崇聖的翅膀 / wings to godliness

Grace is not a path to holiness of our walk, it is the wings of our souls to godliness.

恩典不是我們走向聖潔的道路，祂是攜帶我們靈魂崇聖的翅膀。


Love is not a call to Christ in our response, it is the song of our hearts to His voice.

愛不只是我們回應基督的招手，愛是我們聽到祂的聲音之心歌。

What is love?

Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:22 pm

Beautifull said, Joe! Indeed I often speak of love, but know very little of what it means and even less of what it takes...
...but to give completely one needs not know about but already is love.

Absent embrace

Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:02 pm

The pictures are lovely. Surely it was a bittersweet feeling visiting him. On a beautiful summer day surrounded by nature and loved ones, I am also certain there was a deep sense of peace and contentment that is not less
than the many moments prior, but more so tender now in the absent embrace.

流淚的王 / King in tears

Why did they crucify Jesus? Because of unbelief, for all sins begin with unbelief.

But in His eyes He already had compassion on them, in His tears He had always loved them, 

and in His blood is evidenced the promise of forgiveness.

Today... is not compassion still shining in His eyes?

Tomorrow... is not love still flowing in His tears? 

Coming days... is not forgiveness still promised in His blood?

Forever and forever, is not salvation still calling in God's heart, beckoning all to come?

If salvation for the lost is eternal, then eternal is salvation for the wayward.

For He died for the unbeliever then, so shall His death be for the unbeliever ever after. 

... even the sin of unbelief is already forgiven; for in unbelief they know not what they do.

為什麼他們釘死耶穌？因為他們不信。罪的源頭就是不信。

但是在他的眼裡早就有同情，汪汪淚水中祂的愛一值不停。

而在祂的血是赦免承諾的憑據。

今天。。。同情不是還在祂的眼裡？

明天。。。深愛不是還在他的淚水？

過來。。。赦免不是還在血的承諾？

永遠到永遠。。。神的救恩不是還在祂心中，招手每一人回來？

如果迷失了的救恩是永恆，那到永恆救恩還會給未歸回的。

因祂從前為那不信的人死，祂的死也會永遠為那還不信的人留。

。。。甚至那不信的罪也已經被原諒了 ; 因為了不信，他們所作的，他們不曉得。

...wiping his tears away

All will be saved, not apart from the cross of old,

but only through His son.

For He will be made known, and all in Him will know.

One by one the heart of stone,

shall crumble from mercy, dissolve by love, the child within cries for the long embrace.

Love is unmeasured by time, untethered in space, the lamp held high hunts not renegades,

but searches for lost sons.

In this I know, a father's heart, bleeds a river that mends not 'less made whole;

and a God who drowns, so darkness may fade, and tears He wipes away,

is a burning heart that lights the lamp, awaiting the last son 'til the dawn of day

...wiping his tears away.

A rose and a dove

This is the story of a rose and a dove.

Once upon a time there was a magical gardener who tended on a field of rose bushes. The
gardener cared for the young plants full of promising buds until one day, when the sun
came up, all the flowers rushed to bloom, filling the garden with colors of crimson, gold
and lavender.

That is…all but one. On its thorn-covered stems there was only a single bud; it did not
open to the warmth of daylight but remained shy, aloof and alone from the frantic show
of beauty and glory around. No one paid much attention to this frail, unassuming rose to
be, but the gardener still lavished his attention on it, hoping it will open its heart to the
desires of the world.

Yet the life within remained quiet until midnight when darkness stole the light. It was
then that, while others slept, the lone rose bud opened its petals and blossomed into a
brilliant white bloom, revealing the vision and grace that was hidden from the world.
Just as quickly though it withered and died…for it is not of this world, until the morning
break when it was miraculously transformed into a pure white dove and flew up into the
sky, wherever it went the colors of the rainbow followed.

Eventually, the rest of the roses – even the most beautiful -- died and returned to the
gray brown of earth, But the white dove kept soaring into the heavens, for it is the colors
of radiance that belong to the realm above, free to joyfulness and freed from pain, but
today and tomorrow chooses again to return, giving warmth to the world and inspiring
light in our hearts.

And the gardener is pleased…

耶稣受難 / passion of Christ

"...He took up our pain, He bore our suffering; He was pierced for our transgressions, 

   He was crushed for our iniquities..."

Isaiah 53: 4,5

True love is that unknown pain in heart, 

pure faith is found in unsuspecting sob;

God's heart beats in silent weep of faith, 

His love flows in each lonesome teardrop.

真愛是那心中摸不著的痛，

純信在不知曉的淚水尋求;

神的心活在無聲哭泣的信，

祂的愛從滴滴寂寞的淚流。

The Man He chose

The mind of love calls man to choose, the heart of God in man He chose.

By freedom away from Him stray to. in sin will the door of our hearts close .

Deaf to the life from above in grace, blind to the path of destruction of.

Yet...

His life for us shall not forsake, in love the choice of God not part.

Many may still stray afar, but all shall come home by the Man He chose.

