Printed Pages, Lasting Benefits #LeadersAreReaders November 2024

 

For me, reading printed books daily is a rewarding habit that brings freshness and knowledge. You don’t have to read for hours or finish a book in one sitting—just a few pages a day, done consistently, can make a big difference. Printed books offer a unique experience. The feel of the pages, the scent of the paper, and the act of turning each page make reading more personal. Unlike screens, books don’t strain your eyes or distract you with notifications.

Start by setting aside just 10 minutes a day (once the habit forms, 10 minutes can be your minimum!). Choose a book you enjoy and keep it nearby. Whether it’s before bed, during breakfast, or during a quiet moment, make reading part of your routine. Over time, this small habit can improve your knowledge, focus, and mental clarity. A few pages today can bring lasting benefits for a more thoughtful life 😊

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Pursuing Humility? Meditations of a Proud Heart (2021) by Joel Cornuz, Book Review

 Pursuing Humility? Meditations of a Proud Heart (2021) by Joel Cornuz

I read this book on a flight from Taiwan to Kuala Lumpur. As soon as I and my colleague landed home, I told them very proudly, “Yes, I’ve finished reading a book on humility!” What an irony! Letting people know that I’ve read books on humility (such as this one and Andrew Murray’s) is probably a sign of my pride. Maybe yes, maybe not. But it is more challenging if I write a book on humility. Joel Cornuz thought so in his introduction: “If you pretend to teach about humility, you already demonstrate pride. Go and present yourself as an expert on the subject, and you disqualify yourself from talking about it. ‘I am the best, especially at humility.' The statement may be funny, but it reflects the reality of the problem.” As the author revealed in the book about his own pride, I saw mine all too obvious too.

Thus, I find this book—a series of the author’s meditations on humility from the Scripture—very helpful in pointing out my personal sin of pride and being independent from God, either intentionally or unintentionally. It was scary, but I needed the realizations that I gained from this book. The Holy Spirit speaks through the meditations of His Word. I need humility, or more accurately, I need God for humility, or, essentially, I need God. Joel concludes, “Humility is first recognizing the reality of who I am (a proud person in need of forgiveness) and who God is (the one who offers me the forgiveness I so desperately need); humility is then accepting my dependence on that God (without Him, I can do nothing); and finally, it is placing my life at his disposal for the service of those around me (and for His glory).”

It is the humble recognition that God (YHWH) is God and placing our dependence on Him that freed us from the weight of pride so that we could be more like Christ, the ultimate embodiment and example of humility. Remember the word that says, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5, Proverbs 3:34) #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #Humility #Pride #LikeChrist #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

*Thanks to FES Singapore for the gift!

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How To Read the Bible for All Its Worth (3rd Edition, 2003) by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart

I read this book last month (August) when I was getting ready for a camp. I had already read it in previous years, but after reading the chapter on the Gospel for references, I became completely engaged. I therefore began at the beginning and completed it on the flights, off days, and days in between during the camp. One of the passages that speaks to me is this: "Whether one likes it or not, every reader is at the same time an interpreter. That is, most of us assume as we read that we also understand what we read. We also tend to think that our understanding is the same thing as the Holy Spirit’s or human author’s intent. However, we invariably bring to the text all that we are, with all of our experiences, culture, and prior understandings of words and ideas. Sometimes what we bring to the text, unintentionally to be sure, leads us astray, or else causes us to read all kinds of foreign ideas into the text."

The question is, therefore, not whether we should interpret the Bible or not, but is our interpretation is faithful or not. The goal of the late Gordon D. Fee (1934-2022) and Stuart in this book is to arm us with the awareness, tools, and skills needed to properly interpret the Bible in light of its original intent, audience, and context. The writers urge us to consider the various literary genres (such as poetry, narrative, epistle, etc.) and how those subtle differences influence our understanding. They also teach us to do the works of interpretation based on the conviction that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, while still being honest enough to acknowledge that inspiration may have varied ramifications for the various books of the Bible. Dear students of the Word, buy and read this book!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #HowToReadTheBibleForAllItsWorth #GordonEFee #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Signs of The Apostles: Observations on Pentecostalism Old and New (1973, 1976) by Walter J. Chantry

After I read the first four (of eleven) chapters, I realized that Mr. Chantry is a Reformed cessationist. This explains a lot about how he interprets the Scripture. I first heard about 'cessationism' when I listened to Grace To You's Strange Fire Conference 2013. What is cessationism? It is a view that early on in the history of the Church, the charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit - such as healing, prophecy, word of knowledge, and tongues - ceased to be practiced. Cessationists typically hold that the miraculous gifts were only given for the Church's founding, between the arrival of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost in Acts 2 and the accomplishment of God's purposes in history, which is typically referred to as either the conclusion of the final book of the New Testament or the death of the last apostle. I understand the main arguments for cessationism but I just can't see it clearly from the plain reading of the Scripture, records from Church history, stories from missiology, and personal experiences. I believe the Scripture - the written word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit - is final and sufficient but this doesn't mean that the saints cannot be used by God to be equipped with the charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit for His glory. Misuse of these gifts (which are many today!) cannot invalidate them.

