Constant Practice of the Word

The author of the epistle of Hebrews lamented the fact that his readers had ‘become dull of hearing’ (Hebrews 5:11). The author had wanted to tell them more about the eternal salvation that Jesus had accomplished. But he was not able to elaborate farther because it would involve a lot of explanation in order for his readers to understand. He was concerned that at a stage when they should be able to teach others the truths of God they still needed someone to teach them the elementary truths.

What are these elementary truths? Hebrews 6:1-2 answers that question. They are matters to do with repentance from dead works, faith in God, instruction about baptisms or cleansing rites, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. I wonder how many of us reading this now would say we have no idea what they are about nor what would be the significance of these elementary truths.

That is precisely the point that the author of Hebrews was trying to get at. Many of us have not gone very far in our understanding of the basic truths of the Christian faith. So we become easily influenced or disturbed when someone comes along declaring some new understanding or fresh revelations that they have received from God. Or we get perturbed by what someone claimed to be a truth of scripture because we are not sure if that is exactly how the scripture is meant to be understood. Or we are unsure about what is the right thing to do in a given situation.

Our memory verse for this week tells us that, “everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child…” What is this ‘milk’? 1 Peter 2:1-3 (week 5 memory verse) talks about the ‘pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation’ – if this ‘spiritual milk’ is that which will enable us to grow into a fuller experience of salvation, and since we were saved through our putting our faith in the word that was preached to us, then the ‘spiritual milk’ must also have to do with the word of God. It is that particular word of God that spoke to us of God’s grace, and mercy, that first made the Lord so attractive to us that it drew us to yield our lives to Him.

‘Milk’ is that aspect of God’s word which we find easy to understand. It is that which brings comfort to us or cause our troubled hearts to be at peace. But if we only want the ‘milk’ – the ‘comfort me’ message, Hebrews 5:13 says that we will remain unskilled in matters related to righteousness, unskilled in discovering what is the right thing to do.

Conversely, Hebrews 5:14 speak of another type of believer. This one is seen as a mature person and the mark of his/her maturity is the ability to discern good from evil. The verse actually says that this person’s ‘powers of discernment’ has been trained by ‘constant practice to distinguish good from evil.’ Such a person feeds on ‘solid food’.

Some parts of the Bible may be hard to understand and often we tend to shy away from reading them. But for the person who is constantly working at discerning good from evil, the ‘hard to understand’ passages become a resource from which he/she could draw on to form a yardstick for discerning what is good or evil. The author of Hebrews said that it’s by the constant use of this ‘solid food’, this word of God, that the person is able to distinguish good from evil.

We are meant to constantly live out the word of God in our lives, constantly use it as our guide for living, for discovering what is good and what is evil. In this way we are training our discerning power.

What would be the result of our failure to do so? I believe Hebrews 6:4-8 speaks of those who have failed to constantly practice the word of God in their lives. The end result is that of falling away to the point of no return. This is the worst scenario of what could happen to one who neglects God’s word. There is no anchor for their soul and temptation will soon over power them so that where once they had proclaim the goodness of God, now they turned away and ‘crucify the Son of God’ anew. Sad to say, there may be no returning for such as these.

May we take heed and be forewarned. So let us work at hiding the word of God in our hearts and living by them, and in the process training ourselves to discern what is truly good and what is evil.

by Pastor Cheng Kin

Long for the Pure Spiritual Milk

We need to fill our hearts and minds with the WORD OF GOD. We have to desire – a decision of the will, the heart and the mind. It does not fall on our laps. But when we desire his Word we will grow into maturity – come into freedom, that is, the true rest found in him. There’s a famous saying that goes like this: “If you will APPLY God will SUPPLY.”

To “DESIRE” simply means to yearn, to intensely crave possessions, to long for greatly. And when we think of the pure milk immediately what comes to mind is uncontaminated milk. And when the milk is uncontaminated and pure it is fresh milk!! We need to yearn, crave intensely, long for greatly the Word of God daily. We need to feed on his Word. Never live on yesterday’s revelation!

James said that in order for God’s Word to produce its proper effect in us there are two basic conditions: First, we must receive it with meekness, that is, with proper attitude of heart and mind. Second, we must be doers of the Word, not just hearers only. We must apply it in a practical way in our daily lives. (James 1:21-22). James then went on to compare the operation of God’s Word to a mirror. Normal mirror shows our external, physical features. God’s Word reveals our inward spiritual nature and condition.

