Keep On Reading! #LeadersAreReaders March 2024

I will never know which authors and/or books God will use to make a difference in my life, so I just keep reading with expectation and prayer, knowing that if I do, the possibility is high, and if I don't, it's next to zero. This reminds me of the Ethiopian eunuch who read the Book of Isaiah but didn't understand it until the Holy Spirit, through Philip the Evangelist, explained the Scripture to him. The story is in Acts 8:26-35,

"God’s angel spoke to Philip: 'At noon today, I want you to walk over to that desolate road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza.' He got up and went. He met an Ethiopian eunuch coming down the road. The eunuch had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was returning to Ethiopia, where he was a minister in charge of Candace's finances, queen of the Ethiopians. He was riding in a chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah. The Spirit told Philip, 'Climb into the chariot.'

Running up alongside, Philip heard the eunuch reading Isaiah and asked, 'Do you understand what you’re reading?' He answered, 'How can I without some help?' and invited Philip into the chariot with him. The passage he was reading was Isaiah 53:7-8. The eunuch said, 'Tell me, who is the prophet talking about himself or someone else?' Philip seized the opportunity. Using this passage as his text, he preached JESUS to him" - and the eunuch got baptized, and Philip went on his way.

So, you will never know which authors and/or books God will use to make a difference in your life, just keep reading with expectation and prayer and the Holy Spirit will give you understanding. Amen.

 #ServeToLead #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #1Book1Week #KeepOnReading #HabitOfReading #TheBook

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Angelus' Quote: True Beauty Is Character

I have a quote book 😬 and I love this: A lady was once asked the secret of her lovely life. She replied,

"For my lips, I use TRUTH; for my voice, PRAYER; for my eyes, PITY; for my hands, CHARITY; for my figure, UPRIGHTNESS; and for my heart, LOVE"

What a lovely lady 😍 She recognized that true beauty is CHARACTER 😘 #ServeToLead #GrowingLeader

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/

IG: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/

Blog: https://www.richardangelus.me/

Book Review: Manuscript Found in Accra (2013) by Paulo Coelho

Manuscript Found in Accra (2013) by Paulo Coelho

Since I first read The Alchemist, I've always loved Paulo Coelho's books. I think this book is the most spiritual of all. No doubt you can sense Catholic influence in all of his writings (he once attended Jesuit school); New Age mystical and philosophical ideas in every sentence; and obvious syncretistic* beliefs permeated in his narrations [*combining or blending all religious belief systems into a new system or doctrine]. With this awareness, as an evangelical Christian, I read this novel as frictional, fantasy and to some extend – inspirational. A solid Biblical (Christian) worldview is needed to filter some of these ‘unbiblical’ ideas and a gift of discernment should be applied when reading this book.

There are two things that I don’t like about this book. Let me tell you up front: 1) Some of the languages is too spiritual and mystical – too deep – that I couldn’t really comprehend what Coelho is really saying. I feel the same way when I read Henri Nouwen’s works. Sometimes I think I’m too worldly-minded and logical. And 2) Syncretistic belief is really confusing. I couldn’t pinpoint what Coelho really believes about God or god, Love, and Humanity. But these two reasons don’t stop me from liking this book. I love his concept of question-and-answer that he borrowed from the Greek method of learning. I appreciate his brieflessness and simplicity. I admire his ability to capture the imagination of his readers, his wisdom and story-telling power. Officially, Paulo Coelho is one of my favorite novelists together with James Rollins and Nicholas Sparks. Oh yeah!

About his book: In the year 1099, the people of Jerusalem awaits the invasion of the crusaders who have surrounded the city’s gates. There, inside the ancient city’s walls, men and women of every age, race and faith gathered together to hear the wise words of a mysterious man known only as the Copt. He has summoned the townspeople and the religious leaders around him and said: “None of us can know what tomorrow will hold, because each day has its good and its bad moments. So, when you ask your questions, forget about the troops outside and the fear inside. Our task is not to leave a record of what happened on this date for those who will inherit the Earth; history will take care of that. We will speak, therefore, about our daily lives, about the difficulties we have had to face…” With that, the people begin asking questions and the Copt answers them kindly and briefly.

