God is Still Speaking

“Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another 

– showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes,
training us to live God’s way.” (2 Timothy 3:16 The Message)

God is a God of communication and words. Throughout the ages He has spoken to us through the written Word, the spoken Word and the incarnate Word (Christ Himself). Regardless of what we thought things that can satisfied the desire of our heart – the truth is; our ultimate need and desire is to hear a word from God. Our world of printed as well as verbal noise can drown out the reality and wonder of God’s Word. There are always other books to read and speakers to listen to. Of course God does use books and people to speak to us. But Scripture is a primary way that the Holy Spirit opens us up to the God who is beyond us. Again I say, the Scripture is a primary way to hear God’s speaks.

In the Bible God reveals to us both our sin and our belovedness (meaning: the state or condition of being beloved, by God). Our desires for nourishment, strength, comfort and joy are all addressed in Scripture. Reading God’s Word, listening to Scripture on tape or singing biblical texts all put us in a place to attend to the God who speaks. God had spoken before, and God is still speaking and guiding us personally through the Word. Regularly being with God in His Word is a way we open ourselves to trusts and guidance outside us. Then, we can sing and declared with the Psalmist, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (119:11)

As followers of Christ, we shall exemplify Jesus’ love of God’s Word in every area of His life. He used Scripture to answer those who tested Him, resist temptation, find guidance, encourage His heart, comfort others, explain His actions and ultimately face His own death. Even the Son of God obeyed and dedicated Himself to the authority of God’s Word (Jesus is the Word, John 1:1) in guiding His life (on earth) – how much more we, who are mortal and infinitely insignificant compare to Jesus, ought to do so? Keep company with Jesus no matter how little or much God speaks to you through His Word. The Scripture is God’s own word to us – listen to Him daily. Again I say, the Scripture is a primary way to hear God’s speaks. Amen.

“I have not departed from the commandment of his (God’s) lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.”
(Job 23:12 ESV) THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

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Reference: Spiritual disciplines handbook: practices that transform us by Adele Ahlberg.

Woman is Complicated or Man is Insensitive?

A man is a person who, if a woman says, “Never mind, I’ll do it myself,” lets her.

A woman is a person who, if she says to a man, “Never mind, I’ll do it myself,” and lets her, gets mad.

A man is a person who, if a woman says to him, “Never mind, I’ll do it myself,” and he lets her and she get mad, he says, “Now what are you mad about?”

A woman is a person who, if she says to a man, “Never mind, I’ll do it myself,” and he lets her, and she gets mad and he says, “Now what are you mad about?” says, “If you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you.”

In GENERAL (I’m taking risk here); Woman is complicated. Man is too-simple. (Actually, Woman is not complicated. Man is insensitive… ouch!) Woman loves to play riddles. Man takes it for words. Woman gets mad at something she thought man knew. Man gets mad because he really doesn’t know. Woman loves romantic man. Man loves her beauty… and so on, etc.

No matter what, we are the same but difference. Learn to understand one another. Compromise each other weaknesses, and celebrate each other strengths. Pardon me, I myself is still learning and making a progress in my own relationship, but I’m convinced that: you can’t have a strong and matured relationship unless you understand and accept that God made men and women different, and that this is a good thing. We shouldn’t try to get rid of the God-given differences between men and women, but instead learn to understand them, accept them, and even grow to truly appreciate them.

THINK BIG We are the same – we’re human being created in the image of God. We are different – we’re unique being created by Creative-God. START SMALL thus, learn (meaning, it takes time) to understand, to accept, and even to grow to truly appreciate one another. GO DEEP Recognize that relationship is not a destination, but a path and on-going process.

Humility 2.0

“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled,
and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12NIV)

I read someone posted on Facebook long time ago (I hope he don’t remember) saying, ‘I don’t want to take any credits from you because I’m a humble person.’ Only one word to describe my respond to that statement: fake-humility! Humility is not something you say, but something you do and you don’t even realize you’re doing it. It’s not something that you work for, but it is who you are. Humility comes from the inside out. Thus, the moment you think you have it you have lost it!

