Hungry For God's Word?

The Richest Man

2012-01-29T00:56:00.001+08:00

I came across this quote (author unknown) and something resonate inside me.
The richest man is not he who has the most, but he who needs the least.
This reminds me of Apostle Paul's writings:
1 Timothy 6:6-10

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹ People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Philippians 4:10-13

¹⁰ I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Contentment is an important key to live life well. It is often difficult to draw the line between our needs and wants. "The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16, NKJV)" stands in the way. It is our human nature to want more and more. Learning to live with less, and learning to say no, will heighten our senses to spiritual things and eternal fruits.

Do more of and do less of in 2012

2011-12-26T00:09:00.000+08:00

December ought to be a time not just of celebration, but of reflection. Whether it is true that time seems to pass faster when one grows older, time will always a precious commodity. Each second spent is either spent wisely or foolishly. I wonder if we are called to account for our time some day, what would our report card be like?

Proverbs 20:4 (NIV)

A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.

Over a delightful lunch with an older couple, the husband was complaining to me about his wife's over involvement in ministry. It was merely his loving ways of being concern over his wife's health as she is a cancer survivor. I know where he's coming from. The wife on the other hand feels that she would really like to do the best she can in the remaining part of her life as they both felt God had given them a second chance to come alive spiritually in their 60's. I know where their hearts are. I was waiting for that stroke of wisdom or brilliance from the Lord, which I often would pray when I am stuck and not knowing what else to say. :)

It came. I turned to him and asked him this simple question. "What would your report card and your wife's be like when you meet the Lord one day?" We both know there will come a day when we will be judge too for our rewards. Thankfully God did not list down what the merit points will be. Otherwise, we will all be serving for the wrong reasons!

He asked back, "What do you mean?"

"You agree someday that Jesus will ask us to account for what we have done for Him?"

"Yes."

"What's yours like and what's your wife's"

It seems like something struck him.

He said, "Yah ... never thought of it that way."

His lamenting stopped and I could see a smile on the wife's face. We took the chance to affirm the husband's concern and encouraged the wife to take care of herself too.

That begged question: What would your report card, and mine, be like?

I think it is good to reflect and I did a short exercise with my office colleagues. My question to them was: "What is one thing you would more, and another thing to do less, in 2012?"

That sparked off many interesting discussion in their breakout groups. There will probably be more than one thing. But often, it is better to do one thing and do it well, than to do 10 and do them mediocrely, or not at all.

Why don't you sit down for an hour and work that through. It may change the way you live out 2012. There are a number of areas you can work through:

Physical (e.g. exercise, travel)
Social (more time for leisure, hobbies)
Emotional (counselling, healing)
Mental (challenging the mind, reading)
Spiritual (prayer, Bible, conferences, trainings)

There will definitely be a need to cut down on time wasters and make more time to invest in things that last for eternity and they are inevitably always link to people and relationship.

Apostle Paul had a different way of saying it and that is to "put off" and "put on".

Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; [24] and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Blessed Christmas and a fruitful year of 2012!

How to keep yourself fresh and motivated

2011-12-16T01:03:00.000+08:00

My Senior Pastor shared this with us pastors about how to keep ourselves fresh and motivated in ministry. Thought it may help some of you. Here's the main headings (in red) he shared. I'll add in my comments in black.

1. Daily time with God

The Word of God refreshes us in the spirit. When our inner man is refreshed, it allows our soul and body to follow suit.

2. Time away on a regular basis (Sabbath principle)
Reflect Renew Refresh Rewire

God commanded Sabbath for a reason. He knows we will wear ourselves out with our need to achieve. This is one of the consequences of sin in our lives.

3. Read as much and as broad (even secular stuff)

I would add that we need to read with discernment. As much as there are many good stuff out there, there are also equally loads of rubbish. Choosing a good book is important. Go for at least one book a month. Share with someone what you read. I find sharing with someone helps me crystallize my thoughts on the book.

4. Go for seminar and conferences

Again, choose a good one. Make sure you write down immediately something that captured your mind.

5. Be in a 'Iron sharpening iron' small group

Circle of friends
Encouragement and support
Accountability
Partnership in ministry

6. Have one to three people who can speak into your life

Be thick-skinned enough to ask. As a mentor myself, I often find it hard to refuse someone who is persistent :)

7. Be in a mentoring relationship as a mentor

One can only mentor if you have something to give. Mentoring keeps you on your toes.

8. Exercise regularly
A healthy body is essential to start with.

9. Teach and impart

A teacher always learn more than the student! When you teach, you are motivated to learn.

Psalm 119:121-144 (Four Marks of a Man of the Word

2011-11-26T22:52:00.001+08:00

Click here my latest sermon text

2011-10-09T03:09:00.002+08:00

This email came as a result of the sermon I preached on Queen Esther.

DearPastor Chris,

Thank you for sharing your sermon last weekend. I am writing to you toencourage and appreciate you, for what you said gave me a fresh revelation aswell as a good reminder about who GOD is and what HE is doing in my life.

Since I was a child, I have learnt the character of GOD. In my head, I know whoHE is. But, as I grew up, many events happened (not sure if you remember but Ido remember when and why we first met). Truly, when you spoke about someone whoasks GOD, “Why?”, I can say, “that’s me!” I am also the one who thought GODmade mistakes in my life. I did think that life is rather cruel towardsme… haha… But, last weekend, it dawned on me in my heart why it is indeed soimportant to know GOD. I know why I asked why. It is because I have yetto fully believe or translate my knowledge into faith that GOD isomnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. Your sermon has encouraged me tocontinue to trust in HIM and believe that GOD is indeed sovereign over allevents in my life. Truly, HE has orchestrated every note, including thenot-so-nice sounding minor ones. Haha… HE made and makes and will make nomistakes J

May the LORD continue to use you to be HIS mouthpiece!

GOD bless you!

With love from,

Jehanne

Faith in Challenging Times

2011-10-08T02:25:00.002+08:00

This was the sermon I preached in August. It's a summary by our church writing team. We are preaching through a series on Faith in Challenging Times because of what the church is going through right now. To those not in the know, just type this on google: "dumc"
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Faith in Challenging Times Series II
Esther’s Response (Esther 4:1-16)
By Pastor Chris Kam (Preached on 27/28 August)
The audio sermon can be found here.

We are living in very exciting times. We are at a tipping point, and how we respond to challenges and circumstances will determine whether we turn out to be a better person or a bitter person. We obtain this wisdom from the Word of God, which shows us how to respond to the things of the world. Instead of relying on our limited human wisdom, we can rely on God’s wisdom.

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. (Romans 15:4)

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come. (1 Corinthians 10:11)

1. God is at work

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. (Esther 4:15-16)

God is at work in our lives even if we cannot see Him at work. When faced with a crisis, Esther and Mordecai turned to God first. They relied on God instead of using their human wisdom to solve the problem. They fasted for three days. We should emulate Esther and Mordecai by turning to God when we are confronted with a crisis. This is what we must do as God’s people.

A thorough study of the book of Esther will lead to the realisation of several missing words from the book. The words “God, worship, prayer and sacrifice” cannot be found in the book of Esther. The writer of the book of Esther deliberately omitted those words, so that we would recognise the fact that God is still in control, even in the most insignificant times of our lives. God’s sovereign rule is assumed at every point. The writer wants us to know that God was right in the midst of the lives of Esther and Mordecai while the entire drama was unfolding.

There are no coincidences in life. That is why the word ‘luck’ is not found in a Christian’s vocabulary. Someone once defined ‘coincidence’ as a miracle in which God chooses to remain anonymous. Sir William Temple says, “When I pray, coincidences happen. But when I don’t pray, coincidences do not happen.”

God may be invisible, and we cannot see Him, but He is invincible. He is present in every scene and movement of our days. Philip Yancey in his book “Disappointment with God” states the fact that humans can only see about 30% of the spectrum of light. The human eye cannot see ultraviolet light, unlike honeybees and homing pigeons, which can detect ultraviolet light. Although we are bombarded with ultraviolet light from the sun, we cannot see it. Philip Yancey adds that similarly, although we cannot see certain things in the spiritual realm, it does not mean that they are not there. Although we cannot physically see God, by faith we know that He is here. We, as Christians, walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthian 5:7). Never doubt the presence and activity of God, especially in the midst of crisis. God is present, even though we cannot see Him.

Two books which influenced the life of Pastor Chris during his university years were “Know What to Believe” and “Know Why You Believe” by Paul E. Little. Pastor Chris suggested another title to complete the series, which is “Know Who You Believe”. Knowing who we believe is very important. We cannot just know about God, we need to know God for who He really is. We need to know God, for if we do not, we do not know that He is at work in our lives.
(Note: A DUMC member wrote to me and pointed out that this book has already been written by Paul E. Little! I was out of touch.)

For example: If you were to stand on the Federal Highway and attempt to stop oncoming cars by raising your hand, do you think they will stop for you? No, instead the motorists would sound the horn at you, wind down the window and probably shout obscenities at you. However, if you were to change put on a police uniform, what do you think would happen when you stand on the highway and put your hand up? The cars would surely stop for you. This is because of what the uniform represents: it represents the authority of the King. It is not about you or even what you are wearing, it is about what the uniform represents.

In the same way, we Christians represent the King of kings and the Lord of lords. We are children of the living God. We are dressed in the royal robes of righteousness of Jesus Christ. We have the authority of the King. The problem is: many of us do not know this King. Therefore, we are not able to appropriate His authority. A policeman who does not know his authority will not get anything done, because he is unable to give commands. As children of God, do we know our God-given authority? Do we know this God that we represent?

Knowing who God is will help us understand who we are and our authority in Him. This will enable us to respond to circumstances in our lives in the right and appropriate way. Our response is a reflection of our theology. Theology is the study of God. It is basically a study of who God is.

Three Basic Attributes of God

God’s Omnipresence – God is everywhere at all times

The Webster dictionary defines omnipresence as: ‘Present everywhere at the same time, unbounded or universal presence.’ In other words, God is not limited to an altar, a church, or a geographical place. God is everywhere. He is not confined by time. He was there in our past, and He is right now in our present, and He will surely be there in our future. That is why God has promised us, “I will never leave you, and I will never forsake you.”