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18). We must come to the Word of God with unveiled face; no ulterior motive, no preconceived idea, and a prejudiced view but with openness so that God can reveal himself clearly through his Word to us. When we come with that attitude we come ready to be transformed by his Word through the power of the Spirit of God. This transformation, Paul said, is the mirror-image of Jesus in us which is the glory of God upon our lives!

“For the light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). The exhortation here is very clear. We are to look at things that are not just of this world which is temporary. Our great concern should be on things which are eternal – that which is spiritual, unseen. The glory of God in our lives is one of them. That is the reason why we need to pay heed to the Word and the work of God in our lives. We should not be overly concerned with the light affliction, the worldly pain and concerns, the weights that so easily beset us BUT fixed our eyes on him. In him we will find our eternal weight of glory. In him we live and move and have our being.

“By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27). Moses’ testimony has always been that his relationship with God was a face to face relationship. He saw the invisible God and he walked with the invisible God.

Today we can do the same. His face is being revealed to us through the Word of God. His Word is like a mirror; enter in and we will see the face of the invisible Father who is rich in mercy and compassion towards his creation. Come to the Word of God and discover the wonder of God and the wondrous beauty of his love.

Quote: “We have to learn to acquire the taste of God’s goodness in his word by reason of frequent and consistent use.”

Feeding On The Word

SCRIPTURE PASSAGE/S

Please take time to read these passages: John 8 & 15; Proverbs 30:5-8

THINKING ALOUD
The word of Agur (Proverbs 30:7) cries out to the Lord for two things; one is that he willbe removed far from falsehood and lying, and two. is that he wants neither poverty nor riches. His cry is for the Lord to feed him with only what is needful.

We need to pray this prayer for ourselves too. We are living in a world where mankind by large has lost his ability to distinguish his right hand from his left, and has lost his sense of reasoning between truth and reality. In the midst of exalting reason and self, many have left God out of the equation. The moral decline due in large proportion to the reasoning away of God and the coming of age of liberty and freedom has brought more despair and despondency than what it thought was freedom. Freedom and liberty from believing in absolute truth and then latching on to relativity has cast off moral restraint and has breed violence, rebellion, and anarchy instead. What freedom is that when the very freedom sought after brought about evil and suffering? Humanity has fallen into the bottomless abyss of sin and degradation; the lurking nightmarish depression of a hurting, lost and confused humanity is seen at every corner, and the cesspool of carnality has reached its peak. It looks like we are in a God-forsaken world. Is that true? No, in reality, we are living in a God-rejecter world!!

We are living among people who have a worldview where the lies of the devil have taken prominence. We need to be aware of its impact in the church too lest we should be consumed in deceit and fall prey to the lies of the devil too. The bible says it explicitly that when the devil tells lies he speaks his native language! That’s the reason why Agur wrote in the book of Proverbs that he seeks God’s deliverance from falsehood and lying. It is the same with us today; seek God to feed us with His Truth, that which is needful for us so that we will not fall prey to falsehood and lying.

One of the most challenging questions of all time for Christians today is this: Do I really believe what I believe is really real? Do I take seriously the truth claims in the Word of God? Do I really live it and act upon it?
In CLASS 201 – Discovering Spiritual Maturity there is a section on having time with God’s Word. Let me just briefly mentioned here for you. We are called to HEAR, READ, MEMORIZE, MEDITATE, and APPLY God’s Word as a daily discipline in our lives.

1. Hear the Word of God – listening to sermons, bible teachings, and bible classes
2. Read the Word of God – read it aloud, read it systematically, and read from different translations
3. Memorize the Word of God. There are many Scripture Memory Systems that you can follow and use.
4. Meditate on God’s Word – Picture it! Visualize the scene in your mind. Pronounce it! Say the verse aloud, each time emphasizing a different word. Paraphrase it! Rewrite the verse in your own words. Personalize it! Replace the pronouns or people in the verse with your own name. Pray it! Turn the verse into a prayer and say it back to God. Probe it! Ask questions like, is there any sins to confess, promise to claim, attitude to change, command to keep, example to follow, prayer to pray, error to avoid, truth to believe, and something to thank God for?
5. Apply God’s Word – what does it mean for me today?

