The road less travelled

Prisoner of God

2012-02-06T14:26:00.053+08:00

What you are about to read is not for the faint of heart. Only a few will understand and even then struggle to accept it. But if you can recognize the slightest bit of yourself in it, remember that you were sought after, pursued, taken captive to be kept in remand for as long as He wishes for no clear reason apart from the fact that it pleases Him to do so.

You can spend your life trying to escape it, even endure it but as most of us have discovered that the best way to deal with it is to face it, make a total surrender to it; this peculiar call of all God's prisoners and embrace it as your eternal destiny - to bear the mark of one chosen by God.

Others May - But You Cannot

If God has called you to be really like Jesus in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put on you such demands of obedience that He will not allow you to follow other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.

Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it; and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others can brag on themselves, on their work, on their success, on their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others will be allowed to succeed in making money, or having a legacy left to them, or in having luxuries, but it is likely that God will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something better than gold, and that is a helpless dependence on Him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury.

The Lord will let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hid away in obscurity, because He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade.

He will let others be great, but keep you small. He will let others do a work for Him, and get the credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work which you have done, and this will make your reward ten times greater when Jesus comes.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feeling or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over. So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own, and He will not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealings with you.

He will take you at your word, and if you absolutely sell yourself to be His slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love and let other people say and do many things that you cannot do or say. Settle it forever, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes in ways that He does not deal with others.

Now when you are so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven.

–– GD Watson 1845 - 1924

IF

2011-12-01T00:16:00.008+08:00

If you know what you are able to accomplish
Yet realize the things you cannot do
If you can find a goal that you believe in
And understand what God expects of you
If you can always use your talents wisely
Remaining calm when everything goes wrong
And seek your goal with persevering courage
Relying on your faith to make you strong

If you can see the beauty that surrounds you
And wonder at the wisdom of God's love
If you can be a child for just a moment
While gazing at the stars that shine above
If you can be aware of human weakness
Yet criticize the thoughtlessness you've shown
And when your heart is breaking keep believing
That other hearts are sadder than your own

If you can disregard the faults of others
And love them for the good that they have done
If you can overlook your needs and troubles
And always try to help the other one
If you can light the way by your example
And offer understanding sympathy
Then you will have the joy that comes from knowing
You're the person God intended you to be!

- by Carolyn A. Herrmann

Quiet Lives of Profound Consequence - Wayne Jacobsen

2011-10-07T09:16:00.030+08:00

They are all over the world. I've met them everywhere--men and women who have been seasoned with the joy of living loved and are capable in the simplest of conversations to encourage others along that journey as well.

You can sit in their homes and be at rest, knowing you are cared for--not because of what they want out of you, but simply because you are one of God's kids. They live quiet lives, neither pressed by their responsibilities. nor engaged in self-promotion or the advancement of their personal agenda. They do not manipulate others to get what they want. You never have to guess what they are thinking. They are honest with others, but gently so, and patient with those who struggle.

Click here to read more.....

The arrow of the Lord - Christine Beadsworth

2011-06-11T22:44:00.004+08:00

Isaiah 49:2

‘In the shadow of His hand has He hid me, and made me a polished arrow; in His quiver has He kept me close and concealed me’

There is a time of being hidden and polished and refined as an arrow for the Lord’s purpose and then there is a time when He takes the arrow out of His quiver and puts it in the bow. The time has come for the sending forth to the target. This is the purpose for which the arrow was made and makes worthwhile all the time of rubbing and scraping and hammering, polishing and sharpening. The preparation was with a goal in mind. This sense of destiny is what has given the arrow strength and endurance to endure the refining.

What a sense of exhilaration as, at last the arrow is removed from the darkness of the quiver and into the sunlight, held firmly in the Master’s grip; and oh, the excitement at finally being fit into the bow! All the prophesies and whisperings of the Lord in the night season seem at last to make sense in the light and the target is clearly in view.

Then suddenly the arrow experiences something strange. Instead of being moved forward in the direction of the target, it is pulled back in the opposite direction to its destiny. It seems as if everything is reversing, although it is still facing in the same direction. Questions and doubts begin to assail this polished arrow and the tension of the bow string behind it becomes almost unbearable. The arrow feels almost backed against a wall. It can feel the tight grip of God’s strong right hand but the direction things are taking make no sense at all. The target is still in sight but growing further away by the second. What the arrow doesn’t realize is that the incredible tension in the string has stored up a large amount of potential or stored energy. The reversal is absolutely necessary to put into place behind the arrow, the power to propel it at lightening speed to the center of its target; and while it feels itself going backwards, the eye of the Archer is adjusting His focus on the target and making minute adjustments, which will make an enormous difference to the position and depth the arrow penetrates. God is taking aim because He doesn’t intend to just graze the enemy’s cheek. He is striking a death-blow and accuracy is very important.

During this process, the arrow is not required to do anything but lie at rest in the position the archer’s hand has placed it. The pressure within and without seems to be rising to almost unbearable intensity and still the arrow lies still facing the target. Then suddenly, when the string of the bow is a full extension and the arrow has been equipped with maximum power and accuracy of flight path, the archer lets go! And that arrow flies at incredible speed and sinks right into the center of its target. And the mission is accomplished!

So, to every arrow out there who has been through a long and painful preparation process – rest and trust as you feel everything going in the opposite direction to what God has promised. This is a vital part of your journey. Going backwards does not mean you have failed the Lord somehow and are headed for yet another season of refining and purifying. If you can see the target, you are in the bow and the archer has deemed you fit for flight. You have been made ready internally, shaped and formed by the Master’s hand. The time of the refiner’s fire making a weapon fit for its purpose is indeed over. However, without this time of reversal, increasing pressure from behind and the seemingly increasing distance from your target, you would not be equipped with the supernatural power necessary to cause you to fly straight and true to your destiny. The time of release is about to come. When you are at the point of maximum pressure and furthest distance from the target, do not misinterpret what God is doing! The moment of the fulfillment of His promise is at hand – you lie on the threshold of experiencing all that the Archer whispered to you during the days of painful polishing and sharpening. You have not misunderstood your purpose or God’s intention – once placed in that bow, you are on your way and the process has indeed begun, whichever direction everything seems to be going in!! The moment of release is known only to the archer. No-one watching has any clue exactly when it will occur – but occur it will - with devastating precision and effect! And know this too - from the point of release, everything will happen at lightening speed! God is about to do a quick work, a grand finale if you will, a masterful blow that displays the wisdom behind the length of time and minute detail applied to the preparation of a straight sharp arrow to accomplish His purposes.

Be greatly encouraged and be at peace with the external tension and pressure! God is about to triumph gloriously.

Bitter Waters Made Sweet

2011-06-01T11:24:00.004+08:00

Exodus 15 : 22 - 26 ( New King James Version)

²² So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. ²³ Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.^[a] ²⁴ And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” ²⁵ So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.

There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, ²⁶ and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”

This past two months, God has taken me on a trip down memory lane. Together we have revisited important milestones in my past, stopping at altars I had built along the way as I journeyed with Him, inspecting stones of remembrance I had put up to commemorate His promises to me. Promises He gave me 10 years ago so vivid as if just spoken yesterday! I am amazed at how He has kept His Word from falling to the ground, guiding me, reassuring me, directing me so that today I am exactly where He wants me to be.

This scripture came to me in a prayer meeting one Friday in 2000. I remember clearly as God explained to me how that tree Moses cut down changed the destiny of a people who were weary and thirsty from their journey to the Land of Promise. Bitter waters that spelt death and curse transformed into life and blessing because of one solitary tree. It was the first time, I realized that God was calling me to leave the familiarity of a beaten path to tread the unknown with Him. My life was not meant to be one where I would grow tall and strong to provide shade to many travellers passing by but one where I had to be uprooted and tossed into an unfamiliar environment in which my identity ceased and became one with it. I didn't fullly understand it then and I am not sure I fully understand it now. All I know is that God's Way is perfect and all I need to do is trust Him completely for the journey that lies ahead.

Create in me a clean heart , O God

2011-05-06T22:20:00.001+08:00

^{Psalm 52}

¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God,
   and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence
   or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation
   and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

- David's prayer

Hunger

2011-03-31T08:57:00.003+08:00

Sometimes, our hunger for human love and affection can be greater than our hunger for a slice of bread.

Feeling, Faith and Fact

2010-12-14T00:03:00.002+08:00

This cute little postcard came to me when a relative passed down an old writing desk. She'd stuck it where she could see it and be reminded every day of the message it carries. Since then, it has seen many coffee stains and creases, but it proved to be a lifesaver during the times when my faith was sorely tested. May it be a blessing to you too.

Feeling, Faith and Fact
Three friends went walking on a wall.
Feeling, Faith and Fact.

When Feeling had an awful fall
Which quite took Faith aback.

So close was Faith to Feeling,
Faith stumbled ere he knew.

But Fact remained and pulled Faith up
And Faith brought Feeling too.
- Author unknown

God wants to kill the leader in you (Part 2)

2010-12-02T15:32:00.010+08:00

Would Jesus have made a good church leader today?

Many church leaders today are intelligent, gifted, persuasive and self-motivating individuals who believe they are doing a great service to the people in their charge. From the more menial tasks of preparing sermons, praying for the sick and the obligatory baptisms, marriages and funerals, leaders have now stepped into more challenging roles. Corporate savvy pastors are now applying key marketing strategies to influence the masses, infiltrate their community and introduce meaningful activities to engage and empower members. They supervise, strategize and sacrifice for the good of their institutions and members; doing whatever is necessary for the unity, health and effectiveness of their institutions, which often necessitates having members’ unquestioning loyalty, commitment and monetary support. They are perfectionists, striving to bring distinction and balance in all areas of their organization.

This may not seem like a bad thing but while church leaders are making themselves available to all and sundry, Jesus made Himself available only to His Father. Leaders focus on people’s needs but Jesus focused on His Father’s desire. Leaders are driven to enlarge their own churches but Jesus was zealous over His Father’s House. Leaders try to live up to people’s expectations, but Jesus lived for His Father’s pleasure alone. Leaders are driven to achieve many goals but Jesus was determined to fulfill His one purpose. Leaders lead but Jesus simply followed and obeyed His Father’s will.

There are no perfect leaders; only a Perfect Son.
Sad to say, many of today’s leaders think God has given them special license. They conduct their lives believing nothing can invalidate their status. God will close His eye to their sin because the mantle of leadership is upon them and it is their God-given destiny to lead the church. Immorality? No problem. Abuse of authority? No sweat. Integrity issues? No worries! God is there to restore and rebuild everything they destroy in the name of leadership! Besides, there is nothing a little time away and some counseling won’t cure!

It seems leaders are a necessary evil and if anyone dares to suggest otherwise, they are rebuked and told not to judge, not to have ‘unreasonable’ expectations. They rationalize that leaders are only human and therefore have (by default) a built in liability; that leaders are ultimately chosen by God and they are in charge whether we like it or not. And even if they sin, God knows what He is doing and everything will work out because it is God’s plan and purpose.

Heaven help us! If the church today could rewrite bible history, they would make Saul the hero of the Old Testament! Saul was Israel’s choice but God rejected Saul as King the very first time he disobeyed, and subsequently took the kingdom from him and gave it to David, a man after His own heart. David typifies Jesus, the Chosen One.

Who then can be a leader?
Firstly, it is a flawed theology that demands we appoint one to lead us. Second, there is no one more qualified to be our pastor (shepherd) than Jesus. Third, Jesus didn’t appoint any successors for his job.

