Nobel laureate Author: Milton Friedman, and his wife, Rose Friedman:
Free to choose -
is a book and a ten-part television series broadcast on public television by economists Milton and Rose D. Friedman that advocates free market principles.Wikipedia
"Excellent book….This reviewer has never read a more straightforward and simple statement of the present ills facing our society and what we as citizens in a ..."
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Freedom to choose the life you like: the road to salvation?
Freedom to choose the life you like: the endpoing for the road to salvation.
Hearing Joel Osteen talks on Sirius Satellite Radio with Joyce Meyer, I wonder about this:
What's the endpoint of the road to salvation?
The endpoint?
We don't appreciate what we get quickly. We don't appreciate what we don't work hard for. So? That's why we say we enjoy the process of getting to the endpoint - life journey.
the road to salvation? 3-step is as follows:
1) Physical
2) psychological
3) spiritual
These are three mountains you need to cimb up and get to the top if you want to set yourself free, to your destiny: How can you bring enthusiasm to ordinary to make it extraordinary?
He's a breath away, but do you want Him in your life? Life is not of burden, but of joy, only if He's in your breath-in and -out. You gotta separate who you're from what you do. Sounds great, but how?
Everything you gotta do, do it with Him. Nothing worth doing without Him in it. Go with His name. If you're not comfortable doing with him, don't do it - it'll draw you into self-guilt and self-pity.
the road to salvation? The endpoint? Show me what you got ! Picture this:
You stuck with being yourself as everybody else is taken :-). So... so what? Hate yourself ? That doesn't help you. Being in other's skin will make you miserable. So?
Being older gives me benefits - I don't care what you say about myself. If you don't think what you do bring Him glory, don't do it. You gotta make peace with Him. Being thankful for little things you're capable of having or doing now - such still see, sense, smell, taste, hear, and intuit.
Freedom to choose the life you like: the endpoing for the road to salvation. How can you get there? You can go sequentially from Physical to psychological to spiritual being; or you can go from spiritual to psychological to Physical being; or you can go to all three simultaneouly. You can go there alone or in a group: your choice. Lack of any one element, you feel uneasy in your life, turmoil sometimes, up and down, not at peace.
May God bless you - You're in my thought and prayers.
exalt: vt.
1) to raise in rank, power, or character
2) to elevate by praise or in estimation ( = glorify)
Examples of exalt in a sentence
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His behavior has exalted the power and prestige of his office.
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The essay exalts the simple beauty of the country.
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We exalt thee, O Lord.
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He shamelessly exalts his own role in the peace process. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Streams in the Desert Hardcover – February 9, 1997
by
L. B. Cowman (Author), James Reimann (Author) In a barren wilderness, L. B. Cowman long ago discovered a fountain that sustained her, and she shared it with the world, Streams in the Desert ® -- her collection of prayerful meditations, Christian writings, and God's written promises--has become one of the most dearly loved, best-selling devotionals of all time since its first publication in 1925. Filled with insight into the richness of God's provision and the purpose of His plan, this enduring classic has encouraged and inspired generations of Christians. I heard the flow of hidden springs; before me palms rose green and fair; The birds were singing; all the air was filled and stirred with angels' wings. Now James Reimann, editor of the highly acclaimed updated edition of My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, again brings us the wisdom of the past in the language of today, by introducing this updated edition of Streams in the Desert. With fresh, contemporary wording and precise NIV text, the timeless message of the original flows unhindered through these pages, lending guidance and hope to a new generation of believers. We never know where God has hidden His streams. We see a large stone and have no idea that it covers the source of a spring. We see a rocky areas and never imagine that it is hiding a fountain. God leads me into hard and difficult places, and it is there I realize I am where eternal streams abide. Day by day, Streams in the Desert will lead you from life's dry desolate places to the waters of the River of Life -- and beyond, to their very Source.
Ref. 2 - The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Hardcover – Unabridged, October 1, 2002.
"The Purpose Driven Life--What On Earth Am I Here For?" by Rick Warren. The #1 New York Times Bestseller. Printed on Acid Free Paper. Hardcover book with Dust Cover in Very Good condition. Pages are clean and are free of writing, with exception of possible inscription on inside cover, or minor wear.
