go click on this: http://www.gfa.org/gfa/newsupdate122805?motiv=WA5C-G4LN and
http://www.gfa.org/gfa/myanmar_SEND2005 to give thanks and pray for the missions work...
Friday, December 30, 2005
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
truth and beauty at the camp
finally, a post the subject of which may be able to do justice to the title of my blog...
sometimes we are so tired, so distracted, or so concerned with duty that we forget the wonder of serving God. i seem to be one of the culprits.
but even to such a person as I, God was pleased to show me His grace and His wonderful work throughout the camp. so although reflecting on the camp now may be a tad late, it's better that than never...
I'm sure that accounts and anecdotes of God's guidance during the camp will differ - my brother has done a very nice post full of his own thanks to God - but like how a diamond reveals it's beauty through the reflection of light on its different faces, so too, we only highlight glimpses of various facets of His encompassing grace.
for myself. i have to confess that i wasnt in too good a mood going into the camp. but how God has given me the chances to serve and share in His ministry is really amazing... firstly, I was really glad that a street e seeker actually responded and brought his friends on the 1st night. the first time i rushed out of camp during the 1st evening, i walked all the way to Serangoon mrt to meet him, but he wasnt there and i had to half-run, half-walk back in order to make it for the singspiration session to play e keyboard. then of all times, the seeker called me during the most mediatative part of the session and i had the very exciting task of trying to continue playing with one hand and putting my hp on silent mode with the other. once the singing was over, i went out again to pick the guys up. And after the first night, we actually managed to persuade the seeker to stay for the whole camp, and one of the friends to come the next day. all these, of course, is by His grace - i mean, if i was the seeker, i dont think i would have stayed with a bunch of strangers, no matter how jovially jolly they were. thanks too, to those who helped take the seekers so willingly and readily.
secondly, as many have already mentioned, the weather was simply fantastic. the only times it rained were when we had indoor programmes - so uncannily had the sky matched our planning. but then again, nothing's uncanny and there are no coincidences with God. and not forgetting the afternoon of exhausting sports station games when the sun was obscured with clouds to give us welcome shade the whole time.
thirdly, must really thank God for how the programs managed to flow smoothly. anyone in the committee would know the multiple changes and adjustments we had to make during the planning, right up to like the last few days. even then, i think nobody could be sure how everything would turn up and how the people would respond. And for me, it was the fact that i was in charge of like 3 major programmes that took up a lot of time, that was rather pressurizing. But again, things managed to get sorted out despite last minute preparations of some logistics and adjustments in timing. and really really thank God that the speaker for the 2nd day talk was good. I had some qualms about bringing in my NUS lecturer, especially after the talk was modified to include youths, but she more than aquitted herself of any doubts i may have held. I wouldn't say that she held everyone spellbound throughout the 2 hours, but at the very least she got everyone listening to every word she said and a hearty response for the activites and discussion.
fourthly, the responses of the seekers. at least one salvation and others interested. for myself, God put the task of speaking to a seeker who was quite a rare breed, if i may use such a phrase! without elaborating further here, it would suffice to say that such a person helped me to really have to think and employ not just intellectual arguments but also sincerity and love in talking to him. despite the many obstacles, i think he really made much progress throughout the camp after talking to yq, uj and myself. And despite the rarity of such a type, he was truly a 'seeker' and not just someone we invited. I believe that God helped him to have the desire and sincerity to seek. And God will bring him all the way if He so pleases.
lastly, I think that the valuable thing gained through the camp was serving God together with all the committee pp and others involved. truly, as Wei En said, there is a shared bond that results from shared values and conviction. Indeed, we are saints together on a journey, and the ones we really help are ourselves when we serve. Not superhumans that are immune from pressure, frustration or tiredness. Not angels that are free from irritation, mistakes and conflicts. Not heaven-dwellers who rejoice to praise God and delight in every little work. No, we know that too well. Not those, but saints - sinners redeemed and chosen by His grace alone, given the priviledge of serving, despite our weaknesses, despite our wrongs. And if we all know our own faults, then truly it is His goodness, that has made the camp so great. If we know our shortcomings, then it is truly Him that is glad to fill them up with His providence. If we know our weakness, then it is surely His strength that brought us through. And if we know our limits, then is it not His own power that accomplishes His purposes, even giving us the chance to be part of them?
And the amazing thing is, that is really why we are not solitary Christians. When we are weak, where does God's strength come in? Many times, it comes through others. When we need a lesson, how does God teach us? Through fellow Christians as well - through the interactions, the encouragments, even (or especially) the conflicts. Thanks a lot - all of you fellow servants.
So, wherein lies the truth and beauty? In our lesson of dependance and trust in God. If we do that, we get the strengh, He gets the pleasure of displaying His goodness and power. We are satisfied by Him, and He is glorified.
So then, soli Deo gloria.
sometimes we are so tired, so distracted, or so concerned with duty that we forget the wonder of serving God. i seem to be one of the culprits.
but even to such a person as I, God was pleased to show me His grace and His wonderful work throughout the camp. so although reflecting on the camp now may be a tad late, it's better that than never...