There is no chapter division, so, I will divide this book into topics and include quotes that I underline throughout the pages of this book:

#1 Defeat. “Does a young man, rejected by his first love, declare that love does not exist? The young man says to himself: ‘I’ll find someone better able to understand what I feel. And then I will be happy for the rest of my days’… Ever since he fell in love for the first time and was rejected, he has known that this did not put an end to his ability to love. What is true in love is also true in war”; “Only he who gives up is defeated. Everyone else is victorious”; “Learn three important things: Wait patiently for the right moment to act. Do not let the next opportunity slip by you. Take pride in your scars”; “I here to tell you that there are people who have never been defeated. They are the ones who never fought”; “Woe to those who were never beaten! They will never be winners in this life.”

#2 Solitude. “If you are never alone, you cannot know yourself”; “In solitude, they will learn that saying ‘No’ does not always show a lack of generosity and that saying ‘Yes’ is not always a virtue”; “At life’s most significant moments we are always alone”; “Just as Love is the divine condition, so solitude is the human condition.”

#3 Usefulness. “Don’t try to be useful. Try to be yourself: that is enough, and that makes all the difference”; “A life is never useless. Each soul that came down to Earth is here for a reason”; “The people who really help others are not trying to be useful, but are simply leading a useful life. They rarely give advice, but serve as an example”; “Do one thing: live the life you always wanted to live.”

#4 Change. “It’s nice to dream… [But] dreaming carries no risks. The dangerous thing is trying to transform your dreams into reality”; “The angles say: ‘Now!’… Nature is telling us: ‘Change!’; “The Unwanted Visitor visits those who don’t change and those who do. But those who did change can say: ‘My life was an interesting one. I didn’t squander my blessing.’ And those who believe that adventures are dangerous I say, Try routine: that kills you far more quickly.”

#5 Beauty. “People always say: ‘It’s inner beauty that matters, not outer beauty.’ Well, that’s not true. If it were, why would flowers put so much energy into attracting bees?... Because nature longs for beauty, and is only satisfied when beauty can be exalted. Outer beauty is inner beauty made visible, and it manifests itself in the light that flows from our eyes”; “Beauty is present in all creation, but the dangerous fact is that… we allow ourselves to be influenced by what other people think”; “The world is what we imagine it to be”; “Beauty exists not in sameness but in difference.”

#6 Direction or Guidance. “Like the sun, life spreads its light in all directions… But, if we want to make a fire, we have to focus all the sun’s rays on one spot”; “He focuses not just on the goal to be reached, but on everything happening around him. He often has to stop because his strength fails him… Rest a little, but as soon as you can, get up and carry on. Because ever since your goal found out that you were travelling towards it, it has been running to meet you; “Only the person who accepts God’s plan with humility and courage knows that he is on the right road.”

#7 Love. “True Love, however, is the love that seduces and will never allow itself to be seduced”; “Love is an act of faith, not an exchange”; “It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”; “Love is only a word, until we decide to let it possess us with all its force. Love is only a word, until someone arrives to give it meaning”; “Don’t give up. Remember, it’s always the last key on the key ring that opens the door.”

#8 Choice. “I am going to think of this day as the first day of my life”; “I will look at everything and everyone as if for the first time, especially the small things that I have grown used to, quite forgetting the magic surrounding them”; “For the first time, I will smile without feeling guilty, because joy is not a sin.”

#9 Sex. “Sex goes far beyond pleasure”; “For most people, generosity consists only in giving, and yet receiving is also an act of love. Allowing someone else to make us happy will make them happy too”; “See sex as a gift, a ritual of transformation”; “[In sex] time will cease to exist, because in the land of pleasure-born-of-true-love, everything is infinite.”

#10 Respect. “Respect those who grew up and learned alongside you. Respect those who taught you”; “You will only be loved and respected if you love and respect yourself. Never try to please everyone; if you do, you will be respected by no one.”

#11 Elegance. “Elegance lies not in the clothes we wear, but in the way we wear them”; “What is simplicity? It is the coming together of true values of life”; “Elegance transforms complex thoughts into something that everyone can understand.”