Another Landmark Book by Rick Warren. You are not an accident. Even before the universe was created, God had you in mind, and he planned you for his purposes. These purposes will extend far beyond the few years you will spend on earth. You were made to last forever! Self-help books often suggest that you try to discover the meaning and purpose of your life by looking within yourself, but Rick Warren says that is the wrong place to start. You must begin with God, your Creator, and his reasons for creating you. You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense. This book will help you understand why you are alive and God's amazing plan for you---both here and now, and for eternity. Rick Warren will guide you through a personal 40-day spiritual journey that will transform your answer to life's most important question: What on earth am I here for? Knowing God's purpose for creating you will reduce your stress, focus your energy, simplify your decisions, give meaning to your life, and, most importantly, prepare you for eternity. The Purpose Driven Life is a blueprint for Christian living in the 21st century---a lifestyle based on God's eternal purposes, not cultural values. Using over 1,200 scriptural quotes and references, it challenges the conventional definitions of worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. In the tradition of Oswald Chambers, Rick Warren offers distilled wisdom on the essence of what life is all about. This is a book of hope and challenge that you will read and re-read, and it will be a classic treasured by generations to come.
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
The spiritual premise in The Purpose-Driven Life is that there are no accidents---God planned everything and everyone. Therefore, every human has a divine purpose, according to God's master plan. Like a twist on John F. Kennedy's famous inaugural address, this book could be summed up like this: "So my fellow Christians, ask not what God can do for your life plan, ask what your life can do for God's plan." Those who are looking for advice on finding one's calling through career choice, creative expression, or any form of self-discovery should go elsewhere. This is not about self-exploration; it is about purposeful devotion to a Christian God. The book is set up to be a 40-day immersion plan, recognizing that the Bible favors the number 40 as a "spiritually significant time," according to author Rick