The Evidence Is Everywhere. . . . . . . . .1
1. Who Stole Forever?. . . .
2. The Pack-It-All-In Mentality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. The Bad News You Can’t Escape. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. The Dark Side of Forever. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. Grace Frees Us to Live with Eternity in View. . . . . .
6. Why Is Faith Sometimes So Miserable?. . . . . . . . . .
7. Hope Can’t Live without Forever . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. Suffering Is Harder When You Have No Forever. . .
9. Forever and Your Relationships . . . . . . . . .
10. Forever and Parenting. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11. Forever and Your Job. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12. Forever and Your God. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13. My Forever Story. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14. The Joy of Forever, Right Here, Right Now. . . . . .
Why is it so hard for us to be satisfied?
Why do so many of our marriages struggle over the long run?
Why do we have such a hard time getting along with family and friends?
Why do we carry around so much debt?
Why do we stand in front of full closets and say we have nothing to wear?
Why do we look into fully stocked refrigerators and say we have nothing to eat?
Why do so many of us consistently spend more than we earn?
Why do we struggle so much with envy?
Why does our culture tend to be overdrugged and oversexed?
Why do we spend so much on making sure that we are incessantly entertained?
Why do our trials paralyze us more than they should?
Why do people disappoint us so easily?
Why does life in the here and now never seem to deliver what we hoped it would deliver?
Overview of the consequences of eternity amnesia on our lives.
1. Living with unrealistic expectations.
2. Focusing too much on self.
3. Asking too much of people.
4. Being controlling or fearful.
5. Questioning the goodness of God.
6. Living more disappointed than thankful.
7. Lacking motivation and hope.
8. Living as if life doesn’t have consequences.
"Most of us find it very difficult to want “Heaven” at all — except in so far as “Heaven” means meeting again our friends who have died. One reason for this difficulty is that we have not been trained: our whole education tends to fix our minds on this world. Another reason is that when the real want for Heaven is present in us, we do not recognize it. Most people,if they really learned to look into their own hearts, would know that they do want, and want acutely, something that cannot be had in this world. There are all sorts of things in this world that offer to give it to you, but they never quite keep their promise." --C. S. Lewis --
“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” --C. S. Lewis --
Paul Tripp is a gifted and sought after speaker and the author of many popular books, including What Did You Expect? Redeeming the Realities of Marriage, The Age of Opportunity, and Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands. President of Paul Tripp Ministries, he also serves as Professor of Pastoral Life and Care at Redeemer Seminary in Dallas, Texas, and as the Executive Director of the Center for Pastoral Life and Care in Fort Worth, Texas. He and his wife, Luella, have four grown children.
2011年10月27日 星期四
2011年10月24日 星期一
How Much Americans Spend on Halloween
The National Retail Federation estimates that Americans will spend the following for Halloween in 2011:
Total Halloween expenses—$6.9 billion
(that's more than twice the amount Americans spent for Halloween in 2005)
Largest Halloween expense—$2.5 billion for costumes
Amount spent on candy—$2 billion
The research also shows that Halloween isn't just for kids anymore. In 2011 nearly 70 percent of adults plan to hold their own celebrations for Halloween.
Martha C. White, "Now That's Creepy: Americans Will Blow $7 Billion on Halloween," (9-29-11)
Total Halloween expenses—$6.9 billion
(that's more than twice the amount Americans spent for Halloween in 2005)
Largest Halloween expense—$2.5 billion for costumes
Amount spent on candy—$2 billion
The research also shows that Halloween isn't just for kids anymore. In 2011 nearly 70 percent of adults plan to hold their own celebrations for Halloween.
Martha C. White, "Now That's Creepy: Americans Will Blow $7 Billion on Halloween," (9-29-11)
2011年10月23日 星期日
2011年10月3日 星期一
Preaching Like a Prophet
We dare not be silent about injustices, if only we can see them as God does.
