今天聽了他人的話，我感受到見證所以能夠生發出來，是因為神實在不斷地工作。

看到別人對事情的不明白或詫異，若是要見證神自己，我知道只要作一件簡單的事：告訴他們這是神的工作。

(當然在當中需要智慧分辨~~~)

我們根本不用要刻意去辯白什麼：真的，我們只要不否認祂，神的工作定必自己見證自己。

我想到了我們，許多時候是多麼的自義；

在想著如何見證神時，我們問神為什麼不工作，我們求神還要作這作那。

其實是強要神稱我的作為成祂的作為；

又有時候我們其實是企圖否認祂的作為，好使我們的工作「看來明顯一點」是出自神的。

我們不義，更大程度上是由於我們否定神做了什麼，這比我們什麼也不幹更突顯出我們是多麼的不義。

我不是論斷自己，或是論斷別人。

我寫上這，是想我能夠記得，見證神根本不是由人費力作工而來。

---

Even my father can inspire me, while my thinking cannot.

I don't know why, I am so surprised these two day by the fact that it's so easy for me to be inspired by others, rather than by what I thought and studied.

I should really know that this is a plain principle, which, I find it so incredible.

8 Nov

Why is Singapore ('s exchange rate regime) Different, i.e. Neither Float Nor Fixed?

(extracts of "Singapore's Exchange Rate Policy)

    Since the Asian crisis, there has been a growing consensus that the only sustainable exchange rate regime for emerging markets is either a currency board or a floating exchange rate regime.  Singapore stands in contrast to this conventional wisdom.  Why does MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore) choose a managed float?  The short answer is that this provides MAS with flexibility to deal with shocks while at the same time maintaining the purchasing power of the SGD.

     A basic philosophy underlying Singapore's exchange rate policy is to preserve the purchasing power of the SGD, in order to maintain confidence in the currency and preserve the value of workers' savings, especially their CPF balances.  Over the years, the managed float has served Singapore well in this respect.  Inflation and interest rates have been low, and expectations are for the SGD to appreciate over time.

    This includes reducing wages through the variable bonuses, and in extremis by reducing employer contributions to the Central Provident Fund.  This has happened twice: in the mid-1980s recession, and again in the Asian financial crisis.  The Government believes that it is better to confront the issue squarely and persuade workers to accept a direct wage cut.  If it glossed over the problem through a steeper SGD depreciation, workers would find out later that inflation had eroded the purchasing power of their wages.  In fact their loss, would be greater because most workers have accumulated substantial CPF savings denominated in SGD, whose real value would also shrink.  Workers would seek higher wage settlements to compensate, and the wage price spiral would soon erode away the temporary cost advantage.  Worse, Singaporeans would lose confidence in the currency and the Government.

Why Not Float?

    A floating exchange rate regime would prevent the Government from meeting this fundamental objective.  It would also not be appropriate for a small and open economy like Singapore for two other reasons.

    First, MAS has found the exchange rate to be the most effective instrument to keep inflation low.  Other possible intermediate targets, in particular interest rates, are less effective in influencing real economic activity and domestic inflation outcomes.  The main advantage of a floating regime - the ability to pursue and independent monetary policy - is less relevant to Singapore than to other larger, less open economies with domestic policy imperatives.

    Second, a freely floating SGD may become too volatile in the short-run.  Worse, the currency could become misaligned over a sustained period of time, leading to resource mis-allocation.

Why Not Fixed?

    First, the Singapore economy has highly diversified trading links, substantial fiscal surpluses, and a long track record of low inflation.  Both inflation and interest rates have been lower in Singapore than in the US.  There is thus little need for a nominal anchor for the SGD to manage inflationary expectations, or for the discipline imposed by the monetary policy of a foreign country - most likely the US - to which the SGD is pegged.

