A 'taste' of Christmas night. (Part 1)

Raymond sms'ed me: ‘Are we going to Cameron tomorrow?’
‘No, Jimmy is canceled. It would be such a waste if I booked the room for just two of us.’ I don’t know about Raymond, but for sure, I was very disappointed. For a week, 7 days, 168 hours, I imagine the cold of the day and quiet place such as Highland Christian Centre, Cameron Highland. This is a perfect place for retreat! (At least for me) Now the trip is cancel!

‘So how?’ Raymond replied me back within 57 seconds, ‘What’s your plan?’ he asked me which I assumed that we must have a plan- planned! After 4 – 5 smses bombarded to each other, we come to the conclusion: We will go to Genting Highland instead!

‘This is the plan…’ I said to Raymond. ‘I checked the room and there’s no available. We go there on the evening and stay up until the next morning, deal?’
‘Ok’, he replied.
With uncertainty and zero programs, we are heading to the highland the next evening. Thought we have no program, there’s no worries ever appear on our face. First, this is not the first time we go somewhere without plan and second, we just want to get out from the city. Once we reached there, we’re innocently excited and enjoy the night we have.

            To cut the not so long story short, the moment of ‘peak’ program finally happened. Red-eyes, restless night and cold windy weather; good ingredients for sleeping potion. Before my mind could ever freeze, I decided to check one more time if there was any room for us to stay overnight. A sweet and friendly receptionist replied with a solid, ‘No’. Then she continued, ‘… I’m sorry.’ In the end, we spent the night with just a few minutes of sleeping. Right before we took the bus to go back home, I remember asking Raymond this question: “What have we learned?” We both smile, a blur one and leave the place at once.
       
          At this writing, I ponder on the question seriously; “What have I learned? It is something to do with the Christmas?” I asked skeptically… No… oh ya, yes! Yes! Yes!
I refer back to the Christmas story when Mary, Joseph and baby boy Jesus looking around for a place to rest and end up in the non-luxury, quite dirty place and of course, smelly place to live- the manger. Sometime, I wonder if the writer really wants to tell the world that Jesus is the King of Kings, why he doesn’t say that Jesus was born in the palace or 5 stars hotel. This is the real humility!

  I’m sure just like me and Raymond froze in the cold night and with no room, Joseph and his family must be felt the same way. For us, at least we can go to the building to get some heat, but for Joseph’s family, they have no room but a humble manger and extremely cold in the desert weather night of Arab city in Israel.
What have I learned? I learned a Christmas story. Somehow, we had ‘taste’ a bit of experience of Luke 2 in the Bible. Then I remember what Max Lucado writes,

If our greatest need had been information,
God would have sent us an educator.
If our greatest need had been technology,
God would have sent us a scientist.
If our greatest need had been money,
God would have sent us an economist.
But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior.

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For Part 2: Simple Prayer for this Christmas click the title.


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Building a Bridge by our common Similarity

"... I believe it is important for the citizens of this country to realize that tolerance of other religions goes beyond mere coexistence. It also means engaging with one another... building a permanent bridge of cooperation through mutual participation. I come here not just as the Prime Minister of the host country, but as a Muslim who wants to initiate a dialogue with his Christian friends. So that we are able to talk in a world in this seems increasingly difficult to do so."

            Above are a brief quote from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's speech (Well, of course when he was our Prime Minister) for the Commission of Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches, Federal Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, 3rd August 2004. What I want to highlight here in his speech is this: "Building a permanent bridge of cooperation through mutual participation." Let me summaries it this way, 'Building a Bridge'.

Now we all know that there's a tension between religions in this country. Okay come on, let's be real, this is not a secret no more. Talks on peace seem to be useless if we're trying to center the main point is unity in religious. It's not just useless but dangerous. We may tolerate one another but for how long? So, to building relationship through religions in this country or any part of the world is not very relevant, at least in my opinion. All we have to do is to recall back our history to learn that this is such a bad idea. Further more, it may break us more than unite us together. So... How?

  The most basic factor for building relationship is this - find our similarity that we agree on and work on it. In his remarkable book, Winning with People, John C. Maxwell writes about the 100 Percent Principle: "Find the 1 percent we agree on and give it 100 percent of our effort." So what is our common similarity? During Chawkat Moucarry visits to Malaysia, 19th August 2010, in one of the local church here in Petaling Jaya, he said;

"We are one in humanity. All human beings have been created the same way by the same God. One Creator. We're God's special and privileged creatures. We are all brothers and sisters in humanity, and we all belong to the same human family. We have the same dignity and human rights and duties."