MEMORY VERSE
Proverbs 30:8 - Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me

LIFE APPLICATION
Self-deception is living life outside of reality – believing and acting like someone you are not. Self-deception causes people to justify open sin and rebellion. They simply lined up scriptures, “leadings”, circumstances, and counsel from other Christians to agree with their predetermined ideas to justify their position. The tragedy is, they actually believe that they are right. Riches can give us false pride. On the reverse poverty can give us false humility. The best is to follow Paul’s principle of living: “In whatever state I am to be content.”

The answer to all kinds of false beliefs and perspectives is to ask God to feed us with the food (TRUTHS) that we need. There are two important things to note:

1. Do not neglect to hear, read, memorize, meditate, and apply the Word of God
2. Do not hear and read everything out there in the marketplace of ideas. Not all reading materials and audio messages are beneficial, in fact, they may lead you astray.

PERSONAL PRAYER
Father, deliver me from all falsehood and lying. Feed me with the food that is needful for me. Remind me to hear, to read, to memorize, to meditate, and to apply your Word on a daily basis. Lord, I need your strength and wisdom to be able to be disciplined, to develop the habit of a quiet time with you. Please give me the courage and the strength to apply your Word in my life. Thank you.

A Confession

There are many struggles in my life BUT I think the toughest that I am facing right now is to make sense of the changes that are evident in my thinking and my worldview. My interest has also changed tremendously. I know that things changes in our lives as we grow older. Some things fade away and some things become clearer. I learned from MLM that this phase of life is called convergence.

Much as I know that I am paid to be a pastor BUT I found no more energy in visitation, in counselling, and the kind of pastoral care that I use to do years ago. In fact, in all honesty, I have been struggling in doing all this for a long time now. It is not that I dislike meeting people. I love people. I love to visit family. I love to spend time with people. It’s the phase in my life that I prefer to be alone more than with people. I know it sounds selfish and weird.

This is a personal struggle. I constantly refuse to take up any position in the church. I constantly reject any suggestions for me to take a more active role in the church. Not only did I not have the energy to do it but really, I don’t even have the frame of mind to do it. I can’t be a good pastor – the one that is expected of me. I have somehow lost the motivation. Why? Because I found myself moving more and more away from the way typical church function. I have many unanswered questions. It is not that the church I am serving in is wrong in what she is doing. I think she is doing great. It is me that is struggling with some of the ideals, the ethos – maybe I have shifted away from many of the shared values and have a very different perspective altogether.

I no longer finds it appealing and appetizing with the kind of ministry going on in the church – moving in the things of the spirit, the supernatural, healing and deliverance. I have not stopped believing in it. I am proud of the legacy but somehow I stop chasing it anymore. Honestly, I am now more critical and I am very aware of it. Honestly, I no longer know how to preach a “feel good” sermon – “come to Jesus, all is fine” sermon and being truthful to my own beliefs. I don’t assume that I am on a right track. I really don’t know how to go back to the good old days of preaching a sermon with lots of testimonies, stories, and whipping up lots of inspiration that appeal to the emotion anymore. I can preach it but I found myself being untrue to my own personal convictions. I wish I could do that BUT I have moved away from that. My conviction is so different now.

A couple of days ago I saw my write-up on my personal spiritual journey that I did sometime back. It was part of my assignment. It was interesting to read what I had written. Perhaps that is the reason for some of the unsettledness in my spirit ……

Since young I have always been a dreamer and an idealist. I have dream many dreams and some of it I have seen it come to past but there are still many that have remained just dreams (in fact, some are bordering on fantasies now).

Looking back at my life and ministry for the past 23 years I have enjoyed pastoring; caring for people, and attending to the flock have all been rich experiences. As a person I have also grown both mentally, relationally, and spiritually. At the time of writing my spiritual journey I felt being stirred once again by a deep passion that has been residing in my heart and spirit for a long time now. I have often in my prayer time with the Lord spoke about the time of release and a time of new beginning in a new direction for me.

