Me

This is a detailed write up on my personality. I feel that it is almost 100 percent accurate. For those who know me...do you agree? For those who don't...now's a good chance to...

Portrait of an ISFJ - Introverted Sensing Feeling Judging(Introverted Sensing with Extraverted Feeling)

The Nurturer

As an ISFJ, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you takes things in via your five senses in a literal, concrete fashion. Your secondary mode is external, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit into your personal value system.

ISFJs live in a world that is concrete and kind. They are truly warm and kind-hearted, and want to believe the best of people. They value harmony and cooperation, and are likely to be very sensitive to other people's feelings. People value the ISFJ for their consideration and awareness, and their ability to bring out the best in others by their firm desire to believe the best.

ISFJs have a rich inner world that is not usually obvious to observers. They constantly take in information about people and situations that is personally important to them, and store it away. This tremendous store of information is usually startlingly accurate, because the ISFJ has an exceptional memory about things that are important to their value systems. It would not be uncommon for the ISFJ to remember a particular facial expression or conversation in precise detail years after the event occured, if the situation made an impression on the ISFJ.

ISFJs have a very clear idea of the way things should be, which they strive to attain. They value security and kindness, and respect traditions and laws. They tend to believe that existing systems are there because they work. Therefore, they're not likely to buy into doing things in a new way, unless they're shown in a concrete way why its better than the established method.

ISFJs learn best by doing, rather than by reading about something in a book, or applying theory. For this reason, they are not likely to be found in fields which require a lot of conceptual analysis or theory. They value practical application. Traditional methods of higher education, which require a lot of theorizing and abstraction, are likely to be a chore for the ISFJ. The ISFJ learns a task best by being shown its practical application. Once the task is learned, and its practical importance is understood, the ISFJ will faithfully and tirelessly carry through the task to completion. The ISFJ is extremely dependable.

The ISFJ has an extremely well-developed sense of space, function, and aesthetic appeal. For that reason, they're likely to have beautifully furnished, functional homes. They make extremely good interior decorators. This special ability, combined with their sensitivity to other's feelings and desires, makes them very likely to be great gift-givers - finding the right gift which will be truly appreciated by the recipient.

More so than other types, ISFJs are extremely aware of their own internal feelings, as well as other people's feelings. They do not usually express their own feelings, keeping things inside. If they are negative feelings, they may build up inside the ISFJ until they turn into firm judgments against individuals which are difficult to unseed, once set. Many ISFJs learn to express themselves, and find outlets for their powerful emotions.

Just as the ISFJ is not likely to express their feelings, they are also not likely to let on that they know how others are feeling. However, they will speak up when they feel another individual really needs help, and in such cases they can truly help others become aware of their feelings.

The ISFJ feels a strong sense of responsibility and duty. They take their responsibilities very seriously, and can be counted on to follow through. For this reason, people naturally tend to rely on them. The ISFJ has a difficult time saying "no" when asked to do something, and may become over-burdened. In such cases, the ISFJ does not usually express their difficulties to others, because they intensely dislike conflict, and because they tend to place other people's needs over their own. The ISFJ needs to learn to identify, value, and express their own needs, if they wish to avoid becoming over-worked and taken for granted.

ISFJs need positive feedback from others. In the absence of positive feedback, or in the face of criticism, the ISFJ gets discouraged, and may even become depressed. When down on themselves or under great stress, the ISFJ begins to imagine all of the things that might go critically wrong in their life. They have strong feelings of inadequacy, and become convinced that "everything is all wrong", or "I can't do anything right".

The ISFJ is warm, generous, and dependable. They have many special gifts to offer, in their sensitivity to others, and their strong ability to keep things running smoothly. They need to remember to not be overly critical of themselves, and to give themselves some of the warmth and love which they freely dispense to others.

True Worship... by Arthur Katz

Here is another devotional from the same day, also written by a British divine, who is suffering from cancer, as he admits in one of his recent statements. He lost his wife to a disease and lost both sons, one to an accident and one to a disease. So this guy has really been stripped and is now facing the prospect of the loss of his own life, and yet he composes a daily devotional that goes around the world. His name is Selwyn Hughes. Here is a fragment of his selection from Christmas Day:

“Listen. This is part of the message of Christmas. The Son of God entered this world of pain and suffering, wore our flesh, measured its frailty, and grew and struggled with the same problems with which we struggle. Before He died for us on the cross and was raised from the dead for our justification, He left this message with His followers: ‘Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.’ So in all the growing madness of things and the frustration and bitterness of the hour, come and pause by the manger and hear the truth of your most holy faith. This Child will feel the bitterest of pains, but this will enable Him to enter into our sorrows and pain and understand us. He is able to enter into our condition because He has been born into our condition. Always remember you were dear enough to God for the Savior to be born.”