I'm sure that accounts and anecdotes of God's guidance during the camp will differ - my brother has done a very nice post full of his own thanks to God - but like how a diamond reveals it's beauty through the reflection of light on its different faces, so too, we only highlight glimpses of various facets of His encompassing grace.
for myself. i have to confess that i wasnt in too good a mood going into the camp. but how God has given me the chances to serve and share in His ministry is really amazing... firstly, I was really glad that a street e seeker actually responded and brought his friends on the 1st night. the first time i rushed out of camp during the 1st evening, i walked all the way to Serangoon mrt to meet him, but he wasnt there and i had to half-run, half-walk back in order to make it for the singspiration session to play e keyboard. then of all times, the seeker called me during the most mediatative part of the session and i had the very exciting task of trying to continue playing with one hand and putting my hp on silent mode with the other. once the singing was over, i went out again to pick the guys up. And after the first night, we actually managed to persuade the seeker to stay for the whole camp, and one of the friends to come the next day. all these, of course, is by His grace - i mean, if i was the seeker, i dont think i would have stayed with a bunch of strangers, no matter how jovially jolly they were. thanks too, to those who helped take the seekers so willingly and readily.
secondly, as many have already mentioned, the weather was simply fantastic. the only times it rained were when we had indoor programmes - so uncannily had the sky matched our planning. but then again, nothing's uncanny and there are no coincidences with God. and not forgetting the afternoon of exhausting sports station games when the sun was obscured with clouds to give us welcome shade the whole time.
thirdly, must really thank God for how the programs managed to flow smoothly. anyone in the committee would know the multiple changes and adjustments we had to make during the planning, right up to like the last few days. even then, i think nobody could be sure how everything would turn up and how the people would respond. And for me, it was the fact that i was in charge of like 3 major programmes that took up a lot of time, that was rather pressurizing. But again, things managed to get sorted out despite last minute preparations of some logistics and adjustments in timing. and really really thank God that the speaker for the 2nd day talk was good. I had some qualms about bringing in my NUS lecturer, especially after the talk was modified to include youths, but she more than aquitted herself of any doubts i may have held. I wouldn't say that she held everyone spellbound throughout the 2 hours, but at the very least she got everyone listening to every word she said and a hearty response for the activites and discussion.
fourthly, the responses of the seekers. at least one salvation and others interested. for myself, God put the task of speaking to a seeker who was quite a rare breed, if i may use such a phrase! without elaborating further here, it would suffice to say that such a person helped me to really have to think and employ not just intellectual arguments but also sincerity and love in talking to him. despite the many obstacles, i think he really made much progress throughout the camp after talking to yq, uj and myself. And despite the rarity of such a type, he was truly a 'seeker' and not just someone we invited. I believe that God helped him to have the desire and sincerity to seek. And God will bring him all the way if He so pleases.
lastly, I think that the valuable thing gained through the camp was serving God together with all the committee pp and others involved. truly, as Wei En said, there is a shared bond that results from shared values and conviction. Indeed, we are saints together on a journey, and the ones we really help are ourselves when we serve. Not superhumans that are immune from pressure, frustration or tiredness. Not angels that are free from irritation, mistakes and conflicts. Not heaven-dwellers who rejoice to praise God and delight in every little work. No, we know that too well. Not those, but saints - sinners redeemed and chosen by His grace alone, given the priviledge of serving, despite our weaknesses, despite our wrongs. And if we all know our own faults, then truly it is His goodness, that has made the camp so great. If we know our shortcomings, then it is truly Him that is glad to fill them up with His providence. If we know our weakness, then it is surely His strength that brought us through. And if we know our limits, then is it not His own power that accomplishes His purposes, even giving us the chance to be part of them?
And the amazing thing is, that is really why we are not solitary Christians. When we are weak, where does God's strength come in? Many times, it comes through others. When we need a lesson, how does God teach us? Through fellow Christians as well - through the interactions, the encouragments, even (or especially) the conflicts. Thanks a lot - all of you fellow servants.
So, wherein lies the truth and beauty? In our lesson of dependance and trust in God. If we do that, we get the strengh, He gets the pleasure of displaying His goodness and power. We are satisfied by Him, and He is glorified.
So then, soli Deo gloria.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
sore toe, more foes and core woes
after an all-too-long hiatus from the street bandy, we laid out the arena and began battle again this evening... due to the sorting of logistics for the upcoming camp, an assorted number of characters appeared in the court -
Wei Hong, not known for his regularity in the game, showed off his dazzling moves reminscent of footwork witnessed in soccer, while Li Kuan and Grace utilized their vocal powers to the maximum, belying their actual skill and acumen. Kai En was a fixture as usual, with his uncanny accuracy and class oozing all over his close control and deceptively relaxed demeanor. But while his accuracy was unmatched the whole evening, his slackness was surpassed by none other than Wei En, with the exception of certain actions which involve leaping.
As I emerged from the changing room to join the fray midway through the frenzy, Wei Hong and the girls decided that enough was enough and headed home. Not long after, as if on cue, Cheng Hung arrived and completed the quartet of regulars. The stage was set.
With all solemnity and seriousness we thrust our palms out to determine the teams. As the draw was revealed, I took up my stick, booked my place, and looked into Cheng Hung's face. Us two against the world. Rugged determination and energy was bursting from its seams. Without much ado, the game kicked off. At once, the pace was electric - no gentle build up, no testing and feeling of the other team, just pure dashing, swishing and crashing around the court. We were only interrupted when a rather sickly looking Zhiyang decided to risk his health in order to experience the adrenaline rush of a lifetime. I gather that he was not disappointed, for he looked even more sick at the end of it and it could only be due to that adrenaline rush. Ok, nevermind.