            Didn't you find that this is true? That we're all are human beings, created the same way, brothers and sisters in humanity? Belong to the same human family? We have dignity and human rights? This is what we should focus on! Build the bridge on our similarity, that is- our humanity.
            See the other person who maybe difference in color, religious background, physical appearances; handicap or normal, or nationality with a new perspective in mind. See one another as human beings who have the same needs and dignity. When Jesus met the Samaritan woman (John 4), Roman officers (John 4), tax collector (Luke 19), the Greeks (John 12), the blinds and the lepers, he welcome them as a human being who were in needs.

Haris Ibrahim, the founder of 'Saya anak bangsa Malaysia' said in one of his talks that I had a privilege to be there, shared about what he filled up on a form when he wants to renew his gun license. He said, "On the paper, I write…
Name: Haris Ibrahim,
Adress: [his own address],
Sex: [Something...]
Race: Human Race!!!"  

Yes, from now on, in your conscious mind, a new perspective to live by, your race is no more- malay, chinese, indian or dan lain-lain (others), your race is HUMAN RACE! Lets Building a Bridge toward one another by our common similarity -Humanity. Peace be with Malaysia!

Changed Lives (1 Peter 4:3-4)

"You have spent enough time in the past doing what the heathen like to do. Your lives were spent indecency, lust, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and the disgusting worship of idols." (1 Peter 4:3)

            Living in the Iban culture, there's something that had had passed to our blood throughout generations: the art of drunkenness! As a curious kid, peer pressure and non-family support, it is 'normal' for me and my friends to consume alcohol. Have you heard the words, 'Just a little bit its okay', 'As long as I'm not making any trouble', 'Just for fun' and the famous line for Christians (I wonder if they read it and understand it firsthand or not?)- 'Jesus drink wine too!'?*** Well, I used all the lines above when someone advice me to stop drinking alcohol. For a while it was practical to say so... but not until times reveals it weaknesses.

            From a teaspoon to a small cup of alcohol, it kept on advancing to a large cup, a jug and then a bottle. Then from a bottle it starts to evolved much faster than the theory of Evolution... many bottles. Zig Ziglar said, 'All bad habits start slowly and gradually and before you know you have the habit, the habit has you.' From a casual drinker, I'd become a full-time drinker. This is the confession of Alcoholic 'taster'.

            It took time to break this habit and there's no easy way. As much as I want to share with you all how I break this bad habit, I don't have enough space to write. If I write it all, you probably fall asleep on your keyboard. Harold Sala advices, "The motivation to overcome any dependency must be stronger than the force of the addiction." So I want to share the bottom-line of it all... to break any bad habits: Ask God for help, He is stronger than the force of addiction.

            Deep down inside the heart of alcoholics out there is that they’re aware of their bad habit, they want to change but the only problem is that- they don't know how. Ask God for help. Billy Graham writes, "Why does the Bible so clearly denounce drunkenness?  Because it is an enemy of human life. Anything that has is against a person's welfare, God is against." When God said, 'Do not...’ it always for our own good. His goodness and holiness doesn't change even if we choose not to follow His words. He wants us to change because it hurt Him, when it hurt you.

            When I asked Jesus for help, he sent me people, resources and guidance for me to get rid of the addiction. It took time, energy and much pain to break the habit but just like gold is refine by fire, the outcome is worth to boast. If I were to summaries of what Jesus can do in your life, it is this: Changed Lives. He never promises that following Him would be all honey and no bees, but He did promise that 'I will be with you always, to the end of the age'.

What are the bad habits that you have now? Do you want to put an end to it? Do you believe that God can changed lives especially you? Would you let Him 'operate' your heart and endure the pain for awhile to gain your eternal life forever? Ask God for help.

If someday (I know it will soon) you're free from this bad habits, you'll find that the Word of God is true... do not be surprise when some of your friends might disbelief and may insult you in the public just because you're a change person. Risk it, u-turn to God's way and do not u-turn from it anymore.

Continue from the verse above. "And now the heathen are surprised when you do not join them in the same wild and reckless living, and so they insult you." (1 Peter 4:4)

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*** If the last excuse ever bothering you all this while, please drop me an e-mail for clarify. 

Week 23: Determination - 'I have a Dream!"

People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in." (Rosa Parks)

      On December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks, age 42, refused to obey bus driver James Blake's order that she give up her seat to make room for a white passenger. She took a seat in the 'white' section of a city bus and refused the driver's order to move to the 'black' section. She said, "The driver wanted us to stand up, the four of us. We didn't move at the beginning, but he says, 'Let me have these seats.' And the other three people moved, but I didn't." Because of this protest, she was arrested and the subsequent bus boycott lasted for 381 days.