To be fair, most cessationists like this author, believe that while God can and still does perform miracles today, the Holy Spirit no longer uses individuals to perform miraculous signs. Mr. Chantry writes: "The question of our inquiry is not, 'Should God be working miracles today?' It is rather, 'Should men be doing miracles on behalf of God?'" From here he explores the primary purpose of miraculous gifts in the Scripture, namely, to attest to the commission of the spokesman of God. In the New Testament, they are signs of the apostleship. He also argues that since the canon of Scripture is complete, the pursuit of all the charismatic gifts of the apostolic age can only proceed upon the basis of failure to recognize the sufficiency and finality of the Scripture. "The lack of complete confidence in the Bible on the part of neo-pentecostal is to be greatly deplored," he wrote. He then expands his arguments through biblical exposition such as on 1 Corinthians 13, 2 Corinthians 10-13, Psalm 85, and selected quotes from preachers and authors that 'prove' his points. I learned so much from this book and I agree with most of what he said about the misuse and abuse of God's words and gifts among the Pentecostals today. His high view of the Scripture is also recommendable. But at the end of my reading, I was not convinced by his exegesis leaning on this subject and of his cessationist case. God will never cease to show signs and wonders, He is the supernatural God!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #SignsOfTheApostles #Pentecostalism #Cessationism #SpiritualGifts #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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I Am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremists by The Voice of the Martyrs, Audiobook Review

 I Am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremists (2016, audiobook 6 Hours 12 minutes) by The Voice of the Martyrs

Most Christians in Borneo - Sarawak and Sabah - are very comfortable. We are too relaxed and have no sense of urgency. Lukewarm, soft, and dying. We tend to forget that Christian persecution is a very real thing for many people throughout the world, even our brothers and sisters in peninsular Malaysia. It's easy to get comfortable in a place that has fairly freedom of religion and little social stigma for believing in the Lord Jesus. We experience some persecution, yes, but it's nothing compared to others in closed countries. Read books, reports, stories, and videos about Christian martyrs and missions - and God's Word daily - to be awakened from spiritual sleep and ignite the passion to share the Gospel with the lost souls.

"I Am N" by VOM is one of the books that I recommend you to read and reflect on (if you're interested to read an ebook and listen to the audiobook, please let me know). What does "N" stands for? In northern Iraq, radical Muslims (ISIS) spray-painted the Arabic letter ن or “N,” on the homes and businesses of Christians. "N" represents the followers of Jesus of "N"azareth. They were then publicly exposed as Jesus-followers and offered the option to become Muslims a.k.a. convert to Islam, leave their home, or die. Over 100,000 brave believers left with little more than the clothing on their backs because they would not compromise their faith. This book is therefore a compilation of real stories of "N" around the world. You'll read about the stories of sacrifice, courage, joy, perseverance, forgiveness, and faithfulness. You may (as I do) get angry, sad, and mad at first, and then filled with joy, love, gratitude, and compassion, and be moved to pray. It's bitter and sweet.

We need to recognize these persecuted followers of Jesus as our brothers and sisters in the family of God and embrace them in that intimate unity: “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3). We will not be silenced. Write up, speak up, and pray up!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #PersecutedChurch #Discipleship #JesusTheLord #FamilyOfGod #TheVoiceOfTheMartyrs #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Five (5) Lessons That I Learned from Dr. Thomas Chung Kim Sun a.k.a. Tommy (16 August 1942 - 28 April 2023)

The late Dr. Thomas Chung Kim Sun (80 years old, 16 August 1942–28 April 2023) is widely known as Dr. Thomas Chung and, for those who are close to him, as Tommy. I think I'm close to him, not in the sense of the frequency of meetings but in the sense of emotional and spiritual intimacy. You see, Dr. Tommy has the ability to make us — those who have known him long enough - feel special. I feel like I'm his favourite staff in FES, but I know that that is NOT entirely true. I've observed his casual interactions with Timberland Hospital staff when he was a laboratory chief there. He would speak professionally at times and then turn into a father figure, asking about their well-being, interests, and family members. I've witnessed how people in the church were so comfortable sharing their lives with him and thanking him for the spoken word he preached. He would suddenly burst into laughter, then cry, then sing, then encourage, then end with prayer. The whole thing was fascinating for me to see. Some people might think it's an old man's behaviour, no doubt, but more than that, he is a man "who had been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13). He loves all of us genuinely (although not equally; he was just a man), just like the Master he serves.