Anyway, with more foes on the block it was getting difficult for CH and myself. Due to my extreme defensive frailities in front of goal, CH had to defend for most of the game, thus nullifying to some extent his extreme attacking powress. That left me to face the fearsome trio of KE, WE and of course the sick Zhiyang. We battled valiantly, but were left chasing the score for most of the game. Whenever we threatened to go on a scoring run, the replies were swift, either through the power and accuracy of KE and the ineffable move of WE which constitutes jumping and whacking the ball with a backstroke while in the air, or simply by being intercepted and not having a man to cover up behind.
CH made several crucial interventions when a certain goal appeared imminent. With gravity and special relativity-defying leaps that would put Einstein to shame and please an aminator to no end, he rescued many a lost cause. But the irony of the day was that one of these actually creeped in in the end due to a very complicated miscommunication and miscue from the both of us, resulting in unmitigated laughter all round. With such elementary mistakes becoming rather common, we tried our best to redeem ourselves - CH with some quick interceptions of his own which almost inevitably ended the ball in their net, and me with a sublime slice of the ball off CH's pass that was a contender for goal of the day.
Alas, our efforts proved insufficient as KE, WE and ZY trudged on with ruthless efficiency and the advantage of the extra man. Even my hopefully hilarious impersonation of an Italian commentator enamoured with CH's skill failed to level the score, although it caused some distraction and a few goals. In the end, the game ended at 24-26. Kudos to our worthy opponents for a spirited show.
For my efforts, all I had to show was a sore toe, which seemed to be hurting a bit more just a while ago. Speculation abounds as to whether this situation would lead eventually to the nail dropping off or simply to another black patch underneath it. I wouldnt expect anyone to stay tuned, though. so my core woe seems only to be that we should play more often.
on a different note, thank God for the packing and buying of logistics today. It was good to have the car as we went to 5 different places to procure the necessary goods. and by 6, everything was done nicely and contained in the container.
for those it concerns, do pray for the camp response, last bits of logistics and the tying up of all loose ends. above all, a heart to glorify the One and delight in letting Him lead the whole thing.
Wei Hong, not known for his regularity in the game, showed off his dazzling moves reminscent of footwork witnessed in soccer, while Li Kuan and Grace utilized their vocal powers to the maximum, belying their actual skill and acumen. Kai En was a fixture as usual, with his uncanny accuracy and class oozing all over his close control and deceptively relaxed demeanor. But while his accuracy was unmatched the whole evening, his slackness was surpassed by none other than Wei En, with the exception of certain actions which involve leaping.
As I emerged from the changing room to join the fray midway through the frenzy, Wei Hong and the girls decided that enough was enough and headed home. Not long after, as if on cue, Cheng Hung arrived and completed the quartet of regulars. The stage was set.
With all solemnity and seriousness we thrust our palms out to determine the teams. As the draw was revealed, I took up my stick, booked my place, and looked into Cheng Hung's face. Us two against the world. Rugged determination and energy was bursting from its seams. Without much ado, the game kicked off. At once, the pace was electric - no gentle build up, no testing and feeling of the other team, just pure dashing, swishing and crashing around the court. We were only interrupted when a rather sickly looking Zhiyang decided to risk his health in order to experience the adrenaline rush of a lifetime. I gather that he was not disappointed, for he looked even more sick at the end of it and it could only be due to that adrenaline rush. Ok, nevermind.
Anyway, with more foes on the block it was getting difficult for CH and myself. Due to my extreme defensive frailities in front of goal, CH had to defend for most of the game, thus nullifying to some extent his extreme attacking powress. That left me to face the fearsome trio of KE, WE and of course the sick Zhiyang. We battled valiantly, but were left chasing the score for most of the game. Whenever we threatened to go on a scoring run, the replies were swift, either through the power and accuracy of KE and the ineffable move of WE which constitutes jumping and whacking the ball with a backstroke while in the air, or simply by being intercepted and not having a man to cover up behind.
CH made several crucial interventions when a certain goal appeared imminent. With gravity and special relativity-defying leaps that would put Einstein to shame and please an aminator to no end, he rescued many a lost cause. But the irony of the day was that one of these actually creeped in in the end due to a very complicated miscommunication and miscue from the both of us, resulting in unmitigated laughter all round. With such elementary mistakes becoming rather common, we tried our best to redeem ourselves - CH with some quick interceptions of his own which almost inevitably ended the ball in their net, and me with a sublime slice of the ball off CH's pass that was a contender for goal of the day.
Alas, our efforts proved insufficient as KE, WE and ZY trudged on with ruthless efficiency and the advantage of the extra man. Even my hopefully hilarious impersonation of an Italian commentator enamoured with CH's skill failed to level the score, although it caused some distraction and a few goals. In the end, the game ended at 24-26. Kudos to our worthy opponents for a spirited show.