God’s Omniscience- God is all-knowing

The Webster’s dictionary defines omniscience as the quality of knowing all things at once. Unlike us, God does not have to learn. We need to accumulate knowledge, but He does not. God even knows our thoughts. He knows how we feel, and He knows our needs and desires. He knows the hearts of all the six billion people in this world. When we come for prayer at the altar to seek God and uplift our needs to Him, He already knows our needs, and prayer just releases what God has already decided you need to get.

God knows what we are going to say even before we say it. He knows our thoughts even before we think it. God knows all our ways as He knew us even before we were born. There are no secrets before the Almighty God, so we do not have to hide from Him.

God’s Omnipotence – God is all-powerful

The Webster’s dictionary describes omnipotence as ‘almighty power, infinite and unlimited power.’ Genesis 1: 1 says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” In the first chapter of the book of John, it says that through Jesus, all things were made. God is so powerful! He created the heavens and the earth, what problem in our lives could be more difficult than that?

God is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. This is the God that is revealed to us in the Bible. The right theology as well as a right understanding of who God is will result in the right response. The wrong theology will result in the wrong response. How we respond will determine whether we become a better person or a bitter person. That is why we are encouraged to read the Bible and study who God is, because knowing who God is will determine our response towards circumstances in life. Whether you are a weak Christian or a strong Christian is determined by the theology which you have. It is about having the right understanding and application of what we know into our hearts. We can rejoice in knowing who God is. If God is for us, who can be against us?

2. God is at work through you

“And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
“When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)

You are exactly who you are and where you should be -

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. (Acts 17:26)
God does not make mistakes. God knows who you are, what you are and where you ought to be. When you look in the mirror, do you like what you see? When we cannot accept who we are, it means that we are unhappy with how God has created us. He made us exactly how He wants us to look like.

We should not complain about our nationality and citizenship, because God has put us where we are for a reason. We are Malaysians because God allowed us to be born in Malaysia. We should not complain about the country where we live in, despite all the problems we are facing, because we are exactly where we should be. When our theology is right, we stop asking the question why, but what. Instead of asking, “Why, God? Why did this happen?” we should ask “As a result of what is happening, how should I respond? What is my response?” This is a reflection of our faith and trust in an all-knowing and all-powerful God.

You have a purpose bigger than yourself

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

We have one life to live. No matter how long or how short our life span is, we will one day meet our Maker. If we choose to live this life for ourselves and ourselves alone, it is a very sad life indeed. Life is more than “me, myself and I”. We are called to make a difference wherever we are.

The danger comes when we become too comfortable where we are and we refuse to be disturbed and be distressed. We want to live a comfortable life with all our needs provided by God, with a great career, a nice house and nice family. However, if we remain in that comfort zone, rest assured that God will stir us, because our life on earth is just too short. As much as we want the blessings of God, we need to consider the cost of discipleship, which God demands of every one of us.

This is not a call to a life of misery and suffering, but we need to realise that God has a bigger purpose beyond us and our desire for comfort and pleasure. Do we have the eyes to see that? Esther did. She knew God has a plan and purpose bigger than herself, hence her memorable words “If I perish, I perish.”

You can make a difference

Esther was hesitant to approach the King at first by exclaiming, “But the King had not summoned me for thirty days. If I were to go and meet the king, I can get killed.” Like Esther, we all make excuses. We make up all sorts of excuses not to serve God and not to be obedient to His commands and calling.

We need to realise that it is not about what we cannot do, but it is the Spirit that lives inside of us, that empowers and enables us to live for Christ and do what He has called us to do. We are not people of excuses, but we are people of opportunities. Do we seek opportunities or run away from them with our excuses? Are we like Peter, who so strongly proclaimed his commitment to follow Jesus but denied Him three times when Jesus was arrested? However, Jesus still loved Peter, and Peter repented and became one of the greatest men in the history of mankind.

A young man courting a young girl says, “I will climb the highest mountain, swim the deepest seas and fight the fiercest wild beasts for you...” But then he texted her on his mobile, saying, “Sorry, but I can’t come tonight. It’s drizzling.” With all the declarations that we make to God, it is when the storms of life occur which reveal the actual condition of our faith in this all-powerful God and our faithfulness to Him.

Every battle in the Old Testament is a supernatural battle. These battles have nothing to do with the Jewish people but everything to do with God. When thousands of Amalekites attacked God’s people, Moses discovered that whenever his hands were raised to God, the Jewish people were winning the battle. When he got tired and his hands went down, they were losing the battle. Therefore, when Moses’ hands were tired, two young men held up his hands. It was a sign of dependence on God. As long as Moses’ hands were lifted, they wiped out thousands of enemies. It was truly a supernatural battle.

It has nothing to do with how good we are but how good God is. It has nothing to do with how big our church is, but how big God is. It is everything to do with God’s glory.

How we should respond

i) Windows of Opportunities for Evangelism
When people enquire about DUMC and what we are going through, we can use this opportunity to share Christ with them. We can display a godly response and maintain a right attitude towards the challenges we are facing, so that when people see the way we react and respond, they will want whatever they see inside of us and be drawn to God.

ii) Windows of Opportunities for Growth
We can grow through challenges and problems in life. Every problem is an opportunity to develop character and build strength.

On 23 March 2008, the church dedicated the Dream Centre to the Lord. Let us remember the dedication of the church and our declaration to God.

You can download the Dream Centre Dedication Creed here:

Let us learn to respond to circumstances and challenges in the right way and have the right theology. This is what we are called to do as God’s people. After all, there are no coincidences! We are in this place and we are going through this for a special purpose and plan which God has for us, for DUMC and for Malaysia. Let us put our faith and trust in this omnipresent, omniscience and omnipotent God whom we serve!

Presented by the Writing Team:
Anthea Tan

** Weekly Reflection **

There are two ways of meeting difficulties.

You alter the difficulties or you alter yourself to meet them.

~Phyllis Bottome~

CSI Las Vegas

2011-08-07T00:36:00.003+08:00

There's lessons to be learnt even from CSI!

In one episode, an illegitimate baby of a dead teenage mother was delivered at a crime scene through a caesarean performed by Dr Al Robbin, head county coroner of the LVPD. Dr Robbin made a profound statement about the baby:

"It is not how you come into the world that counts but how you live it."

I thought for a moment that it is quite a Christian statement as well. While we sometimes may bemoan our upbringing, or the family background we come from, these are not excuses for not making something out of our life. As Christians, we are children of the living God and there's no reason why God will not make something good out of our life, far better beyond even our expectations. I find some people fatalistic about their circumstances, that they are powerless to change them and resign to the fact that whatever will be will be. That's not the Christian attitude!

Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.

So whatever your background, thank God you are where you are today and the days ahead will be better, because you have God on your side!

Marriage is the only war in which you sleep with the enemy.

2011-07-07T16:28:00.001+08:00

This anonymous quote stumped me for awhile. On the third read did I really figure out what it means and I think it is a gem. Having counselled many trouble marriages, while it is no laughing matter with the abundance of marriage jokes, I often wondered why these couples got married in the first place. I am still a firm believer that it is better not to be married and remain a single, than to be married to the "wrong" person and suffer for the rest of your life. The life-long pain of broken marriages is just not worth the trouble.

So sad .....

So when you go to the wedding altar, let your eyes be very wide open, to know who you are marrying and whether you are prepared to adapt to everything you know about the person, warts and all. Do not go into a marriage with a futures option, meaning, you are marrying the future him/her. He may change, or he may not. Otherwise, you will singing the song of England Dan and John Ford Coley, "It's Sad to Belong". I love this song during my teenage years not too many years ago :) It reminded me to be really careful about who I would marry some day. I did make a right choice, thank God! My wife can echo that too.

There is no such thing as irreconcilable differences in a marriage. Even if you are not 100% sure that the man or woman you are marrying is THE person (God's will if you want to put it that way), but after you are married, you are 100% sure after the vows. He/She IS God's will because there should never be a divorce in marriage in the first place. (Matthew 19:4-6) You choose to make it 100% certain and no option B exist. You just have to make it work. Often marriages fail because it is defeated at a very early stage in the mind. No one in their right mind wants to marry with an option for divorce. Therefore Romans 12:1-2 talks about the renewing of the mind. What we think and how we think will determine the way we respond.

The question asked of the couple and the vows they made for each other:

Joe, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all other keep you only unto her so long as you both shall live?

I, Joe, take you, Jane, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge you my faith.

But sadly. couples, once madly in love with each other, can become the worst of enemies. I have seen this once too often. Hence the quote: Marriage is the only war in which you sleep with the enemy.

What Should Marriage Do to Us?

2011-07-03T01:38:00.000+08:00

It is a busy weekend for me, with two weddings to officiate. I am often reminded of my own marriage when I do this, just as I am reminded of the frailty and purpose of life when I conduct a funeral. I have always encouraged the people present to reflect intentionally on their life during these occasions. In a wedding, we preach not just to the couple, but to all, whether married or single. In a funeral, it is for the living. That's why pastors and teachers of the Bible are in such a privilege position because we are reminded often about the role of Scriptures and God's commandments in our life. Conversely, we are also told that we will be judged more harshly because knowledge of the Bible is not just about knowing, but doing. (James 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.)

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1)

For much is given, much is also expected.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48)

But this is all good, because the exhortations are for our betterment unless we are foolish enough not to heed God's Word.

Matthew 7:24-27

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

At the wedding this morning, I quoted the following from Josh McDowell:

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.

Often young people get into marriage wondering what they can get out of it. In a godly maturing relationship, we learn how to give of ourselves into it. Love in the Bible is not merely a feeling word. It is not just about feeling good. It is about doing good to the other person even if we don't feel like it.

McDowell hits the nail on the head. In my paraphrase of what he is saying, 1 + 1 is not equal to 2, but 1 + 1 equal 10. If my marriage cannot bring me beyond what I can do for myself, then it will be a mediocre marriage. Physically, this is demonstrated in procreation. It is something I cannot do myself. I need my spouse for that. That's the synergistic nature of marriage. Emotionally, socially, cognitively and spiritually, we can multiply what's good in each other because we are married.

Therefore if marriage is purely for companionship, that's a low view of what this life-long relationship is meant to be. In fact, Apostle Paul likened the relationship between Jesus and His Church with that of a marriage. (Ephesians 5:22-33).

So young people, take note of the high calling of marriage.

Don't marry someone you can live with.

Marry someone you can't live without.

