tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4255049335271427552024-03-14T06:33:50.141+08:00Hungry For God's Word?Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.comBlogger152125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-87859603633440559682020-04-19T01:45:00.000+08:002020-04-19T01:45:03.708+08:00We are NOT in control. God IS.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The country suffered a double whammy – the unexpected
political fiasco which was unprecedented, and a tiny virus named COVID-19 that
brought the whole world to a standstill, literally. How do we as disciples of Jesus
respond in a Christlike manner? Surely no one will blame us for feeling
frustrated, anxious or angry. This is the time we will be tested on what we
believe about God and His sovereignty. Who we are is often tested not in good
times, but in bad or challenging times. As the saying goes, it can bring the
best or the worst out of us.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLCMBP3g8NWMDwnhJNe4a4YJsR6cUAhhxRiKbXESZYQaJDkdljFq8JQ8Z8mYuA8pSVUjv2uUnyuHGE4DnuMM1qt2UYHKIyp6_u4do-YsoA-3mcy_M4OWkOgsQaTCIE1OfIPb7-eYY9HY/s1600/covid-19-image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="810" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLCMBP3g8NWMDwnhJNe4a4YJsR6cUAhhxRiKbXESZYQaJDkdljFq8JQ8Z8mYuA8pSVUjv2uUnyuHGE4DnuMM1qt2UYHKIyp6_u4do-YsoA-3mcy_M4OWkOgsQaTCIE1OfIPb7-eYY9HY/s320/covid-19-image.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We read with amusement how supermarkets ran out of toilet
papers and other essentials. What is it that drove this herd mentality? Psychologists
suggest that it has to do with the need to do whatever it takes to try and get back
some control individually over something beyond their control. Such desire
would also be reflected in some now considering the next wave of migration to
other countries for greener pastures.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s amazing how often God speaks in my simply daily bible
reading and devotion about the issues I am facing. No less this time when we are
having two national crises at hand, feeling often helpless, yet confident that
the future is not determined by men, but by a sovereign God who is in control.
How do you hold a healthy tension between being a citizen of this nation and of
heaven? <i>(Philippians 3:20–21 “<sup>20 </sup>But our citizenship is in
heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, <sup>21 </sup>who,
by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will
transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”)</i> How
do we responsibly take all the necessary precautions to prevent infections,
which is not a hundred per cent full proof anyway, and still trust that our
lives are in God’s hands? How do we act on certain things and yet trust that
God is sovereign in all things? There are no easy answers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our call is to be godly and useful citizens wherever He has
placed us. We are called as a Body of believers to be salt and light. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+5%3A13-16&version=NIV" target="_blank">Matthew5:13-16</a>) We are not Malaysians by accident but by a sovereign act of God. <i>(Acts
17:26 “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole
earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of
their lands.”) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>While we are here as
pilgrims on this earth (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11%3A13&version=NIV" target="_blank">Hebrews 11:13</a>; <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A16&version=NIV" target="_blank">John 17:16</a>; <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+peter+2%3A11&version=NIV" target="_blank">1 Peter 2:11</a>), we subject
ourselves to the governing authorities. <i>(Romans 13:1 “Let everyone be
subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that
which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by
God.”)</i> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The signs of the end times just before the return of Jesus
had been prophesized: <i>(Luke 21:10–11 “<sup>10 </sup>Then he said to
them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. <sup>11 </sup>There
will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and
fearful events and great signs from heaven.”) </i>It will get increasingly
challenging, unsettling and chaotic, even for the church as persecutions
increase in intensity. Jesus Himself said: <i>(Luke 21:17–19 “<sup>17 </sup>Everyone
will hate you because of me. <sup>18 </sup>But not a hair of your head
will perish. <sup>19 </sup>Stand firm, and you will win life.”)</i> Why
are we surprise then when all these things happen?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was in the midst of all these the Lord spoke to me from <i>Luke
9:12-14 “<sup>12 </sup>Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and
said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and
countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” <sup>13 </sup>He
replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five
loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” <sup>14 </sup>(About
five thousand men were there.) But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit
down in groups of about fifty each.””</i> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We are all familiar with the feeding of the five thousand.
There were probably double that number if we were to include the women and
children. Because it was in a remote place in the late afternoon, the disciples
were concern about the welfare of the crowd. The sooner they can dismiss the
crowd, the better it is for people to fulfill their basic need to food and
lodging. The disciples had done their homework. They had only five loaves and
two fish. The strange part of the story was that Jesus instructed them to give
the crowd something to eat. He was asking them to do the impossible! It was an
impossible sum – five loaves plus two fish were not equal to five thousand men!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdOxSLFm_PRf7LxtqX3NWH9-SPuIgC79bHdKAGzQu1DLZoH6go9EIgVClA0nzNAcCL4fs2liwICwSx2oB3BvtTy0j-Sdz89dgAUiNE4iHJbZ4x_TlcBKe70wmoQLavbj7d_ApZyuUAqM/s1600/Feeding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdOxSLFm_PRf7LxtqX3NWH9-SPuIgC79bHdKAGzQu1DLZoH6go9EIgVClA0nzNAcCL4fs2liwICwSx2oB3BvtTy0j-Sdz89dgAUiNE4iHJbZ4x_TlcBKe70wmoQLavbj7d_ApZyuUAqM/s320/Feeding.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus was basically saying to them the obvious - “You
can’t.” They had no choice but to look to Jesus and allow Him to take over.
Having sat the crowd down so that they are ready to receive their food, Jesus
took the small portion of bread and fish, gave thanks to His Heavenly Father,
and had the disciples began distributing them. I can imagine the scene and the
increasing amazement in witness of a wonder. It was a miracle of an impossible scale.
Not only did they all eat but they were also satisfied, meaning there were more
than enough to go around. The disciples even picked up twelve basketfuls of
broken pieces left over.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Lord put me into the shoes of the disciples. It was an
impossible sum and I am definitely not in control of the situation. When we
look to Jesus, He did a miracle only when we surrender the little we have to
Him. No wonder Jesus said we only need to have the faith of a mustard seed to
move mountains. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+17%3A20&version=NIV" target="_blank">Matthew 17:20</a>) It is not our faith that is of concern, but the
object of our faith who is Christ. The number five, represented by the five
loaves, symbolizes human weakness and limitation in the light of God’s covenant
and grace. Man is insufficient in himself. Adding the two fish to the five
loaves gave a total sum of seven which symbolizes the perfection and
completeness of God. This story reminds us that we are never sufficient and
adequate in ourselves until we surrender everything to Jesus. We can miss the
Presence and Provision of God in the limitation of our five loaves and two
fish.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What is God saying in our double whammy? <b>We are not in
control. God is.</b> <span style="color: windowtext; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Is God turning our
eyes to Jesus at this very moment? Are our lives, and the church, shining forth
the glory of God in the midst of uncertainties? It is a time to build faith and
not fear. It is a time of reflection and examination. It is a time to pray and
do what's right where truth, justice and righteousness are concern. Are we harnessing
this as a discipleship moment for the entire church? We continue to function
(in all acts of compassion, mercy and justice) as always, and more, until He
comes again. We are not in control of things in our lives. Only God is. Our
hope is in God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-26660047372757886612019-09-14T14:56:00.001+08:002019-09-14T15:01:57.509+08:00Déjà vu - Looking back through the years!<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Noticed this comment in a Facebook comment on Edwin Tan's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tancheepin/posts/10158905469649899?comment_id=10158905934789899&notif_id=1568298094810014&notif_t=comment_mention" target="_blank">post</a>:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">Edwin Tan Chee Pin<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;">Constance Lo<span style="font-family: inherit;"> - i learnt this 14 years ago, when my oldest boy (Joseph) was 2 months old, and i was clueless on what to do. my senior pastor </span><a class="" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1504172847" href="https://www.facebook.com/chriskamtw?hc_location=ufi" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;">Chris Kam</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> wrote on how he brings his sons out one-on-one each week. so i decided to try it - and it's the best 'piece of advice' i've had - easy to do, but yet so effective.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXis6QgMwzQDWTZ_xAUem6FRt9gEYJxsiKIEMXDUQOjArgwV63b6pZ0pA2PgXU55K0lEJ14XMGbuR0amwsCWHkGi7hkiD_W3vBcYQGwEIqjVA5GBNfx2lo-C5yDEXKhx11I0sEUQb7DM/s1600/Capture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="552" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXis6QgMwzQDWTZ_xAUem6FRt9gEYJxsiKIEMXDUQOjArgwV63b6pZ0pA2PgXU55K0lEJ14XMGbuR0amwsCWHkGi7hkiD_W3vBcYQGwEIqjVA5GBNfx2lo-C5yDEXKhx11I0sEUQb7DM/s320/Capture.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This was the article that I wrote in 2005 for Floodgates, 14 years' ago as Edwin mentioned. What a reminder that I am glad I invested into all my sons. They are now 14 years older and are now adults!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><u>My Three Sons – Arrows in a Quiver</u> </b>Nov-Dec 2005 Pr Chris Kam<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A DUMC member came excitingly to
me two weeks ago exclaiming that she met someone who knows me. She was at a
function in another church and found out that this man, YK, who is my
optometrist. YK had told her that something that I shared with him had
encouraged him so much that he decided to do something about it. I remembered
the incident and little did I know that a casual sharing would have led someone
to radically change the way he parents his children.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This casual encounter happened in
McDonald about two months ago where I was having supper with Ashton, my
youngest 8-year old son. This was my regular weekly father-son time on a Monday
after his music class. YK was having dinner with his family and as usual in his
jovial self, he came over for a quick chat. <i>“Where
are your two other sons?”</i> he asked. <i>“There
are no two other sons here. Just me and Ashton, our father and son time.”</i> I
could see that his ears pricked up trying to figure out what I mean. <i>“What do you mean ‘father and son’ time?”</i>
he asked. <i>“Exactly as I said, ‘father and
<b>SON</b>’ time”</i>, I replied, emphasizing
the word ‘son’ in singular.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>“I do this with each of my sons every week. Sort of like my usual
pastoral appointments, but with my sons, instead of my church members, written
down in my diary. It’s a weekly one: Monday afternoon with Ian (my 15-year
old), Monday night with Ashton and Wednesday night with Shaun (my 10-year old).
Non-negotiable, unless I am outstation or having an important meeting that
cannot be changed.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>“Hmmmm…. “</i> YK muttered something under his breath. <i>“All three every week … that must be tough
considering the amount of time required if for each you spent two hours with.
That must have taken a lot of discipline on your part.”</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>“I have been meeting like this with Ian since he was 4 years old.
That’s eleven years in total sitting like this one on one, talking about
anything and everything. Tough as it may be being man and boy, you know the
male thingy of being bad conversationalists; we just learn to talk about everything
under the sun. Of course there were silent moments but there is food to keep
our mouth full!”</i> We broke out in laughter with Ashton looking cute and
wondering what these big fellas are up to.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>“YK, it’s really hard work, and fattening too, because it always happens
in a restaurant. I give them a choice where they would like to go. I am sick of
roti canai and you would have figured out by now why. They love roti canai. But
it’s cheaper.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>“But, it is extremely rewarding. For one, my sons cannot accuse me some
day of dad not spending enough time with them. But the real value is in
building a trust relationship that until today at 15 years old, Ian still shares
with me about everything … including whom he likes, and you know, birds and
bees stuff. I rather that he hears from me than from his peers, or the media. I
am so glad that we didn’t really go through the ‘dad and mum my worst enemies’
teenage phase that I have been warned about. Ian said to me a few months back
that I am his best friend and that’s the greatest compliment I think a father
can receive from his son.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
By now, YK is furiously
processing through in his mind the implication of what I am saying. He has
three children himself, around the same ages, and I wasn’t really sure what he
was up to until this was related to me. I was told that since he heard what I
shared, not only has he and his wife started a one-on-one with their children,
they have encouraged others in his church to start doing the same because they
have found it so helpful in their parenting.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Something so simple, yet
powerful. I am reminded of <i>Psalm 127:3-5
Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in
the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose
quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with
their enemies in the gate.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Parents, our children are like
arrows. We are the archers. When they are properly shaped and sharpened, and in
the hands of expert marksman, they will go the distance and to places where we
can’t go ourselves. We need to think two generations ahead, so that they can
become godly fathers themselves. The success of my life can only been seen when
I am no longer around, that is, in the lives of my children’s children, that
they will blessed by what I am doing now with my own children. That’s the heart
cry of our heavenly Father. He’s a multi-generational God!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRb3oLyuF49dFZxarQID6A9eMBYYcicjQroELjT5sKRzsrEMWAw96u5hPDwBOf3RQnjk7MiD3SBLKLVxKUDuDB7g43nw8IzUfdPMR-_MShW_A__WtuBNEYu42n5zuDxwe_7N5cgFvC5Gs/s1600/Capture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="1000" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRb3oLyuF49dFZxarQID6A9eMBYYcicjQroELjT5sKRzsrEMWAw96u5hPDwBOf3RQnjk7MiD3SBLKLVxKUDuDB7g43nw8IzUfdPMR-_MShW_A__WtuBNEYu42n5zuDxwe_7N5cgFvC5Gs/s320/Capture.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-78857173658282802622019-06-26T19:00:00.001+08:002020-02-06T17:30:17.836+08:00My 10 Year Big Idea from 2016<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Image result for moses led the people" height="180" src="https://www.myjewishlearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2003/04/moses-exodus-egypt.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Moses was an extraordinary leader in a sense that he wrestled with God over his call. He was clear in his mind that unless God is there with him, it is pointless going where he wanted to go with his people. In Exodus 33:12-23, we observe the incredible dialogue between God and man. Moses knew the marching order. “Lead these people.” (V.12) but God had not told him yet who He will send with him. He knew he had the favour of God over him. His desire was that God will teach him His ways rather than be dependent on his limited human understanding. God went beyond that and said this amazing line: “My Presence will go with you, and I will give your rest.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For most of us, we would be thinking that God’s call will demand a lot of hard work and sacrifices. Why did God say that He will give Moses rest? We often misunderstand the phrase “hard work” with “strive”. Certainly, we see how much work there is in leading 600,000 adult males (Exodus 12:37), which would imply a total population of 2 to 2.5 million people, when Egypt’s population at the time was only about 3 to 4.5 million. That’s hard work! The “rest” here meant the final destination of the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. In today’s context, that rest in the spiritual realm is the rest of salvation (Hebrews 4:1). Faith in God was the key to entering that rest (Hebrews 4:2).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="197" src="https://mystarjob.com/archives/2015/12/5/mystarjob_careerguide/003_05122015a.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Greek definition for rest is “to be refreshed, to abide, to cease and to settle down.” True rest in God allows us to live rejuvenated and be at peace with ourselves and others. The opposite of rest is restlessness, always having the feeling that there is something more to do, something else to get right, a sense of wanting to be more in control, in order to relax and have a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. Sounds like an oxymoron desire yet in this way we strive in restlessness towards an elusive rest. I resonated with an adage I came across that says “When we strive, God waits. When we rest, God acts.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was in such a perspective that I asked God to show me the way as I lead DUMC for the next ten years as I take on the role of the Senior Pastor mid of last year. I wanted God to be there at the end of that ten years when I pass on the baton. I wanted to learn to lead in restedness and not restless strive. I wanted to achieve the goal, not of growth, but of grace because growth is His work and not mine (1 Cor 3:6). All I need to do is provide a space for spiritual nurture, health and His Presence for God’s people and God will cause the growth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHrz9KxxHdirvigjP5lTteogOKnDRGDAlsPrqdySz97YLWFiK2_GbyOujm8IvMYpbxcabOwSPEMNaeskPl7KKWjOon6FgsIBZbC2mbFkr7x65j5CbkH_eF4mggStmTVn_6K0Z_00pyr8/s1600/Capture.JPG" /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So I asked Him, what will DUMC be like in 10 years’ time? Very clearly, He had said to me to build DUMC not for ourselves but for our children and their children. While it may seem logical that every church should do so, yet by design, we often do not as we are stuck in our old human ways and preferences. The Lord reminded me often not to harbor pride because we have “eaten more salt” and hence there’s nothing much we can learn from young people. We need the humility to sit down with them and hear what they have to say about church. We pray that church is relevant to them as much as it is to us. In being part of us, they catch on the vision and purpose that everything we do must be for the sake of the Gospel, empowered by the Holy Spirit, in a spiritual environment of prayer and worship. We must be strong in both the Word and the Spirit. We must have an encounter with God in all that we do, a deep sense of belonging to a community and given a calling higher than ourselves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jesus summed up for us a personal and corporate calling of the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:36-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). To “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27) is a clarion call to love God and others. This sums up the 613 laws of the Old Testament into two commandments which is a stroke of divine wisdom and brilliance of our Lord that simplify an otherwise complicated set of rules to live by. The Great Commission defines the core business of the church to make disciples and not just believers. A disciple is taught to obey everything Jesus commanded. In one stroke, we understand what it means to be a Christian and to be Church.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Image result for christlikeness" height="180" src="https://www.barabbas.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/mirror.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The one word that would describe what DUMC will be like at the end of it all is the word “Christlikeness”. Christlikeness can come in so many forms but what the Lord had impressed upon my heart are these five words or phrases that reflect what it means to be Christlike. They are “Honour, Humility, Be Real, Pass-It-On and Fun.” They are by no means exhaustive but these are the key core habits that will be spun into other characteristics of Christlikeness. I call them habits because it is something that is so much part of us that it becomes an inherent subconscious act and an automatic natural code of conduct that comes out of our being. We are not merely talking about behavioral modifications but a heart transformation that comes out as a fruit of the Spirit. When we are God and people honouring, with the humility of a servant to serve like our Lord Jesus, and being real and authentic in who we are in a non-judgmental atmosphere of acceptance, and remembering always to pass it on to others in a platform of discipleship, and while doing all that we have fun, and inner joy being evident, that would be an amazing church to be in. Would we be inspired to ask God for that?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Let me sum up in just one phrase to give us a sense of purpose and unity to what we hope to see in ten years’ time and beyond. If someone were to ask you, what is DUMC and what do you stand for? You simply need to say we are to: “Love God, Serve People, Make Disciples towards Christlikeness with the core habits of Honour, Humility, Be Real, Pass-It-On and Fun.” That’s it! It doesn’t have to be complicated but let’s have fun doing all these. I look forward to running this race with you and be awed by the Presence of God.</span>Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-16222025506210636012018-11-06T19:30:00.000+08:002018-11-06T19:30:21.067+08:00Small Sacrifice<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I was asked by the editor of a local Christian magazine
to write something about my own personal sacrifices in obeying God’s call to
full-time ministry, there was a hesitation on my end whether I can write such
an article. I will be entering my 25<sup>th</sup> year of work as a career
pastor. I have now the advantage of hindsight wisdom and perspective, which
would be dramatically different from the earlier years. I hesitated because I
have to ask myself, having experienced what I had in the last 24 years, were
there any “real” sacrifices that I had made? Our church DUMC's tagline to “Love God,
Serve People and Make Disciples” reminds us that loving and serving, whether
towards God or people, is synonymous. Sacrifices on our part is presumed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMlvWn5k9bYYx_gnRl02wB121m5CBJb1tERvBnnv2s0dXDPnrOXKf8PkdFXQ-uQvETSEQKeKH9x0uNR28DIo8kXIQ1FcTw-XBMBRso6iQXw0399LQkytws2oPaIlH4T0c5XtFBLq4_KA/s1600/lent-sacrifice-crown-of-thorns-min-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMlvWn5k9bYYx_gnRl02wB121m5CBJb1tERvBnnv2s0dXDPnrOXKf8PkdFXQ-uQvETSEQKeKH9x0uNR28DIo8kXIQ1FcTw-XBMBRso6iQXw0399LQkytws2oPaIlH4T0c5XtFBLq4_KA/s320/lent-sacrifice-crown-of-thorns-min-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Maybe these are the thoughts of a man entering the senior
years. Just unravelling life lessons from Song of Songs, Proverbs and
Ecclesiastes, tells you of a man who had seasoned through the ups and downs of
life to conclude that at the end of the day, nothing on earth will ever satisfy
except to find our purpose and significance in God. The journey of Solomon, vacillating
from wisdom, vanity and satisfaction, reminds us how unpredictable our hearts
are. No wonder Jeremiah lamented in Jeremiah 17:9 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can
understand it?”</i> He goes on to say in verse 10 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each
person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”</i>
Hence my struggle with saying with a straight face sacrifices that I had made
in serving Him because He knows my heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Call</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The call to serve Him was a call to obedience in my
university years in Melbourne during a mission conference in the local church I
was attending. I committed myself to be willing to obey whatever He was calling
me to, whether to serve in my professional calling in the corporate world or to
full-time Christian ministry. Interestingly, my future wife also responded to
the same altar call although at that time we were not in a relationship yet. I
was trained as an engineer and for nine years after graduation and the eventual
marriage, my wife and I lived a lifestyle in such a way that if God should call
me, our financial commitment would allow us to do that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 1994, when I joined DUMC, I was 34 then, with a
4-year-old son. My wife and I had a desire to have maybe two or three more
children (we have 3 sons eventually) and our dreams for a family were no
different from anyone else. Primarily to be able to provide adequately for our
children in terms of their education and some of life’s little luxuries. In
discussing my employment financial package with the elders, the church then with
a small congregation of 200, could only pay us the amount that was the bare
minimum that would allow us to pay our bills and expenses each month that our
combined salaries could afford, without any savings at the end of the month. I
needed to take a 70% pay cut from what I was getting as an engineer. But I was
glad I could take a 70% pay cut, suggesting a lifestyle we had adopted in
preparation. Some Christians had lived beyond their means of a pay cut when the
calling came. This would be my advice to those contemplating a call from God to
full-time Christian work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, it was a step of faith with questions that bothers me as
a father and husband. What about the future of our children? Their education?