For my efforts, all I had to show was a sore toe, which seemed to be hurting a bit more just a while ago. Speculation abounds as to whether this situation would lead eventually to the nail dropping off or simply to another black patch underneath it. I wouldnt expect anyone to stay tuned, though. so my core woe seems only to be that we should play more often.
on a different note, thank God for the packing and buying of logistics today. It was good to have the car as we went to 5 different places to procure the necessary goods. and by 6, everything was done nicely and contained in the container.
for those it concerns, do pray for the camp response, last bits of logistics and the tying up of all loose ends. above all, a heart to glorify the One and delight in letting Him lead the whole thing.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
thoughts on suffering from John Piper
"[God] calls us into the obedience of suffering not to demonstrate the strength of our devotion to duty or to reveal the vigor of our moral resolve or to prove the heights of our tolerance for pain, but rather to manifest, in childlike faith, the infinite preciousness of His all-satisfying promises." - John Piper
Suffering in the Christian life is ultimately for joy. It is hard to believe this, especially when we are in the midst of suffering. But consider the multiple verses -
"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward." Heb 11:24-26
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Heb 12:2
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4
"But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." 1 Peter 4:13-14
In Piper's book Desiring God, the concluding chapter is on suffering, and it is particularly enlightening. According to Piper, the kind of joy that accompanies suffering as a Christian is not just a side-effect, it is something that we are to pursue. Both our Lord Jesus Christ and Moses chose suffering not for its own sake, but for the greater joy that it would bring. There are many different reasons to rejoice in suffering, and Piper gives many examples from the Bible as well as from the testimonies of many persecuted Christians and missionaries.
Ultimately, only suffering for a greater hope and joy can exclude pride or self-pity from resulting. If we focus solely on self-denial for its own sake, then there is no point. Self-denial is always for something greater - forsaking the temporal pleasures for the eternal ones, forsaking the worldly things that tantalise but never satisfy, for the fountain of joy that is God. Look at Paul's words:
"If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.' " 1 Cor 15:32. In other words, if there is no hope of the resurrection, there was no point in Paul's suffering. If there was no greater joy, then he would be more pitied than all men, for he had forsaken the ordinary comforts of a Roman citizen, the good life that a person of his ability could easily have led.
I must admit that it is hard to really apply all this. For one, I am hardly facing any sort of direct persecution for being a Christian. And secondly, the attitude of joy is not something we can suddenly decide to have, and then have it. But as Piper says, if we are truly walking in obedience to God, any kind of suffering that we encounter is suffering as a Christian. And while we can't give ourselves that capacity to delight while suffering, we can pray for it, and at least be willing to take the focus off ourselves, and by reading His words, and taking them as truth, make the first step towards that. Don't underestimate the willingness, even that doesn't come easily enough. Remember that the joy is commanded. There is no separation between delight and duty. Delight is our duty.
Suffering in the Christian life is ultimately for joy. It is hard to believe this, especially when we are in the midst of suffering. But consider the multiple verses -
"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward." Heb 11:24-26
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Heb 12:2
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4
"But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." 1 Peter 4:13-14
In Piper's book Desiring God, the concluding chapter is on suffering, and it is particularly enlightening. According to Piper, the kind of joy that accompanies suffering as a Christian is not just a side-effect, it is something that we are to pursue. Both our Lord Jesus Christ and Moses chose suffering not for its own sake, but for the greater joy that it would bring. There are many different reasons to rejoice in suffering, and Piper gives many examples from the Bible as well as from the testimonies of many persecuted Christians and missionaries.
Ultimately, only suffering for a greater hope and joy can exclude pride or self-pity from resulting. If we focus solely on self-denial for its own sake, then there is no point. Self-denial is always for something greater - forsaking the temporal pleasures for the eternal ones, forsaking the worldly things that tantalise but never satisfy, for the fountain of joy that is God. Look at Paul's words:
"If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.' " 1 Cor 15:32. In other words, if there is no hope of the resurrection, there was no point in Paul's suffering. If there was no greater joy, then he would be more pitied than all men, for he had forsaken the ordinary comforts of a Roman citizen, the good life that a person of his ability could easily have led.
I must admit that it is hard to really apply all this. For one, I am hardly facing any sort of direct persecution for being a Christian. And secondly, the attitude of joy is not something we can suddenly decide to have, and then have it. But as Piper says, if we are truly walking in obedience to God, any kind of suffering that we encounter is suffering as a Christian. And while we can't give ourselves that capacity to delight while suffering, we can pray for it, and at least be willing to take the focus off ourselves, and by reading His words, and taking them as truth, make the first step towards that. Don't underestimate the willingness, even that doesn't come easily enough. Remember that the joy is commanded. There is no separation between delight and duty. Delight is our duty.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
bored exam post
funny how it is that i seem to find time to do more things like this during exams. i remember posting emails in an equally bored state up on the CYAM yahoo groups last year...
well, anyway just had my Human Resource module exam this morning. thank God it wasn't too bad, except that i had 2 hours to do 3 questions (with the weightage being 20, 15, 15 marks), but only 15 mins to do the 3rd question. not too good at math, i seem. well, old habits die hard, and no one can fault me for not being aware of the time and trying to write faster. perhaps i can be faulted for being over-elaborate in my first essay, though. has been the case since secondary school days, actually. still remember that i didnt finish quite a few of my o-level papers, and was always writing up till the last moment. which is why exams are lousy indicators of ability.
just finished typing some relevant info for the camp games @ East Coast for cheng hung. got a bit carried away as usual, and added different colour fonts, a nice picture, and the thing ended up at being 7 pages long. hope he gets to the end of it. and thank God that Fei Yue doesnt charge the hefty $150 for their talks, as previously thought. turns out that they just collect a free offering from churches. 's wonderful.
