Stepped out from the cafeteria at my working place, I ran into a manager that I used to work with. Looked at his radiant appearance, I asked,
“You look great, how are you doing recently?”
“Very well, very well, I am now in T2R.” He responded.
“T2R?” I puzzled.
“Transition to Retirement”, he answered.
“Oh, I see; one more new terminology for me today.” I smiled.

T2R is a program that offered by my working company to a qualified employee. The idea is to give the employee a period of time to plan and to adjust his / her living style for the upcoming retirement while working for only part time. The benefit to the company is aimed for expenses reduction.

The key concept to the T2R is “transition”. It is supposed to minimize any possible stress for a person due to “sudden change” of living style because of retirement. If we ponder on this concept a little bit more, we could find that our life journey is essentially a “process of transition” – a process for us to transition from our birth to the end of our life, in this world. And the truth of this life is as Moses said, “the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. 其中所矜誇的不過是勞苦愁煩；轉眼成空，我們便如飛而去 (Psalm 90:10)”. King Solomon, in his life-long experience, also sighed, “What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? 人一切的勞碌，就是他在日光之下的勞碌，有什麼益處呢？(Ecclesiastes 1:3)”. To our life, this seems to paint a rather gloomy picture. Hence, the T2R is at best considered to be a “temporary” relief to our trouble and sorrow in the end.

If our life is merely like Moses and Solomon described without a way out, then we certainly are hopeless and pitiful. However, God does grant us a way out, which I called “Transition to Glory (T2G)”. It is a transition with a glorious hope of everlasting life without pain and sorrow and, being able to stay with glorious God forever. The T2G is offered to everyone in this world and can only be achieved by receiving God’s Son, Jesus Christ, as our personal savior. When you enroll into the T2G program, your journey in this world would become a different transitional process and your true retirement location will be “heaven”. In there, there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. Isn’t this a true retirement should be?

Therefore, my dear friends, there are two type of transitions in our life. One is Transition to Death (T2D) after your T2R and the other is Transition to Glory (T2G). The question is: Which one do you want to choose for your retirement? Hope you realize that T2G is far better than T2D after T2R.

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Disclaimer: The sharing is pure from my personal view; therefore, please don’t take it to be absolute. Thanks.

For the past week, my wife and I have been “home alone”– our kids were out for a Summer camp. For this reason, suddenly, we felt that our home is quieter, more relaxing, and we have more private time together than before 🙂 The good thing is we have fewer interruptions and we can focus things that we’d like to do. The bad is there is a sense of “loneliness” and “fewer helping hands” when we need. All in all, this home alone experience let us “foretaste” the empty-nesting syndrome which we are likely to experience it in the future.

As “foretaste” is to have a sample or indication of what is to come, it could therefore prepare us for what is coming and this may mean thing is either desirable or undesirable. For example, in modern product development, a foretaste is similar to an early ship program, a.k.a. “pilot program”, that allows product producer and customer to test a new product before it becomes ready for general public. This means customer could use this opportunity to test the new product and hence make a wise purchasing decision. On the other hand, the producer could use the program to “test water” and improve the product accordingly. In essence, the program could help in minimizing an unwise purchasing or a potential risk of disaster, if it exists, to the producer.

How about our spiritual journey? Do we have a similar concept of “foretasting”? Actually yes! In the Old Testament time, many prophets foretell God’s judgment against Isarelites after they received visions from God. Examples are prophet Isaiah saw the LORD sits on the throne in the temple; Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones; Daniel’s vision of the statue and the beast, etc. When it comes to New Testament, one notable instance of foretasting is on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus becomes radiant upon the mountain (Luke 9:28-36, Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-8). Jesus’ disciples, Peter, John and James saw the transfigured Jesus and prophets Moses and Elijah appeared, in glorious splendor, next to Him and talked to Him. Peter then said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. (Matthew 17:4)”. From Peter’s point of view, this is a foretaste of the perfection of life in Heaven and he indicates that he would like to stay there. Another example is apostle Paul. He was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell 他被提到樂園裡，聽見隱祕的言語，是人不可說的 (2 Corinthians 12:4). Apostle John’s vision of Jesus Christ on the island of Patmos is his the second foretaste he had of the image of Jesus Christ (Revelation 2:12-16).

