WHOA! What's DISNEY doin' to kids these days?!

Beware: The following thread may sound a little gossipy and angry heh (Just allow me this once yah?)

Again, something I wanted to post a while back. Was aghast and horrified last week by something I viewed online. Okay, I did not chance upon a sexy, raunchy website--for those of you who are letting your thoughts do wild in all directions. I know my nick is SC (I'm not going to say what it means. Some of you are definitely know). 

I was really bored one night. I was so bored that I was driven to surf CNN's website--I'm not as intellectual as I seem; I don't read scholarly journals and TIME mag for leisure (: So I started viewing a string of videos and it was kinda like a loop. So there was this video that came on entitled "Too Sexy, Too Soon" that caught my attention, of course. I mean, truly in this day and age, sex sells. Perhaps (in general, no implication that these represent my thoughts) repressed thoughts expressed aloud seem to generate more attention. Sounds Freudian huh.

This video made my hair stand and sent chills down my spine cos' I was taken aback at what appeared to be rather distasteful advertisements, when they presented poster ads of the popular hit series "Gossip Girl" in the clip. The ads were sexually explicit, provocative, and absolutely parent-repelling/revolting (whatever...). Immediately, it struck me that some of the teens in my youth group were watching this program. Whoa!! 

According to the CNN presenter, the producers of "Gossip Girl" defended their deed, stating that the show targets a television audience of mature, young adults and mainly women in their 30s. However, TV stats show that the bulk of people religiously tuning in to "Gossip Girl" were in fact adolescents. Unethical? Licentious? Unconscionable? Debase? Unscrupulous? Improper? Hmmph! Just venting...but that's Hollywood for you. 

Well, the fault's not totally on them I guess--I must be fair. Society has progressed (or degenerated rather). Debauchery, promiscuity, pervasion, vice, etc. are promoted on all fronts. Forgive me if I sound like a straitlaced, prissy and prudish doctrinaire ( I love using all my GRE words! Never get to use them in scholarly articles and you wonder why they make you master these words?!). I'm not going to do the final judgment but it's just kinda scary cos' we are human and we are not entirely impervious or immune to attacks from all sides and corners. 

Another headliner stealer is Hollywood sweetheart turned Hannah Montana Monster, Miley Cyrus. She's the new addition to disney darlings gone wild (of course, the most distinct one being Britney Spears). Talks are flying about the young lady leaving the hit series. Everyone in the entertainment scene is now debating whether Hollywood has been pushing young starlets to fill the role of sexy sex sirens too soon. There is some truth to it I suppose. It's to do mostly with the pervasive culture and profiteering mindset in the entertainment industry. But that's not to say that what TV portrays has a huge dose of reality in it, and even have it exaggerated manifold for dramatic effect, thus perpetuating such images and lifestyles. And hence, spawning a vicious cycle that spirals exponentially. 

Not defending Hollywood but also accountable for Miley's plight could be her parents. Newfound fame and accompanying power can always stir irrationality. Be it encouraging her to be fully initiated into the unhealthy Hollywood lifestyle, or being negligent in reining her in and protecting her from the unwholesomeness., I believe they are to a large extent responsible for her situation. Come on, would you allow your fifteen-year-old to pose nude (okay, semi-nude, with only a cloth over her frontal body) on Vanity Fair?! And the suggestive scene between she and her dad...hmm...I'm not going to think of me doing it. Okay, maybe I'm like everyone else who is reading too much into that particular sight.

Anyway, there's no way to stop teens from watching and learning vicariously from such shows. Nor is it going to help you score points with your kids for banning then from watching TV. They still need to go out and school ain't going to stop (kids, don't raise your hopes on that and get excited over that possibility; it's nil). They are bound to see adverts and other materials online; they are certain to discuss related issues or come across them in school. The best way is to bring your children up in a manner that builds trust and is based on strong principles that you adhere to as a parent. With that relationship, you can steer them on the right track. Young people are definitely curious about sexuality and other stuff, and rather than making it forbidden fruit and taboo, sometimes it's better to lay it out in the open (of course, not allowing them to experiment, but rather educating them about these things--ok educating sounds a little top-down, which may be necessary but more like a sharing of life experiences and beliefs will do). Yikes, I'm going back to the psychology Q&A track...wasn't intending to sound preachy again.

