3 Things About FAITH

It's been a while since I blogged, but reading My Daily Bread today really illuminated the meaning of faith and uncovered some of the "myths" people, including myself, tend to have about faith. I realized how my long struggle with the belief that I needed "more and more" of it was unnecessary, and that I've been looking at the world through human eyes (my own eyes) and reckoning that things can only go according to the rules of the world. These 3 simple but fundamental truths about faith can often be sidelined in the constant rhetoric that "You just need to have faith".

1. It doesn't matter how much faith you have.

Here is something where black or white, all or nothing, extreme-thinking is advantageous (otherwise most things should be perceived in shades of grey). Here's an excerpt from Luke 17 as evidence:

⁶He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.

In His reply to the disciples who asked Him to increase their faith, Jesus made it clear that quantity of faith is irrelevant. Sometimes we attribute unanswered prayers to insufficient faith, but fail to understand that the effectiveness of our prayers don't hinge on the quantity of our faith but rather the presence of it (i.e., whether we even have faith).

2. Don't limit God's intervention to the ways of the world.

Haha a common error that I tend to commit, by forgetting that God's power is far more superior than the laws of nature in this universe--the laws of science, logic and rationality theorized by men to explain the operations of the world. I hate to admit this but it's even more powerful than psychology (which I totally adhere to as part of my knowledge quest in life). the centurion that Luke spoke about in chapter 7 makes an excellent exemplar for us to model for even Jesus commended him as a man of "great faith":

⁹When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."

The centurion, a man of great military status and riches in the Roman army, did not restrict Jesus' ability to heal his servant to the workings of the world. He knew that whether Jesus was physically by his servant's side did not affect Jesus' ability to heal. Often, we think that some preconditions must be present for certain miracles (or rather possibilities) to occur. For instance, I keep thinking that for me to get into a PhD program I NEED to have a publication and hence I keep praying for one (well, this is an example, not that I have been doing so extensively). But God can choose to reveal His strength through my weaknesses by enabling me to get into a program even it is difficult in the eyes of men so that I realize that it's by His might and not my own effort. Don't limit your faith in God to how things of the world function.

3. Have faith that trusts God to do His work in His way.

I like this one a lot. As mentioned in My Daily Bread, "unanswered prayers" are sometimes not unanswered; in some cases, God has overruled our wishes in a loving manner. He knows that what we asked for simply may not be beneficial or the best for us. Perhaps the timing is inappropriate or He has a far greater purpose that surpasses what we hope for. We cannot see things the way He does, and feel neglected, hopeless, and helpless when we don't see any "response" to our prayers. Jesus' prayer on the Mount of Olives offers some comfort in our distress when we feel that our prayers are unanswered (Luke 22):

⁴²"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

Well, it can be argued that Jesus had an idea of what was happening to Him and that it was for a greater good He was aware of. In many life situations, we are oblivious to what's to come and we don't even know whether the eventual outcome will be benign or harmful. Whatever the case, having a faith that considers the "invisible" (not seeing but yet believing) would definitely help us to step out of hopelessness and helplessness although I must emphasize that Christianity ("religion") is not a feel good thing. Taste and see then you'll realize that God gives us more than we can ever imagine.

Unanswered prayers are answered still

As part of God's great master plan;

They help to carry out His will

To demonstrate God's love for man--D. De Haan

Enter into the Garden of Gethsemane

There are points in our lives where we feel alone. We are in a place where no one else can come with us. It could be sickness; it could be an exam; it could be anything that we need to confront on our own. Our families and friends cannot suffer the illness for us, nor can they take the test on our behalf. The Lord puts us through trials so that WE can be molded and refined; we need to brave the challenges in order to be changed.

In those moments, we don't have to act heroic. We don't need to, in Singaporean terms, geh kiang. Easier said than done. That's what I always do: try so hard on my own, struggle on my own and eventually wallow in self-pity when things don't turn out the way I like them to be. We don't have to carry the burden, the yolk, on our own. You see, when Jesus entered into the garden of Gethsemane, he started off by praying this "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me" He fell with his face to the ground and faced God in His frail humanity, in honesty and in sorrow. He acknowledged His human nature. Likewise, we can enter into that same place and cry out to God, be broken before Him and admit that vulnerability you possess.