#12 Work. “A poet: I fell asleep and dreamed that life was only Happiness; I woke and discovered that life was Duty; I did my Duty and discovered that life was Happiness”; “There are two types of work… The first is the work we do because we have to… The second type of work we call the Offering… The person making the Offering is always rewarded. The more he shares out his affection, the more his affection grows”; “The Offering is a wordless prayer. And like all prayers, it requires discipline – not the discipline of slavery, but of free choice.”

#13 Success. “People who seek only success rarely find it, because success is not an end in itself, but a consequence”; “Real success means: enriching your life”; “What is success? It is being able to go to bed each night with your soul at peace.”

#14 Miracle. “Each time we see the humble exalted and the arrogant humbled, we are witnessing a miracle”; “Miracles do not go against the laws of nature; we only think that because we do not know nature’s laws”; “Give us this day, Lord, our daily miracle.”

#15 Anxiety. “Anxiety was born in the very same moment as mankind. And since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn to live with it – just as we have learned to live with storms”; “Although anxiety is part of life, never let it control you.”

#16 Future. ‘Our soul is governed by four invincible forces: love, death, power and time”; “When you are going through difficult times, remember: you may have lost some major battles, but you survived and you’re still here”; “What the future holds for you depends entirely on your capacity for love”; “The greatest gift God gave us is the power to make decisions.”

#17 Royalty. “What was broken will never be the same again”; “Royalty can never be imposed by force, fear, insecurity or intimidation”; “Where there is loyalty, weapons are of no use”; “True here is not the man who was born for great deeds, but the one who has managed to build a shield of loyalty around him out of many small things”; “The most terrible of all weapons is the word, which can ruin a life without leaving a trace of blood, and whose wounds never heal.”

#18 Enemies. “We will always meet rivals in everything we do, but the most dangerous are those we believe to be our friends”; “Beware of anyone who tries to please you all the time”; “Only fight with a worthy opponent…”; “Your enemies are not the adversaries who were put there to test your courage. They are the cowards who were put there to test your weakness.”

There are more topics that Coelho (or ‘the Copt’, the main character) covered in this book. But these 18 topics are the most obvious ones. Do you like these quotes? If you do, don’t settle with my summary-review – buy the book!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Timothy, Tell the Women to Be Modest in Their Appearance (1 Timothy 2:9-10, Women Only)

“And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do”
(1 Timothy 2:9-10, NLT)

Here is a passage that women (and men too!) would like to shy away from in this day in which we live. Read these verses over and over again and let God’s Word say exactly what it say to you, and “remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to” (James 1:22). But let the ladies be glad and rejoice for Paul doesn’t mean that a woman is not to be attractive. What he says is that women shouldn’t be seductive (tempting, enticing, and causing someone to sin), instead, they “should make themselves attractive.” Seductive, no; attractive, yes! I believe that there is nothing wrong for a woman to be beautiful outwardly. As a man, I have to admit, my first impression toward a woman is her appearances, decency and appropriateness.

Having said that, let me now point out that a woman – Christian woman, especially – must guard her God-given modesty. God is creation has made the man to be drawn to the woman physically and the woman need to recognize this and dress in such a manner as to guard her modesty. Woman are usually much more fashion-conscious than are men in general. There is nothing wrong with fashion or style. However, as for Paul, it is not a mere matter of fashion or style, but what he wrote here is a definite moral and spiritual issues which is at stake. God says thru Paul that a woman is to be modest. Society today, on the other hand, says a woman is to be liberated, free and self-expressive in their appearances. To some extent, it’s true. But you – woman – have to decide whether you are going to obey God and be right with Him or be conform to the world.

Paul is not saying in this passage, as some mistakenly interpret, that a woman is not to wear any gold, pearl, fix her hair or wear expensive clothing (of course you may, if you can afford it). All he says is that these things are not to be her most attractive side. These are not to be the things that “draw attention” to her. This passage is in the context of worship service… and it would be a disaster if people draw attention to you rather than to God!

So what should make a Christian woman attractive? Her good deeds. “For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do.” Attractiveness should begin inside a woman. NLT Life Application Study Bible comment on this passage: “A gentle, modest, loving character gives a light to the face that cannot be duplicated by the best cosmetics and jewellery in the world. A carefully groomed and well-decorated exterior is artificial and cold unless inner beauty is present.”