a muscle is twitching somewhere in my leg, and i recall that today is wednesday, in other words, the day to travel down eastwards for battle of the sticks. but alas, it is exam period, i have a notoriously difficult paper on saturday, and i am not prepared enough. so then, abstinence for the time being.
ok, back to the curl, divergence, gradient, vector potentials, boundary conditions, traverse electromagnetic waves and whatever greek symbols they can think of. there's no number in higher mathematics....
well, anyway just had my Human Resource module exam this morning. thank God it wasn't too bad, except that i had 2 hours to do 3 questions (with the weightage being 20, 15, 15 marks), but only 15 mins to do the 3rd question. not too good at math, i seem. well, old habits die hard, and no one can fault me for not being aware of the time and trying to write faster. perhaps i can be faulted for being over-elaborate in my first essay, though. has been the case since secondary school days, actually. still remember that i didnt finish quite a few of my o-level papers, and was always writing up till the last moment. which is why exams are lousy indicators of ability.
just finished typing some relevant info for the camp games @ East Coast for cheng hung. got a bit carried away as usual, and added different colour fonts, a nice picture, and the thing ended up at being 7 pages long. hope he gets to the end of it. and thank God that Fei Yue doesnt charge the hefty $150 for their talks, as previously thought. turns out that they just collect a free offering from churches. 's wonderful.
a muscle is twitching somewhere in my leg, and i recall that today is wednesday, in other words, the day to travel down eastwards for battle of the sticks. but alas, it is exam period, i have a notoriously difficult paper on saturday, and i am not prepared enough. so then, abstinence for the time being.
ok, back to the curl, divergence, gradient, vector potentials, boundary conditions, traverse electromagnetic waves and whatever greek symbols they can think of. there's no number in higher mathematics....
Monday, October 31, 2005
take time and pray
The Indian Supreme Court's decision on the fate of the Dalit Christians is pending... Do pray.
Excerpts from letters from Gospel for Asia's founder and president, K. P. Yohannan:
The Indian Supreme Court has once again delayed its decision on the Dalit civil rights case, and again it is time for me to ask you to please pray without ceasing on behalf of our Dalit Christian brothers and sisters.
This delay until November is a positive development because it means that the Court is not rushing to judgment, and is taking seriously this case of discrimination against Dalit Christians.
It also means that Christians like you and me have more time to intercede with prayer, asking God to guide the thoughts and decisions of the judges. And this is especially important, because behind this case lies a Himalaya-sized spiritual battle!
Jesus tells us that this kind of battle can only be won through prayer and fasting. So I implore you to take this call to prayer very seriously. And much is at stake.
As you know, under the current law, Dalits lose some of their basic constitutional rights when they becomes Christians; they are no longer eligible for affirmative action placements in education, employment, government and many other areas--rights granted to Dalits who are Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist.
According to a government census, some 20 million Dalits have become
Christians, and it is on their behalf that we pray for a just ruling. Equally important, there are many Dalits whose only hesitation to becoming Christians is fear of this legalized discrimination. Just think of what a difference this court decision could make for them! No wonder Satan is
opposing it.
So again, please continue to fast and pray that the Supreme Court of India will correct these injustices. Please faithfully intercede and pray with a broken heart for the sake of these millions of men, women and children who suffer so much.
Thank you so much for your prayer support--you are a true "prayer warrior" in this battle.
(According to the government census some 20 million Dalits have become Christians. These precious people's rights are violated: Their women and children are raped, they are not allowed to draw water from wells in many communities, and so many more accounts of cruelty. Some of the communities, like the Banjara with 61 million people, live with 90 percent illiteracy and
horrible poverty.)
Excerpts from letters from Gospel for Asia's founder and president, K. P. Yohannan:
The Indian Supreme Court has once again delayed its decision on the Dalit civil rights case, and again it is time for me to ask you to please pray without ceasing on behalf of our Dalit Christian brothers and sisters.
This delay until November is a positive development because it means that the Court is not rushing to judgment, and is taking seriously this case of discrimination against Dalit Christians.
It also means that Christians like you and me have more time to intercede with prayer, asking God to guide the thoughts and decisions of the judges. And this is especially important, because behind this case lies a Himalaya-sized spiritual battle!
Jesus tells us that this kind of battle can only be won through prayer and fasting. So I implore you to take this call to prayer very seriously. And much is at stake.
As you know, under the current law, Dalits lose some of their basic constitutional rights when they becomes Christians; they are no longer eligible for affirmative action placements in education, employment, government and many other areas--rights granted to Dalits who are Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist.
According to a government census, some 20 million Dalits have become
Christians, and it is on their behalf that we pray for a just ruling. Equally important, there are many Dalits whose only hesitation to becoming Christians is fear of this legalized discrimination. Just think of what a difference this court decision could make for them! No wonder Satan is
opposing it.
So again, please continue to fast and pray that the Supreme Court of India will correct these injustices. Please faithfully intercede and pray with a broken heart for the sake of these millions of men, women and children who suffer so much.
Thank you so much for your prayer support--you are a true "prayer warrior" in this battle.
(According to the government census some 20 million Dalits have become Christians. These precious people's rights are violated: Their women and children are raped, they are not allowed to draw water from wells in many communities, and so many more accounts of cruelty. Some of the communities, like the Banjara with 61 million people, live with 90 percent illiteracy and
horrible poverty.)