Matthew 23: 8-10
Jesus told his listeners we are not to be called ‘master’ for we are all brothers under one Master.
Jesus said not to call anyone on earth, ‘father’ for we have one Father and He is in heaven. And we are not to be called ‘teacher’ for we have one Teacher who is the Christ.

Jesus’ words are still relevant to us today: One Father, One Flock, One Shepherd.
Your disappointment and disillusionment is real, not imagined. God does not appoint, approve or endorse ungodly leadership. God is grieved that many of His sheep are hurt and wounded from their irresponsible words and actions. He will not let this go more so because they have done this in His name. The good news is you don’t have to use the same useless arguments to justify submitting to them over and over again. There is a way out of this madness.

Stop blaming your leaders.
Listen, your pastor doesn’t need to be more organized or more equipped. He doesn’t need to be more pastoral or more prophetic. He doesn’t even need to be more like Jesus.

Stop depending on them.
You don’t need a pastor to tell you what to do, where to go or how to serve. You don’t need him to pray, prophesy or provide a solution for you. You don’t need his pastoral care or covering. Don’t be expecting any financial or ministerial support either.

Start looking to Jesus.
Jesus is the only pastor you will ever need. You have His Father’s Word for it! Read Psalm 23 and meditate on its timeless message (It’s not just for Sunday School kids, you know). It will give you a preview of what it’s like to have the Lord Jesus personally disciple you.

Be a disciple of Jesus.
Follow in His footsteps. Carry the cross. Learn of Him. Listen to Him. Obey Him. Do this on a daily basis and persevere on that path,

Even if it leads you to Calvary, the place of execution.
Death to ‘Self’ is inevitable. You have heard that power corrupts, but the cross will crucify you. It will decrease you to nothing, until Christ alone has preeminence in your life. Self sufficiency will be your fiercest adversary. Say goodbye to your plans and ambitions. Forget name and fame. Bid adieu to close friends and family. Jesus said, "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Obedience - the great equalizer.
Churches often drive the message that some are called to lead while others are meant to serve. There is no such discrimination in God’s Kingdom. It doesn’t matter what kind of personality strengths and weaknesses you possess. God is not looking for leaders.; He's not impressed with our leadership skills. He is looking for disciples. Jesus said, "You are my disciples if you obey my commandments. " It is our obedience; choosing Him above everything the world offers that invites God's pleasure. In God's Kingdom, obedience to His Word is key. It’s what separates the sheep from the goats. It’s what separates the Sauls from the Davids.

Jesus’ obedience to God qualified Him to be the author of man’s salvation (Hebrews 5: 8). Your obedience may not seem like very much to other people but it will reap eternal rewards. Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." To see God's Kingdom come, the flesh or 'Self' must give way to the Spirit. Until then, we cannot expect to see its power and potential come alive.

A good leader is a dead leader.
Perhaps, you are a leader or aspiring to be one. All you want to do is serve the Lord and take care of His sheep. Then let me say, humility and obedience is the path to choose in order to fulfill your destiny. Because the only effective leader is a 'dead' one. Do not fear the cross but embrace it wholeheartedly. Only when we say, "No" to our goals and aspirations, only when 'Self' gets out of the way, can the Spirit take over and do what He does best! It is in losing our life, we find our true purpose and destiny.

My personal thoughts
Perhaps, your pastor or leaders are nothing like how I described them. Good for you but understand this; they are the exception not the norm. Church leaders today are so different from the Jesus I have described. Church theology, traditions and practices have evolved to something so alien to what Jesus taught His disciples. But if you are like the majority of church goers today, this will not bother you very much. You are quite content with the status quo; lively and vibrant worship, warm welcoming fellowship, people-pleasing leaders and endless ministry opportunities. But beware because we will not be judged by how well we ‘played church’ but whether we followed Christ until the end.

On the other hand, if you are a Jesus freak then what is acceptable to the majority will grate on your nerves continually. You will hate the cowardice of compromise and the careless disregard for God’s truth. You will grieve over the ungodliness of celebrated leaders. Your heart will sicken when you hear the gospel you love so much, watered down until it is insipid and useless in its application. You will cringe when people are honored and applauded for imitating the world.

Or perhaps, you have already seen all you can take and are now praying for a change in leadership. You are holding out for a better leader – a man (or woman) who will reform and restore the church to its former glory.

Let me ask you - “How will God give us someone better when He has already given us His Best?” Do you expect God to send Jesus again because we didn’t get it the first time?

At some point in your life, you will have to ask yourself, "Is being obedient to God's Word alone enough?" "Is following Christ alone enough?". "Is the threat of obscurity, loneliness, persecution and ridicule going to keep me from following in the footsteps of my Lord?

Only you know the answer.

Beautiful

2010-10-20T01:16:00.015+08:00

When my actions are misunderstood,
and my words are misconstrued.
When my love is unrequited,
and people accuse me of unkindness
When the past and present stand in judgment
and I feel unloved and unlovable all at the same time.
When I no longer like the person in the mirror,
but I don't know what to do with myself

God surprises me with His exquisite beauty,
captivates me again with his unchanging love
He is beautiful and that's all that matters.

Kari Jobe's 'Beautiful'

Here, before Your altar,
I am letting go of all I've held
of every motive, every burden,
everything that's of myself.
and I just wanna wait on You my God
I just wanna dwell on who You are.

beautiful, beautiful oh I am lost for more to say
beautiful, beautiful oh Lord, You're beautiful to me

oh beautiful

here in Your presence,
I am not afraid of brokenness
to wash Your feet with humble tears
oh I would be poured out till nothing's left.
and I just wanna wait on You my God
I just wanna dwell on who You are, who You are

Beautiful, beautiful oh I am lost for more to say
beautiful, beautiful oh Lord, You're beautiful to me

oh Lord You're beautiful, beautiful beautiful
holy holy holy You are You are
holy holy holy You are You are
holy holy holy You are You are
holy holy holy You are You are

beautiful, beautiful oh I am lost for more to say
beautiful, beautiful oh Lord, You're beautiful to me

and I just wanna wait on You my God
I just wanna dwell on who You are.

God wants to kill the leader in you (Part 1)

2010-09-14T08:42:00.005+08:00

Leadership is a highly valued skill in the world today. It has also become the no. 1 ‘spiritual’ gift in churches and Christian organizations today. We use many arguments to justify leadership in churches. We even pad them with scripture so that no one would dare question the wisdom of having leaders without the risk of being called a modern day heretic. You can easily obtain any amount of literature on this topic from both secular and Christian bookstores. Add conferences, seminars, workshops and over a period of time, what you get is a strongly embedded mindset that staunchly believes leaders are a vital part of Christian faith and living.

By leaders, I mean senior pastors, associate pastors, ministry leaders, zone leaders, cell leaders, elders, deacons or by whatever name they are called; the people elected, voted, appointed, anointed, ordained or by whatever way they were chosen for the purpose of leading, overseeing, governing, mentoring, preaching, ministering, directing, counselling or advising you on the practicum of your Christian faith.

I am sure you’ve heard these comments at one time or another.
 If there's no leader, people will be left to their own devices.
 Without a chain of command, there won’t be transparency and accountability.
 The New Testament had leaders and elders, so it is biblical to appoint them.
 Jesus appointed leaders so we need to appoint leaders too.
 God is a god of order and leadership creates order.
 Someone has to be in charge so that we can be more effective as a church.
 A leader provides vision and the bible says without vision people perish.
 Church growth depends on effective and efficient leadership.
 Leaders have the God given mandate to lead and govern the church.

But none of the above can be substantiated by the Word of God.

Leadership junkies will argue that Jesus was the ultimate leader. However, I would like to invite you to take a look at Jesus' life, and perhaps you will begin to see what I saw.

By his own admission, Jesus said and did only what His Father told him to do. I am sure you know this already but do you really?

Jesus, the Obedient Son
Jesus was the epitome of obedience. He bowed his will to the One he called Father. Everything he did was in deference to God. He did not do things because they were moral and ethical. He was not drawn to pursue noble and charitable causes. His ‘meat’ was to accomplish His Father’s Will. He did nothing in his own strength or wisdom. He did not lean on any man because he knew what was in their hearts. He did not make use of charisma, charm or exert human influence on the multitudes that followed Him everywhere. In humility and obedience, he surrendered to the One above. Jesus refused to take the lead in his life events. He did not allow anyone to influence, guide or sway Him on His path. God the Father was in charge of Jesus’ life.

Jesus didn’t believe in plurality of leaders.
Take a moment to consider the wedding at Cana when Mary, His mother, told him that the wine had run out. He asked her, “Woman, why do you involve me? My time has not yet come.” He changed water into wine that day, but the conversation with His mother stands to safeguard his testimony that Jesus only ever did what His Father in heaven told him to do. Doing what His mother asked Him to do even for that one isolated incident would have jeopardised it.

Jesus wasn’t a team player.
Jesus spent a lot of time with his disciples but He did not take their advice or check with them for anything. He didn’t consult a committee or panel to discuss the next best plan of action. Nothing was done out of consensus, concession or careful corroboration.

Jesus didn’t possess delegated authority.
James and John’s mother asked Jesus to give her sons the privilege of sitting on his left and his right in eternity. Jesus’ reply was that it wasn’t up to Him but to His Father to decide who deserves what. When the disciples wanted to know when the signs He told them about would take place, He said he did not have full knowledge of future events, things that only His Father knew but had kept from Him.

That isn’t the same as saying He had no authority. On the contrary, Jesus had plenty of the supernatural kind. He had authority to forgive sin, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers and feed the hungry multitudes. Demons and Death could not refuse Him. He had authority over nature too - calming the raging seas and even walking on water. The common folk could see that Jesus had real authority as opposed to the scribes of His day. Jesus had authority over all things, and this authority came directly from God because Jesus was completely submitted to His Father in each and every aspect of His life. Jesus could boldly say, “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.”

Authority is not a free license.
Jesus was never presumptuous – putting God to the test by doing what He presumed was right. Jesus’ authority was not a license to do as He pleased but a trust earned with every step of obedience He took. God the Father was pleased with Him and twice announced it from the heavens, “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Jesus proved He was God’s son when He proved His obedience.

Jesus redefined the meaning of leadership.
Jesus said, “If you want to be great in God’s kingdom, learn to be the servant of all”. Just as the most influential and powerful leader in the world receives the greatest honour; in God’s kingdom, it is the meekest and lowliest servant that commands the greatest respect. God’s kingdom is the reverse of every earthly kingdom structure known to man. Jesus said, “I did not come to be served but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many.” Chew on that for a minute.

Jesus knew this path of submission would ultimately lead Him to a bloody cross. In Gethsemane’s garden, He fervently prayed to be spared but left it to His Father to choose for Him. And you know how the story goes.

This is a great mystery to both the religious and intellectual minds.
The Pharisees could not understand why this self-proclaiming Messiah refused to conform to their time-honored religion. Why did He insist on healing on the Sabbath day? Why didn’t He observe their rites and ceremonies? They wanted His submission but He constantly disappointed them. To the learned Greeks (during Paul’s time) the cross was a foolish mistake. It spelt failure and disappointment. How could Jesus be the Saviour when He could not save Himself? But it wasn’t that Jesus could not save himself; it was because He would not. Muslims believe in submission to God. The word Muslim itself means one who submits. Yet, they cannot comprehend why God would allow Jesus to die an unjust death. Submission means different things to different people, but Jesus did not pander to human perceptions.

Jesus submitted to no one but His Father in Heaven and it pleased God very much.
Do you think God has entrusted his flock to hirelings? Never! He gave us into the safekeeping of the One who is completely worthy of His Trust – His Son, The Good Shepherd; the One who gave his own life for his sheep. I am sorry to say that the sheep in today’s churches are busy giving their time, their money and their energy to serve the ‘hirelings’ and their personal agenda. They have submitted too… unfortunately to a lesser cause and to lesser men.