Women (and men too), think about these things.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Healed with One Simple and Easy-to-Understand Word, "Ephphatha!" (Mark 7:31-37)

“There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him. After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, ‘Ephphatha! (which means ‘Be opened!’). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly”
(Mark 7:32-35, NIV).

“Decapolis” (Mark 7:31), though largely a Gentile area, had considerable numbers of Jews, and it was the place where Jesus healed demon-possessed man (Mark 5:1-20). I think he had witnessed so faithfully of what Lord Jesus had done for him, thus, when Jesus arrived at their place, people immediately recognized Jesus the miracle-worker. So, they brings to Jesus a man who is both “deaf and could hardly talk” to be healed by him. The likelihood is that he had lost his hearing, rather than being born deaf, possibly through an illness or accident, for he had some speech.

Of all the people, why the crowd brought only this man to Jesus? Is he an important man and that’s why they “begged” Jesus to heal him? Or is he just an ‘experiment’ subject to witness Jesus done miracle show in front of them? Maybe both. But whatever the reasons, Jesus “took him aside, away from the crowd,” so that he can communicate with him more effectively and personally. It is fascinating to read how Jesus deals with the man, because, for God, each person was special and deserved a unique approach (The way God deals with me will be different from you, and you from others). First, Jesus “put his fingers into the man’s ears” as a sign language to show that He wants to restore his hearing. It was a beautiful way for Jesus to enter into this man’s world.

“Then [Jesus] spit and touched the man’s tongue.” Jesus’ actions here may seem strange and almost disgusting. But actually Jesus identifies with the man’s need for speech. “Spittle,” explain Life Application Bible Commentary on Mark, “was commonly recognized in the ancient world as having healing properties. The man responded in faith and desire for healing.” Then Jesus looks up to heaven to demonstrate to the man where the healing is coming from – God the Father, the source of Jesus’ power. The “deep sigh” is probably a token of his identification with the man’s suffering. See, how every touch and gesture of Jesus has meaning. Awesome!

Finally, Jesus commands healing: “Ephphatha!” or “Be opened!” Immediately, “the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.” Jesus only used one simple and easy-to-understand word, not like magicians and exorcists (and some faith-healers today) who would use incantations made up of nonsense words or syllables to perform their tricks or healings. Jesus simply says, “Ephphatha!” and he was healed completely.

We then read Jesus’ familiar instruction: “Not to tell anyone” (Mark 7:36). He did not want His ministry hindered by those who would look upon Him simply as a miracle-worker and healer. The man must have found that the command was hard to obey. He and some others who witnessed this miracle “kept talking about it” anyway until “people were overwhelmed with amazement.” The people of the region are very impressed by what they have seen but have yet to understand who it is Who has done this amazing thing. I noticed that this incident is parallel with Genesis 1, where all God’s creative works are perfect, and so is the manifestation of His Son’s power. God’s work is so good, and here the people responded to Jesus’ miracle in the same way: “He has done every well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak” (Mark 7:37).

Dear readers, Jesus is more than a miracle-worker and a healer,

more than a great teacher and prophet,

He is – if only the people have gone a step farther and realized who Jesus is –

“the Christ” (Mark 8:29), the Son of God, the promised Messiah!

By faith, if you still can’t see who Jesus is, listen to His commands “Be opened!” and obey.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Letters to Annie: Love (Not Lust) is the Greatest Way to Build a Lasting Relationship

Dear Annie,

            My most beautiful Annie. I love you. How to explain my love for you? If we try to build a relationship with one another based only on physical attraction, we’ll be disappointed, especially you. Lasting relationships aren’t built upon lust, they are built upon love – real love.

But first, how can I define love? Hmmm… most definitely, I understand that it’s something more than physical attraction (though you’re amazingly beautiful to me, inside-out). Genuine love is patient, understanding, consistent, consideration and commitment. I hope you agree that genuine love doesn’t just sit around and do nothing; it gets translated into acts of caring and kindness – both large and small.

