Mid-Autumn Festival Big Party

For this month Big Party the church celebrated Mid Autumn Festival which falls on 3 October earlier. We held it on the 27th September night where more than 330 people attended. The church santuary were decorated with about 70 lighted paper lanterns while Bro. Wilbur together with Bro. KB birth out a big traditional lantern made up of white polystyrene foam.





There were 12 participants, where some uses polystyrene foam plates, aluminium cans and cardboards to come up with various shapes of lanterns.

Curse God, and die

Deprived of possessions, bereaved by the loss of his sons and daughters, and afflicted with a painful physical malady, Job's wife told him to "Curse God and die" - Job 2:9.

So how should we react to adversity ?

First, if you know Christ as your Savior and are faced with a time of trouble, come to the Lord with a prayer of humble submission. In other words, when you pray for healing or deliverance from some disturbing situation, be sure you do so with an attitude of complete yieldedness to whatever God sees best for you. God may allow our affliction to continue and lead us into a closer walk with Him.

Secondly, have confidence in God. Instead of looking upon your affliction as a sign that God doesn't love you, view it as a mark of His favor. Hebrews 12 : 6-7 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

Romans 8 : 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Finally, we should endeavor to develop our faith while we are experiencing afflection. The Lord wants us to trust Him implicity. And our faith will grow if we study the Bible, obey its directives, and appropriate to ourselves the wonderful truths it reveals about the Lord and His promises.

Isaiah 55 : 8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

[Extracted from "How to Get Up... When you're Down! written by Richard W.De Haan]

Mid-Autumn

God is good all the time, His blessing and mercy never ceases and are new every morning. Blessing came early for this year Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节) celebration which falls on 3 October 2009. Within a week, we were blessed with 4 boxes of mooncakes despite turning down a regular blesser two weeks ago.

We were blessed with the traditional type such as red bean and lotus seed paste, and the new one from (双胜) Swensen's 'Frozen Delights'. Swensen's pastry skin ice cream mooncakes is a delight for those ice-cream lover as its flavour inlcude durian supreme, hazelnut latte, strawberry peachy mango yogurt, kiwi raspberry, milo, black sesame peanut, mangosteen and sticky chewy chocolate.

traditional mooncakes

Swensen mooncakes with its bag and box

another different variety of mini mooncakes

BLESSED 'MOON CAKE FESTIVAL' to all and happy eating mooncakes.....

Open house

We joined many Malaysians from different ethnic backgrounds thronged the Hari Raya open house of Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim this morning. This was my first open house visit but the second for the other friends, who visited our former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah previously.

We started at 11-00 am from Penang and travelled to Permatang Pauh in the mainland. We were heading to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim 'rumah terbuka' at Permatang Pauh. The journey and traffc were smooth but we wasted 2 hours searching and asking around for the correct location as we made the mistake of not getting the full address or location but only relied on the publication from newspaper.

After failing to locate the place, we decide to proceed to Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman open house in Penanti constituency. The event was held at Taman Guar Perahu public field. We managed to meet Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim here. Penang Pas Commissioner Mohd Salleh Man and other state exco were also present among the crowd. The myriad of food served included roti canai, roti jala, fried bee hoon, lemang, mee rebus and raya cookies.
The open house truly reflect the 1Malaysia concept where people of various age, race and religion comes together to celebrate.

Padang awam Taman Guar Perahu

Our group photo with Penang Deputy Chief Minister I

P/S: too bad we didn't get the chance to take another group photo with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

When you're down, how to get up !

When are you down? You are down when you are depressed.

A major depression is a disabling condition which adversely affects a person's family, work or school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health. In the United States, approximately 3.4% of people with major depression commit suicide, and up to 60% of people who commit suicide have depression or another mood disorder.

The most common time of onset is between the ages of 30 and 40 years, with a later peak between 50 and 60 years. Major depression is reported about twice as frequently in women as in men, although men are at higher risk for committing suicide.

