Several years ago, I watched a weight lifting competition on television. It was probably the Olympics. I can’t remember for sure. But there was this short, stocky guy who came up, gave one big heave and succeeded in lifting the heavy weights. Immediately, after he dropped the dumb bells, he just prostrated on the ground and muttered a prayer of thanks for his victory. He was from a Moslem country.
That vision has never escaped me since. Here was a man who gave free rein to his emotions to worship his God before the whole world!!! He wasn’t ashamed of his God.
Sadly, I am reminded so often that as Christians, many of us, (me, included) tend to be so stuffy in our worship. We are afraid of what our neighbors would think of us. We don’t want to appear too ‘spiritual.’ There is Church decorum to consider.
Granted, that there should be some semblance of order on most Sundays. But it’s not everyday that we win a gold Olympics medal. Surely that kind of victory calls for a celebration. We should dance like David did, prostrate before God in full view of the world and sing and jump and shout!
No wonder this stuffiness has led to the loss of so much territory to the enemy in Christian countries. Christian colleges are no longer Christian, Bible studies and prayer activities are frowned upon and so are expressions of Christian faith on television.
It is time to reclaim what was lost in the mass media! Bring back the good old family values of faith, family loyalty, diligence and honesty.
Lord, forgive us for our spiritual stuffiness
Help us to worship You not just with our mouths
But with our hearts and all our might!!
Grant your people too spiritual perception
In a fallen, depraved world
In Jesus' Name
Amen
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Give thanks in all circumstances..(1 Thess 5: 18a)
It never rains but pours!! That was my situation the whole of last week. First, I locked the bathroom door by mistake and didn’t have the key to open it. I tried to open it myself for a week but couldn’t manage it. So I had to use the washroom downstairs. I wouldn’t have minded the inconvenience except that it was a squatting toilet which took its toil on my weak knees. In the end I had to call the locksmith and that cost me $50. Unnecessary expenditure!!
Then I did my shopping in Carefour, took the trolley down the elevator and fell right at the bottom of the stairs. Hit the small of my back and my left knee. Thank God, except from some bad bruises, I’m still moving.
Then I took anti- histamine for a scalp allergy. I had such a terrible hang over the next day that when I threw my laundry into the washing machine and saw a sleeve stuck out of the door, I didn’t bother to stop the machine. That act of laziness cost me $310.00 in repairs! A huge dent in the pocket!
Sunday evening was a rainy day. The LDP was jammed packed and I went under the expressway and was feeling very smug about being able to avoid the jam when a car hit my left mudguard when it turned left at the SS2 traffic light. I was in the wrong lane. It was a lane for right turn and I was going straight. Three young people came out of the car, two men and a lady. Very aggressive, very ill mannered, they shouted on top of their voices, dropped names and called their ‘police’ friend. Several minutes later, their friend turned up, wearing a T-shirt with the RELA logo. I told the young man calmly, “you don’t have to shout.” His Perdana was OK but my mudguard was a total wreck!
We went to the police station, submitted our reports and again they were claiming relatives with the sergeant. The police report was finally submitted by one past midnight. Thank God, the police did not fine me. I even shook hands with the young punks. The guy turned out to be a mechanic and asked if I wanted my car fixed at his workshop. Of course, I declined.
The next day, I went to two workshops. The cost went from $300 to $500. Finally, after discussing with my nephew, I claimed my own insurance.
The procedure is quite simple, really, if you know how.
The documents needed are :
the police report of the accident
a copy of your car registration
Photostat I.C
Photostat driving license.
It’s best to send your car to your manufacturer. They can arrange for insurance. Thank God, for the car insurance and thank God I wasn’t hurt.
Lord, thank you for each breath that I take
Thank you for each new day to praise and worship You
Thank you that even through difficult times
I can see Your protecting hand at work
May your name be glorified throughout the ages!
Forever, and ever, Amen
Then I did my shopping in Carefour, took the trolley down the elevator and fell right at the bottom of the stairs. Hit the small of my back and my left knee. Thank God, except from some bad bruises, I’m still moving.