--John Ortberg--
Why we must preach on justice
We tend to avoid preaching about justice because we don't really want to know the truth about what sin has done to our world and to us. Because that would make us uncomfortable.
Why preaching about justice is hard
Our society has become so politicized that people often hear words like justice or life or the poor or compassion as code words for a partisan political allegiance in one direction or another.
Self-righteous moralism.
Generational issues
Character development.
Ideological correctness replaces failure to do the exegetical and theological work
Justice is not partisan politics
Words like justice or poverty or sexuality or life or righteous are really code Words for a partisan political position
A call to action Is not Asking a favor
Make justice concrete
On the cross we see most clearly God's hatred of injustice.
An empty tomb proclaims most loudly justice's final victory.
Provide an opportunity for action
Justice points to Jesus
--John Ortberg--
Why we must preach on justice
We tend to avoid preaching about justice because we don't really want to know the truth about what sin has done to our world and to us. Because that would make us uncomfortable.
Why preaching about justice is hard
Our society has become so politicized that people often hear words like justice or life or the poor or compassion as code words for a partisan political allegiance in one direction or another.
Self-righteous moralism.
Generational issues
Character development.
Ideological correctness replaces failure to do the exegetical and theological work
Justice is not partisan politics
Words like justice or poverty or sexuality or life or righteous are really code Words for a partisan political position
A call to action Is not Asking a favor
Make justice concrete
On the cross we see most clearly God's hatred of injustice.
An empty tomb proclaims most loudly justice's final victory.
Provide an opportunity for action
Justice points to Jesus
10 benefits of the blood of Jesus
Seals and guarantees the New Covenant-Matthew 26:28, Hebrews 13:20
Gives life-John 6:54-56
Brings redemption-Ephesians 1:7, 1Peter 1:18-19
Makes propitiation (atonement)-Romans 3:25
Justifies-Romans 5:9
Provides peace and reconciliation-Colossians 1:19-20
Brings cleansing and the assurance of forgiveness-Colossians 1:14,1John 1:7