      Spark by this matter, Martin Luther King Jr., pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, leading a civil rights movement at which result to his arrestment. While in jail, he wrote a 9,000 word statement about racial prejudice. In the book You can be a World Changer by Honors Books publisher wrote, 'He was active in urging blacks to 'protest courageously, and yet with dignity and love''. Because of this non-violence protest, in 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Bill, 'which opened public facilities to black people and desegregated public accommodations'.

Wikipedia reported about his death: [At 6:01 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, 1968, while he was standing on the motel's second floor balcony, King was struck by a single .30 bullet fired from a Remington 760 Gamemaster. The bullet travelled through the right side of his neck, smashing his throat and down his spinal cord before lodging in his shoulder.]

In his famous 'I have a Dream' speech, a called for racial equality and an end to discrimination on 28th August 1963, key excerpts that I remember most is this:

He said, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character... Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children."

What is your dream? Does your dream include others? Will others get the benefits from it? Does your dream include God? Is it God's will? If it does, the Good News is... you will achieve it. Understand that God can do the impossible and He is able! Having said that let me remind you- In every noble act, there's a risk to take. For King, he risk his life; for Dr. Thomas Chung, he gave up his comforts life; for Mother Teresa, she choose to live among the poorest of the poor; and for some people that I know well, they choose to buried their academic Degree, Master and even PhD to minister for Christ’s sake.

What is your dream? Do you prepare to sacrifice what you cannot keep, to have what you can?

"All men dream; but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible." (T.E. Lawrence)　

Stop! We protest against Rape, Violent & Child Abuse.

On June 2010, Chin Hock Nam, 54, taxi driver, was jailed for 14 years and was ordered to be whipped 5 times for raping, attempting to rape and molesting seven underage girls. M. Mageswari, a reporter of the Star newspaper writes Chin got to know the victims through social networking websites and later took them for a ride before sexually attacking them. What enraged my nerve system is when he made a comment; 'We knew each other, it is no ordinary case'.

            15 years ago on 4th July 1995, Ishak Shaari, a religious teacher was charged with raping the girl, who was then 14 years and 5 months old, at a school counseling room. While at Ottawa, Archbishop Kenneth William Storheim, 64, the head of the Canadian diocese of the Orthodox Church in America has been charged with two counts of sexual assault.

  There are many cases of rape and abuse against woman and child (even against man) that doesn't come out from newspaper or get any attention from media. It could be because it was silently closed case or there's nobody cares! "Who care? It doesn't happen to me, to my friends or my family, why should I care?" is the normal respond. The words might not be exactly the same, but the attitude and action does show it. Though nobody like to admit that we don't care enough, it is quite obvious when we choose to be silent and having a 'lukewarm' respond toward this issue. There are even some people that I know responded very negatively saying, "This is normal. We must get use to this kind of news." You fool! Are you going to make a change or just saying nothing, living out your own world???
            Examples above, is not for me to attack against the Chinese, Malay, or any other races in Malaysia. It is also not my agenda to point out those religious leaders and taxi drivers are the people who need to be blame for all of this. Nor that my point is to blame people- my point is to encourage us to stop blaming, pointing fingers etc. but to start a revolution by voicing out our concerns that we are against the act of rape, violent and child abuse! We hate sin not the sinners!

            There are some (or maybe many) disagreements between religious that we should avoid talking about in the blog, facebook, or twitters. But I urge all the people who are reading this note, to consider our common similarity as a human being, that is- we are care. We are capable to hurt each other and we know that well, but we are also capable to love with respect and doing well to one another. It's a matter of choice... choose to love one another.
            Raise up your voice now! Do you care about the increase of rape, violent and child abuse cases here in Malaysia specifically and the world generally? If you do, then stand up, raise your shoulder, put the armor of love and respect and shout your voice out!

"Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Protect the rights of all who are helpless. Speak for them and be a righteous judge. Protect the rights of the poor and needy." (Proverbs 31:8-9) In this context, the Poor is the one who is depressed in mind and the Needy are the one who in the sense of want (especially feeling).

Dear Lord, send people to be the voices and speak up for the helpless...
Dear Lord, send me. Amen.

P.s: Stop! We protest against rape, violence & child abuse.
Original website for Thursdays in Black: http://www.salient.org.nz/features/thursdays-in-black-2

If we have to choose: Peace or money?

It was around 5.30pm that I went to a bookstore - yesterday evening. Almost always when I go to a bookstore, I would buy a book or two. In this case, I brought one particular book by Robert E. Fisher, Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak. I knew what I want to buy, but I intentionally delay the time just to browse out some other interesting newly arrived books. (For a purpose of 'booking' and free reading) When I'm done doing my business, I went to the counter to pay for the book.

"That's it? Just one book?” he said to me.
[I don't know either that's was another words for, 'Is that all??? You been here for almost an hour and buy just one book???' but I doubt he would say that because I'm sort of regular customer and free reading is what I do part-time there.] 