The Power of Our Brain!

2011-06-16T12:51:00.001+08:00

Olny srmat poelpe can raed this. I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in what oredr the ltteers in a word are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is that the first and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it wouthit a porbelm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! If you can raed this psas it on!!

Richest man in the Cemetery

2011-06-08T01:42:00.002+08:00

"I saw no point in being the richest man in the cemetery."

Peter Drucker, "Managing Oneself", Harvard Business Review - Best of HBR 199, P.11, Par. 2

You can download this article in this blog.

This quote sort of came at me poignantly about the empty chases so many are after. Something so obvious yet we are so blinded. Having to counsel more men lately, filled with regrets in the way they had lived their lives, it is best to heed what Jesus Himself had said, which Drucker rephrased in the above quote:

Matthew 16:26 (NIV)

[26] What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Steven Covey said it in another way in First Things First, title of chapter one:

"How many people on their deathbed wish they’d spent more time at the office?"

Life Seasonings - Principle 10 of 10

2011-05-16T23:31:00.000+08:00

Principle 10: Reflect often

(Make many pit stops)

Socrates, the Greek philosopher of the 5^th century BC said “The unexamined life is not worth living.” When Socrates was in his forties, he had the inquisitive mind to ask about the world around him. Some people were mad with him about the questions he would ask poignantly. “What is life? What is beauty? What is wisdom? What is the right thing to do?” and so forth. These were difficult questions and some tried to give him answers. Socrates would try to teach them how to think better by asking them more questions which revealed their problem in logical thinking. Often this upset many of them and some even tried to persecute him. Soon he had a group of young men who would listen to him and learn from him how to think. The famous Plato was one of these young men who wrote the book “Apology” in which he detailed how Socrates defended himself against his accusers. Socrates’ key contribution to the world was challenging people to do their own thinking. He dedicated his life to careful reasoning and was willing to call everything into question, which made him one of the earliest exponents of critical philosophy.

The wisest man on earth echoed the same sentiments. “What does a man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 1:3) “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 12:8) Read for yourselves his conclusion on the matter in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.

Jesus asked “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:36-37) These are deep questions that need deep answers. If you would have noticed by now, real wisdom in life is not just about getting the right answers. We are already overwhelmed with information in this internet age. Real wisdom lies in asking the right questions for our lives.

“In contemporary society our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in ‘muchness’ and ‘manyness’, he will rest satisfied. Psychiatrist Carl Jung once remarked, ‘Hurry is not of the Devil; it is the Devil.” (Richard Foster, in his book “Celebration of Discipline, Chapter two, The Discipline of Meditation)

Slowing down enough to reflect and think is a luxury ill afforded by many. “Where have time gone to?” is not just a light-hearted cliché. It is a stark reality today for many. We need to make regular pit-stops to refuel, renew our worn out body and reflect upon our lives. Regular adjustments take us away from serious and irreversible consequences later in life and slowing down enough to allow us to enjoy the ride of our life and hear clearly the voice of God.

How can we do that? This principle is laid out clearly by God and it is called Sabbath. “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27) Sabbath is about learning to let go and let God. It is a mandated weekly pit-stop which the whole world observe, whether Christian or otherwise. Sabbath is not to be a rule followed religiously without understanding why. Sabbath is implemented for our good, to help us celebrate God’s goodness. It is a day when we take our rest and celebrate by proclaiming “it is good”, just as God took a day’s rest and said everything He had created is VERY good (Genesis 1:31). God took a rest not because He is tired. He did it because the work of creation is completed.

What’s the implication for us today? We work very hard. We pride ourselves in doing more with less. Do you know part of Adam’s curse of work was to toil and produce little? (Genesis 3:17) God gives us the ability to produce wealth but He is also asking us whether our trust is in Him or in our wealth and abilities. The lack of Sabbath rest suggests a lack of trust in the Lord as we are constantly anxious about our work and provisions. Again, we may be religiously following Sabbath rest by coming to church, but we miss the spirit of it when we lack the joy in celebrating God’s goodness and grace. Sabbath rest is a reset button put by God in our lives to remind us to trust in Him and celebrate life. It is a day of reflection on the Lord’s gift of our life. Yet, many go to church worrying about their Mondays. We disobey Sabbath to our detriment.

Use your Sabbath well. Reflect and examine your life so that it’s worth living!

---------------------------------

Socrates (469-399 BC)

I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.

As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.

I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance.

Beauty is a short-lived tyranny.

By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.

He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.

If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it.

It is not living that matters, but living rightly.

Life Seasonings - Principle 9 of 10

2011-04-29T02:45:00.000+08:00

Principle 9: Rooftop principle

(Don’t even go there)

I coined this principle while studying and teaching from the life of King David in 2 Samuel 11. Up to that point, David had reached the height of his glory as a king. He ruled over a vast empire and accumulated much spoils of war in his capital. In the midst of all these successes, he fell into the sin of adultery, which set off a chain of events that caused him to break almost all of the Ten Commandments.

Here’s a man, purported to be a man’s after God’s heart (1 Sam 13:14, Acts 13:22), yet in a simple careless act, he compromised his entire future. He forfeited his own personal right to build the Temple of God (2 Samuel 7:12-13, 1 Chronicles 22:7-8). The privilege went instead to his son Solomon. From 2 Samuel 12:7-12 we notice that to David, there was the withholding of financial blessings (v.8), the doors were opened to a spirit of violence (v.10), it brought about a curse (v.11), he was exposed to public shame (v.11-12) and a spirit of infirmity and death came upon the family (v.14-15). On top of that, he experienced the heartbreak of rape and murder within his own family. He lost his throne to his own son, Absalom, for a brief moment as well.

If you were to trace these tragedies to its very root, it came about from 2 Samuel 11:1-2. When kings were supposed to go to war during spring, David decided to take a holiday. An innocent thought no doubt yet was disastrous to the very core in its outcome. After siesta one evening, he walked on the rooftop of his palace, enjoying the cooling effect of a day coming to an end. We may not be looking for temptation but often it finds us at our unguarded moments. David saw a beautiful woman bathing and he sent someone to find out about her. Curiosity and lust got the best of him in spite of finding out that Bathsheba is Uriah’s wife. An unwanted pregnancy followed this adulterous affair. Hoping to cover his track, he invited Uriah back from the frontline in the pretense of finding out how the war was going. He sent him back home hoping that Uriah would sleep with his wife thus covering up the source of the pregnancy. Uriah being a man of honor refused to go back and instead slept at the servants’ quarters. David’s second attempt by making him drunk yielded the same result. What a man who held his honor even when he is drunk!

With that failure, David set in motion plan B by writing a letter to General Joab to sent Uriah to the frontline where the fighting was the fiercest. Uriah carried his own death sentence in his hand and after the mourning period, David married Bathsheba.

As I reflected upon this story, I can’t help but go in retrospect to the palace rooftop. What if David had not gone to the rooftop? Often we can place ourselves unwittingly on the rooftops of our lives, where we are most unguarded spiritually because everything seems to be going well. This reminded me of my early career years as a sales engineer. Being one of the top performers, we are regularly sent on incentive trips to places catering to a man’s sexual fancies like Bangkok, Haadyai or Cebu. Being an international conference, men would disperse to ‘tourist spots’ after dinner and I knew I had to pro-actively do something to prevent myself from even going near these places. Christians would often naively say that they can go to some of these places to identify with their non-Christian friends but they need not indulge in sinful activities. How one draws that moral line defies my logic. I know how wicked my heart can be and I don’t trust it. Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

So I flee. I prayed for a Christian friend and God gave me a fellow engineer from Singapore whom I caught up with each time after dinner during these conferences. I suppose you can say we saved each other from our rooftops!

Being careful with our lives is not only about starting well, but finishing well too. A single careless and foolish act can cost us everything. No committed Christian seeks to sin deliberately but through an unguarded moment, we can compromise ourselves. Be very harsh and discipline with yourselves. What or where are the potential rooftops of your life? Don’t go there or near them! That’s wisdom in life!

An interesting note from a reader

2011-04-07T00:44:00.000+08:00

Here's an interesting email from a reader. I have his permission to reproduce it here:

Hi Pastor Chris,

I've been following your blog all this while and it has been a real encouragement and support to my Christian life. I came across this analogy of spiritual life which was really good, thought of sharing it with you. An excerpt of it is below:

When a track star is running a 10-kilometer race, he does not run the race at full speed. Running at full speed will deplete his energy prematurely, and he will be unable to finish. We should approach our Christian service the same way. We are not doing God any favors by pushing ourselves beyond our limits. We can do far more for God by living a long, consistent Christian life than by burning ourselves out in five years.

There is an ancient Greek race where the winner is not the first one to cross the finish line. The winner is the first one to cross it with his torch still burning. Sometimes we are so busy with life’s activities that we are in danger of allowing the torch of our spiritual life to be extinguished. There is a real danger that we will run too fast and will be unable to keep our spiritual torch lit. Be aware of the barrenness of busyness and the busyness of barrenness.

Thanks again for the blog and do keep writing!

God bless,

Mun Yen

My reply:

Sure, you are welcome! Glad the articles are helpful. Can I post your comment below on my site? Thought it is good insight.

By the way, that’s the reason why Sabbath was instituted. If we learn to be rested in God every 7^th day, every 7^th year and every

7^th the 7^th year cycle, we can cross that finishing line with confidence!

Hi Pastor Chris,

Sure thing :) Sabbath every 7th year sounds fantastic! Lets see whether I can do it in 7 years time!

God bless,

Mun Yen

Life Seasonings - Principle 8 of 10

2011-04-03T22:23:00.002+08:00

Principle 8: Life is short

(Don’t waste it)

One life verse that caught hold of me as a 22-year-old in university was this: “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (James 4:14b) This verse is quoted as part of my email signature for many years. For the benefit of those who are unaware what a “life verse” is, it is simply a bible verse that has a special significance personally, that spoke to you at a special circumstance and a special time of your life, that profoundly change the way you think and the way you live your life. It acts as a daily reminder, and an underlying philosophy that guides you in all your decisions. You don’t try to make it “fits” you; rather, you make yourself “fit” to what it teaches and espouses!