For all the names given to Jesus in the Bible, you won’t find one that says Jesus the Great Leader. Isaiah devoted an entire chapter to the Suffering Servant. John the Baptist called Him the Lamb of God. Peter and the disciples confessed He was the Son of the Living God.

His Holiness

2010-06-08T15:09:00.012+08:00

The religion of man is flawed, but the Way of God is perfect.

The doctrine of man is defective, but the Truth of God is perfect.

The speech of man is unreliable, but the Word of God is perfect.

The understanding of man is incomplete, but the Knowledge of God is perfect.

The intelligence of man is inadequate, but the Wisdom of God is perfect.

The ability of man is limited, but the Strength of God is perfect.

The compassion of man is lacking, but the Love of God is perfect.

Our earthly fathers are not without fault, but our Father in Heaven is perfect.

Men of God are fallible, but Jesus the Son of God is perfect.

No Bride of Frankestein

2010-06-04T15:23:00.006+08:00

The Genesis account tells us that unlike all of God’s creations there was no suitable match for Adam, so God put him in a deep sleep, extracted a rib from his side and formed Eve. When God presented Eve to Adam, Adam declared her to be, “Flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone”. It would seem that Adam instantly recognised her to be his ideal mate. This enchanting phrase has found its way into many wedding ceremonies and love songs to demonstrate the ideal compatibility of a couple in love.

Jesus, who the bible calls the second Adam, is coming back for an ideal Bride. The bible says the church is his bride. However, when we look at the church today, we ask how that is possible. She is too fragmented and divided, not to mention the umpteen skeletons she has hidden away in her closet. There has been no lack of efforts to unify and solidify the different parts, more so in this century than before. Imagine if we fused all the various groups together into a single composite. What would it look like? The result could only be the ideal bride for Frankenstein. A monster haphazardly held together by bolts, nuts, wire and glue. But the Bride of Christ is not the design of a mad scientist. Our Father in heaven is perfect as His Son is perfect and so the Bride should be too.

Jesus prayed that we would be one even as He and the Father are One. That oneness speaks of more than holding hands in agreement and begging to differ on dodgy subjects. Jesus could boldly say, if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father. Can we honestly say to the world, if you’ve seen the church, you’ve seen Jesus? Some may say, we are not there yet, still a work in progress. Some may say, we will never be, so just focus on the positive aspect of church. In truth, many books and messages have shifted from showing us how to be holy to how we can be united in purpose and principles. We imply that Jesus’ prayer in John’s gospel is a possibility if we can come together in harmony. In doing so, we hope to come closer to attaining God’s dream church. But each time we try to take a step closer to that dream, it remains elusive and always just beyond our reach.

How then can we achieve perfection given the jarring incompatibilities of Bride and Bridegroom?

I have serious doubts about the institutions we are building and growing in Christ’ name. But there is a church that Jesus Himself is building. One that we are not readily aware of. God is grafting into the person of His Son, individuals who have consecrated their lives to Him. Surrendered their mind and will, died to their dreams and aspirations and awoken to a holy and divine purpose. They have chosen to identify with Jesus, to follow Him all the way in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse. God took Eve out of Adam and in the same way, God is using those who are in His Son to fashion a worthy Bride, a mate who is compatible to Him in every way.

Who is this Bride? What is she like? I believe this is an apt description of the Bride of Christ.

The Bride has eyes only for her bridegroom. She is consumed with knowing him and being known of Him. Nothing and nobody can stand in the way of her devotion to Him. She revels in His presence and waits patiently for Him. She knows His voice and longs to hear Him speak. She meditates on each revelation of His person. She is unafraid of persecution; embracing suffering because it helps her identify with Him more. She doesn’t question His way for she trusts the wisdom and insight of her Lover. She does nothing apart from Him. Wherever He goes, she follows. She loves what He loves. She approves what He approves. She abhors what He abhors. She desires what He desires. There is no middle ground, no give and take, no need for compromise. There is no place for struggle or strive. She simply submits and surrenders to His love till the tiniest blemish dissipates, until she becomes the crystal reflection of His holiness. Her wretchedness, poverty, ignorance and weakness melting away as His Spirit infuses her with his beauty, riches, wisdom and strength from the secret place of their intimacy. Do you recognise the scriptural truth in what I’ve written?

And the two shall become one.

Jesus will look at His perfect Bride and with the same awe that filled Adam, He will say, “She is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bones!”

Revelation tells us the letters to the churches in Asia were written to admonish a bride estranged from her true bridegroom. Today she is in the same poor state. She has lost her first love. She is self-reliant. She is deprived. She is wretched. She is deceived. She is indifferent. She is blind. She is lost. And until she wakes up to the truth, how can she know what she’s missing?

You cannot be his bride unless you are truly one with Him. You cannot substitute intimacy with good deeds, charity or hard work. You cannot try to produce that transformation by modifying your behaviour, by tithing your money, by faithful service or by committing to a time, place and programme. That’s like having an outward makeover without an inward change. It’s unnatural and it won’t last. The fruit that Jesus is looking for is birthed out of an open and honest relationship with Him. Remain in Him and He will remain in you. Love Him and obey Him. Nothing else will produce fruit that endures.

Anorexic Christians

2010-04-13T16:55:00.006+08:00

Yesterday, I had a two hour conversation that went nowhere. Interesting because the man I was speaking to had left ‘church’ some 15 years ago. I’d assumed that since both of us were on a similar journey that we would have much to share. I realised I had been mistaken.

A question as simple as, “What do you do in your free time?” invited an effusive explanation of how unconventional and controversial he was in his understanding of God and His ways. In the course of our conversation, he said he didn’t need to read the Bible because he could hear directly from God. (He admitted he’d read it about 3 times in the entire 50 some years of his life.) When I shared that I felt I needed to read the gospels again, he became uncomfortable. He then told me to respect him because he had left religion and church much earlier than I did and therefore was wiser. When I explained that I saw him as my equal, he was clearly uncomfortable and said so. At the end, he left saying I should ask God for confirmation that what he’d said was valid and true.

Many great men of God have given their lives to defend the written word we call the Bible. William Tyndale stands out in my mind. He was strangled and burnt at the stake because he would not bow to the religious order of his day. He wanted to give us a translation that was true and paid with his life. Martin Luther gave the people the Bible in their common language. When people began to read and understand the Word of God, there was a major revival.

John’s gospel calls Jesus the Word who existed with God from the very beginning. Jesus Himself often quoted from the writings of Moses and the prophets and explained them to his disciples. He overcame temptation with Scripture. The early apostles preached to the crowds using the Scriptures. The early believers stayed true to the teachings of the early apostles. The book of Revelation ends with a warning not to add or subtract from the testimony of John as given by God.

God speaks to us through His Son. His Son speaks to us through His Word. The late John McKay wrote that God’s Word is the expression of God’s Thought, revealed in His Son. Jesus rebuked the Jewish leaders for reading the scriptures but rejecting Him whom the scriptures spoke about. This then brings me to this conclusion.

Reading the scriptures without a relationship with Jesus yields very little.
Having a relationship with Jesus without reading the scripture also yields very little.

To say that God speaks to us through the bible only when we are infants but discards it to speak to us directly is unthinkable. To say we have read it before and therefore don’t need to read it again is pure arrogance and ingratitude.

Psalm 1
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither, whatever he does prospers.

Many churches will teach you a formula. But you can follow it and still remain as ignorant as ever. So I won’t tell you to do that.

I will tell you to read the scriptures, bind it to your mind and to your heart. Read it, chew on it, digest it and ask the Holy Spirit to make it clear to you. He is the best tutor! If you have no time to read, then listen to it. The moment we think we can dispense with it, we are in danger of starving to death spiritually. Don’t believe everything from the pulpit just because it is coming out of the pastor’s mouth. A speaker once said that Christians are the only people who will believe something they have never read for themselves. How pathetic is that?

Build on the foundation of Christ’ words. Anything else is flimsy and weak. If you think you don’t need to read the Word of God, try not eating for a day. See how long you last. What kind of Christians will we be if we can go for months and years without spiritual nourishment?

Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Every word means all of His words. Ancient authors penned words that are still relevant to us today. They can never be redundant. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away.”

In many bibles, the words of Jesus are highlighted in red for easy reference. Do you know them? Can you quote them? Do you understand them? More importantly, do you obey them?

Or are you an anorexic Christian?

The Amazing Properties of God's Word

2009-12-30T15:39:00.003+08:00

God's Word

Washes and cleanses us from all unrighteousness

Keeps us from sinning against Him

Convicts us of sin and leads us to repentance

Transforms us by renewing our mind

Pierces our darkness and brings enlightenment

Brings clarity to our mind and drives out confusion

Speaks the truth and exposes every false way

Frees us to walk in liberty

Increases our faith and dispels doubt

Instills courage and casts out fear

Guides and directs our way

Comforts and counsels us according to His will

Tests and proves what we believe

Purifies and refines our character

Heals us and makes us whole

When you read the gospels, you will find that whenever Jesus spoke, amazing things happened. Sinners were forgiven, demons fled, blind could see, lame could walk, lepers were cleansed, hungry were fed, dead came alive, raging seas became calm, hypocrisy was exposed, children were blessed, etc.

This Jesus, who is the Word become flesh or the Living Word, still speaks to us today.

Listen to Him.

Doubt

2009-12-10T11:08:00.003+08:00

I watched this movie 3 times in 2 days. Awesome! Because it was originally written for the stage, it has a solid dialogue and the 3 principal actors Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams did much justice to it.

It was weird, the way my friends and I each digested the story. I processed it mainly through the experience I've had in my many years (7 of them full time) serving in 'church'.

I understood the wide-eyed innocence of the novice nun (Sr. James) who believes the best in people. She was the person I used to be. But when I looked at the older but wiser nun (Sr. Aloysius) who has had years of experience to figure out that people are not really who they say they are, I recognised the person I had become.

In the final part, where Sr. Aloysius says, "I have such doubts!" I had a flashback to the time I discovered that 'church' as we know it is only a man made institution. I realised that I had been trying to reconcile Christ's body and the 'church' to no avail because they can never truly be one.

You reform, revise and improvise but the changes do not last. The old nun had no doubts about the priest (Fr. Flynn). He was well and truly guilty. But she could no longer believe or defend an institution that blatantly condoned, covered and even rewarded her so-called 'Christ' representatives.

The Rose

2009-10-30T16:23:00.005+08:00

I bought a CD of timeless love songs and can't get enough of it! This song is beautiful!

The Rose
Some say love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed
Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger
An endless aching need
I say love, it is a flower
And you, its only seed

It's the heart, afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It's the dream, afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul, afraid of dying
That never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snow
Lies the seed
That with the sun's love, in the spring
Becomes the rose

(a song sung by Bette Midler)

Nearly famous

2009-08-20T16:57:00.011+08:00

I googled my name the other day and discovered I am Russian born, a vocalist/pianist/songwriter with a number of noteworthy music awards to my name. My photo reveals that I am quite attractive - a youngish blonde with sultry good looks.

I also found my name on cemetery lists and family trees. It appears I expired in 1872, in 1908 and again in 1933 and was dearly missed after having lived a lifetime as somebody's daughter, wife or mother.

Honestly? The only thing i share in common with these people is my name.

So just who am I?

It's hard to say.

I have lived too long and too well to fit neatly into a single adjective or sentence. And still after so many years, the quintessential me is still emerging. Just when I think I have arrived, I find I have merely reached one of the many milestones in my life. In my humble opinion, my life is as ordinary as my looks and my achievements less than average. I know I have just described a large majority of the human population but do you know what ? I have yet to come across another me!