Before I share further, I would like to first share his weaknesses and shortcomings, just to demythologize some ideas about him. Here are some: He was not a good Monopoly game player, he was easily distracted, perhaps not the best driver in town, and some jokes were not funny but delivered with confidence (that's funny!), forgetfulness (where are the books that you promised to give me?), overcommitting, over-giving, being physically weak, keeping most of his struggles to himself, impatient, having self-doubt at times, his Bahasa is bad, a bit secretive, and more. These are what make me identify with him. If we were the same age, maybe we could be best friends forever (BFF). Except I'm the dumbest one. Now, here are five (5) lessons that I learned from Dr. Tommy:

1. Loving God and His Word. He was a biochemist, a gemmologist, and a doctor. But first and foremost, he was a preacher, expositor, and teacher of the Word. He was a man of God on the pulpit as well as in the workplace. There were a couple of times when I visited him in the laboratory office, and once I asked if I could take a look at his personal Bible. It was a very worn-out Bible, and it reminds me of Charles H. Spurgeon's quote, "A Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't." Full of notes and quotes. He would read some and ask, "What do you think of this, Richard?" I said a few words, and then he immediately launched into a mini-sermon. Once I told him about my doubts about the existence of God, he would just listen, ask questions, and then proceed to encourage me through the Word and personal stories based on his experience with God. There are many things that I don't know about his personal life, but I know that he knows God not just intellectually but also emotionally and personally. He speaks from the depths of his heart. "Knowing God," writes J.I. Packer, "is a relationship calculated to thrill a man's heart."
   
   
2. 
   Passion to Preach the Gospel. It was in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, during the FES 5th National Conference in 2010, my first year as a staff, he was the main Bible expositor and speaker. Honestly, I don't remember much about the conference except for the fun I had in the swimming pool during leisure time and the burning within me when Dr. Tommy preached the Scripture from 2nd Timothy. As if he were Paul talking to me, Timothy, urging me to "preach the word!" (2 Timothy 4:2 has become my life verse and also for LEGASI.tv ministry). Out of the pulpit, he was like a lamb, but in the pulpit, he was a lion. "Light yourself on fire with passion," said John Wesley, "and people will come from miles away to watch you burn." Literally, I heard testimonies, some people came from miles away to hear him preach — and burn. I'm confident that others can also testify to the same thing about his passion for Christ. The power doesn't lie in his rhetorical skills or the wisdom of man, but in the Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit.
   
   
3. A Man of Prayer and Tears. His opening prayer is like his closing prayer, and his closing prayer is like an open conversation with God. He cannot do what he does—fierce preaching and teaching many times a week—unless he is also disciplined in prayer on a daily basis. His favourite words to me are, "Bathed in prayer"; "Soaked in prayer"; "Love and prayers always"; "With you in prayer"; "Pray for His blessing and enabling." I believe they are not only words of comfort. They were his genuine prayers. He was a spiritual giant and a man of intellect, but he was also an emotional, sensitive, and compassionate man. He was man enough to weep for the lost and the brokenhearted.
   
   
4. Always Read Books, especially the Classics. I've figured there is only so much that can trigger Dr. Thomas's interests: God, the Bible, the Church, preaching, Bario Revival or Revival stories, classical music and hymns, gems and beads, our concerns and prayer requests, and books (or lately, YouTube videos!). "What book are you reading now, Richard?" he would ask. "John Stott's Between Two Worlds," and then he talked about his relationship with John Stott back in London. "Martyn Lloyd-Jones's Preaching and Preachers," and then he recalled his memories of sitting under the Biblical preaching of Dr. Jones. "David Pawson's Unlocking the Bible," and then he reminisced about the day Mr. Pawson invited him to dinner during the student's day. There were times when I would just mention names such as Calvin, Tyndale, Spurgeon, John Sung, J.I. Packer, A.W. Tozer, Michael Green, and William Barclay and sit back to listen to his takes on them. This was his WhatsApp message to me back in 2019: "The Lord continues to bless all you do to promote the reading of spiritual classics as well as books that inform and broaden the sphere of thinking of young people in the work of FES." One of the last times I met him, he said to me that he was reading the Christian mystics. I didn't get to know how it was going, and I'm curious about his book recommendations.
   