Then I took anti- histamine for a scalp allergy. I had such a terrible hang over the next day that when I threw my laundry into the washing machine and saw a sleeve stuck out of the door, I didn’t bother to stop the machine. That act of laziness cost me $310.00 in repairs! A huge dent in the pocket!
Sunday evening was a rainy day. The LDP was jammed packed and I went under the expressway and was feeling very smug about being able to avoid the jam when a car hit my left mudguard when it turned left at the SS2 traffic light. I was in the wrong lane. It was a lane for right turn and I was going straight. Three young people came out of the car, two men and a lady. Very aggressive, very ill mannered, they shouted on top of their voices, dropped names and called their ‘police’ friend. Several minutes later, their friend turned up, wearing a T-shirt with the RELA logo. I told the young man calmly, “you don’t have to shout.” His Perdana was OK but my mudguard was a total wreck!
We went to the police station, submitted our reports and again they were claiming relatives with the sergeant. The police report was finally submitted by one past midnight. Thank God, the police did not fine me. I even shook hands with the young punks. The guy turned out to be a mechanic and asked if I wanted my car fixed at his workshop. Of course, I declined.
The next day, I went to two workshops. The cost went from $300 to $500. Finally, after discussing with my nephew, I claimed my own insurance.
The procedure is quite simple, really, if you know how.
The documents needed are :
the police report of the accident
a copy of your car registration
Photostat I.C
Photostat driving license.
It’s best to send your car to your manufacturer. They can arrange for insurance. Thank God, for the car insurance and thank God I wasn’t hurt.
Lord, thank you for each breath that I take
Thank you for each new day to praise and worship You
Thank you that even through difficult times
I can see Your protecting hand at work
May your name be glorified throughout the ages!
Forever, and ever, Amen
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. (Heb 12:2) NIV
I was studying in a convent school where there was a little nun. I said 'little' because she really was tiny. Maybe slightly four feet and above. Perhaps because of her height 'liability,' she had a thing against tall girls. And I was counted among the tall.
I remembered one day, during Monday morning assembly, when the whole school lined up according to classes in the school field with the Mother Superior and all the teaching staff facing us, looking down on us, the little flock from the rostrum.
I was then at the tender age of thirteen, beginning my junior school. I remembered looking up at this little nun, in her long, white robe and veil. She looked so pure and good -like an angel against the tropical sun. "But how could she be such a devil?" I asked myself. And I decided, I never wanted to be a Christian.
In my sophomore year, I went for an evangelistic meeting and spoke to one of the evangelists. When he invited me to accept Jesus as my saviour, I declined, quoting ill treatment from this nun.
God used him to convince me that we should not look to man but rather to Jesus who is the perfector of our faith. I was persuaded and became a believer.
Over the years, I must have been hurt a thousand times in church but by the grace of God, my faith remains intact. I believe it has very much to do with my initial induction to Christianity - that Jesus, alone is pefect.
I remembered one day, during Monday morning assembly, when the whole school lined up according to classes in the school field with the Mother Superior and all the teaching staff facing us, looking down on us, the little flock from the rostrum.
I was then at the tender age of thirteen, beginning my junior school. I remembered looking up at this little nun, in her long, white robe and veil. She looked so pure and good -like an angel against the tropical sun. "But how could she be such a devil?" I asked myself. And I decided, I never wanted to be a Christian.
In my sophomore year, I went for an evangelistic meeting and spoke to one of the evangelists. When he invited me to accept Jesus as my saviour, I declined, quoting ill treatment from this nun.
God used him to convince me that we should not look to man but rather to Jesus who is the perfector of our faith. I was persuaded and became a believer.
Over the years, I must have been hurt a thousand times in church but by the grace of God, my faith remains intact. I believe it has very much to do with my initial induction to Christianity - that Jesus, alone is pefect.
..The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer. (2 Sam 22: 2) NIV
As a young Christian, I once comforted an older colleague who was deeply worried for his family in case something happened to him. He had a wife and three school going kids. They were renting a house and were living on his pay. His job was on a contract basis and could be terminated in a day’s notice. He didn’t have life insurance as far as I knew.