Like many people, I am still in the process of self-discovery - God's work in progress. Like an onion, I have shed many layers of self in agitation and tears. Knowing I am unconditionally loved by God has helped to ease much of the discomfort that comes with that painful process. In spite of all that I have been through, I can still say I have no regrets for choosing the straight and narrow path of walking with Jesus.

As simple and straightforward as I am, I find I am still somewhat an enigma of sorts to many people. Lately, I have had to accept that even the closest of friends haven't figured me out! So it looks like only God understands me and loves me as I am. Perhaps this is best...

I have tried to borrow words that may help to explain the person I have become.

Passionate - Because I have to connect emotionally with whatever or whoever I know.

Average - and proud of it!

Unequivocal - Its important to me that people say what they mean and mean what they say and I try hard to keep to that ideal. I really hate it when words are manipulated to use people or for personal gain.Curse words don't seem to have half the effect on me as untrue and flippant words do.

Love to Eat - What can I say? I can't apologize for being Malaysian! My friend calls me the Yellow pages when it comes to finding good food!I love to see people try my favourite foods and I love discovering new tastes too.

Inventive - Although I am a creature of habit, I do look for ways to break the monotony of routine and predictability. I must admit though, at times, I don't really look hard enough!I am such a couch potato, I can sit and watch the same movie even if I've seen it umpteen times!

Non-competitive - I dislike competition for a couple of reasons. It means someone has to lose. I hate that. Plus it's unnerving to be viewed as rival who must be eliminated. Having said that I am overcome with joy even a bit teary eyed at seeing someone win after they've worked so hard for it!

Teacher - I think the one quality that qualifies me to teach others is teachability! I am a little stupid, so when I make a discovery, I get all excited about it and I need to share! Consequently, I believe teaching is the process of aiding discovery! (I didn't come up with that one btw. Remember I'm just average!)

Humour - even this seemingly ordinary trait makes me different from others. Cause I love to laugh with people, not at them.

Genuinely happy for others - Strange but I must say, I can't remember being jealous and envious of others. I am genuinely happy for other people, my more successful siblings and friends. I have been overtaken many times in the race for success, recognition and reward but it does not seem to bother me. I guess the credit has to go to God. He's made me content with who I am and confident of the destiny He has for me.

Well, that's just a little bit about me.

I doubt all this would fit onto my tombstone so I have written it here!

Do life!

2009-08-14T11:08:00.004+08:00

I’ve been wondering why we hide out in church so much when Jesus neither preached or practiced that. Somehow, we have made our faith a cozy cave to escape to; and for others it's an exclusive club to belong to. We busy ourselves with programs and events that keep us hedged in and the 'unchurched' hedged out. We've created a subculture called Christianity, just like the Pharisees made out of Judaism. Church members IN, Non-church members OUT. Believers faithfully flock to Sunday services for their weekly fix of spiritual food and fellowship. But they are believers not in Christ, but in a religion that's been conveniently packaged for the conscientious religious consumer.

Jesus taught in synagogues sometimes– the official approved centers for teaching and learning the Word of God though he did not keep the sabbath as often as the religious Pharisees did. He usually sat out in the open where the common folk gathered, like at the mountain side, where little boys picnicked on lunches their mothers had packed for them. By the beach where fishermen washed and mended their nets, at the roadside where blind men begged. Out in the open, where lazy sheep grazed on green meadows and farmers sowed their seed on carefully tilled ground. He attended weddings, funerals and parties. He rubbed shoulders with ordinary people. He ate and drank with ‘sinners’ while the Pharisees fasted and observed their religious traditions with their own kind. He didn't speak as the Pharisees did with their clever and eloquent theology but told stories that all adults and children could understand. He was truly a man of the people. A simple carpenter who worked with his hands, loved God and genuinely cared for those around him.

And guess what? The people who believed his message were not the learned and intellectual minds. It was the prostitute, the not so honest tax-collectors, the blind, the crippled, the demon possessed, the pagan centurion, the poor fishermen etc. These could not find fault with him. They saw how genuine and real he was and how that starkly contrasted with the Pharisees. The religious community didn't like him but that's okay because he didn't like them either. He exposed their false morality and self-righteous ways at every opportunity. He didn't even try to work out his differences with them but promptly denounced them as children of the devil! You had to hand it to him. Jesus didn't do 'church'. He didn't do 'cell group'. He did LIFE!

So why are you still cooped up in there?

Get out and start living life!

Speechless

2009-08-13T15:35:00.004+08:00

I took a silly "Which bible book are you?" quiz on facebook and answered inane questions like what kind of curtains I like and how I would pass an hour of free time and what is the first thing I do when I wake up (which is brush my teeth!) . And this was the result of my honest answers...

EXODUS - Passionate about justice, you can't be at peace until you've done your best to help the oppressed. You are not afraid to speak truth to power, though you've paid the price for doing so. You will sacrifice for the good of others; you're a true servant-leader. You do not rely on your own power. You don't have to. You've seen Providence step in to change what looked like disaster into victory. At the same time, you've suffered and been lonely as a result of your refusal to go along with the crowd. You know that the great plan is beyond our limited comprehension, and what looks like a loss to you may eventually turn out to be a win.

I was speechless.

A people belonging to God

2009-06-05T15:21:00.010+08:00

A PEOPLE BELONGING TO GOD
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

If someone discovers you are a Christian, they will ask you which church you go to, what denomination you belong to, what ministry you are involved in, what are your spiritual gifts, what doctrinal position you hold on too. Is that what defines a Christian?

Today Christianity has become a sub-culture with its own banners and labels. We can look like a Christian if we speak the right lingo and wear the right t-shirt. We have Christian entertainment, Christian jewelry, Christian TV/radio, Christian books, cards, mugs, ringtones etc. But just what is it that sets us apart from the rest of the world? Is it our baptism certificate, Sunday attendance and praying before our meals and such?

To look for the answer to that question, we have to look at the Old Testament. What set the nation of Israel apart from other nations? What was unique about the people of God? What gave them their identity (character and personality)? What made them unique from all other communities and inhabitants of the land they were called to possess?

It’s true; they shared a history and a heritage (birthright, legacy). Their past and their future united them and made them a family. But what distinguished them from the rest of the world was much more than that.

1. GOD’S PRESENCE – Deuteronomy 4:7 what other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8. And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

From the time God had delivered his people from the hand of Pharaoh, He had led them through the Red Sea through the wilderness right to the Promised Land. God’s presence in their midst is described as a pillar of cloud and pillar of fire. (Exodus 13:21-22 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.)

The people of God had a visual that reminded them God was with them and was leading them on their journey. It shaded them from the heat of day and kept them warm them at night. It went ahead of them to show them the way and withdrew to the back to protect them from enemy attacks. (Exodus 14:19Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 24During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.

Read Numbers 9: 15ff. If the pillar moved, they followed suit. If it stayed, they stayed put. It did not matter how long it took. They depended on that pillar to show them what to do.

[After God gave Moses the plan for the tabernacle, this ‘Tent of Meeting’ became the place where God met with His people. The tent stood in the center of the camp with the various tribes camped around it. Moses would go to the tent of Meeting to speak with God and from there God would instruct His people]

In Ex 33, the people of Israel foolishly make themselves gods of gold while waiting for Moses to return from Mt Sinai. God was so angry that He told Moses that He was withdrawing His presence from among His people. However He would send them an angel who would escort them to the Promised Land.

It was a solemn and sobering moment for all Israel. The people were devastated and began to mourn. They knew they were nobody without God’s presence. It was the relationship they had with God that made them great. The secret of their success was their dependence on Him. [You see, WHERE you are going is not as important as WHO is going with you] It would have been so easy. No God to offend, no commandments to keep, no laws to break, no punishment to face. God Himself was guaranteeing them safe passage and success.

In v15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us; do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” At this God relents and promises to go with them.

From the beginning, God has desired to live among His people. Not in a casual relationship or like an uninvolved benefactor but a father who loves his children, leads and instructs them, rewards obedience and disciplines the ones who disobey Him.

God’s Presence was conditional on Israel obeying the laws He gave to them. Exodus 19: 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine 6you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Their obedience would ensure they stood blameless before God and man. The law would govern every area of their lives, their relationships (with God, spouse, family, neigbour, slave, judge/ruler, enemy and needy) their livelihoods/jobs, their civil obligations, their possessions, their diet and their justice system.

So the 2nd distinguishing factor of God’s people was the Laws of God.

2. GOD’S LAWS The laws God gave to Israel were unique; expressive of God’s Holy character. As God’s people, they were subject to the laws that were not binding on any community of people (Leviticus 18:1-5). The laws of Moses were many but Jesus summarized them to simply two. He said the books of the Law and Prophets hung on these two commandments. Matthew 22: 37-39 Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 and the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’

God promised His Presence to His people who made a covenant with Him to obey Him fully. The first time God made a covenant with Abraham, He commanded Abraham and his household to be circumcised. The rite of circumcision was passed down to all his male descendants and dependents. Circumcision was the outward physical sign of the eternal covenant between God and His people. The Jews still practice it today. There was nothing extraordinary about it. Ancient civilizations also practiced it before Abraham. It was not the act itself that made Israel unique but failure to be circumcised meant certain expulsion from God’s community (Ex 17:14)

The apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians that circumcision itself had no value unless one observed the law. And the one who observed the law was as good as one who was circumcised.

The act entailed the permanent cutting away of the flesh. It was to be made carefully and with great deliberation. Metaphorically, it meant the decision to obey God’s Word is a personal one; not to be taken lightly. [Reciting the sinner’s prayer does not automatically include you in the community of God’s people] We also need to note that the Covenant was made first and foremost to God. Not to a set of rules and certainly not to a man or the community. Each male was responsible to make the covenant on behalf of the family he was raising and leading.

RELATIONSHIP vs. RELIGION
But before long, Israel starts to wander away from God. It began harmlessly enough but carelessness and complacency eventually leads to compromise and corruption. The more they prospered, the less they thought about Him. Pride filled their heart and they became unthankful. Soon they started to worship other gods and pervert the laws God had given them. Instead of justice and mercy, they practiced evil and wickedness in the very land God had given them. The temple King David had built remained standing, the daily sacrifices went on, and the priests continued to minister. But something had changed. Religion had replaced Relationship. Israel thought it was the structure that God was looking to make his dwelling but they were wrong. While the temple – a structure of brick and stone was beautiful to behold, God was not in it. The people continually rebelled against God and His ways and resisted the warnings of the OT prophets. God gave them many opportunities to repent and return to Him but they just hardened their hearts. Ezekiel had a vision in which he saw the Glory of God departing from the temple in Jerusalem. God was withdrawing His presence from His people. The judgment of God fell heavily on the very nation God had chosen to represent Him to the world. The people had wrongly presumed that religion could save them.

WORD vs. WORKS
Moses warned the people against finding substitutes for the word of God. Deuteronomy 4:12 ff. He reminded them that it was God’s voice and commands they had heard so watch that you don’t try to make an image of something you did not see (anything) and claim it is god. Don’t be enticed to worship what you create with your own hands. Don’t exchange the Glory of the Immortal God with that which will soon decay. Don’t give up the Eternal God for lesser gods. The worship of the golden calf/ bull idol was especially heinous because that which God had provided as animal sacrifice was set in gold and made the object of worship. The works of our hands must not be worshiped but offered to Him a sacrifice.

Are we a people of His presence or do we want His blessings more than the relationship He offers? Have we become unthankful and self-sufficient that we have no need for Him? Have we substituted His voice for the philosophy and ideas of man?

