說自己不會成功？想成功的人都是樂觀的人，悲觀永遠都是成功的阻礙，只有積極向上的情操才會讓生活變得美好，相信明天一定比今天會好，只要你努力了，社會一定是公平的，不要報怨生活，否則只能證明你自己沒有真正的去努力。


四、跟有思想的人交朋友
女孩到了二十幾歲後，就要開始有目的性的去選擇朋友，社會中的人脈非常的重要，而你選擇加入的朋友圈也會對你的人生有著很大的影響，如果你的朋友都是一些積極向上樂觀的人，你也會被他們感染的，如果你的朋友是一個悲觀主義者，整天只知道報怨生活，卻不會腳踏實地的工作，時間久了，你同樣會被感染的。人在選擇朋友的時候很重要，有時候如果想了解一個人，也可以從他的朋友是什麼樣的人來了解他的為人。不要輕易的交朋友，也要注意選擇跟什麼人交朋友。
一個好的朋友可以讓你的人生有著很大的改變，他會讓你變得樂觀。女孩到了二十幾歲後，要多一些朋友，自私一點也就是說，要多交一些對自己有幫助的朋友，你可以從他們的身上學到東西，但是想交朋友，你就要對他們付出真誠，不要只是為了想利用他們才與他們交往，沒有人是傻子，你對別人好與不好，別人也都清楚的看得到。用自己的真誠與那些有思想的優秀人交朋友吧！


五、要遠離泡沫偶像劇
女孩到了二十幾歲後還喜歡看偶像劇，那說明你就太幼稚可笑了。現在就要開始遠離那些虛假的偶像劇了，電視裡的白馬王子與灰姑娘都是生活裡的男孩或女孩嚮往的，它不是真的存在的，像電視劇裡出現的一些情節有時候也深深的影響到了人們的觀念。比如一些電視劇裡會出現惡毒的婆婆，或是發現深愛自己的人竟然是自己的親兄妹等，這些情節就是為了讓人們的情緒波動的，它並不能與現實生活掛鉤，它是超越了生活的，女孩子不應該再沉溺於這種造假的童話氛圍裡了，有時間多看一些能夠幫助自己的節目。
想了解社會並不能通過那些泡沫偶像劇，它們是毒，有些人中毒很深時，就會讓它們直接影響自己的人生觀與價值觀，像一夜暴富或是一夜間一貧如洗在生活里或許會有，但不會像電視劇裡播放的那些簡單而直接，愛情與親情也沒有影片裡的那樣絕決與殘忍，偶像劇會影響人們對社會的判斷能力，所以，請遠離泡沫偶像劇。相信一個優秀的女孩，不會花大把的時間沉溺在偶像劇裡的。


六、學會忍耐與寬容
女孩到了二十幾歲後，就要慢慢的學會忍耐與寬容了，社會並不是一個任性的地方，那些大小姐的脾氣要慢慢的收斂了，因為可能有些時候就因為你的計較會讓你失去自尊，成為被人指責的沒有教養的女人。給那些不友好的人善意的微笑，即能夠讓對方無地自容，也能夠給別人留下大度且善解人意的好印象。忍耐並不是懦弱，也不是傷自尊，而是寬容美。請放下理直氣壯的壞脾氣，在適當的時候讓一步，不僅可以體現出你的涵養，而且還會讓你成為受人歡迎的女孩。
生活裡經常會遇到很多不公平的事情，也會遇到很多讓你無法接受的人，我們不能試著去改變別人，與其非常憤怒的大聲指責別人的行為，不如懷著理解的心態給對方一個微笑，任何一個人都不會去傷害一個善良的人。聲嘶力竭的與別人爭論並不能贏得所謂的自尊，反而讓你丟掉自尊。


七、培養健康的心態，注意自己的身體
女孩到了二十幾歲後，就要學會調節自己的心態，以及好好的保護自己的身體。身體是最重要的，相信每個人都知道，但是在真的做起來時，並不是一件簡單的事情。二十幾歲的女孩在飲食方面已經應該開始注意了，建議多看一些關於飲食方面的書。任何一個女孩，千萬不要為了這樣或那樣的理由不照顧自己的身體健康，不管明天有多麼的美好，而你總是以一副生病的姿態去迎接它，也並不會感覺到它的美好的。