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
battled but not battered - try to better that...
had a whale of a time sweeping the floors in the GBC canteen (with sticks and a holey ball). arrived at 630 with CH amidst much anticipation for our weekly dose of street bandy, and played till like 840 or something... aching muscles, sore toes, scratches here and there, and thoroughly exhausted - but hey, cant wait till next week's instalment.
so why am i still typing this (despite the tiredness)? well, decided that if there were any faithful readers, then i'd better rectify the current trend, which seems to suggest a negative exponential correlation between the frequency of posts and the time elasped since this blog was born.
ok, anyway, thank God for good ol' sporting activites and the joy of friendly competition. dazzling dribbles, electrifying escapes, sizzling shots, flamboyant feints, determined defending, all-out attacks: all encapsulated in clashing sticks, moving bodies and a ball at breakneak speed played out in that frenzied arena. On weekends it has come to be known as the 'canteen'. Perish that thought should you chance upon it wednesday evening...
so why am i still typing this (despite the tiredness)? well, decided that if there were any faithful readers, then i'd better rectify the current trend, which seems to suggest a negative exponential correlation between the frequency of posts and the time elasped since this blog was born.
ok, anyway, thank God for good ol' sporting activites and the joy of friendly competition. dazzling dribbles, electrifying escapes, sizzling shots, flamboyant feints, determined defending, all-out attacks: all encapsulated in clashing sticks, moving bodies and a ball at breakneak speed played out in that frenzied arena. On weekends it has come to be known as the 'canteen'. Perish that thought should you chance upon it wednesday evening...
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
art
trying to balance my time between school, ministry and doing that wed gig has been taxing at times.... through this time the age-old question has resurfaced again: what's the value of music, or more general, art itself?
i mean, if we are to do everything to the glory of God and for His purposes, perhaps i can say that school is for equipping myself and preparing myself to make a living so that i can serve Him, while being a good testimony in the process (ideally - not that i keep to this very well), and for ministry the idea is also there. but what about pursuing music? is it just making some sounds in a dim cafe, producing vibrations in the air? perhaps the least i can say is that i can thank God for the gift of music and enjoy it in the process. the next step may be to communicate this pleasure of music to others. but how to communicate the God behind all good things? Or is it a long term thing, when people see your life and hear your music and are able to give credit to God? or perhaps, more practically, it helps in improving my musical sense so that i can better contribute to playing and training musicians for the worship service? or even, can a Christian be a Coltrane? that is, attaining profound spiritual heights through music? why does music feature so strongly in worship through the ages?
(is there a difference between a cook giving gastronomical delight and a musician giving aural enjoyment? or maybe a cook is there for the basic survival need of food? or why did God bother to create so many pretty flowers, majestic mountains, deep, strange, glowing undersea creatures which we may never see, and give us taste buds so subtle and varied? any pragmatic reasons?)
many questions.
at the same time, i think, if i'm doing this then i'd better set a good testimony of how a Christian musician behaves, and i think it will certainly differ in certain respects from the 'norm' of a typical jazz musician.... need to be really aware of this...
well, in the meantime, have decided to do 4 more gigs - one more month, and after that, we'll see about it. need to pray for wisdom in e meantime...
i mean, if we are to do everything to the glory of God and for His purposes, perhaps i can say that school is for equipping myself and preparing myself to make a living so that i can serve Him, while being a good testimony in the process (ideally - not that i keep to this very well), and for ministry the idea is also there. but what about pursuing music? is it just making some sounds in a dim cafe, producing vibrations in the air? perhaps the least i can say is that i can thank God for the gift of music and enjoy it in the process. the next step may be to communicate this pleasure of music to others. but how to communicate the God behind all good things? Or is it a long term thing, when people see your life and hear your music and are able to give credit to God? or perhaps, more practically, it helps in improving my musical sense so that i can better contribute to playing and training musicians for the worship service? or even, can a Christian be a Coltrane? that is, attaining profound spiritual heights through music? why does music feature so strongly in worship through the ages?
(is there a difference between a cook giving gastronomical delight and a musician giving aural enjoyment? or maybe a cook is there for the basic survival need of food? or why did God bother to create so many pretty flowers, majestic mountains, deep, strange, glowing undersea creatures which we may never see, and give us taste buds so subtle and varied? any pragmatic reasons?)
many questions.
at the same time, i think, if i'm doing this then i'd better set a good testimony of how a Christian musician behaves, and i think it will certainly differ in certain respects from the 'norm' of a typical jazz musician.... need to be really aware of this...
well, in the meantime, have decided to do 4 more gigs - one more month, and after that, we'll see about it. need to pray for wisdom in e meantime...
