誰給你機會？
有一個年輕人特别信仰上帝，他相信上帝肯定也會在他最困難的時候出現並帮助他。
一次，这個年輕人所在的村莊發生水災，整個村子都難逃厄運。村民們紛紛逃生，只有虔誠的年輕人沒走。年轻人想，我这麼相信上帝，上帝肯定會救我的，於是他爬上了屋頂。
不久，大水浸過了屋頂，有一只木舟經過，叫年輕人一起逃生。年輕人說：“不用啦，上帝會來救我的！”於是木舟就離他而去。
片刻之間，河水已浸到他的膝蓋。這時，有艘汽艇經過，拯救尚未逃生者。救援人員儘量說服年輕人。年輕人拒絕地說：“不必啦，上帝一定會救我的。”汽艇只好到別處進行拯救工作。
半晌之後，洪水高漲，已至年輕人的肩膀。此時，有架直升機放下軟梯來救年輕人。年輕人死也不肯上機，說：“別擔心我啦，上帝會救我的！”直升機也只好離去。
這時一個浪頭打來，年輕人被卷入了水中，再也没有浮上来了。
終於，年輕人見到了上帝。他非常不滿的對上帝說：“亏我对您这麼信任，在我最危難的時候，您怎麼能見死不救呢？”
上帝微笑著對年輕人說：“年輕人，我何曾見死不救，你身陷水災，我送木舟給你，你不要；以爲你嫌棄，改了汽艇給你，你又不賞臉；最後還以貴客待你，特地派直升機去接你，但你又不領情。年輕人啊，你要我怎樣幫助你啊？”
啟示：
親愛的朋友，很多時候，不是我們沒有機會的成功，而是不去認同那是個機會，三番四次找藉口來推掉它。我們到底有多少機會可丟棄呢？
要看更多的成功者故事，請瀏覽以下網頁：
The Vision & Hope of Life 您想的人生
INSPIRING STORIES 啟發靈感 故事集
2010年4月25日星期日
Gift to Run a Straight Race: Review the "Chariots of Fire"
The table entitled "Three Stages of Perfection" in Tyndale "Life Application Study Bible" (LASB):
Pressing on Towards the Goal
"12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
16Only let us live up to what we have already attained." (Philippians 3:12-16)
Here are some of the comments by Tyndale "Life Application Study Bible" (LASB):"3:12-14
Paul says that his goal is to know Christ, to be like Christ, and to be all Christ has in mind for him. This goal adsorbs all Paul's energy. This is a helpful example for us. We should not led anything take our eyes off our goal - knowing Christ. With the single-mindedness of an athlete in training, we must lay aside everything harmful and forsake anything that may distract us from being effective Christians. What is holding you back?
3:15, 16 Sometimes trying to live a perfect Christian life can be so difficult that it leaves us drained and discouraged. We may feel so far from perfect that we can never please God with our lives. Paul used perfect (3:12) to mean mature or complete, not flawless in every detail. Those w ho are mature should press on in the Holy Spirit's power, kn! owing that Christ will reveal and fill in any discrepancy between what we are and what we should be. Christ's provision is no excuse for lagging devotion, but it provides relief and assurance for those who feel driven.
3:16 Christian maturity involves acting on the guidance that you have already received. We can always make excuses that we still have so much to learn. The instruction for us is to live up to what we already know and live out what we have already learned. We do not have to be sidetracked by an unending search for truth."
The 2nd stage is "Perfect Progress" in the table entitled "Three Stages of Perfection" in LASB:
"We can grow and mature spiritually as we continue to trust Christ, ;earn more about him, draw closer to him, and obey him. Our progress is changeable (in contrast to our relationship, as desceibed under "Perfect Relationship", the 1st stage) because it depends on our daily walk - at times in life we ma ture more than at other times. But we are growing toward perfection if we "press on" (Philippians 3:12). These good deeds do not perfect us; rather, as God perfects us, we do good deeds for him. See Philippians 3:1-15." The 3rd stage is "Completely Perfect".