Warren, the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, touted as one of the nation largest congregations. Warren's hope is that readers will "interact" with the 40 chapters, reading them one day at a time, with extensive underlining and writing in the margins. As an inspirational manifesto for creating a more worshipful, church-driven life, this book delivers. Every page is laden with references to scripture or dogma. But it does not do much to address the challenges of modern Christian living, with its competing material, professional, and financial distractions. Nonetheless, this is probably an excellent resource for devout Christians who crave a jumpstart back to worshipfulness. --Gail Hudson
From Publishers Weekly
Pastor of Saddleback Church, a Southern Baptist mega-church in southern California with weekly attendance of more than 15,000, Warren now applies his highly successful "purpose-driven" framework, developed in the best-seller The Purpose-Driven Church, to individual experience. The same principles Warren has taught to thousands of pastors to help churches be healthy and effective can also drive lives, he says. The book argues that discerning and living five God-ordained purposes-worship, community, discipleship, ministry and evangelism-is key to effective living. His 40 short chapters are intended to be read over 40 days' time, giving readers small pieces of his purpose-discovering program to chew on. Warren certainly knows his Bible. Of 800-plus footnotes, only 18 don't refer to Christian Scripture. He deliberately works with 15 different Bible translations, leaning heavily on contemporary translations and paraphrases, as an interesting way of plumbing biblical text. The almost exclusively biblical frame of reference stakes out the audience niche for this manual for Christian living. It's practical yet paradoxically abstract, lacking the kind of real-life examples and stories that life-application books usually provide in abundance. The book has flaws editing might have fixed. People are quoted without being identified, and subheads simply repeat lines of text, which tends to make the prose sound too simple. This book is not for all, but for those needing a certain kind of scriptural rock, it is solid.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
荒漠甘泉
維基百科，自由的百科全書
《荒漠甘泉》（英語：Streams in the Desert）是一部基督教的靈修書籍，於1920年首次出版。該書是20世紀的重要宗教著作，另外也因裡麵提及的故事頗為動人，因此有不少非基督教信徒閱讀過此書。