Anyway, everything's not all bad. There are good teen models in Hollywood. Amanda Bynes? Nicky Blonsky (the cute, plump leading lady from Hairspray. She is talented and not the typical emaciated teenage girl)? They could lead the way for many young girls around the world, yah. I like Nicky. She makes me feel that I don't have to be slim to be pretty. Okay not going into a huge discourse on that for now--evolutionary psychology 101, why do males like females of a certain set of body stats. 

Okay, enuff said. I have rest my case. My bottomline concern is that teens fall captive to the promotion of negative values. Your parents, teachers, church elders, counselors, etc. aren't going to be there all the time, so young people, you gotta make decisions independently increasingly as you grow older. So get the flak or be criticized like Miley for such demeanor? Well, that's punishment by society. Or allow your conscience, beliefs, God to lead the way? Tsk tsk. So many things to think about as a teen. Thank God, I've moved on--more financial freedom and in the prime of my life--no kids, no house mortgage to pay!

Song called "In Christ Alone" that I got very hooked on few weeks back cos' of the marvelous lyrics. Always wanted to loop a song onto my blog page but I'm too lazy to figure that out (I spent 1 hour trying to find out how one afternoon previously! But to no avail of course.) Plus, I bet it would irritate you guys who actually read or visit my blog. Would like to put a hit counter to find out how many visits I get (haha some ego boost) but too lazy also. Okay, here's the link. Go see yah.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6wMB-AWLC4

Hehe, me in a bed of sunflowers! Unrelated to the song...

Dark knight and sentinel of my life...

This is something that I've been wanting to post for a while now, but have yet to get started on. It's something for those who always lament that God doesn't seem to be working in their lives. I heard this preached during Dr Joe Stowell's seminar at St. Andrew's cathedral and read this in My Daily Bread.

You know, our God operates like white blood cells. They destroy bacteria in our bodies without our conscious awareness. No one knows how many invasions these silent assassins have stopped or how many lives they have saved. They just don't get their due recognition like penicillin does. 

Well, the sad thing is often God get similar treatment. Worse still, He gets blamed when something goes wrong. How many time do we question "Why me, God?" or "How could you let this happen to me?" When things go right, He seldom gets the credit--"Everything turned out well because I worked hard for it" Everyday, we get up, get dressed, drive to work or go to school or go on dates, and return safely home to our families. And we don't realize how many times God had actually protected us from harm. But when a tragedy happens, we ask, "Where was God?" 

The wonderful things He does silently on my behalf deserves a list of praises that should far exceed all my petitions to Him. And still I find myself shamefully asking for more. Oh well, we are human. But I really need to learn how to count these hidden blessings and revel in the fact that my God's got my back and I needn't worry 'bout anything!

God's always busy at work in my life. Amen.

All in a day's work!

I seldom blog about my day so I shall take a stab at it tonight. Well, because it was a whole day of fellowship with people from church and I felt blessed by the company and of course, God's presence amidst it all. Did I forget to mention that I woke up feeling shitty? Yes I did, but God works and prayer works, amen?!

Okay, so in one sentence the stinky stuff that happened to me:

Woke up feeling lousy about myself (maybe it's the hormones setting in? Ok...too much info for now, babe), read the papers and did my QT (after brushing my teeth, of course. Wouldn't want to speak to God with icky breath), had a hard time choosing what to wear (as usual), as a result had to rush and almost got into car accident, later got caught in traffic jam on the way to Suntec, found myself having to meet unfamiliar faces and going through the awkwardness of being an alien in a new social environment BUT...

What turned out well?

The people in that new social environment turned out to be friendly people, met an old classmate that I haven't seen in ages, linked up with nice folks and enjoyed the company as the social barrier disintegrated. It was nice fellowship with people my age (finally!)

What turned out better?

Bought a hundred and sixty-five dollar dress from Massimo Dutti that concealed my plumpness and actually created an illusion of slimness in me--good buy...but no chance to wear now :( 

Okay, I was just kidding...how can something so material be of superior gratification to me than the gift of companionship and fellowship. I just mentioned the dress because I wanna share my joy of purchasing such a great find, and to preempt my mum from any shock when she's sees my credit card bill and realized that I splurged on another article of clothing after spending $600 on a light jacket from G Star yesterday. 

What really turned out great?

The farewell I had tonight. Thanks everyone, specifically the adults for initiating this and the youths for your contribution. I appreciate all the planning and preparation that went into it. I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt loved...[Cue: Awwww.....] I'll miss you kiddos dearly! And I also want to say that the Nothinless parents are cool! And one more thing. I finally got to see where some of you guys study or purport to study (hmm...) at. The TP campus is amazing; I like the open spaces and green surroundings and at night it's like a endless maze--we took a night tour on car cos' we couldn't find an open gate! Good for night activities during orientation.