That is precious, being born into our condition, born into our world, born into our struggle, which is the condition for His priestliness and identification, which is the condition for His sacrifice and atonement. He could not perform this at a distance, removed from the truth of the life that He came to save. He had to enter it; He had to be born into it and struggle through it and know it. It is a comfort for us. The Lord did not have a magical life on earth but a human life: “the Son of Man.” He had to, as man, struggle through the things that we struggle through as man by the same benefit that was available to Him, the advent of the birth of Spirit in our life, and it is still a struggle for us.

We do not understand the magnitude of the sacrifice, and we therefore do not have the basis for the appreciation, the gratitude, the worship, and the adoration. That is why those elements are still lacking in the Church; although we sing them, we do not, in fact, experience them because we have not factored in what preceded the birth, what was given up in obtaining the birth, the forsaking of that remarkable glory that was not obtained until after the resurrection and ascension. The pre-incarnate life and the post life are two aspects that need to be factored into the totality of the appreciation of Christ.

These are the things I have been contemplating and dwelling on. One book was given to me in Singapore by Thomas Lei, The Ascent of Christ, His Life after the human Life on earth. Another book came into my hands called The Life Before. The life before and the life after complete the portrait of the majesty of God and the phenomenon of His Son. We will not come to the place of true worship and adoration, which are the basis for true service, until we have really begun to appreciate and take into consideration both what came before and what came after and not just focus on the earthly life, as grand as it was. I need prayer for this, so that I can communicate to the Church these dimensions that have been neglected and need to be restored and established.

It would not hurt us at Ben Israel to have some expression of this for our own consideration, if we are to be a worshipful, adoring, praising entity, out of which comes true service. Service without that is mechanical and dutiful, but it lacks the real thing for being sent. Is it not interesting in Acts 13 that they were sent when they were found in a place of worship? God waited for the place of worship, and in that worship came the Spirit’s call, “Separate unto Me Paul and Barnabus…” and I do not know that we have yet come to that place of worship that occasions an apostolic sending. That apostolic sending and worship wait on apostolic apprehension, not just in the earthly life of Christ, great as that is and deserving every attention, but also the pre-incarnate life, the glory He had with the Father, which was forsaken in order to come down to the earth. We need to measure the magnitude of the sacrifice in order to understand the majesty of God in making it, and then the ascension and the enthronement, again coming back to the glory He had at the first, now obtained, or so-to-speak, earned, by His abasement, humiliation, and suffering. What He acted out was what He was already in the divine character.

My heart goes out to those worship leaders who have been so inducted into an outward worship, requiring to appear look ‘ecstatic’, as though they are really being carried away to ethereal realms, when really it is being prompted so much by the whole format of the service. They themselves have never had this revelation, so either they are psyching themselves out, or they are performing, but if it is a performance or a psyching out, then it is not true worship. At the very auspices of worship from the platform is something false and contrary to the truth of worship, so where are we being led? I am suggesting another kind of worship altogether, the antidote to the whole hyped-up worship thing that is so prominent in the charismatic realm.

Those men at Antioch were found worshiping the Lord, and they were in the right place. They were not being aided by electronics and amplifiers; there was a heartfelt, spontaneous thing arising out of the awareness of the majesty of God, because they enjoyed this breadth of understanding of where He had come from, as already being the Son of God, what He forfeited in coming, and what He demonstrated, as a Son, not through magical attainment, but through obedience and suffering. Then He was rewarded for that with the ascension. They had a sense, the apostolic sense, which was also their message. Because they could worship, they could bring what the ancient world needed to hear. They had it at a level more than just proper doctrine; they had more than just a credo. They did not just recite something when they were brought from place to place; they brought the reality of the thing that occasioned their worship. Their worship was their message; their message was their worship. It turned the world upside down. It turned men from their idols to serve the Living God and to wait for His Son, who will come from heaven and save us from the wrath that is to come.

A Silver Story

A friend sent me this story recently. It is a story which I have come across a few times before but which still warms my heart whenever I read it. I have put it here because I feel that it will encourage many hearts out there as it has encouraged mine...

Some time ago, a few ladies met to study the bible. While reading the 3rd chapter of Malachi, they came upon a remarkable _expression in the 3rd verse, "And He shall sit as a refiner and purifer of silver."

One lady decided to visit a silversmith and report to the others on what he said about the subject. She went according and without telling him the reason for her visit, begged the silversmith to tell her about the process of refining silver.

After he had fully described it to her, she asked, "Sir, do U sit while the work of refining is going on?" "Oh yes ma'am," replied the silversmith, "I must sit and watch the furnace constantly, for, if the time neccessary for refining is exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured."