Will they end up disappointed with our financial position of not being able to
live and enjoy the privileges like their peers? Thank God for a wife who too
understand the calling of God and we both plunged into this uncertain yet
exciting journey of faith and ministry. My wife continued to work in her
corporate job and the Lord blessed her over the years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFXtQQkUDlGV85ccrdC2OyFp6npJzurxPce8D_56-1WIDxsqA8AqycYnZRCR1x-hZlLcsE_SFZOKa8OyK2DXG4Zh4guhuDbN8d7cyjLcNOKyuaxD-L9Cd-Us7Y9E6sge2WKXSz80oOuM/s1600/open-hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFXtQQkUDlGV85ccrdC2OyFp6npJzurxPce8D_56-1WIDxsqA8AqycYnZRCR1x-hZlLcsE_SFZOKa8OyK2DXG4Zh4guhuDbN8d7cyjLcNOKyuaxD-L9Cd-Us7Y9E6sge2WKXSz80oOuM/s1600/open-hands.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serving with open hands</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What sacrifice?</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Twenty-four years later, the only conclusion we can make is
this: that God is no man’s debtor. Jesus clearly reminded us (Matt 6:25-34) to
look at the birds of the air and the flowers of the field and not to worry
about our life, what we will eat or drink, or about our body, what we will
wear. It was time then to put what we know from our head into our hearts. It
had been an incredible journey of seeing the growth of the church, the
provision of God for my family and the spiritual journey of maturity for all of
us as a family. What we needed to be clear about is not what we wanted or
desired for ourselves. Rather it is about finding out what God desires of our
lives. King David was called as man after God’s heart not so much because of what
he did for God, but rather at every turn of event in the battles of his life,
he inquired of the Lord. It suggests an intimacy with God such that he can
genuinely say <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Better is one day in your
courts than a thousand elsewhere;” (Ps 84:10)</i> When we begin to recognize
the depth of God’s love for us and the sacrifices He had made, any sacrifice we
make pales in comparison. It is no longer a sacrifice on our end to serve Him,
but a privilege to serve this Living God. There are just no sacrifices too big
compared to what He had done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hence, I find it awkward to start listing down the
sacrifices I had made in this journey. Were there sacrifices I had to made in
matters of dying to my fleshly dreams and desires? Yes of course. But I would
not exchange them for what I had experienced up to this point of my life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had used the Wesley Covenant Prayer as a renewal prayer in
our Watchnight services. This is a prayer used in the Methodist liturgy for the
Covenant Renewal Service. This prayer reflects the words of Apostle Paul: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“<sup>19</sup> Do you not know that
your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have
received from God? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">You are not your own;</b>
<sup>20</sup> you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your
bodies.” (1 Co 6:19–20).</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I leave this prayer with you for your perusal, that in
considering a life time of service to God, it is about obedience, wherever He
calls you to, be faithful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpgQ8h4wcZMU2fgyWhEiXrFhrsr1xqjvNtHlCfUT0GvvAdy-iWnH-0H2Uy-BM0Onta1ImIqsuaxZ88_osOHLvB-lw_5ilBCypPWPqIw8CzSAko8AzU3uZEqRgV4-ar4N5UVz21hAim8U/s1600/Wesley+Covenant+Prayer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpgQ8h4wcZMU2fgyWhEiXrFhrsr1xqjvNtHlCfUT0GvvAdy-iWnH-0H2Uy-BM0Onta1ImIqsuaxZ88_osOHLvB-lw_5ilBCypPWPqIw8CzSAko8AzU3uZEqRgV4-ar4N5UVz21hAim8U/s320/Wesley+Covenant+Prayer.jpg" width="241" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Wesley Covenant Prayer</b><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am no longer my own but yours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">put me to doing, put me to suffering;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">exalted for you, or brought low for you;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">let me be full, let me be empty,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">let me have all things, let me have nothing:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to your pleasure and disposal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy
Spirit,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">you are mine and I am yours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in
heaven. Amen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-52859102227303978422018-07-02T23:15:00.000+08:002020-02-07T17:44:37.439+08:00Be With Jesus<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We have often heard
the adage that we must be before we do. What we do does not determine who we
are in God. Meaning God loves us not on the basis of what we do for Him. But
rather, He loves us for the worth He sees in us despite our fallen nature. We
are made in His image and intrinsically we carry something of His nature. The
understanding of who we are is the foundation to our life on earth as we answer
His call to serve Him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Doing defines us. Or
putting it another way, we do because we are. One of the amazing privileges we
have as His children is to serve God and people. We are created to do good
works. (Eph 2:10) Once we discover who we are, created to bear fruit in every
good work (Col 1:10), we live out that calling. I am challenged by John Wesley:
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Do all the good you can. By all the
means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the
times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”</i> We
don’t serve to gain favour. We serve because that’s who we are.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymSPzesJBWdET9X9M7zfX-Y0bKPAXt-0VmRh65Un1ZSblEUzOHSf6_v0ZjVBfpLQChOD-t35LSvZ5cO9sw-fRJtpobl2alid9_a4CnRFoT3c0PifjOD3VJ5yRX68xbiGn8Z0s96EdqGo/s1600/serving-header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="625" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymSPzesJBWdET9X9M7zfX-Y0bKPAXt-0VmRh65Un1ZSblEUzOHSf6_v0ZjVBfpLQChOD-t35LSvZ5cO9sw-fRJtpobl2alid9_a4CnRFoT3c0PifjOD3VJ5yRX68xbiGn8Z0s96EdqGo/s320/serving-header.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As we do that
faithfully, there is a tendency over time to serve not out of our being, but
our doing. We get weary and burdened, eventually leading to burnout. “We cannot
make up for failure in our devotional life by redoubling energy in service. We
shall never take people beyond our own spiritual attainment.” (William Griffith
Thomas)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the keys to a consistent
and life-long effective ministry is to discover what the apostles were doing in
their spiritual lives. I am intrigued by a verse in the book of Acts on one
such key. Peter, who was with John, was instrumental in the healing of a lame
beggar in Acts 3. Crowds were attracted to this incredible miracle of this lame
man <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“walking and jumping, and praising
God.”</i> (Acts 3:8) In Acts 4, Peter preached to the onlookers about the
Messiah, which greatly disturbed the priests, captain of the temple guard and
the Sadducees. They seized Peter and John and put them in jail until the next
day. They were brought before the Sanhedrin, which is the supreme judicial and
ecclesiastical council of ancient Jerusalem. In that exchange, here’s what the
priests said. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“When they saw the courage
of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they
were astonished and they took note that these men <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">had been with Jesus</b>.”</i> (Acts 4:13) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-R5ZtGjpYDzntlo3goH5p52Zbsg53S36IvKO-X3y03e6Z5pCSQqaz00GIvOaUXCTmqeSoqiisDvTjaHjJvKZIFl9VcjgokEf3m61OZWe0XwpW3Z3y-eh1LpxQRekZpIZNT8JIDmO2mFA/s1600/pictures-of-jesus-with-a-child-1127679-gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="664" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-R5ZtGjpYDzntlo3goH5p52Zbsg53S36IvKO-X3y03e6Z5pCSQqaz00GIvOaUXCTmqeSoqiisDvTjaHjJvKZIFl9VcjgokEf3m61OZWe0XwpW3Z3y-eh1LpxQRekZpIZNT8JIDmO2mFA/s320/pictures-of-jesus-with-a-child-1127679-gallery.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">How did they know that
Peter and John had been with Jesus? I wish Luke had spelt out the criteria of
that observation. Would people around say the same about us who are too
disciples of Jesus? Not so much about what we have done, but that we have been
with Jesus. They were trained from the onset of their calling by Jesus in that
way. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Jesus went up on a mountainside and
called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that
they might <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">be with him</b> and that he
might send them out to preach <sup>15</sup> and to have authority to drive out
demons.”</i> (Mark 3:13-15)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What does it mean to
be with Him? It is a relational call of making time for the One who is our
Friend, Brother, Saviour and God. We cannot have any meaningful relationship
without making time for each other. To be with Him is to make regular time to
read His Word and have a two-way conversation. It is not about putting a tick
on our daily to-do list for our devotions and prayer time of presenting our
request list. It is not merely functional. At the heart of it is relational. The
hazard of the modern urban life is that we have no time. Yet everyone has 24
hours, no more and no less. We say time is money and we need to be efficient
and effective in all that we do so that we don’t waste time. Yet, have you ever
thought that we can and should “waste time” with God? We don’t understand the
principle that when we hear God clearly of His will for our lives, we actually
save time and even from heartaches and disappointments. There is something
about being with Jesus that we begin to center our lives around His agenda and
not ours, which could be dramatically out of sync with God’s because we are
carnal by nature.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To be with Him is the
highest calling for the child of God. Apostle Paul understood that when He said
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I am torn between the two: I desire to
depart and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">be with Christ</b>, which is
better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.”</i>
(Philippians 1:23-24). Here’s that key again. He knew and longed for that
intimacy with Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Often I hear
Christians asking: “What else do we do in heaven?” That is the wrong question.
One day in the new heaven and the new earth, doing is not the heart of
existence. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“And I heard a loud voice from
the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">he will dwell with them</b>. They will be
his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”</i>
(Revelation 21:3) God will BE with us and He will live amongst us. What makes
heaven “heaven” then? It's about who we will BE with. With Him and with His
people. Heaven is all about relationships. What we will do thereafter for
eternity will be unimaginable creativity and joy being in existence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5QZ6X8onktIsc_ScAEZUB9z_xi5xy4bg7OnGaIEz9xUqZL85rOJ-eEInrSwdeeDgRjaa8KKkcw-kzPm4skq8yP4egmLTOO9WKP-Y6i1Pi0hkC0aL9sQf1nowlzLuDKtYYOfRWmAmlKQ/s1600/new+heaven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5QZ6X8onktIsc_ScAEZUB9z_xi5xy4bg7OnGaIEz9xUqZL85rOJ-eEInrSwdeeDgRjaa8KKkcw-kzPm4skq8yP4egmLTOO9WKP-Y6i1Pi0hkC0aL9sQf1nowlzLuDKtYYOfRWmAmlKQ/s320/new+heaven.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Therefore, learning to
be with Him on earth is a practice run! In the light of all that is happening
around us in our nation, with all the uncertainties, challenges and threats, what
gives us hope and clarity is the certainty of God’s Presence in our lives. We
are not to be paralysed by the fear of the unknown but as in the example set
forth by the apostles, if and when the time comes, we will be known as people
who had been with Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Discipleship towards
Christlikeness is a call to know Jesus and to be with Him. It is simply helping
another person be with Jesus as you continue to make time to be with Jesus.
When we learn to do that, we don’t struggle too much in answering this
question: “What is the Holy Spirit saying to you?” To be with Him then is the
highest calling!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNo1KyBCCV-pIJjbOPR8GpQhnWEqMg47YG6ZHf5D5vXbh88DfR-jP4ZKU4Y4SVCAvdvswb-W9YET5xsQH2oMHICn-tRs2yuc9Fc_xkdIGS7ptbOA0bTieTBhC9bnFxD_p49ElmsLByk8/s1600/Christlike-Art.001-670x502.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="670" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNo1KyBCCV-pIJjbOPR8GpQhnWEqMg47YG6ZHf5D5vXbh88DfR-jP4ZKU4Y4SVCAvdvswb-W9YET5xsQH2oMHICn-tRs2yuc9Fc_xkdIGS7ptbOA0bTieTBhC9bnFxD_p49ElmsLByk8/s320/Christlike-Art.001-670x502.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-68247317412214611972017-01-30T18:06:00.003+08:002017-01-30T18:10:22.000+08:00What Will You Leave Behind?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaM1QumznEMctvF5MudPFekv8tf0rkBBjkDL-gnSUMbYhXUbnuNQ8z1riyZrxY818gI6IJTwenM_sdNNJhsqOWrmvbbMXhC8dn84OPc2lEPY7HSq572GQJNxkW1AYOteGxjxc37JKXaI/s1600/What-Will-You-Leave-Behind-720x360.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaM1QumznEMctvF5MudPFekv8tf0rkBBjkDL-gnSUMbYhXUbnuNQ8z1riyZrxY818gI6IJTwenM_sdNNJhsqOWrmvbbMXhC8dn84OPc2lEPY7HSq572GQJNxkW1AYOteGxjxc37JKXaI/s320/What-Will-You-Leave-Behind-720x360.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Every Christian
leaves something behind when he or she is finally called home to be with the
Lord someday. Leaving a legacy or a heritage is not an option. The question is,
“What type of legacy do you leave behind?” This could be one of the most
profound question that may change the way you live your life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-MY"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You
see, your family pass on a legacy to you – good or bad – because that is what
they have. And you will pass on a legacy to your children by which they will
live by. It would be reasonable to say that all parents would love to leave
something good for their children to the best of their abilities. But what is
the thing of greatest value that we can leave behind for them? The things of
greatest value would be reflected by what we put our time to. Excellence in academic
pursuits and extracurricular activities are something we Malaysian parents take
pride in. Hence the constant shuttle between one tuition to another after
school and on top of that, all kinds of classes from swimming to music. There
is a mad race to chase after the things that we think will get our children
ahead of the pack. But are they really things of greatest worth?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-MY"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">An
added challenge would be that we are not only to pass these on just to the next
generation, but beyond that. <i>“A good
person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children” (Proverbs 13: 22)</i>
Generational blessings are to be a norm in God’s plan for our families. <i>“One generation will commend your works to
another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious
splendour of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.” (Psalm
145:4–5)</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFgMzldILBK0Zw4oXZEAMyI3wbAdMGrC9w-7ZhJDJ8lRDOO9vKizzsaXREfWiFlDkrf4NgtTGL44zCvMH0zGUZJUZYer4Qlpz3xMlOtbkEYE7yNtBVgIjDc_6Cq8qJYYkDBKN968UFxw/s1600/MartinLuther.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFgMzldILBK0Zw4oXZEAMyI3wbAdMGrC9w-7ZhJDJ8lRDOO9vKizzsaXREfWiFlDkrf4NgtTGL44zCvMH0zGUZJUZYer4Qlpz3xMlOtbkEYE7yNtBVgIjDc_6Cq8qJYYkDBKN968UFxw/s320/MartinLuther.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Martin Luther, a
seminal figure in the Protestant Movement, was asked what he would do if he
knew he were going to die tomorrow. His simple reply was "I would go out
and plant a tree." He would, in other words, leave behind a legacy of life
that would grow on and on into the future. This brings into questions the focus
of many in their quests to leave behind wealth, possessions and good academic
qualifications. These things, while good to have, will not be the things that
are essential for a lasting Godly legacy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the studies of the
book of Joshua, in particular chapter one, when Moses passed on his leadership
baton to Joshua, there was a clarity about three things that Joshua received
from God as he prepared to enter the Promised Land. <b>First, there was a clarity of God’s call.</b> <i>“I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised
Moses. “Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the
great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in
the west.” (Joshua 1:3-4)</i> God gave precise detail of what he needed Joshua
to follow through. Otherwise he will be wandering aimlessly through the region and
never arriving, typical of many who are living their lives chasing after the wind,
blindfolded. Our children can be climbing the corporate ladder and to realise
when they finally reached the top, it is leaning on the wrong wall! Learning to
live in accordance to God’s commandments will save us a lot time and heartaches
in the latter years. How do we discern God’s will? By reading His word and
hearing His voice. Jesus said <i>“My sheep
listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)</i> Knowing
the Bible well will ensure that the voices we hear, if they are conflicting, will
be filtered accordingly because He will never instruct us on something contrary
to His Word. Hence, the <b>first principle
is this: teach your children to hear the voice of God and to discern His will. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrkdPfyt1C1xiqaqym6xm4GZa50vbchbr3AsimR_tF4a1xJiiEo5779bSzEdcWaL8Vp48T-u-ob9iaruPfQZoiSbPZjTgEfVBkM-UJDf2sW2ZYLJRzHH0Ffn6TnM5zK5tCWq4Mu7v89c/s1600/hearing-gods-voice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrkdPfyt1C1xiqaqym6xm4GZa50vbchbr3AsimR_tF4a1xJiiEo5779bSzEdcWaL8Vp48T-u-ob9iaruPfQZoiSbPZjTgEfVBkM-UJDf2sW2ZYLJRzHH0Ffn6TnM5zK5tCWq4Mu7v89c/s320/hearing-gods-voice.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Second, there is a clarity about God’s
Presence.</b> <i>“No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As
I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake
you.” (Joshua 1:5)</i> <span lang="EN-MY">The stories of Joshua in
chapters 2 to 12, crossing of the Jordan river (Chapter 3), the defeat of
Jericho and Ai (Chapter 6 and 8), battles with the 31 kings and the day the sun
stood still for a whole day (Chapter 10), are powerful stories of God’s
faithfulness and deliverance in the lives of the Israelites. These stories are
told from one generation to another and immortalized in the Bible. Testimonies
like these build faith. The question is, what stories do you leave behind of
God’s faithfulness? DUMC is a story of faith that will be passed on to our next
generation. Our ministries to people and mission to the world are powerful
stories of life’s transformations. It is about raising up home and workplace
ministers as salt of the earth and light of the world. The Church is present
through you and your children in the world. Powerful legacies are always about
transformed lives. The <b>second principle
evolves around teaching your children to experience the Presence of God.</b>
Leave behind powerful stories of how God dealt with you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCOoig0kgqj65gLrPbp7PmnYNCCfsi1d26_jDQvN8fttfA06tUOm1cnYZtyQwNiNssajp7VZRAZYbrmxbo4y9uJkDT5QfMqGkNWjLnMVVtdVF3GWPkGKfOofzG-kw8laYHcFVP0DI9MM/s1600/PresenceOfGod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCOoig0kgqj65gLrPbp7PmnYNCCfsi1d26_jDQvN8fttfA06tUOm1cnYZtyQwNiNssajp7VZRAZYbrmxbo4y9uJkDT5QfMqGkNWjLnMVVtdVF3GWPkGKfOofzG-kw8laYHcFVP0DI9MM/s320/PresenceOfGod.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-MY">Third,
there is a clarity of God’s enabling.</span></b><span lang="EN-MY"> <i>“Be strong and courageous, because you will
lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.”