Martin Luther is credited with the following interesting story: Two mountain goats met each other on a narrow ledge just wide enough for one of the animals. On the left was a sheer cliff, and on the right a deep lake. The two face each other. What should they do? They could not back up – that would be too dangerous; they could not turn around, because the ledge was too narrow. Now if the goats had no more sense than some people, they would meet-head-on and start butting each other till they fell onto the lake below. Luther said that goats have better sense than this. One lay down on the trail and let the other literally walk over him – and both were safe.

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Learn to be humble. Pray to be humble. Humble yourself. Humility, my readers, is not thinking less about yourself nor always talking about your faults and shortcomings nor an act of cowardice. In fact, humility, true humility is the honest recognition of your own worth – your worth as God sees you. Humility is a balance between recognizing your sin and yet knowing how much God loves and values you. It’s not cowardice! It’s higher virtue of courage!

“Humility,” writes John Haggai “makes you willing to take a lower place that you deserve, to keep quiet about your merits, to bear slights, insults, and false accusations for a higher purpose. Jesus displayed humility for ‘when He was reviled, [He] did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten.’”

…THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Urgent: The Disappearance of Hell

I want to quote R. Albert Mohler Jr. introduction of his article Is Hell is Real? in length here:

“The rejection of Christianity’s historic teaching on hell has come swiftly in our culture. It is now routinely dismissed as an embarrassing artifact from the ancient age – a reminder of Christianity’s outdated worldview. Yet the disappearance of hell within the church’s walls, at least in some circles, presents a kind of mystery. How did such a central doctrine come to suffer widespread abandonment among some Christians?

The answer lies in the history of Christianity in the modern world, and it warns of further possible compromises on the horizon. For as the church has often been reminded, no doctrine stands alone. Take away hell, and the entire shape of Christian theology may be altered.”

Yes, the doctrine of hell has somewhat disappeared and it seem to me that hardly anyone had noticed it. I'm not surprise why it is so. Here are the 3 main reasons why, in my opinion, the doctrine of hell is never registered in our church next week sermon. First, in Malaysian Christians context, preaching about hell or to even say something about eternal punishment is a ‘no-no’ subject to our tolerance-watered-down-gospel ears. Talking about hell is offensive and too ‘radical’ to share. Thus, to keep quiet about it is the ‘wisest’ thing to do lest we’ll be dislike by our hearers (or readers). We love God the Savior (very familiar) but not God the Judge (almost never taught!). Second, to share about Biblical truths from the Scripture verses on hell to our modern generations nowaday is almost next to impossible because they tend to be selective in their reading, thus, ignorance about it [if they ever read the Bible at all!] Third, honestly, we don’t know much about the doctrine of hell or simply say: We don’t care! My opinions could be wrong, but I hope some may hits home. Timothy Keller writes, “…the lost of the doctrine of hell, judgment, and the holiness of God does irreparable damage to our understanding of God’s grace and love, and of human dignity and our value to him. To preach the good news, we must also preach the bad.”

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If you ask me do I believe in hell? I’ll say, “Yes”. You might then says, “Tell me why?” My answer would be, “Because Jesus taught about it!” Jesus speaks of hell are as frequent (even more) as He speaks about the Kingdom of God. The Christian message is not complete without the doctrine of hell, since Jesus did speaks about it directly in the four Gospel (e.g. Matthew 5:22, 5:29-30, 18:8, 23:15, Luke 16:23, Mark 9:43-48, John 3:36) and in the writings of the prophets (e.g. Isaiah 66:24, Daniel 12:2) and the apostles. But you may ask further questions such as; “Richard, how could it be fair to punish people in hell?”; “Isn’t God a God of love, why He did that?”; “Is it eternal?”… Good questions… yes, good questions… may you ask because you care.