The insecurity of his job was compounded by jealous colleagues who tried several times to influence the relevant authorities to dismiss him. I was able to observe their cunning tactics first hand because I was handling the administrative work which included recruitment and salaries.
Somehow, they never succeeded each time they tried and my faith grew just watching God’s protection over him. I remembered the first time this happened and the chairman of the meeting was almost ready to implement the ruling to strike off his post from the register but at that point, the meeting broke off for lunch. When it resumed, we went over other matters and they all clean forgot about getting rid of him! Except me - the secretary and I remembered sending up a weak prayer for his job knowing his circumstances. And indeed they never remembered and my friend was safe for another year’s contract. That first time it happened, my faith shot up sky high!
I was able to relate what happened to him and I told him if that was the God he worshipped, I wanted to know him more. From then on, we would talk about God and the Bible.
Like I said at the beginning, , he was often worried about the plight of his children and I remembered comforting him by quoting from the Old Testament that God would not allow his children to go hungry.
God’s assurance was worked out in his lifetime for he saw his children succeed very well in life before he passed away. God is great!!!
Lord, You are the Almighty, ruler of the heavens and the earth
With You at the helm of my life, I have no fear
May all your promises work out in my life
You have said also ‘revenge is mine’
I accept that, claiming your promise that You will vindicate me.
In Jesus’ Name
Amen
The insecurity of his job was compounded by jealous colleagues who tried several times to influence the relevant authorities to dismiss him. I was able to observe their cunning tactics first hand because I was handling the administrative work which included recruitment and salaries.
Somehow, they never succeeded each time they tried and my faith grew just watching God’s protection over him. I remembered the first time this happened and the chairman of the meeting was almost ready to implement the ruling to strike off his post from the register but at that point, the meeting broke off for lunch. When it resumed, we went over other matters and they all clean forgot about getting rid of him! Except me - the secretary and I remembered sending up a weak prayer for his job knowing his circumstances. And indeed they never remembered and my friend was safe for another year’s contract. That first time it happened, my faith shot up sky high!
I was able to relate what happened to him and I told him if that was the God he worshipped, I wanted to know him more. From then on, we would talk about God and the Bible.
Like I said at the beginning, , he was often worried about the plight of his children and I remembered comforting him by quoting from the Old Testament that God would not allow his children to go hungry.
God’s assurance was worked out in his lifetime for he saw his children succeed very well in life before he passed away. God is great!!!
Lord, You are the Almighty, ruler of the heavens and the earth
With You at the helm of my life, I have no fear
May all your promises work out in my life
You have said also ‘revenge is mine’
I accept that, claiming your promise that You will vindicate me.
In Jesus’ Name
Amen
Friday, July 13, 2007
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thristy and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in (Mt. 25: 3
Have you ever wondered how often meals figure in the life of Jesus? Jesus ate with sinners and outcasts –Levi, (Mark 2:15-17), the Pharisees (Luke 14) and Zacchaeus. (Luke 19:2-9) Think of the wonderful miracles that came out of those meal times. He himself was ministered to when he ate with his friends, Lazarus, Martha and Mary. The Last Supper was clearly instituted in the context of a meal. The resurrected Christ brought Peter back into fellowship in the midst of a meal fellowship.
And today, I can’t help but think of the many testimonies of people who came to know Christ through Christian meal hospitality. I remember testimonies from the pulpit of students who began by going to church because of the free meals and who were converted later. Some of them are church leaders today. I think of a former political refugee of the Tiananmen massacre (his name slips my mind at this time of writing) who attended bible studies in the States just for the meals but who eventually was convicted by the word of God. Today, he has a world wide ministry to the Chinese speaking community.
A Vietnamese pastor Paul Ai, spoke of his people who are foreign workers working in places where pork was forbidden. Like the Chinese, pork is an essential part of the Vietnamese diet. What did they do? They went to church because there was free food with pork thrown in. I was told recently that seventeen Vietnamese were baptized in this area. I am very sure, for them, their salvation began with pork which reminded them of home, love and family.