    Second, there would be a cost resulting from the adoption of the anchor country's monetary policy because of the divergence in business cycles.  This is shown by Hong Kong's example.  While Hong Kong's business and economies cycle has become increasingly aligned with that of China, its peg to the USD ties its monetary policy closely of that of the US.  During the early 1990s, the Hong Kong economy was growing rapidly and warranted tighter monetary conditions, but interest rates fell in line with those in the US, which was experiencing an economic slowdown.  This contributed to an asset price bubble.  Then during the Asian crisis, when the regional currencies depreciated sharply, the Hong Kong dollar experienced a sharp involuntary appreciation in trade-weighted terms.  The adjustment was severe, especially in asset price deflation.

    Third, a fixed exchange rate would make it more difficult for Singapore to absorb shocks from abroad, and adjust the value of the SGD exchange rate in line with changes in the country's underlying macroeconomic fundamentals.  This would be so even if the SGD were pegged to a trade-weight basket rather than a single currency.  For example, during the Asian crisis from the late-97 to early-98, when the regional economies depreciated sharply against the USD, the SGD too depreciated against the USD, but by much less.  In trade-weighted terms the SGD actually appreciate moderately, because MAS exercised flexibility to allow the NEER to rise above the policy band.  If the SGD had been required to remain strictly within the policy band, or had been pegged to the NEER, the MAS would have had to force the SGD to depreciate much more against the USD, at a time when market sentiment was weak.  This could have resulted in a loss of confidence in the SGD.  Instead, MAS only brought down the NEER to within the policy band months later, when financial markets had stabilized and conditions had become conducive.

Source: http://www.mas.gov.sg/

看到列王紀上十二章

羅波安王和以色列民的分裂。

 

原來今日我的心態也很像那時的以色列人。

長期的受壓，內心中反彈的情緒很大，大得有和教會關係分裂的衝動。

其實我記得有不少認識的人都或多或少是這樣，以後就和教會疏離多了。

 

常人看所羅門王是很成功的，內文也多是非常正面。

可是，王國分裂一事既是出於耶和華的怒氣，另一角度來說，所羅門多方多面的大行其所欲，也是為此埋下情理上的禍根。

最叫人感到難以理解的，是由於所羅門王為神工作的同時，卻也秏了很多國家資源去做自己看為美的事情，這才叫人不知道他是不是真的一個善的國王。

有時眼下看到很多事情，雖然我沒有說三道四，但我也會心中疑問我們是不是假冒為善的新教徒。 

 

這樣的傾向不單在國家、教會團體可以看到，在個人的層面也是如此。

我當然地想到自己一方面樂於做教會的事務，但同時我也樂於用上時間在自己的玩樂上，並那些可以滿足自己尊榮心的事上。

我這樣的人，是需要向上帝認罪的。求神幫助我！

因為我知道不單是自己的教會有不完美的地方，自己也是在同一個面上反映著相同的痛、相同的生命破口。

如果神沒有修補這破口，我真的不知道有什麼其他的方法，可以讓我在義理上，坦然面對自己。

 

----

聽道手記：

1. 在討人喜悅之先，請先討神的喜悅。

2. 與其跟隨世俗去討好未信者，不如讓我們的信去感染未信者。

3. 教會行政必然要想好後續的問題(那是說計劃完結後的 Implication)。

4. 教會的終極向度是將人帶到神面前，好去敬拜、事奉主。

始終人總不如上帝。

我們可以在一特定的時間場合對一小撮的事情專注，但總不能所有時間對所有事情盡心。

我們可以愛自己，有時也可以愛某東西，但總不能愛所有鄰舍。

由此，我們都可以說是缺乏愛心的人，我們都總有可指責之處。

 

有時，發現人的自私，一方面是由於人的惡，但其實這也是因我們實在不能行。

我們基督徒常說要愛神，對神盡忠，為何？

因為基督徒當明白，人非愛神，不會有完備的愛。

但是人若真的愛主，話是該怎樣說的呢？

是說那人因此有完備的愛？非也。

是因愛主的人能夠讓神有空間去愛人，去祝福人。

這樣的人可以見證神自己是什麼。我們信主的就能知道了。

人不能所有時間對所有事情專注，但是上帝就能夠了。

就是時間也不能限制神自己，對嗎？

 