(Joshua 1:6) </i>The call to be strong and courageous was a divine call and
encouragement made by God to Joshua three times. Hence we recognise that God
often allows challenges and difficulties in our lives to grow and mature us. Don’t
be too quick therefore to wish away challenges and problems. Problems and
challenges build faith. The bigger the problem the bigger the building of our faith
because we have a BIG God. The <b>third
principle would then be to teach your children to experience God’s enabling.</b>
Challenge them to serve their Almighty God and they will experience His
enabling in powerful ways. Teach and show them to step out in faith and do not
be too quick to bail them out of difficult situations because that would jolly
well be the best learning experiences they can go through as they cry out to
God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-MY"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My challenge therefore to all of us would
be to build DUMC not just for ourselves with our own preferences, but to build
it for our children and their children. We find too many young people leaving
the church they grew up in because they no longer find it relevant. The
generation after Joshua turned away from God. Let’s not be found making the
same mistake. The most important legacy is a life of faith in God that leads to
eternal life. <i>“For what will it profit a
man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Mt 16:26, ESV)</i>. Often
we are concern about our children’s physical provision. Have we thought about
their spiritual provision, helping them to move from second-hand to a
first-hand faith?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<span lang="EN-MY" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In my personal reflection, the book of Joshua was a practical outworking
of the promises of God. Simply stated, God is saying in the battle field of
life, “Follow me, you win. Leave me, you lose.”
Obedience brings blessings and disobedience brings curses. I succinctly
summed up the whole series in these words: <b>“Without
God, we cannot. Without us, God will not.”</b> Joshua not only emphasized the
faithfulness of God but also the responsibility of Israel. This is the mystery
of faith. Although God could do it all on His own yet He gave us a choice to
serve Him because He wants to work through us! If Joshua and the people of
Israel had not co-operated with God, their entry into the Promised Land would
not have happened, and yet without God and without His interventions, they
could not possibly have done it. This I believe will be the most powerful
legacy we can leave behind.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-MY" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKVl8CADcW7BYF8FYQyUfj2JxXrPv7TL-nP5XhtrxURhQQJA6P9kkGTnJDz-SVpt-x_CdYJXsoqB8iCawgfy4zOeRdfgkNeleBsvyjgkoTVtZBm1-AwgODqhxG95HzY6_xpU7w9O45GYk/s1600/Augustine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKVl8CADcW7BYF8FYQyUfj2JxXrPv7TL-nP5XhtrxURhQQJA6P9kkGTnJDz-SVpt-x_CdYJXsoqB8iCawgfy4zOeRdfgkNeleBsvyjgkoTVtZBm1-AwgODqhxG95HzY6_xpU7w9O45GYk/s320/Augustine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-MY" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-18143424967766616272016-02-04T21:02:00.001+08:002016-02-04T21:02:13.627+08:00Thanksgiving as a Spiritual Weapon<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Slightly over a year ago on 1 Dec 2014, my wife and I were having dinner with a Korean missionary couple and the subject of Thanksgiving came up as the Americans had just celebrated it. He said his church in America had encouraged him to make it personal by listing down the things that he is thankful for at the end of each year. He encouraged me to do likewise and to make it a habit.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRT8kPubU_A31r16pNCt_xNApk7Iu1o9zp2duWeeSO2pSJcsZ17zMI7fhmYjlXDsIlk0EMFasgAZN3XR_xcEkCS9SHIvlKCg_VQ4cneti8XBjelTUQXNJbKWpu95vdAWgeMPVVw9zIpRA/s1600/happy-thanksgiving-snoopy1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRT8kPubU_A31r16pNCt_xNApk7Iu1o9zp2duWeeSO2pSJcsZ17zMI7fhmYjlXDsIlk0EMFasgAZN3XR_xcEkCS9SHIvlKCg_VQ4cneti8XBjelTUQXNJbKWpu95vdAWgeMPVVw9zIpRA/s400/happy-thanksgiving-snoopy1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So armed with my Evernote, I started ambitiously by having a goal of listing down 500 things I am thankful for in 2014. It was hard going at some points but for the next 30 days, I started writing. By the time 31 Dec 2014 arrived, I had completed my list of 500. I was amazed that I did have 500 things that I am thankful for!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mZfeesh21_XTd5OCsA2jtBldtE_0fYDatfW_yLrgKosC_xGfWlhKgZAOKZCHInhV4xzIxUGFakIThx_r4xJsi2LYbcln0pljccp7L3mu0jr3wVtdfODVN3IbxAg4KahvmkHcrR5bDds/s1600/500.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mZfeesh21_XTd5OCsA2jtBldtE_0fYDatfW_yLrgKosC_xGfWlhKgZAOKZCHInhV4xzIxUGFakIThx_r4xJsi2LYbcln0pljccp7L3mu0jr3wVtdfODVN3IbxAg4KahvmkHcrR5bDds/s200/500.png" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNotJOtPQeI6ZcrBkL653wf40vyJbuD1natkIVbEqVpQ5tv6NsNY7Rl1wYBJuFcflHr5Wbq4NFfl9FeARsog3ycEwUxrMIcAe70x4EB1lRygfduzvH8fCPt5paNZJNuWct-1rch836eYA/s1600/100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNotJOtPQeI6ZcrBkL653wf40vyJbuD1natkIVbEqVpQ5tv6NsNY7Rl1wYBJuFcflHr5Wbq4NFfl9FeARsog3ycEwUxrMIcAe70x4EB1lRygfduzvH8fCPt5paNZJNuWct-1rch836eYA/s200/100.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the end of 2015 last year, I decide to slow
down a little by targeting 100. I would like to chew on each item a little
longer so that I can savour and linger on the blessing and grace of God over
the last twelve months. What have I learnt from these exercises?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The psalmist exhorts us to <i>“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his
courts with praise;”</i> (Psalm 100:4a) Being thankful and contented is a
virtue. Thankfulness is reflected throughout all of Paul’s letters. Despite
being a man who had borne the brunt of persecutions, sufferings, hardship,
dangers, poverty, rejections and even when he wasn’t healed of a lifelong
ailment, he remained in a state of thankfulness. His assurance from God was “My
grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor.
12:7-8).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This heart of thanksgiving is
encapsulated in this exhortation: “<i>Rejoice
always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s
will for you in Christ Jesus.”</i> (1 Thes. 5:16-18) It is easy to give thanks
when things are good. We see that all the time on social media. Rarely have I
seen someone who gives thanks when things are going wrong. Except one in the recent
weeks where a brother gave thanks to God for his wife who had just gone home to
be with the Lord due to cancer. His facebook post: “It has been 11 days since
my beloved went to be with the Lord. She is walking and leaping and praising
God and I am so happy for her. It still leaves me in a place of loneliness and
aching heart but I am OK because my God is supplying all that I need.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdYfUwA-Zl6d33wi8qKoVphwOvbgjLZs0Lpz1AesjseLqnKiz5gNMz9Ns1gXk4q9tdJBrCBVjZAs-nDu-N8bG_68oIT8ge6-DANA2JV4N5dXghpssvwEQHyJtIOYUMnZcLVqDRuwngNA/s1600/when+life+is+sweet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdYfUwA-Zl6d33wi8qKoVphwOvbgjLZs0Lpz1AesjseLqnKiz5gNMz9Ns1gXk4q9tdJBrCBVjZAs-nDu-N8bG_68oIT8ge6-DANA2JV4N5dXghpssvwEQHyJtIOYUMnZcLVqDRuwngNA/s320/when+life+is+sweet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is not always easy to give
thanks in ALL circumstances, but this is precisely the thing we must do to experience
God’s grace in our lives. Two things happen when we inculcate a heart of
thanksgiving. First, it breaks the power of the enemy over us. It is a powerful
weapon of spiritual warfare. When we are thankful we invite God’s pleasure over
us and the enemy no longer has any ability to hold or manipulate us in our
discouragement, despair or anger. We begin to learn to ask not so much of the WHY-is-this-happening
in our circumstances but the WHAT-can-we-learn. We may never know or control
the whys but we can certainly decide to learn from the whats.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Second, thanksgiving brings
contentment. Apostle Paul’s advice to Timothy was <i>“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”</i> (1 Tim. 6:6) He
reminded the young man that they came into the world with nothing and will take
nothing out. As long as they have food and clothing, they ought to be
contented. Elisabeth Elliot who faced the tragedy of losing a husband in the
mission field was quoted as saying “Discontent dries up the soul.” She wrote "To
love God is to love His will. It is to wait quietly for life to be measured by
one who knows us through and through. It is to be content with His timing and
His wise apportionment.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another obstacle to
contentment is that we tend to compare upwards. We look at what we don’t have
rather than what we have. One of the easiest ways to die to that is get
involved with people who are less fortunate than us. Some of the finest people
I know are people who are serving the poor and the less fortunate. The poor
have a way of reminding us how blessed and fortunate we are. Never wish we
could be someone else or compare ourselves with them. Be happy with or learn to
accept who you are because you cannot change that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Therefore here’s a practical
way to start you going, by writing your thanksgiving list before year end. What
a great way to end the year by re-aligning our attitude and start with hope. By
all means, list down the blessings, but avoid the temptation to ignore the
failures, losses, missteps or defeats. Pause when you need to for some items. Often
the journey may be more important than the destination as it is God’s way of moulding
us for what He is preparing us for. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Lord reminded me that we
can go one step further. We can be instrumental in helping someone be thankful.
Last week at a shopping mall, as I was waiting for my turn to pay at the parking
token machine, I notice this elderly Malay gentleman hesitating in front of me
in the queue. He was holding a RM 100 bill and he said he had no smaller bills.
He didn’t know whether the machine will accept it. I told him to give it a go. The machine displayed RM6 as the amount owing
and upon inserting his RM100 bill and it was rejected. Instinctively, I took
out a RM10 bill from my wallet, inserted it into the machine and gave him the
paid token. He didn’t have time to react but I could see his concerned face
break into a smile and insisting on paying me at least with the other one
ringgit bill he had. I walked away saying “No need, it’s my pleasure.” The
phrase <i>“It is more blessed to give than
receive.</i>” (Acts 20:35) flashed in my mind. No doubt it is something small
and probably insignificant. But if that man was to write a thanksgiving list,
he may write about the stranger who helped him pay RM6 in that time of his
need. The Lord reminded me to be listed on someone else’s thanksgiving list.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6z0YjxuSsBTcTzM7j8WBNKsP9735MjTvEQhRBUQRoplVaHFuo2gujmVfV8ZCfBzmIKwX7pcQ7xjwCPIQ5MmayVkplfiSIphxMAY8tpGx_Kj5swZnDQoA1-Ddm75rwXBM3d9hlZmAHUo/s1600/real-rm100-front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6z0YjxuSsBTcTzM7j8WBNKsP9735MjTvEQhRBUQRoplVaHFuo2gujmVfV8ZCfBzmIKwX7pcQ7xjwCPIQ5MmayVkplfiSIphxMAY8tpGx_Kj5swZnDQoA1-Ddm75rwXBM3d9hlZmAHUo/s320/real-rm100-front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-36470180579503769122015-07-20T23:35:00.001+08:002015-07-20T23:35:28.159+08:00Is there a perfect husband or wife out there? <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last Friday night at my cell group meeting, we celebrated the 22nd wedding anniversary of a dear couple by putting them on a hot seat for the young adults to glean life lessons from on a marriage with a combined total of 44 years of marriage experience and three children later. I have often said to young people that wisdom is about asking the right questions. Our education system, and even the way our church celebrations or services are structured, they are often more than not monologues. Jesus' style of discipling was usually done by sitting around in a circle, facing one another and mutually asking good and provoking questions. You see that often in their dialogues found in the Gospels, whether in a room, in the field, in their journeys, or literally any and </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">everywhere. Sometimes Jesus would answer their questions with another question. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji1gsjxQzHreJmDhhs9qRKI7WQ5h2M2rdRQIOpLr40lt4svk41SAKxUywE2nsKttz6C9eTndVXdl-UA2OQ4WQKv08Qd6rIYOezj3eKOuKHfAkfdXu6CF0vuYmzjE-6_MFWoFKgdbmhBLc/s1600/Google-Penguin-Penalty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji1gsjxQzHreJmDhhs9qRKI7WQ5h2M2rdRQIOpLr40lt4svk41SAKxUywE2nsKttz6C9eTndVXdl-UA2OQ4WQKv08Qd6rIYOezj3eKOuKHfAkfdXu6CF0vuYmzjE-6_MFWoFKgdbmhBLc/s320/Google-Penguin-Penalty.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Google has introduced a whole new culture of information overload. The wisdom of google is not in the answers that can be found there. There are tons and tons of answers and information. It is in asking the right question that Google is at its best. Let me qualify by saying too that the answers may not necessarily be correct or truthful. A great amount of discernment and wisdom is needed to filter them correctly</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuW-ZW_x5EOB5e57kuwuMSmxXvMc8yhKzLvgKLI2ur7GdxiJYaInqIKPTXajZCiyXW7Wm9J5WSdgLcNmxScqZM8F50_uCk5crvHH74L0ff3V12HfgGB6nzzRNR1sQfTWk-7QK33gfIQ7E/s1600/Small_Group_Bible_Study_Material_Logo_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuW-ZW_x5EOB5e57kuwuMSmxXvMc8yhKzLvgKLI2ur7GdxiJYaInqIKPTXajZCiyXW7Wm9J5WSdgLcNmxScqZM8F50_uCk5crvHH74L0ff3V12HfgGB6nzzRNR1sQfTWk-7QK33gfIQ7E/s1600/Small_Group_Bible_Study_Material_Logo_small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good questions were asked of this couple. How do you know you are right for one another? Is it about compatibility? Is it about communications? What roles do parents play for their children in matters of a life partner? How do you maintain the sizzle or passion in your marriage? How do you keep going with all the challenges? How does having children alter your relationship? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One thing this couple can attest to is the importance of pre-marital counselling which is vital to prepare the couple for what's ahead. I have realized too that generally speaking there is no such thing as a compatible couple. The moment you think you are, you will be in for a big surprise because living together in the same house is a whole new ball game altogether with both coming from completely different family background and culture. Before marriage, when they have a disagreement, they can go home and not see each other for a while until things cool down. When they are married, they do not have such a luxury. There is no "going home" because they are at home. They sleep on the same bed in tension. They just need to work things out eventually and conflict resolution is an important skill of learning to listen, negotiate and compromise. I would call that the skill of adapting. Therefore the issue is not about compatibility, but adaptability. Learning to adapt is a posture of love. It is not about what we can get out of a relationship only, but how we can give to it. In fact, "agape" love is unconditional. Meaning, we love not because of, but in spite of. That's the vow couples made to one another at the wedding altar.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLa_kq-QdRB2Ug9rJGec65EVpJ-M6QXIa9WGUTiykY2CPDzq15n5hTbl5MSyzY-gX1NnxyfP15FH74QvfM3UVF7WQI4eMhygJzOab3e15NgnbPR6zyjpom3zVzm1KR6OJtofMMShNh6Bs/s1600/wedding-vows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLa_kq-QdRB2Ug9rJGec65EVpJ-M6QXIa9WGUTiykY2CPDzq15n5hTbl5MSyzY-gX1NnxyfP15FH74QvfM3UVF7WQI4eMhygJzOab3e15NgnbPR6zyjpom3zVzm1KR6OJtofMMShNh6Bs/s1600/wedding-vows.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For better for worse,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For richer for poorer,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In sickness and in health,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To love and to cherish,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Till death do us part,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And hereto I pledge you my faith.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hence marriage is laboratory of relationship of learning how to love unconditionally. Only when love is worked out this way can we find deep fulfilling relationship knowing that we are genuinely loved. How often people get into marriage to get, and when they cannot find what they are looking for, they opt out. Where can we learn how love to love like this? We can only learn that from Someone who had loved like this.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: blue;">Romans 5:6-8)</span></i> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One last tip I gave was to observe the person how he (or she) treats people above him, next to him and below him. Watch how he respects authority, whether it is to his parents, bosses, pastors or leaders. Watch how he treats his friends, colleagues and cell group members. Then most importantly, watch how he treats people "below" him, his subordinates, the underprivileged, disabled, or poor, and most interestingly, watch how he treats children. It will give you a clue what kind of person you will be living with and the culture of relationship with whom you will forge together for your family.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, no, there is no perfect husband or wife out there. If you find one, don’t marry that person because you will make him or her imperfect! Worse still, you will be terribly disappointed and disillusioned over a broken dream because there is no such perfection</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. Happy “hunting!”</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PxzTfgheC47qbzdev6k9FAmxFJO77DxIq5Uf2ng9wAQkMdO9FHjJ_kSuhUAINc9sFVs08p4k9sSetAjnZnk01TvhVHvv8LKwdKQvx1DC4-keWFRS1juZioBOyhNCgL-Q755NTppkKS4/s1600/Love+of+Family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PxzTfgheC47qbzdev6k9FAmxFJO77DxIq5Uf2ng9wAQkMdO9FHjJ_kSuhUAINc9sFVs08p4k9sSetAjnZnk01TvhVHvv8LKwdKQvx1DC4-keWFRS1juZioBOyhNCgL-Q755NTppkKS4/s1600/Love+of+Family.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-17145955911328435242015-03-03T02:25:00.000+08:002015-03-03T02:25:01.499+08:00The Power of a Men's Community<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://menalive.dumc.my/" target="_blank">Men Alive</a> recently was featured in Christianity Malaysia. Click the link below for an encouraging report.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/the-power-of-a-mens-community-men-alive-dumc/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuB_7ualaycoUb0LeSRWyfvFXslti-xSBlKjDHUrTjxVQTczy4TPLzKJ2NAT0_uOHnSpPLvpmAeo_qRxFC3Kydtw9VGhcZX348thyQzIpLtXZ2aslffA6_VMCWDr0mHFqTn7pMRRWedU/s1600/Capture.JPG" height="137" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Click <a href="http://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/the-power-of-a-mens-community-men-alive-dumc/" target="_blank">here</a> or on the image for the link.</span></div>
