Angelus' Quote: Serve and You'll Become Rich!

Most of the time, near the elevator (this is for the psychological purpose, I assumed), when you walked at any of the shopping malls, you'll smell delicious cookies. That's Famous Amos cookies! These handmade cookies are expensive but no doubt, superbly delicious! When I read the concise history of Famous Amos at the back of the pack, I was very encouraged (this, I also assumed, is part of the psychological purposes). Here's how the cookies became famous:

"Originally, Wally Amos, a true cookies lover, baked his cookies to share with his friends. Once he perfected the ultimate chocolate chip cookies, he started using them as his calling card and as thank-you gifts. As Wally made his rounds in his entertainment business, more and more of his friends and clients asked for another bag of Wally Amos Cookies. Finally, with the backing of several Hollywood personalities, Wally launched The Famous Amos Company in 1975."

When I read about Wally Amos' story, I remember one of Zig Ziglar's famous quotes (oh, I used to listen to See You at the Top audiobook every day!): "You will get all you want in life, if you help enough people get what they want." That mean, first, you want to serve others! Wally initially baked cookies to share with his friends and clients. He wants to serve them. Soon, people want more of his cookies - he delivered what people want - and so he became the channel of blessing to others and himself (automatically) were blessed. From the desire to serve/share with others, he built his company and inevitably became rich! By serving and giving, he already a rich man in his heart and soul.

Do you want to be rich? (Famous, I'm not sure). Then, first – SERVE.

Instagram ---> Richard_Angelus

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Angelus' Quote: A True Warrior Can TAME the Lion of Fear

I didn't say you need to kill the lion. I didn't say you have to surrender to the lion. I didn't say you run away from the lion. I say "TAME" the lion. Nobody can really get rid of fear, let's be realistic (motivational and inspirational quote like this can be unrealistic sometimes).

Confident people have fears; Successful people have worried; Godly people have doubts. But what they - the warriors - do is they don't let these feelings stop them. It is not necessary to try to get rid of fear, worry and doubt in order to be a true warrior.

I still fear of public speaking even though I did it 3-4 times a week on average. I sometimes doubt if people ever read my blog or not, but I do it anyway. I still fear to share the Gospel to strangers but God gives me strength and boldness. Don't kill, surrender or run from fear... A true Warrior can TAME the lion of fear.

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John C. Maxwell on Leadership #5 Value and Reward Loyalty

A quality you should look for in people to join you on your journey is loyalty. Although this alone not ensure success in another person, a lack of loyalty is sure to ruin your relationship with him or her. Think of it this way: When you’re looking for potential leaders, if someone you’re considering lacks loyalty, he is disqualified. Don’t even consider taking him on the journey with you because in the end, he’ll hurt you more than help you. So what does it mean for others to be loyal to you?

They Love You Unconditionally. They accept you with your strengths and weaknesses intact. They genuinely care for you, not just for what you can do for them.

They Represent You Well to Others. Loyal people always paint a positive picture of you with others. They may take you to task privately or hold you accountable, but they never criticize you to others.

They Are Able to Laugh and Cry with Your as You Travel Together. Loyal people are willing and able to share your joys and sorrows. They make the trip less lonely.

They Make Your Dream Their Dream. Some people undouble share the journey with you only briefly. You help one another for a while and then go your separate ways. But a few – a special few – will want to come alongside you and help you for the rest of the journey. These people make your dream their dream. If you find people like that, take good care of them.

[Taken from Your Road Map for Success: You CAN Get There from Here (2010) by John C. Maxwell. Published by Thomas Nelson]

Do you inspire loyalty?

Show gratitude to the loyal people in your inner circle today.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Help Child Deal with Divorce #8 Annabel, the Pain Can Be Eased by Sharing

Dear Annabel,

            I can understand how you feel, the pain seems to won't go away. The pain from a divorce is not like the pain you get from hitting your thumb with a hammer. The pain from a sore thumb can be treated with ice, some medicine or over time, it will heal. The pain from divorce can't be treated with a medicine or ice, but it can be eased a lot by talking, sharing and converse about it. Bel, if you keep your feelings to yourself it only makes the pain harder to take, and talking about it makes it easier to deal with. I'm glad you share with uncle and aunty about this, but we're not always there for you physically. We can only do so much. Of course, we want to be there for you but it would be good if you can share with someone that is close to you.

            You can talk to friends, family members, school counselors, your pastor and even your parents. Your mom and dad might be very busy now with their own pain that they forget to ask you about yours. That's okay, you can share with them later. And talk to God, pray to Him. Pour out your heart to Him. He will listen to you. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:7-11). You're God's child, ask and tell Him!

            Do you know any Christian adults or friends that may have experienced the same thing as you do? A woman counselor is good. Ask your parents to arrange for an appointment with a counselor (or if you're okay, I can arrange it for you). Counselor knows exactly what you are going through and they can give you the tools you need to deal with your pain.