ONLY ONE LIFE

2009-04-28T14:43:00.007+08:00

This is a song I used to sing when God first came real to me. I don't know the writer but it established in my heart a single unshakeable truth. I live this life for a Person: not a reason, not a goal or a purpose, not for people and certainly never for myself. The path I took a few years ago, led me down a different road and temporarily obscured this truth. I am so glad to have it found it again.

It matters so little
How much you may own,
The places you've been
And the people you've known,
For it all comes to nothing
When placed at His feet,
It means nothing to Jesus
Just memories to keep.

You can have all the treasures
From far away lands
You can have all the wealth,
You can hold in your hands
You can have all the pleasures,
Money can buy
But what will you have
When it's your turn to die?

Refrain:
Only one life
Soon it will pass
Only what's done for Christ will last
Only one chance to do His will
So give to Jesus all your days
It's the only life that pays
When you recall
You have but one life

The days pass so swiftly
The months come and go
The years melt away
As new fallen snow
Spring turns to summer
Summer to fall
Autumn brings winter
And death comes to all

Easter

2009-04-14T16:55:00.004+08:00

It was nice to get this text on Easter Sunday.

He had no servant, but they called Him Master
No degree, but they called Him Teacher
No medicines but they called Him Healer
No army, but kings feared Him.
He won no military battles, but He conquered the world
He committed no crime, but they crucified Him
He was buried in a tomb, but is alive today
He is humble but will always be exalted

His name is JESUS.
HE is our HOPE and GUIDE

Breath of Heaven

2008-12-09T14:37:00.013+08:00

This song kinda gives me goosebumps (in a good way!) when I listen to it. I can relate to how Mary must have felt as I too am carrying a revelation of the Christ that has inexorably made me an outcast of institutional christianity.

How does a young guileless virgin explain that her pregnancy came about after an encounter with an angel who told her she would give birth to the Messiah?

"Does she really expect us to believe that she conceived a child without sleeping with a man?

"Does she think we were born yesterday?"

"We know what you really did!"

Young Mary may not have realised the seriousness of the task but she was sincere when she told the angel, (Luke 1:38) "I am the Lord's servant, May it be to me as you have said."

The inception of the baby within her began with this humble confession. The cost would be great. Joseph wanted to divorce her immediately. (In Jewish times, a betrothal was as good as the marriage vow) He certainly did not want another man's baby. But God was watching over Mary. And he gave Joseph a dream that convinced him that God was behind all this.

Mary must have felt the accusing stares of neighbours and friends. Wasn't it every young woman's dream to marry a nice man and raise a family? Mary was no different. But she didn't anticipate that it would come in the manner that it did. She couldn't even be sure of Joseph's feelings for her. No family and relatives to fuss over her and treat her like a princess because the elaborate wedding preparations had to be hurriedly scrapped to avoid any unpleasant gossip. And if that was not enough she had to endure the arduous journey to Bethlehem in an advanced stage of pregnancy.

Perhaps this was the song, Mary sang to herself as she pondered over the path God had carved out for her. Fearful and vulnerable she was when she placed her life and the future of her infant in God's hands. But still trusting in the awesome Hand that guided her own.

Perhaps this is the song that you sing to the One who has led you down this lonely path. You feel fearful and vulnerable as Mary did 2 thousand years ago. But don't give up! Trust Him. The Hands that hung the stars in the heavens are fully capable of guiding you to your destiny which is His holy purpose of revealing Christ the Son.

BREATH OF HEAVEN
I have traveled many moonless nights,
Cold and weary with a babe inside,
And I wonder what I've done.
Holy Father you have come,
And chosen me now to carry your son.

I am waiting in a silent prayer.
I am frightened by the load I bear.
In a world as cold as stone,
Must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now.
Be with me now.

Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.
Breath of heaven.

Do you wonder as you watch my face,
If a wiser one should have had my place,
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong.
Help me be.
Help me.

Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.

Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven.

Song 'Breath of Heaven' by Chris Eaton and Amy Grant

The Pulpit

2008-11-28T19:43:00.002+08:00

A pulpit (from Latin pulpitum "scaffold", "platform", "stage") is a small elevated platform where a member of the clergy stands in order to read the Gospel lesson and deliver a sermon (you can read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulpit if you wish)

In present day Churchianity however, I fear the pulpit has become a

1. Beacon of Biblical Ignorance
2. Platform for Political Propaganda
3. Lectern of Human Intellectualism
4. Seat of Insecurity (and the fragile Male Ego, if I may add)
5. Stage for Stand-up Comedians
6. Rostrum for Opinionated Orators
7. Podium to Promote Self-seeking Agendas (sometimes disguised to look like selfless social causes)

In 1 Corinthians 2:4-6, the apostle Paul wrote
1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[a] 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

I read somewhere that

Kerussein [to "preach"] does not mean the delivery of a learned and edifying hortatory discourse in well-chosen words and a pleasant voice. G. Friedrich, "Kerusso," Theological Dictionary of the New Testament 3:703 (1965)

and that, the "sermon" (which is what we frequently get from the pulpit) is a polished, "educated" display of learning and professionalism. But, actually the word "sermon" cannot be found in the New Testament. Its origin is in the world of Greek and Roman philosophy.

Go figure.

The Beatitudes (RCV)

2008-11-05T13:56:00.010+08:00

The institutional church reads Matthew 5 quite differently from how the original author intended it. I'll call it the 'Beatitudes (REVISED CHURCH VERSION)'!

On Members
1. Blessed is he who attends church every Sunday without fail, for he shall be called Spiritual.

2. Blessed is he who tithes regularly, because he will be permitted to vote in the AGM.

3. Blessed is he who upholds the traditions of the Holy Fathers, for he will be called a loyal son of the Church.

4. Blessed is he who attends cell group for he will be deemed part of the community faithful.

5. Blessed is he who attends all social events on the church calendar for he knows the meaning of true fellowship.

6. Blessed is he who is rich in works because it helps disguise a lack of true spirituality.

On Ministry
1. Blessed is he who can sing and play the guitar for he will be set apart to lead others to worship.

2. Blessed is he who is endorsed by his leaders, for his ministry will never lack support.

On Leadership
1. Blessed is he who leads but even more blessed are those who follow his lead.

2. Blessed is he who never questions leadership, for it is crucial to the unity of the church.

3. Blessed is he who submits to his pastor/leaders for it is equal to submitting to God himself.

4. Blessed is he who has vision and charisma, for it is divine proof that he is 'anointed' to lead.

5. Blessed are those ordained to be pastors/ leaders for they are God's chosen ones.

6. Blessed are the church staff for they will be considered worthy to serve God's chosen ones.

On Speakers
1. Blessed is he who prophesies encouragement for he will be invited to preach again.

2. Blessed is he who comes adorned with a string of credentials for he comes in the name of the Lord.

On Rabbit's feet and Christian relics

2008-10-16T20:49:00.017+08:00

During the Raya holidays, I caught an interesting documentary on television. Two months before Princess Diana’s untimely death, she’d given permission for her gowns to be auctioned off and the proceeds given to charity. Each garment had been finely crafted and richly embellished - fit for royalty. The outfits sold for between USD 20K and USD 200k and followed their new owners to various parts of the world. The documentary was an attempt to trace what had happened to these exquisite one-of-a-kind gowns.

It was interesting to see how the new owners saw their purchase as an extension of the popular princess. One woman hired a personal bodyguard for the dress which she would periodically show to the public. Another woman bought 3 dresses and displayed them in her shop window. In the week following her death, the grieving public left flowers and cards at the window turning it into a mini shrine to the late princess. A few of them would wear the dresses to feel closer to her. Almost all of them had connected with her emotionally and owning the dresses she had worn helped to make that nostalgia just a little more real.

Princess Di was a secular saint who was loved and cherished by all. She’s become an icon that’s unmatched by any member of royalty before and after her. Diana will always be the world’s best loved princess.

But since she died in that tragic car crash, all that’s left are the memories and keepsakes she left behind. While its interesting to read about what these women have done to keep her memory alive, it is also sad because none of them can bring her back. They are merely lingering shadows of a past reality.

During the days of King Hezekiah, Israel had drifted far from God. Many ‘high places’ were built, images erected and sacrifices offered to them. One such ‘high place’ was a shrine built to a relic left behind from Moses’ days. A brazen snake mounted on a pole. Moses had commanded those who had been bitten by the poisonous snakes to look at it and they had been instantly healed! Apparently the brazen image had been preserved throughout the years and had finally ended up an object of worship. Nehustan was the name given to it.

The glory of the moment had long faded, Moses was dead but hundreds of years later, people regarded it with some reverence. Did they still believe in its ‘healing powers’ or did they simply want to crystallise a historical moment to remember how God had marvellously healed his people? The bible does not say.

But what it does tell us is God raised a godly king to purge the land from such images, ordering them to be torn down and destroyed. You can read the story in 2 Kings 18.

Throughout history, the Church has shared a similar reaction with the women who bought a ‘piece’ of Diana. Anything directly or indirectly associated with Jesus’ life became a valuable artefact. During Martin Luther’s day, Rome boasted an impressive collection of bone fragments, limbs and hairs belonging to saints and martyrs. Pieces of the cross, John the Baptist’s skull and today, we have the Turin shroud, crying statues, bleeding hearts etc. Many have been safely enshrined in the continuing belief that such practices can bring us closer to God.

But can they?

Saint Jerome declared, "We do not worship, we do not adore, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the creator, but we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore him whose martyrs they are" (Ad Riparium, i, P.L., XXII, 907).

Hmm..

Imagine asking someone for advice on how to improve your relationship with your lover. And the advice you get is, “You should frame a picture of his cat, have regular conversations with his dead relatives, save his nail-clippings and carry a photo of his best friend in your wallet.”

If Jesus came to remove the sin barrier that separates us from God, why does the church keep replacing it with more useless things? There is no lack of religious paraphernalia to keep us busy with religious activity and sadly this extends to even charismatic circles. Although her Protestant brothers will proudly say that they have no such traditions and images as the Catholic church, they are just as guilty of indulging in equally distracting religious activity. The Church at large has become so deprived that it is reverting back to practices it abandoned during periods of revival and reformation. Instead of feeding God’s people with the living word, pastors are throwing out scraps of human intellectualism from the pulpit! God’s people are starving for lack of spiritual nourishment. They keep their members busy with many 'good' and 'right' activities but deny them the 'one' thing that Mary settled for.

Jesus didn’t hand out souvenirs from his earthly life so we could better remember him by. Instead he gave of himself and when he had given all that he could give, he poured upon us his eternal spirit without measure. One that dwells in us and is close to us and will never leave us for all eternity. If Emmanuel (the name given to Jesus) means ‘God with us’, then the Holy Spirit is God in us!

When Jesus was preparing his disciples for his death, he gave them an interesting analogy.

You can read it in John 16.

16"In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me." 17Some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?" 18They kept asking, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying."
19Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'? 20I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

An expectant woman goes through many physical changes during her pregnancy. She feels the baby move and kick within her and that brings her much joy. She enjoys the way her husband and family fuss over her. But no pregnant woman wants to be pregnant forever! She dreams for the day when she will hold her baby in her arms. She longs to see him, touch him, kiss and cuddle him close to her heart. She knows she must suffer the pain of childbirth but all will be forgotten once the baby is safely born.

The disciples would sorrow over the separation that physical death will bring but the outcome will cause them to forget their sorrow. The physical Jesus has to make way for the Spirit of Jesus who will dwell in them! Isn't that amazing? The mother witnesses the invisible becoming visible with the miracle of birth. But in God's kingdom, the visible makes way for the invisible!

