Pondering my path....

I was pondering the years that went by when Deuteronomy 8 and Proverbs 4 came to mind.
In Deuteronomy, it reminded us to "remember that the Lord God led you all he way......."[verse 8] and to "beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments" [verse 11]. In the book of Proverbs, we are to be careful and choose our road in life with wisdom.

Two significant events in my life took place this year : my daughter joined NTU, Singapore in early August while my son graduated from Curtin University at the end of the same month.
Praise be to God for His presence in my family life and His promises of the life to come.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. Proverbs 4:23-27

NEVER LET THE ABUNDANCE OF GOD'S GIFTS CAUSE YOU TO FORGET THE GIVER

You Can't Be A Baby All Your Life

When a man accepts Jesus as his personal Lord and Saviour, his eyes are opened to see God. His mind can perceived the Word of God and his will incline to godly life.

This is the beginning of a Christian, birthed into the family of God. He comes in as an infant and don’t even know what to say. All he knows is that he has received Jesus into his heart. Now, he is to grow out of that stage. He is to grow to a child, then to an adult, and become full grown in the Lord Jesus Christ.

God's will for us is to grow up in spiritual maturity; to become like Jesus. "For those whom God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son" (Romans 8:29). He wants us to develop the character of Christ. The big question then, is how do we become mature in Christ? The answer is that we read, believe and obey. It's the application of the Word: become doers of the Word; don't just hear it and deceive yourself (James 1:22). Don't call yourself a Christian and then not practice Christianity.

"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ." (Ephesians 4:14-15).

The evidence of Christian maturity is not just in what we know, but how our lives and words speak to others. When we allow God complete control in our lives, we become mature in Him.

A mature Christian is one who exercises godly wisdom and does not become disillusioned by the things that people do, but, rather, stays focused on Christ.

Colossians 2:6-8 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

"God is not honored by our arrested development. The New Testament teaches that we should go on to full maturity, that mediocrity is not the highest that Jesus offer!" - A.W. Tower

Why married?

It’s school holidays soon – and we are all going to be swamped with wedding invitations to attend. I attended two wedding dinner within a week, and will be attending another in 3 weeks time. The question that is always ringing in my head is whether the marriage will last, whether there is a matched compatibility, and most importantly whether the flame of love will continue to burn despite the wind?

In today’s society, the focus is not on the longevity of the union, but on lavish gowns, adornments, gifts, gold necklaces, diamond rings and five-star hotel reception.

Marriage is the process by which two people who love each other make their relationship public, official, and permanent. It is the joining of two people in a bond that putatively lasts until death, but in practice is increasingly cut short by divorce. Of course, over the course of a relationship that can last as many as seven or eight decades, a lot happens. Personalities change, bodies age, and romantic love waxes and wanes. And no marriage is free of conflict. What enables a couple to endure is how they handle that conflict. So how do you manage the problems that inevitably arise? And how can you keep the spark alive?

I heard joke about marriage and money, because they say you can’t sustain a marriage if you don’t have enough money. But if you’re a Muslim and you have too much money, you also have the itch to expand your series of women, often resulting in more headaches than happiness.

Real happiness is overcoming our negativity and beginning to count our blessings so we can experience the mysterious beauty of life. It is about learning to surrender, release the need to control and allow our lives to unfold in its own unique and organic way. Happiness is a choice that only we can make.

Hugh Downs once wrote, "A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes".

Essence of happiness is love. You are genuinely kind, generous, open, warm and friendly. In marriage, two unique individuals are bound together in a most intimate and demanding relationship.

Successful marriages are not perfect or made in heaven but rather well managed. Accept the realities of day-to-day life, and work within it. It is important that marriages be sustained and improved upon.

“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person” – Mignon McLaughlin.

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. - Hebrews 13:4

Honoring our parents

Honoring parents is not the same as loving them, or even the same as obeying them. Some children who obey their parents, who say they love their parents, do not honor them. To honor is to show reverence, respect, and godly fear. Already here it is wonderful to see that the relationship of children to parents is patterned after the relationship of us to our heavenly Father. When we are called to honor God, we reverence, respect, and fear Him. We are not afraid of God, but reverence Him. Likewise, if any children are afraid of their parents, the parents would do well carefully to examine their behavior. Children respect their parents as we respect God.

Honoring parents includes loving them. This ought to be plain to children who know that the fifth commandment is part of the second table of the law. The heart of this second table is to love the neighbor. Since parents are the children's closest neighbor, obedience to the fifth commandment is loving the parents. This is not a natural love - - loving because the parents gave them birth and feed them. This is a spiritual love that comes from a heart that loves God.