[From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]

Richard W. De Haan, a teacher with Radio Bible Class wrote that in many cases of depression, it's more of a spiritual than a psychological problem. Many people have invested a small fortune in psychoanalysis, shock therapy, and medication without ever really being helped. But they never will become well until they get right with God. He lists 4 essential steps to overcome depression:-

(1) Accept God's Pardon - You see, a person plagued with a guilty conscience finds himself in a most distressing situation. It is therefore imperative for him to begin the journey out of the darkness of depression by receiving the forgiveness and the freedom from guilt that God so graciously offers.

(2) Acknowledge God's Providence - By this I mean that you must recognize that God has a purpose for your life. He has your eternal good in mind.

(3) Admit to God's Prerogative - Romans 9 : 15-16 ... "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.

(4) Appropriate God's Provision - Remember, therefore, that in order to live a victorious life and to avoid the depression of spiritual defeat, you must avail yourself of God's gracious provision.

We all have moments in life when we're down. We get the 'blues'. The psalmist cried, "Why are you down cast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalm 42:11)

I have finished the race

For the last 2 weeks, I attended 3 wake services, a relative and two church friends. The youngest was in her early fifties and the oldest were in their early eighties. Death rips apart life's closest bonds, leaves hearts broken, ushers in loneliness, and open floodgates of tears. In the valley of grief, the only way to keep going is to trust the compass and map God has given us. You may think the Bible is too dated and old-fashioned to be of value. But the compass of God's indwelling Spirit and the map of the Bible are timeless - always pointing us in the right direction.

Our Lord is faithful and merciful High Priest (Hebrews 2 : 17) who has tasted death for everyone (2 : 9). He is the One who said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (13:5). His promise to be there for us is the bedrock of our security in an unstable world shattered by grief.

John Brantner writes, "Only people who avoid love can avoid grief. The point is to learn from it and remain vulnerable to love".

John 5 : 24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

2 Timothy 4 : 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Man was not made for the present, and the present was never intended to satisfy man. Man's life on earth cannot and does not fulfill the eternal longings of man. This principle continues throughout his existence and even up to the point of death.

One Body, One Spirit, One Lord

The latest slogan or theme most used is the one made common by the Prime Mnister, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, 1 Malaysia - People First, Performance Now.

That 1 Malaysia, a slogan meant to promote unity and mutual respect and trust among the different ethnic communities in Malaysia, has stirred up so much heated rhetoric shows how much the tricky goal of unity in Malaysia is and how it will be a challenge for the Prime Minister administration.

Likewise the churches of today are also facing a lot of challenges such as that recorded in Galatians 5 : 19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious : sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

However, since we [Christians] belong to Christ and live by the Spirit, we should always strive for the fruit of the Spirit that is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control and its gifts that is Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Gift of Faith, Gift of Healings, Working of Miracles, Gift of Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, Gift of Tongue and Interpretation of Tongue.

Just like the song : PEOPLE OF THE LORD

There is one body, we have one Lord
United in the Spirit, we are going forth
With His praises on our lips
And a sword in our hands
We are marching on with power
As we possess this land
##
We are the people of the Lord
We're a holy nation
A chosen generation
Called to show forth His praise
We are the people of the Lord
We're a holy nation
Believers in Jesus
Lifting up our voices to the Lord

1 Corinthians 12 : 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Ephesians 4 : 4-6 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called -- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Praise God for 52 years of independence, peace and harmony. Praying that the future of this nation will be built upon justice, righteousness, fairness and integrity.