Thinking of these instances also brings up my memory of a famous hymn “Blessed Assurance”, authored by Frances J. Crosby’s – “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!” Frances reveals that she foretastes the divine glory of Jesus because Jesus is her personal Lord. Despite her being blind from shortly after birth, this foretasting experience sustains her throughout her preaching, teaching, and her rescue mission work. What a graceful experience. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, have you foretasted the sweetness of our Lord? May you be His true follower!

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Disclaimer: The sharing is pure from my personal view; therefore, please don’t take it to be absolute. Thanks.

The roller-coaster weather continues to flank the area this week. The good thing is it cools down in the day, the bad is its high humidity makes most of us uncomfortable. Oh well, life is not always pleasant and perfect – sometimes, it is like Job’s response to his wife, “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity 難道我們從神手裡得福，不也受禍嗎? (Job 2:10)”. Ha..ha..ha..

Last week I shared with you one of the two themes from a retreat, today let me try to summarize another one, titled, “How to practice the Sermon on the Mount 如何實行登山寶訓”. The speaker is pastor Huang from New Jersey. The Sermon on the Mount was Jesus’ teaching recorded in Gospel Matthew chapter 5 to chapter 7. How to interpret and practice the Sermon on the Mount has been a difficult subject throughout church history, since 16th century. For examples:

• If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 若是你的右眼叫你跌倒，就剜出來丟掉！寧可失去百體中的一體，不叫全身丟在地獄裡。 若是右手叫你跌倒，就砍下來丟掉！寧可失去百體中的一體，不叫全身下入地獄。(Matthew 5:29-30)
• But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 只是我告訴你們，不要與惡人作對。有人打你的右臉，連左臉也轉過來由他打 (Matthew 5:39)

The main difficulty lies on: do we practice the teaching “literally” or “spiritually”? Because of the diverse opinions, there are at least 6 different interpretations and practices as of today, per pastor Huang. The key to interpret the teaching correctly is to know its intended audiences and its historical background. Its background, according to pastor Huang, is from Isaiah 61:1-3 which foretells the coming of Messiah. And Jesus told His hometown people at Nazareth that He is the one who will be fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor主的靈在我身上，因為他用膏膏我，叫我傳福音給貧窮的人，差遣我報告被擄的得釋放、瞎眼的得看見，叫那受壓制的得自由，報告神悅納人的禧年(Luke 4:18-19)”

Pastor Huang also indicated that the intended audience for Jesus’ teaching is mainly for His disciples. However, crowd of Jews is also presented at that time. To be more specific, Matthew 5:3 to 7:12 is intended for disciples, while 7:13 to 7:28 is for general public. For example, depending on audience, the Beatitudes which is from 5:3-5:10, can be a commending or a demanding to the audience. When we realize that “Jesus is Messiah” and His intended audience, we then can understand the reason why Jesus said,

• “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 莫想我來要廢掉律法和先知，我來不是要廢掉，乃是要成全。(Matthew 5:17)
• For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. 我告訴你們、你們的義、若不勝於文士和法利賽人的義、斷不能進天國。(Matthew 5:20)
• “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 凡稱呼我『主啊，主啊』的人不能都進天國，唯獨遵行我天父旨意的人才能進去。(Matthew 7:21)

In the Beatitudes, per pastor Huang, the first 4 is focusing on God’s righteousness and the next 4 is focusing on how to live out the righteousness. Also, the first one (#1) and the last one (#8) are using present tense while #2 to #7 are in passive tense. To the disciples, the Beatitudes is Jesus’ commending to them. On the other hand, it is a demand to the general public to accept Him as the Messiah then you can see the kingdom of heaven.