But note what the Lord said thereafter. He continued by praying this "Yet not as I will but as You will. He allowed God to override His own humanly desire. Is it resignation? Nope, it is an act of submission and obedience to the One who is all-knowing and almighty, the One who knows what's best for us when we don't most of the time. What does it mean to surrender to the Lord then? This is something that we always tell ourselves and tell the ones we love. But what does it entail specifically. First and foremost, what is within our ability is to stop struggling. Stop trying too hard. Stop bashing through the jungle. Be still, talk to God and praise Him. Go into the presence of God. Go into the garden of Gethsemane to meet Him.

This was a message that really touched me on Sunday when I heard the pastor preach the Word of God. I have been struggling and floundering and trying to keep afloat on my own, doing all it takes in my own wisdom to achieve the success I want. It's tiring and when things don't go smoothly, it is easy to beat yourself and find reasons to blame yourself. You start questioning why you can't do this. We are not invincible and rejoice in that because that keeps us plugged into God's resources; we realize that we need to stay close to God to survive. That's a true blessing that often goes unnoticed.

Here is a link to a song that we sang at service this Sunday. Check this out if you want to know what it means to surrender!

Marc James' Surrender

Pray A Prayer of AUTHORITY Today.

We sang a song during the service today. It went like, "Tell the mountain to move away; tell the mountain to move away; move away, move away". I could really feel the conviction in the crowd as they were singing it. I felt so convicted myself.

It reminded me of how we need to pray prayers of authority at certain times. Whatever circumstance you are going through, be it a "mountain" or situation you feel has reached a stalemate or seemingly hopeless situation, perhaps you should take up the staff today, just as Moses did when he led the Israelites out of Egypt, and "tell that mountain to move away". Bring forth your petition to God with prayer and fasting, and at the same time, pray with authority.

Matthew 17 (NKJV)
20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Mark 11 (NKJV)
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Message from God today...

For the past two weeks Pastor David Wilkerson, founder of Times Square Church, had been ministering and preaching on Sunday mornings. It was indeed a refreshing departure from Pastor Conlon's preaching (not that I don't relish it; Pastor Conlon's a fantastic speaker and a tremendous man of God that I respect a lot, especially his leadership and zeal for God).

Today, Ps. Wilkerson preached an amazing sermon that I just felt the urge to post about here. I won't go into a long rhetoric but I'll just share the essence of it. His message entitled: "God's people will never be ashamed", and was based on Psalm 37:

16 Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;

17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18 The days of the blameless are known to the LORD,
and their inheritance will endure forever.

19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20 But the wicked will perish:
The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields,
they will vanish—vanish like smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;

22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be cut off.

Pastor Wilkerson was speaking this timely message in response to the crisis ahead in the nation and the world at large. Many are living in uncertain times, not knowing what the future beholds. He mentioned how the "wicked" will reap what they sow, and how this is already happening to some with the financial turmoil. In contrast, God's people will, as stated in verse 19, "in times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty". Apart from taking comfort from the fact that God's stated woes will come to pass, we are to rest on His promises that we will not be ashamed and will continue to be well-provided for during calamity. Imperatively, God's reputation is at stake here; whenever a promise like that is made in the bible, we can be rest assured that it will come to fruition because God must keep His word, like how he did when he delivered the Israelites out of Egypt by enabling them to cross the Red Sea--a seemingly futile endeavor by human standards, He made possible.

God cares about His namesake. In Isaiah 48, it is written:

9 For my own name's sake I delay my wrath;
for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you,
so as not to cut you off.

And in verse 11, He reiterates Himself:

11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this.
How can I let myself be defamed?
I will not yield my glory to another.

In this context He is saying that He won't allow Himself to go back on the promises He made to Israel even though they were stubborn and disobedient towards Him. In the same way, we know that God will fulfill His promises. And we need to look at eternity and not just here on earth.

One last line that Pastor Wilkerson said which impacted me was this: "Unity is not a feeling, it's a choice". Often in church, we feel dissatisfied because we feel that we lack a sense of unity, or we don't feel united as a church. But Pastor Wilkerson gave me an alternative perspective of unity as an action word. Unity does not mean no disagreement. Disagreements, in my opinion, can sometimes birth healthy discussions and collective action towards a common good, if managed appropriately. Unity means wanting a common goal, and sharing the burden as the team surges forward to achieve it.

Dear God,
I pray that those who fear will seek comfort in Your promises,
That they will always put their plans in Your hands
Because You know what's best for them.
Amen.