Some things to remember this night by:

Question : What is your fondest memory in Moriah?

Answer (lene): Being able to worship God with the youths...(paraphrase: observing you guys worship the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind is like WOW!)

Vocal acts: an old number, original lyric and mandarin song! Thanks for the song you guys wrote for us. The lyrics were very meaningful. Could you upload on FB? Thanks!

A decadent finish!

Supper at the hawker center near Bedok Police Division. Had sambal stingray, oyster omelette, the famous fishball mee (actually it is more accurate to label it as meatball mee) and washed it all down with sugarcane (that was not too fantastic--seriously diluted but I seldom drink sugarcane juice anyways). And of course, the element of human interaction and authentic fellowship through late night supper-makans! Heh, those of you who are abroad and missing home food, I will feel your agony soon!

Ending:

Okay, I always end my thread with something like a moral of the story kind of message ya. So here's a shot. Tonight I really feel a huge sense of gratitude toward God. Couple of years back, I was feeling rather rotten about my social life. I had made many acquaintance-kind of friends, had some bosom friends that later on became less close to me, lost out on forging relations and never proactively sought friendships in uni, and was in a church where there was almost no one within a comfortable range of my age. Soon, I grew accustomed to the reality that I didn't need friends to survive and could get by with my life without them. I was at ease in my hermit enclave. But God being the generous God He is, decided to bless me with friends from work that I can hang out with (the talk kok, sing song, play mahjong type). And all along, I was not fully cognizant of this, but my youth group was always there for me--though most of the kids were a whole lot younger than me. I'm a lot more blessed than what others would call "losers" who only have a pet or a volleyball (what was its name in Castaway?) as their source of companionship. And today when I stepped into that young adults' cell group (did I mention that earlier?), I understood that God binds. I didn't need to possess a long history with these people and they accepted me as a newcomer. Believers can always find friends in other believers. Isn't it wonderful that people so diverse in their cultures, backgrounds, history and personalities can come together and fellowship in Christ? 

Youth groups, cell groups, churches should all be like a huge plate of rojak!

Different groups of ingredients but all mixed together with the dark sweet sauce to form a delectable dish! I think I'm starting to miss Singaporean food...

"Perfection is the ideal to aim for. But imperfection is the reality we have to work with every day." Second Home Affairs Minister, Mr K. Shanmugam, in his maiden speech at parliament yesterday, in response to the recent security lapses (i.e. MSK escape, escape attempt by 2 accused persons from the subordinate courts, and the father who successfully went through customs with his son's passport). 

My immediate reaction to this statement when I read it in the papers was like "Wow! Is Mr Shanmugam a Christian or what?" What he said was in essence how our Christian life should be! The verse that popped into my mind straightaway was what Paul said to the church in Corinth in 2 Cor 13. His parting words in the letter were: "Aim for perfection." We are instructed to aim for the perfection embodied by Jesus. 

However, there is a second part to it. The minister wasn't making excuses for the grave blunders by MHA, but highlighting a serious truth. In increasingly complex operating terrain, it was impossible for MHA to derive foolproof measures. And that was the reality; there are bound to be limitations and we can only aim for the ideal. So the Christian relevance? We live amidst the seductive temptations in the world and our severe human limitations like our lack of faith, self-doubt, laziness, limited resolve, etc, interfere with our ability to be perfect. 

So do you think God expects us to be perfect and without a blemish like Christ, just as how the Singaporean community expects MHA to be completely immune to security lapses? I don't think so...even the great apostle Paul admitted in Philipians 3:12 that he was not perfect yet. Amazingly, our God is the most magnanimous and forgiving God. When we lapse, He allows us to turn back and repent. You don't believe that there is no sin too big that God won't forgive? Chapter 33 of 2 Chronicles narrates the story of Manasseh who did a crap load of evil in God's eyes by defiling the land with Asherah poles and Baal altars, but "in his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to Him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea" (2 Chron 33: 12-13). For those of you who feel that you have sinned greatly and are too unworthy to be forgiven, please know that God wants to forgive you. Every sheep matters such that the Shepherd will find means to seek that sheep again. 