Saturday, August 06, 2005
friday gig...
just had a gig at the cafe today... really made quite a lot of mistakes, both me and the singers. was actually quite tired even before the whole thing - felt lethargic and not very alert - and i guess it affected my response during the performance. a few wrong chords, not remembering whether to repeat lines for some songs, etc. well, good thing Amos didnt really seem to have any complaints - maybe the other groups were worse...
anyway, finally got my pay today for the 3 gigs in july - a meagre amount, really - not even peanuts, as they say... but at least it is something to show for my dad, who kept remaining skeptical abt whether Amos would actually pay or not... but may not carry on this thing long-term, esp if the jazz thing with Tim and Joel actually works out... It's equally meagre pay but slightly more enjoyable and rather more fulfilling to actually play jazz. More challenging also, having to take so many solos, but i guess it's a much needed stimulus for my improvement... dont think i've improved much during the whole of the past year when i stopped playing jazz...sometimes it really takes pp who are better than you to really push you to improve. not to mention the pressure of performing live. but this pop thing is really tiring, esp with having to learn all the new songs...
well, hope that i wont do it for glorifying myself. hope that whatever i have learnt can be useful for God in some way or other. and hope i wont have to do any more friday gigs. already told Amos that i couldnt but he wanted it just this time, for the singers to experience a larger weekend crowd. As it turned out, there was little difference from the weekday scenes. had a nice little surprise though...
anyway, finally got my pay today for the 3 gigs in july - a meagre amount, really - not even peanuts, as they say... but at least it is something to show for my dad, who kept remaining skeptical abt whether Amos would actually pay or not... but may not carry on this thing long-term, esp if the jazz thing with Tim and Joel actually works out... It's equally meagre pay but slightly more enjoyable and rather more fulfilling to actually play jazz. More challenging also, having to take so many solos, but i guess it's a much needed stimulus for my improvement... dont think i've improved much during the whole of the past year when i stopped playing jazz...sometimes it really takes pp who are better than you to really push you to improve. not to mention the pressure of performing live. but this pop thing is really tiring, esp with having to learn all the new songs...
well, hope that i wont do it for glorifying myself. hope that whatever i have learnt can be useful for God in some way or other. and hope i wont have to do any more friday gigs. already told Amos that i couldnt but he wanted it just this time, for the singers to experience a larger weekend crowd. As it turned out, there was little difference from the weekday scenes. had a nice little surprise though...
Monday, July 18, 2005
atheism self-refuting?
here's something I came across reading Zacharias… i’l l try to put it in more rigorous form:
1. Atheism is the positive assertion of God’s non-existence.
2. The positive assertion of God’s non-existence is an absolute negation.
3. Making an absolute negation requires infinite knowledge.
4. Only God has infinite knowledge.
5. Thus, infinite knowledge is required to make the assertion that there is no Being with infinite knowledge, and thus atheism is false. (this does not imply that theism is true, btw.)
well, though it sounds promising, I have some reservations abt this argument. maybe there is a weak link in point 3. what do you guys think?
[edit: I think point 3 is very questionable and point 2 as well. Suppose God tells me that there are no unicorns. Since I believe in God's testimony, I make the positive assertion of the non-existence of unicorns. Either that is an absolute negation or it is not. If it is, then obviously point 3 is false, since I don't need infinite knowledge to make that assertion. If it is not an absolute negation, then why should the positive assertion of God's non-existence be an absolute negation?
Thus, it is not surprising that this argument isn't convincing.]
1. Atheism is the positive assertion of God’s non-existence.
2. The positive assertion of God’s non-existence is an absolute negation.
3. Making an absolute negation requires infinite knowledge.
4. Only God has infinite knowledge.
5. Thus, infinite knowledge is required to make the assertion that there is no Being with infinite knowledge, and thus atheism is false. (this does not imply that theism is true, btw.)
well, though it sounds promising, I have some reservations abt this argument. maybe there is a weak link in point 3. what do you guys think?
[edit: I think point 3 is very questionable and point 2 as well. Suppose God tells me that there are no unicorns. Since I believe in God's testimony, I make the positive assertion of the non-existence of unicorns. Either that is an absolute negation or it is not. If it is, then obviously point 3 is false, since I don't need infinite knowledge to make that assertion. If it is not an absolute negation, then why should the positive assertion of God's non-existence be an absolute negation?
Thus, it is not surprising that this argument isn't convincing.]
song recommendation
"Jesus, I Lift Up My Eyes" by Jars of Clay
traditional words by Anne Steele (alt. by Jars of Clay)
music by Jars of Clay
When sins and fears prevailing rise
And fainting hope almost expires
Jesus to Thee I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Are You not mine, my living Lord
And can my hope, my comfort die
Fixed on the everlasting word
That word which built the earth and sky
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
O Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I lift my eyes
Here let my faith unshaken dwell
Immovable the promise stands
Not all the powers of earth or hell
Can e'er dissolve the sacred bands
Jesus to Thee I lift my eyes
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I lift my eyes
Here oh my soul
Thy trust repose
If Jesus is forever mine
Not death itself that last of foes
Can break a union so divine
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Taken from the new album Redemption Songs, this is a wonderful hymn on the soul's ultimate satisfaction, Christ Himself. Not many bands can take an obscure hymn and make it both modern, upbeat and full of real, solid hope that shines through while retaining the spirit of the lyrics.
traditional words by Anne Steele (alt. by Jars of Clay)
music by Jars of Clay
When sins and fears prevailing rise
And fainting hope almost expires
Jesus to Thee I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Are You not mine, my living Lord
And can my hope, my comfort die
Fixed on the everlasting word
That word which built the earth and sky
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
O Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I lift my eyes
Here let my faith unshaken dwell
Immovable the promise stands
Not all the powers of earth or hell
Can e'er dissolve the sacred bands
Jesus to Thee I lift my eyes
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I lift my eyes
Here oh my soul
Thy trust repose
If Jesus is forever mine
Not death itself that last of foes
Can break a union so divine
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Taken from the new album Redemption Songs, this is a wonderful hymn on the soul's ultimate satisfaction, Christ Himself. Not many bands can take an obscure hymn and make it both modern, upbeat and full of real, solid hope that shines through while retaining the spirit of the lyrics.