 See you next week!

Angelus

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus' Love Is Not Only For You (1 John 4:11-12)

“Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us”

(1 John 4:11-12, NLT).

The love of God and our love for each other are tied together. Maybe a simple diagram would help make this clearer (see picture). God’s love is like the energy of electricity that flows through wires. God loves us, and we love God, and this energy of knowing (head) and feeling (heart) that we are loved gives us the power and desire (hand) to love others. This energy can’t be kept just to ourselves. “Since God loved us” by “sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him” (1 John 4:9) and “as a sacrifice to take away our sins” (4:10), our response should be – “love each other.”

It’s kind of like the water that is kept behind a large dam. If the water is kept just there, it may eventually overflow and do a lot of damage. But if the water is used correctly – to run generators and make electricity, then there is great power in that water. And there is also room for more water to flow into the lake behind the dam. In the same way, God’s love “overflows” in our lives, thus to keep a healthy relationship with God, we need to let God’s love “flow out” from us and “flow into” people’s lives. In this way, God’s love in our lives is renewed every time we share that love with others. Do this and you will be more joyful and blessed.

If we think that God is only for us, we can easily become selfish or conceited about it, believing that we’re so special that nobody else deserves this love. Our faith also will become static and never grow into maturity. But as we let the power of God’s love flow through us to others, we then feel even more of God’s love ourselves. And we also can see how God’s love affects the way we treat other people. As God’s love is shared with others, it seems to become more complete and perfect.

“No one has ever seen God” thus only by love that God is known [Because of our human limitations, God became “human and made his home among us” (John 1:14) so that we may know Him intimately in the person of Jesus. But the essence of God is unknowable. Soon “we will see him as he really is” (1 John 3:2)]. We cannot see God, just as we cannot see the wind. But we can see the effects of God in our lives and the lives of other people. Remember: We’re not just spectators, watching God at work in the ‘World Cup’ of life. God wants us right there on the field. We are part of a great team – the team that can’t be beaten, a team of believers that has existed since the time of Jesus.

With God’s help, we can become the people God wants us to be. And we can be a part of God’s great plan to show love and share the Good News about Jesus with people all over the world… start with our neighbors and those who are close to us today. Jesus’ love is not only for you – but for others too. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Letters to Annie: Place a High Value on Your God-given Gifts

Dear Annie,

            You’re kind and most honest woman I ever know (Yes, I saw your flaws as you had seen mine. But it’s okay). There is not a single moment where I ever doubt your love for me and every words you said to me really encourage me a lot. Thank you for supporting me in the ministry. Thank you for being so committed in our relationship. Thank you for not giving up.

   

            Dear, I have to tell you this: You’re very talented woman. Even though you can’t compose words like I do (you said), you can do decorations very creatively. And much more. You, and every Christ followers, are a unique blend of talents, skills, and gifts – that you may consciously and unconsciously know of – which makes you an indispensable member of the body of Christ. Zig Ziglar said it nicely, “You are the only person on earth who can use your ability.” So use it!

            Face it, Annie, you’ve got an array of talents that need to be refined. Don’t waste it. Use it all for God’s glory. I’m doing what the Apostle Paul was doing to Timothy: “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Timothy 1:6). All people possess special gifts – bestowed from the Father above – and you are no exception. You have God-given gifts, so use it my dear love. Don’t keep it for yourself. Your gift(s) is no guarantee of success; it must be cultivated – by you – or it will go used… and God’s gift to you will be squandered.

            Today, as you read this, can we both make a New Year resolution to ourselves that we will earnestly seek to discover the talents and/or cultivate God’s gifts to us? Yes? Yeah! Let’s nourish those talents and make them grow. Then, let us promise also to share our gifts with the world for as long as God gives us the power and opportunities to do so. After all, my angel Annie, the best way to say “Thank You” for God’s gifts is to use them.

Assignment: Between this letter and the next, lets us take time to think about ways we can convert our talents into results. I’ll call you soon and ask about this okay…

Give thanks to God by giving back to Him and use our talents for Him. Amen.

I love you even more!

Richard

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Letters to Annie: Understand the Importance of Encouragement in Relationship

Dear Annie,

            I did it! Oh, no, Jesus did it! Sharing last night was good and I’m satisfied with what I shared. I know that since yesterday God’s spirit is working in their hearts and God’s Word faithfully preached will not return void but will bear much fruit. Amen. Thank you for your encouragements. I like it when you said, “clear your heart… clear your mind and share sincerely… put God first and pray is the important thing…” Thank you I appreciate it. I read: “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb. Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24). Your words strengthen me.

            I see us as a team sport, and you and I need occasional pats on the back from one another.  We are a couple and a partner, brother and sister in Christ, we are lovers. As Christians, we are called upon to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, and we are also to spread a message of encouragement and hope to the world. But first, it must start with us. Again, thank you for your encouragement.