I struggle a lot with self-doubt and skepticism about God's ability to turn situations around. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this struggle. So many times I've tried to take charge of my circumstances. At times I do my utmost to appear to others as though I were in control. We don't like to lose control or seem as though we have, don't we? We think it makes us look weak and lousy. It's a huge blow that punctures our self esteem and sends our pride to the dumps. We want to be the best vocalist, best guitarist, best drummer, best at whatever we do! But you know what, when everything goes too well, when we excel at everything we do and when we are well-provided for and wealthy in every aspect, it is easy to be lulled into a complacency and self-sufficiency. That's when we adopt the false sense of security that we don't need God to survive and we don't need His blessings. It's dangerous. It is also possible that God withholds certain talents from us because He knows we can potentially fall into this trap if we weren't strong enough (Read Matthew 25:15). 

Do you know that when we admit that we aren't that strong after all, and that we actually need to rely on God, He is actually pleased? In Isaiah 66, the Lord says this:

"This is the one I esteem:

he who is humble and contrite in spirit, 

and trembles at my word"

This line simply means that the Lord likes those who are humble, sorry for their wrongdoings, and respectful of His Word. 

In Matthew 5, Jesus gives the Sermon on the Mount and taught the Beatitudes. Those who are "blessed" or rather favored by God, are those who are "poor in spirit"--people who are not self-conceited but recognize that they have a void or emptiness which requires God's divine provision. Because we are imperfect, we must realize that we can only depend on God. And those who choose to are blessed. 

I hope that when you feel lousy, you will remember this verse written by Paul when he felt tormented. It is one of my favorites which encourages me when I feel horrible about myself. I printed it out on big font and pasted the print-out on my wall in the office when I was still working in MHA. It sustained me throughout and continues to do so. 

2 Cor 12:9: 

But He (the Lord) said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ;s power may rest on me.

God is a humorous and creative God. He likes to use those whom we least expect to succeed to do great things for Him. Just like how we rejoice and celebrate when a weak character in a movie is vindicated when he defeats some baddies and defies all odds. Which one is more representative of God's power? One who can actually accomplish the feat based on his usual human ability or one who can't do so with his own natural ability. Of course, it is much easier for others to believe that God's divine intervention was at work when the latter succeeds. So moral of the story? If you think you are weak, boast about it and proclaim confidently that God can help you overcome all odds! Remember strive for perfection but don't let your imperfections get you down.

THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF JESUS! (Night 2 continued)

Dr Joe Stowell shared a previous encounter with famous evangelist, Dr Billy Graham, at a dinner function. Being assigned the seat next to this well-acclaimed minister of God, Dr Stowell was naturally tense and eager to strike some conversation. So he ended asking Billy Graham what the greatest highlight of his ministry was, given his long history of serving God. Dr Stowell didn't just stop there but extended his question by offering examples like evangelizing to heads of state, meeting royalty, etc., which he felt silly and embarrassed about when Billy Graham said this: "The highlight in my ministry, Joe, is my fellowship with Christ." 

This little anecdote conveys a huge message. That in everything we do to serve Christ, it's not about us doing great things and receiving recognition and praise from people all around. It's about our fellowship with Christ. And Paul was the epitome of it all. In Philippians 3, he made a list of his bragging rights: being from the tribe of Benjamin, a Pharisee who possessed legalistic righteousness, etc., which all prestigious positions. However, he casted them away and considered them "rubbish" (in the original translation, it meant "dung" which was the most detestable thing). He denied his bragging rights so that he would not exalt himself, but magnify Christ. If our lives are to be all about Jesus, we need to vacate that space for him by trashing out our pride. 

In that same chapter, Paul wrote in the first line to "rejoice in the Lord!". If you read deeper, however, you will realize that this simple phrase can mean "stop rejoicing (or bragging) in yourself and start living to rejoice in the Lord". Jeremiah 9:23-24 says "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom...but let him who boasts boast (instead) about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord..." 

Paul went on to warn the Philippians against "those dogs". And you might be thinking who he was referring to with such a harsh and demeaning term. Paul was talking about the Judaizers--Jewish Christians who wrongly believed that it was essential for Gentiles to follow all the Old Testament Jewish laws (e.g. circumcision) to receive salvation. Paul criticized them because they thought that what they did made them believers rather than the free gift of grace through faith. They placed more emphasis on religious effort ("confidence in the flesh") rather than internal faith. We need to remember not to judge other people's spirituality by their level of human activity. These Judaizers were creating more rules and feeling good about themselves for being able to keep these rules, and they ended up feeding their own prides. So how should we approach ministry? In everything you do, examine your motives. Are you serving God with a loving heart or serving your pride by appearing especially religious? Paul didn't do everything just to escape hell. He longed to experience Christ and he did that by letting go of his bragging rights and being in fellowship with Christ through suffering.