Probably all of us have experienced pain or have inperfections in our body. These varies in the extent of affliction or inconvenience to our daily life. To me, these take the form of a bold head, shortsightness and high blood pressure, etc. Some of us suffer much worse things than me. However, in Jesus we all have hope for a perfect body when He comes and the strength to live an abundant life right now!
During my quiet time I studied the following passage:
17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
18For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Philippians 4 1Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! " (Philippians 3:17-4:1)
Here are some of the comments by Tyndale "Life Application Study Bible":
3:17 Paul challenged the Phillippians to pursue Christlikeness by following Paul's own pattern or example. This did not mean, of course, that they should copy everything he did; he had just stated that he was not perfect (3:12). But as he focused his life on being like Christ, so should they. The Gospls may not yet have been in circulation, so Paul could not tell them to read the Bible to see what Christ was like. Therefore he urged them to imitate him. That Paul could tell people to follow his example is a testimony to his character. Can you do the same? What kind of follower would a new Christian become if he or she imitated you? 3:17-21
Paul criticized not only the Judaizers (see the first note on 2:2, 3), but also the self-indulgent Christians, people who claim to be Christians but don't live up to Christ's model of servanthood and self-sacrifice. These people satisfy their own desires before even thinking about the needs of others. Freedom in Christ does not mean freedom to be selfish. It means taking every opportunity to serve and to become the best person you can be. 3:21 The phrase 'lowly body' does not imply any negative attitude toward the human body. However, the bodies we will receive when we are raised from the dead will be glorious, like Christ's resurrected body. Those who struggle with pain, physical limitations, or disabilities can have wonderful hope in the resurrection. For a more detailed discussion of our new bodies, see 1 Corinthians 15:35ff and 2 Corinthians 5:1-10."
The 3rd stage is "Completely Perfect":
"When Christ returns to take us into his eternal kingdom, we will be glorigfied and made completely perfect. See Philippians 3:20, 21." The overall comment for the whole table says: "All phases of perfection (1. Perfect Relationship; 2. Perfect Progress; and 3. Completely Perfect) are grounded in faith in Christ and what he has done, not what we can do for him. We cannot perfect ourselves; only God can work in and through us to 'carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus' (1:6)."
As I studied the table in LASB. I took time to extract the parts of it relating to the metaphor of "Race".
Do you still remember the 1981 Oscar best film winner "Chariots of Fire"?
Pressing on Towards the Goal
"12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
16Only let us live up to what we have already attained." (Philippians 3:12-16)
Here are some of the comments by Tyndale "Life Application Study Bible" (LASB):"3:12-14
Paul says that his goal is to know Christ, to be like Christ, and to be all Christ has in mind for him. This goal adsorbs all Paul's energy. This is a helpful example for us. We should not led anything take our eyes off our goal - knowing Christ. With the single-mindedness of an athlete in training, we must lay aside everything harmful and forsake anything that may distract us from being effective Christians. What is holding you back?
3:15, 16 Sometimes trying to live a perfect Christian life can be so difficult that it leaves us drained and discouraged. We may feel so far from perfect that we can never please God with our lives. Paul used perfect (3:12) to mean mature or complete, not flawless in every detail. Those w ho are mature should press on in the Holy Spirit's power, kn! owing that Christ will reveal and fill in any discrepancy between what we are and what we should be. Christ's provision is no excuse for lagging devotion, but it provides relief and assurance for those who feel driven.
3:16 Christian maturity involves acting on the guidance that you have already received. We can always make excuses that we still have so much to learn. The instruction for us is to live up to what we already know and live out what we have already learned. We do not have to be sidetracked by an unending search for truth."