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.

"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!

6 Lessons from Grace

Nope, I'm not talking about a girl named Grace. Rather, I referring to Grace Assembly of God which I visited this morning. Decided to check it out since it's just in the heartlands of Bukit Batok where I reside. Don't ask me why I decided to ponteng my usual church today. Let's just say that I stayed out late last night and wanted the luxury of sleeping in on a Sunday morning. Enough said, here are some of my own personal takeaways from the experience--a tremendous one...

1. "I don't believe in God but I miss Him" vs. "I believe in God but I don't miss Him."

Do you find yourself in the first category or the second? The pastor preached this today (said he read the first phrase in Readers Digest) and I thought it was very sharp. The first mostly describes an independent-spirited non-believer who reveals his/her vulnerability in the storms of life and need for affirmation and love (our non-Christian friends?). Many of us may fall in the second group. We are believers by name but have lost ourselves in the business of the world--distracted and caught up with our lives here. For me, I just want to miss Him. I don't want to shed my dependency on Him because it's sometimes so tiring just trying so desperately hard on my own and giving in to my human pride. That leads me to my second lesson learnt...

2. We need to miss God. 

This links to one of my earlier blog postings on experiencing intimacy with God (the 4th myth of intimacy). We can't possibly experience the fullness of intimacy of God in this world; our limitations are too severe--we can't neglect our work, our flesh is weak, we're lazy and distracted, etc. Furthermore, like what I learnt today, we are physically separated from the fellowship of God. Until the day we meet God in heaven, we'll miss Him on earth and look forward to the day we can fellowship with Him in eternity. Long for Him. If you find yourself not missing Him or desiring after Him like how a wife misses her husband when he has to go abroad to work, pray and ask Him for that longing and yearning. 

3. Age holds no barriers.

Watching some oldies lifting their hands as the worship team played "Shout of the King" and "King of Majesty" at Grace Assembly was so inspiring. The choir, made up for middle-aged ladies, sang and clapped with so much energy and verve! When I went back to my youth service today and watched our beloved thirteen-year-old play beautifully on the keyboard, it was a gorgeous sight. But when I saw her sing so fervently and passionately as she played, the sight of that touched my heart even more and tears began to well in my eyes. Sometimes when I watch my youths so deeply absorbed in their worship, it moves me greatly. Age holds no barriers...it's the heart that rejoices before Him that matters...

4. Our bodies are instruments of praise.

The first thing I noticed when I stepped in as they began the service at Grace was the presence of tambourine dancers. I was so captivated by their form of worship. It has always been my desire to see a dance ministry develop in church. It's such a beautiful way to worship God because in dance one releases all inhibitions and the entire body is used as an instrument to worship God. During the service, I readily lifted my arms and clapped my hands--it was so natural to do so because I just felt so engulfed by the presence of God. It wasn't simply just the cool music or large and nicely-decorated sanctuary; it was the earnestness and fervor of the congregation, all wanting to seek God and use their bodies--their voice, limbs and hearts--to worship God that spurred me on. I was so inspired that I penned some lyrics--though a bit amateurish, they are a reflection of my heartfelt desire and eagerness to worship God.

5. I'm just one talent among many. But that's okay!

Having served in a small church for a while now, I have all along felt comfortable with my talents. You know you are pretty much above average where you are. Once in a while, you let your pride get to you or you assure yourself that you are good. When you enter the sea and leave the pond, you realize that you're just another talent. You are blown away by the tremendous talent beyond the pond. I've been confronted by this thought several times as I contemplated my future in a bigger church when I do move to New York. Today, it came to me again. However, today I felt so satisfied just being in the congregation and I uttered in my heart "God, if you could just allow me to be among your choir of angels in heaven!" I just want to serve Him with others; I don't have to be outstanding. I don't want to feed my pride.