《荒漠甘泉》的作者是美國傳道人考門夫人，她與她丈夫除了於美國服過神職外，也曾一起在東亞傳教達廿年之久。這本書是她在其丈夫重病時開始提筆所著，記錄了她的靈修生活，以及如何在苦難當中如何藉由基督教的禱告來獲得「盼望、忍耐與喜樂」。該書以日記形式書寫，其內文引言主要以《聖經》為依據，也引入了其他神學著作中的段句，並結合夫妻二人的見證和靈修生活，對《聖經》中某些經文展開了非常深入的闡釋。教導人們如何通過閱讀《聖經》聆聽「神」的話語並明白神的旨意。《荒漠甘泉》全書雖宗教味濃厚，但因為該書內文流暢且不落俗套，因此1920年發行後，不但在美國發行量很高，更曾被譯為數十種文字，通行於全世界。比較特殊的是，該書閱讀者不盡然全是基督教信徒。
此書為考門夫人的處女作，爾後她陸續也有出宗教味更濃的祈禱書書籍，如：《黑門山路》。
中譯本[編輯]
1939年12月，上海福音書房出版了唐醒（唐守臨）和袁周潔民翻譯的節譯本，受到中國基督徒的歡迎。到1947年已經增印到第8版。也有人說這本書的中譯本由蔣夫人宋美齡在重慶時親自翻譯，供蔣介石靈修之用，1942年蔣夫人赴美之前初版出版。
都是基督徒的兩屆中華民國總統蔣介石與蔣經國都曾在台灣大力推薦過此書，因此該書於1970年代在台灣相當風行。至今，重新排版的中文版《荒漠甘泉》於台灣仍不時出現。此書也放置於蔣介石棺材之中。[1]而1959年在台灣出版的中譯本，為王家棫奉蔣介石命令翻譯、整理，由蔣親自審定，對原文有相當大的改動。賴慈芸認為：「這本為老蔣量身定作的《荒漠甘泉》似乎是從聖經中檢出有『勝利』、『戰鬥』等關鍵字的經文，重新『翻譯』成老蔣喜歡的句子，再加上一些符合老蔣心境的小故事，包裝成一本『靈修書』。」[2]
~~~
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講題：救贖之路 |
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蕢建華 2004/12/12
經文:賽三十五：1-10、雅五：7-10、太十一：2-11 、詩146：5-10
講章
前言：
在這將臨期期間，帶給我們的信息是盼望與歡樂，因為主耶 穌基督的來到世上，並為我們開了一條又新又活的路，就是救贖之路。
保羅說：「你們要靠主常常喜樂。我再說，你們要喜樂。」（腓四：4）
曾有一位受人尊敬的老人，他也是一位樂觀、喜樂的人，有人好奇 的問他說：「你一定有什麼喜樂的秘訣？」老人回答說：「其實，這也 不算是什麼秘訣；我每天早上起來就麵臨兩個選擇，一個是選擇快樂， 一個是選擇不快樂，當然我選擇快樂！果然，那天我就很快樂！」由此 可見喜樂是出自心境，而不是出自環境；
我們基督徒經歷了上帝的愛， 得到上帝的救贖，使我們的生命被更新，縱使在世上有苦難，但我們在 基督裡仍然大有盼望與喜樂，我們要單單的仰望為我們信心創始成終的 耶穌，不看環境、不看人。 將臨期是個充滿希望的時期；隨著將臨圈上的蠟燭，一枝、兩枝、 三枝、四枝的被點燃，我們看見耶穌基督是世界的光。
祂說：「跟從祂 的，就不在黑暗裡走，必要得著生命的光。」祂的來臨，使黑暗消失； 大地充滿了光明、生氣與盼望。
將臨期也是個喜樂的時期；我們再度準 備慶祝救主耶穌基督的降生；上帝是這麼地愛人類，差遣了祂唯一的獨 生愛子耶穌基督來救贖我們。
在將臨期第三主日的禮儀中，充滿了「歡 樂」的氣氛，從進堂的詩歌開始，大家唱著「歡欣」「歡欣」，這個禮 儀的主題就很清楚的被表達出來；將臨圈中的蠟燭，此時也由象徵救贖 精神、嚴肅的紫色蠟燭，轉換成為象徵聖誕歡樂的粉紅色蠟燭。
隨著這 個主日，將臨期漸漸進入第二個階段，禮儀的重心由勸告基督徒儆醒不 倦、等候人子由天上再度降臨，而轉換為歡樂，準備迎接耶穌基督降生 於世上的歷史中。教會習慣上稱這個主日為「喜樂主日」。
耶穌喜歡我 們如此歡慶祂的降生，不過我們若用心的去期盼，更能增加歡慶時的喜 樂。
將臨期也是再度預備心，迎接救主的來臨的時期；舊約經課中預言 上帝的子民從各國歸回，彌賽亞——基督在錫安做王，那時一切的黑 暗、軟弱、痛苦都要過去，光明、強壯、歡樂則要充滿人間，這些預言 已有大部分已經應驗，顯示出天國的美景；第1-2節說到自然界出現奇 蹟；
上帝賜下應許之地「迦南美地」，是那流奶與蜜之地，這是一塊操 練以色列人的信心之地，要他們遵守耶和華的話，信靠祂，在這地上經 歷上帝的信實與慈愛，如此，就要成為有福。
此時彌賽亞的來臨，以色 列民的歡樂，如西番雅先知所說：「錫安的民哪！應當歌唱！以色列 啊！應當歡呼！耶路撒冷的民哪！應當滿心歡喜快樂！耶和華已經除去 你的刑罰，趕出你的仇敵。
以色列的王─耶和華在你中間；你必不再懼 怕災禍。當那日，必有話向耶路撒冷說：不要懼怕！錫安哪！不要手 軟！耶和華─你的上帝是施行拯救、大有能力的主。祂在你中間必因你 歡欣喜樂，默然愛你，且因你喜樂而歡呼。」（番三：14-17）彌賽亞的 來臨，使萬物——凡有氣息的都來讚美祂！以賽亞先知說：「曠野和乾 旱之地必然歡喜；沙漠也必快樂；又像玫瑰開花，必開花繁盛，樂上加 樂，而且歡呼。」
大地上的一切都要被更新，都要歡樂。 第3-4節軟弱 者要變為剛強；以色列民過去遠離上帝，失去了能力，心中充滿了懼怕 與膽怯，這時彌賽亞成為他們的依靠與幫助，軟弱者都已變為剛強；還 有天國降臨時，第5-6節殘疾者均得到醫治；「那時，瞎子的眼必睜開； 聾子的耳必開通。
瘸子必跳躍像鹿；啞巴的舌頭必能歌唱。」這就是今 天福音經課所說，主耶穌回答施洗約翰的兩位門徒所問：「那將要來的 是你嗎？還是我們等候別人呢？」，也就是施洗約翰不肯定耶穌是否就 是將要來臨的彌賽亞？若不是，施洗約翰的所作所為就前功盡棄，沒有 盡到他作為開路先鋒的職責與使命。
而耶穌回答是以自己的所做所為， 神蹟奇事來印證，說：「你們去，把所聽見，所看見的事告訴約翰。