On that day, they can go direct to Father God as Jesus did and they won't need any translators for the job!

No need for rabbit’s feet or lucky horse shoes. There’s no place for Christian mediums in the Kingdom of God.

If someone had said to the apostle Paul, “Let us immortalise these handkerchiefs (Acts 19)you used to heal the sick, so people can have a sense of closeness with you and indirectly with the Jesus you preach!” How do you think Paul would have responded? If the early apostles wanted to, they could have amassed a variety of Jesus collectibles ... crown of thorns, the purple robe, hairs from the donkey he rode, his breakfast mug etc. (Jesus didn’t really have a lot of material possessions, did he?)

But why would they do that when they had walked with the Bread of Life? The Light of the World. The Living Water. The Word that became alive and walked among men.

Why indeed!

If you could have an audience with King Jesus, would you ask him for a signed autograph? Pose for a group photo with him? Flick his sandals when he wasn’t looking and sell it on e-bay? Ask if you could add him on Facebook? Invite him to give the opening address in the ‘Evangelize your community’ conference?

I don’t know about you, but I know what I would do. I would take hold of him, and beg him to take me with Him wherever he goes.

The world had an audience with the living, breathing Christ more than 2,000 years ago. But the religious community decided he had outstayed his welcome and put him to death. His true disciples were devastated but Jesus promised them, “I will be with you till the end of the world”. His disciples believed his words and accordingly received his promise by the mighty outpouring of His spirit on the day of Pentecost. Natural limitations gave way to a Spiritual explosion and the world has not seen the end of it!

Why settle for anything less?

If you haven’t got the slightest idea of what I’m talking about, it isn’t too late. Ask with the faith and honesty of a child. Seek with the desperation of a man who hasn’t eaten in days! Knock with the impatience of a man who has been unjustly wronged!

This is not the usual, safe, run-of-the-mill ‘Sinner’s prayer’ that you’ re accustomed to. Pray this at your own risk!

“God, I am SO sick of church. I am so tired of religion. I am so fed up of tithing, praying, fasting, fellowshipping, serving and evangelising and still not tasting the eternal life you promised. I can’t keep up the charade anymore! I can no longer keep it together. Nothing is working. The leaders are not helping. Everybody does what they think is right. My theology is so air-tight, it’s choking me! It can’t give me the answers i seek.

I’m not going to pretend everything is ok, when it’s not. I don’t want to keep defending what I don’t believe in anymore. I’m done playing the hypocrite. I don’t care what people think. I don’t care about my ministry. I don’t care about my reputation. All I care is what you have to say.

Enlighten my eyes, so I can see. Open my ears, so I can hear. Loosen my tongue so I may sing the praises of the one who loved me and died for me!

Holy Spirit, fill me. Not just a drop, not a trickle but let the fullness of Him who fills all things flood my soul!”

Friend, if you get real with God, He’s going to get real with you! And I mean a relationship that you never dreamed possible. You will hear his voice speaking personally to you. (You don’t have to imagine what he’d say!). When you read the bible, it’s going to be in 3-D colour! (You will wonder why you didn’t see it before!). You won’t need another human being to tell you what to believe. (Jesus will be the only pastor you’ll ever need!)

I must warn you though of other 'side effects' you can expect.

You will discover who your true friends are. You will have trouble fitting in with the usual Christian crowd. You will never see ‘church’ or ‘ministry’ in the same way you did before; which means you won’t flow with the agenda of the organized church. You won’t care about material possessions or earthly promotions. You will find the unlovely and lonely worthy of God's love. You will develop a love and passion for Truth. You will love Righteousness and hate Evil which won't sit well for people who love the safety of Compromise. You will give cheerfully and generously from whatever little you have and still feel rich!

I could go on. But your experience is infinitely more valuable than any explanation I can give here.

Psalm 34:8
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Why I Don't Go To Church Anymore!

2008-09-26T20:25:00.009+08:00

Why I Don't Go To Church Anymore!
by Wayne Jacobsen

Dear Fellow-believer,

I do appreciate your concern for me and your willingness to raise issues that have caused you concern. I know the way I relate to the church is a bit unconventional and some even call it dangerous. Believe me, I understand that concern because I used to think that way myself and even taught others to as well.

If you are happy with the status quo of organized religion today, you may not like what you read here. My purpose is not to convince you to see this incredible church the same way I do, but to answer your questions as openly and honestly as I can. Even if we don't end up agreeing, hopefully you will understand that our differences need not estrange us as members of Christ's body.

Where do you go to church?

I have never liked this question, even when I was able to answer it with a specific organization. I know what it means culturally, but it is based on a false premise--that church is something you can go to as in a specific event, location or organized group. I think Jesus looks at the church quite differently. He didn't talk about it as a place to go to, but a way of living in relationship to him and to other followers of his.

Asking me where I go to church is like asking me where I go to Jacobsen. How do I answer that? I am a Jacobsen and where I go a Jacobsen is. 'Church' is that kind of word. It doesn't identify a location or an institution. It describes a people and how they relate to each other. If we lose sight of that, our understanding of the church will be distorted and we'll miss out on much of its joy.

Are you just trying to avoid the question?

I know it may only sound like quibbling over words, but words are important. When we only ascribe the term 'church' to weekend gatherings or institutions that have organized themselves as 'churches' we miss out on what it means to live as Christ's body. It will give us a false sense of security to think that by attending a meeting once a week we are participating in God's church. Conversely I hear people talk about 'leaving the church' when they stop attending a specific congregation.

But if the church is something we are, not someplace we go, how can we leave it unless we abandon Christ himself? And if I think only of a specific congregation as my part of the church, haven't I separated myself from a host of other brothers and sisters that do not attend the same one I do?

The idea that those who gather on Sunday mornings to watch a praise concert and listen to a teaching are part of the church and those who do not, are not, would be foreign to Jesus. The issue is not where we are at a given time during the weekend, but how we are living in him and with other believers all week long.

But don't we need regular fellowship?

I wouldn't say we need it. If we were in a place where we couldn't find other believers, Jesus certainly would be able to take care of us. Thus, I'd phrase that a bit differently: Will people who are growing to know the Living God also desire real and meaningful connections with other believers? Absolutely! The call to the kingdom is not a call to isolation. Every person I've ever met who is thriving in the life of Jesus has a desire to share authentic fellowship with other believers. They realize that whatever they know of God's life is just in part, and only the fullest revelation of him is in the church.

But sometimes that kind of fellowship is not easy to find. Periodically on this journey we may go through times when we can't seem to find any other believers who share our hunger. That's especially true for those who find that conforming to the expectations of the religious institutions around them diminishes their relationship with Jesus. They may find themselves excluded by believers with whom they've shared close friendship. But no one going through that looks on that time as a treat. It is incredibly painful and they will look for other hungry believers to share the journey with.

My favorite expression of body life is where a local group of people chooses to walk together for a bit of the journey by cultivating close friendships and learning how to listen to God together.

Shouldn't we be committed to a local fellowship?

That has been said so often today, that most of us assume it is in the Bible somewhere. I haven't found it yet. Many of us have been led to believe that we can't possibly survive without the 'covering of the body' and will either fall into error or backslide into sin. But doesn't that happen inside our local congregations as well?

I know many people who live outside those structures and find not only an ever-deepening relationship with God, but also connections with other believers that run far deeper than they found in the institution. I haven't lost any of my passion for Jesus or my affection for his church. If anything those have grown by leaps and bounds in recent years.

Scripture does encourage us to be devoted to one another not committed to an institution. Jesus indicated that whenever two or three people get together focused on him, they would experience the vitality of church life.

Is it helpful to regularly participate in a local expression of that reality? Of course. But we make a huge mistake when we assume that fellowship takes place just because we attend the same event together, even regularly, or because we belong to the same organization. Fellowship happens where people share the journey of knowing Jesus together. It consists of open, honest sharing, genuine concern about each other's spiritual well being and encouragement for people to follow Jesus however he leads them.

But don't our institutions keep us from error?

I'm sorry to burst your bubble here, but every major heresy that has been inflicted on God's people for the last 2,000 years has come from organized groups with 'leaders' who thought they knew God's mind better than anyone around them. Conversely, virtually every move of God among people hungering for him was rejected by the 'church' of that day and were excluded, excommunicated or executed for following God.

If that is where you hope to find security, I'm afraid it is sorely misplaced. Jesus didn't tell us that 'going to church' would keep us safe, but that trusting him would. He gave us an anointing of the Spirit so that we would know the difference between truth and error. That anointing is cultivated as we learn his ways in his Word and grow closer to his heart. It will help you recognize when expressions of church you share life with becomes destructive to his work in you.

So are traditional congregations wrong?

Absolutely not! I have found many of them with people who love God and are seeking to grow in his ways. I visit a couple of dozen different congregations a year that I find are far more centered on relationship than religion. Jesus is at the center of their life together, and those who act as leaders are true servants and not playing politics of leadership, so that all are encouraged to minister to one another.

I pray that even more of them are renewed in a passion for Jesus, a genuine concern for each other and a willingness to serve the world with God's love. But I think we'd have to admit that these are rare in our communities and many only last for a short span before they unwittingly look to institutional answers for the needs of the body instead of remaining dependent on Jesus. When that happens do not feel condemned if God leads you not to go along with them.

So should I stop going to church, too?

I'm afraid that question also misses the point. You see I don't believe you're going to church any more than I am. We're just part of it. Be your part, however Jesus calls you to and wherever he places you. Not all of us grow in the same environment.

If you gather with a group of believers at a specific time and place and that participation helps you grow closer to Jesus and allows you to follow his work in you, by all means don't think you have to leave. Keep in mind, however, that of itself is not the church. It is just one of many expressions of it in the place where you live.

Don't be tricked into thinking that just because you attend its meetings you are experiencing real body life. That only comes as God connects you with a handful of brothers and sisters with whom you can build close friendships and share the real ups and downs of this journey.

That can happen among traditional congregations, as it can also happen beyond them. In the last seven years I've meet hundreds if not thousands of people who have grown disillusioned with traditional congregations and are thriving spiritually as they share God's life with others, mostly in their homes.

Then meeting in homes is the answer?

Of course not. But let's be clear: as fun as it is to enjoy large group worship and even be instructed by gifted teachers, the real joy of body life can't be shared in huge groups. The church for its first 300 years found the home the perfect place to gather. They are much more suited to the dynamics of family which is how Jesus described his body.

But meeting in homes is no cure-all. I've been to some very sick home meetings and met in facilities with groups who shared an authentic body life together. But the time I spend in regular body life I want to spend face to face with a group of people. I know it isn't popular today where people find it is far easier to sit through a finely-tuned (or not so finely-tuned) service and go home without ever having to open up our life or care about another person's journey.

But ultimately what matters most to me is not where or how they meet, but whether or not people are focused on Jesus and really helping each other on the journey to becoming like him. Meetings are less the issue here than the quality of relationships. I am always looking for people like that wherever I am and always rejoice when I find it. In our new home in Oxnard, we've found a few folks and are hopeful to find even more.

Aren't you just reacting out of hurt?

I suppose that is possible and time will tell, I guess, but I honestly don't believe so. Anyone who is engaged in real body life will get hurt at times. But there are two kinds of hurt. There's the kind of pain that points to a problem that can be fixed with the right care—such as a badly sprained ankle. Then there's the kind of pain that can only be fixed by pulling away—as when you put your hand on a hot stove.

Perhaps all of us have experienced some measure of pain as we have tried to fit God's life into institutions. For a long time most of us hung in there hoping if we tweaked a few things it would get better. Though we could be successful in limited ways during moments of renewal, we also discovered that eventually the conformity an institution demands and the freedom people need to grow in Christ are at odds with one another. It has happened with virtually every group formed throughout the history of Christianity.