One of the most amazing traits I admire about Paul is his graciousness and selfless attitude. In Ph 1:15-18, he wrote about his contemporaries who preached out of "selfish ambition" and "rivalry" against him. They were taking advantage of Paul's situation to make a name for themselves. Regardless of their motives, Paul rejoiced that the gospel was being preached. Many times, we lament over the fact that other churches are growing and our own is stagnant. Dr Joe Stowell shared about a church member coming up to him one day and saying this "Pastor aren't you bothered that some of our members actually went over to XX church today for the Easter service?" Apparently, a church in the same neighborhood had invited their members to bring friends to this special Easter service. Those who brought the most friends received certain rewards. And as you guessed, many of their friends were from Dr Stowell's church. XX church made their celebration a grand affair with easter egg hunting and prizes, and they had an overwhelming attendance. So what do you think Dr Joe Stowell's reply was? Would he have felt bad or angered? Well, thank God he had gotten over it by the time the church member threw him this question. He said this: "Wow, isn't it wonderful that so many people were in church listening to the message of Christ's resurrection on Easter sunday!" The church member was lost for words. 

Dr Stowell also related another story of how one day a larger church moved into the vicinity of a smaller church that had been at location for donkey years. As the larger church filled up and were crowding out the neighborhood, the pastor from the smaller church went over to the larger church and talked to the pastor from the larger church. The pastor from the smaller church welcomed the other pastor and even offered the smaller church's parking lots to the larger church. He told the pastor this: "For many years, we have been praying for a revival in our neighborhood, and finally God has made it happen." Sometimes, we get all bitter and upset about huge churches growing and we belittle the work they do through criticism. But Paul was amazingly selfless and without a sense of rivalry. At the end of the day, we serve for the same God. 

JOY BEHIND BARS! (Night 2)

Whoa! Blown away by Dr Joe Stowell's exposition of Philippians last night. He is truly God's anointed. For the past week and a half, I'd been reading the book to prepare myself for the seminar and reading it as in depth as I could. And still, Dr Stowell was able to enlighten me on portions of the text which I thought I had full grasp of. Amazing isn't it? That's why it always pays to drag your feet to a bible study, and find God's Word to dazzle you and realize that it was worthwhile the time and energy. Nothing beats listening to God's anointed unveil biblical truths that you seek to understand on your own but to no avail. Last night's preaching was TRULY AN INTERACTION OF MY SOUL WITH THE WORD OF GOD!

Enough said, I would like to share some key points, though I would really like to exclaim about the wonderful time of song and praise we had again. Paul exemplified many traits that deserve our modeling, let's look at them in detail:

THE APOSTLE PAUL, OUR ROLE MODEL--what kept him going?

It is important to know that Paul wrote this letter to the believers in Philippi when he was in a Roman prison. It didn't occur to me how treacherous the circumstance was till Dr Stowell revealed that Emperor Nero was a brutal man, who would discharge the most torturous executions. Christians would be hand on lampposts in the city and become a human torch by night. Sometimes, they were buried to death in tar. Wouldn't you be in fear if you didn't know when you would be called for sentencing and how you would be executed? 

 

But Paul didn't feel bitter at all. He didn't beat his breasts (I mean that as a metaphor, for those who don't get it) and cry "unfair" to God. He took it all in just like how his Lord Jesus Christ did. Because he considered that pure joy to be in fellowship in suffering with Christ. Isn't this amazing, and God-like I presume. Nope, Paul wasn't a masochist, and neither did he have self-destructive tendencies. Why was he able to bear with this torment despite knowing that he had done so much for God? How can I be like that in life's difficulties?

Because he knew that whatever we have in life cannot compare to Heaven and the best is yet to be (Ph 1:23). Now think, what is the greatest pleasure now you have in life--Playstation, scoring straight As, sex? Okay, Heaven beats everything by more than a mile! It is beyond our imagination. A Pastor once said this: "Jesus has designed your passport and there's no hassle at the border!" For those of us who ask, what is Heaven like? Streets of gold, gates of pearl? Is it going to be boring? Are we just singing all day and flapping our angel-wings? Whatever it is, it is definitely far better than what we have now and what we can imagine. Come on, Jesus wouldn't create a boring eternity!