   
5. Last but not least, the Simplicity of Living. I'm not really sure exactly why he was so thin. Probably due to a health problem that I'm unaware of. But I sensed that he was practicing prayer and fasting continuously. Maybe, maybe not. Every time I would ask him about this, he would quickly change the subject (taking seriously Jesus' warning in Matthew 6:16–18?). Regardless, he was the embodiment of "godliness with contentment" (1 Timothy 6:6). He can be famous (he is!) but he doesn't want to; he could write books or compile all his sermons (someone should do this!) into books, but he didn't; he could just stay in London and pursue a high-income medicine career, but he returned home to Malaysia and became a humble itinerant preacher. In Christ, Dr. Tommy has two things that comprises inward simplicity (as Richard Foster puts it): the Divine Centre and Holy Obedience.

There are many things that I've learned from him. These five are the most impactful for me. I was shocked when I received the news about his sudden death, but somehow it didn't surprise me. Expected. I have no regrets or am sorry for any words that I said to him. Nothing but love, admiration, and respect. He was somewhat of a father figure, a grandpa, a mentor (actually, this year we planned to meet one-on-one every two months. So, we've met twice already), a teacher, a brother in Christ, and a friend to me. Like I said, he can make those who are close to him feel special. I feel special. But so do others - even more - who are closer to him. As for the living, I have words of wisdom from Dr. Tommy for all of us. In his slightly annoying British accent, the Queen's English says, "Press on, bebeh!" I think he was referring to Philippians 3:14, "I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." If you received it, type AMEN.

#ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #DrThomasChung #MyEulogy #FESMalaysia #HeroOfFaith #Preacher #ManOfGod #JesusIsLord #GodOfTheLivingAndTheDead #Goodbye

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What Love Is This? Calvinism's Misrepresentation of God (2018 Revised Edition) by Dave Hunt, Sort-of Review

 What Love Is This? Calvinism's Misrepresentation of God (2018 Revised Edition)
by Dave Hunt

I can't remember clearly when was the first time I was exposed to Calvinism. Come to think about it, perhaps it was through books that I read (seem obvious) or sermons that I heard, or both. For sure I was reading lots of books by avid Calvinists in the past such as C.H. Spurgeon, John Piper, J.I. Packers, R.C. Sproul, and my all-time favorite John MacArthur (a.k.a. JMac). God has used - and continues to do so - their books and teachings to shape my mind and understanding of the Scripture. But I have this against them: the core teachings of Calvinism, especially on soteriology (the doctrine of salvation), are incompatible and inconsistent with Scripture. By core teachings, I'm referring to five points that can be summarized by the acronym TULIP. Having said that, I do believe (for now) that Reformed Theology is the closest to biblical Christianity as compared to other major theological systems. We must keep in mind that all theological persuasions are not perfect. It is the Word of God alone that is inerrant, infallible, and perfect.

I'm friendly to the Calvinists but I'm not one. So, am I an Arminian? No (By the way, Jacob Arminius was a good guy. And the opposite of Calvinism is not only Arminianism. Grow up!). How about a Provisionist? Interesting but not yet fully persuaded. For now, although it is helpful to know where ones stand theologically, I have no affiliation with any label. To say, I'm a Biblicalist is a cliche. But I do want to say that there is no biblical mandate or obligation for us to make the decision. Maybe the best way, for now, is to either ignore the label or settle with one or continue to learn and explore. I choose to be proactive. I've been listening to dozens of debates, podcasts, and talks to wrap my mind on these matters. I would like to encourage you to do the same (except for not being too obsessed). On the topic of Calvinism, I highly recommend the late R.C. Sproul's What Is Reformed Theology? Understanding the Basics book and talk series on Ligoniers Ministry YouTube Channel. R.C. was a good teacher, theologian, and communicator. On the other hand, if you want to read on the topic against Calvinism, then, I highly recommend the late Dave Hunt's What Love Is This? Calvinism's Misrepresentation of God. I have other recommendations too but for basics, try these two as your introductions.

I love Dave Hunt. He was the embodiment of "zeal with knowledge" and "logic on fire" on par with Walter Martin. He addresses many topics and wrote numerous books on theology, the church, prophecy, cults, occults, New Age, and other religions and critiques of Catholicism, Islam, and yes, Calvinism, among others. You will either love him or hate him but think you must! In this book, Dave Hunt hopes to show how Calvinism misrepresents God's love, decrees, sovereignty, will, foreknowledge, grace, nature, character, gospel, and, of course, the Scripture. Some things I agree with, some statements I disagree with, and many times I hold my judgment. There are strengths (for example, quoting well-known Calvinism proponents to define their own terms) and weaknesses (for example, the tone of his writings, if you're not familiar with him, seems angry and very critical) as any provocative book would have. If you're a Calvinist, you will be triggered by the chapters on the (other) "horrific" beliefs and practices of John Calvin and his early followers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. And not to mention that of Augustine of Hippo. So, read this book at your own risk!