Therefore, I want to offer you a free book entitle Is Hell for Real or Does Everyone go to Heaven? for this month of March. It’s a thin book but quite heavy-stuff to read together with your Bible. I hope that this book may be your valuable resource for you to discover more about this rare but important doctrine in your Christian walks. With this knowledge in mind, I pray that you may treasure the important of sharing the Gospel and somehow it might ignite some urgency in your soul to preach Christ to the lost. Urgent!

THINK BIG START SMALL GO DEEP

"Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body;
they cannot touch your soul.
Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell"
(Matthew 10:28NLT)

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I’m giving away copies of this book (only available until end of the month) as per request (max: 3 copies). You are welcome to get a copy for yourself, friend or anyone you're recommended to read it. Do these 2 things:

1) Comment below “Rich, give me ___ (max: 3 copies per request) of this book. ___(Your name).”

2) E-mail me at Motivates4life@hotmail.com or send message to my Facebook your real name, phone no. and your postal address

Week 78: Courage - to Know that God is beside You

"The Lord is my light and my salvation - so why should I be afraid?" (Psalms 27:1)

Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever plans or actions that you may have decided on, there is always someone will tell you that you’re wrong, incapable, and of no used. There are always difficulties or circumstances that will arise – and often time you’re tempted to give up and believe that your ‘wise critics’ are right. That is the time when you need to be courageous the most...

In reality, throughout your life you will find yourself in fearful situations – persecutions by the enemies, extreme stress, serious illness, financial crisis etc. Oh, you need courage to lives on. Fear may come, but courage will overcome. Courage is not the absence of fear but the willingness to push on in the face of it. Tom Rusk observed, “Courage is the act of doing what one feels is right despite one’s fears.” Courage is fear that has said its prayers... Pray for courage in the midst of your many fears.

In the opening of this month reading on the Bible in one year, my soul is filled with God’s encouragements to Joshua son of Nun, the newly appointed leader after the death of one of the greatest leader of all times; Moses (Can you see how stressful he may have been?). In the New Living Translation chapter 1 of the Book of Joshua, God told him to be ‘strong and courageous’ 3 times (1:6, 7, 9) and one time the people also said to him to be ‘strong and courageous’ (1:18).  Mind you, this is no mere divine pep talk, but rather God Himself had assured Joshua that He will be with him wherever he goes (1:9). God knows that he needs to hear it over and over again.

Do you also need to hear it today? Be strong and courageous!

Miguel Cervantes writes, “He who losses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; but he who loses his courage loses all” How true. How true it is. Here is what I believe: men’s encouragements can sustain you for days, months or even years; but God’s Word can sustain you for a lifetime! Went you know and experience the greatness and how mighty God is in His written Word – you’ll find (understand) that God is stronger than your biggest problem. Courage comes from knowing that God is beside you, always. To stay courageous, focus more on God’s strength rather than you own willpower and your mere self-centered-confidence. Focus more on God’s power and less on your problem.

In his article on Christian Courage (May 11, 1999; by John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org), John Piper answered a question, Where then shall we get this courage? He asked his readers to consider these pointers:

FROM BEING FORGIVEN AND BEING RIGHTEOUS - "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion" (Proverbs 28:1). "Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, 'Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven'" (Matthew 9:2).

FROM TRUSTING GOD AND HOPING IN HIM - "Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD" (Psalm 31:24; see also 2 Corinthians 3:12).

FROM BEING FILLED WITH SPIRIT - "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31).

FROM GOD'S PROMISE TO BE WITH YOU - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9).

FROM KNOWING THAT THE ONE WITH YOU IS GREATER THAN THE ADVERSARY: -"Be strong and courageous . . . for the one with us is greater than the one with him. With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles" (2 Chronicles 32:7).

FROM BEING SURE THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN OVER THE BATTLES - "Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in His sight" (2 Samuel 10:12).

THROUGH PRAYER - "On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul" (Psalm 138:3; see also Ephesians 6:19-20).

FROM THE EXAMPLE OF OTHERS - "Most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear" (Philippians 1:14).