Amen

power, healing, joy, freedom / 力量，醫治，喜樂，自由

Everything starts with the spirit, then manifest in the physical.

As a believer...

Our power doesn't come from confessing of sins, but the conviction of our righteousness in Christ.

Our healing does not come from pleading for God's mercy, but in claiming our redemption in grace.

Our joy does not come from serving the Lord, but by our receiving the first outpouring of His love.

Our freedom does not come from obedience to Him, but by faith in the covenant of His forgiveness. 

凡事屬靈，再為自然。

一位信徒。。。

力量不在認罪，而是認定我們在基督裡的稱義。

醫治不在求神，而是取得我們在恩典中的救贖。

喜樂不在服事，而是我們領受祂先流出來的愛。

自由不在遵從，而是我們相信祂守盟約的赦免。

Trail of blood inside

I have so much love, yet feel so much pain;
sun is in my heart, but darkness fills my eyes.
  

the suffering I caused, the bitterness remain.

felt every moment the hearing of His sighs.

I need precious wisdom, yet seek not the sane;

joy is in my heart, but hear of distant cries.

slept but not awaken, His face streaked with rain;
how long is forever? A day in love that ties.

Who needs so much love? An empty pictures frame.

life is in my heart, but death redeems all lies.

All I need is love, a rainbow colored chain;

until snow falls silent on the trail of blood inside.

Promised in a cut

your tears are treasured pearls that redeem my sadness,
do not despair for me...it is mine alone.

your gentleness is sweet embrace that my heart craves
do not come inside...offer only a song.

there is joy in pain, true life flows in blood,
love is in the color of red, promised in a cut...

my home in this wilderness is found in a wordless caress,
do not forget me...child from mother torn.

深情熱愛

" 誰 能 使 我 們 與 基 督 的 愛 隔 絕 呢 ． 難 道 是 患 難 麼 、 是 困 苦 麼 、 是 逼 迫 麼 、 是 飢 餓 麼 、 是 赤 身 露 體 麼 、 是 危 險 麼 、 是 刀 劍 麼 。 因 為 我 深 信 無 論 是 死 、 是 生 、 是 天 使 、 是 掌 權 的 、 是 有 能 的 、 是 現 在 的 事 、 是 將 來 的 事 、是 高 處 的 、 是 低 處 的 、 是 別 的 受 造 之 物 、 都 不 能 叫 我 們 與 神 的 愛 隔 絕 ． 這 愛 是 在 我 們 的 主 基 督 耶 穌 裡 的 。" 羅 馬 書 8 : 35, 38-39

如果從天上賜下給我們的愛，是那一種不可思議的犧牲。為了拯救祂的兒女，神願意流血，捨生，無罪之身以最為淒涼殘酷的嚴刑接受罪的懲罰，嚐到不可思議的痛苦致死償還罪的工價，雖然祂要救回的人正是出賣祂，處死祂，誇耀愛祂的門徒也不認祂，遠離祂，但在垂死之時不忘要求公義的神原諒他們，。。。這樣的愛連死亡都抵擋不住，不能隔絕，會有可能因我們一時或一生的不認祂而消失嗎？

這樣子的愛會不會持續直到神祂不死的靈魂，如可能像太陽一般有一天的燃燼落地，而祂化成灰之前還是不忘我們每一個人的名字？如果祂的愛不能因無限之神的死與我們隔絕，為何我們這有限之身的死會讓人與神的愛永久分離呢？這麼深切的情，這麼火熱的愛緊緊的環繞著每一位照著祂形象創造的人，會是那麼簡單，那麼的輕易讓地獄的煎熬奪去嗎？不是的，如果有一人在地獄，神也在那裡陪伴著 (詩篇139:8)，而萬物都是神造的，連地獄也不能讓我們與他隔離，只要與神同在就是天堂 -- 十字架和地獄。

地獄不可怕。有這麼多的苦難罪惡，現在這地就是獄。感謝耶穌，我們等待祢來的那一天，將每一滴哀傷的眼淚擦乾，把所有的邪惡罪過燃淨，一切受造之物，一同歎息勞苦，直到如今 (羅馬書 8:22)，但藉著祂在十字架上所流的血，成就了和平，便藉著祂叫萬有，無論是地上的，天上的，都與自己和好了(歌羅西書 1:20)。Amen

James

Scarlet grace

it is not enough to just see Him,

 not enough to know.

it is not enough to listen to Him,
not enough to obey.

 
we must touch, and be touched by Him,
taste, and savor His form;

to caress the body scarred, and feel the splinters sharp,
to be held in the open wounds, deep in His tender hands.

we in Him and He in us,
drink, and bathe in the scarlet grace.

it is then we come to so love Him...
the love we find our rest.

All about Jesus

Doing is all about our performance; being is all about Christ's life.

Obeying is all about our merit; believing is all about Christ's glory.
Trying is all about our effort; trusting is all about Christ's faithfulness.

Pleasing God is all about us; pleased in God is all about Jesus.