"Yes, that's all.” I replied. "Thank you", as I continued the transaction with a smile on my oily face.
Before he could name the price, I interrupted his routine ask-for-price tagline...

"Uh... Sorry... I don't have enough money. Can I come back in 10 minutes?” I said pretending checking my money in the bag which I already knew that my money is not enough as my memory flash back in front of that counter within millisecond.
"Okay.", he said.

As I came back, something happen to him, I don't know what exactly it is… He breathes in soo deep and he breathe the air out with a very frustration vocals... saying;
"Richard, peace is very important, ho?"
"Money or peace? I think peace is very important, ho?"

I was speechless, not because of the quality of his questions but because it was very sudden for me. So I applied what the book title said; Quick to listen, slow to Speak. Initially, my mission is to pay for the book and go, but suddenly it turned out to be a counseling session. He kept on saying and asking me questions,
"Money or peace, I think peace is important, ho, Richard? What do you think?"

[Approximately 15 minutes later]
I asked, "Are you okay with your work? Yes, peace is important, money come later."
"Ya ya I'm okay.” he replied. "Ya peace is important... Even Jesus said peace is important." (I think he forget which verse said this)
"He said, "My peace I give to you. (John 14:27)", I tried to correct his words with no offend.
"Which verse is it?” he asked.
"Book of John... I'm not sure which verse...” I answered with realizations that I'm not good either in memorizing numbers. His face turned from anxiety to productivity. He hurried scan my book and end up the transaction. From the counter to the main door he never stops thanks me, "Thank you, thank you, Richard" (x 5).

            Along my way back, I'm still wondering what was going on. I observed that he's a busy man, loaded with works and less enjoyment with his vocation. These are the conditions that can happen to us anytime when we are too busy doing out works. When we are too busy to meet our needs of living, we didn't realize that the Peace of God is not with us. He recognized that the peace of God is very important thus he need the Word of God to remind him about the Peace that Jesus had offer for those who are weary with heavy burdens.
            Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." (John 14:27) In this context, it is refer to the salvation of Christ's redemptive work. It also means total well-being and inner rest of spirit, in fellowship with God. Are you longing for oneness, peace, quietness, and rest for your soul?
Both are important. We need money, don’t deny it. But if you have to choose between money and peace… always choose Peace of God.

Week 22: Calling - Hello, can you hear me?

"Calling is God's personal invitation for me to work on His agenda, using the talents I have been given in ways that are eternally significant." - Stephen R. Graves.

  When I asked someone, what is God calling you to do? Almost always I receives an answered, "I don't know", "Not sure" "I don't think it is matter for me" etc. If I were to ask you the same question, what will be your answer? If your answer is the same as above, 'I don't know', I just want to tell you that you're not alone. To be 'called' you have to know God and listen when He talks. I love this, "Calling is being released to be exactly who I am supposed to be, to do precisely what I am supposed to do for God, an assignment with eternal worth."
Everyone is interested in knowing what they are supposed to be doing. So, the question is, how do I know God is calling me to do?

Three Channels for God's Call*

1. By name

When God calls by name, it is very difficult to ignore. It might be calling by name if you hear God speak or God's speaking is confirmed by other means. It's probably not calling by name if... what I have heard God speak before turns out not to be so OR I can't clearly identify the time or place of communication. If I think God has called me by name and I cannot recall the time or place, then I probably was not called as I thought I was.
When God is calling us directly by name, there is no doubt about who we are listening to.

2. By placing a desire in my heart.
If a desire is from God, its sense of urgency will be persistent and enduring. God equips whom He calls and calls whom He equips. It is probably not calling by desire if... I am completely unequipped to get the job done or I quit when I encounter significant hurdlers. Personally I know friends who have desire about this and that, thought it was their calling but in the end they fall down broken with frustrations. Remember this friend; it might be calling by desire if the sense of urgency is persistent and relatively longstanding.

3. By arranging a clear path.
A man plans his steps, but God directs his path. God has placed us in space and time and 'determined the times set for [us] and the exact places where [we] should live.' (Acts 17:26) Be patient with God's timing pays off. Sometimes friend, the question is not which path, but whether I step out  when the path is clear.

What is your calling? Did you hear Him calling you by name? By desire? By a path? Are you going to answer that? Are you willing to step out and answer it?

'His call is a call worth taking, worth listening to, and worth following up on. Trust me, He has your number and has been trying to reach you for some time. It's just up to you to pick up the phone.'
What is your calling? Ring… Ring… Ring, pick up the phone.
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*Taken from book Life@Work: Marketplace Success for People of Faith by John C. Maxwell, Stephen R. Graves and Thomas G. Addington. Above are my summary of their chapter on Calling.