Third, honoring parents means submitting to them. This is crucial. It's not enough that the children say, "I know that God put these parents over me; I love them; I honor them; I respect them in my heart." The children must submit to them. Here is where children have a difficult time. Suppose dad must rebuke his son. Son stands with his arms on his side, defiant while dad speaks. Even though son may obey dad, he shows that he is rebelling in his heart. This is not the way we behave towards our Father in heaven. Children who love their parents will submit, with an attitude that shows it.

Fourth, honor includes obedience. If the children honor their parents, they will obey them - - both of them. The 5th commandment says, "Honor thy father and thy mother." Deuteronomy 21 speaks of a son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother. Ephesians 6:1 says, "Children, obey your parents." It used to be that when pastors gave the warning about this part of the commandment that children needed to be exhorted to honor their mother. Nowadays the warning is in order that the children honor their father. From television programs to the Berenstein Bears, father is mocked as a bumbling oaf. But disrespect of father or mother is serious business. If children do not obey both parents, they really honor neither, for the parents are one.

This does not mean that children must always obey their parents. If parents command the children to disobey God, the children must disobey them, using the same reasoning that Peter did with the rulers of Jerusalem who commanded him not to preach about Jesus: "We ought to obey God rather than man" (Acts 5:29). But children still must honor their parents, submitting to them always, just as Peter and the disciples still honored those in authority, submitting to them and not rebelling.

We parents must work our entire life teaching our children to honor us. We do this by being honorable ourselves - - by behaving honorably at home. Mother honors her husband in all things (I Peter 3:1-6). Father loves his wife by caring for her in humility (I Peter 3:7); by honoring those in authority over them, obeying the laws. respecting the president, police, judge, and employer (I Peter 2:13-18).

Why must children honor their parents?

Not simply because God says so. This is part of the reason. God says, "Honor your parents". Children often do not like to hear this, but sometimes this must be the last word: "Obey because God says so." Paul brings this out in Ephesians 6 when one of the reasons given for children to honor their parents is, "For this is right"! Indeed, this is the first reason given, but it is not the only reason.

Nor must they obey this commandment of God because they fear dad's punishment. Chastisement is a deterrent to disobedience, but it certainly is not the reason for obedience. And yet it's not infrequent that this is the reason given by children. Is it fear of punishment that drives us to obey God? God forbid!

Children honor their parents because they are thankful. Children of God honor and obey Him because they are thankful for their salvation. This is the beauty of the Reformed faith! I love God because He first loved me; therefore I honor Him! Children, honor your parents because you are thankful to God for everything He is for you.

Especially, they must honor their parents because their parents are over them in the place of God. The Reformed Heidelberg Catechism says, "since it pleases God to govern us by their hand". Parents are the "hand of God" upon the children.

These reasons show how serious dishonor is. First, dishonor shows that children are not thankful, do not love their parents. This is dreadful! More dreadful is that dishonor shows a failure to love God. For obedience to the second table of the law ("love you neighbor" is evidence of our obedience to the first table ("love God").

May God forgive our children, lest His great judgments come upon them (Deut. 21:18-21). God grant grace to our children to fight against their sinful nature, to love their parents, to love God, "that it may be well with them, and that they may live long on the earth" (Ephesians 6:3), and eternally in heaven. May God grant it. For His glory.

article written by Rev. Barry Gritters

SAD

Almost one-third of 6,540 secondary students surveyed in a mental health study showed a high level of depression, anxiety and stress. The study also showed about 40% of the students interviewed found it difficult to cope with depression, anxiety and stress, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai. [The Star 6 Oct 2011].

Acronym of Stress, Anxiety and Depression is S.A.D.


Extracted from Wikipedia :

Stress is a term in psychology and biology, borrowed from physics and engineering and first used in the biological context in the 1930s, which has in more recent decades become commonly used in popular parlance. It refers to the consequence of the failure of an organism — human or other animal — to respond adequately to mental, emotional, or physical demands, whether actual or imagined.

Anxiety (also called angst or worry) is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components.

Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless. They may lose interest in activities that once were pleasurable, experience loss of appetite or overeating, or problems concentrating, remembering details or making decisions; and may contemplate or attempt suicide. Insomnia, excessive sleeping, fatigue, loss of energy, or aches, pains or digestive problems that are resistant to treatment may be present.

Stress is expected in our life and are usually due to academic pressure, peer pressure and family pressure. Likewise, a little anxiety is normal, but constant worry is not. Peter encouraged believers not to be filled with anxiety but to cast all their worries upon God (1 Peter 5:7).
Recognising that the challenges of life can be both overwhelming and suffocating, Jesus urged us to take matters in hand by simplifying. He said "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. - Matthew 6:34

In our sadness and devasting loss, we have this hope : The Lord Jesus provides joy in the midst of grief. So let us learn to lean and trust God as the Psalmist David recorded in Psalm 62:8 - "Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6

Priest, Prophet & King

Father's Day was celebrated on the 4th of September in Perth, Australia. We attended Sunday Worship at Faith Community Church at Winthrop Baptist College, Perth. Pas. Benny Ho, the Senior Pastor, was sharing the role of a father that include :- PRIEST, PROPHET and KING.