The 2nd stage is "Perfect Progress" in the table entitled "Three Stages of Perfection" in LASB:
"We can grow and mature spiritually as we continue to trust Christ, ;earn more about him, draw closer to him, and obey him. Our progress is changeable (in contrast to our relationship, as desceibed under "Perfect Relationship", the 1st stage) because it depends on our daily walk - at times in life we ma ture more than at other times. But we are growing toward perfection if we "press on" (Philippians 3:12). These good deeds do not perfect us; rather, as God perfects us, we do good deeds for him. See Philippians 3:1-15." The 3rd stage is "Completely Perfect".
Probably all of us have experienced pain or have inperfections in our body. These varies in the extent of affliction or inconvenience to our daily life. To me, these take the form of a bold head, shortsightness and high blood pressure, etc. Some of us suffer much worse things than me. However, in Jesus we all have hope for a perfect body when He comes and the strength to live an abundant life right now!
During my quiet time I studied the following passage:
17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
18For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Philippians 4 1Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! " (Philippians 3:17-4:1)
Here are some of the comments by Tyndale "Life Application Study Bible":
3:17 Paul challenged the Phillippians to pursue Christlikeness by following Paul's own pattern or example. This did not mean, of course, that they should copy everything he did; he had just stated that he was not perfect (3:12). But as he focused his life on being like Christ, so should they. The Gospls may not yet have been in circulation, so Paul could not tell them to read the Bible to see what Christ was like. Therefore he urged them to imitate him. That Paul could tell people to follow his example is a testimony to his character. Can you do the same? What kind of follower would a new Christian become if he or she imitated you? 3:17-21
Paul criticized not only the Judaizers (see the first note on 2:2, 3), but also the self-indulgent Christians, people who claim to be Christians but don't live up to Christ's model of servanthood and self-sacrifice. These people satisfy their own desires before even thinking about the needs of others. Freedom in Christ does not mean freedom to be selfish. It means taking every opportunity to serve and to become the best person you can be. 3:21 The phrase 'lowly body' does not imply any negative attitude toward the human body. However, the bodies we will receive when we are raised from the dead will be glorious, like Christ's resurrected body. Those who struggle with pain, physical limitations, or disabilities can have wonderful hope in the resurrection. For a more detailed discussion of our new bodies, see 1 Corinthians 15:35ff and 2 Corinthians 5:1-10."
The 3rd stage is "Completely Perfect":
"When Christ returns to take us into his eternal kingdom, we will be glorigfied and made completely perfect. See Philippians 3:20, 21." The overall comment for the whole table says: "All phases of perfection (1. Perfect Relationship; 2. Perfect Progress; and 3. Completely Perfect) are grounded in faith in Christ and what he has done, not what we can do for him. We cannot perfect ourselves; only God can work in and through us to 'carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus' (1:6)."
As I studied the table in LASB. I took time to extract the parts of it relating to the metaphor of "Race".
Do you still remember the 1981 Oscar best film winner "Chariots of Fire"?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHT_nvaTXXk&feature=related
Love,
Jason
3 R’s Leadership Wisdom to Sustain Your Strong Team
To Respect, Reinforce Righteousness, and Recharge your team
1. Respect the teams – Serve your valuable team members well to encourage synergy
God created human beings and he always likes us to respect and love each others. I trust that you would agree the purpose of our business on earth is to keep our life going on meaningfully – leverage our talents and gifts to improve our living environments and conditions. I don’t think it’s necessary to remind about the hierarchy of human needs asserted by Maslow.
No matter what leadership styles we choose to lead our teams in business organizations, profit making or not-for-profit, conflicts may be easily created when our value, verbal or facial expressions are not received or interpreted in a positive manner – I emphasize “received” or “interpreted” but not “delivered” because we must put our hats on as our receivers before we express anything, not pushing but by pulling!
I would suggest us to think about the following before taking our actions:
“Even if we can’t motivate everyone, but NEVER de-motivate anyone by the absence of respect!” because
"Positive culture is hard to lead formally, but negative culture is easy to form by informal groups".