At the young age of 22, I had anticipated a whole life time of opportunities and I could almost feel like time is limitless. Certainly, the finishing line was farthest from my mind as I dreamt about the journey of opportunities. The danger in thinking that way is the tendency to put things off, thinking there will always be a tomorrow. In a blink of an eye, I am now approaching 49 in three months, just one year from the Big Five-O, half a century! Maybe it’s something to do with aging and approaching the finishing line. Say what you like about thinking young, having a positive attitude and calling us as “matured and wise”, the body does show signs of deceleration and you know it. You are confronted with your mortality and it dawns on you that you are not going to live here on earth forever!

The Bible speaks about our life being 3 scores and 10 years, i.e. 70 years (Psalms 90:10). It is really not a very long runway compared with eternity. Those of us who had dabble with the term “infinity” in mathematics, with the symbol ∞, we recognize it is an immeasurable unit. A simple layman’s definition is this: “If you remove a part from infinity or add a part to infinity, still what remains is infinity.” Therefore the sense of urgency is very dependent on one’s worldview of eternity. If there’s no eternity, that life starts and ends on earth randomly, then what we do really doesn’t matter. We are just a fluke of nature. But if what we do matter for eternity, that changes the equation!

We are sojourners and pilgrims on this earth (1 Peter 2:11, NKJV) and Apostle Paul said it with absolute certainty in his desire that it is far better for him to be with Christ in eternity, but for our sake, to remain on earth with “fruitful labor” (Philippians 1:22-24). What drives some to forsake the pleasure of temporal earthly living to look forward to eternal rewards? This is what I call having an eternal perspective, or a balance and right perspective of life and eternity.

Often we are asked a hypothetical icebreaker question meant to provoke our minds: “If you have only one month to live, what would you do differently?” This may be hypothetical for us, but for those who had to literally live with that “death sentence” due to a terminal disease, it completely changed the way they live their lives. Two powerful books[1] come to mind and it would benefit your soul to read them.

With this perspective in mind, let me ask you the same question in a different way: “At whatever stage of your life journey right now, what would you do differently and how would this influence the way you will be living your life from now on until the finishing line?” It is not my intention to have you look back and then live with regrets. It is asking the hard question of changing course if there’s a need to. If we make regular and wise midcourse corrections, we can avert many life crises. Are we able to close our eyes and see in our mind what our final lap and the finishing line will be like? Some of us have a longer runway than others, but whatever it is, you can do something about it from here on.

What is your life verse that can help you to live life more deliberately and intentionally, not just for yourself, but for those you have influence over, especially your family members? King David prayed this way: “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalms 90:12)

Have a great life!

[1] Fear no Evil (by David Watson) and Tuesdays with Morrie (by Mitch Albom)

Journal - 30 Mar 2011 - Luke 20:1-8 - Asking the Right Question

2011-03-31T13:30:00.001+08:00

My journal entry yesterday from our Bible Reading Planner was fascinating as I look at how Jesus handled opposition.

For those who are unaware, DUMC encourages the use of a journal when we spend time daily with God, writing down our thoughts. We use the process SOAR (Scripture, Observation, Application and Response).

¹ One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. ² “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”

³ He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me, ⁴ John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?”

⁵ They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ ⁶ But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

⁷ So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”

⁸ Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Although the context of this passage is in a negative sense of wanting to trap Jesus, let me turn it around positively.

Here we see the principle of Matthew 10:16 "Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."

Sometimes, it is not our answers that will solve the matter. It is the conclusion of the one who asks when asked back!

Often we are too quick to give an answer. If we are to take time to think about how to help the person by asking the right question, it would have benefitted him alot more because he owns the answer by thinking it through. What a powerful principle! The power is not in the answers because answers can be easily found in the days of internet. It is in the right question. I have often encourage those in my MAG (Mentoring and Accountability Group) to ask good questions. "What do you think?" is often my reply. We use the QC process, one question and one contribution from each person. What is one question you would like to ask the group for their collective wisdom and what is one contribution you would like to give to the group. This will encourage a culture of not just receiving, but giving as well to the group. It also encourage every person that learning to ask the right question in life is the key to our spiritual growth. Right question produces the right answer!

Lord, give me the wisdom of Matthew 10:16 when I deal with opposition. Teach me to listen well, pray and help the person come to his own conclusion where possible. Amen!

Life Seasonings - Principle 7 of 10

2011-03-15T01:40:00.001+08:00

Principle 7: Walk in freedom
(Walk light)

If we can have the ability to see the unseen in people, what will we see? In my imaginative mind, I see people with black backpacks on their backs with all sorts of things imaginable that they have accumulated along their life’s journey. Some have their backpacks so stuffed up that they are struggling to move, fumbling under the sheer weight. Some have even collapsed to the ground and not able to move at all. Yet I see others skipping joyfully around on very light backpacks, almost empty, with tell-tale signs of a carefree life. They can stop, walk or run with absolute ease.

And there are many types of people somewhere in between these two extremes. Two persons may have the same redemptive experience in the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, yet they are not the same in the way they walk (or run) their life’s journey. That’s why some Christians seem to be living their Christian life passionately whilst others drag their feet.

All Christians may start on the same line, that is, we are totally set free in Him. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1) But not all will run at the same pace and the same distance. Others are totally distracted from the journey and some, sadly, go backwards. If we have spiritual eyes to see, we see Christians with differing passion and love for God, weighed down by heavy or light backpacks. What makes one Christian on fire for Him and another living mediocrely and half-heartedly?

As a pastor, I have counseled many people. One common trait among those seeking help is this: They carry very heavy burdens in their lives. Although technically they have been set free from their sins at the point of their conversion, yet they continue to stuff back the very things they have left behind as new Christians. Sometimes they add on many other things as well. Jesus puts it another way in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-23). The seeds that were scattered fell into four places: on the path, rocky places, among the thorns and on good soil. The seeds represent the message of God that was sown into the hearts of men. The seed that fell on the path is liken to a man who has heard the message, but it is snatched away immediately by the evil one. It has no chance to grow. The person remains unfruitful. The second seed is liken to a man who receives the message with joy but because there’s no depth or root in the way the message has an effect in his life, and when trouble comes, he too falls away. The third man is choked with the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth, he is unfruitful in his Christian life by default. But the fourth man, who hears the message, understands and applies it, becomes a fruitful man, passionate about life and useful for the kingdom of God.

It is good to inspect right now what kind of Christians you are at this stage of your life. Regular inspection of broken walls, as Nehemiah did before he re-built the walls in Jerusalem, is a necessary part of maintaining a passion for God and living fruitful lives. Which type are you?

a. You made a profession of faith before but the devil stole everything from you even before you made a start?

b. Were you discouraged along the way because you couldn’t handle problems and you have been blaming God and others ever since?

c. Are you distracted by worldly cares and values, are distracted and living mediocrely as a result? Somehow things just don’t make sense in this unending pursuit.

All the three above are big time contributors to your backpack. This list is not exhaustive of course. We are talking here about every sin that you have disobediently committed that grieves the heart of God in every conceivable area of money, sex and power, or as Apostle John puts it in 1 John 2:16 (NKJV) – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. For every commission of sin, we add another item into our backpack.

Christ has set us free. Why have we robbed ourselves and allowing the evil one to rob us of that freedom? The passionate plea of Apostle Paul is “Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” It is so easy to go back again to our old life. Repent from your ways, stand firm and be like the fourth man, and the journey that you will embark from then on will be an incredible one. So, walk light and walk free!

Life Seasonings - Principle 6 of 10

2011-03-05T00:00:00.001+08:00

Principle 6: Grow Well and Deep

(Be Like An Oak Tree)

“Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.” A profound statement made at the very beginning by Richard Foster in his book “Celebration of Discipline”.

Often we want and desire to extend the breadth of our influence in our ministry or career and these are the obvious and tangible things we see in our outward accomplishments. The downside is that if we are not careful, we get sucked into this curse of superficiality. We are uncomfortable with these inconsistencies because we have an in-built integrity check called “conscience”, an innate desire in our spirit to operate ethically or morally and be the kind of person exhibiting godly character and strength. We would like to grow well in breadth but we also know, like a tree, if it is without a deep root system, we will fall and crumble when floods and wind come. The oak tree is a common symbol of strength and endurance and has been chosen as the national tree of many nations. From just a sapling, it grows into a giant that spread its branches, seeking light to nourish itself and searching with roots deep into the ground for water. What we can’t see are the hidden roots that feeds the majesty of the tree.

Many people may start well but they finish miserably at the end of their lives, or at best mediocrely. As the adage goes, “We live the first half of our life learning how to live the second half better.” With the experience of our first half, we hope to build a wealth and reservoir of godly wisdom, deep-rooted character that will enable us to live a remarkable second half. By remarkable I don’t mean the spectacular. I mean living life with a sense of destiny and purpose. I have always believed life really begins in our forties, the second half of our life. It will be much more exciting and significant because we would by then have the experience, wisdom, influence, respect and esteem to do what we can’t before when we were younger, and influencing many like-minded others alongside our cause. What many don’t realize are the bad decisions they had made in the first half which caused them to climb the corporate ladder, by hook or by crook, and having reached the top, to realize they are on the wrong wall! By then, climbing down and starting all over again on the right wall would be a little too late because the runway is so short and some consequences are irreversible.

Why is growing deep important? I have learnt earlier in ministry this important principle: “Don’t go places where your gifts take you but your character cannot sustain you.” It simply means that if you don’t intend to grow deep, then be very careful about going wide. If we take care of the depth of our life, God will take care of the breadth.

Why is it difficult to grow deep? Because it takes dedicated time, dogged determination and disciplined commitment. We live in an age that expects instant answers, gives up too quickly and easily distracted. We have more to eat, more to spend and more to enjoy, yet are we any better on the inside? There is certainly an ongoing search for a greater sense of purpose, fulfillment and significance. The world cries out for people with high ethical and moral standards.

We are all too familiar with the term IQ (Intelligent Quotient) that tells us something about our mental capability and capacity. Then someone invented the term EQ (Emotional Quotient) that reveals our abilities in handling our feelings and that of others. Now, another term emerges, SQ (Spiritual Quotient). It is about the ability to handle one’s life purpose, about growth, maturity, fulfillment and significance. As a Christian, this is not new. The concept of spirit, soul and body (1 Thes 5:23) and inward regeneration (Titus 3:5) is taught in Scripture and it is this regenerated spiritual man that is in tune with God who allows for that depth of life and character.