            Love is always a choice. I choose you; you choose me. Initially, of course, we may “fall in love,” but it takes work to stay there. We may be “swept off our feet,” but the “sweeping” is only temporary – sooner or later, if our love is to endure, we must plant our feet firmly on the ground. The decision for us to love one another for a lifetime is much more than the simple process of “falling in” or “being swept up.” It requires “reaching out,” “holding firm,” and “lifting love.” Love, then, becomes a decision to honour, respect, and care for the other person, come what may!

            “Love is a force more formidable than any other,” writes Barbara De Angelis, “It is invisible – it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could.” It’s hard for me to explain my love for you, this quote is the closest one to my heart.

Because I love you this much (see my hands open wide), sex can wait! I’m really serious about us, and we, I hope, are really serious about putting our Lord Jesus Christ first, and it is worth the wait!

 Is that enough for me to explain my love for you?

Well, we’re just getting started. There will be many stories and experiences ahead of us.

God’s love for us is enough and able to sustain our love for one another

– as long as we both love Jesus first. This is the greatest way to build our relationship.

I’m praying for us. Will you pray too?

Your man,

Richard

P.s: I miss you!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Letters to Annie: Substance is More Important than Appearance

Dear Annie,

            I love you just like you are. You’re beautiful. No doubt. If you think you’re not or you think people don’t seem to look at you that way – who cares? – I, I earnestly think and confess that you’re beautiful. But you must understand that I first fall in love with you is not because you’re (just) beautiful but because you’re a God-fearing woman and you’re freakingly love Jesus. Even though you always say you’re “not perfect” (of course, my dear) you know that in Christ you’re perfectly perfect. It is perfectly okay.

            You see, we’re living in a society that is obsessed with “looking good.” Jesus said this to the Pharisees, “You make yourself look good in front of people, but God knows what is really in your hearts. What is important to people is hateful in God’s sight” (Luke 16:15). Everywhere we turn, we’re confronted with a steady stream of subtle messages that try to convince us to look good. Like Brennan Manning said, “The temptation of the age is to look good without being good.” These messages are not only false, but they are also dangerous to our spiritual and emotional health. Remember the day you said to me that you don’t care much about my look? I was very relieved. That’s another reason why I fall for you.

            I want to build a better life and stronger relationships with you. So here’s a great place for us to start: worry less about appearances and more about substance. Let’s do this! For sure, when we do this, we may find that we’re a little out of step with the world, which is – perfectly okay – who cares? “You will quickly be deceived if you look only the outward appearance of men,” writes Thomas A. Kempis, “and you will often be disappointed if you seek comfort and gain in them.” After all, the world sees people and things as they appear to Jn, but God sees them as they are. People look “at the outward appearance, but [God] looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). And that’s the way we should see them, too.  The old-time saying is forever true: “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”

The world shouts, “Appearance! Appearance! Appearance!” But God whom we worship affirms, “Heart, heart, heart, I look at your heart!” My Annie, in Christ our hearts are renewed day by day – pure and holy – unto God. Can decent, courteous, and simple appearances by our mottos? (But once in a while there is nothing wrong with grandeur and gorgeous appearances. At the end of the day, God looks at the heart). May we don’t be too worried about what we look like on the outside but be more concerned about the kind of persons we are on the inside.

I never tired of saying,

“I miss you”,

Richard

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus, the Shepherd Who Knows Our Name

“I am the good Shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own”
(John 10:14, NKJV).

When I see a flock I see exactly that, a flock. A rabble of wool. A herd of hooves. I don’t see a sheep. I see sheep. All alike. None different. That’s what I see.

But not so with the shepherd. To him every sheep is different. Every face is special. Every face has a story. And every sheep has a name. The one with the sad eyes, that’s Droopy. And the fellow with one ear up and the other down, I call him Oscar. And the small one with the black patch on his leg, he’s an orphan with no brothers. I call him Joseph.

The shepherd knows his sheep. He calls them by name.

When we see a crowd, we see exactly that, a crowd. Filling a stadium or flooding a mall. When we see a crowd, we see people, not persons, but people. A herd of humans. A flock of faces. That’s what we see.

But not so with the Shepherd. To Him every face is different. Every face is a story. Every face is a child. Every child has a name. The one with the sad eyes, that’s Sally. The old fellow with one eyebrow up and the other down, Harry’s his name. And the young one with the limp? He’s an orphan with no brothers. I call him Joey. The Shepherd knows His sheep. He knows each one by name. The Shepherd knows you. He knows your name. And He will never forget it. “I have written your name on My hand” (Isaiah 49:16).

