“The Heavenly Man is the intensely dramatic story of how God took a young, half-starved boy from a poor village in Henan Province and used him mightily to preach the gospel despite horrific opposition.

Brother Yun is one of China’s house church leaders, a man who despite his relative youth has suffered prolonged torture and imprisonment for his faith. His account challenges any complacency about the situation in China, where international economic investment ignores the brutal fact that religious persecution is still a daily reality for millions. Instead of focusing on the many miracles or experience of suffering, however, Yun prefers to emphasize the character and beauty of Jesus.

This astonishing book will form a watershed in your spiritual life.”

This book is able to absorb my mind completely like Harry Potter book, I couldn’t stop reading it. However, the difference is that “Heavenly Man” is based on true story about the work of the Holy Spirit in China. God has chosen some Chinese people, one of them is Brother Yun, to preach the gospel and perform miracles in the name of Jesus so that more can be saved. Being a communist country that the majority of population worship idols, the resistance of the gospel originated outside the country is extremely high among the citizens.

In addition to that, the government is insecure of the growing Christian Faith that claims to belong to the Kingdom of God. Unaware that this Kingdom of God is not of this world , they are afraid these people will go against communist party. The Three-Self Patriotic Church (Self-Propagating, Self-Supporting, Self-Governing) was founded by the government to control the Christians and limit the knowledge of the Scripture (i.e. the book of Revelation is not allowed to be preached). The Chinese Christians were being put into hard battle of faith, many gave up and turn away from helping other brothers and sisters, and some persevere to endure persecution by non-Christian and fellow Christians that joined the government’s Three-Self Patriotic Church.

Despite the continuous persecution of the Christians who refuse to join this “church,” God was helping them in various ways and calling more people to follow Him. Brother Yun is one of the ones called to the role of the Apostle, to go to the West and South of China to preach the gospel. He was uneducated man, but God chose and gave him understanding of the Scripture to proclaim the Gospel to more people. The perspective of this book is of Brother Yun’s, which enables the reader to feel his struggle as a Christian spiritually and expose his human side. Brother Yun is just like one of us who could be a prodigal son at times, but he always turns back to God and learn from mistakes. This book obviously shows how things fell apart if one didn’t listen to God, and God’s compassion, forgiveness and sovereignty. For God, anything is possible…

Brother Yun’s experience also involve division among churches, similar to the one in Corinthians where each churches have different way of worship and focus. This is a common problem even among the churches in our contemporary world. Division came as there were more Christian books apart from Bible distributed by the overseas missionary to China. These books have subjective ways of worship and definition of Christianity, we face so many of these books these days too. The Chinese Christians took their faith seriously and were eager to have these books. At the end of the day, because some have not strong foundation in Scripture division was born among the churches. Nevertheless, God used Brother Yun to help all the churches to unite and to love each other as He has first loved all of them.

After the dispute in China was resolved, God sent Brother Yun and family overseas miraculously to Myanmar and Germany. I was made aware of different type of persecution suffered by Christians. The one that Brother Yun suffered mostly in China is physical torture, but once he went to Myanmar and German the persecution come from fellow Christian who accused his witness of Jesus in China as lie. I think persecution from inside the Body of Christ is very related to today’s Christians persecution in developed countries. After I read this book, I always remember of fellow Christians that is suffering at the moment even when I am typing this review. This is an inspirational book, I can relate personally to this book and learn to keep persevering whatever persecution and cross to bear in this life.

I woke up at 6am thinking to go to work early, counting the time taken to brush teeth and floss before dental appointment. The first train to the city was extremely full due to previously delayed one, so I'd rather for the next one (which also was delayed :____:). Time passed quickly, I ended up reaching the office at 9pm. Just right for the Monday bi-weekly meeting (used to be weekly but since everyone's busy and we have frequent project team meetings)... amen to that! Luckily I brought "the Heavenly Man" book to read ^^

My dentist is just one station away from the underground station, which is connected to the shopping centre on the ground level of my office. Two choices to get there are to walk (15 mins) or to take train (10 mins + 1-3 mins waiting period). I've been lazy these days, to rush wearing high heels... running up and down the escalators... It is not a good exercise yet if I change to sport shoes, it doesn't match the skirt I wear. Anyway, taking the train path I bring "the Heavenly Man" book again to read in the train and at the dentist waiting room (a couple of minutes to read is pretty luxurious in this close-to-deadline period).