Why is growing in depth important for the Christian? Because it glorifies God and his life becomes a blessing to all those around him. He charges people up, rather than discharging them. His life becomes a source of refuge and strength. “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalm 1:3

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7

Wouldn’t you want to go near a man or woman like this?

Thinking & Living Christianly (Rom. 12:1-3; Phil. 4:8,9)

2011-03-03T12:31:00.003+08:00

Pr Daniel Ho's sharing at March 2011 Leaders' Meeting

1. Be aware of how we really think and therefore, believe and behave.
How we think affects our living.
1 Cor 14:20 - think maturely.

2. Be aware of how God wants us to think
He wants us to think after His thoughts - mind of Christ.
Need to align our thinking and see if it is in line with the mind of Christ.
2 Peter 3:1
The best way is to read and understand His Word.
Inconsistencies will show in our lives.

3. Renewal of the mind is a lifestyle, not an experience
2 Cor 3:15-18

4. Renewal of the mind involves putting off and putting on (Eph 4:22-25; Col 3:5-10)

5. Our mind must be focused on that which is right, good and positive (Phil. 4:8; Col. 3:2)

6. Our soul, mind and will prosper and emotion must prosper before our life will prosper (3 John 2)
Our health has to do with our inside. Many diseases are psychosomatic in nature

7. Abundant life has been provided and we must possess it (John 10:10)

Life Seasonings - Principle 5 of 10

2011-02-26T02:28:00.000+08:00

Principle 5: Have a good sense of humor

(Learn to laugh)

It is medically known that some human diseases are psychosomatic in nature where symptoms of the sufferers are caused by mental processes rather than immediate physiological causes. In other words, it is the problem of the mind, caused by stresses of modern day living that manifest itself in a physical way, although nothing is wrong physically with the person. A 1996 Malaysian national health study found mental illness to be prevalent in about 10.7% of the population. This is a scary thought that 1 in every 10 Malaysian are mentally ill to some extent. The facts seem to indicate a surge in mental illness due to the ill effects of urbanization, stress and poor mental health.

The Bible has already addressed this. Proverbs 15:13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. Science has long ascertained that our minds and bodies are interrelated. The Bible takes it one step further to say so are our spirits. 1 Thessalonians 5:23b May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 139:14a I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Our bodies are truly amazing creation of God that is able to heal itself. If you accidently cut yourself, or your mouth starts to have an ulcer, you can be assured that a few days later, the affected area will be well covered up by new skin and the germs that have gotten into the body annihilated. Doctors will tell you that if you are positive in outlook during an illness, half your battle is already won. When we are joyful in the spirit, the mind senses that on its radar screen and releases chemicals in our bodies that are instrumental in enhancing the immune system to help fight diseases in our bodies. The ravages of processed and chemical-laden food, coupled with man-made pollution and stressed of modern living, have reduced these fighting capacities of our bodies. While these may be hard to control, the joy of the Lord is within our reach. Nehemiah 8:10 “ …. the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

A cardiologist in India has even started a laughing club to cope with modern stresses. Club members gather together early in the morning or during lunch breaks, do some stretching exercises and then just laugh together after that for forty minutes. This phenomenon of the healing power of laughter has now spread to more than 1300 clubs worldwide and it simply goes to show that we don’t laugh enough nowadays.

This is not an article to explain the miracles of our human body, but rather to emphasize the point that there is within us the fruit of the spirit of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23). Joy must come from within, in spite of challenging circumstance without. Christians are to be the ones that exhibit the peace of the Lord in all situations. God has exhorted us not to be worried or anxious about life, but to trust God in all circumstances (Proverbs 3:5-6; 1 Peter 5:7). Life is difficult enough with its daily problems and if we don’t develop a good sense of humor about life, even to laugh candidly at ourselves some times, we are in for a heavy and depressing ride. Often we tend to think of our Lord Jesus as someone who is sober and magnanimously stern. Seldom do we imagine Jesus laughing with his disciples. Yet I really do believe they often laugh together in their journeys. If you read the Gospels somewhat in between the lines, in the light of the wits and humor of our Lord Jesus in dealing with different people, you will be surprised to know that Jesus was no stranger to the role of humor in lifting deadly weight of burdens from our shoulders. Try imagining Jesus explaining Mark 10:25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Try Matthew 17:24-27 or Matthew 23:24 (Camels’ jokes!) where Jesus pictures the legalistic Pharisees as fastidious diners, doing their best to strain a gnat from their soup, but swallowing a whole camel in the process. In Jesus’ spoken language of Aramaic, the humor is even more pronounced where the word for gnat is galma, while the word of camel is gamla. See the pun? To prove my point, there are three books I know that has these titles: The Humor of Christ (Elton Trueblood, 1964); The Humor Of Jesus: Sources of Laughter in the Bible (Earl Palmer, 2001); The Humor of Jesus (Henri Cormier, 1977).

The point is, often, we see Christians with long solemn faces. Fun, joy, laughter and humor are the exception rather than the norm. I believe we all need a good sense of humor in our lives. Learning to laugh at yourself is good start. Life will be much easier! Cheers!

Life Seasonings - Principle 4 of 10

2011-01-17T19:10:00.000+08:00

Principle 4: Make time for people
(Leave them better than when you found them)

Consider these statements. “Where there are people, there are problems. Where there are no people, there are no problems. Wouldn’t the world be a better place without people?” These statements are in the context of a training dealing with relationship problems. We recognize that the root of all problems in the world has to do with dealing rightly or wrongly with another human being. In other words, although we can’t live with people, we can’t live without them either. The fact remains that we are created by God to live in community and we crave for it. (Genesis 2:18 - "It is not good for the man to live alone.") These cravings reflect positively in love but negatively in an unhealthy pursuit of that acceptance from, and significance in, people. To put it succinctly in an adage: “We buy things we do not need, with money we don’t have, to impress people we don’t even like.” If there are no people to impress, there would not be any necessity to accumulate more and more. We can only eat so much, wear so much and play so much. Anything more than that is a deprivation of these resources to someone else in the world.

This is the oxymoron bit. People are extremely important to us but our lifestyles and priorities do not seem to point to that. We hurt the very people we loved, by accumulating wealth which we think are good for them, with the time that was meant for them. We backstab and step over people to do that and we created for ourselves a dog-eat-dog world.

When we live within the right context of community, we receive strength and contribute to its betterment. When we don’t, we take something away from it and leave the community a worse place than it was before. Therefore in that sense, there are really two kinds of people in this world. Those that give to it and those that takes away. Candidly, my question to each of us would be: Do we leave people charged up, or discharged?

“We were once people living in darkness. We have now seen a great light.” (Matthew 4:16) The Bible also says in Ephesians 5:8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Light conveys warmth and life. It gives energy. Darkness takes away. It is cold and silent. Those of us who have seen the light and are in the light, we are to be a source of encouragement and growth to those around us. When we are around other people, there’s more life in them after we leave. Do you have people in your life that when you run into them, your face naturally lights up? Conversely, are there people in your life that when you see them coming your way, there is a natural urge inside you that makes you take the opposite direction, unless you are cornered and are forced to greet them. What kind of person are you to others around you? Do people’s faces brighten up when they chance upon you? Do they look forward to see you? Or are you avoided at all cost? This is a sobering thought and something we would rather deny than to confront because it is uncomfortable.

As a people helper, I constantly feel discharged by the issues I help people with. The Lord recharges me daily but being a social creature, I need people to recharge me too. So the best thing I can do for myself is to learn to regularly go near people who can charge me up. These are the people that I look forward to seeing and they encouraged me and help me see the bright side of life. This is a human need, and it is biblical too, as the Apostle Paul exhorts us to do these to one another: encourage, honor, love, edify, honor, be devoted to, accept, care, forgive, greet, be kind, be compassionate, comfort, live in peace with, to be kind with, and the list goes on. These are the actions that charge others up.

How would you know which kind you are? I encourage (or dare!) you to ask someone who would be honest enough with you. Try your wife, husband, parents, children, cell members, cell leader, pastor, colleagues, friends and even your maids!

May I challenge you to be a people charger? Give energy, not take away! Make time for people and leave them better than when you found them.

Life Seasonings - Principle 3 of 10

2011-01-11T09:01:00.000+08:00

Principle 3: Have Peace (Will it matter in a thousand years?)

A non-Christian couple, plagued with a troubled marriage, came to see me recently in the office. Out of sheer desperation, they had even resorted to paging through the Yellow Pages seeking for the services of psychologists. They consulted one picked from the list and were disappointed with the first session. A DUMC ex-colleague of the wife suggested that they seek the help of the church and hence both ended up in front of me in the counselling room. It was written all over their faces the absence of peace. Frowns on their faces seem like permanent features. I spent the next one hour dissecting their problems and the pleasant conclusion to both of them at the end of that time was that they realized the sum of their individual problems seen insurmountable in the beginning. By taking the problems individually, they were able to see that there was no justifiable issue to consider a separation. A smile broke out at the end of the session and you can literally see peace returning to their faces.

What are the roots of their problem? Firstly, it is in trying hard to change the other person and secondly, the inability to adapt to each other. Often, we try too hard to change people to suit us. And if wisdom prevails, we would have recognized that we can’t change someone unless he is WILLING to change! No amount of nagging, cajoling and threat can change a person. Yet we often get upset and frustrated when we can’t. For example, when an inconsiderate driver rudely cuts into your lane, your natural reaction would be to get upset at the inappropriate violation of your space and pretty soon some not so nice thoughts begin to form in your head. If only you could teach him a lesson or change the way he drives! In Life Skills training, we call this “catching someone else’s monkey”. There are times we need to accept the fact that we can’t really change a person.

So in a marriage, for example, I have often said to young potential marriage partners that they should not go into their marriage with the aim of hoping to change each other to be like them. They will get very disappointed if they try. Funnily, most couples are attracted to each other simply because they are different and yet it is these very differences that threaten to split them apart later in their marriage. I am marrying you because of what you can bring into my life of which I am in lack. The truth is that they need to adapt to each other’s differences. Adaptability therefore negates the need for absolute compatibility. Rather than asking who is the one most compatible to me (which is very self-centered), I seek for someone I can adapt to (which is very other-centered). This is a great formula for successful marriages and therefore peace in relationship. Young people often go into marriages with half opened eyes, in a dreamy state, saying their vows with their fingers crossed and hoping for the best. Then immediately their eyes are wide opened as they live with one another exclaiming “This is not the man (or woman) I married!” In DUMC, we try to reverse the trend. Say your vow with wide open eyes so that you really mean what you say and say what you mean. After that, half close your eyes and overlook each other idiosyncrasies and start adapting to one another.

