Pride vs Humility

*PRIDE
there often comes to beginners a kind of secret pride when they are somewhat satisfied with themselves and their work. It comes as beginners think of themselves as rich because of their ardour & hard work in spiritual things & godly exercises.But because beginners are imperfect they need to speak of spiritual things in front of others, and even to teach rather than to learn, because they are conceited. In their heart they condemn those who do not have the devotion they themselves want.
They want & seek out someone else who suits their taste, because usually they want to talk of spiritual things with those who will praise them. They flee, as it from death, from those who point out their errors to them in order to lead them on to a safe path - at times they even harbour resentment against them. Thus, assuming too much for themselves, they are bound to expect too much and achieve very little. At times they are concerned to let others know their great spirituality & godliness and so they have to give audible & visible evidence of this by their movements, sights and so on, At other times they have ecstasies in public rather than in private. The devil lends his help at such times: they are so pleased to be noticed and long to be noticed even more.

*humility
those who proceed to perfection at this time do so in a very different frame of mind. Because of their humility they make progress and are built up in their spiritual lives. They think nothing of their own deeds, and show no sign of self-satisfaction. They rate everybody else as better than themselves, and they usually have a godly respect for them, as they seek to serve God in all they do. Their longing for God increases and they do more good deeds, taking real delight in doing them, and so they make great strides and become more humble. It is as they do this that they also realise that God deserves their all, and they realise how little they do for him. In this way they become less and less self-satisfied. it is out of a sense of love for God that they do everything, so it appears to them that they are doing nothing. Because they are so pre-occupied with their love for God, they have no time to notice what others are, or are not doing. And even if they did, they would rate them as being better than themselves. They have a very low self estimation of themselves, and are keen that others should view them like this. If anybody should give them praise they do not believe what they say, and it even seems strange to them that anybody should say anything good about them.

(The Dark Night of The Soul, St John of the Cross)

Healthy Christian

你是一個健康的基督徒嗎？

☺一個健康的基督徒，不是從人那裏尋找信心，而是從上帝那裏尋找信心。
☺一個健康的基督徒，束手無策時不是抱怨和恐慌，而是面對上帝讓他引領。
☺一個健康的基督徒，定會安排自己的飲食起居，定會照顧好自己的身體，因為他知道要準備著隨時接受上帝的差遣。
☺一個健康的基督徒，不會在意自己年齡多大了，而是在意今天我們上帝親近了嗎.
☺一個健康的基督徒，不會因著眾人的口碑去認定一個人，而是看這個人是否為了榮耀神和造就人。
☺一個健康的基督徒，付出不會想著要得到回報，因為上帝的愛是恒久忍耐、又有恩慈．愛是不嫉妒．愛是不自誇．不張狂．不作害羞的事．不求自己的益處．不輕易發怒．不計算人的惡．不喜歡不義．只喜歡真理．凡事包容．凡事相信．凡事盼望．凡事忍耐．愛是永不止息．
☺一個健康的基督徒，不該在眾人面前感到自卑，因為我是神的兒女比任何事務都來得榮耀。
☺一個健康的基督徒，是個常常喜樂、常常禱告的人，因為聽從上帝的話是我唯一可以做的事情。
☺一個健康的基督徒，不會想著此身要成就怎樣大的事業，而是先求神的國和神的義。
☺一個健康的基督徒，斷不會為自己的婚姻憂慮，只會做兩件事情：等候上帝引領另一半來到自己的身邊；大聲宣告她是我的骨中骨，肉中肉。
☺一個健康的基督徒，從不會大聲嚷嚷是人的罪和環境的問題阻擾了他的路，因為神已經赦免罪孽，神的主權高於魔鬼的力量。
☺一個健康的基督徒，從不會跟人攀比和去忌妒，因為神給了我們今日的飲食，保守我們脫離兇惡。
☺一個健康的基督徒，從不會以福音為恥，因為福音讓我們得到拯救。
☺一個健康的基督徒，是完全相信上帝並完全依靠上帝的人.

你是一個健康的基督徒嗎？

Article from: http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/antonio-001/article?mid=12044&sc=1　

A Plain Account of Christian Perfection

*All our blessings, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, depends on his intercession for us, which is one branch of his priestly office, where of therefore we have always equal need.

*God dispenses his gift just as he pleases; therefore, it is neither wise nor modest to affirm that a person must be a believer for any length of time before he is capable of receiving a high degree of the spirit of holiness

*God's usual method is one thing, but his sovereign pleasure is another. He has wise reasons both for hastening & retarding his works. Sometime he come suddenly & unexpected; sometimes, not until we have long looked for him.

*Watch and pray continuously against pride. If God has cast it out,see that it enter no more; it is as dangerous as desire. And you may slide back into it unawares; especially if you think there is no danger of it.

*True resignation consists in a thorough conformity to the whole will of God; who wills and does all (except sin) which come to pass in the world. In order to this we have only to embrace all events, good & bad, as his will.

*God hardly gives his spirit even to those he has established in grace, if they do not pray for it on all occasions, not only once, but many times.

*Whether we think of, or speak to God, whether we act or suffer to him, all is prayer, when we have no other object than his love, and the desire of pleasing him.

*God is so great, that he communicates greatness to the least thing that is done for his service.

*One of the principal rule of religion is, to lose no occasion of serving God. And, since he is invisible to our eyes, we are to serve him in our neighbour; which he receives as if done to himself in person, standing visibly before us.

(John Wesley)

##Footnote: John Wesley (28 June 1703 – 2 March 1791) was a Church of England cleric and Christian Theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield. In contrast to George Whitefield's Calvinism, Wesley embraced th e Arminian doctrines that were dominant in the 18th-century Church of England. Methodism in both forms was a highly successful evangelical movement in the UK, which encouraged people to experience Jesus Christ personally.

Wesley's writing and preachings provided the seeds for both the modern Methodist movement and the Holiness movement, which encompass numerous denominations across the world. In addition, he refined Arminianism with a strong evangelical emphasis on the Reformed doctrine of justification by faith. (source from Wikipedia)