Quite a thought, isn’t it? Your name on God’s hand. Your name on God’s lips. Maybe you’ve seen your name in some special places. On an award or diploma or walnut door. Or maybe you’re heard your name from some important people – a coach, a celebrity, a teacher. But to think that your name is on God’s hand, on God’s lips… my, could it be?

[From When God Whispers Your Name by Max Lucado]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

God created Us for His Glory (The Crystal-Clear Reason for Living)

John Piper, my all-time favourite preacher, wrote in his book, my all-time favourite and life-changing book, Don’t Waste Your Life (2007, 2009), “The Bible is crystal-clear: God created us for his glory. Thus says the Lord, “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory” (Isaiah 43:6-7). Life is wasted when we do not live for the glory of God. And I mean all of life. It is all for his glory. That is why the Bible gets down into the details of eating and drinking. “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). We waste our lives when we do not weave God into our eating and drinking and every other part by enjoying and displaying him.

What does it mean to glorify God? It may get a dangerous twist if we are not careful. Glorify is like a word beautify. But beautify usually means “make something more beautiful than it is,” improve its beauty. That is emphatically not what we mean by glorify in relation to God. God cannot be made more glorious or more beautiful than he is. He cannot be improved, “nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything” (Acts 17:25). Glorify does not mean add more glory to God.

It is more like the word magnify. But here too we can go wrong. Magnify has two distinct meanings. In relation to God, one is worship and one is wickedness. You can magnify like a telescope or like a microscope. When you magnify like a microscope, you make something tiny look bigger than it is. A dust mite can look like a monster. Pretending to magnify God like that is wickedness. But when you magnify like a telescope, you make something unimaginably great look like what it really is. With the Hubble Space Telescope, pinprick galaxies in the sky are revealed for the billion-star giants that they are. Magnifying God like that is worship.

We waste our lives when we do not pray and think and dream and plan and work toward magnifying God is all spheres of life. God created us for this: to live our lives in a way that makes him look more like the greatness and the beauty and the infinite worth that he really is. In the night sky of this world God appears to most people, if at all, like a pinprick of light in a heaven of darkness. But he created us and called us to make him look like what he really is. This is what it means to be created in the image of God. We are meant to image forth in the world what he is really like” (page 32-33).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Hymn to a Good Wife

Pic taken from: confessionsofacollegestu.blogspot.com

A good woman is hard to find,
    and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,
    and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously
    all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,
    and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
    and brings back exotic surprises.
She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast
    for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
    then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
    rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
    is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
    diligent in homemaking.
She’s quick to assist anyone in need,
    reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows;
    their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
    and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected
    when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them,
    brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
    and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
    and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
    and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her;
    her husband joins in with words of praise:
“Many women have done wonderful things,
    but you’ve outclassed them all!”
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
    The woman to be admired and praised
    is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
    Festoon her life with praises!

(Proverbs 31:10-31, The Message) 

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

Muhammad Ali is Not the Greatest, Jesus is The Greatest!

“We look at [Jesus] and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank of angels – everything got started in him and finds it purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment” (Colossians 1:15-17, The Message)

Socrates taught for 40 years, Plato for 50, Aristotle for 40, and Jesus for only 3 years. Yet the influence of Christ’s three years ministry infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined 130 years of teaching from these men who were among the greatest philosophers of all antiquity.

[Just a picture]

Jesus painted no pictures; yet, some of the finest paintings of Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci received their inspiration from Him.

Jesus wrote no poetry; but Dante, Milton, and scores of the world’s greatest poets were inspired by Him.

Jesus composed no music; still Haydn, Handel, Beethoven, Bach, and Mendelssohn reached their highest perfection of melody in the hymns, symphonies, and oratorios they composed in His praise. Every sphere of human greatness had been enriched by this humble carpenter of Nazareth, Jesus Christ.