NOTE: Btw, there are other good (some are better!) non-Calvinist teachers and writers that you should explore too such as David Pawson, Chuck Missler, A.W. Tozer, Adrian Rogers, C.S. Lewis, Michael Heiser, Frank Viola, John Stott, Hwa Yung, etc. Read widely.

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#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #DaveHunt #Calvinism #Reformed #GodsLove #Theology #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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The Power of The Word and words #LeadersAreReaders January 2023

I was doing a house cleaning last week when I discovered my old notes with amazing stories in them. Let me share one about the transforming power of the Word. It is written by Peter V. Deison about a man named Ramad. Ramad was the most dangerous man in all of India. His gang attacked, plundered, and terrified the remote villages of the area. He was wanted dead or alive. While ransacking a small home in one of these villages, he found a small black book.

At first, he started to throw it away, but he noticed that the paper was very thin and just the right size for roll-you-own cigarettes. Each evening after a meal Ramad would relax with a smoke. He would take out the little book, tear a page out, and fold it over for the tobacco. One evening while folding the paper, he noticed the writing was in his own language. So each evening after eating, he would read a page of the little book - presumably the New Testament - and then smoke it.

One evening, by God's grace, over time, he was convicted! He knelt and asked Jesus Christ to forgive his sins and confessed Him to be his Lord and Savior. At once he turned himself over to the police, much to their surprise, and turned from a bandit to an evangelist for Christ in the prison! It became Ramad's first mission field where he led many other prisoners to Jesus.

I heard and read many real-life stories like this when God's Word - even His servants' words a.k.a. books about the written Word - made a change in people's lives. It's true: "Know it in your mind; Stow it in your heart; Show it in your life; Sow it in the world." Amen!

#ServeToLead #ReadersAreReaders #PrisonMinistry #ThePowerOfTheWord #Repentance #ChangedLife #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Seeing Jesus In All of Scripture #LeadersAreReaders May 2022

After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus. This is one of the many post-resurrection appearances. The Scriptures say that “God kept them from recognizing him” (Luke 24:16). Interesting. As they were walking, the two disciples talked about “the things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth” (v.19) to… Jesus. Interesting indeed. I’m not sure whether they believe everything they heard about Jesus was true or not, for sure, they heard that “Jesus is alive!” (v.23). Then, imagine this, Jesus, a stranger to them said strongly, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” (v.26). There and then, Jesus did an overview Bible Study with them. He “took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from ALL the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (v.27). read the rest of the passage. The good ending is this: “Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him” (v.31).

I love this sacred narrative. We can know about Jesus without really knowing Jesus. We can study the Scriptures diligently without recognizing Jesus in them (In John 5:39, Jesus said the Scriptures “point to me!”). And we can outline facts about what happened to Jesus from A to Z without really believing what we said. The two disciples were foolish and so are we if we don’t have faith to see Jesus the Messiah as He is. By God’s grace, He has opened my eyes to see and recognized Jesus in the pages of the Scriptures (This simply means I was foolish then and if I don’t see it now, I’m being foolish again). Now, this is both a supernatural and natural phenomenon. We can’t see and believe if God doesn’t open and make known to us the truth first. So we need to pray, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law [or the Scriptures]” (Psalm 119:18, bracket mine). Yet, we can’t see and believe if we don’t read and study the Scriptures. The supernatural and natural must go hand in hand. For example, in Isaiah 32 verses 1 and 3, “Look, a righteous king is coming! [So we must look]… Then everyone who has eyes will be able to see the truth” [But God is the One who enables us to see].

I have no advice for the supernatural since it is beyond our willpower to do so except to pray and ask God the Holy Spirit with humility. But I do have advice for the natural ways to see Jesus in “ALL the Scripture.” First, read the Scriptures a.k.a. the written Word of God a.k.a. the Bible prayerfully. This is essential and all else is subordinate! Secondly, join sound teaching and Jesus-centered Bible Study (if you want to join #DugDownDeep let me know). And thirdly, read books that can supplement and instruct you deeper into the Scriptures. Good faithful pastors, preachers, teachers, and writers are God’s gifts to us for the growth of His church. Two books that I finished reading in May 2022 that are very instrumental in helping me to see and read the Scriptures with Jesus at the center anew are: 1) Finding Jesus In the Old Testament (2015, 2017) by David Limbaugh. He wrote, “Just as the Old Testament is foundational to the New, our basic understanding of the Old Testament is crucial to our comprehension of how Christ dominates its pages”; and 2) Encountering the Book of Hebrews: An Exposition (2002) by Donald A. Hagner. The Book of Hebrews doesn’t make sense without the Old Testament and the Old Testament - particularly the Law, the sacrificial ritual, the covenants, and typologies - doesn’t make sense without it all being fulfilled by Jesus the Messiah as explained very beautifully in the Book of Hebrews. Blessed!

#ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #JesusInAllofScripture

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Very Short Reviews of Michael Green's The Message of Matthew & Larry Chouinard's Matthew NIV Commentary (Why and How to Use Bible Commentary)

 The Message of Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven (1988, 2000) by Michael Green

& Matthew: The College Press NIV Commentary (1997) by Larry Chouinard

I’ve finished 198 episodes of Bible study on the Gospel according to Matthew (check it out here: http://bit.ly/LegasiSpotify) in the Malaysian language and these two commentaries are very instrumental in helping me to think contextually about some difficult passages in this precious book. I’m biased but I truly believe that the Gospel according to Matthew is perhaps one of the most important books of the New Testament next to the Epistles to the Romans and Hebrews. In it, we have the fullest account of the birth, life, teaching, miracles, death, resurrection, divinity, and humanity of our Lord Jesus the Messiah. It is an excellent continuation after we read and study the Old Testament because the Jewishness of Matthew can be best understood in this context. As the saying attributed to Augustine of Hippo: “The new is in the old concealed; the old is in the new revealed.” Matthew revealed the long-awaited Messiah foretold by the prophets in the Old Testament and expanded by the apostles in the New Testament. Matthew, in short, helps us to see the unity of God’s revelation from beginning to end.

As I have hinted earlier, Matthew is a very Jewish Gospel. This can be a challenging task for interpretation a.k.a. hermeneutics and many like myself - especially my earliest podcast episodes, I realized - probably have missed the mark. Perhaps errors, hopefully not heresies. Yes, getting so familiar with the Old Testament is a great advantage for Biblical backgrounds and theological truths (as another saying goes, “Scripture interprets Scripture”) but we also need to know the historical insights, textual research, and cultural understandings to bridge the gap between the world of Scripture and our world today. This is where good Bible commentaries are needed. My go-to commentary is always from The Bible Speaks Today series by Inter-Varsity Press. The Message of Matthew (323 pages), the late Dr. Michael Green is the expositor and author. I love this series because each book is characterized by a threefold ideal, namely, 1) To expound the biblical text with accuracy, 2) To relate it to contemporary life, and 3) to be readable. Dr. Green is faithful to these ideals. Plus, he has a vast knowledge of Jewish customs and manners and derives many practical applications from the texts. Larry Chouinard’s Matthew (512 pages), however, was unique in the sense that it is thorough and detailed without being too technical and academic. The Greek words are not distract-full and the footnotes are just essential. Sweet!

Let me end with a word of caution: Don’t read or depend on Bible commentaries more than the Bible itself. Don’t go to it first or second or third… go to the Bible first. Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, authors of a classic book, How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth, give excellent advice: “You do not begin your Bible study with a commentary… You go to the commentary after you have done your own work; the reason you eventually consult a commentary is to find answers to the content questions that have arisen in your own study.” When I prepare for Bible study, I make sure I’ve read the entire book (e.g. Matthew) first. I read from at least 2 to 3 translations such as ESV, NIV, NLT, AVB, and TB. Then, I meditate on the passage or chapter that I’m working on and come out with rough outlines. I will refer to cross-references, if any, and check by memory for connections. Usually, I have the big picture before I go with the details. Only afterward I will consult commentaries and other tools for second opinion, expertise, verification, correction, background, insights, and wisdom. But if I don’t have the clue (which rarely happens), I will go straight to commentary on the particular verse(s). Good Bible commentaries, if used wisely and properly, will add value to your personal Bible study, teaching, preaching, and even - thinking.

Tip: You can also read (and buy) pocket-size Bible commentaries like William Barclay's The New Daily Study Bible series or Tom Wright's For Everyone series or Warren Wiersbe's BE Series or my favorite, J.C. Ryle's Expository Thoughts series as any normal books. These are easy to read. Read them at your leisure and fill the well of your knowledge. They can be handy if you needed them!