            Whether we realize it or not, many people with whom we come in contact every day are in desperate need of a smile or an encouraging word. Our colleagues in office, family at home, friends we hang out with, and strangers we walked by. As I realize the important of encouragement to me from you, my love one, I can extend it to others. Barbara Johnson writes, “We can never untangle all the woes in other people’s lives. We can’t produce miracles overnight. But we can bring a cup of cool water to a thirsty soul, or a scoop of laughter to a lonely heart.” You see, since we don’t always know who needs our help, the best strategy is to try to encourage all the people who cross our paths, will all that we have in God’s wisdom.

            Let’s encourage one another. Let’s use pleasant words to lift up our spirits. If in the future we argue about certain issues, may we never speaks the word that we will regret later. Even if we want to correct or give advice, may we speak it all in the spirit of love. Sometimes, even very few words can make a very big difference (for better or worst). As Fanny Crosby positively observed, “A single word, if spoken in a friendly spirit, may be sufficient to turn one from dangerous error.”

When I said I don’t earn much, you encouraged me about how privilege my calling is; when you said you’re not perfect, I over and over again said to you that you are; when I’m lack of confidence to share the Word, you reminds me to not to use my own strength but God’s; and when you were thinking of joining a competition, I said go for it! We are at our best when we encourage one another without having the desire of becoming greater. I love you. You’re the best of me.

                                                                                                                        You’re special in my heart,

Richard

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Called You to be a Missionary (A Reflection on Mark 6:6-13)

“[Then] Jesus went to the villages around there, teaching the people. He called the twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two. He gave them authority over the evil spirits and ordered them, ‘Don’t take anything with you on the trip except a walking stick – no bread, no beggar’s bag, no money in your pockets. Wear sandals, but don’t carry extra shirt’” (Mark 6:6-9, GNB).

Previously Jesus was rejected in his hometown Nazareth. Hurt, but not giving up. So, he and the disciples went to the villages nearby to tell people who want to receive the good news about the Kingdom of God and to “turn away from their sins” (Mark 6:12). What Jesus is doing here was exactly what he challenged them to be and to do “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17). When he chooses the twelve he said, “I have chosen you to be with me. I will also send you out to preach, and you will have authority to drive out demons” (3:14-15).

Do you remember Jesus’ first invitation to you to be his disciple? Just like yesterday, today we are called to him, to equip by him, and then sent out as his representatives. Mission, mind you, is the calling of all God’s people, not just for the selected few. Wherever you are – at the church, workplace, shopping mall, up in the jungle, hospital, campus or home – you’re God’s representatives. To be a Christian is to be a missionary. I always tell my students that God is calling them to be missionaries at home and in their own campuses. One Christian teacher told me, “God sent me to be a missionary at school [he chuckled] and thanks to the government, they paid me to be here.”

Jesus, in his humanity, can’t do it alone. There are about half a dozen of villages around Nazareth, so he “sent them two by two.” Why? Because “two is better than one”? Yes, and more. Send out in pairs is important for mutual support and encouragement. Two also good for decision-making and reliable witnesses (as Deuteronomy 17:6). Sometime I feel sad when some of the churches send preachers or missionaries off their own. Many evangelists are solo operators too. Friend, don’t do it all alone. Christians must not be a one-man show. Soloist is not the pattern of discipleship. Collaborate with others, working together, partnership in the service of him. We have Jesus’ authority over the evil spirits – he is with us.  

Are you ready for mission? Let me helps you to understand how to apply Jesus’ instructions – today. Mark 6:8-9 simply means: We are to travel light, bring minimum provisions as we go, don’t over-do on preparations and don’t be fussy about where to stay or wear. Eugene Peterson paraphrase these verses this way, “Don’t think you need a lot of extra equipment for this. You are the equipment. No special appeals for funds. Keep it simple. And no luxury inns. Get a modest place and be content there until you leave” (The Message). Preparation is important, but not as important as the preparation of your heart and mind. “You are the equipment.” Remember, even if you’re seem to be alone, Jesus is with you. He is your eternal partner. So don’t be afraid.

Then Jesus said, “Wherever you are welcomed, stay in the same house until you leave that place. If you come to a town where people do not welcome you or will not listen to you, leave it and shake the dust off your feet. That will be a warning to them!” (Mark 6:10-11). This is a heavy stuff. Basically, Jesus is saying that if there are people who will welcome you, stay there. If not, go away. Don’t make a scene. In doing mission and evangelism, we need to have the urgency. Urgency means we have to go (that is, we go not wait). Urgency also means “that there is no time to waste on those who are plainly not interested… who are totally unreceptive.” (quote from Crossway Bible Guides: Mark by David Hewitt). Unless God is specifically calling you to reach out to a certain area and people, you must stay. But generally for the unresponsive, please move on to other places and disassociate with them. “Shake the dust off your feet.” We have more places to go, we have to move on. This is a command, this is urgent!