I have constantly placed before me this vision of seeing many young people who are seeking for truth, who are seeking for an answer to their confusion, and who are lost coming to a safe place where they can engage and dialogue and in the process help them find their way to God. The safe place is a place where they feel the freedom to explore without afraid of being misunderstood, a place where they can engage with philosophical issues bothering them without being called queer, and a place where the “outcast” of society and the church can call a home where there is love and healing. I would love to build a sanctuary – a safe haven – for the many young people who are lost; the many who could not distinguished their right hand from their left.

That’s my dream, that’s what I am praying that God would take me to the next level and I would love to be able to impart into lives the word of God and to see transformation taking place right before my eyes. I often prayed that God would allow me to take this journey for the rest of my life.

The Word of Life

SCRIPTURE PASSAGE/S

Please take time to read these passages: 1 John 1; John 1:1-14

THINKING ALOUD

The Apostle John was describing Jesus Christ, the very Word of Life. He was there and he was with the Son of God; ate with him, journeyed with him, heard his voice and teaching, and saw the life changing miracles and healings taking place right before his very eyes. When John wrote the letter of 1st John, he was an old man. He was the last one of the disciples still alive. See how he reminisced about his Master and Saviour. See the intimacy in his language as he described his Lord.

Let us take a little time to discover what he had heard, seen and touched concerning Jesus the Word of life.

HEARD. It is not a case of hearing about him or heard what others said about him. When John said that “we have heard” he meant the words of Jesus – the amazing teaching, the profound answers that he gave to the Pharisees and Scribes, and the mysteries that surround his words like the parables. Likewise, the record of all that he had spoken is found in the Bible. We would do well to search it out and in reading the account and the words of Jesus may we hear him speaks once again into our hearts. Some of the things that still amazed me about the sayings of Jesus are: “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly,” “Love one another so that the world will know that you are my disciples,” and “Let not your heart be troubled, believe in God believe also in me. I go to my Father’s house and prepare a place for you.” Wow…John must have had those words ringing when he said that “which we have heard!!”

SEEN. John went on to say that it is not only that which we have heard but also seen with our eyes. I believe he was referring to the miracles, the healings, and all the deliverances from demonic possession that was taking place. Just imagine yourself in John’s shoes – water turning into wine, the lame walk, the blind see, the deaf spoke, the dead raised, and demons coming out of a lunatic and he became completely whole again. Just think about it. John was relating that this Jesus is still alive, he is the Word of life and he will send his Word to heal and to deliver. Today, we can still have the miracles, we can still have the healings, and the deliverances because Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

LOOK UPON. I think John went very deep into describing his Master. He was saying that what Jesus spoke was amazing and dumb-founding at times. He was saying that what the disciples had seen – the works of Jesus – were equally amazing and dumb-founding. Now he continued to say that this Jesus in close proximity was good, gentle, loving, compassionate, and forgiving. He was describing Jesus whom they looked upon as the Word of life. In him we have life and life more abundantly. Remember John was the only disciple at the foot of the cross with Mary, Jesus’ mother. He could still hear the gentle voice of the Saviour calling to him to care for his mother. Even in the most painful moments Jesus showed what love is all about.

TOUCHED. Many people have touched Jesus and he has touched many people too. But for John he was really close to his Master and he had such intimacy with him. The Bible tells us that John was the disciple who laid his head on the bosom of the Lord. In fact, John himself said in his gospel account of the life of Jesus Christ that he was the disciple whom Jesus loved. He did not only hear his Master’s teaching, saw his Master’s healing hands at work, or looked upon his Master’s love, care and compassion that gave life BUT he was so close to the Lord he could hear the Lord’s heartbeat.

Today we can find the same place that John was in. We need to recognise Jesus is more than our Saviour; he is our Lord, our friend and we can hear, see, look upon and touched him. We can experience life through Jesus Christ who first and foremost delivers us from sin and death. He is awesome!

MEMORY VERSE

1 John 1:1 – That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.

LIFE APPLICATION

The Bible is a handbook on life of faith, godly living, and truths of God for right living, salvation and the mandate of the Kingdom of God. There is no substitute for daily reading and consistent study of God’s word if we want to be able to experientially handle the word of life.

Start today. Set aside time for a personal devotion with your Heavenly Father. Here are some suggestions for you to get started using the Lord’s Prayer as a model:

1. Start with praise
2. Pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven in the very circumstances that you are in.
3. Ask God for your daily provision
4. Confess any sin so that you will receive forgiveness
5. Forgive others
6. Pray for God’s protection

Next, read the Word of God. There are many devotional guides that you can use to help you read systematically and consistently through the Bible in a year.