HAPPY 52ND MERDEKA TO ALL MALAYSIAN

Mum's gems of wisdom

Halimahton Yusof, the mother of wayward Mathematics genius Sufiah Yusof will be offering her advice to the Permata Negara and Permata Pintar programmes to help guide gifted children along the right path in life.
She said parents of gifted children should teach them basic values and not concentrate only on academic performance. Among the values she stressed was having respects for others, especially their parents.
[Extracted from The Star dated 25-08-09 written by Yuen MeiKeng]

Dr Alex Tang, a paediatrician in private practice offer the following suggestions for raising a GENIUS child :-
G is for Growing normally
Parents must ensure that their children are healthy and growing well.
E is for Emotional quotient (EQ)
EQ is the ability to know how to distinguish healthy from unhealthy emotions and how to turn negative emotions into positive ones. Emotionally healthy children are generally better learners with fewer behavioural problems, able to resist peer presure while resolving conflicts and building relationship with others. Children's EQ can be improved by bonding and building good relationships with them.
N is for Nutrition
Balanced and sensible diets is important for children.
I is for Intelligent quotient (IQ)
To enhance children IQ, we should expose them to challenging games, hobbies or art.
U is for Utmost potential
Children must be allowed opportunities to develop their gifting and areas of interest to the utmost potential [not utmost expectation].
S is for Spiritual quotient (SQ)
As with EQ, SQ can be developed and improved. As parents, we are to teach our children to read God's Word, how to pray and love other people. We are also to be role model for our children as our children's concept of God comes from their perception of us, especially the fathers.

Psalm 127 : 3-6 Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

Making Good Money

The Bible shows that wealth can be a blessing from God, it is not always dirty or crooked. Abraham, one of the Bible's heroes of faith, " was very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold " [Genesis 13 : 2]. So how did he get so rich ? Through God's abundant blessing [Genesis 24 : 35].
Job was another Bible hero whom God blessed with great wealth. Job lost everything but stayed faithful to God. Eventually '....the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before' (Job 42 : 10).
The New Testament examples included Lydia, a devout woman who became prosperous in the cloth business. Lydia trusted in Christ and offered her home as a base for missionaries to stay in and for new Christians to gather for worship and encouragement (Acts 16 : 14-15, 40).

Wealth can be a blessing from God. But the Bible opposes those who "think that godliness is a means to financial gain" (1 Timothy 6 : 5). God does not exist to satisfy greed.
A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished. (Proverbs 28 : 20)

It is not always wrong to make money, but it is absolutely wrong to make money supreme or to give ourselves all the credit for our wealth. The Bible says, "Man does not live on bread alone [material things] but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord ... You may say to yourself, 'My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.' But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth" (Deuteronomy 8 : 3, 7-18).

Money is not God, but it is not Satan either. If you trust the Lord Jesus as your Saviour and put God first in your life, then making good money can be enjoyed as a blessing and pursued as a calling. Thank the Lord for the work and the wealth He gives you. Give generously to help out people who cannot help themselves.
God tells His people, "You and your family shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you" (Deuteronomy 12 : 7).

[Extract from Asian Beacon April/May 2004 written by David Feddes]

Proverbs 3 : 9-10 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

As God empowers us with the ability to earn good money, let us be good stewards and use the gift to empower others as well.

Out of Teenagers

For more than 20 years, our home was blessed by the presence of teenagers. But now that our youngest is in her late teens, my wife and I are all out of teenagers.
Those years were full of challenges and demands that sometimes zapped our strength and took all our mental and emotional reserves. We rejoiced the trills of success and struggled through their grieved. As I look back on our experiment in parenting, we noticed some valuable lessons :-

1) Some teens follow life in a straight line, while others zig-zag along life's pathway. It's best to 'zig' with them in love and with courage.
2) Teenagers need unconditional love because they live in a conditional world.

Romans 5 : 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
3) A love of God's Word is vital to successfully transfer faith from one generation to the next.

4) Teens need to develop a relationship with Christ that is based not on rules but on a deep love of Jesus.

John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Proverbs 22 : 6
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Psalm 128 : 3
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.

DON'T MERELY SPEND TIME WITH YOUR CHILDREN - INVEST IN IT.