His unique contribution to the race of men is the salvation of the soul. Philosophy could not accomplish that .Nor art. Nor literature. Nor music. Only Jesus Christ can break the enslaving chains of sin and Satan. He alone can speak peace to the human heart, strengthen the weak, and give life to those who are spiritually dead*. Charles H. Spurgeon writes, “Christ is the great central fact in the world’s history. To Him everything looks forward or backward. All the lines of history converge upon Him.” To all of these, I say – amen. Muhammad Ali is not the greatest, Jesus is the greatest. Christ is supreme!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

*Mostly quote from Roy B. Zuck, The Speaker’s Quote Book. Kregel Publications: Grand Rapids, 1997, 2009. Pg 70.

Don't Be like a Gold Ring in Pig's Snout (Cultivate Your Inner Beauty)

“A beautiful woman who lacks discretion

is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout” (Proverbs 11:22, NLT).

“Like a gold ring in pig’s snout

is a beautiful face on an empty head” (The Message)

Every day there are “voices” that tell us to look at the outside. No matter what the pain or cost, these voices put you in the squeeze. Voices such as ‘Richard, you need a better car. Viva is for low standard people, buy a new imported car’; or ‘Look at your clothes Thurston, what brand is this? It doesn’t suit you’; or ‘Ken, you’re fat. No girls will like you. Slim down please’; or… you add it for yourself. You know exactly what I mean.

Friends, there’s nothing wrong with outer beauty. “Gold ring” is indeed precious and beautiful. In fact, it can be honoring to God to drive big car, to wear fashionable clothes and to take care of your own body. It is better to have a “gold ring” than to have a silver ring, right? But if your “gold ring [is] in pig’s snout” (look at the picture) – it can be utterly, disastrously wrong! The Bible says that our first priority needs to be developing our inner beauty. If not, it is like a pig wearing a gold ring.

Inner beauty is the stuff that maybe isn’t as easy to see at first. Its character, which you truly are inside, is the most important of all. It’s easy to get distracted and focus on your own appearance or the appearance of others, especially when our eyes are blinded by the outer shine of our own “gold ring”. Indeed, we might have a “beautiful face” but truly inside, I fear, we are actually “empty head” or “lacks discretion”. Appear beautiful on the outside but rotten inside.

Friends, don’t be like that. Read and listen to what Apostle Peter had said about what is truly inner beauty: “Do not be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God” (1 Peter 3:3-4). Or as what Eugene Peterson paraphrase it: “Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in”. The principle truth is important: God desires our inner beauty that is produce by His Holy Spirit who is in us.

Try your best not to let others notice what or who are you on the outside without first see more of what’s on the inside of you. Let them be fascinated by the light of God’s love and truth shining through you. Let “the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit [of God]” shines through you. Let Christ be the source of your inner beauty; walking and abiding with Christ causes you to reflect His beauty. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Cantiknya Kamu “Ya ka?”

“Kejelitaan menipu mata, kecantikan pun tidak kekal; tetapi seorang wanita yang menghormati TUHAN harus dipuji” (Amsal 31:30).

“[TUHAN] berfirman kepada Samuel, ‘Jangan perhatikan tinggi badannya atau kacak rupanya; bukan dia yang Aku kehendaki. Aku tidak menilai orang seperti cara manusia menilai orang. Manusia melihat rupa tetapi Aku melihat hati’” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Paras rupa dan penampilan seseorang itu memang penting, tidak dinafikan lagi. Jika ada sesiapa yang berkata, ‘saya tidak perlu bersolek semasa perkahwinan saya’ atau ‘saya tidak perlu menggunakan tali leher dan berpakaian kemas untuk pergi bertemu duga’ atau ‘tidak kisah jika saya menggunakan selipar jepun ke pejabat’ atau ‘saya tidak semestinya perlu menggosok gigi dan menggunakan baju bersih untuk menjadi pelayan’  – mereka ini adalah orang yang selekeh, dan tidak memahami apakah maksud sebenar Amsal 31:30 dan 1 Samuel 16:7.