<br />Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-69794812532956333492015-01-27T12:43:00.004+08:002015-01-27T12:43:57.530+08:00Creating Great Habits for the Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZaNgruZ_QCOTQcfteMxTJEXzIXxDfM_5ENA8LQydI2O-xPBoYD_vbWifMQhFroYPGgJjPbcE7n26vlh6uzU7l1lxOpWtGYO7nUN5W7vmBUEjoXPPrqt-fepLUxhyY_GLVIOEUR0nCiZI/s1600/make-our-habits.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZaNgruZ_QCOTQcfteMxTJEXzIXxDfM_5ENA8LQydI2O-xPBoYD_vbWifMQhFroYPGgJjPbcE7n26vlh6uzU7l1lxOpWtGYO7nUN5W7vmBUEjoXPPrqt-fepLUxhyY_GLVIOEUR0nCiZI/s1600/make-our-habits.gif" height="224" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have always known that having good habits in life is important. Just that I didn’t know exactly why except for the fact I don’t have to think much about my habitual actions as I go about my daily life. By virtue of its definition, a habit is simply a process by which our brains convert a sequence of actions or tasks into an automatic routine. Examples of that are instances when we comb our hair, brush our teeth, drive our cars and put on our socks! Interestingly, a lot of my creative ideas materialize when I am in my daily shower! I thought to myself maybe I am one of those odd ones until I hear others talking about it as well. We don’t think much about our actions there because we do them automatically. Turn on the tap, wet and shampoo our hair, soap our body, rinse away the soapsuds, wash our face with cleanser, towel dry our hair and body and out we go.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Normal stuff each day, right? Until I began to observe a pattern over the years that many of my creative ideas, insights and thoughts come from that habit. There were times, after my showers, I would quickly write my thoughts down on my notepad before I forget them. I notice the same when I drive. My smartphone with a voice recording feature is a great tool to have in place of the notepad, especially when my hands are on the wheel!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqleFMqkJmHQWpLGiwYGkoiHyHfvGxod5YXbUh32sEpKd-5LsR2Byn04VYJJcBAtsxuK130N9qVr7XOZB4iL121x01faD3L8bbBCJcCeyvm4mkRFvoXGJSpjWnSjrabnDSvaj6lMvM17o/s1600/Habit_on_brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqleFMqkJmHQWpLGiwYGkoiHyHfvGxod5YXbUh32sEpKd-5LsR2Byn04VYJJcBAtsxuK130N9qVr7XOZB4iL121x01faD3L8bbBCJcCeyvm4mkRFvoXGJSpjWnSjrabnDSvaj6lMvM17o/s1600/Habit_on_brain.jpg" height="319" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I learnt recently that habits are simply the wonders of our brains designed by God in such a way that they drive us to be more productive and efficient. When tasks and behaviours are automated, meaning we do them without much thinking and effort, we free our brains for other creative work. We don’t usually think about them until something disrupts that pattern. Even my habit of going to the gym is programmed into my brain with the ultimate reward of an endorphin rush that my body looks forward to. This is a good habit to have in order to push me towards greater body fitness. When I skip my gym sessions, there is that uneasy and discontented feeling. Pianists understand this principle in their daily disciple of practicing their scales. This fundamental habit and skill must be in them before they can be great musicians because it frees up their brains to be musically creative and expressive without worrying about hitting the right notes.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But what about spiritual habits? Working on the same principle, if we can inculcate some great spiritual habits with automatic routines, our minds can be freed up to be spiritually creative and receptive in our life. Some great spiritual habits are our daily quiet time with the Lord which allows us to learn intimacy with Him. Cultivating a habitual heart of thanksgiving removes the complaining spirit in us. Regular church and cell group attendance encourage accountability and growth. Consistent service in ministry increases our capacity in our spiritual gifting and call.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Often I see Christians struggle in these basic habits. Much of their energy is spent on pushing themselves to do them. For e.g. in something as simple as attending the regular church celebration, they struggle to make time knowing that it is the right thing to do yet not discipline enough to make it regular. Even if they end up going, much of their energy is expended by the time they get to church and the whole exercise becomes an obligation rather than a time of anticipation and intimacy with God. No wonder the Christian life is so burdensome. Multiply that into the various Christian disciplines of daily devotion, tithes and offerings, cell group, ministry, etc., no wonder so many are ineffective for God because their minds are not freed up to be creative in the way they can grow in intimacy with God and love for others.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In many sense, good and bad spiritual habits are well illustrated in Romans 7:7-25: the colossal struggle between the spirit and the flesh. <i><span style="color: blue;">“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” (Romans 7:15)</span></i> Good habits feed the spirit and bad habits conversely feed the flesh. In the simplest of terms, in our daily lives, if we are not feeding the spirit through good habits, then we are feeding the flesh through bad ones. Victorious Christian living is premised upon having a stronger spirit that will force the flesh to succumb to what the Spirit desires for us. This is the fruit of the Spirit, especially in self-control. Fleshly desires are what the Bible calls carnal, worldly or unspiritual. Many are not aware that their spiritual growth is stunted as a result of bad spiritual habits inculcated over the years.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1K_dKOmW1ry6C-vvDYwpdAQLQoQf43lLCkI0BECSr0Aen-48tJLNNhuZ0IFPx2NoUvRBylPseL05AZel6VyuA2mASrgPOxTRvHv984ZJCDy1jgsXm7ArCffyw2qmyg4kD3La_IMuAZj4/s1600/Habits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1K_dKOmW1ry6C-vvDYwpdAQLQoQf43lLCkI0BECSr0Aen-48tJLNNhuZ0IFPx2NoUvRBylPseL05AZel6VyuA2mASrgPOxTRvHv984ZJCDy1jgsXm7ArCffyw2qmyg4kD3La_IMuAZj4/s1600/Habits.jpg" height="175" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Systemic cultures grow out of the keystone habits in every organization. By encouraging healthy habits, an organization grows strong. Good habits of every member are foundational to the life of the church. Can I encourage you to spend some time to reflect your past year on this matter? If you can be brutally honest and examine all your habits to see what feed your spirit and flesh and determine whether to keep, drop, enhance or even add a new one, you will be working towards a more fruitful year. Remember, habits take time to form and do persevere until you know it is almost automatic. We have often been told we are creatures of habit and it is so true. The most basic of all spiritual habits must include our daily devotion and prayer, our weekly celebration and cell group, our tithe and offering, and most of all our time with our loved ones. These habits free us with an inadvertently greater energy to be creative, productive and fruitful in many other areas of our life because the important and vital basics are covered.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a great book to read if you want to develop this further.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFIsyrErkXNwJFzrPT7u6C3ljTqnQ0I73WAKawdmr1mUMR29u_dAKJymsT8KNRN9gsCndqLwzE1SLRaSihcVlluZRC3kneDIllgZat7yI05rjD1buNp4BaXjly01v0PQPb3c3zBeOcOA/s1600/Power+of+Habits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFIsyrErkXNwJFzrPT7u6C3ljTqnQ0I73WAKawdmr1mUMR29u_dAKJymsT8KNRN9gsCndqLwzE1SLRaSihcVlluZRC3kneDIllgZat7yI05rjD1buNp4BaXjly01v0PQPb3c3zBeOcOA/s1600/Power+of+Habits.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-32274152148750375602014-11-10T15:39:00.001+08:002014-11-10T22:45:00.634+08:00What does God say about SUCCESS?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHoWmaIh7TJZ0aeed4w4hTgZYnQGL5Fp8CRjZCTQh3_2wgaWcB53-GwiwjGc3aZpo4IbZDKW2lw0kzvYaZgz5n67vE2nYrFow4Px-TMEPzrdpHvlRM5NXQWhORps3OnSSVW6Nqix2xu4/s1600/0e7ce98.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHoWmaIh7TJZ0aeed4w4hTgZYnQGL5Fp8CRjZCTQh3_2wgaWcB53-GwiwjGc3aZpo4IbZDKW2lw0kzvYaZgz5n67vE2nYrFow4Px-TMEPzrdpHvlRM5NXQWhORps3OnSSVW6Nqix2xu4/s1600/0e7ce98.jpg" height="256" width="320"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Success is a great goal. There are many promises of God that reminds us that our Heavenly Father loves to see His children do well.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The promise to Joshua as he takes on the new role of a leader to lead God's people into the Promised Land is an often quoted passage:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Joshua 1:7-8) 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be <span style="background-color: yellow;">successful </span>wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and <span style="background-color: yellow;">successful</span>.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But interestingly, when I do a search in all 33 different Bibles available in my computer software, the word "success" appears only in the Old Testament and none in the New Testament. In the NIV(1984), it appeared 36 times in the OT, and like I say, none in the NT.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Instead the NT (NIV1984) has a lot to say about these few words:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fruit (or fruitful) - 54 times</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Faith (or faithfulness, faithful) - 302 times</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Humble (or other variations) - 28 times</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Win - 12 times (11x in the context of evangelism - winning people, and 1x "win" about the prize in the context of heaven.)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">God seems to ignore the word "success" and redefine it in the context of our life in fruitfulness, faithfulness and humility. In our success crazy world, successes are defined within our self-centred intention of personal goals for our benefits and recognition. In some sense we are reminded that we came with nothing and we will go off with nothing. <i><span style="color: blue;">1 Tim 6:7 "For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it."</span></i> The only prize we will carry with us from our earthly life are the souls of people we have influenced and everything we do "successfully" is always for the sake of the Gospel and the prize of heaven, and never just for ourselves. That's why we are stewards of the things we have and we never really own them.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 Cor 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Col 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Col 3:23-24 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Therefore we need to put "successes" within the context of the Lordship of Christ in our lives. Martyn Llyod-Jones put it aptly on his comments about Apostle Paul's "thorn in his flesh."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“It is very DIFFICULT to be HUMBLE if you are always SUCCESSFUL, so GOD CHASTISES us with FAILURE (so to speak) at times in order to HUMBLE us, to keep us in a STATE of HUMILITY.” </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In that sense, God said very little about "success!" He is more concern about other things, especially our inner life, character and service to others.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 Cor 12:7-10</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. </span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNiXzSI0zcBFspwpqkInyeIDEYYjeNHoOOM2V4dZO7ExYMugw0vwPHthezQEQASDgNeumyN6q_F9V4lOpZpxGUCEcnxSVz-MoOUtWw1hHVsBI_MXKM3hcf1H311v2_2HWWsfs5cHSVA0/s1600/3-famous-success-quotes-entrepreneurs-should-L-MAIniw1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNiXzSI0zcBFspwpqkInyeIDEYYjeNHoOOM2V4dZO7ExYMugw0vwPHthezQEQASDgNeumyN6q_F9V4lOpZpxGUCEcnxSVz-MoOUtWw1hHVsBI_MXKM3hcf1H311v2_2HWWsfs5cHSVA0/s1600/3-famous-success-quotes-entrepreneurs-should-L-MAIniw1.jpeg" height="160" width="320"></a></div>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6OhEaZhuv0O27OeY8npFUzCvKVg8Ao0lfoW3Zw7ulm7e_eP8UufUz-49lB71ZZNJMbzEWaH7x8pHFKdGadB2VEUXzfahdhZxHU7VK9neWFrUT5PApTUFQRkZ5qpSMU7dAGk32MszKkA/s1600/164918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6OhEaZhuv0O27OeY8npFUzCvKVg8Ao0lfoW3Zw7ulm7e_eP8UufUz-49lB71ZZNJMbzEWaH7x8pHFKdGadB2VEUXzfahdhZxHU7VK9neWFrUT5PApTUFQRkZ5qpSMU7dAGk32MszKkA/s1600/164918.jpg" height="320" width="309"></a></div>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tFsG0snvennFr3KHNxEupvI5mEKDhEyZqfwyeelB2HXZwxci9ADV4bUh1kRvEeFqICMta-X1p-PPmpMrorcBUPdNg1uLbELOT5HBaLJRNyBixokltAI-foo66EXTvVEMknP27D4fAaE/s1600/business-small-medium-success-quotes9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tFsG0snvennFr3KHNxEupvI5mEKDhEyZqfwyeelB2HXZwxci9ADV4bUh1kRvEeFqICMta-X1p-PPmpMrorcBUPdNg1uLbELOT5HBaLJRNyBixokltAI-foo66EXTvVEMknP27D4fAaE/s1600/business-small-medium-success-quotes9.jpg" height="180" width="320"></a></div>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMK705Ep-pzkDeZYDJ2QS9dbCEO-rDIAGdMGzr4qY3IWL3cR26D_yG0jJfEWZG_kwqVHu3p2U2zSGnN6hBZR9iIcPA7urkjhPjv7eQDiWN86ugXUuIpDblunvE2wiRGx6b-Hn7SLPsU_4/s1600/success-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMK705Ep-pzkDeZYDJ2QS9dbCEO-rDIAGdMGzr4qY3IWL3cR26D_yG0jJfEWZG_kwqVHu3p2U2zSGnN6hBZR9iIcPA7urkjhPjv7eQDiWN86ugXUuIpDblunvE2wiRGx6b-Hn7SLPsU_4/s1600/success-1.jpg" height="234" width="320"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-26836293968235993722014-08-22T16:19:00.000+08:002014-08-22T16:20:22.359+08:00Blessed Birthday to My Wife!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEb15eAC6ztci5_rM82yoX5mWzPuODv4L8QISrvceFdvQhlYbzQ7cKn8eljlAyBd7BTLgsOHMjHbmXSCo_yN5z90e4ztFJ4zTWFIWa_K9gx0pW2TPujbiAXcX2AEz-zSHa4PUo37jyvaY/s1600/importantdate+clipart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEb15eAC6ztci5_rM82yoX5mWzPuODv4L8QISrvceFdvQhlYbzQ7cKn8eljlAyBd7BTLgsOHMjHbmXSCo_yN5z90e4ztFJ4zTWFIWa_K9gx0pW2TPujbiAXcX2AEz-zSHa4PUo37jyvaY/s1600/importantdate+clipart.jpg" height="283" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today is my wife's birthday and I have always felt that I am the most blessed man on earth to be married to her. I am bias of course, and what husband would not be if he feels he is truly blessed!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: blue;">Proverbs 18:22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.</span></i> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So today, I have the privilege to declare one more time my undying love (until the day I die that is!) for her and if I have to go back in time, I would still make the same decision to marry her and I hope she feels the same. :) I love her as my wife and best friend, as the mother of my three boys and most of all a beloved child of our Heavenly Father.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once, while preparing for a sermon about impactful living and the life skills that we need to have, I asked her how she would preach it. She said it is all about relating to others and she would preach her 3-point sermon this way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. The person you are talking to is not
you. (People don’t think like you.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. There’s always two sides to a coin. - (Listen. Don't be too quick to talk.)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Love your neighbor as yourself. – (Treat
others the way you would have them treat you.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What wisdom that comes out from someone ad lib. It is just part of her life and that's why I am blessed!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I thought the best tribute, of the many messages she received today, is this one from a fellow cell member of the same name:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Happy Birthday Aunty Stella! Thanks for showing us that a woman can be authoritative yet gentle, to be admired instead of feared, respectable yet approachable. Thanks for showing with your life the wisdom of submission and how beautiful that makes of a woman and her family. May God continue to shine through your deeds and bless your family. Have a blast!</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I rest my case! Blessed Birthday My Dear!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6S_81uvY5UbrEx5dguuyXwjs6ERhP2PozC91otrvxMRN8Edr5WTDK1Sy9MfJMJ8VPXiEe3AGhQAOp6xZpsAFqZF4ou9YdFNDWuXI1P_i23635bSsIklpAEmYR8X1fb8nwUxBEnsrv1E/s1600/Birthday.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6S_81uvY5UbrEx5dguuyXwjs6ERhP2PozC91otrvxMRN8Edr5WTDK1Sy9MfJMJ8VPXiEe3AGhQAOp6xZpsAFqZF4ou9YdFNDWuXI1P_i23635bSsIklpAEmYR8X1fb8nwUxBEnsrv1E/s1600/Birthday.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvxejEfiW7FN-w0Fi6HnIyUp3ypxBuQAcOAIFM2qXn9d4D6z05ZVY-Jykc-jX8pu60GP-9ncFhyqmTc_YoKaCX5lB4Yy-c3gG5W7OF2NfvL3v5YgkTYxQeWsczDEQjnyegmUL3EE6Pyk/s1600/Wedding-Glitters-3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvxejEfiW7FN-w0Fi6HnIyUp3ypxBuQAcOAIFM2qXn9d4D6z05ZVY-Jykc-jX8pu60GP-9ncFhyqmTc_YoKaCX5lB4Yy-c3gG5W7OF2NfvL3v5YgkTYxQeWsczDEQjnyegmUL3EE6Pyk/s1600/Wedding-Glitters-3.gif" height="133" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwfdqvyliInZOQdbvgOuSvh6NqbNHqWLDDgQnWs9L-Fdydon0g_-A9yDNi3EOWMPhWJsvddfEFbYlJssgM4oJcFLnPaiIa6lReJWra_YQCEddjV1irHNNehTJpgleM5mXWiT00Ywepig/s1600/Stella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwfdqvyliInZOQdbvgOuSvh6NqbNHqWLDDgQnWs9L-Fdydon0g_-A9yDNi3EOWMPhWJsvddfEFbYlJssgM4oJcFLnPaiIa6lReJWra_YQCEddjV1irHNNehTJpgleM5mXWiT00Ywepig/s1600/Stella.jpg" height="200" width="141" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-91569143089470853022014-07-28T16:26:00.001+08:002014-07-28T16:26:22.394+08:00Why God Gives Us Families<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBK6LW9KxuRdmG-BqHYdMQAx-0EttZ6k7p6f0_8Bfuo_hRG5TcTQa8L06CRETaJp5d7zImefYHP1oe-ftRDIp0hlY9ODJaSscyBIKgVwBrE6kfaPisT0nSee0gwDs09DqYDZEwBBXBQew/s1600/Family.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBK6LW9KxuRdmG-BqHYdMQAx-0EttZ6k7p6f0_8Bfuo_hRG5TcTQa8L06CRETaJp5d7zImefYHP1oe-ftRDIp0hlY9ODJaSscyBIKgVwBrE6kfaPisT0nSee0gwDs09DqYDZEwBBXBQew/s1600/Family.png" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Families form the basic building blocks of any society. For that matter, the Christian families are basic building blocks of the Church. Sociological research had affirmed the direct correlation on the positive impact made by healthy families to society and to the nation. In an interesting interview, Lee Kuan Yew, a former prime minister of Singapore, argued that after thousands of years of dynastic upheaval, the family is the only institution left to sustain Chinese culture. It embodies a set of virtues—“learning and scholarship and hard work and thrift and deferment of present enjoyment for future gain”—which, he said, underpins Asia's economic success. He feared that the collapse of the family, if it ever happened, would be the main threat to Singapore's success. (The Economist Aug 2011)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is where the tacit influence of the Church can often come through building godly families and extending the love of Christ to our communities and nation. The importance of this cannot be underrated because these blocks set the forth the ultimate health conditions of our society and nation. Much of the problems of societies today can be traced directly to this basic building block.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So why did God create the institution of marriage and family? One thing we know for certain is that God loves people and His command was to be fruitful and multiply (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen+1%3A28&version=NIVUK" target="_blank">Genesis 1:28</a>). We are then to take charge and be responsible over the earth. This requires us to exercise creative stewardship of God’s creation, caring for and building up what God has created. This also means we need responsible people from one generation to another who understand this mandate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So each family within a clan, a tribe and a race, under the rule of God, should be reproducing godly offspring, fulfilling this mandate for generations to come. Who then are the primary educators of the family? Interestingly as we go back in history, the families, vis-à-vis the parents, or more precisely the fathers, have always played that role, and not any governmental or non-governmental institution. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 sets forth a template how that can be done in a family.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KXd3pXMMsUCPPK2bCWlsy9UpWmsCtpm9Yck_3V5KCigSXsJK6M3ppjoVqjLOlbVJEYhqQ9xu2SscRG-gOrg8ScL41ui2dfLXRHT02IGicnVQGgsdPHm0hM6Of6ahFkO0tk3NHf4Nzxg/s1600/bible.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KXd3pXMMsUCPPK2bCWlsy9UpWmsCtpm9Yck_3V5KCigSXsJK6M3ppjoVqjLOlbVJEYhqQ9xu2SscRG-gOrg8ScL41ui2dfLXRHT02IGicnVQGgsdPHm0hM6Of6ahFkO0tk3NHf4Nzxg/s1600/bible.gif" height="181" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Dt 6:4–9)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before the industrial revolution of the 18th century, fathers passed on their trade skills to their adolescent sons, guiding them through apprenticeship into manhood. Whatever that needs to be taught and modelled happened primarily in the home. The industrial revolution created a need for classrooms and schools due to the demands for manpower in the industry for both parents. Kids left at home were also eventually picked up by Christians concerned about their spiritual well-being thus creating the first Sunday School. Over time, the primary role of educating was relegated to governments and churches.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In a nutshell, the role of families is to produce godly offspring. It is a self-replicating system with God and His Word as the absolute standard. The family provides a consistent and safe environment for nurture, discipline, training and instruction of the Lord to take place (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6%3A4&version=NIVUK" target="_blank">Ephesians 6:4</a>). The family trains us to be loving and caring unconditionally. “Blood is thicker than water” is an apt saying in a sense that family should be the last bastion for refuge in a world gone wrong. Even in the worst of situations, home will always be home. Discipleship takes place first at home before anything else. No wonder Apostle Paul said in <i><span style="color: blue;">1 Timothy 3:5 “If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?” </span></i>The proof of the pudding is in the home, of a man’s leadership capacity for the church. This is an interesting insight to suggest that the family is the starting point. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ravi Zachariah, a noted apologist said <i><span style="color: red;">“Marriage and family is a base for ministry to one another, not self-indulgence, but a greater platform for good. If marriage doesn’t make you a better person, don’t get married.”</span></i> It is within the family that we learn not to be self-centered. All our life before marriage was about me, myself and I. I have often said in jest that if you think you are a kind, wonderful and patient person, try getting married and it will prove you wrong. If you still think you are after marriage, try being a parent. It’s a humbling experience. That I conclude is why God gives us children, to teach us to be more Christlike.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We learn love and forgiveness in the midst of our individual flaws among family members. As spouses and parents, we train ourselves at home to be responsible for others and not just be self-serving or narcissistic. As children, we learn to obey and honour our parents, rightly projecting the idea of honour to those in authority when we grow up.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmS7euMILcLJGV57XjvqSZi_4G14dMMflz1DDqBqhXOqqE-YkeG5i7ZfH24hP0IoxvzgcgRHcEF8DyJoFx-kzPBZnaU_FJ81H-FMwfSBonk-s0Xo4Q2ngVp_FWNurDXArV356LyeUJsA/s1600/FatherBicycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmS7euMILcLJGV57XjvqSZi_4G14dMMflz1DDqBqhXOqqE-YkeG5i7ZfH24hP0IoxvzgcgRHcEF8DyJoFx-kzPBZnaU_FJ81H-FMwfSBonk-s0Xo4Q2ngVp_FWNurDXArV356LyeUJsA/s1600/FatherBicycle.jpg" height="232" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fathers play a crucial role in the life of their sons as they are the representation of God in their relationship with Him. They build their confidence, prepare them spiritually and socially for the real world and give them insights into the world of men. Sons learn about what it means to be a responsible man, husband and father. Adolescent daughters also need their fathers’ affirmation that they are beautiful and loved. Their choice of future partners and satisfaction in marriage often hinges on their relationship with their fathers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These are modelled day in and out. When one is trained and instructed well in the home, it is not difficult to guess the kind of people walking into the community who are positive influencers. As Christians, they bring the love of Christ into the broken world. The starting point is the home which provides a daily training ground for about two decades.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1s8jPUGhzi01gRpgiap0-GWu_74Ha9lYgPCeuWy9RBYinJwjXenaq7xoJrfudYG0PXboAwGbKpQxPmm38x-ILsmAj8XIarp6YtCkh2jWwiwpyuGqZi_MzHfSlsvxlPoTC9nq1BQPkqlw/s1600/fathers+day+Quotes+2013.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1s8jPUGhzi01gRpgiap0-GWu_74Ha9lYgPCeuWy9RBYinJwjXenaq7xoJrfudYG0PXboAwGbKpQxPmm38x-ILsmAj8XIarp6YtCkh2jWwiwpyuGqZi_MzHfSlsvxlPoTC9nq1BQPkqlw/s1600/fathers+day+Quotes+2013.png" height="224" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-21774335273014210742014-06-11T14:33:00.000+08:002014-06-11T14:33:01.939+08:00Post LEAD2014 Conference Reflection - To Be In Order To Do<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8sf7mvm3j_IeOEKpE9TDw6mSSdkTfyzVswwL36LapGsu8o2dks6C5GGnupCsshDXdvwocNAb3F5NcSEe8EHdxqB-Caai-ATQZsQTaiP1qqrwkL_4id0ULvBUB4-UOMc1reWADimsc3Y/s1600/IMG_4228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8sf7mvm3j_IeOEKpE9TDw6mSSdkTfyzVswwL36LapGsu8o2dks6C5GGnupCsshDXdvwocNAb3F5NcSEe8EHdxqB-Caai-ATQZsQTaiP1qqrwkL_4id0ULvBUB4-UOMc1reWADimsc3Y/s1600/IMG_4228.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I shared (as the stage chairperson) at the closing of the conference that reflection is paramount and needful for our own spiritual growth and if we do not take time to reflect after the conference, it is merely a good conference but no life change. I believe and have often gotten the congregation to recite at the beginning of my sermons this; <span style="color: red;">"This is my Bible. It is the Word of God. It informs my mind, inspires my heart and instructs my behavior. So help me God!"</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stella and I had just come back from a quiet retreat the weekend earlier just to pray and seek the Lord as to our own transition in one and a half year's time. We wanted to ask the Lord what is one word that would describe how we would want to see the Church to be. To come up with one word (amongst the hours of conversations and prayers) after a weekend retreat may not be something to shout about but it was very important for us at least because it will shape our thoughts and decisions as we move forward.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The word that the Lord gave us was "Christlikeness" and one of characteristics (among many others) was that we will learn to be kind to one another in the House of God. I was much influenced by my Quiet Time a few days before that about the qualities of a Christian leader. <span style="color: blue;">2 Timothy 2:24 (NIV) And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Christlikeness will lead us to be kind to each other, and hence to love each other, which will be a very attractive option to those outside: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">John 13:35 </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">By this all men will know that you are my disciplies, if you love one another.</span> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the first session when Pr Peter Tan-chi spoke about the goal of discipleship, he unequivocally states that it is Christlikeness. This may not be thunder and lightning to most, but for me to have that word just 4 days ago was a God defining moment for me. (I had goose bumps!) The conference ended with the idea of fruitfulness. Hence the importance of the right sequence: <span style="color: red;"><b>To be in order to do</b></span>, and not to do in order to be. Simply put, we need to disciple Christians to be Christlike and they will naturally in response to the Christ who is in them do Christlike things.I believe this is about learning to live in the grace and sabbatical rest of the Lord. The Jewish day starts at 6 pm, meaning we sleep first before we work in the day. God is already at work when I am sleeping and when I wake up, I merely reap what God had already done. This is true restedness in God! Not that there is no hard work and discipline, but it simply means I learn not to strive in what I do because it is God's work!</span></div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-50547560055008174802014-04-18T14:45:00.001+08:002014-06-12T11:55:22.524+08:00Some Reflections on Current Water Rationing: How's Your Reserve Tank?<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is strange while in the bathroom just now during the two days when water the water came back on, a few thoughts came to mind how this rationing exercise had shaped some of my habits with regards to water. For those not in the know, the western coast of peninsular Malaysia is facing a dry spell, and the water dam level is at a critical stage. The predicted prolonged dry spell may continue and the authorities decided that water rationing would be the prudent thing to do. Hence what was started as a month long exercise in March, with an alternate two days on and two days off cycle, is now extended for another month. If the situation does not improve, this may continue beyond April.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAX9Cwl2xwnS7twByarTBiOVjSDy9TQNa-WqvV7CouAdUZgo5AIUcFgM3Mq-GohbnE_LwyIxjjIdl8pciL7Im7lDqwkpFA-72BL7ciqRZpa_2lx3_VEDnWQiKwBb7b2Qn1YOOSItoUq0/s1600/20140410_the-star_sungei-selangor-dam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAX9Cwl2xwnS7twByarTBiOVjSDy9TQNa-WqvV7CouAdUZgo5AIUcFgM3Mq-GohbnE_LwyIxjjIdl8pciL7Im7lDqwkpFA-72BL7ciqRZpa_2lx3_VEDnWQiKwBb7b2Qn1YOOSItoUq0/s1600/20140410_the-star_sungei-selangor-dam.jpg" height="260" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sungei Selangor Dam in a photograph taken on 31 March 2014. The low water level at the dam has been caused by a dry spell that has hit the country.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is interesting in my behaviour modifications is that I find myself saving water even when the water is full on. The hidden water reserve tank </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">above the house</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, unnoticed and unimportant during times of plenty, suddenly becomes an all consuming concern with the question: "How long will it last?" The ubiquitous pail is in every bathroom during the dry spell and I am ever careful how that pail of water is being used. Instead of a full flush of the cistern, I now use the water from the pail, with an incessant desire to use water to the minimal. While lathering the shampoo into my hair, I turn off the water and no longer allows the shower to run without any definite purpose. I have even learnt how to bath with a pail of water by doing everything at one go! You know the drift here.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYTVOoQsxIrFruUzvzf4A51LJNhNvgi89kmAwnzNPUrhu8itKJGvo1lEVdYvmRA0hkmGn5Mf7DIatW4Z_JT1vRrJeh4FKl4u8mO-I5BXUCmroi1vbfDFIu1oZLZdEhAAO7B3037qM3aI/s1600/pail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYTVOoQsxIrFruUzvzf4A51LJNhNvgi89kmAwnzNPUrhu8itKJGvo1lEVdYvmRA0hkmGn5Mf7DIatW4Z_JT1vRrJeh4FKl4u8mO-I5BXUCmroi1vbfDFIu1oZLZdEhAAO7B3037qM3aI/s1600/pail.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Behaviour modification comes when there is a lack of resources, like money or time. Here are my spiritual reflections:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Be careful and purposeful in how we use the resources we have. It is a gift from God. When there is plenty, we handle them carelessly and without thoughts at times. We are called to be conscious of our environment as the stewards of God-given resources in our land. The right ethical and biblical response through this is that we are to be conservationist and environmentalist at heart and practice in that sense.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. There is a definite capacity to our human resources we have in terms of time, energy and finance. No one has more than 24 hours. Therefore planning is important. Why is it that some people can do so much more than others? No one can go beyond the number of calories his body can sustain. Therefore rest and recreation is important. Even for a wealthy man, his financial resources is limited. He can be a bankrupt in a blink of an eye when he is not careful. Therefore prudence and wise investment is a necessity.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. The importance of the reserve tank comes to the fore in the times of lack. One man found out that his reserve tank doesn't last more than a day and upon checking by climbing up to the roof for the very first time, he discovered two things. First, the float did not work well, thus reducing the capacity of the tank to less than half. Secondly, the tank is full of filthy sediments due to lack of proper cleaning and maintenance since they moved in. Some time back, I had climbed up to the roof to clean my water tank and discovered that my neighbour's tank was half covered as the lid had detached itself and full of green slimy mould at the side. I informed my neighbour of it. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is time to climb up again. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We usually do not think of our spiritual, relational, emotional, intellectual and physical reserve tanks until we hit a crisis. It will be horrifying to discover that it is almost empty and there are not much reserves left. Reserves are built over time with care and planning. Like making regular time with God and people who are important in our lives. They are the ones who will be the most important in our times of need. Great emotional and mental health allows us to handle challenging situations and I had often said that the real man shows up in times of crisis. Whether he has what it takes will be demonstrated then. Right eating and exercises build up a healthy body to last the distance. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am reminded of what Jesus said about our hearts: <i><span style="color: blue;">Luke 6:45 “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”</span></i> We need to store what is good into our hearts because out of that will be the fruits of our lives. Often we revel in the big things and forget that the daily routines are the vital building blocks that will be the foundation of things to come.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Spiritually, feeding on the Word of God and prayer is of paramount importance to spiritual health and the constant use of spiritual gifts builds up our inner man. (For e.g. Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.) </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As the cliché goes "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going." What if you are not tough when the going gets tough? How's your reserve tank?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIQgjlGHad5H-Xl_BEycXJOj1iFfFnaM5Xay-K-N2ayIQhaUfdobtJYhjjgp9YGjovYog-hBuHmZWzy1ymaZkpjFbODSn3rhGuQNx6QU3rcUDMd3w0QXZ7nQCLx8phQGELZJPW4P_tFs/s1600/tank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIQgjlGHad5H-Xl_BEycXJOj1iFfFnaM5Xay-K-N2ayIQhaUfdobtJYhjjgp9YGjovYog-hBuHmZWzy1ymaZkpjFbODSn3rhGuQNx6QU3rcUDMd3w0QXZ7nQCLx8phQGELZJPW4P_tFs/s1600/tank.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span>Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-49334166684006946682014-03-21T12:22:00.001+08:002014-03-21T12:25:15.906+08:00My Reflection on MH370<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's almost two weeks since the disappearance of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_Airlines_Flight_370" target="_blank">MH370</a> and our hearts and prayers go out to those suffering through the anxieties of not knowing exactly what happened and the fate of those missing. I wrote this article in <a href="http://dumc.my/" target="_blank">DUMC</a>'s latest issue of <a href="http://dumc.my/resources/floodgates/" target="_blank">Floodgates magazine</a> as a reflection.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">----------------------</span></div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;">Ending Well</span></b> by Pr Chris Kam (<a href="http://dumc.my/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Floodgates-079.pdf" target="_blank">Issue 79</a> of Floodgates magazine)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">In my last year’s article entitled “<span style="color: red;">The Future
is Now</span>”, this was what I wrote: <span style="color: blue;">“</span></span><span class="f01"><span style="color: blue;"><i>James 4:14 ‘What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little
while and then vanishes.’</i> </span>I was reminded that life is short and whatever we
do, for most things, we have only one shot at doing it right and the
consequences, good or bad will have a rippling effect for years to come, not
only on us but affecting many others as well.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01PrjIDY0oXxNWYigriDzK0d3DySFaKe9W33ehIx2tkYOv7MfcRBzN7L0ilrc9UfCHV8P7eSU71L7oHctQFPRpK622WxRq73XIlwyTLy3E3vez9Kj-FBYKjw2hbGFeHp0cyaPsoNWZi8/s1600/MH370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01PrjIDY0oXxNWYigriDzK0d3DySFaKe9W33ehIx2tkYOv7MfcRBzN7L0ilrc9UfCHV8P7eSU71L7oHctQFPRpK622WxRq73XIlwyTLy3E3vez9Kj-FBYKjw2hbGFeHp0cyaPsoNWZi8/s1600/MH370.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="f01"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The buzz around
the world while writing this is the tragic disappearance of flight MH370. It
has certainly been much on our minds and prayers. What saddens our hearts even
more is that amongst the victims of this tragedy are people that we know. The
feeling of helplessness can only drive us to our knees to intercede for those who
are missing and for their family members whose greatest anxiety is that of not
knowing what exactly happened and their whereabouts. Apart from coming
alongside to provide comfort and help where we can, the next best thing we can
do during this time is to reflect upon our own lives and how we should live it
better as we ponder the elephant in the room, of our own earthly mortality and
its brevity. It is not a question of “if” but “when” and this certainly reminds
us to cherish our loved ones and be certain of why we are here. The greatest
good we can do is not to leave behind a trail of brokenness but the glory and
grace of God in our lives and others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="f01">Just last
weekend, a young man in his early twenties, came forward for prayer at the end
of our church celebrations. He asked me whether there is something wrong with
him because he kept thinking about death, but not in a suicidal way. While a
morbid subject, I assured him that Apostle Paul himself thought about his death
often. <i>“<span style="color: blue;">I die every day.</span>”</i> (1 Cor 15:31a)
What </span><span lang="EN-US">Paul meant was
that he no longer lives only for himself but every day he becomes closer to God
by doing God’s will and not his own. He is also referring to the daily
possibility of martyrdom. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hence it is a reminder that we are living on
borrowed time and that life is a gift. It is not a question of how long but how
well. I followed a plan set forth in my early thirties by asking this question.