Well, more importantly, it wasn't the alluring reward of escaping hell and making it to Heaven that drove Paul to do whatever he did. Rather it was his eager expectation to magnify Christ (Ph 1:20). In our own lives, we are victimized by many expectations that we don't have control over. But if your only expectation in life was to exalt Jesus, just like Paul had, you will always be in control and will not be victimized but be victorious! Even through his impending death, he said: "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (v. 21). He will live with courage to magnify Christ, and dying was actually a way out of the misery and anguish he experienced-- Heaven is going to be great! But he chose to take the "fruitful labor" so that he could advance the work of God.

  

Have you ever thought whether God put you in a particular place for the purpose of advancing the gospel? It need not be a mission field or a church. It could be anywhere--your workplace, your school, your family which you wish you never been born in, among your friends who you wish you never had (I love my friends...really!) If you check out Ph 1:12-14 and 4:22, you will see what Paul knew was God's purpose for him. He was preaching to the Caesar's household! Whoa! They probably heard of the resurrection of Christ--that miraculous morning where the guards from Rome guarding the tomb were struck unconscious and Christ's body was raised. And those guarding Paul were probably nudging him to tell them the story of how Christ resurrected..."so was it true, what we heard?" They were probably amazed at Paul's courage and composure amidst his plight. This probably spread to palace maids and royal cooks, etc. 

WHAT'S KEEPING YOU DOWN IN YOUR SITUATION TODAY? CAN YOU SEE HOW YOU CAN GLORIFY GOD'S NAME IN THAT SAME SITUATION?

That's a lot of content! I'm going to stop here and continue blogging about a second important point that was raised by Dr Stowell that night in my next posting. Stay tuned!

For now, don't miss out opportunities to live as shining stars for God. Don't let other expectations in life cloud that one expectation you should have. Regardless of the uncertainty, turn your despondency into delight by banking on His promise that He will deliver you. Perhaps you want to go to a top university to do a psychology degree (no prizes for right guesses on whose expectation that is!) and you try so hard to make it into one, but you end up missing the opportunity to testify that it doesn't matter and you are cool about everything because God is in control. People would have seen that and witnessed the power of Christ. 

THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF JESUS! (Night One)

I attended Dr Joe Stowell's seminar at St Andrews Cathedral last night. What he preached about was a huge revelation to me! The night began with squeezing through packs of people to find a perching spot, but the effect was a magnificent chorus of majestic singing that resounded within the sanctuary. Everyone came with such eagerness and fervent hearts, and despite our different Christian upbringings, we were all united in song. In my bible-study companion's personal account, it was simply "a sight of deafening praise" for the Sri Lankan national beside him was singing with all his might. But in all, it was a pleasant surprise and a warm fuzzy feeling of gladness inside. 

Dr Stowell did not delve into the book of Philippians as scheduled. Instead he chose to deviate to another topic which he probably felt compelled by the Spirit to teach about. He preached about the link between Mattew 4 and John 21--how Simon Peter was first called to follow Christ and how his last encounter was Jesus was played out. Both occurred along the beach when the apostles went fishing. I'm going to briefly mention some learning points here (together with a little research I did based on some of the things he said) because it spoke really deeply to me and I hope you glean some new insights that will refresh and nourish your understanding of the Word. Importantly, I felt that the sensitivity Dr Stowell had towards the intricacies of the bible scripture encouraged me and spurred me on to read the bible deeply instead of superficially.

1. WHO ARE WE?

Dr Stowell first challenged asked by asking us who we were. And obviously, most of us would have replied that we were tailors, doctors, admin workers, candle-makers, etc., according to our occupations. But really that creates a problem when we retire or lose our jobs, because along with that, we will relinquish our self-identity and go into a serious conundrum. 

We need to identify ourselves as Christians, followers of Christ. Dr Stowell also mentioned that the early Christians in the bible were known as "People of the Way". True enough, as I did my own search, I realized that this was actually a derogatory term that was used by the Romans to define people who practiced the Christian faith. After all, Jesus was "the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6). What was amazing for me was that people then were not just recognized by what they belief in (which was Christ), but they were known for following "the way" . This early title reflected the importance of our Kingdom lifestyle. 

In Psychology, there are experiments revealing that people who admired or liked certain others would emulate them in action and this was experimentally uncovered when their concrete gestures seemed to imitate the person of admiration or adoration. So likewise, our love for Christ should be exhibited in the manner we behave. If we are truly "People of the Way" (Acts 9:2; 18:24), how do we reflect His ways? 