愛的天使

心，常流淚，不知為什麼？淚，滴成泉，不見何處流。我知道，淚是心的歌聲，思念的嘆息，流往彩虹橋，愛的那一邊。淚是愛的天使，為心而醒，為心而眠，帶向彩虹橋，心的真一面。

心等待著愛，愛在尋找心。心與愛的結合如天堂。一顆一顆的心，渴望著愛，等待著天使，白日望遠方，黑夜點燭光。心的哭泣，只有愛聽到。愛的安慰，在心旁竊語。心雖閉眼卻無眠，只盼被愛輕喚醒。

喚醒的心，流淚的心，有信的嫩芽，是愛的結晶。閃爍的淚，水晶的淚，是信的滋潤，有愛的陽光。

愛的早霞喚醒睡眠在心的天使，信的綠葉是他的翅翼，飛翔到藍天，彩虹的另一邊，回到太陽的懷抱，結合在天堂。

受傷的人

我們是罪人，但也是受傷的人，被撒但挾持。雖然我們有罪，時時叛逆，而更是無辜，常處在憂傷與流淚。耶穌雖要贖回我們因罪行而失去的義，拯救我們被罪性捆綁的榮，祂最迫切的是要擦乾我們的眼淚，不再哭泣。

在撒但的欺壓中，神憐惜祂兒女們的處境，心疼被惡魔的凌虐。敗世的第一代神就看到殘缺的愛導致兄弟的殘殺，地初飲血。從此就未停止，多少鮮血多少淚，一代一代染紅了這片原本潔白之土?同是神的骨肉，魔鬼只需聳動人心，就藉我們的口，我們的手，人與人無情欺騙貪婪仇恨，造成數不清的悲，無數量的慘。我們是兇手，但也是被害。這是撒但的誇勝。

神看到祂的子女，一個個完美造成，但因亞當的墜落讓撒但合法得到這世的權勢，從母腹中就被惡者擄去，掛在它的毒鉤，活在誘惑 與試探的謊言，互相傷害，追求自我的幻覺，遠離主。想想祂心裡滴多少的血，吞多少的淚?我們都是可憐的蟲，神看得清楚，不是我們求不求善，而是我們處在污泥沼 澤，無法自拔。祂認祂的一一孩子，不視骯髒，不厭罪嫌，乃是要以血的救贖，淚的安慰 與聖靈的潔淨，將我們從魔鬼的鋼爪中奪回，把黑暗的昨夜抹掉，安置在光亮的明日。祂會擦乾我們的眼淚，不必哭泣。

。。。黑影活在我心中，因它是世界的王子。它要征服我，如管轄這世界一樣。悅耳的聲音， 柔美的形象，它是多麼的吸引人，讓我陶醉，使我著迷。我好像夢幻中的蝴蝶，被彩鳥的火焰捕捉吞噬。但這是黑夜的彩虹，漸淡的翅膀。直 到黎明晨光，還是一條可憐的蟲，被脫掉的影衣。赤裸在炎日下，我口乾渴。但聽到主的天使呼喚，我心跳躍。雖烏鴉如雲，厲爪如釘，白鴿睡在我心中，紅血流下我臉頰，純潔熔解成火水。這是我的得聖。。。

活在這世，苦常在口，失望在心。想善離善，厭惡親惡，多是遺憾和歉疚。但人有盼望，因神將永恆放在我們心中，祂刻在我們靈魂奧秘的署名，雖然只見片影，心卻停不住追尋，得不著安息，直到安息主懷 中。而主不是只在等待，祂心切急，忘不了受欺騙被欺負的兒女。祂是慈父天天望著遠方尋找兒子，祂如母雞要保護小雞，祂更是來到被遺 棄的曠野，為的是要帶祂所至愛的回家。祂在擦乾我們的眼淚，不要哭泣。

神愛我們。祂這樣子說，也這樣子做了。毫無怨言，耶 穌默默接受了我們的軟弱與傷痛，靜靜流血付出撒但的勒索與贖價。祂這樣犧牲沒有條件，只望我們親近祂，信靠祂。好不好讓我們一時忘掉那不停的教訓與警告，要順服，必認罪，做這個，注意那個?而現在只是個被疼愛的小孩或新婦，享受著祂溫馨的懷抱，芳香的氣息，碩壯的膀臂，細語在我們耳邊說，"不憂傷了，我在這裡!" 讓憋在心中已久的委屈放聲大哭出來，把一輩子的傷心與失望一股氣喊叫給祂聽。。。"為什麼拋棄我，不理我?把我放在這黑暗冷漠之處? 讓我飽受孤苦悽涼之冤?"。。。無論外貌多麼風光，在心中的深夜，每一人都聽得到靈魂的哭聲，"我不屬於這裏，我累了，我要回家!"

是的，好累。這世界已舊已去，看的見的都會消失。唯獨那看不見的是我們永恆的生命，我們光輝的家。在這短暫的旅途我們都是受傷的人，但不是滅亡的人，因有一位愛我們的父神。祂已擦乾我們的眼淚，永無哭泣。Amen

James