Note: D. A. Carson’s Matthew: The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John MacArthur’s sermon series on Matthew, and David Pawson's Unlocking the Bible overview also have been valuable resources for me. Thank you, gentlemen!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #BibleCommentary #TheGospelOfMatthew #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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The Spirit-Filled Life: Restoring A Biblical Understanding and Experience of the Holy Spirit (1895, 2019) by John MacNeil, Book Review

To listen to the audiobook of this book, go to Aneko Press YouTube Channel

 The Spirit-Filled Life: Restoring A Biblical Understanding 
and Experience of the Holy Spirit (1895, 2019) by John MacNeil

If I want to listen to or read Bible-saturated Christian classics, the first place I go is the Aneko Press website and YouTube. So many good titles, sound authors, and the best is - it’s free! Although it's an old book, the heart of MacNeil’s message is timeless. Aneko Press has done a good job of updating and revising it. This book can be scary to read because it sometimes emphasized heavily the teaching of ‘inner life’ like that of Andrew Murray’s books. In fact, he, Murray, and others were parts of the controversial Higher Life Movement. If not careful, it will make you feel spiritually inferior. But with prayerful reading and Scripture meditating, your eyes will be open to how much God desire for His children to be filled with the Holy Spirit - and to know Him. “The fullness of the Holy Spirit,” writes MacNeil, “is the birthright of every believer.”

The author begins this book by quoting Acts 19:1-2, “Now it happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ And they said to him, ‘On the contrary, we have not even heard if there is a Holy Spirit.’” MacNeil comments on this situation, “Many - oh, so many - of God’s dear children are living on the wrong side of Pentecost, living on the same plane as that on which the disciples were living before they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and thus by their lives they practically make the sad confession, ‘We did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was given or whether there is any Holy Spirit.’” Indeed, this is a sad confession. I have said it before too. Chapter 3: A Command to Be Obeyed; Chapter 4: Something Different from the New Birth; Chapter 7: The Time Between Regenerating and Filling; and Chapter 8: Other Words for Being Filled With the Spirit; are very helpful chapters to understand the distinction between being filled with the Spirit from being born (again) of the Spirit. The Scripture examples and passages that MacNeil used to support his writings are very persuasive. Don’t take it all at face value, of course, but do consider it seriously.

We need to continually be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). I find that if I don’t, my spiritual life will be dry. There were times when I preached the Word of God, it was all rhetoric but no power. Bones with no skins. iPhone 13 software with short battery life. At one-third of the book, MacNeil gave a very valuable reminder: “[Be] on guard against desiring such an important blessing from wrong motives. We must seek it for the one supreme reason - the glory of God. If self is at the root of our motives at all, God will most surely block our way to fullness of blessing... there is a need for the refining fire to go through our hearts. God must be Alpha and Omega in the matter. ‘For God’s glory, and for God’s glory alone’ must be our motto as we proceed with our search for the fullness of the Spirit.” Amen. Read it!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheSpiritFilledLife #TheHolySpirit #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Jesus the Messiah: A Survey of the Life of Christ (1996) by Robert H. Stein, Book Review

 Jesus the Messiah: A Survey of the Life of Christ (1996) by Robert H. Stein

I always carry a book or two in my bag. I wouldn’t feel complete without one. A book to read for personal enjoyment and curiosity always had space. That extra weight never is unnecessary. But not too heavy, of course, so that I can still freely move around with ease. There is a problem when I wanted to read more academic or scholarly books because they usually come with huge volumes (such as N.T. Wright’s Jesus and The Victory of God). Jesus the Messiah is just the right book for me! Not too thick nor too thin. Scholarly and yet suitable for the educated layperson. Readable, sound, and sensible. This book is the result of Robert H. Stein’s career of research and writing on Jesus and the Gospels as a scholar-professor of the New Testament. Stein writes with clarity about the Jesus of the Scripture, the reliability of the Gospels, the reality of the supernatural, and at the same time interacts with a variety of contemporary critical and philosophical biblical scholarship.

There are many features that I like about this book. First, as I already hinted earlier, it is not a boring but interesting book to read as opposed to a much dry writing style written by academics (Although, the first part of this book is quite technical). Secondly, there are very helpful bibliographies at the end of each chapter for the reader to explore further on the subject discussed. Thirdly, Stein begins the book by establishing the methodology for studying the life of Jesus and argues clearly about the necessity of the supernatural approach. “A study of the life of Jesus that excludes the miraculous is destined from the start to produce a Jesus who is an aberration… Attempts to strip the supernatural from Jesus’ life can only produce a Jesus so radically different that he is unrecognizable and his impact on history unexplainable.” I agree! Fourthly, although Stein uses the Christian Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John as the primary sources for studying the life of the historical Jesus, he also introduces the reader to the extrabiblical (e.g. apocryphal gospels) and non-Christian sources, which sub-divide into pagan (e.g. Pliny the Younger, Tacitus, and Suetonius) and Jewish (e.g. The Talmud and Josephus). These non-Biblical sources - whether they are accurate or not - are important, in my opinion, because they establish beyond reasonable doubt that Jesus was truly a historical person.