所以說，我就不好再因人自私而嬲他/他們了。

這是我們之所以為人的定性，非主愛我們總不能逃避。

其實不自私的唯有主上帝，唯有愛祂的才得安慰。

但願缺乏愛心的我也能因神而得到安慰，那就是我的福氣了。

事奉：(就是)珍惜每一個敬拜的機會。

願我也珍惜今日從神而得的地土(服侍機會)。

求主祝福三個青年小組的組長，讓他們成為有 Substance 的人。阿們。

(有屬神的 Substance 就可以了！)

---

Abstract of old diary (undated)

錄自：生命的事奉

奉獻的防禦線

1. 表面化：失去真意

2. 軟化：失去戰鬥力

3. 規條化：失去活潑的生命力

4. 物質化：失去靈力

5. 硬化：失去愛力

6. 被動化：失去主動力

大約記得以往和今天自己的不同：竟然所要防備的也大不相同呢。這六項真具參考性。

另記：

雖然不能叫年青的自己走去來怒罵今日的本我，但竟然看有其他人代行了！也真奇特。

記 – 什麼才是小組的牧養？為什麼牧養（和帶領）沒有效力？

相信這是每個組長都想過的事情。

 

組長其實都察覺到的是自己的小組其實有多少的順服。

當中的另一面，也有看到自己的小組其實有多少的權柄在運作。

這是我想去分享的兩個面。

 

我想，當中一普遍的問題，就是人極多數都不知道順服。基督徙明白順服是什麼，但年青的（包括我）多數都不是行順服的。

我們不知道自己要（盡力的）行順服，也不肯定要順服誰人。(除了自己）

我們更了解的，是條件性的交換及因果關係對小組存在的重要。(這是主的話嗎？)

 

作為組長，當小組工作遇上困難時，我總會有好多問題在心中。

但我現在想，這其實是順服的問題。（這包括組長自己是否順服神。）

我和弟兄姊妹討論時發現，我們都很容易進入到條件性的分析。

我們聽牧者的說話，總基於某一個特定的條件：我們有何時不問條件去順服弟兄姊妹的話呢？

當我們發現自己所想的既有條件都不再存在時（可悲的是每個人的條件都不同，其條件卻是隱性的），彷彿我們就不用再順服神，又不用再順服神所賜給我們的牧羊人了。

 

我們的心何其惡！

若有人歸於塵土，誰能為自己辯白？

除了恩典，人還可以盼什麼呢？

 

沒有真順服的小組難以長久維持。

這樣的小組若有權柄建立運行得當，卻可以維持。

但我看來，這是走回頭路：這是走回上一代來到今天的路；

這是選擇承擔上一代信徙（問題）的擔子，而不是承擔我們這一代本要負的擔子。

我要祈求，當我們這一代基督徒面對同樣抉擇時，會選擇應許，會選擇更新。

(由於這擔子和主題無關，不贅了。)

 

人多傾向數諸於權柄。

先要說，權柄是有的，有很多權柄　是神立的。

但這是健康小組的指標嗎？我認為否。

(順服和律法的分別在哪裡？順服的主體放在每個弟兄姊妹身上，律法的主體放在執行律法的組長身上；真正順服是沒有條件性和環境性的，確切的律法執行是因果性的，是同質性的，其必然是由一既有並分明的立場出發的，也就是說其偏頗性是隱藏而不見的。我們從聖經裡可以明白，那裡有順服，那裡就顯出神的恩典；然而，在哪裡執行律法，哪裡就顯出人對罪的判斷。）

我們牧養小組不得要領，就想：「是不是(我)做得不夠？是不是我們沒有立什麼約定？是不是我沒有執行本來要有的權柄？」

(Do we sign contractssss to make our group/ organization "successful"?  Of cause NOT!!! Or else why don't we make church inside Hong Kong Bank!  Come on!)