“What will my funeral be like?” For many, it was strange to think about death
at such an early age. But it was not a joke. I was thinking about death
seriously. Not that I was flippant about life and death, but rather by thinking
about how my life will end, I can live my life intentionally from that point on
so that I can end it the way I envisioned it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do not get me wrong. It is not about me. John
the Baptist succinctly puts it: <i><span style="color: blue;">“He must
become greater; I must become less.”</span></i> (John 3:30 NIV) or in ESV <i><span style="color: blue;">“He must increase, but I must decrease.”</span></i>
It is about living responsibly and intentionally so that through our lives, His
grace may be prominent. I thought about what people would think of me at my
funeral? Would I be leaving a trail of broken lives? Or would I leave behind a
legacy of transformed lives centred in Christ? Will I be history or will I be a
history maker? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While working through my funeral program, I
wrote down what I would like my wife and sons to say about me. Those eventually
include my closest relatives, some friends, colleagues and even our domestic
helper. Of course I am not suggesting that it is my desire to have them speak
publicly these things about me. It would not matter anyway as I would already
be in the Presence of the Lord! However, if these are what I wish their
thoughts will be at the point of my departure, I need to live out that kind of
live henceforth. I don’t know how else to be more intentional and purposeful
than that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is a strange exercise 20 years ago but as I
look back now, I thank God that He prompted me to do what I did. I did <i>“die every day”</i> and I echoed the heart
of Apostle Paul which desires to be with the Lord but willing to stay for the
sake of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 5:8). I finally understood why he wrote what
he wrote in <span style="color: blue;">2 Timothy 4:6-8, <i>“<sup>6</sup>For
I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for
my departure. <sup>7</sup>I have fought the good fight, I have finished the
race, I have kept the faith. <sup>8</sup>Now there is in store for me the crown
of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that
day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”</i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGulGy4AmMWmMltM7XasboPsfccVT_FCCtoMbLELBuPmq-GIW_qHAusJzlDCyXXIhkeOYrc4URBQDzbxibTRd9gMEfteHKwgkSCFDzzWlpvw6MYAV3F6ll20ZO08Tl28m5Gqm3pJrxzZM/s1600/apostle-paul3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGulGy4AmMWmMltM7XasboPsfccVT_FCCtoMbLELBuPmq-GIW_qHAusJzlDCyXXIhkeOYrc4URBQDzbxibTRd9gMEfteHKwgkSCFDzzWlpvw6MYAV3F6ll20ZO08Tl28m5Gqm3pJrxzZM/s1600/apostle-paul3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></i></span></span></div>
<o:p></o:p></div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-10603295455528724022014-03-15T14:42:00.000+08:002014-03-15T14:43:04.309+08:00Cohesive Family through Truth & Faithfulness<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Scriptural Text: Ephesians 5:15 - 6:4</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preached at <a href="http://www.dumc.my/" target="_blank">DUMC</a> 15/16 March 2014 by Pr Chris Kam</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6wsgoKOAsRHhcISubRlU2qZenHnIHrZgRGq0lmOW3x7ZeGiO2BkAsvp7kWOmK0gP58CIyxFDaUnhzB1ZYKNBN7IHFlektmpY3TwYucU5lW6vNhaU5nYElM27OjakYj_D2FBztXvWC-I/s1600/OneDivorce10Min.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6wsgoKOAsRHhcISubRlU2qZenHnIHrZgRGq0lmOW3x7ZeGiO2BkAsvp7kWOmK0gP58CIyxFDaUnhzB1ZYKNBN7IHFlektmpY3TwYucU5lW6vNhaU5nYElM27OjakYj_D2FBztXvWC-I/s1600/OneDivorce10Min.JPG" height="152" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The state of marriage today in Malaysia</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhPYTd7JoueOV2c_z7LKAG6ON2GtaZbiXko_Lu1O-s1DWHjRPvi11QbB6y5uewPSPnPvvOp0h3BqUemANaVvXiiz9u00-7e8s6Hc4nZfzDUChN_C8sGK2e73-WQ_Q3ijHmMS3_RFB3M0/s1600/marriages-and-divorce-malaysia_0303_840_309_100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhPYTd7JoueOV2c_z7LKAG6ON2GtaZbiXko_Lu1O-s1DWHjRPvi11QbB6y5uewPSPnPvvOp0h3BqUemANaVvXiiz9u00-7e8s6Hc4nZfzDUChN_C8sGK2e73-WQ_Q3ijHmMS3_RFB3M0/s1600/marriages-and-divorce-malaysia_0303_840_309_100.jpg" height="145" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The national rate of divorce in 2012 was 26%</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The propostion of Muslim divorces is about double that of non-Muslims</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79PgrdrjBjYIx2WGYJ59_h778h0JnMLzs9jkCGxqApdzLWIbC8BBUMhI4fXEiIjJ4Zk-sfijijwVI9tYBwLedRwMs6R2wMdPGFq41sFvqQQAtns9ybNoFSMNRL3gqPU_xuW3kkWgyZWc/s1600/DUMCReportCard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79PgrdrjBjYIx2WGYJ59_h778h0JnMLzs9jkCGxqApdzLWIbC8BBUMhI4fXEiIjJ4Zk-sfijijwVI9tYBwLedRwMs6R2wMdPGFq41sFvqQQAtns9ybNoFSMNRL3gqPU_xuW3kkWgyZWc/s1600/DUMCReportCard.JPG" height="247" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>1. Biblical Theology of Marriage and the Family</u></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The permanency of marriage.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mark 10:6-9 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made
them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and
mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’ So they
are no longer two, but one. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let man
not separate.” </span><b><o:p></o:p></b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><u>2. Biblical Template for the family</u></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Biblical pattern for marriage:</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="color: red;">Ephesians 5:21-33 </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><span style="color: red;">a.</span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Wives, submit to your husband as to the Lord</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"> (v22-24)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><span style="color: red;">b.</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">Husbands, love your wives</span>, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her (v25-28) 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="color: red;">Ephesians 6:1-4</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><span style="color: red;">c.</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">Children, obey your parents in the Lord</span>, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (v1-3) </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Luke 2:51-52 51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><span style="color: red;">d.</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">Fathers, do not exasperate our children, instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.</span> (v4) </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Roles and
Responsibilities in a Household according to Scripture<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: .4in; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" width="175"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ROLES<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 176.7pt;" width="236"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">RESPONSIBILITIES<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 154.05pt;" width="205"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">TEXTS</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: .4in; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td rowspan="3" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" width="175"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fathers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 176.7pt;" width="236"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love your wife*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 154.05pt;" width="205"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eph. 5:25<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: .4in; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 176.7pt;" width="236"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Provide for family, children<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 154.05pt;" width="205"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 Cor. 12:14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: .4in; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 176.7pt;" width="236"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ensure proper nurture and discipline<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 154.05pt;" width="205"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21; Heb. 12:6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: .4in; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td rowspan="3" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" width="175"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mothers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 176.7pt;" width="236"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Submit to your husband*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 154.05pt;" width="205"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eph. 5:22<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: .4in; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 176.7pt;" width="236"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Raising of children, motherhood<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 154.05pt;" width="205"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 Tim 2:15<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: .4in; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 176.7pt;" width="236"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Managing the home<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 154.05pt;" width="205"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 Tim. 5:14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: .4in; mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td rowspan="2" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" width="175"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Children<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 176.7pt;" width="236"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Obedience to parents<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 154.05pt;" width="205"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eph. 6:1-3; Col. 3:20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: .4in; mso-yfti-irow: 8; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 176.7pt;" width="236"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Care for parents in old age<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: .4in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 154.05pt;" width="205"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 Tim. 5:8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reference: </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><i>God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">By: Andreas J. Kostenberger,David W. Jones</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* Added by author of blog</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Click <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/God-Marriage-Family-Rebuilding-Biblical/book-Kv9yqfM0SEaWF1biiW124Q/page1.html?s=mKqBEOu0BEOdE7alrNz76Q&r=2" target="_blank">here </a>for detail of book.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Verses:</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-table-layout-alt: fixed;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 75.0pt;" valign="top" width="100"><div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ephesians 5:25</span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 357.0pt;" valign="top" width="476"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Husbands,
love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 75.0pt;" valign="top" width="100"><div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2 Corinthians 12:14</span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 357.0pt;" valign="top" width="476"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Now I am
ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you,
because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children
should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 75.0pt;" valign="top" width="100"><div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ephesians 6:4</span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 357.0pt;" valign="top" width="476"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Fathers,
do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and
instruction of the Lord. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 75.0pt;" valign="top" width="100"><div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Colossians 3:21</span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 357.0pt;" valign="top" width="476"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Fathers,
do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 75.0pt;" valign="top" width="100"><div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Hebrews 12:6</span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 357.0pt;" valign="top" width="476"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">because
the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a
son.” </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 75.0pt;" valign="top" width="100"><div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ephesians 5:22</span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 357.0pt;" valign="top" width="476"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Wives,
submit to your husbands as to the Lord. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 75.0pt;" valign="top" width="100"><div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 Timothy 2:15</span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 357.0pt;" valign="top" width="476"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">But women
will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and
holiness with propriety. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 75.0pt;" valign="top" width="100"><div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 Timothy 5:14</span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 357.0pt;" valign="top" width="476"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So I
counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and
to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 75.0pt;" valign="top" width="100"><div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ephesians 6:1–3</span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 357.0pt;" valign="top" width="476"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="logosres:niv;ref=BibleNIV.Eph6.1"><span style="color: blue;">1</span></a> <span lang="EN-US">Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. </span><a href="logosres:niv;ref=BibleNIV.Eph6.2"><span style="color: blue;">2</span></a>
<span lang="EN-US">“Honor your father and
mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— </span><a href="logosres:niv;ref=BibleNIV.Eph6.3"><span style="color: blue;">3</span></a>
<span lang="EN-US">“that it may go well with
you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 75.0pt;" valign="top" width="100"><div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Colossians 3:20</span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 357.0pt;" valign="top" width="476"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Children,
obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 75.0pt;" valign="top" width="100"><div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 Timothy 5:8</span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 357.0pt;" valign="top" width="476"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">If anyone
does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family,
he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.</span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The foundation of a cohesive family must be built therefore through: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;">TRUTH</span></b> – Biblical truth rooted in scripture about our roles in marriage</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;">FAITHFULNESS </span></b>– Faithfulness rooted in scripture about the permanency of marriage and family.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>3. Biblical Transformation through the Family</u></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How do we build a cohesive family? I want to suggest an <b><span style="color: red;">IDEA</span></b>.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eph 6:4 Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><span style="color: red;">I</span></b>nstructions </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="color: red;"><b>D</b></span>iscipline </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><span style="color: red;">E</span></b>ncouragement </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="color: red;"><b>A</b></span>ffection </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<i>Luke 3:22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.</i>” </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
3 things our children need to hear from us. </div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;">I love you (</span><span style="color: red;">Affection</span><span style="color: blue;">), </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;">I am proud of you (</span><span style="color: red;">Acceptance</span><span style="color: blue;">) </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;">You are good in what you do (</span><span style="color: red;">Affirmation</span><span style="color: blue;">). </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Appreciation to all our super mothers! Here is one who can do 10 things at one time:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8RZOKb2cDALFXHtQGknZpTZ6cWV_hWHdwQA9t8xYtuFCZ6mYEMOTbTHzlHYAsZu-UqkuFVOIStjjrfKYXx1_ezbwLoVY2J_rjVaV7qs7vU3hHW2xeNktiKR48zTOE0SClPV2R7_0_bE/s1600/Emilyphoto.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8RZOKb2cDALFXHtQGknZpTZ6cWV_hWHdwQA9t8xYtuFCZ6mYEMOTbTHzlHYAsZu-UqkuFVOIStjjrfKYXx1_ezbwLoVY2J_rjVaV7qs7vU3hHW2xeNktiKR48zTOE0SClPV2R7_0_bE/s1600/Emilyphoto.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emily Lee - mother to Maya and wife to Paul Sebastian</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To the singles looking for a life partner:</div>
<div>
<i><span style="color: blue;">If you want to get married, you must make sure your marriage will give you a greater love for the Lord, the things of the Lord, a greater prospect of ministry. If not stay single. ~ Josh McDowell</span></i></div>
<div>
<i><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: red;">APPRECIATE YOUR FAMILY WEEK!</span></b></div>
<div>
Don't take your family for granted. Appreciate them in a creative way this week.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILErK3cXUMNSsv6Aa57z9tN-gES71Objn4dKB6rj6cLii0GCGxyfMW6wV3VdLKbi3XnjD6RTGXgYsEC7Q_3rXeV8i31Cv37AN9K8dSxNc0eY-0A_-CfFuJwvC-GyfZctkxAw_e-7s4QA/s1600/2850-todaysgoal-prioritize-family-let-them-know-you-appreciate.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILErK3cXUMNSsv6Aa57z9tN-gES71Objn4dKB6rj6cLii0GCGxyfMW6wV3VdLKbi3XnjD6RTGXgYsEC7Q_3rXeV8i31Cv37AN9K8dSxNc0eY-0A_-CfFuJwvC-GyfZctkxAw_e-7s4QA/s1600/2850-todaysgoal-prioritize-family-let-them-know-you-appreciate.png" height="400" width="305" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-12727822105712451262014-01-10T00:45:00.001+08:002014-01-10T00:45:16.948+08:00Fifth Commandment Children<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the final days of 2013, my wife and I reflected over dinner how our year had been. We reflected on our marriage, family, ministries and personal lives.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHl7ZdLX4aLG6rsdc2b3jJXl6yh7owQY6R7M0107gCPIniCdssbLjU5QPDGRlPeWOu_HE4quhtVAoKaddQuw868qegVw7_UlHFAc1z8alNs0_cE3iXDO4U8wpAD7xHE60tabG8IjX51g/s1600/socrates-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHl7ZdLX4aLG6rsdc2b3jJXl6yh7owQY6R7M0107gCPIniCdssbLjU5QPDGRlPeWOu_HE4quhtVAoKaddQuw868qegVw7_UlHFAc1z8alNs0_cE3iXDO4U8wpAD7xHE60tabG8IjX51g/s1600/socrates-2.jpg" height="200" width="151" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 5th century BC philosopher Socrates said that <b><span style="color: red;">“The unexamined life is not worth living.”</span></b> Slowing down enough to reflect is a luxury for most and for that matter, we have lost the art self-reflection entirely. In fact for some, being quiet with oneself is unnerving, if not downright awkward. Maybe we are trying to avoid condemning ourselves for not doing enough. But if we don’t, by default we are perpetuating annually that holy discontent in each of us to live our life responsibly. Maybe others simply want to take time to just regain a certain measure of sanity in life by doing nothing at all.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The call for self-examination is also a common exhortation in the Bible. <i><span style="color: blue;">“What is your life? You are mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” </span></i>(James 4:14) We are to do that regularly at Holy Communion: <i><span style="color: blue;">“A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.”</span></i> (1 Cor 11:28) We pray the words of the Psalmist <i><span style="color: blue;">“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”</span></i> (Ps 139:22). We are to heed the call of godly men: <i><span style="color: blue;">“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.” </span></i>(Lamentation 3:40) <i><span style="color: blue;">“But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.”</span></i> (1 Cor 11:31)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In our evaluation of our family, let me share a thought. We do recognise that we are often quite harsh with our children, sometimes to the point of not being objective in our assessment of them. We need to also praise them for what they have done well, not just being corrected for what they did not. In fact, I think we should do more of the former.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie98VH58R8k1Kp_bohN8l0Lvtmqepk28X1cRT-k2zScbUy0c6ncet0JVUw6N_9bwRMpyu6A096L93yP-obxnVzplqcDMY37R2g7pEevt_TP-1HdMtDVzObGlgDY-sEzWadGCGVtiSfBU4/s1600/10+Commandments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie98VH58R8k1Kp_bohN8l0Lvtmqepk28X1cRT-k2zScbUy0c6ncet0JVUw6N_9bwRMpyu6A096L93yP-obxnVzplqcDMY37R2g7pEevt_TP-1HdMtDVzObGlgDY-sEzWadGCGVtiSfBU4/s1600/10+Commandments.jpg" height="269" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If we look at the Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue, the first four have to do with our vertical relationship with God. The next six are related to human relationships and interactions. Interestingly, the remaining six biblical principles of the Decalogue on our horizontal relationship with others, honoring our parents was mentioned first. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: blue;">“Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you."</span></i> (Deut. 5:16)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It seems to suggest that training a child to honor his parents has a long term effect for good, not just for the parents (obviously) but also for the child. It pleases God as well. If we unpack this further, we can confidently conclude that should we want to see how well a person will do in life, watch how he honors his parents. This has major implications in the way we parent our children. Often we look at the tangible successes of wealth, status and power, but we forget that these are not the things that bring significance, fulfilment and contentment in a person’s life. If that is so, we should see more of that in famous, wealthy and powerful people. But the truth is that we read about their downsides every day on the news.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Personally I have counselled many parents over the years grieving helplessly over their wayward adult children. Parents in their golden years are meant to enjoy the well-deserved honor and respect bestowed upon them by their children, but sadly the opposite is true. Maybe in our quest to do the best we can for them in what we think they want, we forget to train them in what they need. If children are to be trained to honor and respect their parents from young, where clear boundaries of discipline and relationship are drawn, the effect is far-reaching beyond their family. When the fifth commandment is taught well, there would not be a problem with the rest of the five horizontal commandments. It would have a backwash effect on the earlier vertical commandments of honoring God in their lives too.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We see the wisdom of God here that the root and foundation of a well lived godly life often starts in the home where our children spend the first 20 years of their lives in. As my wife and I reflect on our three boys, we ask ourselves the same questions, now that they are slowly one by one leaving the nest into the world: “Will they do well in life? Are they fifth commandment children?” If they are, it gives us a glimpse of what their life will be like, including our children’s children. Candidly among them, they have already discussed what role they will play in taking care of us when we are in our golden years. Ian will make sure we go on our holidays. Shaun will pay for our utility bills and Ashton offers to have us live with him. Not that we will tie them to it but Stella and I smile amusingly at their bantering but we have a glimpse of their hearts for us. This we know pleases the Lord. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: blue;">Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. </span></i> (Pr 22:6)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSrSZJ354FR5KdBmhyNn8SuQN6NfkP75l1j1WiDA1ii7upWGHqpvbGZa1pf01vW_QYTD1_FuZoOdCA2eSvzz9Ey_N_-KV_1RGRChyphenhyphensfqXU9f0SeyJVRAKD9Ha4SZS8zrwFAviOIx1eTs/s1600/TrainAChild.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSrSZJ354FR5KdBmhyNn8SuQN6NfkP75l1j1WiDA1ii7upWGHqpvbGZa1pf01vW_QYTD1_FuZoOdCA2eSvzz9Ey_N_-KV_1RGRChyphenhyphensfqXU9f0SeyJVRAKD9Ha4SZS8zrwFAviOIx1eTs/s1600/TrainAChild.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></span></div>