八、讓美貌成為自己的資本
女孩子年輕這就是美貌，沒有醜女只有懶女。一般女孩子只要稍加打扮都會有自己獨特的美麗。女孩到了二十幾歲後，就要開始讓你的美貌發揮作用了，在適當的時候讓你的美貌掌握著足夠的發言權。漂亮的外貌並不是每個女孩都擁有的，讓漂亮的外貌成為你的資本，在需要的時候用使用一下，它可以開啟你人生中的很多困境，雖然有時候有人說漂亮的女孩都是花瓶，但是花瓶如果擺在了合適的位置，它就是藝術品。女孩的青春美貌也只是短短的數年，所以要善於利用你的美貌。
但是女孩不能因為有了美貌就可以陷入自滿中，有著美麗的外表又有著智慧的內在才是優秀的女人，請女孩們合理的利用自己的美貌，千萬不要因為自己的短暫的美貌而讓自己沉淪。


九、離開任何一個男人，你都會活的很好
女孩到了二十幾歲，就要理智的對待自己的情感，很多女孩就是因為某個男人而痛苦且消極的活著，感情的事情並不是誰能把握得了，為什麼要被一個男人而讓自己陷入不愉快的心情中呢？一個不懂得欣賞你的男人，沒有資格讓你為他難過悲傷，每一個女孩都是美麗的，她在等待著一個懂她的男人出現，某個男人的離開，只能說那個懂你的男人還沒有出現，男人不是女孩生活的全部，與其讓自己陷入到一個無望的愛情中，不如瀟灑的轉身，充實自己，讓自己投入到工作學習中，等有一天那個離開你的男人發現你是如此的成功，一定會後悔他當初離開你的！
曾經我也以為我離開了他我不能活了，後來我問自己一百遍：離開了他，我還能不能活？結果有一百二十遍回答是：我會活的很好。女孩們千萬不要踐踏了自己，不要以為委曲求全就能換來一個男人的愛情，愛情是美麗的，女孩子也是美麗的，不容任何一個男人褻瀆！離開那個不懂欣賞你的男人，這就是最華麗的轉身，雖然心有不甘，但是痛苦的折磨反而讓自己沒有精力去經營你的工作或學習。


十、有著理財的動機，學會投資經營
女孩到了二十幾歲，就要開始學會理財了，不要以為自己無法成為富翁，就花錢大手大腳的，也不要認為明天有掙不完的錢，而把今天的錢花在不應該花的地方。現在市場上有很多關於理財方面的書，都是不錯的，女孩子們有時間可以看一下，要養成理財的好習慣，用錢生錢，可以多看了些投資經營方面的書籍，它們都是無形的財富。女孩們，不管現在你的收入有多少，都要為你的明天打算著，聰明的女人應該知道如何的花錢，如何花錢其實也是一門藝術。

Marry的老公是一個很有錢的男人，她有次跟我說他的老公，她說：我老公有的時候寧願花很多錢去買一樣東西，卻在花小錢的時候計較。當時不懂，後來想想才發現，他老公之所以有錢就是因為他知道如何去花錢，把錢花在實用的東西上，不管是多麼的貴都可以不眨下眼睛，而生活中有些多餘的錢能省就省了。有些有錢人在生活中也會表現出吝嗇，這就是他們一直以來的習慣，不然，他們是不會成為有錢人的。


十一、愛情和婚姻是可以共同擁有的
女孩到了二十幾歲，就要面臨著婚姻的壓力了，有人會說愛情跟婚姻是兩碼事，男人娶的女人是能一起過日子的，並不一定就是自己真正深愛的，女人嫁的男人是能給自己提供一個溫暖且安逸的家，但並不定就是自己真正愛的。面對這些言論，好像很多人是為了結婚而結婚的，在家庭與社會的壓力下，為了結婚而結婚了。有些人結婚也是有目的性的，可能是為了讓自己有個地方停留，也可能是為了以後的事業有所幫助，也有可能是自己能從對方身上得到什麼。

問一下那些甜蜜中的新婚，就會知道有時候愛情與婚姻是可以共同擁有的，所謂的婚姻是愛情的墳墓，只能說雙方不懂得如何去經營愛情，相信當兩個人決定結婚前，雙方一定是對方有感覺的，只是婚後的日子讓愛情變平淡了。這僅僅只是因為在婚姻以後，男人與女人都放下了愛情中的浪漫，投入到了工作中去。那些沒結婚的女孩，千萬不要為了某些目的而去結婚，結婚是非常單純的事情，別搞的那麼複雜，相信每個女孩都是渴望著愛情的。當女孩遇到自己深愛的那個人時，就會發現，想跟他在一起，可能無所謂貧富，無所謂生死。女孩不要為了結婚而結婚，也不要為了想得到某種生活而結婚。