Fifthly, Stein often discusses briefly some possible theories (e.g. Jesus’ crucifixion) before he came to the most probable and biblical one. He also doesn’t hide some difficult passages and problems that sometimes arise from the study (e.g. the chronology of Jesus’ final week). Lastly - this is very important - Stein not only responded to issues and teach with broad knowledge on the subject at hand but he regularly drew some theological lessons and spiritual applications for the readers to think about (e.g. on Jesus’ ethical teaching and the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection). In conclusion, I enjoy reading Jesus the Messiah. I refer to it a lot for my expository teachings on the Gospel of Matthew in my podcast. Fully recommended it! ✔

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheLifeOfJesus #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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The Lord from Heaven (1958, 1974) by Leon Morris, Book Review

 The Lord from Heaven: A Study of the New Testament Teaching
on the Deity and Humanity of Jesus Christ (1958, 1974) by Leon Morris

This is a very worn-out book. But it is very good, insightful, and surprisingly still relevant amidst the many books on the same topic. I’ve read it during my flight to Cambodia a few years ago. Due to the holiday mood, I forget most of the contents (this is good because I can read it all over again as if it's new for me) but I remember thinking that I must read it again slowly and thoughtfully. I’m glad I did. Because over the years as I’m gaining more knowledge of the Scripture, interest in theology, and passion for the Person of Jesus Christ, I can appreciate it even more now. What I like about Leon Lamb Morris (1914-2006), a respected New Testament scholar, is that he writes in such a way that is both scholarly and yet readable, with depth and yet simple, just like the late John Stott and Michael Green. I highly recommend his Bible commentaries too especially on the Gospel of Matthew, John, and Romans.

Why this book is important? Simply this: Jesus Christ is. His question to the disciples, “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15) is what we - the believers and the potential believers - must discover over and over again for the rest of our lives. Knowing Jesus is not enough. Knowing the right Jesus as taught in the Scripture is essential. Knowledge of truth leads to saving faith, faith leads to eternal life. Our theology affects our doxology. What do we say and believe about Jesus matters! The main purpose of Leon Morris in this book is to give a short and simple outline of what the New Testament says about the Person of Jesus. He concludes that the Scripture taught clearly that He is BOTH God AND man. I agree. Morris writes, “The great thought of the New Testament is that God has taken action in the Person of His Son to put away man’s sin. This is not the idea of one or two writers, but the whole of the early church. Nowhere in the New Testament do we find any such thought as that Jesus is like one of the angels, or that He can be fully explained in purely human terms. With one accord the New Testament writers insist that Jesus must be thought of as God in the fullest sense. His relationship to the Father is the very closest relationship possible. There is no doubt about the place they ascribe to Jesus.”

He continues, “This is all the more remarkable in view of their convinced monotheism. They do not seem to have envisaged the possibility of a multiplicity of gods. They took it as an axiom that there can be only one God. Without compromise on this basic tenet, they yet affirmed the deity of Christ.” Right. When someone asks me to explain about the Doctrine of the Trinity, how can one God exist in three Persons, I usually added one more challenging issue to the inquiry by stating the Doctrine of the Incarnation, that God became human, and He - Jesus - was truly God and truly man. How can it be? Well, I can help him or her to examine the Scripture but I can never explain it fully. “How these two, the deity and the humanity, are related, or even how they could come to co-exist in the one Person, we do not know,” said Morris honestly. “The evidence does not indicate that Jesus was partly God and partly man, that He did some things as God and others as a man. Rather He was one Person, though a Person with divine and human characteristics.” This is a mystery beyond any man’s power to solve or to explain it away. I think we are free to reject this doctrine if we also reject the consistent testimonies of the Scripture, particularly the New Testament, regarding the Person of Jesus. But if we accept the Scripture as the written Word of God (I do), there is no way for us to deny that Jesus was God incarnate. As H.E.W. Turner, quoted by Morris, emphasizes strongly, “The Person of Jesus does not come apart in our hands into the two halves of humanity and divinity, one of which we have to set on one side when we begin to examine the other. His Personality is a seamless whole.”

This book is divided into eight (8) chapters, namely, 1) Jesus of Nazareth; 2) Jesus’ View of Himself; 3) Jesus the Man; 4) A Prince and A Saviour; 5) The Lord of Glory; 6) A Great High Priest; 7) God the Word; and 8) Conclusion. In each chapter, Morris unpacked what the New Testament taught about the humanity and divinity of Jesus from multiple angles, genres, and themes but leave the verdict for us to answer ourselves: “Who do you say about Jesus?”

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheLordFromHeaven #LeonMorris #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

Related book review: The Forgotten Trinity (1998) by James R. White, CLICK HERE
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