【I love listening to you most】

Responses from readers of Kingdom of God Magazine

Focusing on issues beyond Chinese culture

I read the "Kingdom of God" quarterly online for the first time in August 2019, and I was amazed. The depth, breadth and grandeur of the text are beyond any Christian publications I have read in the past. Perhaps because of the quarterly publication, the author has ample time to organize his writing so that it can present the most complete content. In addition, many authors are from abroad, and they break away from the small circles of the Chinese church circles and focus on discussions from a popular cultural perspective. For example, writing articles about domestic violence can correct the traditional concept of "men are superior to women" in Chinese culture from the standpoint of equal rights for men and women. Help Chinese pastors look at problems more comprehensively.

In addition, there are many articles that discuss missionary work, as well as works that look at social dynamics from the perspective of movies, and there are also rich contents on interpersonal relationship management in the workplace and professional financial management. Because the articles are very long and the content is in-depth. I think the target audience will be Christian professionals, church leaders, and working Christians who are determined to serve God.

(UK, Yin Liqun)

Masochism and suffering for the Lord

"When you marry a chicken, follow the chicken; when you marry a dog, follow the dog." No matter how abused your spouse is, you have to endure it for the rest of your life and stay together. This is the positioning of marriage by traditional Chinese values. Many Christians even regard maintaining an "intact" marriage as their vocation given by God, and they think they are suffering for the Lord when they are trapped in the well of abuse... I have also been stuck in an "abuse without scars" relationship for more than ten years. After experiencing the pain and struggle that is worse than death, the voices around me are: "I can only endure it" and "try hard to satisfy my spouse"...

讀了56期李文屏〈敬虔就要留在虐待的婚姻中嗎？〉，多年想不明白，看不清楚的地方，一下子豁然開朗了。原來「受虐」不等於「為主受苦」，真正明白神愛的真諦和律法的精髓，才能看清事實真相，勇敢地向受虐說「不」，從受虐走向自由。

(Victoria, USA, Rainbow)

Domestic violence affects the next generation

家是一個溫暖自在、相互信任、互相倚靠的窩。然而，家庭暴力卻自古至今一直存在。當大家聽到「家暴」，總想到夫妻間的暴力事件，但56期〈The storm is looking forward to clearing up〉文章中最讓我感觸的卻是「女兒」的遭遇；小小心靈，在爸爸的吼叫與粗暴言行中，惡夢連連，直至長大成婚後，仍纏擾著她，讓人心疼！

The victims of domestic violence are not limited to couples, it can even traumatize the hearts of the next generation of children. This is really happening; the elder sister unknowingly transfers her resentment towards her father to her younger sister, because we are a family and are also in this storm circle, and no one is immune!

Thank you for using the personal experience of the author of this article to raise this topic that needs to be faced seriously in today's generation, so that readers can understand the true meaning of marriage, the importance of a warm family, and the father's love and responsibility for the family at home.

(Hailing, Delaware, USA)

Breakthroughs in ministry

《神國》雜誌第56期〈風暴盼天睛─家暴掠影〉一文，吸引了我，反覆讀了兩遍。多年來，勸導想要離婚的夫妻之難題也迎刃而解。由於我已年長，不少基督徒夫妻，或一方不是基督徒的夫妻，實在過不下去，特別是女方受虐，她們會向我傾訴。我都勸她們：「恒久忍耐；丈夫是妻子的頭⋯⋯」，其實我心中也常常會想幫助女方解脫。

This article taught me that "domestic violence is a matter of 'sin' deep in the heart of the human heart." Jesus Christ nailed Himself to the cross for our sins. The perpetrators of violence should be punished by law, and women should not be advised to just endure.

Thanks to the editors for their groundbreaking insights, which will help me learn how to help people around me on a case-by-case basis in my future ministry!

(Boston, USA, Xiaoyu)

Architecture is flowing music

周蘭惠老師寫的〈Beauty can make people forget clumsiness〉，我再三讀之。文章用詞精準，對於藝術和文學的濃度亦恰如其分、相輔相成。

At the beginning of this year, I visited Gaudi's Sagrada Familia for the second time. I was amazed that this church is under construction with four aspects: "spring, summer, autumn and winter". It has been under construction for more than 100 years and is still not completed. During his lifetime, Gaudí said unhurriedly that God has no timetable, and he pointed out the eternity of God to you and me. Although I still didn't know how to express my thoughts, Teacher Zhou highlighted the highlights of stained glass in describing the relationship between it and "light", and helped me out by saying "beauty can make people forget their clumsiness".

Architecture is truly moving music. I feel more and more that there is no end to learning, and there are many mysteries in life that will never be explored!

(Kang Jieli, Texas, USA)

Christ looks down upon the world with great love

讀畢上期〈基督靈命的豐沛外流〉，身居英國的我在「脫歐風雲」仍疑團重重的彼時，「英貨櫃車39屍案」的駭聞突然傳出，腦海乍現耶穌生平憐憫許多人，如同羊沒有牧人的情景。作者的信息深深地喚醒我，明白基督徒要傳「行動的福音」給弱勢者。

While the international political world is turbulent and political and economic issues are being debated, countless forgotten souls are struggling to survive. It is the love of the only true God who looks down on the world. He became a man and became associated with the sufferings of the world. On the road of life, I am happy to "stand aside" with Jesus. I will be attracted to the poor and helpless people, and the righteousness of God will flow to the homeless people through those who believe in Him. Christ came to the world precisely to find salvation. Lost people.

Thank you to the author for meticulously recording Jesus’ Kingdom view of righteousness. Reading this encourages believers to implement love and care for the neglected and deprived people. This is the most important thing for Jesus followers at this moment. ministry.

(Lin Hong, County Durham, UK)

Human heart plans, Heavenly Father guides

作者莫非在《神國》雜誌57期的〈twists and turns〉一文中表示：「所以我們在神面前的禱告，都是求可以有承受走過這病所需的力量，最沒想過的就是『抗旨』求醫治。」這句話充分表現出作者和她先生的順服謙卑，令我深受感動！這也讓我禁不住想起多年前家母罹患癌症時我面對神的態度。

I am ashamed to say that at that time, I only had the tenacious thought of "I must ask God to heal me." I went to church every morning for morning prayers and prayed to Heavenly Father to heal my mother. Thank God, my mother’s cancer was cured after surgery and chemotherapy, and she has never relapsed. However, at that time, I was too young and arrogant. When it came to my mother’s cancer, I wholeheartedly prayed to God to fulfill my wishes, but I did not think about God’s good will. Now, I have learned to be obedient, know how to ask God for guidance in everything, and obey His will.

(USA, Victoria, Yongai)