As you read the gospels, you will soon realize that Jesus is one true "deviant" (I'm not saying this to blaspheme against Him, nor am I suggesting that I'm using it negatively). He does not conform because the world accords low status to prostitutes and tax-collectors but He reaches out to them in generosity and love nonetheless; the world celebrates greed and money but he encourages us to forsake these in light of greater things to come. His "way" is a totally different one. It is a narrow one separate from the broad and comfortable one many are treading today. 

WHO ARE WE? 

WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE WAY!

2. REMEMBER YOUR FIRST CALLING?

Dr Stowell also prompted us to remember our first calling to follow Christ. We were taken to the book of Matthew where Simon Peter was called (Mt 4: 18-20). The crucial text that goes unnoticed very often is the part where Peter and Andrew were said to "left their nets". They dropped their nets, and what is significant about that you may ask? They left everything behind, their job and identity, and took on a new one as a follower of Christ. They immediately dropped their nets! I'm not saying that you should quit your job (neither is Dr Stowell proposing that), but we need to remember that what you do isn't your identity. Besides, we are not saved by our righteousness and our deeds, if so we would all never attain salvation. We are saved by grace, God's grace. Doing tons of charitable acts will not determine your eternity.

Here in chapter 4 of Matthew was an important link to John 21 where the disciples decide again to go fishing. I presume some of you are seeing some light now. By then, Jesus was already crucified and the hope they harbored for Him to achieve certain political prowess and extinguish the Roman sovereignty in their land was diminished. The disciples were obviously feeling defeated and devastated, and hence they returned to their trade. And perhaps, they were deciding to forgo everything they had invested in within the last three years of their time with Christ. They took up their nets again and went fishing, but in verse 3 as it was said that they "caught nothing". Dr Joe Stowell mentioned that sometimes leaders fail when they don't follow Christ, and I guess there's an element of truth in that in our lives. When we ignore what we were called to. Remember that God's plans for us are always far better than what we have planned for ourselves--believe me ya!

At the end of the chapter, Jesus asked Peter the same question 3 times. If it were me, I'd probably feel equally hurt like Peter. I mean, likely Peter was going in his heart: "Jesus, are you doubting me?" But when He said that, it could be that Jesus was trying to convey the seriousness in what he was asking. He was probably telling Peter: "No, I mean seriously, do you really love me?". It was not just a brotherly love Jesus was looking for, but an Agape love--the highest of all, one that was unconditional. And He then asked Peter to "feed me sheep". I guess we would all simply think that Jesus was trying to say that if we loved Him, we should heed his Word to love our neighbors and serve others. 

More deeply, Jesus was instructing us to care for what He cared for. Just like how you would care for what your loved one would care for, in the same way, we are called to care for what Jesus cared for most--His people. And have you ever wondered why humans are referred to as sheep? According to Dr Stowell's theory, sheep are not very smart in the animal kingdom--they just go baah all day. They are one of the weakest. They break their legs easily, they fall easily. They symbolize the neediness in the world. Jesus cared about the needy and their needs and was asking Peter to do the same. And He is asking us to do the same. 

JESUS, PLEASE SHOW UP ON THE BEACH OF OUR LIVES ONCE AGAIN. JUST LIKE HOW YOU FIRST CALLED US, LET US RELEASE THE NETS IN OUR HANDS AND RESPOND LIKE HOW PETER DID. HE RAN TO YOU ON THE BEACH.

Lastly, Jesus supplied everything. In verse 9 you'll see that Jesus was already making breakfast and calling out "come and have breakfast". Like wow, Jesus you are amazing. The whole load of fish they caught that morning amounted to 153. And mind you, they were "large" fish (v. 11). This scene encapsulated God's provision in our lives. When you decide to follow Christ, you don't need to worry about the needs in your life because Christ will supply them all. Jesus showed up three times after He was crucified. He did so always at the weirdest times, but they were the most life-transforming moments. He's amazing!

REMEMBER YOUR FIRST CALLING AND HOW YOU RELINQUISHED EVERYTHING AND LET GO OF YOUR WORRIES AND BURDENS.

As promised...

BIBLE READING IDEAS!! 