Sekali lagi, paras rupa dan penampilan itu memang penting; tetapi BUKANlah sesuatu yang paling penting. Bentuk badan kamu, muka dan baju (ala-ala K-pop katakan) yang kamu pakai hanyalah gambaran tentang rupa luaran kamu sahaja. Ianya tidak kekal dan akhirnya akan berubah mengikut usia kamu. Jiwa dan keperibadian kamu pula adalah gambaran tentang sifat dalaman kamu. Ianya kekal, tidak berubah mengikut usia dan ia menunjukkan siapa diri kamu yang sebenarnya. Amsal 31:30 menyatakan bahawa,“Kejelitaan menipu mata, kecantikan [luaran] pun tidak kekal; tetapi seorang wanita [dan juga lelaki] yang menghormati TUHAN [dalaman] harus dipuji”

Tidak salah jika kamu mahu menjaga paras rupa dan penampilan fizikal kamu (malah digalakkan), tetapi janganlah ianya menjadi sangat terutama dalam hidup kamu sehinggakan kamu tidak mempedulikan tentang kerohanian kamu. Kawan, fokus kepada yang kekal! Kawan, bangun daripada kenyataaan! Kawan, fikirkanlah tentang hubungan kamu dengan Tuhan! Ingat: Tuhan ‘tidak menilai orang seperti cara manusia menilai orang. Manusia melihat rupa tetapi [Tuhan] melihat hati’. Bukankah bagaimana Tuhan melihat kamu adalah lebih penting daripada bagaimana orang lain melihat kamu?

Biarlah paras rupa Yesus dinampakkan di dalam diri kamu. Biarlah keperibadian Yesus dinyatakan di dalam kehidupan kamu. Biarlah penampilan Yesus bersinar supaya “mereka memuji perbuatan kamu yang baik, lalu memuji Bapa kamu yang di syurga” (Matius 5:16). Baju yang mempunyai tulisan Firman Allah adalah baik, tetapi hati yang taat kepada Firman Allah adalah lebih baik. Kereta yang mempunyai pelekat ‘Yesus adalah segala-galanya’ adalah baik, tetapi kehidupan yang menunjukkan Yesus adalah segala-galanya melalui cara kamu menggunakan wang, cara kamu bergaul dengan orang lain, percakapan dan sikap kamu seharian adalah lebih lebih lebih baik lagi.

Hello kawan, 'cantik'kah kamu?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Every Flower Must Grow Through Dirt

I read a story, and I want to share it with you:

A little girl was walking in a garden when she noticed a particularly beautiful flower. The child admired its beauty and enjoyed its fragrance.

“How lovely!” she exclaimed.

As she gazed on it, her eyes followed the stem down to the soil in which it grew.

“What a shame!” she cried. “This flower is too pretty to be planted in such dirt!”

So she pulled up the plant by its roots and ran to the water faucet to wash away the clinging soil. It wasn’t long until the flower wilted and the plant began to die. The gardener saw what she had done and scolded her.

“You have destroyed my finest plant,” he said.

“But I didn’t like it in that dirt,” whimpered the child.

The gardener replied, “I chose that spot and collected and mixed the soil because I knew that only there it would come to maturity.”

When I read and contemplated on this story, I instantly relate the ‘beautiful flower’ as Christians who are mature in Christ and the ‘dirty soil’ (of course) as troubles that come their ways.  Separate affliction or adversary or hardship or suffering or trouble from Christian life and you will get a wilted and dying ‘flower’. But if you keep the flower in the soil, take care of it and cultivate it – you will get a beautiful ‘flower’. Hendry Ward Beecher writes, “Affliction comes to the believer not to make him sad, but sober; not to make him sorry, but wise. Even as the plow enriches the field so that the seed is multiplied a thousandfold, so affliction should magnify our joy and increase our spiritual harvest.”

…But it is only possible if God is in it: if God be with you.

Hey, you might be in the storm of life. You might be in the lion’s den situation. Your surrounding might be filled with dirt – take heart! Keep your face toward God, the trouble will fall behind you. Even if you die, you shall grow into a beautiful flower in God’s eyes. It is the good dirty soil that makes the flower grows. God may use troubles that come to your way because He knew that only when you have been through it will you come into maturity in Christ. Let the Gardener do His work in you. Keep your faith in Him. Experience His grace in your life. Your troubles may get you closer to Him; that’s the whole point of troubles in Christian life. Yo, every beautiful flowers must grow through dirt!

“Our heavenly Father never takes anything from His children

unless He means to give them something better” (George Müller)

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.