Freedom Based on Truth

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32 ESV)

There is no absolute freedom. Freedom needs a platform to rest upon. The bird flying in the sky may look very free. But it has to land someday on somewhere.

The best platform for freedom is truth. The best freedom is freedom based on truth because the truth set us free. If we have freedom from truth, then we have nothing but lies.

God The Maker Of Heaven And Earth

Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them - he remains faithful forever. (Psalm 146:3-6 NIV)

He answered, "I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land." (Jonah 1:9 NIV)

For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. (1 Chronicles 16:26 NIV)

My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:2 ESV)

May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who is the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 134:3 NIV)

You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. (Nehemiah 9:6 NIV)

Bear Own Burden And Also One Another's

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. (Galatians 6:1-5 NLT)

Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won't be tempted. Carry one another's burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else. For each person will have to carry his own load. (Galatians 6:1-5 CSB)

Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else. For each one should carry his own load. (Galatians 6:1-5 BSB)

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (Galatians 6:1-5 ESV)

My friends, you are spiritual. So if someone is trapped in sin, you should gently lead that person back to the right path. But watch out, and don't be tempted yourself. You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.
If you think you are better than others, when you really aren't, you are wrong. Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don't compare yourself with others. 5 We each must carry our own load. (Galatians 6:1-5 CEV)

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. (Galatians 6:1-5 KJV)

Bear your own burden. Bear one another's burden. Carefully scrutinize, examine, test and proof your own work so that you can have personal satisfaction of doing something well and do not compare with others.

Work Enjoyment and Ministry

Our lives consist mainly of work. We work for a living and it takes up most of our time. The rest of it, we rest or enjoy ourselves. For those who are Bible believers, we also find time for service to God. It would be fortunate if we like our work. If not, we just labour mindlessly or unhappily for money.

Work
We labour for money so that we can survive.

The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. (Genesis 2:15 ESV)
It was God ordained.

And to the man he said, "Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:17-19 NLT)
When man sinned, it became a struggle.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, (Colossians 3:23 ESV)
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. (Ecclesiastes 9:10 ESV)
But there is mitigation.

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." (John 6:27 ESV)
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! (Psalms 90:17 ESV)
A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense. (Proverbs 12:11 NLT)
A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty. (Proverbs 28:19 NLT)
Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established. (Proverbs 16:3 ESV)
And also some advice.

Enjoyment
We can also enjoy the fruits of our labour.

Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. (Ecclesiastes 5:18 NLT)
So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 8:15 NLT)
Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. (Ecclesiastes 9:7 CSB)
It is not wrong to enjoy.

Ministry
We serve the Lord with our life.

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28 KJV)
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV)
Our Lord Jesus Himself is our example.

It would be best that our work is a ministry for the Lord and something that we enjoyed.

Servants of God

Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 6:4-10 NIV)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV)

Paul Prays For The Churches

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 ESV)

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:9-12 NIV)

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11 NIV)

Paul prayed for the churches that

1. God will make them worthy of His calling;
2. God's power to help them accomplish every good desire and faithful work;
3. They will glorify the name of our Lord Jesus, and Jesus will glorify them according to His grace;
4. God will fill them with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives;
5. They will bear fruit;
6. They will be kept pure and blameless for the day of Christ.

Introducing God To Those With No Bible Knowledge

"People! Why are you doing these things? We are people also, just like you, and we are proclaiming good news to you, that you turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to go their own way, although he did not leave himself without a witness, since he did what is good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons and filling you with food and your hearts with joy." (Acts 14:15-17 CSB)

After Paul healed a crippled man, the Lycaonians thought that Paul and Barnabas were gods who came down to earth in the likeness of men and brought oxen and garlands to offer sacrifice to them. Paul quickly introduced God as a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them (Acts 14:8-20).

Be like Paul and proclaim the good news to people who know not the Bible by telling them that the God who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them has came to provide salvation for them too.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 CSB, NIV, NLT, BSB, NKJV, NASB, HCSB, CEV, NET)

For the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy. (Exodus 20:11 CSB)

People believe in many gods but the Bible has a test for these gods. If that god is not the creator of the heavens and the earth, then he/she/it is a false god.

You are to say this to them: "The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from under these heavens." (Jeremiah 10:11 CSB)

Ninth of Av 2022

So the time is coming, declares the Lord, when no one will say, "As the Lord lives who brought up the Israelites from the land of Egypt." Instead, they will say, "As the Lord lives who brought up the descendants of the people of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where he has banished them so that they can live in their own land." (Jeremiah 23:7-8 Common English Bible)

"For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will bring you back. (Isaiah 54:7 BSB)

Today is the 9th of Av (evening of 2022-08-06 Saturday till evening of 2022-08-07 Sunday), also called Tisha B'Av. How shall we greet a Jew on this day? Happy Tisha B'Av or sad Tisha B'Av?

Maybe it should be "Happy Tisha B'Av!" because every Tisha B'Av is an opportunity for God to prove that Israel is indestructible. All Palestinians please take note.

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me," declares the LORD. (Isaiah 54:17 BSB)

Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar - the Lord of hosts is his name: "If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the Lord, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever." Thus says the Lord: "If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 31:35-37 ESV)

For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6 KJV)

China's Ah Q Spirit

These are the two basic characteristics of Chinese people:

1. Faced-based
   Face is very important to the Chinese. Even when they are teaching their children, they say, "You better behaviour properly. Don't make your parents lose face." Behaviour is not about right and wrong, but about face.
2. Power-based
   Chinese are afraid of the powerful and bully the weak. Ancient China paid tribute to more powerful countries and demand tribute from weaker countries. Modern China is afraid to reclaim big territories lost to countries that speak with their fists. They only dare to claim small territories lost to countries that speak with their mouth.

We can see these characteristics in Ah Q, a character in the novel "阿Q正傳", written by 魯迅, which was published in 1921. One hundred years after 魯迅 published 阿Q正傳, Chinese people remained unchanged. They still have the Ah Q spirit. There is even a living Ah Q, named 胡錫進, gaining Ah Q victories for mainland China during American House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.