Are you ready for mission?

There will be conflicts, rejections and persecution.

But don’t lose heart – Jesus be with you. Share the joy of Christ.

Go on, you have Jesus’ authority to teach, preach and heal. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Kuchingnites, You Can Make a Difference this Christmas: Give Gifts to the Needy

God has given us two hands – one with which to receive and the other with which to give. What if this Christmas instead of waiting for people to give you gifts, why don’t you give? What if you take initiative and start giving with what you already have instead of making excuses and delay your action? What if you be the change rather than asking for things to change and be the worship song that you sing and be the answer to your prayer to make a different in someone else’s life? What if – regardless of your race and religion – you embrace the spirit of Christmas that is the spirit of giving for the good of your community? What if your gift can make those who are less fortunate smile this Christmas, would you like to do that?

Here is (one of) your opportunity to do so. BB Love Box, a community project by the Boys’ Brigade (BB) in Malaysia (2^nd Kuching Company) is organizing a project that is design to collect and distribute gifts to the less fortunate people during Christmas Season, irrespective of their races and religions. BB mission is to share LOVE and JOY with the needy. The Boys are passionate to promote the spirit of CARING and SHARING among the people of Kuching. The recipients are identified with the help of welfare and social organizations/groups, religious and voluntary bodies. It consists of children (from infant to 17 years old), families and elderly folks from various villages around Kuching area, old folk’s homes and ophanages.*

There are three categories of recipients in this project:

1)    Children. Their wish list range from toys, school stationary, school bag, exercise books, colouring books and story books.

2)    Elderly folks. Biscuits (in tin), beverage (min. 500g/ in packet or tin), milk powder and bath towel.

3)    Families. Rice (10kg), canned food (halal) and instant noodle.

WHEN, WHERE and HOW can you fulfil the recipients’ wishes?

BB Love Box gifts collection booth and wish trees will be set up from 1^st November to 7^th December 2014, 10.00am to 8.00pm at Crown Square and Plaza Merdeka, Kuching. Go there and pick up a Wish List (or more) with the recipient’s name and wish item from the wish trees provided. Shop for the gift stated in the list(s) that you choose. Then, wrap and return the gift(s) to the booth where you pick up that list(s) together with the Wish List(s) securely attached to it. Easy, right? You can do this.

What are you waiting Kuchingnites? Come and fill BB Love Box booth with gifts, joy and love! John Bunyan writes, “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who cannot pay you back.” Calvin Coolidge once said, “No person was ever honoured for what he received. Honour is the reward of what one gives.” “We make a living by what we get,” remind Winston Churchill, “but we make a life by what we give.” Kuchingnites, we can give without loving, but we cannot love without giving. Blessed are those who give with love! Amen.

Imagine the children’s smiles

Picture the elder’s gladness

Don’t you want to see a family having a dinner together this Christmas?

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Jesus on the Process of Spiritual Growth (Mark 4:26-29)

The parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-20) is the parable of the parables. “Don’t you understand this parable?” Jesus asked his disciples and us today, “How, then, will you ever understand any parable?” (Mark 4:13). Thus, it is important for us to understand first or to read through again the parable of the Sower before we study the parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29) and the parable of the Mustard Seed (4:30-32). It will be must easier to understand other parables too (Click HERE to read my previous reflection).

Jesus went on the say, “The Kingdom of God is like this. A man scatters the seed in his field. He sleeps at night, is up and about during the day, and all the while the seeds are sprouting and growing. Yet he does not know how it happens. The soil itself makes the plants grow and bear fruit; first the tender stalk appears, then the head, and finally the head full of grain. When the grain is ripe, the man starts cutting it with his sickle, because harvest time has come” (Mark 4:26-29, GNB).

Whenever we read a parable like this, we must remember that: it is a parable. The truth is there but don’t try to over-spiritualize every details. For believers, the obvious is the core message. In essence this parable is about the mystery of how God’s Word grow in the hearts of men. It is about the process of spiritual growth in the Kingdom of God. I’m encourage by this parable because even if I don’t know how God’s Word grow in people’s lives, but as I “sows God’s message” (Mark 4:14), regardless of how much people “hear the message” (4:20), I know that sooner or later it will produce “the fruit.” Therefore, I’m very comfortable with this mystery.

“[The sower] does not know how it happens.” The process of growth is hidden from us. Before I seriously studied this parable, I thought that there are ‘secrets’ formulas that we have to know to advance the Gospel and there are some persuasive evangelism techniques that we should mastered before we witness to people. I failed to realize the element of mystery in God’s Kingdom. This extra dimension is what missing from my personal witness and understanding of spiritual growth. I thank Jesus for this parable! Another truth I learned is that the growth is gradual. As the man in this parable sleep, “the seeds are sprouting”; as he get up, the seed are “growing.” The growth starts small, slowly but keep on growing.