2. Reinforce righteousness – Integrity, Walk the talks, Don’t tolerate your credibility
I almost can guarantee that sometimes we will lose in short-term because of upholding our integrity. But we need to win the heart of people for long-term instead. Live a healthy life is our most important thing on top of winning or losing in monetary value: with health we can keep making money, but money can’t buy us health, and we actually can’t enjoy our wealth without a healthy life.
Liars can never stop telling lies and end up in suffering from lots of pains. They can only get over it in peace if refrain from the cheating game value, the same application to business.
"Making money is important for business, but it’s not the most important thing in long term to grow and sustain!"
3. Recharge your team – Keep work life balance with renewable energy for continual improvement towards excellence
The real meaning of competition is to improve our life, but not fighting for live and death amongst ourselves. No matter how tough we are, there is a time needs for recharge by love and care. Between God and the devil, mercy is the one way gift to build life rather than wrecking. If we can understand this, our source of value for our drive to excellence will be excellent!
This article is not something about far away principles, high level knowledge, or ideal theories that never would happen on earth. There is a real life successful case – a toys manufacturing company is implementing such wisdoms in Hong Kong and China. If you really like to explore how it works for them, we can go studying together with you.
Just join us in:
MBA Education Management Consultant
"Remember, we’re wise human beings on business. Making profit is not like being the beast killing in the jungle – though some might depict the business world as a jungle battle field!"
See this article also published in
GoArticles.com
Searchwarp
Ezine
Expert Author
1. Respect the teams – Serve your valuable team members well to encourage synergy
God created human beings and he always likes us to respect and love each others. I trust that you would agree the purpose of our business on earth is to keep our life going on meaningfully – leverage our talents and gifts to improve our living environments and conditions. I don’t think it’s necessary to remind about the hierarchy of human needs asserted by Maslow.
No matter what leadership styles we choose to lead our teams in business organizations, profit making or not-for-profit, conflicts may be easily created when our value, verbal or facial expressions are not received or interpreted in a positive manner – I emphasize “received” or “interpreted” but not “delivered” because we must put our hats on as our receivers before we express anything, not pushing but by pulling!
I would suggest us to think about the following before taking our actions:
- What exactly is our objective?
- What do they need to do if we take this drive?
- Would it help build/ enhance relationship?
“Even if we can’t motivate everyone, but NEVER de-motivate anyone by the absence of respect!” because
"Positive culture is hard to lead formally, but negative culture is easy to form by informal groups".
2. Reinforce righteousness – Integrity, Walk the talks, Don’t tolerate your credibility
I almost can guarantee that sometimes we will lose in short-term because of upholding our integrity. But we need to win the heart of people for long-term instead. Live a healthy life is our most important thing on top of winning or losing in monetary value: with health we can keep making money, but money can’t buy us health, and we actually can’t enjoy our wealth without a healthy life.
Liars can never stop telling lies and end up in suffering from lots of pains. They can only get over it in peace if refrain from the cheating game value, the same application to business.
"Making money is important for business, but it’s not the most important thing in long term to grow and sustain!"
3. Recharge your team – Keep work life balance with renewable energy for continual improvement towards excellence
The real meaning of competition is to improve our life, but not fighting for live and death amongst ourselves. No matter how tough we are, there is a time needs for recharge by love and care. Between God and the devil, mercy is the one way gift to build life rather than wrecking. If we can understand this, our source of value for our drive to excellence will be excellent!
This article is not something about far away principles, high level knowledge, or ideal theories that never would happen on earth. There is a real life successful case – a toys manufacturing company is implementing such wisdoms in Hong Kong and China. If you really like to explore how it works for them, we can go studying together with you.
Just join us in:
MBA Education Management Consultant
"Remember, we’re wise human beings on business. Making profit is not like being the beast killing in the jungle – though some might depict the business world as a jungle battle field!"
See this article also published in
GoArticles.com
Searchwarp
Ezine
Expert Author
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