finding time
'At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent." And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.' Luke 4:42-44
'Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. ' Luke 5:15-16
Was reading Ordering Your Private World by Gordon Macdonald, on how to recapture and prioritise our time. The best example has to be Jesus Himself. According to Macdonald, He understood perfectly why he was on earth, what His mission was, and used His time according to the criteria of His mission. And He budgeted time for the gathering of inner strengh and resolve in order to prepare for spiritual warfare. He spent 30 years before beginning His public mission. He spent 40 days praying in the wilderness before starting His ministry. He prayed before the choosing of the twelve.
Some inspiration, hopefully, for those of us for whom time still slips through our grasp. And I believe that the truly non-negotiable aspect of everyday is really communion with God through the Word and prayer. Yet is the most easy to forsake, because no one ever protests or cries out when we fail in our QT.
'Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. ' Luke 5:15-16
Was reading Ordering Your Private World by Gordon Macdonald, on how to recapture and prioritise our time. The best example has to be Jesus Himself. According to Macdonald, He understood perfectly why he was on earth, what His mission was, and used His time according to the criteria of His mission. And He budgeted time for the gathering of inner strengh and resolve in order to prepare for spiritual warfare. He spent 30 years before beginning His public mission. He spent 40 days praying in the wilderness before starting His ministry. He prayed before the choosing of the twelve.
Some inspiration, hopefully, for those of us for whom time still slips through our grasp. And I believe that the truly non-negotiable aspect of everyday is really communion with God through the Word and prayer. Yet is the most easy to forsake, because no one ever protests or cries out when we fail in our QT.
Sunday, July 17, 2005
finding joy
been encountering Jonathan Edwards quite a bit lately... first through reading Desiring God by John Piper, then this evening at the Stephen Tong expository preaching... perhaps I should read this esteemed theologian myself. Interestingly, the sermon just now was given by another Reformed preacher from Indonesia today-and it touched on the balance that Christians should have between truth and emotion.
too oft we have seen the extremes: emotional expression almost to the point of fanaticism without the anchor of truth; or the dry and empty formalism of mere concepts and creeds, true though they be.... but how do we strike a balance?
like Piper, the preacher today also quoted Jonathan Edwards freely: and the main point seems to be: real joy and right feelings come only from the knowledge and understanding of the truth (this does not mean a mere logical understanding, but a real perceving of the truth). A Christian, having access to the truth through the Word, should apprehend it with real feeling through the Spirit who enlightens us to the truth. That is to say, no less - a Christian should be the happiest person today, because he has the most profoundly satisfying Object in the universe: God. (This kind of thinking rings throughout John Piper's words.)
But how then, really, does joy come?
1. Understanding and appreciating the sovereignty of God.
2. Knowing the most terrible obstacle to everlasting and infinite joy - not poverty, not suffering, not injustice, not those hurts we get from others - but sin against God.
3. Cultivating a life of thanksgiving and counting our blessings.
4. Submission to God's truth and His will. (I think in the psalms, we can see the sheer unabashed delight in obedience to God's law. Not dutiful submission, but DELIGHT.)
guess it's not for this little 1st post to elaborate on the above points. But i think that it's really worth thinking abt. Sometimes we fall into the trap of simply doing out of duty - but recently i'm being challenged that this is simply not enough. (which is why i think Aristotle is closer to the Bible than Kant as far as moral philosophy and an understanding of human virtue goes. But more of this next time, if I ever get down to doing such a comparison.)
meanwhile, i hope i havent scared away all potential readers. :)
too oft we have seen the extremes: emotional expression almost to the point of fanaticism without the anchor of truth; or the dry and empty formalism of mere concepts and creeds, true though they be.... but how do we strike a balance?
like Piper, the preacher today also quoted Jonathan Edwards freely: and the main point seems to be: real joy and right feelings come only from the knowledge and understanding of the truth (this does not mean a mere logical understanding, but a real perceving of the truth). A Christian, having access to the truth through the Word, should apprehend it with real feeling through the Spirit who enlightens us to the truth. That is to say, no less - a Christian should be the happiest person today, because he has the most profoundly satisfying Object in the universe: God. (This kind of thinking rings throughout John Piper's words.)
But how then, really, does joy come?
1. Understanding and appreciating the sovereignty of God.
2. Knowing the most terrible obstacle to everlasting and infinite joy - not poverty, not suffering, not injustice, not those hurts we get from others - but sin against God.
3. Cultivating a life of thanksgiving and counting our blessings.
4. Submission to God's truth and His will. (I think in the psalms, we can see the sheer unabashed delight in obedience to God's law. Not dutiful submission, but DELIGHT.)
guess it's not for this little 1st post to elaborate on the above points. But i think that it's really worth thinking abt. Sometimes we fall into the trap of simply doing out of duty - but recently i'm being challenged that this is simply not enough. (which is why i think Aristotle is closer to the Bible than Kant as far as moral philosophy and an understanding of human virtue goes. But more of this next time, if I ever get down to doing such a comparison.)
meanwhile, i hope i havent scared away all potential readers. :)
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