</div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-16682835635952419672013-11-29T11:30:00.001+08:002013-11-29T11:30:35.400+08:00Guardians or Fathers?<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been surveying young adults with this question: <i>“Is there someone in your life, someone older and wiser spiritually, whom you can turn to for godly counsel and advice?”</i> Only one out of ten say they have one. I would presume from that answer they cannot even go to their parents, especially their fathers, for such a need. It saddens my heart that young people are left on their own to figure out what to do in life, or via their peers or the google. While they may have information at their fingertips, yet what they lack is the wisdom learned through experiences, hard knocks and spiritual maturity. Why should they repeat the same mistakes that others further down the journey had committed? Or on a positive note, take the route of successes?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtqbOwZ9GR6HZCim13zqQF9fcyuzvtM0E9ZtLySbekqjfUMXEoOIfJvXelXKTQUT02kupNB9_mtXYRF5lhmrj8AGkT_QyfL0nCeh4z8YxJkpTTsaBFagryfxlz1OAX6MySfaPEs6I7cc/s1600/mentor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtqbOwZ9GR6HZCim13zqQF9fcyuzvtM0E9ZtLySbekqjfUMXEoOIfJvXelXKTQUT02kupNB9_mtXYRF5lhmrj8AGkT_QyfL0nCeh4z8YxJkpTTsaBFagryfxlz1OAX6MySfaPEs6I7cc/s320/mentor.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is clear from Scriptures that God is concern that history doesn’t repeat itself. <i><span style="color: blue;">Romans 15:4 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” 1 Corinthians 10:11 “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.”</span></i> But our stubborn and sinful hearts are foolish enough often to ignore the wisdom that is already there, not just in the Bible, but also in older people who have “eaten more salt then we have eaten rice”. That is the beauty of generations and there should be no reason why any generation cannot do better than the previous one in terms of their moral influence and social impact.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTOpkUETlsbtBzVowbvPi84iKjyiyxYvKmnCacxOTjkwrw-a4CgOOxIvlKOYsJfdjdUksKPVlDNx66JajMhbbfG2YMvS_XLct83OoYzJg39KkPxL22fjjwBFLKvGAvBmcy3ICiCJKyNM/s1600/generationgap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTOpkUETlsbtBzVowbvPi84iKjyiyxYvKmnCacxOTjkwrw-a4CgOOxIvlKOYsJfdjdUksKPVlDNx66JajMhbbfG2YMvS_XLct83OoYzJg39KkPxL22fjjwBFLKvGAvBmcy3ICiCJKyNM/s320/generationgap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There seems to be an invisible barrier. Sociologists have termed this as the generational gap and our Enemy relishes that fact. But it was never God’s design. We observe in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%206:4-9&version=NIVUK" target="_blank">Deuteronomy 6:4-9</a> that the family is central to God’s redemptive plan. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, a clear affirmation of passing on of one’s birthright and heritage from one generation to the next. This is very much a relational model of the Jewish family, where the Shema is regularly recited. Certainly the spirit of this command is not merely a ritual that one goes through, but the deliberate connecting of hearts of the fathers to their children when they talked about the commandments of God in their daily living. In this fast pace society, we can understand the problems of tired fathers, who are present but not really present. One man shared honestly at a Men Alive! meeting: <i>“We give our best at work and by the time we reach home, we are at our worst.”</i> The fathers’ role is now limited to be a financial provider and disciplinarian of last resort. Mother-child relationship became central and fathers are peripheral. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A child is more likely to see God as his Father if he sees God in his own father. Ken Canfield, author of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/618741.7_Secrets_of_Effective_Fathers" target="_blank">“The 7 Secrets of Effective Fathers”</a>, used this metaphor: “We are fathers like God is a father. We are walking object lessons to our children on who God is.” Malachi’s last words in the Old Testament were that the Elijah would come and “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” (Malachi 4:6) When God unites the hearts of the fathers to their children, and vice versa, we are not merely talking about restoring the rightful authority the fathers have over their children, but the rightful relational ties with each other. Through that, generations thereafter will have a right understanding of who God is and right theology determines right behavior in fathering our children and showing them the way to have a personal relation with God.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgwgYNTjoiXXO5PaiRtbi2GhOEcSMwYv0xCk7IH8xPyVkf474qKF6IR9Zj2BK_Dp5wALimtEKeU2rpZskz8HazMAAWG4oca6bEG1GgoRJ_F3Qal9RYBCH15wY-NCGsWhIe1xX7bl19ek/s1600/7Secrets_LRG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgwgYNTjoiXXO5PaiRtbi2GhOEcSMwYv0xCk7IH8xPyVkf474qKF6IR9Zj2BK_Dp5wALimtEKeU2rpZskz8HazMAAWG4oca6bEG1GgoRJ_F3Qal9RYBCH15wY-NCGsWhIe1xX7bl19ek/s320/7Secrets_LRG.jpg" width="212" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My heart’s desire is to see intergenerational discipling starting first and foremost in the family. If discipling does not take place in the home, it will not take place in the church because the family unit is a microcosm of the wider Body. Fathers need to recognize that they are not merely legal guardians of their children. Every man can be a biological father, but not every man knows how to be a spiritual and godly one. Apostle Paul repeatedly extols the need to father the Body of Christ. <i><span style="color: blue;">1 Cor 4:15-17 "Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me."</span></i> (The “guardian” in this context is a slave tutor in a Roman family that supervises the child.) Fathers need to be spiritual. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%202:12-14&version=NIVUK" target="_blank">1 John 2:12-14</a> sets the path of spiritual development for everyone to grow from a child to a father. The fathers in our midst know the heart of God intimately and live out a life desiring the pleasure of God. He models the same to his children. I believe this fathering and discipling mandate is first given to biological fathers and then to other older men and women in partnership within the Church to disciple the younger ones. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In our Christian Church, not only do we have the biological family, we are blessed with a wider body of a spiritual family. The Christian faith is not just an individual faith. There is every indication especially by Apostle Paul to remind us that we are part of the Body (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Cor%2012:12-31;%2027-31;%20Rom%2012:4-5&version=NIVUK" target="_blank">1 Cor 12:12-31; 27-31; Rom 12:4-5</a>). So we do affect one another for the better or for the worse! “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen%204:9&version=NIVUK" target="_blank">Gen 4:9</a>) was the first disastrous effect of the sin of murder. Sin kills the family bond. We who are older and more mature must take the responsibilities of discipling younger people and training them to be godly parents some day.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The command given in the New Testament to bring up our children “in the training and instruction of the Lord” is given to fathers, although it certainly is applicable to mothers as well. Fathers are singled out and the implication is that one day the Lord will single us out too when we are asked about our children. It is not good enough to provide for them by giving them the fish. Teach them to fish so that they are well equipped spiritually not just to be good people, but to exemplify a transformed Christ-centered life!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRN6EUIYb2noc49W6V01Jf1EcalTI4GjhHZtBJFpKQ2Ww1XMkfEx-rkA8AARAwPSWH3jtS-4T7sXZ8IC0uZM8Ogi-yB87lT_wN7JZFMuUQ6QyZeDhnpyOFroDAKKXXzbi4Zig5WFzq43U/s1600/fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRN6EUIYb2noc49W6V01Jf1EcalTI4GjhHZtBJFpKQ2Ww1XMkfEx-rkA8AARAwPSWH3jtS-4T7sXZ8IC0uZM8Ogi-yB87lT_wN7JZFMuUQ6QyZeDhnpyOFroDAKKXXzbi4Zig5WFzq43U/s320/fish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-43309629212502675322013-11-02T12:16:00.000+08:002013-11-02T12:23:15.176+08:00Prophet Amos<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16U2Y0RpRY9QZyWLOUQnxvXAY4fvYfhkyy-3t4w4y7DcV6PJrCtaPJ9VtBRbzgrvSJVOsdyb33zjhmePOtJkNnkFWW9OF5ZxbR3m7nyYAU9aqoprDUkxksP0W4VfYFZD5cURcvD4A3wE/s1600/Amos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16U2Y0RpRY9QZyWLOUQnxvXAY4fvYfhkyy-3t4w4y7DcV6PJrCtaPJ9VtBRbzgrvSJVOsdyb33zjhmePOtJkNnkFWW9OF5ZxbR3m7nyYAU9aqoprDUkxksP0W4VfYFZD5cURcvD4A3wE/s320/Amos.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are preaching through a series on the book of Amos. In my preparation for this weekend's message, I am acutely aware that the Bible is full of God’s emotions. We need to understand what makes Him angry, sad, feel sick, and what makes Him happy. Sometime we are so obsessed with our own feelings about God that we missed out altogether God’s feeling about us. It is not just about how we feel, but how God feels. Have you ever thought about that when you go to church each week? What does God think of you each day?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The things Amos prophesized seems so remote yet when we look at how he described the society then, it sounded strangely familiar!</span></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A society where the rich grow richer at the expense of the poor.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A society where basic rights are denied to the needy. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A society where the rulers live for their own pleasures.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The problems with God's people is that they moved away from what God had intended for them as an example and ambassodar to the nations. Instead of standing out as holy people set aside for His purpose, they became like the pagan nations surrounding them. It sounded like the stories of the lives of many Christians. They are no different! I am reminded through Amos that God's people are doubly accountable. For much is given, much is expected! We need to wrestle through many ethical issues to be in line with Scriptures.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Bible has also described a familiar cycle of perpetual rebellion in our hearts. It's an irony of sort. Because we are blessed people, part of that would include material comfort and wealth. The very thing that is a blessing can be a snare. The common progression of comfort-complacency-compromise-corruption seems to be the cycle God's people go through. At the end of each cycle would be a loving call of God to return, sometimes with dire consequences because we are stubborn and refuse to repent. David Pawson in his book "Unlocking the Bible" candidly wrote that <i><span style="color: blue;">"The people of God were so used to sin they have forgotten how to blush!"</span></i> The book of Judges illustrates that very well.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If we look at God's laws set out in the Old Testament, we notice a familiar pattern of compassion to those who are "widows, orphans and aliens." God requires His people to <i><span style="color: red;">"To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."</span></i> (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=micah%206:8&version=NIVUK" target="_blank">Micah 6:8</a>)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An example of such an act of compassion can be found in the following. They are not exhaustive but gives you room to study for yourselves the heart of our Heavenly Father for His people. These are laws for God's people during those time but equally applicable in the spirit of it now.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Portrait of Life in Society (Deuteronomy/Leviticus/Exodus/2 Chron)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">God cares for the economically disadvantaged. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- There should be no poor among you (Deut 15:4)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Sabbatical years - debts cleared, slaves set free (Deut 15:1-6; 2 Chr 36:15-21)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Year of Jubilee - All land revert to its original owners. (Lev 25:8-28)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Annual tithing – 3rd year are all given to aliens, orphans, widows and the landless (Deut 14:22-29)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Guidelines for loans, interest and collateral were deliberately crafted and interpreted with poor borrowers (widows, orphans, aliens) in view rather than the lenders. (Ex 22:25-27; Lev 25:35-38; Deut 23:19-20; Deut 24:6, 10-13, 17-18)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Gleaning law – during harvest leave some behind for the poor to pick up. (Deut 24:19-20). That’s how Ruth met Boaz.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Debt repayment guidelines favoured the poor. (Deut 15:1-11)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Guidelines for employers favoured employees (Deut 24:14-15)</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(All the verses can be found in this <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/azgzddprwum73c8/God_Cares_OT.docx" target="_blank">document</a>.)<br />
<br />
In the Sabbatical years, every 7th year, there is a reset button for personal debts. Every 50th year of JUbilee, there is a reset button for land ownership. No one should ever be in a perpetual poverty cycle. No susbsequent generations should suffer for the sins of the previous one. Compassionate laws are found for loans, interests and even heart of generosity for those who are poor by setting aside what God has blessed us with through the laws of gleaning and tithes.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There are laws too on how aliens are treated. Closer to home, how do we treat our foreign workers and our foreign domestic helpers? I have written a paper on "Ethical Treatment of Foreign Domestic Helpers" and if you are interested you can write to me <a href="mailto:hungryforgodsword@gmail.com" target="_blank">here</a> and I will email you a copy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Let me end with this story about the founder of the Methodist Church, Rev John Wesley.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D2-yMCYdEfpdKXSh3oaR0cKR3eug6BZKcPVBI8dEojnYtXnCHNe7GSSlgAsMHN3X_BvLEOEHxRppti21YT0jPBotPYl_-7bozGwBI_QQiQQmj56KWhOlcsH3bchaHkeKH8KegoaSCt4/s1600/john-wesley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D2-yMCYdEfpdKXSh3oaR0cKR3eug6BZKcPVBI8dEojnYtXnCHNe7GSSlgAsMHN3X_BvLEOEHxRppti21YT0jPBotPYl_-7bozGwBI_QQiQQmj56KWhOlcsH3bchaHkeKH8KegoaSCt4/s200/john-wesley.jpg" width="168" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: red;">Gain all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><i>John’s annual salary was 30 pounds, (RM21,000*) enough for a single man to live well on. He took up a position in Oxford University and his salary increased to 60, 90, 120 and eventually over 1000 pounds (RM700,000). An event in Oxford changed Wesley forever in terms of his giving when he was 28 years old. Evidently, after purchasing some pictures for his room, he noticed one cold winter day that one of the chambermaids had nothing to protect her except a thin linen gown. When he reached into his pocket to give her some money to buy a coat, he found he had too little left. Immediately, the thought struck him that the Lord was not pleased with the way he had spent his money.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><i>From that day, in 1731 (age 28) Wesley determined to maintain his standard of living at the same level and give away everything above that threshold. At that time, with earnings of 30 pounds and living expenses at 28 pounds, he gave away two pounds. When his earnings increased to 60 pounds, he gave away 32. As they increased to 120 pounds, he continued to live on 28 and give away 92 pounds. Much of his income comes from the sales of his writings. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><i>Wesley became known for his saying, “What should rise is not the Christian’s standard of living, but his standard of giving.”</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><i>He continued this practice his entire life until he dies at an age of 87. Even when his income reached 1400 pounds (RM 1 million), he lived on 30 pounds and gave the rest away. Wesley was afraid of laying up treasures on earth, so the money went out in charity as quickly as it came in. He reports that he never had more than 100 pounds at any one time. Wesley “rode 250,000 miles, preached more than 40,000 sermons … and gave away 30,000 pounds,(RM 21 million)” while the published version of his Journal ran to over twenty volumes.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: red;">Gain all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can.</span></i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
*The conversion to Ringgit was derived from a website that calculated how much the pound then would be in today's value.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So, what does God think of you?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1rACxilsfaLKEQkCxwM5GYpBt3gy8bVYz6_r2tMnzOGSKRUvTNZvwe1WaXohDI9CMCoy970I95fjexadC-ABjxhVPx4yDRigZv9nNE2bD9RQRRkBl2MGGz7oxm-j4CsrJibNQmISnuA/s1600/SunCartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1rACxilsfaLKEQkCxwM5GYpBt3gy8bVYz6_r2tMnzOGSKRUvTNZvwe1WaXohDI9CMCoy970I95fjexadC-ABjxhVPx4yDRigZv9nNE2bD9RQRRkBl2MGGz7oxm-j4CsrJibNQmISnuA/s1600/SunCartoon.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNlXfIvKHqB657Xr1u-YJU0cvgSsbBQCDCCnpjfjYQE7typcgFKYALliNRQczDdWk_cO1KkHtaBQk0hgJw-LvQxu4vImjpwzE5MtvytMpW41cMaSCjKzYWyhyphenhyphen9geThgKlL5niRsRqgaU/s1600/Baby+Reading.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNlXfIvKHqB657Xr1u-YJU0cvgSsbBQCDCCnpjfjYQE7typcgFKYALliNRQczDdWk_cO1KkHtaBQk0hgJw-LvQxu4vImjpwzE5MtvytMpW41cMaSCjKzYWyhyphenhyphen9geThgKlL5niRsRqgaU/s320/Baby+Reading.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
</span></div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-90419135542159454502013-10-16T23:33:00.002+08:002013-10-16T23:33:50.122+08:005 "Dangers" of Bible Study<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am reminded that it is not good enough just to read the Bible devotionally, which we must do each day. Worse still we nibble at the text. We need to study it so that we get into the wealth and meaning of God's precious words. Don Carson put it this way: "Read the Bible Devotionally — and No Less Critically"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I like the following post </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I received from Logos Bible Software, a great study tool by the way. Have been using it for years.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having said that, here is a warning of </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5 "dangers" of Bible
study from that post:</span><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 13.5pt;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Okay,
so maybe “dangers” is a bit strong—but to get the most out of your Bible study,
you should be cautious about approaching it in the following ways:</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-left: 18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">1.<span style="line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="color: red;">As an attempt to acquire mere head knowledge.</span></strong><span style="color: #444444;"> Paul said that the ability to “fathom all
mysteries and all knowledge” is, apart from love, nothing. <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-left: 18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-left: 18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">2.<span style="line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="color: red;">As a means of getting on God’s good side.</span></strong><span style="color: #444444;"> How easy it is to trust in our practice of
daily Bible study or devotional time and not in the God of all grace.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-left: 18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-left: 18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">3.<span style="line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="color: red;">As something done only in isolation.</span></strong><span style="color: #444444;"> Most of the Bible is written to communities
of people, not individuals (e.g., Paul’s letters to the churches). That means
that much of what we read has a corporate element to grasp and apply.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-left: 18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-left: 18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">4.<span style="line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: red;"><strong>As a means to hunt down sins in others.</strong> </span><span style="color: #444444;">It’s often much easier to see sin in others
than in ourselves. Jesus warns against this with the humorous imagery of a
speck and a plank (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt.%207:3%E2%80%935&version=NIVUK" target="_blank">Mt. 7:3–5</a>).<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-left: 18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-left: 18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">5. </span></span><strong style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">As a way to feel good about
yourself.</span></strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> While God often gives us a
sense of peace or joy after we spend time in his Word, our primary reason for
reading the Bible ought to be to know and love him more.</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQ_ircbnzQCcTzRHMbE696eil-zBcVr42fUu5rVtoAsKHXI3UYKgElNtbYXd1Tv3ewpNRdvJ6nWQzsvc7GbMFPrFg4LuwF9n1oOPwHnz3_9F1OpK7oDBloQPjg0EVxm5rS_KGdNQFElg/s1600/Bible2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQ_ircbnzQCcTzRHMbE696eil-zBcVr42fUu5rVtoAsKHXI3UYKgElNtbYXd1Tv3ewpNRdvJ6nWQzsvc7GbMFPrFg4LuwF9n1oOPwHnz3_9F1OpK7oDBloQPjg0EVxm5rS_KGdNQFElg/s400/Bible2.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-82149329789689533152013-09-26T12:02:00.002+08:002013-09-26T12:02:18.136+08:00Looking for Mr. or Miss Right?<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSthoiEQQPCMTIyDA9QluwVOPzuoM_rYym4B0FhDVszNxFR7UC_1bhn29ToqNtx7jjDj75Opa8LFovXfaOLYODBublakO2I16TaYEdDUjVMoEIpXdJZwrdXTyF0LgtLm0Yd2cBfpDV8So/s1600/mr_mrs_right_yard_sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSthoiEQQPCMTIyDA9QluwVOPzuoM_rYym4B0FhDVszNxFR7UC_1bhn29ToqNtx7jjDj75Opa8LFovXfaOLYODBublakO2I16TaYEdDUjVMoEIpXdJZwrdXTyF0LgtLm0Yd2cBfpDV8So/s1600/mr_mrs_right_yard_sign.jpg" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There seems to
be an increase in the number of weddings over the last few year. Not
surprisingly so because the church is growing and the number of young adults
have increased too in our midst. A significant number of them are single and
hopefully, eligible. But you may ask, <i>“What
do you mean ‘eligible’? As long as he or she is single, they should be
eligible, right?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Interestingly,
let us look at the definition of <b><i><span style="color: red;">eligibility</span></i></b>, in the context of marriage.