In summary, the Sermon on the Mount is for Christians to follow the teaching according to Holy Spirit’s guidance, to live out God’s righteousness described in the Beatitudes. For those who are still non-believers, the Sermon on the Mount demands them to receive Jesus as the Savior first, then they can enter the kingdom of heaven.

Hope the summarized material can be of use to you….

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Disclaimer: The sharing is pure from my personal view; therefore, please don’t take it to be absolute. Thanks.

Last weekend, my family had an opportunity to attend a Christian retreat. It gives me time to relax and enjoy the spiritual feast that I have not been able to for the past few years. The main themes of the retreat are “Calling to the one who is victorious 得勝者的呼召” and “How to practice the Beatitudes 如何實行登山寶訓”. They serve good reminders to me – am I victorious in the eye of my Lord and have I practiced the Beatitudes diligently? For the theme of “calling”, let me elaborate it here while leave the second theme till the next week.

“Calling” carries a special meaning to the Christian – it is initiated from God, wanting the one who is called to leave the current state / condition and to enter a higher / improved state or condition. A few examples, according to the speaker brother Bellman Lin, are Abraham, Moses and David in Old Testament. In New Testament, Jesus’ disciples Peter, John and Paul and today’s churches are examples. The callings to those who are named are also entrusted missions. For example, apostle Peter was entrusted to open the gate of Gospel for Jews (Matthew 16:18-19) and to encourage and strengthen exiles scattered believers (1 Peter 4:1); apostle Paul was enlightened to preach God’s eternal will (Colossians 1:9, 15-18) and mystery of Christ (Ephesians 3:4, 6, 9-11); apostle John was entrusted to preach “The way of Life” (John 1:1, 2, 4; 1 John 1:1, 2).

The calling to today’s churches was illustrated by the seven churches from the book of Revelation, according to the speaker. The seven churches represented seven styles.
• The first style was represented by the Church in Ephesus (以弗所教會). It is a church knows the truth and hates the practices of the Nicolaitans, which God also hates. But, the issue is they have forsaken the love they had at first (把起初的愛心離棄了). Therefore, the calling to be victorious is to regain the love (Romans 5:1, 5) and to rededicate themselves to God without reservation (2 Corinthians 5:14, 15).
• The Church in Smyrna (士每拿教會) is the 2nd style. Smyrna has a meaning of “bitterness” or “myrrh”. It means their suffering is precious. It is a church under great persecution by three different forms – poverty, sufferings and slanders. It has a mountain in the city called “The crown of Smyrna”. God called them to be faithful, even to the point of death and promised to those who are victorious the “Crown of Life” and will not be hurt at all by the second death (Revelation 2:10-11).
• The third style was represented by the Church in Pergamum (別迦摩教會). Pergamum has the meaning of “height or elevation” and “union”. It indicates, implicitly, whenever one attempts to elevate his ministries may have the tendency to join the world, using worldly practices. The Church in Pergamum has two incorrect teachings, one is to follow the teaching of Balaam and the other is the teaching of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:14-15). Nicolaitans teach worldly system such as holy ranking (聖品階級) which destroys the relationship in church. God’s calling is to discard worldly practices and to give up the concept of compensation in serving (Matthew 6:24). And, to hold an equal status in front of God (Matthew 23:8).
• The Church in Thyatira (推雅推喇教會) is the fourth style. Thyatira is meant for “odor of affliction”. It is a military and commercial city with good production of pottery. God praised them of their love and faith, their service and perseverance, and that they are now doing more than they did at first. However, their love tolerates that Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. She misleads God’s servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. The calling that God initiated is to discard false teachings and to maintain simple faith and pure love, and be patient.
• The Church in Sardis (撒狄教會) represents the fifth style. Sardis means “Recovery”. It signifies God’s hope that church can recover from the mistakes made by the Church in Thyatira. The Church in Sardis is established in a wealthy city with gold mines and is located in the mountain peak. She is proud and indulges in sexual immorality. Because of the wealthy condition, she always embarks many new programs and new activities, like today’s church in North America, but are given up halfway. Her issue is: God knows her works, that she has a name that she is alive, but she is dead. And, her deeds are unfinished in the sight of God. God called the church to wake up and strengthen what remains and is about to die, to remember what she has received and heard; hold it fast, and repent.
• The sixth style is from the Church in Philadelphia (非拉鐵非教會). Philadelphia has the meaning of “brotherly love”. It has eliminated the holy ranking practices started from the Church in Pergamum. It recovers better than the Church in Sardis. The Church in Smyrna and the Church in Philadelphia are the only two churches out of the seven that God didn’t rebuke. To the Church in Philadelphia, however, He added more compliments – I know your deeds. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. The calling from God to the Church in Philadelphia is to hold on to what they have, so that no one will take their crown.
• The final one is from the Church in Laodicea (老底嘉教會). Laodicea means “justice of the people”, or, “People’s opinion 眾人的意見”. This reveals that “brother” in the Church in Philadelphia has turned into “people”, “love” has evolved into “opinion”. Implicitly, it is people’s opinion more important than God’s will. Laodicea is a prosperous city and therefore, people are prideful. The city abounds in eye medicine and fur coat. It has a spring flows through the city but its temperature is lukewarm. Therefore, God rebukes them: “you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” The calling God has is to buy from Him gold refined in the fire, and white clothes to wear, so they can cover their shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so they can see.