The seeds sprout mysteriously, hidden, gradual and slowly but surely it will grow! The growth is sure. It will eventually be “full of grain.” I like to end this reflection with an encouragement: Share God’s Word as much as possible, as frequent as possible, as faithful as possible. Never give up, never get tired, never pull out. Speak the Word, live the Word, share the Word. You might never get to see how “the seeds” of God’s Word may grow in people’s lives but remember that it will grow hidden within their hearts, it will gradually grow day by day. And if “the soil” (4:28) is good, the growth is sure! Friend, the “harvest time [will and] has come.” Where is your “sickle”?

“The Kingdom of God is like this.”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus on the Law of Spiritual Growth (A Reflection on Mark 4:21-25)

After Jesus finished explaining the parable of the sower, Jesus continued, “Does anyone ever bring in a lamp and put it under a bowl or under the bed? Isn’t it put on the lampstand? Whatever is hidden away will be brought out into the open, and whatever is covered up will be uncovered. Listen, then, if you have ears!” (Mark 4:21-23, GNB).

Nobody as far as I know bought Samsung Galaxy S5 or Apple iPhone iOS 8 (probably outdated after 6 months from now) who doesn’t use any of it applications except for SMS texting only. Everyone know that smartphone is meant to be use for more. It is also doesn’t make sense to light up a lamp and then put it under a bowl or a bed when its purpose is to illuminate the room. A lamp is not meant to be covered up but to give light. When Jesus preached God’s Word in parables He was partly ‘hidden’ the truth from the people. But when the time came for His disciples to preach openly after His resurrection and after they received God’s Word in all its fullness, God’s truth must be reveal to all people like a shining lamp. The truth concealed in parables will be revealed. God’s truth “will be bought out into the open” and it “will be uncovered.” And it’s happening now!

“He also said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear! The same rules you use to judge others will be used by God to judge you – but with even greater severity. Those who have something will be given more, and those who have nothing will have taken away from them even the little they have’” (Mark 4:24-25).

If I read above verses out of context, I will surely be misunderstood and confuse by it. First Jesus talked about four kinds of people’s attitudes toward God and His Word (Mark 4:13-20). And then regardless of how people response to God’s truth, it is nevertheless should be revealed as widely as possible and not to be hidden away (Mark 4:21-23). Now (Mark 4:24-25) Jesus was saying that: the disciples are to share the “light” they have received and “hear” so that they may receive more “light” from God. The Law of Spiritual Atrophy says “if you don’t share, you will not grow and will not be effective anymore.” But the Law of Spiritual Growth says “to those who hear, and then share to others what they have heard, more will be given.”  That is why Jesus emphasized two times on listening – “Listen, then, if you have ears!” and “Pay attention to what you hear!”

Shine God’s Light

Share God’s Truth

Listen and pay attention to God’s Word

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Students Making a Difference: TCS CF Shows "Perfect Love: We Care, We Share"

“If [faith] alone and includes no actions, then it is dead” (James 2:17, GNB)

What would happen if Christian Fellowship act seriously on what they have heard and learned from the Scripture? What would happen if they decides to do community service in their campus? This is what definitely will happen: they will make a different! One thing to learn, if you’re ministering to students in campus, is that they are passionate and energetic and willing (if we give them a change or show the way) to make a different in the community. This is exactly what Technology College Sarawak (TSC) Christian Fellowship (CF) was doing last Saturday morning, 11^th October 2014.

Together with their advisor and college’s maintenance staffs, they organized a co-operate gotong-royong with CF members and staffs. Their main objectives is to experience first-hand the challenges of maintenance works and to create awareness in keeping the campus clean. That is why the theme was very suitable; “Perfect Love: We Care, We Share.” Indeed, as participant of this heart-touching event, I observed God’s love was really in each one of them. Some of the members were having class that day, so, they either come before or after class to help whatever possible and get involved with the activity. I bet students outside CF that saw their witnessing in campus and even staffs themselves were inspired by their willingness to sacrifice time (Saturday morning, remember?) and energy (without payment or award) to make a different in campus. Christian Fellowship (CF) is boring? Never!

Here are some pictures:

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This is Where We are Most Unjust to the Poor - We Don't Know Them!

On Our Life of Service and Evangelization, Mother Teresa writes:

“Sometime ago a man came to our house and said: ‘Mother, there is a Hindu family that has eight children. They have not eaten for a long time. Do something for them.’ So I took some rice and went. When I arrived at their house, I could see the hunger in the children’s eyes. Their eyes were shining with hunger. I gave the rice to the mother. She took it and divided it into two, and she went out. When she came back, I asked her, ‘Where did you go?’ she said, ‘They are hungry too.’ Her neighbors were also hungry. What struck me most was not that she gave the rice but she knew they were hungry. Because she knew, she shared. I did not bring more rice that night. I waited until the next morning so that they could experience the joy of sharing and loving.