The online dictionary (www.thefreedictionary.com) defines eligibility as: <i><span style="color: red;">“Desirable and worthy of choice, especially
for marriage: an eligible bachelor.”</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I like the word
“worthy”, which the same dictionary defines as: <i>“Having worth, merit, or value; honorable; admirable.” </i>Getting into
a marriage relationship is therefore not just about <i>“the time is right”</i>, <i>“I am
already getting too old”</i> or <i>“I found
the person of my dreams”</i>. These are not good enough reasons, if they are
the only reasons you have. In our self-centered thinking we look around for
someone who will fit into our mould of who our spouse should be. We look for
someone who can give into this relationship, rather than whom I can give to. He
or she would need to serve our kind of desires for our kind fulfillment in
life. This whole process has become so self-centered, contrary to an
other-centered relationship in a healthy marriage. The scary part about the
whole thing is that we will all soon discover that none of us could ever
fulfill what our spouse expect of us and that’s when we begin to hear phrases
like “That’s not the man (or woman) I married!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You see, we go
into a relationship looking for Miss Right, forgetting that an equally, or more,
important thing that we need to do is to <b><u>BE</u></b>
Mr. Right first. We look for eligibility in others, forgetting that we need to
ask ourselves, are we in the first place, desirable and worthy of choice?
Occasionally I hear some young adults lamenting to me about the inability to
find a potential mate and they expressed the desire to go to another ocean to
look for fish. Eventually some do leave and a few returned and said, <i>“Pastor, there’s no eligible fish in that
ocean too!” </i>I had jokingly said to them that it's because they are sharks! All the fish will be scared away. Ouch!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxQGKq4lFrhe_kAf-R_UT5ji5UNjLvhR3m0dBng1mn5ZwZ7RuUtf_pDS52A4ub9Q-dt6kuGvynMemRvR06HhRv8jaomXxlg4r_ZGztymxiMLT_DyIKwCalioAuu9dc0JVpNH0UVrZbyg/s1600/sharks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxQGKq4lFrhe_kAf-R_UT5ji5UNjLvhR3m0dBng1mn5ZwZ7RuUtf_pDS52A4ub9Q-dt6kuGvynMemRvR06HhRv8jaomXxlg4r_ZGztymxiMLT_DyIKwCalioAuu9dc0JVpNH0UVrZbyg/s1600/sharks.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before they
start pointing a finger about why there are no eligible partners around, or
that the church is not doing enough to provide a good catchment area, they
should ask the first question: <i>“Am I
eligible myself?”</i> And I am not talking about whether you are smart, wealthy
or good looking. I am talking about an inner beauty and strength that
transcends all these; a beauty in character and inner life, a godliness and
holiness that is an inherent hallmark, possessing a humble leadership over your
own life and others that you become a fragrance of Christ that attracts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Godly character
takes years to build. A few years ago in my conversation with my then sixteen
year old eldest son, Ian, I remember telling him that if he invests in building
godly characters and a love for God in his teenage years, there is no reason
why he should be worried about finding the right mate. Of course I am assuming
too that when the inner character is in place, what flows out of his life is the
fruit of the Holy Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Not that it is a guarantee of
success but he would have rule out his side of his ineligibility first and let
God do the rest. I am assured that Adam was deep in sleep when God brought Eve
into his life. He didn’t strive to look for a partner. God knew the loneliness
in Adam and try as He may to bring other animals to be His companion, God knew
it is only a special kind of lady that would complete Adam’s life. There is a
sense of restedness that Adam had.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When one become
Mr. Right, he presents himself as one maturing in Christ, trusting in God for
his daily provision and fulfillment of his needs. I have often told courting
couples that the best gift one can give to each other at the wedding altar in
the sight of God and witnesses, is a maturing man or woman who loves God deeply
and is prepared to include God as a full partner in their marriage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This maturing
process does not end at the wedding day. It continues right through our
marriage “until death do us part”. So whether you are single, courting or
married, are you the Mr. or Miss Right?</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXLzC_Rb2tCmgiajTg7CzEqClayzZTQl-_KAZlGNLaj9yzk8Z_eEHlpVcA1Rv2-9BGQkOoXNrT5dxQxcDpFynDpUKRSvLeCpbmFxZ2jI387s1sly8fa8cSx11NOh_o711tMvlvgA1gG8/s1600/signs_he_is_mr_wrong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXLzC_Rb2tCmgiajTg7CzEqClayzZTQl-_KAZlGNLaj9yzk8Z_eEHlpVcA1Rv2-9BGQkOoXNrT5dxQxcDpFynDpUKRSvLeCpbmFxZ2jI387s1sly8fa8cSx11NOh_o711tMvlvgA1gG8/s320/signs_he_is_mr_wrong.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
</div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-88253429600947612102013-09-21T15:42:00.002+08:002013-09-21T15:45:38.382+08:00Sacred or Secular<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0Udu9LNivEQCTwpE5lRRzFnp9xEEAu5lCLKL3G4_pYtxQ5YZBYtBLU1u31eECIkZ1JbBLH12__hY9rs5ucwjJi1wgPfjDM_wVoY_3CvtdZKfdZJJiOHwsRDPQPKTijrptF5sGJSx1EU/s1600/sacredsecular+work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0Udu9LNivEQCTwpE5lRRzFnp9xEEAu5lCLKL3G4_pYtxQ5YZBYtBLU1u31eECIkZ1JbBLH12__hY9rs5ucwjJi1wgPfjDM_wVoY_3CvtdZKfdZJJiOHwsRDPQPKTijrptF5sGJSx1EU/s320/sacredsecular+work.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.99px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.99px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I posted on my </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/chriskamtw" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> the following post on 18 Sep 2013.</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.99px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.99px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>Hudson Taylor, a famous missionary, wrote that "the use of means ought not to lessen our faith in God; and our faith in God ought not to hinder our use of whatever means He has given us for the accomplishment of His own purposes." Practically, he applied this truth in his profession as a physician. He asked God's blessing and guidance for every surgical case that he would make the right diagnosis and use his skills wisely in treatment. However, he also never failed to give God thanks for answered prayer and restored health.</em></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.99px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><em><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></em></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.99px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The response from different friends were quite interesting. A dentist commented that she prayed "very hard when the tooth cannot come out." It affirms in us our calling in life and they are not to be divided into what is sacred or what is secular. We become split personalities if we do that. There seems to be an invisible disconnect between what we do in our 9-5 job and our spiritual life. For some of us, we feel we have not really served God until we have done so in a ministry in the Church. Is that scriptural? In the relationship between slaves and masters, Apostle Paul made no such distinction. Everything we do is sacred. Worship is whole life, not a portion of time which we set aside. Whether we are in our workplace, school, church or home, we are serving God.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><em><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ephesians 6:7-8<br />7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. </span></em><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=425504933527142755#_ftn1"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><span style="color: blue;"> </span></em> <br />Our life is a worship to God. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKzFy_kT2hQUA6BIp-my0M3Nsbm8CLB0VBXPQn9-sKyyhlUqt7dbciVRXx4wdTxxactPbfNVjwZWemv-nEIkmZzabt3SvMD8okE-7CBxAoYHaiiovvqhFZV8FylocvHNeZ_SErmmeoFw/s1600/sacred_secular+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKzFy_kT2hQUA6BIp-my0M3Nsbm8CLB0VBXPQn9-sKyyhlUqt7dbciVRXx4wdTxxactPbfNVjwZWemv-nEIkmZzabt3SvMD8okE-7CBxAoYHaiiovvqhFZV8FylocvHNeZ_SErmmeoFw/s320/sacred_secular+(1).jpg" width="266" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><span style="color: blue;">Romans 12:1-2<br />Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.</span></em><br />I love the words of Martin Luther, the reformist who said: <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.99px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: red;">"<em>The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays — not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship."</em></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.99px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.99px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Excellence in what we do is a calling. Our vocation is an expression of our worship. We try our very best because it is a worship to our God. We will not do any less to Someone we love. It is a matter of attitude and relationship.</span><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvZPB0g9Q5tIt1xPQUH2mn3aViSqW4PfnDAw08_7DUm-C4jHbSiH-_mfQHgGvJdaj5fcLF0tYuWYtSALuOnOfSielR4X6lqIl9GwOVS4GqwaB9tayP3l2e33kg6Ps34B8SVWNlYVOW-E/s1600/Sacred_Secular.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvZPB0g9Q5tIt1xPQUH2mn3aViSqW4PfnDAw08_7DUm-C4jHbSiH-_mfQHgGvJdaj5fcLF0tYuWYtSALuOnOfSielR4X6lqIl9GwOVS4GqwaB9tayP3l2e33kg6Ps34B8SVWNlYVOW-E/s400/Sacred_Secular.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.99px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span> </span>Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-87894739215718156472013-08-12T23:42:00.000+08:002013-08-12T23:44:50.986+08:00The Future is Now!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOATcgR9F0as_e68CUbh37Xqc9NrjUiGTKNr9V7pgOub_fERlbzu7bLPr4ad7S3W_WwWi6xoje9JX6wI1GL8HOWp7i0wJ6WSI_DSNyMBcAre6cTKp8ZvLd799wtUbNYoCjkb17b9P5AuQ/s1600/Santorini.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOATcgR9F0as_e68CUbh37Xqc9NrjUiGTKNr9V7pgOub_fERlbzu7bLPr4ad7S3W_WwWi6xoje9JX6wI1GL8HOWp7i0wJ6WSI_DSNyMBcAre6cTKp8ZvLd799wtUbNYoCjkb17b9P5AuQ/s400/Santorini.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My wife and
I celebrated our 25<sup>th</sup> wedding anniversary this year and we indulged
ourselves in a well-deserved three week holiday to Europe. In our own little
fantasy world of the “Love Boat” era of the 70’s and 80’s, we decided to bring
to realization that dream by signing up for a cruise in the Mediterranean. We
spent a week in Italy on our own and joined a 12-day cruise from Venice to
Istanbul and back. It was a thoroughly enjoyable holiday where we can withdraw
from the routines of life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbsIcoXdmidkvLgaGL5CFx9qjw5NMIILrbxreBFoqaSEPEzi0e7iUC0xTsfoYm3UaxKeIMU0SRQrd54z59EyQYDENd8ddukS4b4OHlB_A5WFRLiB85m7FpCbh656tzF_98uT0VUyRvxg/s1600/P1050183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbsIcoXdmidkvLgaGL5CFx9qjw5NMIILrbxreBFoqaSEPEzi0e7iUC0xTsfoYm3UaxKeIMU0SRQrd54z59EyQYDENd8ddukS4b4OHlB_A5WFRLiB85m7FpCbh656tzF_98uT0VUyRvxg/s320/P1050183.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In our
staggered conversations throughout the trip in between celestial idle moments
to exploring the ancient ruins of Italy, Greece and Turkey, and the beauty of the
Greek islands, I thank my wife for standing by me for 25 years and we thank the
Lord together that we could travel like this as best of friends. We enjoyed
each other’s company more than ever as we enter into the early stage of our greying
years and empty nest. We are beginning to understand and appreciate our promise
to each other when we got married that we look forward to growing old together.
Having been a pastor for twenty years, I have witnessed the heartaches of many broken
or mediocre marriages. Marriage for some is like a prison cell, waiting for the
day to get out. To others, and I am not sure which is worse, they live in mediocre
co-existent, each living their own private life.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7983eFh-T7Pd1sRngAtwyuqG0pbH5NXIsNS-pK7_zzSO0DYSz5YchvTgigDsW25RBz39uKEIyxvQ1dABLd0DcA40p4Nuzpxoim0RJwbldchWGpt4jzVSOaLEvU0XOc_mZW_ohaz64_A/s1600/P1010379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7983eFh-T7Pd1sRngAtwyuqG0pbH5NXIsNS-pK7_zzSO0DYSz5YchvTgigDsW25RBz39uKEIyxvQ1dABLd0DcA40p4Nuzpxoim0RJwbldchWGpt4jzVSOaLEvU0XOc_mZW_ohaz64_A/s400/P1010379.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QmF8jU1XeXUeQNNzZYmkzKS0rbTSoGT2-nzQ0EUQ65sKFcTIutZrDrcRiDRxAejdF65K-06v0qQysUSK_w2MM3ViQtHCmVZUinwdU1unGIFghSkhimHlCT3SLFFdnHPhNZT0ASFfpK8/s1600/P1020651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QmF8jU1XeXUeQNNzZYmkzKS0rbTSoGT2-nzQ0EUQ65sKFcTIutZrDrcRiDRxAejdF65K-06v0qQysUSK_w2MM3ViQtHCmVZUinwdU1unGIFghSkhimHlCT3SLFFdnHPhNZT0ASFfpK8/s320/P1020651.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_d3QnGlisvqTB1pqmRJdM0yN66HHG0ufXYmp2NfOTCGhTjXg0tymGzI4F-3WO_JR2DDm09zeBQ0u3GdrxT-1DQGtj89QAhXm2lb3zsMKNpfnQOov6g7Lv5neCk1cOZ6cvk0N66P19cs/s1600/P1000790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_d3QnGlisvqTB1pqmRJdM0yN66HHG0ufXYmp2NfOTCGhTjXg0tymGzI4F-3WO_JR2DDm09zeBQ0u3GdrxT-1DQGtj89QAhXm2lb3zsMKNpfnQOov6g7Lv5neCk1cOZ6cvk0N66P19cs/s200/P1000790.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgik_kmI2dw-02Q00wtNczmXUL6zW8S3J-Ng8PpstSCr37s14cjJ9zpeClNPH36EpyuIOSzynya4vF3lLkg1TmaO4y82EjTqyt1pdnN9pdE6Tu94Pevnjz7CaTzDkVL8kz6c92EFheILLw/s1600/P1000208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgik_kmI2dw-02Q00wtNczmXUL6zW8S3J-Ng8PpstSCr37s14cjJ9zpeClNPH36EpyuIOSzynya4vF3lLkg1TmaO4y82EjTqyt1pdnN9pdE6Tu94Pevnjz7CaTzDkVL8kz6c92EFheILLw/s400/P1000208.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I often
wonder what happened to the youthful ideals of love conquers all and why some couples
even bothered to get married in the first place to get where they are today.
For that, we are thankful to God that while we have our fair share of rough
edges, the Lord has sustained and kept us together. There was a sense of déjà
vu in this trip because I thought I saw a similar image before, of us in such a
trip. I had a picture of what my marriage would be like, my family and my life.
In fact, it is better than what I saw then. In some sense the future is now. I
had a picture of what kind of husband I will be when I got married, the kind of
father when I had my first child and the kind of influence I can be to people
around me. It was then I started investing into the future. The future has now arrived.
It is a sobering thought as I remember the life verse God gave me in my 20’s. James
4:14 “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and
then vanishes.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was
reminded that life will be short and whatever we do, for most things, we have only
one shot at doing it right and the consequences, good or bad will have a
rippling effect for years to come, not only to us but for many others as well.
I remember crafting out in my early years what the future will be like, and
little by little over the years, I invested into that future. Financial
advisers have been extolling the power or miracle (some would say) of
compounding interest. It is learning to save with patience and discipline, a
bit at a time over a life-time, that we are assured of a good retirement. Life
is not that much different really. The daily discipline of spiritual growth,
relationship building and wealth creation is a responsibility of every person
and the disaster of the lack of it is evident in so many we see years later.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If
you are in your first half right now in your life, “maybe next year” is your
worst excuse. You have far more important things at stake than you think. This
is the power of vision. Life is like a mist. Don’t live to regret it later. My
future is now, and a little more to go! You will be saying this too, soon.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQwPjhAJG6WFtpNvaowaSNqxDD8W5_XKe-llP0tPlTPZxSCYGdYB37QBZ6U8tMkJ6eiLLiHoovoBsBnd71UwkqHKjK8nuMAf6PSUBVa-jbiLcTCm8mBCJDOAaQPdG4LVx7gP2ypZwJ9g/s1600/James+4,+14++you+are+a+mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQwPjhAJG6WFtpNvaowaSNqxDD8W5_XKe-llP0tPlTPZxSCYGdYB37QBZ6U8tMkJ6eiLLiHoovoBsBnd71UwkqHKjK8nuMAf6PSUBVa-jbiLcTCm8mBCJDOAaQPdG4LVx7gP2ypZwJ9g/s400/James+4,+14++you+are+a+mist.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
</div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-425504933527142755.post-76905245737090639762013-07-11T09:36:00.001+08:002013-07-11T23:27:24.019+08:00What is Church to you?Check out a write up of my sermon here:<br />
<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/church-you/">http://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/church-you/</a></span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAY__AHuXwDUy_lwTYe5OmJdtwe9qV6eXWcX1VIBkp4AObDfHdK_Sb4wCCYAvwz8spufEnD_cJbAFKRGdcnzYCObpRMIj_5DTSoyCthldx0_0CJ5WWwwtNyc3Nq4tGqY-ohr8ISTtQeo/s1600/cm-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAY__AHuXwDUy_lwTYe5OmJdtwe9qV6eXWcX1VIBkp4AObDfHdK_Sb4wCCYAvwz8spufEnD_cJbAFKRGdcnzYCObpRMIj_5DTSoyCthldx0_0CJ5WWwwtNyc3Nq4tGqY-ohr8ISTtQeo/s400/cm-banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></div>
Chris Kamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548890756021655593noreply@blogger.com0