Hmmm... dentist told me to get the Colgate Neutra Flour daily rinse, went to Coles express and Priceline but no luck (should've gone to chemist). Anyhow, I bought Colgate Peroxyl, it should be similar. I remember mentioning "Listerine" as mouthwash rinse, then he replied with the i-know-it-verrry-well smile, "Hahaha! Listerine is only for marketing." I'm so grateful he didn't recommend Listerine, I really dislike the numbness after rinsing :( Another dental "toy" I was introduced is the Reach Access Flosser, which has the appearance of a toothbrush-style handler with floss head that is replaceable. I haven't spotted it yet, may be tomoro...

I like today, it's been great after work. So lucky! I got a seat in a crowded 6pm-ish train. Most of the time I prefer to go home later to avoid the crowds, but Monday is a bit hard =P It's good to be born small (that you can fit in nicely--with some space to breath in between two big people and to sit facing two more big people). If I am born big, I wouldn't have gotten any seat (previous men in front of me couldn't fit there he he he) =P

Then that wasn't the end of today's blessing, guess what! The Korean lady in Korean grocery shop gave me 3 big sushi rolls for free. I came to the shop and greeted her as usual, we were talking about rice, etc etc... then she found out that I have to cook for myself only and gave the left-over sushi from her restaurant a block away. Thank God for a nice lady ^^, it is very much appreciated because I'm lazy to cook today... still tired for lack of sleep last week, deadline this Fri... Anzac day is coming, I'll get her some Anzac biscuit She reminds me of the Korean restaurant near my high school in Strathfield, how nice Koreans they were to create a special dish for me hehe :D

Tonight is half-moon in Sydney with plenty of stars in a clear sky. Walking home as usual, I remember what I read from "the Heavenly Man" book (finished a third of it)... How lucky we are as Christians to be able to preach freely in NSW, the fruit of my current church and other church leaders who fight for this freedom. How real God's presence is... and how naughty I am to be so prodigal *bad bad*. This Brother Yun from the book has had worse experience being persecuted and tormented by the people he trusted and the authority, yet he forgives them. He imitates Jesus... struggle with temptations and managed to choose to keep in Faith. The torture he went through was worse than any Chinese movie I watched, and his suffering is real... and so was Jesus'... Bible is not merely a storybook... the Holy Spirit and false spirit is not merely an illusion... one of my BS members is in China now with other missionaries, I hope they are well... One verse that struck me is Hebrews 4:15

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."

Jesus has experienced the temptations that we are facing in this life, he understands our weakness well... He has went through something worse than Brother Yun... and definitely worse than our trials in this life. I think I have a lot of things to learn... Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...

Currently Reading The Heavenly Man: The Remarkable True Story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun By Paul Hattaway see related

I know I have about two more chapters to go in the previous book I read, but every Sunday after service those books are drawing me closer. Curiousity or hunger to learn more? So I picked up this book, "The Heavenly Man" is the real story of a Chinese Christian Brother named Yun. We know how Chinese government are opposing the Christian to evangelise and trying to make the pastors to preach only what they want to hear, and the priests are not allowed to report to Rome (as for Roman Catholic). On the way back from church, I read the first three chapters in the bus (today's cityrail road work for my area)... It is amazing how his Faith in the Lord has done!

I look into myself... how little my Faith is... how easy it is shaken and discouraged in persecution... how easy it is to go up and down... and how I stupidly tied myself to sinful desire, seeking love other than the love of God. For only God's love can fill in our heart and give true contentment. Today's talk is about Faith, how "the righteous shall live by faith" (which is repeated many times in the Bible. Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Gal 3:11; Hebrews 10:38). The preacher, Barry Chant put different levels of Faith described in the Bible:

1. Assenting Faith (I believe that Jesus is the Savior).
The word "believe that" is not the same as "believe in." As in James 2:19, "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!" Satan also believe that Jesus is Lord, but he doesn't believe in Jesus (does not listen to what Jesus commands).