I shan't take any credit for these ideas because these are mostly Pastor Joe Stowell's personal approaches to bible reading. I'm so glad I'm finally going to get the chance to learn from the man who will be doing an exposition of the book of Philipians at St. Andrew's cathedral next Thur and Fri night. In fact, I'm currently reading this book so that the seminar will be more meaningful to me. It's great to gain new insights to the bible. To me, it's the most comprehensive handbook of life, and a great source of psychological research ideas for me too! Ever since I started reading the Life Application Bible for QT, I find myself more captivated by the profundity and wisdom of God's Word, and I feel it nourishing and transforming me. Okay, enough said, let's get to the tips!

Keep yourself plugged in till you feel nourished!

The number one tip by Joe Stowell is to treat every time of bible reading as an encounter with God and not just an exercise. In this encounter, search for something relevant to you in the word. This may come quickly, or sometimes it may take longer. Allow your soul, heart and mind to be ministered. 

Capture the ministry such that you can take it with you through the day.

Writing down a concept on a piece of paper and carrying it in your bag, memorizing a key verse, or making some verses a brief and memorable prayer that you can lift before Him are some methods you can try on a daily basis.

Reflect on God's Word in terms of its intended purposes. [MY FAVE TIP!]

This would align you with what He wants to do in your life. He has told us that His Word is...

1. A Mirror: Therefore, you need to read to see yourself as you really are in the light of what the text is saying.

2. A Seed: Permit the Word to be implanted deep in your heart and then envision what the fruit will be if you water and nurture it with care.

3. A Sword: the double-edged kind that pierces through all the externals and reveals the deepest secrets and motives. Let it cut where it will and honestly admit and submit to its surgery.

4. A Lamp: It gives you guidance and direction in the darkness of life.

5. Bread for your Soul: Let the Word nourish your soul. Allow yourself to be touched by a truth, encouraged, comforted, and reproofed. Gain insights from the Word. 

Share the Word with a trusted friend.

This is especially productive if your friend is on the same spiritual wavelength as you. Sharing life-related insights can be a powerful bonding tool with friends, spouses and children.

Vary your approach to scripture.

For a season, you could read 2 or 3 chapters a day in the Psalms and the proverb that goes with the day of the month. At other times a study of a theme (such as friends, money, love, repentance, forgiveness) using the concordance at the back of the bible can be enlightening. You can choose to study an area that you are struggling with in your own life. Bible reading need not be a tedious discipline; it shouldn't be a chore. It can be fun and you can inject creativity as long as you are being ministered to. Sometimes I read little booklets on certain bible themes instead of my bible. This centers me on a point of need and interest.

Read the text submissively.

If you want to profit from its ability to connect you with the One who is speaking through it, this has to be the case. Engaging the Word with a less than open and yielded spirit will widen your distance from God and make bible reading a ritual. Remember: "This book will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this book!"

Hope these were helpful!

EXPERIENCING INTIMACY WITH GOD (FINAL POSTING)

I've talked so much about what it means and what it doesn't mean to experience intimacy with God, but I realized that I haven't given you the "how". So here's Dr Joe Stowell's take on how to draw close to God, though I really think that I'm stating the obvious and you are probably going to go "I bet she's going to talk about reading the Bible and prayer!"

With God, absence does not make the heart grow fonder. On the contrary, it makes it grow more distant. If you don't communicate with Him for a period of time, sin and self-sufficiency will grow stronger. Rebuilding the relationship with Him will be tough. Therefore, communication must be ongoing!

So READ, MEDITATE ON, AND STUDY THE BIBLE! Don't just read without understanding and applying. What is faith without deeds? In the same way, you should allow the Word to transform you. Importantly, give the Lord your BEST TIME. Not before bed, if you tend to doze off close to sleep time. DON'T FEEL GUILTY IF YOU MISS QT FOR ONE DAY because intimacy is more than a half hour discipline. It's a daylong continual walk. But if you miss communicating with God for 3 or 4 days, it'll be difficult getting back on track. Remember, reading the word helps us cling to His righteousness in a secular world. It brings us comfort as well. 

As for PRAYER, the most meaningful aspect of it is not the answers to prayer. It is the way it helps us to focus on God. As we present our concerns to Him, don't you think that we are also re-affirming our belief and faith in Him? You won't pray to something you don't believe in or something like a worthless idol that you know will never give you any form of help, right? Take time to praise the Lord, thank Him, confess to Him and bring your needs to Him, when you pray.

Stay tuned for extra postings with more tips on bible reading and prayer coming soon! I really benefited a lot from these tips so I'll be sharing them with you. Stayed tuned!