9/15/2013 生命誠可貴 林維德姊妹

生命誠可貴

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1. 生命的長短
2. 死亡
3. 生命的意義
4. 生命的體驗
5. 宣教的經驗
6. 疲憊孤單的靈魂
7. 不再一樣
8. 相信--神的揀選
9. 全然的降服
10. 神所賜的生命

深深愛你

9/1/2013 Spiritual Parenting Pastor Anthony Hsu

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Introduction:

My mother has impacted my life more than anyone I know. She has loved and discipled me for a long time now. Much of who I am is a direct result of what I have learned from her. I am still learning from her.

I want to share with you some stories that will hopefully inspire and instruct you to be a spiritual parent to others. But first, I will share with you her past brokenness so that you will know that God can truly use anyone to lead and disciple others.

My Mother’s Journey of Brokenness

She was undervalued and rejected by those closest to her.

1. Undervalued by parents: she was not very loved by her parents. They thought she was not as pretty or intelligent as her other sisters. 

2. Rejection by my father: After she married my father, she learned that he was very abusive. He would beat her, yell at her, tell her that he wants to divorce her.

3. Salvation through Employment: She turned to work as a salvation from her troubles. She focused her life on the success of her restaurant that she had established with my dad. The restaurant was called Jade Tree Restaurant (玉树圆) 

i.         She became materialistic.

ii.       Years later, the restaurant caught on fire.

4. My mother finally turned to God when she heard His voice speaking to her one day.

My Mother’s Transformation and Discipleship

As God transformed my mom with His love, she began to disciple me with her love for God.

5. My mother fell in love with God

i.         God began transforming my mom with His love and presence and my mom fell in love with God (all of this happened when I was 13 years old).

ii.       I would see her kneeling every evening, after work, kneeling between her bed and room window, praying and worshipping in His presence.

6. As God changed my mom with His love, my mom began to disciple me with her love for God.
7. She would give me goodnight kisses every night. This was how I learned gentleness and enduring affection.
8. She would share stories every week about her experiences of God’s voice, God’s power, God’s presence. This was how I learned to believe that God wanted to speak and meet with me. This was the beginning of how I learned to long for God to speak and meet with me.
9. One day, I could not fall asleep because I heard strange noises coming from downstairs. I was not a mature Christian yet, but I heard my father and mother praying. Then I heard weird sounds, Then I heard them laughing. Then I heard weird sounds again. I could tell my mom was making those sounds (imitate the sound of speaking in tongues). This was my first exposure to spiritual gifts.
10. She would take me out to feed the homeless with bento boxes packed with Chinese food. This is how I learned the compassion of Jesus.
11. She would take me to morning prayer meetings where I learned a passionate prayer.
12. She would share stories of how she would worship. (Share her testimony about worshipping God without knowing if she will live the next day) This was how I learned passionate worship.
13. At family gatherings, she would pause the party and gather her family members. She would share a testimony and tell them the gospel. This was how I learned boldness and evangelism. 

What I Have Learned from My Mother’s Discipleship

14. I have learned that what my mother received from God, I received even more, for two reasons:

i.         She passed onto me what she received from God

ii.       God multiplied what she passed onto me

- Share the story of your first great experience of the presence of God.

15. What my mother received from God, I received. Why? Because my mother honored God by giving me what God gave her. God honored her by giving me greater portions of what He had given her (provide examples).
16. The most important thing that my mom has ever passed onto me was her passionate, undying love for God. The second most important thing that she passed onto me was her painful, sincere, and compassionate love for people. 

Two Main Points:

17. I have two main points for everyone:

1.      We are all called to make disciples by passing onto them everything we have received directly from God, and whatever we pass on, God will multiply.

2.      The most important things you can pass onto your children, your disciples, is your God-given love for God, and your God-given love for people.

Application:

1. To the parents, I humbly say this: there is great value in having fun with your children, however young or old they are. But there is much greater value in consistently uploading into your children what God has downloaded into you. You will see your children grow and go further with God than you will have gone.
2. To those who do not have a spiritual parent, I humbly say this: find a person and ask him/her to be your spiritual parent. We all need to be loved and discipled by a spiritual parent (a disciple). Do this, and your character, your gifting, your potential will be refined and ready for great things.
3. To those who are not parents yet: you must be a spiritual parent, a discipler, for Jesus has called you to do more than just help your church. He has called you to make disciples. Do this, and you will see revival.
4. To those who think they are not fit to make disciples because of hurtful pasts or low self-esteem, I say this: remember my mom and what God did through her.