Are you looking for the perfect church?

No, and I don't anticipate finding one this side of eternity. Perfection is not my goal, but finding people with God's priorities. It's one thing for people to struggle toward an ideal they share together. It's another to realize that our ideals have little in common.

I make no secret of the fact that I am deeply troubled by the state of organized Christianity. Most of what we call 'church' today are nothing more than well-planned performances with little actual connection between believers. Believers are encouraged toward a growing dependency on the system or its leadership rather than on Jesus himself. We spend more energy conforming behavior to what the institution needs rather than helping people be transformed at the foot of the cross!

I'm tired of trying to fellowship with people who only view church as a two-hour a week dumping ground for guilt while they live the rest of the week with the same priorities as the world. I'm tired of those who depend on their own works of righteousness but who have no compassion for the people of the world. I'm tired of insecure people using the Body of Christ as an extension of their own ego and will manipulate it to satisfy their own needs. I'm tired of sermons more filled with the bondage of religion than the freedom of God's love and where relationships take a back seat to the demands of an efficient institution.

But don't our children need church activities?

I'd suggest that what they need most is to be integrated into God's life through relational fellowship with other believers. 92% of children who grow up in Sunday schools with all the puppets and high-powered entertainment, leave 'church' when they leave their parents' home? Instead of filling our children with ethics and rules we need to demonstrate how to live in God's life together.

Even sociologists tell us that the #1 factor in determining whether a child will thrive in society is if they have deep, personal friendships with nonrelative adults. No Sunday school can fill that role. I know of one community in Australia who after 20 years of sharing God's life together as families could say that they had not lost one child to the faith as they grew into adulthood. I know I cut across the grain here, but it is far more important that our children experience real fellowship among believers rather than the bells and whistles of a slick children's program.

What dynamics of body life do you look for?

I'm always looking for a people who are seeking to follow the Living Christ. He is at the center of their lives, their affections and their conversation. They look to be authentic and free others to hurt when they hurt, to question what they question and to follow his voice without others accusing them of being divisive or rebellious. I look for people who are not wasting their money on extravagant buildings or flashy programs; where people sitting next to each other are not strangers; and where they all participate as a priesthood to God instead of watch passively from a safe distance.

Aren't you giving people an excuse to sit home and do nothing?

I hope not, though I know it is a danger. I realize some people who leave traditional congregations end up abusing that freedom to satisfy their own desires and thus miss out on church life altogether. Neither am I a fan of 'church hoppers', who whip around to one place after another looking for the latest fad or the best opportunity to fulfill their own selfish desires.

But most of the people I meet and talk with are not outside the system because they have lost their passion for Jesus or his people, but only because the traditional congregations near them couldn't satisfy their hunger for relationship. They are seeking authentic expressions of body life and pay an incredible cost to seek it out. Believe me, we would all find it easier just to go with the flow, but once you've tasted of living fellowship between passionate believers, it is impossible to settle for anything less.

Isn't this view of church divisive?

Not of itself. People make it divisive when they demand that people conform to their revelation of truth. Most of us on the journey are accused of being divisive because freedom can be threatening to those who find their security in a religious system. But most of us aren't trying to recruit others to leave their congregations. We see the body of Christ big enough to encompass God's people however he calls them to gather.

One of the things often said about traditional church is that Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in American culture. We only meet with people who look like we do and like things the way we do. I've found now that I have far more opportunity to get with people from a broader cross-section of his body. I don't demand others do it my way and I hope in time that those who see it differently will stop demanding we conform to theirs.

Where can I find that kind of fellowship?

There's no easy answer here. It might be right in front of you among the fellowship you're already in. It might be down the street in your neighborhood or across a cubicle at work. You can also get involved in compassionate outreaches to the needy and broken in your locality as a way to live out his life in you and meet others with a similar hunger.

Don't expect this kind of fellowship to fall easily into an organization. It is organic, and Jesus can lead you to it right where you are. Look for him to put a dozen or so folks around your life with whom you can share the journey. They may not even all go to the same congregation you do. They might be neighbors or coworkers who are following after God. Wouldn't that kind of interconnection among God's people yield some incredible fruit?

Don't expect it to be easy or run smoothly. It will take some specific choices on our part to be obedient to Jesus. It may take some training to shake off old habits and be free to let him build his community around you, but it is all worth it. I know it bothers some people that I don't take my regular place in a pew on Sunday morning, but I can tell you absolutely that my worst days outside organized religion are still better than my best days inside it. To me the difference is like listening to someone talk about golf or actually taking a set of clubs out to a course and playing golf. Being his church is like that. In our day we don't need more talk about the church, but people who are simply ready to live in its reality.

People all over the world are freshly discovering how to do that again. You can be one of them as you let him place you in his body as he desires.

Pastors say the darnest things!

2008-09-11T15:20:00.008+08:00

Here are some statements I have heard, made over the pulpit or quoted in church bulletins. If you know of any, please put it down in your comment!

My favourite Pulpit Bloopers.

1. God is both male and female. So then it is in the bedroom (read sexual intimacy) that men and women (read husbands and wives) are most like God.

[And what will the singles say, when they realize that not only did they miss out on the fleshly pleasures of wedded bliss but they also missed the chance of becoming more like God?]

What does the bible have to say about it?

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

In God's eyes there is no discrimination between race, status or gender. We are all equal in Christ. It is just as wrong to elevate the married status over the unmarried as it is to elevate the single life over the married.

2. Without the consecrated ministry (a ministry where full-time workers are required to give up marriage, career and worldly goods and be subservient to their religious head ), God cannot perfect His church.

[Which do you find more offensive? The idea that such unreasonable demands are thrust on those who want to serve God? Or the suggestion that God CANNOT do something?]

The bible tells us of three things God cannot do.

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

James 1:13
When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

There is no one God the Father trusts more than His Son and it is JESUS who is the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2)! God has not delegated that job to anyone else.

Hold fast to the promise of God and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.
Psalm 138 The LORD will perfect that concerns me;Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

3. You are not living a Christian life if you are not living in community (with like minded believers).

Institutional Christianity teaches that if one doesn't belong to a church one can't profess to be christian. It's kinda like saying that a house isn't a home unless it's in the right neighbourhood!

The Pharisees had a similar slant to their religious beliefs. If Jesus was indeed the Messiah, he'd stop healing on the Sabbath day and observe all the ceremonial customs that their Jewish community dictated. Jesus didn't play by their rules because he wasn't playing their game! But he was the Messiah nevertheless!

Some labels are more popular than others - 'church family' or 'christ-centered community'. But there is no difference whether you are 'connected' or 'belonging' or being in 'committed involvement' in the local church, none of these can 'produce' a christian.

I believe this mindset originates from false teachings that promote thinking such as:
"Apart from the church there can be no salvation", "God cannot be his father whose church is not his mother", "The five goals of worship, discipleship, fellowship, ministry and evangelism can only be properly carried out in the spiritual environment of a local church" etc.

I don't care how 'correctly' they are worded, NONE of them are based on scripture! Jesus never taught that people need to belong to an organization to be close to Him. Strangely, many well-schooled theologians and pastors of both traditional and charismatic churches are more than happy to teach such things in their classes and to their congregations!

In 1 Cor 1: 20ff, Paul (himself a well educated Pharisee!) said,
20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

Has the CHURCH now become our wisdom? our righteousness? our holiness and redemption? GOD FORBID!

I think the Sauls of present day Christianity seriously need a Damascus experience. Like Paul, they need to get knocked off their feet and hear the voice of Jesus speaking directly to them to realize how blind they have become! And believers who place so much stock in the seminary qualifications of their pastors will do well to go back and study the Word of God for themselves. God has already given us His Holy Spirit who has the mandate to lead us into all Truth and reveal Christ to us who is the Living Word!

John 16: 13-14
13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.

I can only conclude, if you want to be scripture smart you need to be theology stupid!

4. Everyone is called to be a cell leader (referring to the G12 cell group model)

The proponents of such a teaching study the Bible as if it were a handbook of principles/ rulebook. They come up with some preposterous statements like; Jesus discipled 12 so 12 is the magic number of people we need to disciple at any given time. This in turn leads to further 'revelations' as to why cell groups never thrive if they are allowed to grow beyond this number. Conclusion? For cell groups to be healthy and viable, leaders should ensure cells are multiplying and not remain stagnant. Soon the majority of church members are of the opinion that G12 is 'the way' to disciple people! And that they are doing it more 'correctly' than other cell churches.

What a deception! It looks and sounds good. Its got more than a couple of scriptures to 'back it up'. It's coming from someone who flaunts the right credentials and has pulpit presence, with years of ministry experience tucked under his belt. The leadership is united in their 'conviction' that its what their church needs to grow. How can it NOT be from God?

It is a sad reality that when you don't have God's Word in you, everything will sound like 'Chicken soup for the soul'!

Friends, just because something is 'working' is no proof that God is for it. (Saul continued to fight and win his battles for some time even after God had rejected him from being king). The word of God in you is sharper than a double edged sword, able to separate what is of God from what is of the flesh (Hebrews 4:12).

Unfortunately many believers have just enough bible knowledge to wield a blunt butter knife.

5. Poverty is a curse.

Read the following scriptures.

Matt 19:24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

Matt 19:21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Matt 6: 19-20"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Hebrews13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

I Tim 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

What about the widow in Luke 12? The poor woman who could ill afford the 2 measly copper coins she dropped into the treasury impressed Jesus more than the rich who gave generously out of their plenty.

In Matt 26:6-8 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. 9"This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor."

Do you know what was Jesus' response? (I wonder how Oprah and Bono will react to it!)

He said, "The poor you will always have with you but you will not always have me"

Oh and do you know what else? Jesus died with nothing but the clothes on his back. He even had to be laid in a borrowed tomb which confirms that Jesus died a POOR man!

The Kingdom of the Son is not dependent on earthly currencies. It is not affected by monetary lack neither does it benefit from its excess. There are more scriptures to tell us that Jesus taught his disciples that wealth and the love for it is far more an obstacle to the eternal life He offers to us than poverty itself.

Still think its the poor who are under a curse?

Aku minta kepada TUHAN

2008-08-31T21:13:00.008+08:00

Aku minta kepada TUHAN
Setangkai bunga segar
DIA beri aku kaktus yang berduri
Aku minta kupu-kupu
DiberiNYA ulat

Aku kecewa dan sedih
Tapi tetap bersabar

Namun, tak lama kemudian kaktus itu berbunga indah sekali
Dan ulat itu menjadi kupu-kupu yang cantik.

Begitulah cara TUHAN mengasihi kita
Selalu indah pada waktunya

Dying to Live

2008-08-29T02:08:00.011+08:00

One by one. I've had to lay down my lofty ideals even the ones I thought were godly and worthy of my love and life. My most precious friendships, my most selfless ambitions, even my childlike innocence; Nothing was spared but each one was taken from me and systematically dismantled and destroyed beyond recognition.

Against my will.
Despite my strong protests.
My pleas disregarded.
My tears unnoticed.

Till I am standing stripped of every thing I treasured and worshipped.
My hands empty.
Till I am bleeding; torn without remedy.
My heart irreparably broken.
Till I despaired of ever being restored.
Drunk blind with disillusionment.

Is there hope for one such as I?

Can God put me together again?

Yes He can. He did not bring me this far to abandon me. His love for me is unfailing and eternal. He will restore this weary soul.

I WILL BE GOOD AGAIN. I KNOW IT.

But not the way I was before.

Minus my selfish pride,
Minus my smug self-righteous ways,
Minus my suffocating self-pity,
Minus my self-reliance,
Minus my need to vindicate self.