6. How nice if we could just learn from each other!

It was so refreshing being in a different church today. The culture was very pleasant to me. I really liked how many members worshipped passionately, how the worship team encouraged each other in a debrief following the service, how the Pastor preached so brilliantly revealing God's anointing on his life and his gifting in ministry (he was sharp and perceptive), etc. There were so many things that we could learn from. In my mind sparked questions like "Do the AOG churches have a best practices sharing?", "Would it be a good idea to have a worship director and division in the AOG council?" Sometimes, we get so caught up in forging our own church identity and protecting our own church doctrines and traditions from being eroded and "contaminated" by emerging pop cultures from other churches that we miss out on learning from each other. Grace Assembly has a wonderful organizational culture that makes it an inviting place to go to. It's not just the fancy outlook, but an entire packaging and marketing strategy from its locations to the type of equipment they invest in. The reality is this: we live in a world where marketing is important. The "study visit" today was a good one. I wish I could get some of the older youths to join me, and that these visits to other churches inspire them in their own ministries and propel them to strive for greatness in their service to Him. Besides, God meant for all of us to worship Him in unity; it doesn't matter which church you are from, what matters most is that we serve the same God. Visit other churches once in a while with the right mentality and attitude and you'll stand to gain much. 

Praise God!

So Naturally

My hands naturally clap before you

As my voice reaches you in heaven

My hearts beats in unison with the drums

That signal the coming of the one and only King

I want so much to praise You

Lift my hands and say "I love You"

For in Your awesomeness

That's all I want to do

Can't help but just to praise You

My heart cries out and sings "I love You"

Cause in the light of Your beauty

That's all I want to do

So naturally...

My hands they willingly lift before You

My voice it sings of Your might and splendor

Oh Lord, do not hide yourself from me ever

So naturally my heart praises you my one King

EXPERIENCING INTIMACY WITH GOD....cont'd

Having talked about the myths, it's good to look at the flip side to examine what intimacy with God entails. Here are five truths to be remembered:

1. Intimacy begins by giving yourself away.

As mentioned before, it's not about how much God does for you or how good He makes you feel. Embrace Him in faith and worship Him in purity and service.

2. God works quietly behind the scenes.

He intervenes in dramatic ways according to His own timing and will. When we start to ask why great things happen for others and not ourselves, we should  rejoice in the fact that He does marvelous things in their lives. 

3. God has already done more for us than we deserve.

He already sent His son to die for us and opened a way for us to be redeemed. He has made the option of eternal life available to us.

4. God is doing a lot more for us than we know of.

He protects and blesses us 24/7. The bible describes God standing like a sentinel at the gates of our lives, keeping out anything that is more than we can bear (1 Cor 10:13). When big things happen to us, we know that God has a purpose in mind (Romans 8:28)

5. If it's intimacy we want, we need to be more interested in the Giver than the gifts.

His idea of intimacy is a love relationship with us, not a gift exchange.

Remember these five truths always...

My last officially-scheduled worship-leading in church...

This morning was tough. My mind was still suffering a minor congestion from sleeping late the previous night.

[TIP#1 for worship-leaders, try to ensure you are well-rested on the night before if you are leading the next day--a responsible gesture to God and His church. Try to refrain from giving excuses like--how I'm going to here--"I stayed out partying last night till 12 midnight"]

I had my songs prepared but the technical flow and linking between songs were going to be tricky. But to me, I felt inspired to do these songs in that manner. There was not only a lot of thought that went into it, but also a reflective contemplation of how God could intervene through the worship session. 

[TIP #2 for worship-leaders, do not be hesitant to adopt the spirit of experimentation and openness in song and music arrangements. For services, however, make bold attempts if you are rather certain that God wants it that way (this is first and foremost), or that the team can potentially work things out]

I didn't convey my mental blueprints to the team. And neither did I elaborate on the kind of worship environment to be enacted during the service. Sometimes, I can't find the words to describe these things, and my inability to play any musical instrument proficiently doesn't help (recorder doesn't count, right?)

[TIP #3 for worship-leaders, formulate your own jargons that promotes common understanding among your team so that it is easier to communicate effects to be created more efficiently (e.g. "Hawaiian/coconut-style"). Importantly, take time to convey your plan and basis for it, so that you and your team can begin practice on a common ground and share the same vision. Doesn't have to be a thesis on it; a simple one or two-liner explaining your(God's) intentions would suffice most of the time.]

There had been times I experienced frustration during practices because I couldn't express my intentions clearly or help the team understand certain things. It was stressful in the earlier days when I just started worship-leading, but now it's simply frustrating. In these occasions, the usual cognition that jumps into my brain is thoughts of self-doubt and inadequacies. Next, would be finding something or someone to blame. I know and admit that that's a horrible thing to do.