PERSONAL PRAYER

Father, I worship you for who you are; you are great, gracious, and most wonderful. Your name is worthy to be honoured and praised! Father God, I pray that your will for my life will not only be established but that it be known to me clearly. In my daily walk of faith provide for my needs and feed me with spiritual insights that I may be able to live according to your will today. Please forgive me of all my sins and help me forgive others who have offended me and cause hurt to me. I ask for the Lord’s protection in my going out and my coming in from this day forth. Thank you Father for the Word of Life!

Holding Fast to the Word

SCRIPTURE PASSAGE/S

Please take time to read these passages:

2 Timothy 1; Philippians 2:12-18

THINKING ALOUD

2 Timothy 1:13 – Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Paul gives Timothy four responsibilities he has in regards to the word of God.

First, he asked him to HOLD FAST the pattern of sound words.” The imperative “hold” indicates that it can be very tempting to let go of what we once learned to take hold of – a seemingly “new” and “more exciting” truth. There is nothing new under the sun. So often, today’s new truth turns out to be yesterday’s heresy, simply redressed. The best way to “hold fast” to God’s word is to hide it in our hearts. The word of God summons us to this life-changing discipline time after time.

Second, we are to HOLD COMPLETELY sound words. “Pattern” was used to describe an outline sketch or ground plan used by an artist; or in literature the rough draft forming the basis of a fuller exposition. The point is that Timothy was not to hold onto bits and pieces of the Word, but to its entire framework. We are to live “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,” not just some or even most. Paul declared “the whole counsel of God” to the Ephesians and felt it would have been sin for him not to (Acts 20:26, 27).

Third, we are told to HOLD IN FAITH sound words. This phrase describes the MANNER in which we are to cling tightly to the whole counsel of God’s word. Note that Paul is keenly interested in CHARACTER as well as CONTENT. God’s word should produce a radical change in our living as well as our thinking. We are to hold tightly to God’s word because of our FAITH, not necessarily our UNDERSTANDING. Our natural approach to living is to obey if we understand why it is necessary. The godly man’s approach to life is to obey whether or not we understand. Thus the key to understanding God’s word is not simply the exercise of our intellect, but rather the exercise of our faith in daring obedience to whatever light has been granted us from the scriptures.

Fourth, we are to HOLD IN LOVE sound words. The goal of God’s word is not simply to “fill up our heads” but also to “fill out our hearts” (I Timothy 1:5). The testimony of the early church was not “look how much they know,” but “my, how they love one another!”

There is a beautiful balance in these two characteristics of properly holding fast the word of God. FAITH involves our relationship to God; LOVE involves our relationship to others. Thus, the man of God clings to the word of God because of his faith in the character of God. At the same time he conveys the love of God to those around him because the word of God has filled out his heart. Note that both of these (faith and love) find their source in the same person, Jesus Christ!

Paul describes his doctrine as “sound words.” The word, “sound” means “healthy or wholesome.” Bible doctrine should always breed spiritual health and vitality wherever it goes. Dead orthodoxy brings no honour to the Living God.

This is part of the course “Pastoral Epistles” used in our Pastoral Internship Training School that was adapted from the bible teachings of Dwight Edwards, pastor of Grace Bible Church in College Station, Texas.

MEMORY VERSE

Philippians 2:16 – Holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labour in vain.

LIFE APPLICATION

1. What is going to keep you from falling, keep you from succumbing to sin and the world? It is holding steadfastly to the word of God – the word of life. What you read today, what you intentionally memorise, store and meditate upon today will become your source of strength in times of difficulty another day.

2. Think of ways that you can put in your life that will keep you “without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation” (Philippians 2:14)?

3. It is suggested that there are three effects to holding steadfastly the word of life. First, faithfulness will be the result. We are building a bulwark of faith – a defence of our faith. Second, it will produce endurance and elasticity; can bend over, and tenacious. Third, there will be joy and rejoicing.