Love, to be true, has to hurt, and this woman who was hungry – she knew that her neighbor was also hungry. That family happened to be a Mohammedan family. It was so touching, so real. This is where we are most unjust to our poor – we don’t know them. We don’t know how great they are, how loveable, how hungry for that understanding love. Today God loves the world through you and through me. Are we that love and that compassion? God proves that Christ loves us – that He has come to be his Father’s compassion. Today God loves the world through you and through me and through all those who are his love and compassion in the world.” And I [Richard] say, Amen.

[Quote from Mother Teresa: Contemplative at the Heart of the World. Page 118-119]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

What Campus Students can Contribute towards the Life of the Church?

Picture taken from: http://www.aletheiachurch.com/

What are some areas where students can contribute towards the life of the church? Consider the following:

1) Teaching the Sunday school class or helping the Youth Fellowship (YF). The challenge here is especially great for men. In many Sunday schools or YF, there is a shortage of male teachers. It is probably because of this that churches often find it difficult to retain boys once they have finished their secondary school education.

2) Helping to counsel young people. In a way, this is related to the above. Having just undergone the struggles of adolescence themselves, students can better empathize with younger friends now going through theirs.

3) Literature work. Students can either write articles for the church newsletter, recommend books that they have found helpful or load their books for others. It may even be possible to run a book table by making appropriate arrangements with a bookshop. The reading of good books leaves a lasting impact on young lives.

4) In the course of campus life, students gain experience in doing the Lord’s work, for example, leading Bible study groups, learning to share one’s faith, planning a term’s programme, and so on. These experiences can be shared with others in the church.

5) Students’ secular studies can also be put to good practice. Those doing accountancy can help to streamline church accounts and specialists in education can help to upgrade Sunday school teaching.

6) Students can share items about campus life and witness during the church’s prayer meeting. In this way, others will be encouraged to see them as the church’s “missionaries” on campus. Those who study in campuses away from their home towns can keep their church leaders informed of their activities through occasional letters or better through – social networks.

Reminder: The above list is not exhaustive but time is an important constraint. Students will have to strike a balance among various commitments to church work, campus witness, studies and family life. Situation will vary. In churches where there is a lack of capable personnel, students obviously will find themselves tied down with church work. But those who want to take on leadership positions in student work must first carefully think through their priorities. For a period of time at least, students may not be able to do as much for their churches as they wish. Hopefully, their church leaders will be understanding and can be encouraged to see the exceptional possibilities that exist on the campus. The students are their churches’ missionary representatives there. As in FES Malaysia, we encouraged students to embrace their missionary identity in campus! Amen.

Think Big. Start Small. Go Deep.

8 Kebaikan Apabila Kamu Mengawal Penggunaan Media Sosial

Ramai orang beranggapan bahawa dunia mereka akan hancur jika mereka tidak menggunakan media sosialwalaupun hanya setengah hari. Media social seperti Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Blog dan sebagainya, banyak mengambil masa kita dan ada yang percaya bahawa semua ini sangat penting. Hey, dunia tidak akan berakhir jika kita tidak menggunakan laman media sosial! Malah, banyak kebaikkannya jika kita tidak atau boleh mengawal penggunaannya. Di sini saya mendapati sekurang-kurangnya ada 8 kebaikkan:

1) Kamu boleh lebih fokus tentang kehidupan kamu berbanding dengan kehidupan orang lain. Apabila kita tidak ‘menjaga tepi kain’ orang – tentang kehidupan dan pencapaian orang lain, contohnya – dan lebih fokus tentang kehidupan peribadi kita sendiri, kita akan lebih mudah menerima baik buruk diri sendiri (dan menyerahkannya kepada Tuhan) tanpa perlu membuat perbandingan dengan pencapaian orang lain.

2) Kamu boleh lebih fokus untuk berinteraksi dengan dunia realiti di sekeliling kamu. Apabila kita kurang atau tidak seringkali memeriksa telefon pintar untuk mengetahui perkembangan di dunia digital, kita akan lebih fokus untuk bercakap dengan orang di sekeliling kita. Apabila kita berkomunikasi dengan orang lain secara bersemuka, banyak perkara yang kita dapat belajar (secara mendalam) berbanding dengan perkara-perkara yang dikongsikan di dunia media sosial.

3) Kamu tidak perlu risau samada ada orang telah memberi komen atau respon di Twitter atau menekan butang “like” di laman Facebook kamu. [Tidak perlu saya huraikan]

4) Kamu tidak perlu berinteraksi dengan orang yang kamu tidak suka. Oleh kerana kita pernah bersekolah atau pernah berkawan dengan mereka dahulu, ini tidak bermaksud kita masih lagi ada persamaan dengan mereka. Atau mungkin kita sudah berubah sekarang sehinggakan kita tidak lagi sesuai untuk bergaul dengan mereka.