The lady at once saw the beauty and comfort of the _expression, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." God sees it neccessary to put His children into the furnace; but His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for us. Our trials do not come at random and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure.

Before she left, the lady asked one final question, "How do you know when the process is complete?" "That's quite simple", replied the silversmith. "When I can see my own image in the silver, the refining process is finised."

In the light of this story, how should we view everything that happens in our lives, and everything that we go through? Are we able to pull our eyes from what is around us and pressing in on us, and fix them instead on the One who is above us? Are we able to be still in times of turmoil, trials and storms and say, "I know that You are God"?

He wants to see Himself in you.

Finding the Words... by Jill Carattini

Came across this recently....

"Unabridged" is a funny word to find beside the title of a dictionary. Of course, in the case of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary the term is used as a claim more of thoroughness than of sovereignty, as if to say, "We are the most complete dictionary of our class," and not, "Herein lies the comprehensive listing of all known words." The team of individuals working toward the task of composing or updating a dictionary knows better than most that a complete and unabridged glossary of terms simply isn't possible. For starters, one book could not house every word in the English language. Moreover, it couldn't keep up with the claim; new words are forever emerging. "Pleather" and "blog" are some of the more recent additions to Webster's ever-growing vocabulary, not to mention the ever-growing host of new medical and technological terms. According to Webster Online, words also occasionally "die" from lack of use.

The world of words is a vast and active place. When God called Moses to go and speak with the people of Israel under slavery in Egypt, he was all too aware that he didn't have the words within him. "O Lord," he announced, "I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." But God responded, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." (Ex. 4:10-12).

Whether Moses was afraid of speaking for God or of speaking to the Israelites, most of us can in some way relate to his heartfelt plea. According to several surveys, public speaking is the greatest fear of the vast majority, a phobia ranked even above the fear of death. And speaking for God certainly complicates the anxiety. Many of the prophets chosen by God to be his voice among the people voiced concerns with speaking to a world that didn't want to hear. Each time the prophet is reminded similarly: He who set the heavens in place with a word will surely put the words in your mouth. Jesus also instructed his disciples in their ministering, "Make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict." (Luke 21:14-15).

The vast and daunting world of words is met with a promise that is most compelling. Called to live and voice the gospel in a world that is yet unhearing, we do well to remember that God is yet the giver of words and wisdom. Even so, speaking for God or of God, or in fact, speaking at all is a responsibility Scripture reminds us to keep fearfully in prayer. Paul asks the people of Ephesus, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel." (Eph. 6:19).

That the words of our mouths may be pleasing in God's sight is a prayer that leads us again and again to his word. "Remain in me," said Jesus to the disciples before he went to the Cross, "let my words remain in you." His words are more vast and active than our dictionaries, but unchanging and unending like the one who spoke them.

The God who speaks and who asks us to speak has given us his word, his assurance that our prayers are heard, his Spirit to help us in our weakness and in our fears.

Worship and Prayer

Eph 4:15 says, "Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth..."

We are called, in all things, to speak truly, deal truly with people, live truly, and of course, to worship truly.

Worship and prayer are inseparable. How can we truly worship someone whom we do not truly know? And how can we truly know someone unless we have constant communion with him? Without prayer, it is impossible to know God truly; and without knowing God truly, we cannot truly worship Him.

God wants His people to worship Him in truth. That is, He wants us to worship Him out of a true perspective of who He is. "You shall not make yourself any graven image..." the Bible says. I believe not one Christian in his or her right mind would build a wooden or bronze statue and bow down to it. But yet, so many of us build up false images of God, and worship God based on that wrong image or perspective of Him. True worship can only flow out of God's revelation of Himself to us. Worship cannot make sense or carry meaning without knowing God and His ways.

God wants to be known. That is why He calls us to seek Him with all our hearts. God will not ask us to seek Him if He cannot be found. He wants His people to know Him not only as Saviour and Redeemer, but also as Healer, Deliverer, Comforter, Provider, Master, Friend and so much more! Not just to know about Him, but to come to a revelation and experiential knowledge of Him. We sing songs with so many beautiful words: "You are my strength, my shield, my fortress, my deliverer...", "Jesus you are my best friend...", "You are my supply, my breath of life...", just to name a few. But how many of us have really come to know and experience the kind of God that we are singing about? If we have not, then how can we truly find meaning and be passionate about the words that we sing?

In Exodus, it is only after the Israelites experienced the great deliverance of the Lord in the parting of the Red Sea, that they were then truly able to sing with all their hearts, "The Lord is my Strength and my Song, and He has become my Salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him...Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, awesome in splendour, doing wonders?" These words would have been meaningless had they not first experienced God's power and might of deliverance in the Red Sea episode.