PERSONAL PRAYER

Lord, help me to hold on to the word of life – to hold fast and to hold completely, to hold in faith and love – so that I will not succumbed to sin, temptation and the lustful desire of the world. Lord, please give me the strength to intentionally memorize, store and meditate on your word on a daily basis. Remind me Lord that your word is a source of strength. Never let me forget that your word brings spiritual wholeness and health. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Return to the Word

From May – August 2009 our church will be emphasizing on the 2nd sub-heading of our Theme “Let Us Return” which is “returning to the Word.” Well, once again I was asked to write a weekly reflection on “returning to the Word” for the 4 months. The key text of the reflection will also be the scripture memory for the entire church. It’s very challenging for me to it complete it within 2 weeks. There are 18 Sundays from May – August so I would have to come up with 18 reflections excluding the introduction and instruction on how to use the booklet. Well I was asking Pr Cheng Kin to do half of it but due to her tight schedule she managed to do just one and I had to do the rest. Praise God I managed to complete it (working right through some of the nights).

Let me post the first reflection for you:

WEEK #01: April 27^th – May 3^rd 2009

WATCH HOW WE BUILD

SCRIPTURE PASSAGE/S

Please take time to read these passages:

Matthew 7:1-28; Luke 6:37-49

THINKING ALOUD

Jesus was not one to shy away from asking hard questions that penetrated the lives of the people who claimed to follow God. He came at a time when the nation of Israel had become very ingrown and self-preserving. The Jews remembered a glorious past and longed for a new and glorious future, but in the present they had morphed into a very closed, self-defined, self-praising community. In reality Israel was a small community way out on the edge of the Roman Empire, insignificant in the larger scope of world history. The Jews longed for a sense of the transcendent place in history that they once had, and they were waiting for their messiah-king to come and throw off the Roman Empire and re-establish them as a great and mighty nation.

Some were willing to go to extreme political measures, even insurrection, in order to achieve these goals. Others were content to find security in the Law, piling up more and more regulations in order to define themselves as the righteous people of God. Jesus stepped into that culture and told them, “You have it all wrong.” He reinterpreted what it meant to be a follower of God and reminded them of their original calling.

What was relevant for the disciples to hear in Jesus’ days has important lessons for us today too. We need to take heed to the life altering teaching of Jesus in Matthew 7.

“… Whoever hears these sayings of mine …” has to do with what Jesus taught in Matthew 7:13-14 – Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Jesus spoke on two responses to His sayings:

1. Those who build his house on the rock – the one who choose the NARROW GATE. The narrow gate has a difficult way BUT it leads to life and not too many choose it. The narrow way is difficult – there is constriction and restriction, almost sounded like a kill joy! But Jesus said that that is precisely the point – it leads to life. The difficulty, the pain and the problem are to propel one to a meaningful life, a purposeful life and to an assured eternity! What is the narrow way that Jesus said few find? The Greek language conveys the meaning that the way is made narrow by PRESSURE. The narrow gate is only wide enough for two – you and Jesus. It comes right down to that common denominator. There is a STRIPPING process necessary both in SEEING what he wants us to become and HOW he wants to get us through the gate. The strait (i.e. narrow or cramped; strict or rigorous) and narrow gate is the entrance into freedom. OBEDIENCE to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit’s PROMPTINGS will precipitate the occasion for us to become re-related to everything and everybody – to ultimate reality in God.

2. Those who build his house on the sand – – the one who choose the BROAD WAY. The broad way has a wide gate BUT it leads to destruction and many go in by it. Majority of the people enters the wide gate and walk in the broad way which is easy. But it doesn’t mean that when the majority goes by it makes it right or wise. What does it mean that the way leads to destruction? Could it mean that it leads to meaninglessness? Could it mean that it leads to dead end – hopeless and unfulfilled?

Both the houses are subjected to the same torrential rain, strong wind (could be a hurricane) and floods. The state of the houses after the beating of the storms, rain and flood is dependent upon the FOUNDATION beneath.

MEMORY VERSE/S

Luke 6:47-48 – Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.

LIFE APPLICATION

1. What kind of foundation does your faith stand upon? Have you dug deep and laid the foundation of your faith upon the ROCK – Jesus Christ – with regard to your personal life, family, and work? If you have I congratulate you because that is the right thing to do.

2. If you have been placing your life upon something else perhaps that is the cause for your anxiety and your fears. My pastoral advice is for you to quickly build your life on the solid rock and not on shifting sand – living in your fears and in your own strength.