5) Kamu tidak perlu lagi merasa janggal atau sakit hati dengan orang yang selalu meluahkan perasaan dan menunjukkan gambar yang tidak sesuai di laman media social. Kadang-kadang perkara seperti ini tidak perlu kita tahu... merosakkan jiwa dan minda sahaja!

6)  Banyak perkara dan kerja yang kamu boleh siap. Sentiasa memeriksa laman media sosial waktu pejabat atau semasa melakukan kerja banyak mengambil masa kita. Sebaliknya, apabila kita tidak atau mengurangkan masa untuk media sosial, banyak kerja atau perkara dapat dilakukan.

7) Kamu akan memiliki hidup kamu kembali! Apabila kita tidak membenarkan laman media social untuk mengatur dan mengawal hidup kita, kita akan beroleh hidup. ‘Hidup’ di sini bermaksud fikiran dan hati kita. Tidak perlulah kita khuatir tentang apa yang akan dikongsikan oleh orang lain di laman  media sosial. Kita sekarang mempunyai lebih masa dan fokus untuk mendengar dan berbicara dengan orang lain di sekeliling kita. Kita akan menpunyai hidup yang aktif dan bukannya pasif menunggu ‘hidup’ datang kepada kita melalui laman media sosial.   

8) Kamu ada masa untuk berdoa dan membaca Firman Allah. Kurang berdoa dan membaca buku terutamanya – Alkitab –adalah satu masalah yang besar terjadi dikalangan orang muda sekarang kerana banyak masa terluang digunakan untuk media sosial (ada membaca, tetapi membaca bahan yang tidak berfaedah untuk kehidupan orang Kristian). Apa yang sangat diperlukan sekarang ialah orang Kristian yang tidak mudah terpengaruh dengan isu-isu yang remeh-temeh dan mula melihat dan melakukan sesuatu yang boleh memberkati orang lain di sekeliling kita. Yesus berkata, “Kasihilah Allah” dan “sesamamu”, “utamakan dahulu kerajaan Allah” dan “merenung Firman-Nya siang dan malam” (bukan laman media social).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

An Interview with Myself: On the Avengers and the Scripture

This is an interview with myself.

Why you love to watch movie?

Why you love to eat? Why you love to dance? Why you love to read? All of these are natural for human being. You enjoy food, you love to move with the tune, you love stories. Movie is my source of leisure and entertainment. Movie captured my imaginations and filled me with inspirations. I’m talking about good movies, of course.

How do you differentiate between good and bad movies?

Good movies cause you to think, not just being entertained. This is very important because the thrill of participation with the characters is what makes the movie worth to watch. Worth for my investment, RM13! For me, good movies ought to have moral values without neglecting the reality of bad influences. For action-movies like The Avengers, which is why you interview me right, we must not expecting the movie to be realistic and logic or hoping that the heroes must be perfect and good all the time… come on, movie is a movie, okay?

[In my mind, I asked and answered too many questions to myself which are not quiet appropriate for public to read. Therefore, I skipped most of it.]

So, now, tell me, what you have learned from the movie The Avengers?

Oh, many things. By the way, before I watched The Avengers (again), I watched Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man 1, 2 & 3, Hulk, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and  Thor: The Dark World. To get the big picture of the movie, I need to do some ‘revision.’ [Smiled]

In summary, The Avengers taught me more than just cliché lessons that you get from self-help or motivational books. The Avengers – this might sound unusual to you – helps me to recaps what some of the Scripture’s values that I have learned as I read and study it. I mean, by watching The Avengers and other Marvel movies, it help me to see how some Biblical values can be seen in each heroes and situations.

For examples, Hulk taught me how to be angry. Almost all references in the Scriptures about angry are negative because by nature angry is a sin. But there is such thing as righteous-angry where anger is not directed to persons but to the injustice, unrighteousness and merciless. Jesus, do you remember, overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves because He was righteously-angry with what He saw in the temple (Read Matthew 21:12-13). When an alien spaceship coming toward him, Captain America said something like this, “You need help to be angry?” “No,” Bruce Banner replied, “This is what you don’t know about me… I’m always angry…” And then he turned into the green beast and smashes the ship! Meaning, he had his anger under control and ‘expressing’ it toward the real enemies. 

Captain America taught me about leadership. He is mentally and physically fit. He is a fighter and strategist. He is probably one of the least members with special power but nevertheless – he is the Avenger’s Captain. He is a patriotic who value teamwork and do whatever it take to achieve the missions. He is the man who believes in God.  I remember one scene after Captain and Iron man caught Loki, Thor with raged came from nowhere took Loki out of the plane. As Iron man followed them from behind with an attack plan – that is “Attack!” – Captain was left behind. Black Widow reminds him, “Are you going after them too? They are Asgardians… they are literally, gods.” The Captain buckled up a parachute and said, “No ma’am,” he’s about to jump, “There is only one God!” He jumped and continues, “And He’s not dressing like one of those.”