Being in the place of prayer and in an attitude of constant communion with God also develops in us a sense of intimacy with God that I find is indispensible to worship. I have so often stepped into a church service at the end of a busy week where I had hardly made time to spend with God, and I found that I could hardly put all my heart into the songs. God seemed to be a stranger to me, and the majestic or intimate words of the songs seem to carry no real meaning for me. They sounded lifeless over my lips. But oh, in those weeks where God is so real and intimate! The moment the first song started, the words, the joy, the passion, and the tears just flowed. In those times, I needed no "warm-up song" or "rah-rah" from the worship leader. I was just so ready to worship! If only I, and every Christian, could come to church every week with that kind of readiness of heart; coming into God's presence with our hearts already broken and softened through prayer! What awesome and powerful times of worship our churches would have week after week!

How much more so for us worship leaders! With the technology and musical abilities available to us today, it is so easy for us to "create" a great atmosphere of worship, and to move people into strong emotional responses to the Lord. But what is left after the music dies and the lights come on again? Emotional highs? Or true spiritual encounters with God? Only if we have first came into that place of intimacy with God, are we able to lead others to experience it.

A chapter title in E.M. Bounds'book "The Reality of Prayer" reads, "Prayer: The Essence of Earthly Worship". How true this is! Without prayer, the basis of our daily walk with God is lost, as is the basis for knowing and loving Him more and more. And without this, there is nothing from which genuine, passionate, spiritual worship can flow out of.

Oh God, may we never forget this. May we never get too caught up in our forms, that we lose sight of the Person! Remind your people always, that worship and prayer are inseparable!

The Secret Place of Our Hearts

Mat 6: 5-6 "Also when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full already. But when you pray, go into your most private room, and, closing the door, pray to your Father, Who is in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open."

Prayer is about seeking constant communion with God, and not about having the approval of Man. True prayer thus begins in the private. Because it is in the private where there is no longer a need for us to keep up our pretenses, but where we can come before God bare and transparent, just as we are, hding nothing. It is in the most private place, where we can have the most intimate contact with our Father!

So the question is, where is the most private place? Which place in this world can I consider to be the most secret, and the most hidden from the sight and hearing of all others but God? Where in this world can I really talk secret things with God, and not worry about being seen, heard, or disturbed? Only one place - the secret closet of my heart!

It is in my heart where I can be truly one with my Maker. It is in my heart, where I can be truly shut off from the hustle and bustle of this world. It is in my heart, where I can truly tune off all other voices but His own. It is at my heart, where He has promised to keep knocking and waiting until I open it to let Him in. It is in that most secret place where He seeks to have the most beautiful and abiding fellowship and conversations with us. And it is also in my heart, where He has promised to fill with peace, joy, hope, love, and many other blessings!

God doesn't want us to DO quiet times! How can we DO a relationship?? God wants to have constant communion with us! God wants us to have a constant sense of abiding in Him! And He is earnestly seeking true believers who can, despite the ever-changing situations of their life, still maintain an ever-unchanging connection with Him: heart to heart.

Oh God! Grant me a heart that is ever one with yours! Grant me a heart that is ever after Your own!

Holding Fast to Integrity

Job 2:3 "And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who reverently fears God and abstains from and shuns all evil because it is wrong? And still he holds fast his integrity, although you moved Me against him to destroy him without cause."

Job 2:9-10 "Then his wife said to him, Do you still hold fast your blameless uprightness? Renounce God and die! But he said to her, You speak as one of the impious and foolish women would speak. What? Shall we accept only good at the hand of God and shall we not accept also misfortune and what is of a bad nature? In spite of all this, Job did not sin with his lips. "

"Integrity" - "blameless uprightness; wholeness; complete in good character without loopholes." What an awesome thing to be said of a man! It is widely known, that the people closest to us see the most of our strengths and flaws. Usually family members understand us the most. They have seen us in our best and worst moments. Here, the two people closest to Job in his life, the two people who understood him the most - God and his wife, saw in him the same thing - he is able to hold fast to his integrity regardless of life's situations.

I wonder: What would the people close to me see in me? What would God, who searches the innermost of a man's heart, see in me? One thing for sure, I still have many loopholes in my character.

A building built with inferior quality materials or with loopholes and missing pieces in its structure cannot withstand the pressure of the elements nor stand the test of time. Likewise, a man with "holes" in his character cannot withstand the pressures of life, nor can anything that he tries to do in his lifetime be of eternal lasting value. Job had everything suddenly taken away from him. And now he even had boils and sores on his body! What severe infliction! But because of the strength of his character, he didn't cave in, nor did he compromise his fear of God and fall into sin. How the kingdom of God today needs men and women such as this!

May God grant us a heart of integirty! Let us pray that God will close up all the loopholes in our life and character. That the church of God may truly stand strong in the face of increasing darkness in this world!