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In the past two years, amid the upheaval of wars and social unrest, the world appears unfamiliar and hostile compared to our previous experiences. People are growing more anxious and restless. We may wonder: ✝️ Why is God so elusive? ✝️ Has He turned His gaze away from us? ✝️ Is He indifferent to the widespread suffering in the world? ✝️ Is God’s omnipresence a mere fiction or a thing of the past? This year’s FLL Farmer of Hearts online Lenten retreat, themed “Finding God in All Things,” aim ...
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As we come to the final day of the 40-day retreat, let us once again focus our attention on the theme of this retreat: "Finding God in All Things." At the heart of this theme is a relationship, an ultimate relationship with God. If the ultimate goal of Christians in this world is to "inherit eternal life", and if being with God forever is the meani…
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Yesterday we learned that through the examination of consciousness, we can heighten our awareness of God’s blessings in our lives and become more grateful so that we can more easily find God in all things. But how can we be grateful if we find no blessings from God in our lives, but only pain and suffering? How can we find God in all things in such…
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We had mentioned before that the "present moment" is the only time when we can truly "find God" and "encounter God". When we are fully present in the "here and now", that is the time when we can best experience God’s presence. However, for us to be able to achieve this state of "living in the present" does not happen overnight. Fortunately, we can …
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During the last ten days of the retreat, we kept mentioning that the relationship God wants to have with us is a marriage relationship. The concept of marriage originates from God Himself. Since we perceive God as a father figure and Jesus Christ also embodies a male identity, when we talk about our relationship with God being a marital one, it's e…
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Yesterday we reflected on God's love, that is too much for us to bear. Do you have any new insights into the love that God has poured on you? Have you been touched by this overwhelming and inexplicable love? Did it pull your heart strings? Do you feel compelled to respond in some way? Or perhaps you think that you have already done your best to rep…
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The question we asked ourselves in the previous day’s retreat about why we wish to enter heaven is one we really need to face. Reflecting on this question helps us understand the relationship between "heaven" and "earth", the connection between "eternity" and "the present moment". Our answers will become our life goals, helping us live each moment …
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As we enter the final seven days of the retreat, it's time to ask ourselves some very serious questions about life, especially those concerning life and death. These are the questions we often avoid or are afraid to face. However, it's only when we seriously face these core, essential, and ultimate questions in life that we can truly confront ourse…
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[Finding God in All Things] Day 33 – An Unobstructed Direct Line Connecting Heaven and Earth
12:44
We used the term "Unlimited Connection Plan" yesterday to describe the most ideal mode of communication between us and God. This “Unlimited Connection Plan” does not require signing any contract, does not charge any fees, does not have any unfavourable terms and fine prints, and is entirely user-driven. It is applicable for life, remaining eternall…
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Yesterday, one of the reflection questions we asked was: "Do you have difficulty receiving God's messages?" I wonder what your answer was. I remember someone once asked me this: "You said you received messages from God. How did you receive them? Did you really hear His voice, or was it just a feeling? Under what circumstances did you receive these …
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[Finding God in All Things] Day 31 – The Christian Version of “Living in the Present Moment”
11:54
Based on yesterday's meditation, we understand that we are truly "alive" only when we are in a state of "whole-person presence", meaning that our body, heart, spirit, and mind are all present together. The only time we can truly "find God" and "encounter God" is in the "present moment"! This is an evidence of being "wholly alive" as Christians and …
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Yesterday we talked about the importance of "living in the present moment" which is the prerequisite for us to find God in all things. Although God is not bound by time and space, we cannot live outside of the "here and now". Therefore, the only time we can truly "find God" and "encounter God" is in "this moment"! This concept is important for Chri…
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At this stage of the retreat, it’s time to ask about your current status. If you've been following along with the retreat, you may find yourself in one of two states, with two distinctly different mindsets. The first is that you're thoroughly enjoying the content of the retreat and the opportunity for meditation, to the point where you may have eve…
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Most of you are probably familiar with the concept of "life planning". There are many courses available that cater to this strong demand, especially among the younger generation. They are full of aspirations for the future, hoping not only to "get ahead of the starting line" but also to grasp sufficient information and skills to plan for and establ…