Be Strong and Courageous!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Fathers! Someone are Watching You

"If you follow the steps of your father,
you learn to walk like him" (West African proverb)

According to Christian Inquirer; children of fathers who feel good about themselves and have high self-esteem grow up with more confidence and a higher opinion of themselves. A recent study of 105 mothers, fathers, and their children over fourteen years old found that a dad’s self-esteem is more critical than a mom’s in the way children feel about themselves. (http://opinion.inquirer.net/19639)

John Nicholson writes, “The quality of a child’s relationship with his or her father seems to be the most important influence in deciding how that person will react to the world.” A good father can influence the grown up of their children. I have a little cousin who acts mostly like his father. He talks like his father. He behaves like his father. He is too young to read books, but he is (like every one of us when we were kid) an original ‘copycat’, natural imitator of the surrounding environments – ‘reads’ his father’s life day and night. Little eyes that keep observing daily, little ears that quickly take in every word he said and little hands that eager to do everything he do. His father is consciously and unconsciously setting an example every day for his son to observe and learn.

When I asked my little cousin, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Without hesitated, he said, “I want to be like my father.” ("Kids Say the Darndest Things" … kid says the truth.)

Dear fathers, your children are watching you every single day; teach them the way of the Lord in your daily living. Teach them to treasure the Lord, your God, in everything you do – acts, walks and talks. “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6ESV)

Dear young men and women, imitate your father’s good examples. Be obedience to your father as long as he’s example is not against the Lord’s ways. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right…” (Ephesians 6:1ESV)

Dear fatherless child, do not be discourage if your had never known your father or perhaps your father may have left you. “Be strong and courageous!” (Joshua 1:6) God is our ever loving Abba, Father. We should remember that in all that we do. For if you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are no longer fatherless. Here is the assurance, “I (God) will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:18 NLT, in the bracket mine)

Dear all, watch, learn, walk, obey and imitate your Father in Heaven.

Dear readers of Motivates4Life: THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. 

A thought on Deuteronomy 30:11 along Mukah Roads

Along the way driving (I’m a co-driver actually) from Bintulu to Mukah for our Christian ministry trips, this verse kept echoed in my mind. It was my reading few days ago, oh I remember its sound quite well; “This command I am giving to you today is not too difficult for you to understand or perform.” (Deuteronomy 30:11NLT) This verse came out from Moses’ long series of sermons to the new generation that was emerging from the wilderness march. He keeps telling them about the central importance of obedience and stresses holiness as the way of life. Few chapters before the end of the book, he said, rather, he declared under God’s authority that God’s instruction “is not too difficult for you to understand or perform.” He was like saying, ‘God command what we’re able to obey.’

Do you ever find that the will of God is sometime elusive or unclear? Blur or unsure? Well, in some cases, you may need to pray over it or even wait for God’s directions in your life. But most of the time (in my opinion, the main barrier is due to laziness) God had spoken before... and He is still speaking today. ‘Where?’ you may ask. “It’s in His written Word,” my answer will forever be. Turn to the word of God – which is; the Bible. God wants to direct you. He wants to speak to you today. He wants to tell you about His will if only you would read His word day by day. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses always reminds his hearers, ‘if you obey, you’ll be bless’ and ‘if you refuse, you’ll be curse’. Therefore, read the word of God and obey it! Read and obey, then, you’ll know the will of God in your life.

My Daily Walk Bible notes say, “God’s will for you is not a heavenly fog; it is a down-to-earth reality you can understand.” Yes! As we drive our way to Mukah, we just keep our eyes on the many signboards… you’ll never lost! Read the word of God, behold, you’ll find God’s will… but you know what? The most precious of all – you’ll hear God’s Voice speaks to you personally. My last words: Read the word of God. Read your Bible daily. Meet your Lord and Savior. Know Whom you worship.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

“This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand,
and it is not beyond your reach.
It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you must ask,
‘Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?’
It is not kept beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask,
‘Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear it and obey?’
No, the message is very close at hand;
it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it.”
(Deuteronomy 30:11-14NLT)