我們總是想成功教會是由許多「成功小組組長」執行的小組所組成的　–　我們不是被欺瞞了嗎？

這不是說，我們教會不成功是理應如此的嗎？

 

容我在這角度說：我們禱告神「願你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上」的意義是什麼？

我們所願意的是什麼？是權柄現在就行在主手中，求祂立即來辦我們嗎？

我相信二千年來的歷史已經給了我們答案：不是由執行權柄來實現，是由(萬民的)順服來實現。

 

教會每一個人順服（若能量化）的總和，就是教會被主提升的高度。

這不是組長和牧師獨有的啟示，這是給每個信主弟兄姊妹的教導，就等我們回轉、遵行。

 

反省記畢。

----

有人選擇權柄，我不選擇。

Pastoral work is not a matter of competency.

Though, it does not mean there is no selection of such workers.

把昨天的思想寫下：

 

罪是怎樣來的呢？

 

我的生活到底是憑信心，還是憑眼見？

當我們信基督的行事為人單憑眼見的時候，神的義就無關於我們了。

因我們行事作決定，不再是因著神的命令，乃是由我們有限的私心己意作祟。

 

我們若不憑眼見，憑信心行事生活，就不至於死。

(這是阿當和夏娃在未吃分辨善惡樹的果子前的情景嗎？)

 

只是，若神從來沒有向人說話，誰能憑信心而活呢？

若無神的話語，信心的根基從何而來？

若沒有神，何來信心的對象？

 

人的行動有信，是因為有神話語的基礎。

神若說話，人看不見結果仍照樣而行，那就算為他的信心了。

但，主若從沒有對人說話，人的行動又有何信心可言？

這樣說來，人若有信，行各樣的善事，他有什麼可誇口呢？

他不過是照著造物主的話語而遵行罷了！

這樣說來，信心既存於世上，是因為世上有耶和華的言語之故。

 

願信祂的，單向祂誇勝。

 

換句話說，人若不因信心行動，仍然誇口，他是宣告自己的勝利嗎？

人看見可喜悅的事，憑己意而行，又因所得成果而慶祝，這是尊耶和華的名為聖嗎？

他慶祝，是為自己生而自由而慶祝嗎？

他慶祝，是為到他沒有尋求主的名，卻竟然仍然得力有餘而慶祝嗎？

既是這樣，我想，我們都得罪上帝了。

 

唯願我們信主名的人都行事儆醒，在自己的份上尊崇基督。(阿們)

 

主呀，願你使我們得那信心的根基。

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracle of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever, Amen.

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are the partakers of Christ's sufferings; 

that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is gloried.

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

---

Side note: "The quick and the dead"

(Noted in world wide web)

Meaning

All souls - alive or dead.

Origin

This rather archaic phrase has been used as the title of various films and plays in recent years, notably the 1995 film, starring Sharon Stone. This had a 'gunslinger hits town' plot line and the film's tagline was 'The Quick and the dead - in this town, you're either one or the other'. That clearly uses the popular meaning of 'quick', i.e. 'fast' - in this case on the draw. The earliest meaning of 'quick' had nothing to do with speed, it meant 'endowed with life', or more simply, 'alive', as opposed to the current 'lively' meaning. To 'quicken' was to receive life and the first movement of a baby in the mother's womb was called the quickening. This use of 'quick' is extremely old and is recorded, as 'cwice', in an Old English translation of the Orosius Histories, dating from around the 4th century. The word has largely died out now, although we still retain the meaning in words like 'quicksand', i.e. sand that moves and has 'life', or the bubbling and gurgling 'quicklime'.

The quick and the dead are referred to several times in the Bible. These texts relate to judgment, with the admonition that only the divine may judge the quick and the dead. The first English citation of the phrase is consequently from the 1385 Wycliffe Bible:

And thei schulen yyue resoun to hym, that is redi to deme the quyke and the deed.

The more easily deciphered King James' Version renders this as:

Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.