[TIP#4 for worship-leaders, never indulge in self-pity by telling yourself that you are lousy, that its not your calling, or asking yourself why you have to do it (especially before service!). Don't blame others when things don't seem to work according to what you want. Learn to be flexible and make changes accordingly, and be open to what the team has to say.]

There were some hiccups during the practice, but nothing dire actually. It was just self-doubt and self-directed agitation, when things didn't work out according to what I wanted. Then again, that was just me and my expectations tormenting me. I felt alone and sian. A counter I gave against those was simply to pick up the bible and find solace in His word. Though I surrendered (not absolutely) the task to the Lord, in my heart was still some unsettlement. 

Service started with a bang--not a carnival fanfare, but an awkward tension. Everyone didn't seem keen on moving forward when invited to. Guess I embraced too much optimism in making that endeavor--it was really pretty much the spur of the moment. My usual confidence and poise melted into futile attempts to pick up the pieces and glue them together. It was a loud "Urgh!" and "Oh well" in my head and off we went with the first song. 

Throughout the first song, thoughts of self-doubt resonated within my mind: "Is this really my calling?" I persisted and cried out in my head, "God help me!" Many times I just wish that I wasn't really there but in actual fact I was standing at the front of a cinema hall with so many pairs of eyes staring at me and I had no where to run. I couldn't wish it away. Throughout the first song, I was wrestling with these negative cognitions. It was a tough struggle till they dissipated at the end of the song. It was a breakthrough! I persevered and banished those thoughts. I kept telling myself to turn my eyes on Him and worship Him without bothering about whether the congregation was.

[TIP #5 for worship-leaders, live in the present and not dwell on a less-than-exciting kick-start to the service. Focus on yourself worshipping Him before thinking about whether others are. Don't allow negative thoughts to flood you. Tell yourself, "No matter what I'm going to praise you God!". Keep your mind on that.]

After gaining back my balance and gaining momentum, I approached the slow songs which caused some problems earlier during the practice. As worry swept my mind, I recalled how Simon Peter fell when he made an attempt to cross the lake on his feet. Because of his hesitation and lack of faith, he allowed his human worries to subject him to failure. There was fear, but I decided to meet them in faith and go according to what I felt was spirit-led. Fortunately, I was on the same page as the Holy Spirit. I took things slowly and immersed myself in experiencing His presence, and did those songs which could have potentially led to an anti-climax. 

[Tip #6 for worship-leaders, don't have the impression that praise and worship ALWAYS has to be built up and dramatic. Most essentially it has to be sincere. Sometimes, we need to have moments of stillness during worship to allow the Spirit to speak to us, or to simple allow the peace of God to reign among His people. Fundamentally, we need to create a conducive atmosphere for God to work--that's just it! So flow with the Spirit]

[Tip #7 for worship-leaders, technical stunts can become major distractions and stumbling blocks. If they do so, let them go. It's not a performance or evaluation of how good you are as a song-leader. Forsake things that can potentially feed your own vanity and pride. God will use your talents but only if you recognize that they're from the maker and not your own]

God just flowed during today's service. I was amazed and glad. It's such a wonderful feeling to know that He used you as His vessel! It's so uplifting when you see clear signs (like when Pastor preaches something relevant to your songs, or when someone prophesizes during the praise and worship) that indicate that you were His instrument. Though I get discouraged from time to time and I doubt myself, I have all these incidents to remind me of how He has used me before and I could be used again as long as I invested my talents and not bury them. 

[Tip#8 for worship-leaders, always keep the Mary and Martha story close to you. While Martha was busy with serving Jesus, her service to Christ had degenerated into mere busywork that no longer had the complete devotion to God. When our ministry becomes chore to us, try to recall this story. Don't be busy doing things for Jesus, that you are not spending time with Him, and don't allow your service to become self-serving. Other lessons we learn are not to feel sorry for oneself when one's efforts are not recognized, and don't be too overconcerned about details. Importantly, don't be distracted by the technicalities in the service and neglect the one we worship.]

[Tip#9 for worship-leaders, mingle with members of congregation and find out briefly the needs among church members. Sometimes, you can use songs to allow God to minister to them. If the church is going through spiritual dryness, we can select songs that are themed around that. Or if you know that the speaker is going to emphasize on something beforehand, you can choose songs surrounding that theme.]

[Tip #10 for worship-leaders, don't be harsh on yourself when you don't see "results" or when service seemed "lousy". God works in amazing ways which are sometimes beyond our comprehension.]