The role of a priest as Job carried out in the book of Job 1:5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

A priest to pray and intercede for the family and loved one.

[representing his family to God]

A prophet is to teach and guide as the Lord speaks to the father.

[representing God to his family]

Only when you are a priest and a prophet, then you earn the rights to lead as a king.

[governing his family on behalf of God]

Just like Jesus, playing His role as the High Priest (Hebrew 4:14-16), Prophet (Matthew 13:57) and King (Luke 1:32-33)(Matthew 25:31).

God is good

Just came back from attending my son's convocation in Curtin, Perth, Australia. God is good and is always good to us. As I recall the time my son started his university life in Curtin, Miri campus, I was worried how we are going to provide for him financially.

Well, today he not only finished his degree in Curtin, but he was able to spend his last semester in Perth under a student exchange programme.

God also provided us the opportunity to spend a family holiday in Perth while attending his graduation. The only peoples missing in our group are; my dad [when back home to be with the Lord in November 2009], my daughter [studying in Singapore] and my brother and sister-in-law, work commitment in Singapore.

We were very bless while in Perth as the weather is kind to us when we were out travelling. We met up with good host and managed to cover many interesting places. God is great and most worthy of all praises.

Alone or Loneliness?

Mother Teresa said : "Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty".

My daughter, after being away from home for 3 weeks came back to Penang to her familiar surrounding - cozy room, comfy bed, friendly people and delicious food; for 3 days. She was feeling alone in an unfamiliar place where there is no old friends, to shares and laughs.

Loneliness has been termed the most desolate word in the English language. It is no respecter of age, race, economic status, or intelligence. Albert Einstein said, "It is strange to be known so universally, and yet to be so lonely."
What circumstances make you feel helpless or hopeless today? Poor health, broken relationship, a family member in great need? In Jesus Christ, God has pierced the dark winter of our world in a daring rescue through His redeeming love. He is therefore able to reach us and calm our fears in the most desperate circumstances. If you feel unloved, don't run from your pain or try to get love through wrong means. Instead, devote yourself to knowing God and loving Him. Allow Him to meet your deepest needs. Then give Him all the praise !
God made us for intimacy and companionship with others. Even before sin entered the world, He declared that it is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2 : 18). That's why many people often feel so empty inside.
In such moments, I am thankful to have a heavenly Father who knows what it is to be separated from a beloved Son. I am thankful to have a God who is described as "a father of the fatherless, a defender of widows" (Psalm 68:5).
Those who know Jesus are never alone. THOUGH PEOPLE MAY NOT LOVE YOU. GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU.

LONELINESS COMES WHEN WE FORGET ABOUT THE ONE WHO IS ALWAYS WITH US.

Discipleship

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

From the above Great Commission, we evangelize unbelievers, and after that, we disciple them to have a desire for holiness like Jesus Christ.

Likewise, with our Christian life. When we were saved [converted from pre-believer to believer], we were like babies. We started growing in our faith by feeding on milk, then soft diet and then solid food. Our spiritual life slowly grow from immature baby to mature adult by having an ongoing dialog with God and a growing knowledge of who God is and who we can be with in time of need. After being matured, we started to disciple other new converts to be disciple of Christ.

Even when our journey in life is marked by confinement and limitations, we can be sure that the Lord will leads other Christians to guides us and encourage us through His Word.

Discipleship is relational and experiential. As such we not only need to communicate with one another, but also live a God glorifying life. We are also to be committed to our call to fulfill the commission to share the gospel to others.

KNOWING ABOUT GOD MAY INTEREST US; BUT KNOWING GOD WILL CHANGE US.

Right Attitude

Author Henri Nouwen, in his book The Return Of The Prodigal Son, suggests that all Christians, at some point in their walk of faith, are represented by each of the three main characters. At times we are the wayward child in need of repentance and forgiveness. At other times we are the big brother who wants to hold on to resentment and withhold forgiveness. But as we mature, we become like the father, whose highest desire is to have all his children reconciled.

The church is also a big family, we should not be split into separate parts as 1 Corinthians 1:10 records "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought."

1 Corinthians 12:12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.

Paul encouraged the Corinthians in their trials: "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 4:18)

So what's unseen and eternal that we can focus on? The character of God is an excellence place to focus. He is good (Psalm 25:8), He is just (Isaiah 30:18), He is forgiving (1 John 1:9), and He is faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9).

A right attitude with your family begins with a right attitude toward God.