就 是瞎子看見，瘸子行走，長大痲瘋的潔淨，聾子聽見，死人復活，窮人 有福音傳給他們。凡不因我跌倒的就有福了！」耶穌的這些作為都應驗 了舊約先知對彌賽亞的預言，如以賽亞先知說：「主耶和華的靈在我身 上；因為耶和華用膏膏我，叫我傳好信息給謙卑的人，差遣我醫好傷心 的人，報告被擄的得釋放，被囚的出監牢；報告耶和華的恩年，和我們 神報仇的日子；安慰一切悲哀的人。」（賽六十一：1-2）
耶穌在傳道時， 就是以此來宣告，開始祂在世上的工作。（路四：18-19）
當這兩位門徒走後，耶穌就對眾人以詢問他們的動機，來說明施洗 約翰的重要，導正他們對施洗約翰任務與使命的瞭解，以及對彌賽亞的 作為的肯定，這彌賽亞不是「啟示型」的，而是「僕人型」的。祂問說： 「你們從前出到曠野是要看什麼呢？要看風吹動的蘆葦嗎？」意思並不 是問他們是否是去看蘆葦的搖擺？而是暗示施洗約翰並不是一個弱不禁 風的人，像牆頭草一般的人。
又問：「你們出去到底是要看什麼？要看 穿細軟衣服的人嗎？」施洗約翰也不是那穿細軟衣服的人，馬太福音說 到他在曠野傳道時，說：「預備主的道，修直祂的路！」並說：「這約 翰身穿駱駝毛的衣服，腰束皮帶，吃的是蝗蟲、野蜜。」所以，他並不 是在王宮裡穿細軟衣服隻求享受的人。
而祂是一位真正的先知，正是瑪 拉基先知所預言，那要來的使者。
「萬軍之耶和華說：『我要差遣我的 使者在我前麵預備道路。你們所尋求的主必忽然進入他的殿；立約的使 者，就是你們所仰慕的，快要來到。』」（瑪三：1） 耶穌的回答：一方麵肯定施洗約翰的信仰，承認自己的確是「要來 的那一位」﹔另一方麵糾正施洗約翰對天國來臨的過於急促的看法。
耶 穌的出現，的確彰顯出天國的來臨，但是並不意味著天地的完結，而是 更新與新望。
因此，施洗約翰便是先知中最大的一位，也是舊約先知中的最後一 位，他的身份在這裡得到肯定，但不是因他個人的價值，而是因他在上 帝的目的中所佔的位置；他是上帝所要建立的「上帝國」的開路先鋒， 但僅止於天國的報信者，縱使在天國中最小的人，也比宣布「天國近 了」，而他自己本身還在天國之外的人還大。
所以，我們都當走這救贖 之路，進入上帝的國。耶穌說：「我就是道路、真理、生命，人若不藉 著我就不能到父那裡去。」（約十四：6）耶穌要我們「先求祂的國和祂 的義，其他的一切祂都要賜給我們。」（太六：33）耶穌也說：「我實 實在在的告訴你，人若不重生，就不能見上帝的國。」（約三：3）又說： 「人若不是從水和聖靈生的，就不能進上帝的國。」（約三：5）這都是 要我們走上這救贖之路，最終的目的乃進入祂的國。
最後，走在這條路上的人，在第8-11節行路皆安全無慮；上帝要從 列國那兒修築一條大道，讓那些被耶和華贖回的人滿心歡喜、感恩地回 到應許之地，要他們走救贖之路，這路稱為「聖路」。
而這是在基督的 掌權之下，是專為得救贖之人所開的道路，行路的必須人手潔心清，在 這道路上也沒有危險，沒有猛獸來危害，就是路癡也不會迷路，大家快 樂的走在其上，沒有憂愁，沒有歎息，一路歡喜快樂的唱著詩歌，就如 詩篇中的上行詩，就是詩篇120-134篇，這是他們朝見上帝、敬拜上帝 的詩歌，他們邊走邊唱，「我要向山舉目；我的幫助從何而來？我的幫 助從造天地的耶和華而來。」（詩一二一：1）
如此唱著爬上錫安山，來 到聖城耶路撒冷，走上聖殿中的拿坎娜門的梯階，這是在至聖所前的階 梯，他們來到上帝的麵前屈膝敬拜。
今天我們所走的路，是別人已經歷的，在今天的新約經課中，雅各 說：「弟兄們，你們要把那先前奉主名說話的眾先知，當作能受苦能忍 耐的榜樣。」這經文給我們很大的安慰與鼓勵，過去的先知和上帝的子 民，若沒有耐心、忍受就不能完成他們時代的任務，做好他們的見證， 以致成為我們的榜樣。
在施洗約翰的宣講中，耶穌是一位收割?稼的農人，說：「祂手裡 拿著簸箕，要揚淨祂的場，把麥子收在倉裡，把糠用不滅的火燒盡 了。」（太三：12）題到最後的選擇與審判。
雅各也以農夫來比喻我們 基督徒。他勸勉我們要效法先知們受苦忍耐的榜樣，更警戒我們不要彼 此抱怨，免得受上帝的審判。
但在得到秋雨春雨之前就期望有所收穫，這是很愚蠢的想法，我們 當忍耐，當秋雨春雨來到，使我們更確信主快再來。
蕢師母的老家是關 子領，他們家有一些政府放領的林地，種了許多的「桂竹」，我與師母 認識後，就對竹子有一些認識與接觸，如什麼是一年竹、二年竹等，什 麼時候會長「桂竹筍」？乃是在四月與九月中，還要等到下雨時，也就 如聖經所說的春雨秋雨時，雨後的第二天清晨去竹林中，就會看見竹筍 從地裡冒出來，這採收是等待了半年，心中自然發出喜悅，一尺多就要 將它從根部折斷採收，否則，老了不好吃，就要讓它繼續長，而成為竹 子。
正如雅各所說：「看哪，農夫忍耐等候地裡寶貴的出產，直到得了 秋雨春雨。」所以，要忍耐，等待、相信上帝的愛、要有信心，等候基 督的再來，我們是大有盼望，所以，要有等待的喜悅。 歡樂的等待也要工作，不要像使徒時代的一些人，認為末世已到， 就不必做工了。
一位心理學家，去訪問一間正在建築的大教堂，他問正 在忙碌敲打石塊的工人，說：「請問你在做什麼？」第一位工人說：「做 什麼？你沒有看到嗎？我正在用這重的要命的鐵鎚來敲這該死的石頭， 害得我的守酸麻不已，這真不是人幹的！」
心理學家又問第二位工人： 「請問你在做什麼？」第二位工人說：「還不是為了每天可得五百塊工 資，若不是為了一家人的溫飽，我才不會幹這粗活呢！」
心理學家又問 第三位工人：「請問你在做什麼？」第三位工人卻喜悅興奮的說：「我 正在參與建造這華麗雄偉的大教堂，落成之後將有無數的人來到這兒接 受上帝的愛！」
所以，走上救贖之路的人，在末世歡喜等待主的再來， 也要歡喜快樂的繼續建造上帝的國，完成上帝的使命，使我們成為有 福。
http://cmpc.health999.net/cmpc_main/sermon/word_035.htm
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