The seven churches illustrated here remind us that we need to repent if we have forsaken the love we had at first in order to rekindle our spiritual fire. May the information serve as a good reminder to you!

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Disclaimer: The sharing is pure from my personal view; therefore, please don’t take it to be absolute. Thanks.

My colleague stopped by my office the other day, with a wary face. He asked me if I had known certain new data analysis tool. I shook my head and told him that I was not aware of such a tool. He was told by management to switch to a new tool because the current tool he has been using is going away. He was frustrated as he has invested a lot of time and efforts on the current tool to automate his work. Unfortunately, I couldn’t offer much help. I can only sympathize as the same situation happened to me a year ago – I have to scramble around in order to migrate my automated work to a new tool. Sigh! Life is not always as smooth as you would have dreamed of even you have done your part.

Then, a funny news broke out last week. There is a man who has dreamed to go to a place for vacation for a long time. When that day came, he happily hopped on an airplane heading toward his dreaming location. Only to find out that due to an operation error of the Airline, he was sent to a totally different location. I could image how shock he was when he arrived at the new location. Again, life is not always as smooth as you would like.

This makes me wonder what is your take on “when thing goes haywire”. One way you can do, I think, is laughing at it and then life goes on. The other way, you may do is gnashing your teeth and mulling it over by yourself. Or, you can seek help from others to solve the unexpected situation, just like my colleague. You may say: I would select my action based on the situation. Yes, it is true. The trouble is our assessment of the situation oftentimes is miscalculated or misjudged – we think we can handle it and therefore we choose to mull it over by our self. Quickly we find out that we are not capable of solving it. My most recent painful experience was on my car repairs, for example.

Jesus, in His last teaching to His disciples, clearly told them that “in this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). So we should not be surprised when we see things go haywire because we are His children and besides, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun 已有的事後必再有，已行的事後必再行，日光之下並無新事 (Ecclesiastes 1:9)”. The only NEW thing can happen is under the SON of God – He gives us new life and restores our relationship with God.

When we realize that life is not always smooth and is full of erratic, we learn that not everything is under our control. In fact, we have to realize that “nothing” is under our control! The only one who is in control is God! He is the LORD of all. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, please be ready to ask help from our God when we face difficulties, because He is merciful and He promised that we can approach His throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).

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Disclaimer: The sharing is pure from my personal view; therefore, please don’t take it to be absolute. Thanks.