3. How do you build upon the solid rock? Jude 20 said that we are to “build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Spirit…” The simplest ACTION that you can take immediately is to spend time reading the Bible regularly and systematically, and spend time praying in the Spirit.

PERSONAL PRAYER

Lord, I humbly come to you as one who had heard your saying and is willing to obey you. I choose to build my life of faith upon Christ the solid Rock. Help me Lord, to have the strength to read and memorize your Word regularly, to apply in my personal life what your Word commands, and to watch how I build into my life – godliness, obedience, and submission to your Word. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

IN LOVING MEMORY – MUM

My mum has gone to be with her Saviour and Lord for a year now. Every now and then I can still hear her wonderful voice. Some things just doesn’t go away – it stays on. I had wonderful memories of my mum. I had grown up being loved by my mum in more ways than can be expressed in words or in pen. I remember vividly how my mum prayed for me, cared for me and had to sleep on a cold cement floor of the old hospital when I had appendicitis at the age of 7. I was in hospital for at least 7 days. I was not really a “good” boy during those 7 days in the hospital!!

I remember all the things she said about how she came to the Lord and how her family too. It was God. I remember the many canning that I had when I was growing up. It seems unfair at that time but on hindsight I truly thank her for those discipline. My brothers can testify to that; mum is serious about doing the right thing but she really loves her children – all 7 of us. The one thing that I noticed about her is that she is not partial in her treatment of her children. She loves all her children equally. I know, I know I am the youngest and it seems that I should be getting all the attention – but NO!

I remember her as a person who is quiet and not imposing yet strong as a pillar in the family. I truly love her and miss her from time to time. My children have great memories about their grandmother. I had great memories too.

Mum….love you a lot in my still fresh memory

A QUICK UPDATE

Sorry for not updating for the last one month. Let me give you a quick update …..

1. My wife has finally got a kid signed up for her after school care

2. I went to Laos for Kingdom Business Exploratory Trip. It was a great trip and certainly learned a lot of things and meet some great people. I had a great brotherly companion – Ah Beng – to listen to my babbling, etc, etc (p/s: if you want to know further about my trip you will have to talk to me or email me separately – okay?)

3. The area that I am learning to understand is the whole are of the fast development of the Emerging Church movement. Right now I am reading books written by those in the Emergent camps and what they stand for or talk about while at the same time i am also reading some books by people who opposes the movement. For me, the reason is simple, I want to know what the emerging church people are shouting about and why some others are making a lot of opposing sound!! Hopefully I will write what I think at the end of all my reading. I say hopefully!!

4. There is a weekly reflection that I would be writing for the church members for the next four months, bible study materials on the study of the book of Ruth to complete, and some courses that I have to finish within the next few weeks. Honestly…I feel very exhilarated in all of these – a RUSH indeed BUT  I will also have to write more reports than I wanted to and more supervision that i have to do. Oh what  a life!!  (Just joking).

I think that’s about all that I want to say right now.

Auto Cliche

Well…it has been a week since my last entry. Busyness is such a clique that we tend to just go auto with it. How are you? Busy-lah! I find it very interesting that many of us do have a repertoire of catch phrases that we dished out whenever we need it to get out of any potential embarrassment.

When we cannot give a good reason for plain laziness we blurted out – busy lah. When someone asked us for some kind of involvement in some kind of a project and we didn’t want to do it but too embarrassed to say no we blurted out – let me pray about it and get back to you. When someone keeps talking to us and don’t know when to stop we try to find an opportune time to butt in and say – my wife (my children or whatever) is waiting for me I have to go now. When someone comes up to us and say hi and goes on to make conversation as if he/she knows us and we have no idea who the person is , at least for me, I would go – you look familiar – where have we met? How embarrassing would it be if that someone replied – you don’t remember me? You use to teach me guitar or I’m your cousin or I’m your wife! Hahaha.

Well, I can go on and on BUT the really real reason for writing this is to prove the point that when I said I was busy to post any entries for the last one week I was plain lazy. Period! I pray we would not do an “auto-cliche” with God as far as our relationship is concern. This is the first week of the season of Lent. I pray that we take time to reflect of the love of God for mankind as we move toward Good Friday and Easter.