Often we fight over the most trivial of things. It is usually never over the ‘big’ things that get us into trouble with one another, but the small things, accumulated over time that when summed up together becomes insurmountable. The lack of peace is a reflection of the heart, of always wanting to have things our way and the inability to adapt to circumstances or people, whether consciously or not. A mark of pride hangs over our neck for others to conform to us rather than God.

Our Lord is the Prince of Peace. He said in John 14:27 (NIV) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. That means we need to realize He is in PERFECT control of everything, even with the person who is annoying you or the situation that discourages you.

Whenever my wife and I fight (we are still works-in-progress!) we remind ourselves, “Will it matter in a thousand years?” Often it will not matter and the issue is laid to rest as we learn to adapt to one another. HAVE PEACE!

Life Seasonings - Principle 2 of 10

2010-12-05T02:39:00.001+08:00

Principle 2 : Marry your best friend (Till the day you die)

Marriage is a life-time commitment. At the wedding altar, couples exchanged their vows: “For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.” It is a vow made where there are no exceptions to the rule, irreconcilable differences or circumstances that can break the marriage vow. The Lord himself confirmed the original intent of God in life-long commitment (Matthew 19:8). Certainly we don’t marry just to have a companion because many other people can be good companions. It would be naïve to suggest that one should marry because it is time to do so. Putting two people together for a life-time commitment who have absolutely nothing in common with each other is to invite disaster on an unprecedented scale, if you do not know this yet! One is a man and the other a woman, how different can you get?

I remember an adage: Don’t marry someone you can live with. Marry someone whom you can’t live without. Hmmm … that’s a good thought. One plus one, in a marriage, should not be two, but maybe five, or even ten. What can’t I do as single, which I can only do when I get married, apart from having babies, that is? I cannot fathom the thoughts of some married people who seem to give the impression that they are ‘stuck’ in an unhappy marriage. Instead of being a blessing to each other and the people around them, they spend their entire married life putting out fires in their relationship. How terrible that must be, considering that you are to live with each other for 40 or 50 years. No wonder they take the easy way out – divorce. The kind of brokenness that results must be heart-breaking, especially if there are children involved.

To those looking for a life-long mate, the point is simple. If you are to live with someone for the next 40 or 50 years, you jolly well marry someone who is your best friend, someone you can really truly enjoy being together with. He or she must be your best friend that you will learn to love and accept unconditionally. Not that there are no valleys in the relationship, but in these circumstances, the stronger one holds the weaker one up. Best friend become “best-ter” friends over the years and best friends never quit on each other. Best friends operate interdependently and are secure with each other’s uniqueness and successes. Solomon wife’s calls him “This is my lover, this is friend.” (Song of Solomon 5:16)

Life Seasonings - Principle 1 of 10

2010-11-28T23:46:00.002+08:00

Principle 1 : It’s my fault (Taking personal responsibility)

We play the blame game all the time. When something goes wrong, it is always somebody else’s fault. We rarely admit we are in the wrong as first response. This is the sinful state of our human mind which originated with Adam and Eve: “She made me do it.” “The Serpent deceived me.” (Genesis 3:12,13) Counsellors call it blame-shifting. It doesn’t matter whether we are young or old, we blame-shift all the time and the greatest disservice that happens when we do that is we don’t see the plank right in front of our eyes (Matthew 7:1-5).

As Christians, we are to learn to be over comers in our life. I heard in one of Rev. Dr. A.R. Bernard’s talk: “We are not human beings trying to have a spiritual experience. Rather, we are spiritual beings trying to master our earthly circumstances.” What a profound biblical truth put in a fresh new way! We often adopt a fatalistic outlook in life, that we have no control over our circumstances and hence the choices we can make. “My circumstances forced me to behave this way”, when often it is the refusal to take personal responsibilities that is the problem.

When we point our index finger at someone, the other three fingers are pointing back at us. When things go wrong, while we can’t control the circumstances or other people, we can certainly and must control our responses. Maturity is about having the courage to admit that I am at fault and will take responsibility over my contribution to the problem and allow others to realize theirs. When this is an agreed ground rule to relationship, can you imagine the impact it has to human society. There will be no more wars!

Life Seasonings - Ten Principles I live by

2010-11-12T20:00:00.000+08:00

I mentioned in my last post that I will upload a series of articles I wrote for DUMC's Floodgates on the Ten Principles I live by. These are the principles I realized I consistently apply and guided me in the many decisions I have to make in the last 50 years of my life. Here it goes with the introductory and thereafter, it will be a principle at a time. These are the unedited version of my articles before it went to the editor. Happy reading!

INTRODUCTION

If ever there’s a book I would like to write, I would title it “Life’s Seasoning”. Life itself is our best teacher, guided and directed by the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, the Bible. Just the mere fact of living life, is a privilege to be savored and relished. Some lived it well, others wasted it and most I think lived it mediocrely. If only we would learn to respond wisely and react less to life’s circumstances, we could have emerged less scathed and stronger in character. Pains and sufferings are as much part of life as are blessings and prosperity. There are no guarantees to either, yet we can respond wisely to whatever comes our way. Being in blessings is no more spiritual than being in pain. What matter most is how we have lived life the best that we can. God doesn’t hold us accountable to those things that we don’t have or having a responsibility for. He only holds us to that which we have control over.

Lately, I have been asking myself, if I could list down ten things (or principles) by which I lived my life by, things which I feel passionately about and would dedicate not to just live by them but to teach and model to others to do the same, what would that ten things be? This led me hours of writing down in raw forms what these statements are, fine-tuning and finally selecting these ten things. They are by no means exhaustive of all that God had taught me and learnt through life’s experiences. But these will be, as of now, what are most important to me.

I will list these ten things here in this article and from here on in the next five articles following this, I will elaborate what they mean. Some may be repetitive from previous articles that I have written but hopefully presented in a different and fresh perspective. Here it goes:

1. It’s my fault (Taking personal responsibility)

2. Marry your best friend (Till the day you die)

3. Have Peace (Will it matter in a thousand years?)

4. Make time for people (Leave them better than when you found them)

5. Have a good sense of humor (Learn to laugh)

6. Grow well and deep (Be like an oak tree)

7. Walk in freedom (Walk light)

8. Life is short (Don’t waste it)

9. Rooftop principle (Don’t even go there)

10. Reflect often (Make many pit stops)

There you have it. Most of these phrases are in themselves self-explanatory. The key challenge I have for you here is, are you able to write down what’s important for you and are you prepared to live by them? Just this morning, I was in conversation with a brother who has taken quite a beating in his career for the last twelve years. Job after job lasted only about two years or less. His key reason for not staying long in these jobs is simply his desire to stay true to his moral conviction and ethical stand in his business dealings. With tears welling in his eyes as he related them, I could not comfort him with a reason why he had to go through all these. Or why God has not vindicated him or provided a way out. Or I could tell him he made bad decisions about the company he is joining. As I feel for the brother and the pain he is going through, all I could say at the end of it is simply this: “You have passed the character test, brother, and you have honored the Lord.” I could see how this affirmation encouraged him in spite of what he is going through. What does this mean for him? That “blessing and prosperity” will be with him from here on if he applied the right formula? No one can guarantee that. In fact, that would be plain self-centeredness if we go by the adage that when we do something for God, He will do something for us. The emphasis is on self and not God, and we are in the danger of becoming a consumeristic driven religion. But what if God didn’t answer the way we wanted Him too. Is God any less? That’s where our values and understanding of God comes in. Are our convictions dependent on circumstances or are they God dependent? But one thing I know for certain for this brother. He can sleep well every night from here on because he does not only know the truth, he lived it out as well. Such is the power of a clear conscience and a life of integrity.

How about you? What are your ten things that you live by?

Turning 50

2010-10-16T02:07:00.000+08:00

I turned 50 on 4 Oct 2010. Half a century! Sounds like a long time but it's really like a twinkling of an eye. In another twinkling of an eye, I will be 70, what the Bible says, 3 scores and 10 years, i.e. 70 years.

Psalms 90:10

The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

I was asked last weekend at our church's Baptism and Encounter Weekend what were my "secrets" that kept me going for the last 50 years and keeping the passion. Interestingly, these were the answers I gave on my feet. Three quick answers:

1. Keep a close relationship with God.

2. Keep a close relationship with your family, especially your wife.

3. Keep a close relationship with yourself.

The first one is vital as God is the author and perfecter of our faith. When God is central, everything else falls into place.

The second one is crucial as the Bible is crystal clear: 1 Timothy 3:5 "If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?

Why do I say "especially your wife"? Because she is the closest person I can ever get to know and she's to be my best friend and partner! If I am not at peace in my home front, everything else will fall apart and I would not have the integrity to carry on.

Thirdly, know yourself with deep sense of humility. As a pastor, I am often very concern when people put us on a higher pedestal than we deserve. We are after all human and prone to all human frailties. The older I grow, the more I recognize my own shortcomings, and the more I need the Lord. No wonder Apostle Paul, the hero of our faith, says this:

1 Corinthians 10:12

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!

That was in the context of the learning from the past failures of recorded human failings in the Bible and the ubiquitous temptations.

Keeping and maintaining a humble attitude will help us be a learner for life.

In our church bi-monthly magazine Floodgates, I wrote a series of articles titled: "Life Seasonings - Ten Principles I live by." It is a series of articles that I wrote as a form of personal reflection having lived life for almost half a century.

I will post the unedited version one principle at a time for the next few weeks. Hope you will glean some wisdom for yourself.

The Corporate Genius of Moses

2010-09-22T14:36:00.004+08:00

Actually not so much of Moses but Jethro, his father-in-law. It is his humble leadership that allowed Jethro to speak into his life. (Exodus 18) Moses took the advice and save him from himself (burnout) and from his people (unhappiness due to their long wait and possibly coming back the next day).

Moses' shepherding heart is clearly seen here. He had 40 years experience of that in the same desert looking after sheep where he is in exodus now with his people. You can see his compassionate heart to listen to and resolve the problems of his people.

¹³ The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. ¹⁴ When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?"