In the parable of the sheep and goats (Mt. 25 : 35-40) Jesus said that when we give food and drink to the hungry, we are giving it to him. Never underestimate the power of food to the spirit. Blessed are the hands that prepared the food!
And today, I can’t help but think of the many testimonies of people who came to know Christ through Christian meal hospitality. I remember testimonies from the pulpit of students who began by going to church because of the free meals and who were converted later. Some of them are church leaders today. I think of a former political refugee of the Tiananmen massacre (his name slips my mind at this time of writing) who attended bible studies in the States just for the meals but who eventually was convicted by the word of God. Today, he has a world wide ministry to the Chinese speaking community.
A Vietnamese pastor Paul Ai, spoke of his people who are foreign workers working in places where pork was forbidden. Like the Chinese, pork is an essential part of the Vietnamese diet. What did they do? They went to church because there was free food with pork thrown in. I was told recently that seventeen Vietnamese were baptized in this area. I am very sure, for them, their salvation began with pork which reminded them of home, love and family.
In the parable of the sheep and goats (Mt. 25 : 35-40) Jesus said that when we give food and drink to the hungry, we are giving it to him. Never underestimate the power of food to the spirit. Blessed are the hands that prepared the food!
Monday, July 2, 2007
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Tim 4: 7)
I went to church last Sunday and it turned out to be the funeral service of a church leader - a fine, godly man who had lived to a ripe old age. Accolades were heaped upon him. They spoke of his dependence upon God, his humility and his graciousness. These qualities, nevertheless, were tempered with firmness when the occasion demanded it – truly, the marks of a great leader.
Although I didn’t know the man personally, I’ve had the privilege of bumping into him and his lovely wife along the church passageway one day and had requested their prayer. I was depressed about my circumstances then. The wife prayed for me. I don’t remember what she prayed (the memory is short, these days) but the brief encounter left me with a warm impression of a gentle couple who exuded quiet graciousness and that kind of quality doesn’t come cheap. It is acquired through spending time with God.
My voice choked as the old familiar hymns were sung. I sobbed quietly as I watched one of his sons share of a father who prayed with them and for them through their growing years and until death took him away. What a loving father! A picture of a grieving, aching family flashed across the church screen. How much they must have loved him and how they will miss him! May the gentle reminder that he has gone to a better place comfort them.
I cried when I thought of how much he had achieved in his life time and how abundantly the Lord had blessed him. I cried for here was a visible example of a person who had fought the good fight and who had finished the race. (2 Tim 4:7). I cried for unlike him, I have nothing to show the Lord if He were to take me home.
My spirit was troubled. But by the following morning, my mind was cleared. I would live each day of my life with spiritual urgency, putting the things of God above mine. Then, perhaps, when I breathe my last, I can claim 2 Tim 4:7.
Although I didn’t know the man personally, I’ve had the privilege of bumping into him and his lovely wife along the church passageway one day and had requested their prayer. I was depressed about my circumstances then. The wife prayed for me. I don’t remember what she prayed (the memory is short, these days) but the brief encounter left me with a warm impression of a gentle couple who exuded quiet graciousness and that kind of quality doesn’t come cheap. It is acquired through spending time with God.
My voice choked as the old familiar hymns were sung. I sobbed quietly as I watched one of his sons share of a father who prayed with them and for them through their growing years and until death took him away. What a loving father! A picture of a grieving, aching family flashed across the church screen. How much they must have loved him and how they will miss him! May the gentle reminder that he has gone to a better place comfort them.
I cried when I thought of how much he had achieved in his life time and how abundantly the Lord had blessed him. I cried for here was a visible example of a person who had fought the good fight and who had finished the race. (2 Tim 4:7). I cried for unlike him, I have nothing to show the Lord if He were to take me home.
My spirit was troubled. But by the following morning, my mind was cleared. I would live each day of my life with spiritual urgency, putting the things of God above mine. Then, perhaps, when I breathe my last, I can claim 2 Tim 4:7.
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