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In yesterday's reflection, Jesus made a promise to you that He will hold a wedding feast with you in the Kingdom of Heaven, and He has already begun preparing for this wedding. What about you? Have you started? How will you prepare? We often use the term "the wedding of the century" to describe those wedding banquets where the brides and grooms spa…
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Our theme for yesterday's retreat was: When “Selfless Love” Meets “Senseless Love”. If this situation occurs between a man and a woman, it is not hard to predict how the story will unfold. This "encounter" will not have a positive outcome. Unfortunately, for believers in general, the description is quite fitting when it comes to their relationship …
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I hope that at this stage of the retreat, you will better understand God’s feelings and His helplessness. If we had not sinned, betrayed Him, or deviated from His righteousness and teachings, Jesus would not need to endure the crucifixion for us, and the Heavenly Father would not have to agonize and be torn in seeking a way to save us, given His ow…
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Yesterday, I invited you to explore why you follow God. In the reflection, I also asked about your ultimate desire in life: is it the joy of eternal life or the Father Himself? You might wonder, aren't they the same? If there's the Father, there's eternal life, and vice versa, right? Yes, but that's not the crux of the question. The crucial point l…
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We acknowledge that the reflections of these past few days have been challenging, much like the challenging requirements Jesus sets for being His disciples. Jesus wants us to face our relationship with Him, to understand who He truly is for us, and not just establish a relationship based on hearsay or imitation of others’ relationships with God. He…
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In yesterday's reflection, we realized that the image of God in our hearts is also influenced by how we understand His requirements for us as disciples. If we misunderstand the underlying reasons for these requirements, it will greatly affect the image of God in our hearts, as well as our mutual identities and roles in our relationship with God. In…
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From yesterday's reflection, we learned that God, who seeks our greatest good, knows very well how we can obtain the greatest strength and grace from Him. He has graciously given us two pieces of divine wisdom, assisting us in fulfilling the mission of being Christians, so that God's plan may be fully realized in us. The first wisdom teaches us to …
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Yesterday, we experienced the essence of God and how it revealed some enlightening truths to us. These revelations help us better understand why God has such high expectations of us and assist us in responding to His various invitations with the right mindset and actions. One thing we must always remember is that no matter how high the expectations…
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Yesterday, in our reflection, we inferred three key points from the nature of God. For ease of reference, we will call these three key points as the Three Revelations of God's Nature. The first revelation: Out of love for us, God is willing to do all things and become all things. This revelation reminds us that God is willing to bestow grace upon u…
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In the reflection of the past week on the encounter between the rich young man and Jesus, one particularly thought-provoking point emerged. What Jesus asked of the rich young man is also what He asks of each of us Christians who long for eternal life. Jesus said to the rich young man, "Go, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will h…
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"Who do you say that I am?" This is a simple question that Jesus asked His disciples, and it is also a question that is constantly asked to each of us who follow Him today. This question reveals God's profound desire for a deep and unique relationship with each one of us. In the past, present, and future, there is no one else in the world who can t…
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On the sixteenth day of retreat, you might have a question: why does it seem like we haven't yet touched upon the main topic, which focuses on "finding God in all things"? In fact, while this theme is important, it is not our ultimate goal. I hope that over the past fifteen days, you have realized that the ultimate objective of this retreat is to e…
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Yesterday we mentioned that God interacts with us in different roles and images in order to meet our unique needs. What evidence do we have in the Scripture that this is the nature of God? Let’s look for some clues from one of the greatest apostles in the Bible! In the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians, chapter 9, verses 19 to 23, he says, “F…
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Yesterday, we mentioned the importance of seeking and recognizing the role and image of God in our lives. One thing we need to bear in mind is that at different stages of our life, faith, and spiritual growth, God communicates and interacts with us in different roles and images, and this is entirely normal. Moreover, even the same image may be pres…
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As we build our relationships with God, we need to fully understand God's actual role in our lives. Mutual understanding of our respective roles and positions can help and guide us in establishing an appropriate way of interacting—how to treat, respect, accept, trust, understand and cooperate with each other. These principles of human interaction a…
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[Finding God in All Things] Day 12 – How to Straighten the Path of Our Relationship with the Lord?