2. Saving Faith (I believe in Jesus).
In Acts 16:30-31, “...Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
In Romans 1:16-17 and Gal 3:11 contains the famous verse "the righteous shall live by faith"

3. Keeping Faith (Jesus keeps us day by day).
In Hebrew 10:35-38, "Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”" God wants us to keep our Faith in Him, not to shrinks back (back-sliding our Faith). Have we?

4. Trusting Faith (I believe in Jesus no matter what happens)
Habakkuk 2:3-4, "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie.If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith."

5. Miracle Faith (God has given me the gift of the Spirit to be used for His purpose)
1 Cor 12:7-11, "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills." Different gifts is given to each, and to have this Faith is impossible with own effort. It is up to God to give or not.

Various verses in the Bible that tell more about the use of this gifts: Matt 18:13 - the centurion; Matt 9:29 - two blind men; Matt 14:28 - walk on water; Lk 7:50 - forgiven sinful woman; Lk 17:19 - ten lepers. And the best to summary how strong the power of Faith in Jesus is: Matt 17:20, "He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” 

6. Gift of Faith
There are two types of Faith here, short term and long term. Short term is described like the one in Acts 27:25, Paul was telling the centurion and soldiers to stay in the ship during storm when they sailed along Crete based his Faith in the Lord. They listened to Paul and were immediately saved. Long term Faith can be seen in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, how Jabez put his Faith in the Lord and God granted what he asked for a lifetime (bless him, enlarge his border, be with him and keep him from harm).
Not everyone has gift of Faith, is the gifted better than another? No, we are all belong to one body, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Cor 12:26). Despite not all gifted, apostle Paul encouraged us to desire the gifts, “But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.” (1 Cor 12:31) and “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.” (1 Cor 14:1).

All the Faith mentioned above need timing, love, and wisdom. I miss the verse for timing, but for my understanding it is similar to Acts 27:25 when Paul was to act according to his faith immediately, as the angel sent to him the night before. In following what God wants you to do, timing is very important (if Paul didn’t tell the soldiers straight away, the sailors would have escaped from the ship and God’s promise might not be fulfilled). Faith and love is stated clearly in 1 Cor 13:1-3, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” Preacher Barry mentioned a very good example of a Christian couple who have “faith in Jesus” that they pray for their sick child to recover but did not give him medicine. At the end the child died and they faced persecution from the court and their brothers and sisters in Christ. Because they lack of love for the child that they use him as a tool to test their faith in Jesus. Finally, the last one is wisdom. Examples of wisdom being used are:
Deuteronomy 19:15, “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.”
Proverbs 11:14 “Where there is no guidance, a people falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”
Proverbs 15:22 “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.”

Hope we can grow more in Faith to serve God (whichever level of Faith we have, however small our Faith is – smaller than a grain mustard seed?--). Let’s cultivate it together  ^^

Currently Reading When the Spirit Comes With Power: Signs and Wonders Among God's People By John White see related

Today I remember having this abandoned blog . Thank God that Xanga hasn't deleted this blog (LiveJournal has purged my journal ). This is the first post months after I made it, whoops!  Checking on my friend's blog, JesusAndRuth and glad that she's still actively writing and cheerful as usual . Looks like the Holy Spirit is with her . Keep it up!

I am beginning to be aware of the presence of Holy Spirit while reading John White's book. Amazing power God has given to people through the Holy Spirit, bringing people to have a deeper relationship with Him. So I begin to observe this true Spirit that acknowledges Jesus is Lord and ponder...

Looking back into myself, I still have a lot to learn in building relationship with Jesus . Something like pray and read the Bible daily has been a challenge, I think I need to keep a diary on the progress and this blog can be the specific one to record daily progress. You can pray for me to keep doing this faithfully... thanks

Hmmm... found MP3 and IPod Audio Bible , I put the entry here.