十二、誰說女人不如男
女孩到了二十幾歲，就要堅信不管是在生活中還是在職場中，並不只有男人才能有建樹的，現在女性的思想都新潮了，成功的女人在各行各業中都有出現，只要女人努力了，她同樣可以在男人的世界裡穿梭。女人的資本有很多，在職場中女人略顯優勢，在有些行業裡，女人會發揮著自己獨特的優勢去拼博著，她們都是美麗的，幹練的氣質，強硬的態度，都可以讓男人臣服。女人不要總想著在廚房發展，有能力的女人才能夠讓男人們欣賞，現在不流行家庭主婦的角色了，外面有著大把精彩的世界等待著女人去追求。

女人不要想依附一個男人，在這個社會裡，沒有誰一定要沒有理由的呵護誰。女人如何依附了一個男人，她就沒有自己的思想，在這個個性使然的環境中，男人也都喜歡有個性有能力的女人。誰說女人不如男？努力吧，只要你擁有了屬於自己的一片天空，你還害怕自己的這片天空下沒有白雲嗎？只要你是一個才華出眾的女人，還害怕優秀的男人不欣賞你嗎？

十三、找一個能夠幫你實現夢想的老公
女孩到了二十幾歲後，就要有著明確的夢想，然後再為了這個夢想去奮鬥著，當你確定了一個夢想後千萬不要改變，就好像當你發現到一個可以幫你實現夢想的男人，千萬要想辦法讓他成為你的老公一樣。女人不要以為有些夢想自己一個人就可以實現的，或者有些非常優秀的女人，特立獨行的想通過自己的努力來實現夢想，但是如果有著男人做後盾，這個夢想就能得到很好的實現，特別是能提供資金支持的男人。
現在在生活裡有夢想的女孩似乎很少，有些女孩只不過是想要擁有著簡單的工作與簡單的愛情，與一個男人在一起幸福的生活。而真正優秀的男人，他們也會希望自己的老婆是有抱負的女人，所以，如果女人有夢想，男人會全力支持的。女人完全可以讓自己的夢想跟隨著自己一起嫁給一個男人，只要他願意幫你實現夢想，就說明他是一個懂得欣賞你的男人。


十四、讓青春放肆一些，笑容燦爛一些
女孩到了二十幾歲後，就是正值青春年華，有著大把的青春可以放肆的嶄放。女孩子可以適當的時候倔強一些，可以適當的時候驕傲一些，可以讓那些美麗的嘴角微微的牽動著。二十幾歲的女孩是最美的，可以肆意的笑，可以倔強的哭。二十幾歲的女孩不要怕輸，青春才剛剛開始，我們有著輸的資本，我們可以重新開始自己的追求。二十幾歲的女孩要做最真的自己，最美的年華留給燦爛的微笑，讓愛情都鮮明的呈現，要敢愛敢恨，敢於追求。


女孩到了二十幾歲後，就是一朵盛開最美麗的花，女孩的一季花期一定要記得只開給自己看，千萬不要為了別人讓自己的花期接受不必要的摧殘。二十幾歲的女孩是一杯清茶，其中的清秀一定要留給懂得品嚐的人，別讓那些沒有品味的人踐踏了你的清純氣息。二十幾歲的女孩是片蔚藍色的天空，它可是悲傷的，也可以是寬敞的，但，請記住，它一定是有追求的.....

健康兩點靈: 潘念宗 癌症治療另類思維 2013-11-9

Why is team leadership better than one sole leader?

        The first thing to be considered about leadership in the bible is servant leadership.   The servant leadership is different in servant-hood.  All Christians are called to server one another.  Jesus showed us a perfect example in washing His disciples’ feet.  When Peter protested, Jesus told him ‘unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.’ (John 13:8)  However, the servant leadership is to lead and to manage with a servant's heart. 

        After Moses led the Israelite out of Egypt to the promise land, he did face many problems, overwork and not able to sustain.  His father in law gave his wisdom to Moses to raise up other leaders and divide into smaller groups to those leaders.  With that advice, Moses was successful in leading those people.  In the New Testament, Paul was giving the structure for the Church of Ephesians about five-fold ministry leadership.  “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;” (Eph 4:11-13)

        Both the Old and the New Testament are pointing out the team leadership from God.  God is the trinity who are the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  They are binding in love and honor to show the perfect unity.  It is the picture that God want us to bind in Him with loving Him and loving one another.  There are a few points why team leadership is better than sole leadership:

1.      Working non-stop is not sustainable no matter what your calling is.  Something is always going to break down if anyone works non-stop.  It could be your relationship with family, friends, health issue, and even intimacy with God.   God’s calling to us is for His kingdom not for ourselves.  As a team that will be working together with one goal, one mind to fulfill His plan for His kingdom. 