12:52
The encounter between the rich young man and Jesus did not lead to a better outcome for him. Apart from the fact that he was unwilling to let go of his possessions, the core issue was that he didn't truly trust Jesus, the "Good Teacher" he had sought. Ironically, the person he longed for turned out to be someone he didn't trust! But why couldn't th…
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At this stage of the retreat, especially after the reflection on the tenth day, I hope you can sense that in choosing Jesus as the love of our lives and in responding to and living out God's call, there is a clear disparity between our willing hearts and our practical actions. We must never rely solely on subjective feelings to determine whether we…
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In the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10, verses 17 to 22, it is written: “As he (Jesus) was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You sha…
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How absurd it is for us Christians to find ourselves becoming God's greatest adversaries. There seems to be no conflict between choosing what you desire, and choosing what God desires. But the heart of the matter is this: what we think is good is often very different from what God thinks is good. In the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 6, verses 19 to 21…
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Did the song "Need You Every Minute" that we used to reflect on and connect with our relationship with God yesterday give you a special, fresh, and warm feeling? I hope yesterday's experience allowed you to savour the realization that our personal relationship with God can be much like that between the best of friends or lovers—very human, affectio…
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A week ago, at the beginning of the retreat, I asked everyone a question: Do you desire to find God in all things? I wonder what your answer was. If you have been following this retreat, I believe your answer is yes. But when you think about the theme of this retreat, "Finding God in All Things," what comes to your mind? How does it make you feel? …
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In the first five days of the retreat, we mentioned that if we are not aware of our need for God, it is difficult for us to have the motivation and desire to establish a relationship with Him, especially since God is not someone we can see or touch. This awareness and awakening can be achieved through several ways. The first is to choose a simple l…
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Sometimes, we feel ignored or excluded by others not because they intentionally alienate us, but rather due to a mistaken impression they have about us. This misconception is often based on a flawed understanding of our preferences, likes, dislikes, or needs. Such misconceptions can easily lead to mismatch in expectations, giving rise to unnecessar…
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Like many of us, you may have had the following experience: You knew that in your circle of friends, an event that you valued very much and looked forward to was coming up, but in the end, you found out you were not invited. The feeling of not being valued, being excluded, being given the cold shoulder, or even being shut out is very painful. The f…
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“A friend in need is a friend indeed” does not only apply to human relationships, but it is also reflected in our relationship with God. God is faithful and His love for us never changes. Yet we only acknowledge God’s faithfulness when we are in need. Whenever we encounter adversity, such as setbacks at work or school, challenges in family and marr…
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The theme of "Finding God in All Things" for this year's retreat actually poses an important question to us: "Do we need God?" Or conversely, it is God asking us, "Do you need me?" This is a question worth pondering. In the process of growing up, we are taught to be "independent", to take care of our own needs, and this "handle it yourself" mentali…
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In the past two years, amid the upheaval of wars and social unrest, the world appears unfamiliar and hostile compared to our previous experiences. People are growing more anxious and restless. We may wonder: Why is God so elusive? Has He turned His gaze away from us? Is He indifferent to the widespread suffering in the world? Is God's omnipresence …
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continue reading
According to the Gospel of John, the first question Jesus asked when He began His ministry was "What are you looking for?" (John 1:38). After Jesus died and resurrected, He said to Mary of Magdala, who was looking for Him in the tomb, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" (John 20:15) These two questions of Jesus echo in history a…
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Today, we, together with the universal church, remember with a heavy heart how our Lord Jesus Christ willingly walked a path of betrayal and extreme humiliation, and was nailed to the cross for us. It was the will of the Father, and the Son willingly obeyed, all because of love! Because of love, the Son took on the form of a slave (cf. Philippians …
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We need to acknowledge that we are easily deceived, especially by ourselves. For example, we are easily deceived by our own "outward behaviour." As we were growing up, for different reasons and motivations, we learned to do some "window dressing" to gain people's recognition and praise, while making ourselves feel better and feeling like we have fu…
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Some of you may feel a little uneasy when following this retreat, and may think that you are not as bad as described in the contents of the retreat. "I am not that stubborn, not that proud, not that shameless, not treating God that poorly..." Please do not be mistaken. The purpose of this retreat is not to belittle or look down on anyone, nor is it…
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"Feeling thirsty" is a state of being "unsatisfied", a state of "waiting", and a "signal" to us to take action to quench our thirst. No matter how difficult the action may be, it is something within our control, something we can take initiative and act on to relieve our “thirst”. For example, if our desire is to increase our savings , we can work h…
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We have officially entered the Holy Week and also the final phase of our Lenten retreat. Whether you have been accompanying us for the past 34 days of the retreat or have just begun the journey, we invite you to cherish this last stage of preparation for Easter, and through our Lord Jesus Christ, to feel deeply the Father's intense desire for us, a…
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As we are about to enter the Holy Week - the holiest time of the year, let us prepare ourselves so that we will be in the best spiritual state and have the most awakened heart to accompany our Lord Jesus to enter Jerusalem, into the darkest and most painful moment of His life. Jesus bore the heftiest price for us with only one purpose, that is to u…
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Our life is a continuous process of seeking, and depending on the goals we pursue, we will have different desires. As we age and go through different stages in life, our goals also change, and these goals we pursue shape the trajectory of our lives. It can be said that our life goals affect the ultimate direction and destiny of our lives and shape …
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The most important inspiration from yesterday's reflection is that even if we encounter great challenges and obstacles in our lives, they will not lead us to a dead end because God will not allow that to happen! Just as St. Paul the Apostle wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, …
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The key point of yesterday’s retreat was that if we don't want to be weighed down by the endless desires in our lives, we need to prioritize our desires. The key is to put our "thirst for God" as the top priority, then our other desires will be put in the right order easily. Amazingly, this solution is also the key to living a life of freedom and a…
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