¹⁵ Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. ¹⁶ Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws."

While this sounds noble, you can imagine the impossible task of looking after a population of 603,550 men of over 20 years old. Add the womenfolk and children, we are talking about in excess of 2 million! Moses could not see what was outside with the people as he deals with the individual cases, the waiting and the complaining, and possibly arguments and small fights that took place between the offending and offended parties. They had to take a number and wait their turn.

Jethro had probably walked around and observed everything, at least for a day we know. He is the corporate consultant who saw a problem and provided a corporate strategy to deal with this problem. Two problems existed:

1. The immensity of the task in governing the people by a single person.

2. The training of people for leadership under him. If Moses continues to go solo, his people will not develop in leadership.

Jethro provided a simple model:

¹⁷ Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸ You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. ¹⁹ Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. ²⁰ Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. ²¹ But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. ²² Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. ²³ If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied."

Jethro's advice is:

1. Pray for them (v19)

2. Teach them (v21) - Don't give them the fish that last a day. Teach them to fish for themselves to last a lifetime.

3. Select men with the following criteria - capable, fear God, trustworthy, upright and honest (meaning, men who have spiritual character and leadership skills)

4. Put them to lead over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. (A multi-level structure)

5. Have a philosophy of empowerment - simple cases they decide. Moses will only take the difficult ones.

The fruit? (v23)

Moses will live longer and not die early due to burnout and the people will go home satisfied.

We see in Moses the pastors of many churches today. Not only do they place this unrealistic expectations on themselves, the church members as well. No wonder many pastors cannot last the pace and if they do, ministry has become a lonely and burdensome task. Our church structures and practices today encourages the great clergy-laity divide. 10% of the people doing 90% of the work. 22 players in the football field badly needing rest and 10,000 people in the stand needing exercise.

This is unfortunate because we loose out on God's design for the church. The church is not the pastor, but everyone in it. We are called to be a kingdom of priests. (1 Peter 2:9) Everyone exercising the role of priests but we have relegated that role to the pastor or leaders. How often have we heard phrases like these:

Pastor's prayer is more powerful than ours.
Pastor must be invited to this occasion, do house-cleansing, baby dedications, etc.
Pastor must visit every person in church.
Pastor must visit every sick person in hospital or at home
Pastor must sit in every committee as he is the spiritual leader

As a pastor, I agree these are important roles but are these the most effective way to disciple the church by doing everything? Of course we will do them but to what extent? Jethro's advice to Moses was to teach the people how to live. Meaning, teach the people to live such a way that they do not start unnecessary fires in the first place. In other words, don't just do fire-fighting, for they are very time-consuming and energy sapping. Rather, invest in fire-prevention. Teach, train and equip (v20-show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform) the people to live rightly. Disciple them so that they are people "chargers" rather than people "dischargers". The devil's strategy is simple. Let the members think they have no power and therefore useless and make the pastor thinks he is a superman and wear him out.

Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 4:11-13 that the key function of the five-fold ministers in the church is not just to do the ministries, but to equip others to do them.

¹¹It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹²to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

The church need to re-discover this corporate strategy - which is fondly known as the "Jethro Principle". This is the principle at the heart of my church DUMC, which is a Cell Church. I have written an article some years back on this. You can read it here, here and here.

DUMC runs its annual Malaysia Cell Church Conference (MCCC), equipping and training churches in this corporate strategy. The 15th MCCC will be on 9-12 June 2011. Download this year's brochure here to have a feel what the conference topics are like.

So if someone comes up to you and ask why the church is copying a secular corporate structure, just tell them it's the secular business that is copying the church! John Wesley used the same strategy and sustained a revival that last a long time!

So pastors/leaders, go the long haul. Mobilize the Bride of Christ for the works of ministry!

The Fine Art of Learning - Asking Questions.

2010-09-14T02:49:00.000+08:00

There is a Chinese proverbs that says "He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever."

There are 63 verses in the book of Proverbs that have the word 'fool' in it. Here are some of them as food for thought. The texts are from NIV. The lines in red are from "The Message Bible"

Prov 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.

Prov 12:15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.

Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice.

Prov 12:16 A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly; the prudent quietly shrug off insults.

Prov 13:20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.

Prov 17:16 Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom?

What's this? Fools out shopping for wisdom! They wouldn't recognize it if they saw it!

Prov 17:28 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.

Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise; as long as they keep their mouths shut, they're smart.

Prov 18:2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.

Fools care nothing for thoughtful discourse; all they do is run off at the mouth

Prov 26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

See that man who thinks he's so smart? You can expect far more from a fool than from him.

Learning usually passes through three states.

In the beginning, you learn the right answers.

In the second state, you learn the right questions.

In the third and final stage, you learn which questions are worth asking.

There must be a hunger for learning. Someone once illustrate learning with thirst. When someone is thirsty, he will automatically go to the jug and pour himself a glass of water. In fact when you drink only when you feel thirsty, you are already at the initial point of dehydration. We should all be drinking adequately even before we feel thirsty. I can tell whether a person is a learner by the way he states a problem he has observed in others or himself.

A non-learner merely complains about it. A learner learn new skills to solve it.

Why do I need to continue to learn?

For your Sake (Maturity )
For Other's Sake (Love)
For God's sake (Delight)

HAPPY LEARNING --- AND ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS!

Slaves to Righteousness - Romans 6:15-23

2010-08-20T02:13:00.000+08:00

We are now into the book of Romans in our Bible Reading Plan.

Following on from my post on "Ouchhhh .... !! Exodus 21:2-6", the strange concept of a willing slave, Apostle Paul brought the argument further in Romans 6:15-23.

Verse 16: Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

The willing slave is the one who has the option or choice to be a slave. In this argument, Paul is basically saying that we have really only two options in life. Either you are a slave to sin, or a slave to righteousness. And righteousness comes through faith, not of our works.

Ephesians 2:8-9 ⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

In the first instance, when we are slaves to sins, we are unwilling slaves. We all know how easy it is to sin. It comes so naturally. We never have to teach a child to do wrong. They will naturally do wrong. But we have to teach a child to do RIGHT. We are therefore naturally drag into sins because of our sin nature. We have to try very hard not to sin.

In the second instance, when we are slaves to righteousness, we choose to do what's right. The willingness comes from a wholehearted desire to follow Christ. The new life in us enables us to free ourselves from ourselves (the sin nature) and turn that control over to Christ.

2 Cor 5:17 ¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Gal 2:20 ²⁰I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Romans 6:6-7 ⁶For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with (or rendered powerless), that we should no longer be slaves to sin— ⁷because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

When we move away from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light, we experience an inner transformation or regeneration which allows the Holy Spirit to render that sinfulness powerless over our lives. Instead, we now choose with a new desire to do what honors God. It is not without struggle because Paul gave us a glimpse of the inner battle in Romans 7:7-25 of our struggles with our sin nature - the flesh man versus the spirit man. This struggle remains with us until the day we die. Hence the need to choose each day to live for Him by the power of the Holy Spirit.

'Be filled with Spirit' in Ephesians 5:18 is not a one-off experience. The verb used is of a continuous tense, which rightly translated, 'be constantly filled' or 'keep on being filled', with the Spirit of God.

We need to guard our hearts therefore everyday to ensure that new life is fed rightly.

What are the principles and lessons?

1. When we are slaves to sin, we can't help but do wrong.

2. When we are truly slaves to righteousness, we can't help but do right.

That's why many of us experienced that when we became a Christian, we no longer like to do what we used to do. There's a strange desire that envelopes us that helps us stay away from wrong things. I know of new Christians who were chain smokers before and upon their new life, the taste of cigarettes became repulsive instantly.

But we do not take this new life for granted, but to nurture it to be strong spiritually so that we do not fall back into our sinful nature. The KEY is therefore is daily OBEDIENCE to the Word of God. That builds a strong spirit man within.

The Sick Woman (Mark 5:24-34)

2010-07-26T23:11:00.000+08:00

Our current Bible Reading Plan in on Leviticus and though hard-going it may be, it will come in handy when we interpret the gospels. I preached last weekend on the above passage and if we have Leviticus 15 in mind, this story comes alive.

In this short passage (Mark 5:24-34), we note the condition the nameless woman was in.

· She had a medical condition that caused her to bleed continually for 12 years. We do not know what her medical problem was.

· She suffered a great deal and will definitely be anemic and weak due to the continual blood loss.

· She had spent all her money going from doctor to doctor. She is also therefore poor by now.

· She was religiously impure (unclean)

God instituted a strict code of hygiene conduct for the Israelites in terms of dealing with diseases and bodily discharge in Leviticus 13-15.

Leviticus 15:19-24 talks about women’s menses when during the next 7 days from the initial flow, women are considered unclean and are not to touch or be touched. These laws probably worked very well for healthy women who had a menstrual period of five – seven days. It was a time out for them, when they were relieved of their normal duties and could rest.

Leviticus 15:25-27 brings another situation where it says that a woman having a bloody discharge other than her monthly period is unclean for as long as the bleeding occurs.

Anything and anyone she touches during this time will be unclean as well yet, here she was, in the middle of the crowd, determined to touch Jesus. It was a risky venture.

As harsh as it may sound then, the Pharisees had probably turned Leviticus into a system of man-made laws that had become oppressive and separated people, especially women.

· She was therefore a social outcast. She’s not welcome anywhere and had to live alone.

· She was carrying a huge burden of guilty which definitely led to a severe low self esteem problem. She wondered if God had left her and Jesus was her last hope. Women during those times had no personal worth. She had nobody. A total outcast. One of the greatest shames of a Jewish woman was the lack of a socially accepted status of motherhood. Motherhood was her future security that her children will take care of her. The Jews commonly referred to sickness as a chastisement from God.

Here you have a sick woman, described in the context of Levitical laws, a woman of great and desperate need. My heart goes out to her. Understanding the Levitical laws have helped me appreciate this story in ways I could not otherwise.

Her greater need was to be socially accepted back into her community and to know she was affirmed by God. With a crowd surrounding Jesus, it seemed foolish to the disciples that Jesus should ask who touched him. He had the woman in mind. He needed to draw her out into open for three reasons.

1. She’s accepted by God. “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” Note the word “Daughter”. With a single word from Jesus, 12 years of pain and isolation were swept away. In no other gospel account does Jesus use this term of endearment and respect.