2.      Working as a team will identify your personal gift and function your gift better.  The church needs to have different gift to make different piece work.  Although the sole leadership is gifted, the body of Christ still needs to have multiple gifts to function right.  Apostle Paul was gifted in many areas.  He was functioning as apostle and prophet, teacher, pastor, and evangelist in his ministry but he pointed out that the team leadership structure to the churches for he knew the church community needs to function in long-term. 

3.      Working as team leadership will help us to live out the Sermon on the Mount  The servant leadership is base on the sermon on the Mount life style: in humble, honor, love and summit to one another.  Apostle Peter was called to the Jews in Israel and functioned in five major gifts to the churches.  Jesus' brother James, was the leader of churches around Jerusalem that Peter still summit to this leadership while he is in that city.  It is a perfect picture to live in Christ-likeness.

4.      Team leadership provides the accountability to one another.  As a church leader, he should live as an example to all followers.  Leaders in churches are facing many temptation everyday.  Many leaders have been tempted by the evil spirit and failed which caused them to leave their ministry.  The team leadership should be built on trust so that they can be accountable to one another in their spiritual life and keep it holy and won’t let Satan break up the team.

The team leadership is the best structure for the churches.  We all have differences for we are all different parts of the body of Christ: functioning in different parts and in different ways.  It brings the better vision from God and fulfills the vision through every one of us.  The beauty of unity is powerful and at the same time it gives the highest glory to God. 

What is justification, sanctification and glorification?

What is justification, sanctification and glorification?

Can Christians willfully sin? What does salvation really mean when we still sin?  Do we really: once get saved and be saved forever? Is God's grace sufficient for us to continue to sin without repentance? Is it possible for us to live a total sinless life and be always in perfection?  Those questions have been in my mind because many were answered by church doctrines but they are in conflict with my heart.  Through this class and assignment, I am able to clarify my thoughts and abide in the truth --- the word of God. 

In 2 Corinthians 1:10 we read: 'Who delivered us [past] from so great a death, and doth deliver: [present continuous] in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us [future].' Christ delivers us from the sentence of spiritual death in past, present and future.  There are three phases of salvation: justification, sanctification and glorification. 

Justification is the stage that saves us, freeing us from the penalty of sin by our faith.  This is the beginning of salvation that God looks at us through the blood of Jesus Christ as righteousness.  Through Jesus Christ, we are adopted as family members of God.  It is our legal position that we are able to connect to God and it refers to our spirit.

Sanctification is the stage to separate us from our sin and the world both in the past and continuous future.  Sin is a power.  While we are justified by the blood of Jesus Christ, the power of sin in us conflicted the power of confession of the Holy Spirit.  However; by the power of Holy Spirit, we are able to confess our sins and ask for forgiveness from Jesus Christ and be cleansed through the blood of Jesus. 

Many different teachings in this stage cause the misunderstanding of salvation.  I think that acknowledging God’s heart about salvation is the most important key to look at for the phase of sanctification.  Since we are all agree that we need salvation, we need to know that God is holy and He wants us to be holy.  There is no sin that is bigger than Jesus’ salvation; however, repentance (turning back to Him) is the only way to keep us in the legal position of God’s family.  The grace of God falls upon us only while we are in Him and sanctification refers to our soul.

There was a period of days that I was dealing with a sin.  I knew that I was wrong but I couldn’t overcome my flesh.  I was using God’s ‘grace’ to allow myself to sin for just ‘this one time’.  However, the Holy Spirit convicted me a few times but I failed again and again.  Until the day, I failed again with a deep sorrow in me.  I was tearing in my little room and said: Jesus! I am not worthy to be saved by You… I want to leave from You and go to the place where I deserve.  After that, I heard a voice from my heart asking me: Are you very sure about this??  As soon as I heard that, I knew that was from the Holy Spirit.  I started crying and knelt down at the cross and said: “No! my heart don’t want to sin but my flesh is so weak. Help me to deal with my sin.”  Since then, the sin I had been dealing with at that time, it appeared once in awhile to my flesh to tempt me but I was able to cry out to God for help not to fall. 

Glorification refers to the final change and redemption of our body.  It is the goal in God’s heart for the salvation to be like Jesus Christ.  This is the stage of completion of sanctification.  When we have our own resurrected body, it will be filled with God’s glory just like Jesus’ body.  It will be the most glorious moment to meet Jesus in the sky.

Our new born life is the process of purification.  To live in holiness is the main purpose of salvation but not to misuse the grace of God.  May we repent and hate sins more and give praise forever to God for His plan of our salvation of justification, sanctification and glorification that delivers us from sin into His holiness.