Iron man taught me that people can change. He was a playboy, but now in love with one woman, Pepper. He was a billionaire who sells war machines, but now becomes a generous entrepreneur that helps to make the world a better place. He was a selfish genius, but now he fights for justice and even sacrifices himself to save many. He diverts a nuclear missile from blowing the New York City into the black hole all by himself. He, literally, saved the world. “If we can’t protect the earth,” Tony Stark said to Loki, “you can be damn sure we’ll avenge it.” Minus the language and attitude, do you hear his selflessness?

Thor taught me to be humble. He was arrogant, I know, but he now has become a matured and responsible man. When he was on earth – even though it is not relevant – he didn’t take pride of his Asgardian’s title and position. He is the prince of Asgard, heir of the kingdom throne, and god of thunder yet he remains humble, human-like in his character. He slowly learns to become human.

I haven’t told you about Nick Fury, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Maria Hill, Agent Phil, etc… maybe next time bro.

Finally, do you have anything else to say?

Yes. Religious people often told me to “Stop watching worldly movies”, “Don’t watching this and that movie, it’s no good”, “You’re influencing our youth to worldliness.” I appreciate their concerns but I sense their hypocrisy. Even though they didn’t watch movies in cinema, they themselves watch movies on television, gossips in Twitter, watch videos on YouTube, and always read nonsense news on Facebook. I only take advice from those who have integrity and sincere.

Okay, I fully understand that watching too much movies or addicted to it will affect and pollute our mind but in everything we do – whatever it is – balance, priority and discernment are require. Those who make so much fuss with me watching The Avengers and told me to read the Scriptures more, I have two questions for you: 1) Do you know  Spiderman and Superman, Batman and Iron man, Thor and Hulk, Captain America and Wolverine? Maybe the answer is “No.” Then, since you don’t watch movie and love to read the Scripture, do you know Cain and Abel, Miriam and Aaron, Korah and Dathan, Ruth and Naomi, Abigail and Rahab, Ahab and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, Esther and Mordecai, Amos and Obadiah, Nadab and Abihu, ect.? [Pause]

The Avengers and everything in this world are just faded mirror reflections of what is really real – Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. Of course, if The Avengers have taken our hearts and minds over the Scripture, we have issues with God. Therefore, Repent.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

A Conversation about the OT Tithing - Is it still Applicable Today?

“You must each decide in your heart how much to give” (2 Corinthians 9:7NLT).

Someone asked me a question, a good question. I called it a good question because the asker wants to know the why behind the what he do – not merely doing it. His question was: “Richard, are Christians supposed to tithe?” straightaway I answered, “Yes”. “But,” he continued his series of question, “aren’t it was only applicable during the Old Testament times?” “Hmmm….” I paused for awhile.

In the Old Testament times, God commanded the Israelites to give 10% or 1/10 of all their earnings and flocks and crops to Him. The Book of Deuteronomy recorded, “You must set aside a tithe of your crops – one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year” (14:22).  This title actually was not for God, after all, the whole earth is belongs to Him. It was used to support the Levites and priests. It was for temple maintenance. It was to help provided food for the poor, the widows and orphans. And so you know: tithing, in the Old Testament view was not an option but a command – blessings to those who tithed and curse if they failed to (see Malachi 3:8-12).

Today is 3^rd September 2012, not in the Old Testament times.
We are in the time after the New Testament period.
Now, should we tithe?

I answered him, “We are no longer under the law but under grace, so the exact requirement for tithing such as ‘one-tenth of all the crops’ is no longer applicable for us today. But…” I paused. Take a sip of coffee, then continued, “…the truth principle behind the law is very much relevant, practical and thus beneficial for us to apply. Your tithes, our tithes can be use to support the church in financial. With more finances, the church can reach out to the community – to take care of one another, to help the needy and to evangelize people. The truth is, in the New Testament, there is no specific teaching about tithing. The writers of the New Testament only told Christians to give as much as they’re able. Jesus talked a great deal about giving generously. Paul writes to urged Christians to give cheerfully, as much as they could and not because they are ‘force’ to do it but sincerely from the generous heart” (see Luke 6:38 and 2 Corinthians 9:6-8).

His eyes looked straight at my innocent face – irritating. “So???” he talked a bit louder. Devour for bottom-line answer.

“So… regardless either you believe in tithing or not – I personally, firmly believe that Christians today should still tithe. Part of being Christ-follower is giving generously to God and others. Personally (again), if you want to experience freedom from the bondage of money... if you want your joy to be full... if really, your eyes fixed on the Lord... you would give tithe... yes, even more offering to God”

He sort of agrees with me. I smiled. He walked away. I waved goodbye. He ignored it. I start writing this post. He maybe read this note now… I say, 'hello!'. 

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.