2. He did this in the presence of Jairus, a synagogue leader. Whether he will be a testimony for her later, we don’t know. But it was necessary as part of the reconciliation process to the religious community.

3. He did this in front of the crowd. This was necessary for her acceptance into her social community.

She was a member of the family now, restored to her community, setting an example for others. We find others later doing the same, showing others that their faith, no matter how small, is good enough for God as it is really about God’s grace, not so much our faith. (Mark 6:56) And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

Matthew 17:20

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

This woman had left a legacy of faith.

Leviticus

2010-07-07T02:37:00.000+08:00

I can almost see the frown on your face as you plod through the first four chapters in Leviticus in our Bible Reading Plan. What in the world are all these offerings about? How do I even apply what I am reading? Are there any relevance?

If you have not gotten any help from any Bible tools, I don't blame if you want to give up, or just simply read through it for the sake of keeping to the plan.

I have mentioned before a great resource in David Pawson's book. There's another book that will be an absolute delight to help you:

The Way to Wholeness - Lessons from Leviticus by Ray C. Stedman.

You can view his site here as first reading.

http://www.raystedman.org/bible-overview/adventuring/leviticus-the-way-to-wholeness

This will make your Leviticus reading come alive!

Fathers Club

2010-06-21T11:42:00.002+08:00

I preached last weekend during Fathers' Day. It created quite a buzz in facebook and twitter. I think it is simply that there's something about the subject of fathers that is dear to our hearts. Check out my sermon summary if you interested in my newly created blog "DUMC Fathers Club".

Interestingly, I received about 100 forms from fathers and even single young adult men who are interested in this club. This has been on my mind for a couple of years and I believe it is the right time now to create a local movement in DUMC for fathering. I believe it will have a systemic effect on marriages, parenting, family life and church as a whole.

There are many resources out there and pray that we will be discerning which to use that will really move us fathers up a notch.

Happy Fathers' Day!

A song as I journal

2010-06-11T01:55:00.001+08:00

Today's reading is a reminder of our fundamental doctrine of faith and it got me into singing a song :)

1 Cor 15:1-7
¹Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. ²By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
³For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. ⁶After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, ⁸and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

Apostle Paul said this is of first importance .. meaning, high on the list! Three simple words that encapsulate the Christian faith: DIED - BURIED - RAISED.

And as I meditated on this passage, I started singing this old song:

Living He Loved me

Dying He saved me

Buried He carried

My sins far away

Rising He justified

Freely forever

One day He’s coming back

O glorious Day

Casting Crown did a wonderful modern version of this song with this part in the chorus.

Here's the song in YouTube.

Here's a jazz version - Coooooool ...... YouTube

May we reminded how precious we are to Him!

Why not rather be wronged or cheated?

2010-06-06T03:01:00.000+08:00

This is a tough one. This is an interesting position Apostle Paul had taken. He argued that there's much at stake here. Even our rights can and should be sacrificed for the greater good of the Name of Christ. Remember, this is said in the context of much disunity in the Church and other compromises mentioned in Paul's letter. The Corinthians have become very carnal and were going back to their old ways. They forgot their position in Christ, as Christians. There were lawsuits taken against each other. Paul sarcastically said that even the least in the church ought to be able to judge the case, than bringing it to pagans.

Paul took such a strong position that he went on to say "Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?"

This is radical and if we understand this in the context of the previous post I had on being a willing slave, how then do we die to our rights? If we have died to ourself and live for Christ, dead men have no rights! Isn't that's what missionaries do, dying to their rights for a comfortable life and moving to foreign culture for the sake for the Gospel? Isn't that's what many in our churches who give up what is their right to a comfortable private life, give it up instead to serve others regularly, within or without the church?

I think Paul's hitting the nail on the head, by basically saying that the heart of the problem is the problem of the human heart. We are inherently SELF-CENTRED!

1 Corinthians 6:1-8

¹If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? ²Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? ³Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! ⁴Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! ⁵I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? ⁶But instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers!

⁷The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? ⁸Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.

Adjusting the Sails

2010-06-06T02:30:00.002+08:00

This came from the Maxwell Leadership Bible. I was drawn to the reminder of what it takes to be a great leader.

WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR ATTITUDES

Our destinies in life will never be determined by our complaining spirits or high expectations.

Life is full of surprises, and the adjustment of our attitudes is a lifelong project.

The pessimist complains about the wind.

The optimist expects it to change.

The leader adjusts the sails.

We choose what attitudes we have right now. And it’s a continuing choice. I am amazed at the large number of adults who fail to take responsibility for their attitudes. If they’re grumpy and someone who asks why, they’ll say, “I got up on the wrong side of the bed.” When failure begins to plague their lives, they’ll say, “I was born on the wrong side of the tracks.” When life begins to flatten out and others in the family are still climbing, they’ll say, “Well, I was in the wrong birth order in my family.” When their marriages fail, they believe they married the wrong person. When someone else gets a promotion they wanted, it’s because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Do you notice something? They are blaming everyone else for their problems.

The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That’s the day we truly grow up.-Developing the Leader Within You

CHOOSE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HOW YOU VIEW YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES.

1 Corinthians

2010-05-22T01:10:00.001+08:00

Those of us who have been following our Bible Reading Plan since 2009, you have so far covered these books:

OT: Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Ezra, Nehemiah, Micah

NT: Matthew, Mark, John, Acts, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Philemon, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1 2 3 John, Jude

Our current reading is 1 Corinthians.

Congratulations! You have faithfully read the Word of God and journal down your thoughts and applications of God’s revelation to you. I am reminded in today’s reading (1 Cor 2:6 – 3:4) that spiritual truth can only be understood by the spiritual mind. Therefore intelligence is not equivalent to spiritual insight. You can be super intelligent and are able to regurgitate every known fact around, yet you can be spiritually blind to the things of God.

Yesterday we read “ ²⁶Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹so that no one may boast before him. ³⁰It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. ³¹Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Cor 1:26-31

Therefore we have the Spirit of Revelation in each of us, the Holy Spirit, who comes and guides us into all truth (John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.)

Pray before you read the Word of God, because it is not only with our human minds that we understand, it must also be the spiritual mind that helps us grasps the truth and applies it to our lives. That’s why a person can know the word of God well and can quote effectively from the Bible, yet we see no real effect of the Word on his life. This the Bible calls a carnal man (as opposed to the spiritual man).

As you move into 1 Corinthians, here’s some quick background:

Of all the churches Apostle Paul founded, the Corinthian church is the one that gave him the most headache. That’s why they need two long letters from him. Their problems were serious.

1. They were deeply divided, different groups following different leaders.
2. They were very immoral, to the extent that a man was living in sin with his mother (possibly his stepmother). Even the pagans of the day would have condemned it.
3. Some were drunk while having Holy Communion and were not gracious and considerate towards their poorer Christian brethren.
4. Others practice an aggressive form of feminism.
5. They certainly were not clear of basic Christian doctrines.

Let me quote from “Unlocking the Bible”, page 956

The city that Paul visited was very wealthy and terribly pagan. The inhabitants worshipped the gods of Greece and Rome, including Poseidon, god of the sea, and Aphrodite, goddess of love. The huge temple of Aphrodite housed 2,000 priestesses who were effectively prostitutes, since worship there involved intercourse with a priestess. Indeed, ‘to Corinthianize’ became a verb in the Greek language, meaning ‘to have promiscuous sex’. So this background explains in part why Paul needed to concentrate on male-female relationships in his Corinthians letter.

In fact he dealt head-on on this subject of worship at the temple of Aphrodite in 1 Cor 6:9-20.

With this background, you will appreciate Paul’s letters more.

Poseidon

Temple of Aphrodite

A painting by Andrew Annenberg

Gateway to the Temple of Aphrodite

Ruins of Temple of Aphrodite

BECAUSE YOU ARE WILLING

2010-05-11T19:42:00.001+08:00

1 Peter 5:5 Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;

In my journalling on 10 May, the verse above reminded me of my attitude towards serving God. I remember when I was a young Christian at the age of 17, I was quite affected by my some older Christians who would come out committee meetings "sour face", complaining about the meeting being long, about someone who is not in agreement with them, or simply unhappy being there. I made a promise to myself since, that in whatever I do in serving God, I will not be a reluctant servant. In fact, I recognize the importance of my influence of the people around me, just as I was affected by those coming out from the meetings. If I want to affect people positively, I must find joy in what I do. That's why my vision and mission, written in 1994, is written this way:

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MY VISION

To inspire, equip and model a life of joyful worship and surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ, both in person and as a family, to the community of people around me.

MY MISSION

My God is a good and faithful God and I make it my mission to communicate this so that others may see Him as such. Through my life, I want people to see that obeying and surrendering to God is a joy, and not a chore.

I want to be called a man after God's heart, a true worshipper.

The first place where I want to exhibit this is in my own home. I want Stella to know that I will love her the way God wants me to, and I want her to express to the fullest her potential and giftedness in serving God.

I want my children to see that their dad loves God dearly and serve Him joyfully, and they would want to have what dad has. I want to see my children grow up to love the Lord and serve Him wholeheartedly. In this process, we will serve God together as a family and be an excellent model of a Christian family in every aspect of our lives.

I strive for excellence in my ministry so as to inspire people to excellence in the way they serve God. I will put in a process of equipping that will enable people to discover their vision in life and actualise this vision at home, in ministry and their secular employment.

It is my desire to end life’s journey with these thoughts in the minds of people: Here’s a man who loves God intimately, his wife and children dearly, people passionately, and life itself purposefully

Having said all this, I am fully aware that Jesus Christ must continue to be my central focus in all that I do and all praise and glory are due His Name.

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As a leader today, I realize the power of joyful worship and service. That's what Apostle Peter is saying: "Do it not because you must, but because you are willing". There is a world of difference between the two because it will show up in our attitude. People will sense it and although they may not say it, they will simply be affected in the same way in the way they serve God. I am therefore careful about what I say in front of people, especially my own family. Often because they are the closest, they are also the most vulnerable to our shortcomings. I am not advocating that we are not authentic with the way we feel. Rather, I am advocating "efficacy" - right words at the right time. Better still, we should deal with our attitude towards the way we serve. This way we guard against bad attitudes that naturally comes out when we are reluctant. Examine therefore why we do what we do. We do it because we love God. It is a love response. This is the gist of my last post.

SERVE GOD JOYFULLY!