Frees from guilt by purging the conscience-Hebrews 9:14
Makes us overcomers-Revelation 12:11
Gives us boldness and confidence to enter God’s presence-Hebrews 10:19-24
Gives life-John 6:54-56
Brings redemption-Ephesians 1:7, 1Peter 1:18-19
Makes propitiation (atonement)-Romans 3:25
Justifies-Romans 5:9
Provides peace and reconciliation-Colossians 1:19-20
Brings cleansing and the assurance of forgiveness-Colossians 1:14,1John 1:7
Frees from guilt by purging the conscience-Hebrews 9:14
Makes us overcomers-Revelation 12:11
Gives us boldness and confidence to enter God’s presence-Hebrews 10:19-24
2011年10月1日 星期六
律師說的「鄰舍原則」
廖成利談愛護鄰舍 2011/4/11 上午 08:46:48
內地流傳一個黑色笑話，某農夫重金採購了優質種子，期望辛勤耕種後可獲豐收，後來竟只長出雜草，因為種子是假的；他傷心之餘買了農藥自殺，卻死不去，因為農藥是假的；農夫撿回一命便買酒闔家慶祝，結果卻全家斃命，因為酒也是假的。
八十年前英國發生「鄧蓮嬌案」（Donoghuev Stevenson）[1932]，阿嬌的朋友送來一瓶薑啤，大家暢飲之時，竟從樽裏倒出半隻腐爛蝸牛，阿嬌震驚不安，更因腸胃不適入院，無妄之災令她氣憤難平，便控告製造商有疏忽之嫌。上訴庭在此案確立了「鄰舍原則」（Neighbor Principle）的重要，法官指每個人要愛他的近鄰，應該小心地去避免或預防自己的一些行為或錯漏引致近鄰受到傷害。「鄰舍原則」現已演繹成為保障消費者權益的法律原則之一
本月初香港發生了「硫酸利賓納案」，A君飲了一口利賓納後，嘴唇和舌頭即被飲品內不應含有的硫酸灼傷了。簡單地分析此事件，製造商對消費者應該要負上「小心照顧鄰舍」的責任。但如有證據顯示飲品曾被第三者「做了手腳」，則製造商對消費者所負的責任便可推卸。
「鄰舍原則」如能被內地的法律採用，類似「三聚氰胺奶粉」案件的受害者便可根據此法以追究對「結石寶寶事件」的損害，向罔顧人命的生產商討回公道，亦可作為見錢開眼的製造商的良心守則。
盼望，這一天早日來臨。
內地流傳一個黑色笑話，某農夫重金採購了優質種子，期望辛勤耕種後可獲豐收，後來竟只長出雜草，因為種子是假的；他傷心之餘買了農藥自殺，卻死不去，因為農藥是假的；農夫撿回一命便買酒闔家慶祝，結果卻全家斃命，因為酒也是假的。
八十年前英國發生「鄧蓮嬌案」（Donoghuev Stevenson）[1932]，阿嬌的朋友送來一瓶薑啤，大家暢飲之時，竟從樽裏倒出半隻腐爛蝸牛，阿嬌震驚不安，更因腸胃不適入院，無妄之災令她氣憤難平，便控告製造商有疏忽之嫌。上訴庭在此案確立了「鄰舍原則」（Neighbor Principle）的重要，法官指每個人要愛他的近鄰，應該小心地去避免或預防自己的一些行為或錯漏引致近鄰受到傷害。「鄰舍原則」現已演繹成為保障消費者權益的法律原則之一
本月初香港發生了「硫酸利賓納案」，A君飲了一口利賓納後，嘴唇和舌頭即被飲品內不應含有的硫酸灼傷了。簡單地分析此事件，製造商對消費者應該要負上「小心照顧鄰舍」的責任。但如有證據顯示飲品曾被第三者「做了手腳」，則製造商對消費者所負的責任便可推卸。
「鄰舍原則」如能被內地的法律採用，類似「三聚氰胺奶粉」案件的受害者便可根據此法以追究對「結石寶寶事件」的損害，向罔顧人命的生產商討回公道，亦可作為見錢開眼的製造商的良心守則。
盼望，這一天早日來臨。
「三枝蠟燭故事」
一個黑沈沈的小房間，有三枝小蠟燭在艱苦地燃燒，一個小孩子走進這小房間，見到第一枝蠟燭快要熄滅，蠟燭說：「我叫信心，可是這個社會有太多的困難，太多的挫折，太多的衝突，我已失去信心。」慢慢地，信心就熄滅了。
小孩子走到第二枝蠟燭，蠟燭說：「我叫愛心，可是這個社會只有要求、只有批評、只有嘲弄，我感受不到愛，我也不能去愛。」慢慢地，愛心就熄滅了。
小孩子見兩根蠟燭都熄滅了，就哭起來，他去到第三枝蠟燭，眼看這根蠟燭也快要熄滅。「我叫希望，我雖然很微弱，但只要你將我拿起來，去燃點其他的蠟燭，我們就可以重新發熱發光。」
小孩子拿起希望，燃點信心及愛心，奇妙地小房間就充滿信心、愛心、希望的光輝。
小孩子走到第二枝蠟燭，蠟燭說：「我叫愛心，可是這個社會只有要求、只有批評、只有嘲弄，我感受不到愛，我也不能去愛。」慢慢地，愛心就熄滅了。
小孩子見兩根蠟燭都熄滅了，就哭起來，他去到第三枝蠟燭，眼看這根蠟燭也快要熄滅。「我叫希望，我雖然很微弱，但只要你將我拿起來，去燃點其他的蠟燭，我們就可以重新發熱發光。」
小孩子拿起希望，燃點信心及愛心，奇妙地小房間就充滿信心、愛心、希望的光輝。
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