You see, Self is the only real enemy.

How will He accomplish this? It's not for me to know.

I only know God ordered this path for me. It was He who escorted me to Golgotha's hill. It was His hands that nailed mine to that cross. It was His spear that pierced my side. And finally it was He that left me there to die.

But I did not die alone. We died together. We suffered humiliating shame and crushing defeat, together. We felt the sting of betrayal and the pain of rejection, together. Together we drank from the cup of suffering and together we swallowed the last bitter drop.

But it was needful. Just as it was needful for Jesus to die on the cross so He could buy your freedom and mine.

In order to heal, I had to hurt.
In order to live, I needed to die.
To greet the dawn, I must endure the night.

I'm waiting for the 3rd day. When the tomb will be opened. And the dead will come alive again. Resurrected by the power of God. Filled with the Spirit of God. Complete and whole again.

But you won't recognize me.

Instead you will behold the Christ. HIS righteousness. HIS Faith. HIS Truth. HIS love. HIS Compassion.

A new creation. Conformed to the image of Christ - God's beloved Son.

All of Him and none of me.
He must Increase but I must Decrease.

God, don't let me interfere with the process. Don' let me tell you what to do. Don't rescue me; don't release me until I am well and truly dead to the carnal fleshly me.

So that I may know what it is to truly Live.

Galatians 2:20-21
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

Matthew 10: 38, 39
and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

An uncomfortable truth - Part 3

2008-08-16T01:36:00.012+08:00

The Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus declared to us, is not one that is earthly. It will help if we understood the unique characteristics of this ‘out of this world’ kingdom.

It is not man-made for God alone is the architect.
It is eternal, a kingdom that will endure forever.
It is unshakeable, unstoppable and comes in God’s power.
It is capable of existing in this world but is not overcome by it.
It is not sustained by earthly monetary currencies
It rests in the hearts of the true disciples of Christ.
It seeks the surrender of the human will, not the exertion of human effort.
It is received in the simplicity of a child.
It is entered into by repentance and change of heart.
It is increased in those who submit to God’s government.
It is acquired by giving up everything of worldly value.
It is learnt by heeding the voice of God’s beloved Son.
It is discovered by the revelation of God’s Holy Spirit
It demands the daily discipline of carrying one’s personal cross .
It prefers the least over the greatest.
It is evidenced by the fruit of God’s character.
It is established upon God’s righteousness and truth.
It defies human logic & intellect and acts in opposition to it.
etc

The kingdom Jesus spoke about is no fairy tale. But it exists NOT in the natural sense but a spiritual one. The common mistake we make when trying to understand the Kingdom of God is by naturalizing it to meet our standards of morality and goodness. That's how we have treated much of God's Truth. Treated and tempered it to suit our natural and moral tastebuds.

It is not uncommon to hear God's kingdom referred to in corporate and even political terms at times. But Jesus is not the CEO of heaven neither can we refer to him as a 'leader' (the way some Christian writers like to) . The bible calls him the “suffering servant & lamb of God” which means one who had no special rights or privileges, did what he was told and was dispensable. Jesus himself testified that he did nothing that God the Father did not tell him to do! Now, that’s a follower not a leader! Go chew on that one!!

Jesus challenged the leaders to destroy the physical temple in Jerusalem which took some 40 years to build and claimed he would raise it again in 3 days! Seriously now, was Jesus considering to restore Solomon’s ancient architectural wonder after He reduced it to rubble? Of course not! He was speaking of a different kind of temple. One that had no geographical location. No home address. Not made of brick and mortar. Not built by human hands.

The Kingdom of God is a heavenly one and cannot be compared to any existing earthly model regardless of how ‘biblically ordered’, ‘morally upright’ or ‘divinely inspired’ it is. Even in their most ideal forms, the kingdoms of this world are no match for the Kingdom of God's Son. Heaven does not share our definition of perfection. In fact, Scripture tells us what is most valued among men is detestable in God’s sight (Luke 16: 15b)

Today's Church (or what I call the Organized Religious Institution) has created her golden calves and calls it the Christ. I am reminded of the OT Jeroboam who propagated his own gospel as a substitute for Moses’ law.

Read I Kings 12:26-33 for the story.

Jeroboam made 2 golden calves and presented them to Israel, “ Here are your gods O Israel who brought you up out of Egypt”. He ordained priests who were not Levites and installed them in shrines he built in high places. He offered sacrifices on the altar he built in Bethel to the gods he had made and ordered festivals in the month of his own choosing!

But God had left clear instructions with Moses :
Only one place of worship was allowed ie. the temple of Jerusalem.
Graven images were forbidden and bowing to them was a big no no.
Festivals were strictly during the month of God’s choosing.
Only Levites were qualified to be priests and offer sacrifices.

Blatant disregard for God’s Word led to his downfall.

Jeroboam was afraid the people might return to the rule of David and he came up with his convenient and cost-free option for God’s people. (I Kings 12: 26-27).

Friends, the gospel of Jeroboam IS NOT the gospel of Christ. In fact, the spirit of Jeroboam is dead set against the spirit of Christ. Christ is a threat to its existence and continuing influence because it knows only He is worthy of our complete obedience. Because once God’s people realize they have made their allegiance to a gilded bull, they will repent and begin to follow the Christ who is the head of his Body (the bible calls it the Ekklesia in the original Greek).

In church, there is always a need for volunteers - people are constantly being enlisted to make refreshments, serve coffee, drive the church van, direct Sunday traffic, make announcements, greet visitors, dust pews, host speakers, sponsor flowers, play the keyboards, babysit, arrange chairs, record sermons etc. There is no disgrace in these little things that many humbly and selflessly perform. The real shame is we have glamourized these menial tasks for mass appeal. We’ve got people thinking they are ‘ministering to God’ with their ‘gifts’ and that God is immensely pleased when people ‘serve’ the agenda of the church.

I may be shattering some illusions here but God’s goal for your life is infinitely more sacred and satisfying than passing the collection plate and washing the communion cups.

The point I am trying to make is this.

Christ DID NOT come so we could serve a man-made institution and be subject to her wardens.

Were that his mission, Jesus should have made it his life’s work to

Reform religion
Regulate worship
Revamp theology
Reorganize resources
Replenish finances
Recruit members
Raise leaders
Reduce conflicts etc

(And all the million other things church leaders do before they crash and burn to the ground!)

The blessing of owning land, numerous descendants, having more than enough and being a blessing to all the nations of the earth - This was the proud legacy left behind by Abraham, their founding patriarch. But Israel’s king would seize all of this for himself and his own. What a tragedy! God already knew what His people were capable of when they became a great nation. They would quickly forget the God who delivered them after more than 400 years of slavery in Egypt and reject Him for worthless gods. Freed from one bondage, Israel goes seeking for another.

That’s History repeating herself. And we are guilty of no less!

By faith, we became heirs of Abraham’s promise and citizens of God’s kingdom. But like Israel we reached for the very thing that put us in its power. And before we know it, we’re slaving for a counterfeit kingdom and its self-serving agenda. But as long as Christ is not the King, it will not stand.

The answer is not finding the right church to belong to. Its being connected to Christ who is the Head. St. Paul said WE BELONG TO CHRIST - not an institution (even if it dates back 1,700 years!)

When we are rightly connected to Christ then we are His church!

Don't believe anyone who tells you that you NEED to belong to one. It's a lot of Bull! (pun intended!!)

You cannot fake a resurrection

2008-06-27T16:36:00.005+08:00

I like this meditation taken from Chip Brogden's article, 'Back to the Cross.

http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/back.html
"For I determined to not know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (I Corinthians 2:2).

Religion seeks to reform a man; the Cross seeks to crucify him. Religion may fail to bring about the desired result, but the Cross never fails to achieve its end. Mankind will pursue morality, virtue, spirituality, even perform religious works and good deeds, in order to avoid death on a Cross. But there are no wounds, no scars, no evidence of having ever died and been made alive unto God. Either a man has never died, or he has died and been raised again. You cannot fake a resurrection.

I'm a church drop-out

2008-06-04T13:59:00.004+08:00

"The social benefits of going to church can no longer compensate for its lack of spiritual life" - Chip Brogden

and the desert rose says, "Amen!"

2008-04-29T14:06:00.007+08:00

The Songbird And The Flower
by Chip Brogden

In a land not too far away lived a songbird. According to outward appearances this songbird was no different than the rest. She had blue feathers, a white breast, and a yellow bill. But she also had a very special gift!

Her gift was discovered one day quite by accident. She enjoyed singing to the Lord and worshipped Him at every opportunity. It was her custom to wake up early to see the sunrise and spend time worshipping the Lord. She had done this every morning since she was a little bird.

Her song carried unusually far one morning. Her neighbor, the squirrel, was sitting in his little recliner with a cup of tea, reading the morning newspaper, when suddenly this magnificent song came wafting through the open window! "I have to find out where that's coming from!" he exclaimed. Jumping up out of his chair, he ran through the door and into the field, looking for the source of the beautiful music.

Also, at that exact moment, a deer was walking through the woods and heard the same sweet melody. "What singing!" she cried. "I wonder who it could be?" And she, too, went off to find out where the music was coming from.

The songbird, of course, was oblivious to the excitement she had generated. She was lost in her worship when suddenly the squirrel arrived on the scene, followed by the deer - and about a dozen other animals!

"Where did you learn to sing like that?" they all asked with great admiration.

The songbird shrugged her shoulders. "I always sing like this whenever I want to give praise to the Lord. I hope I didn't disturb you."

"Disturb us?" answered the deer. "We think it is wonderful! How uplifting to hear such beautiful singing early in the morning. You really have a gift!"

"I do?" asked the songbird.

"Absolutely!" said the squirrel. "God blessed you to bless others, and you shouldn't let that gift go to waste. You have a special calling!" And all the other animals agreed.

"I don't want to waste my gift," answered the bird. "What should I do?"

"Come with us to the church service this morning," said the deer. "I'll speak to the pastor about you and he'll let you sing for the congregation!"

The songbird wasn't sure what to do about all this attention, but she didn't want to waste her gift, and she certainly wanted to bless others with what she had been blessed with. So she agreed to go.

* * *
Of course, the congregation of animals were blessed by the singing songbird, and she was such a blessing that they invited her to sing every Sunday morning. The little group began to grow as a result of the songbird's beautiful voice. In no time the songbird became the worship leader. Not only was she responsible for selecting the music and leading the worship service, but she was supposed to conduct the choir practice twice a week and teach voice to the pastor's daughter (the crow) so she could one day sing as well as the songbird.

One Sunday morning a group of eagles arrived, listened to the songbird, and watched her very carefully. After the service, the eagles gathered around the songbird and began to prophesy! "The Lord says that you have a special anointing, and He will give you an international ministry!"

Of course, the songbird was very thrilled about this, because she wanted to use her gift and she wanted to be a blessing. Another member of the church, the fox, offered to record her music and put it on CD. "That way," he explained, "You can reach more animals and be a blessing to God's creatures all over the world. This is what the Lord meant when He said He was giving you an international ministry!"

Before long the CD's were produced, and the fox had promoted them all over the world. The orders began to come in, and everyone said they were blessed by the songbird's music. Then came the invitations! "Is the songbird available to come to our church?" Everyone wanted their own live performance, and the fox took care of everything.

"Congratulations!" he told the songbird. "You're booked up for ministry every week for the next two years, and your CD's are in record stores all over the world. Now you can be in the full-time ministry! The Lord has really blessed you!"

So the songbird took her itinerary from the fox and began flying all over the world to meet the demands of her full-time ministry schedule. The fox even made her a special backpack so she could take all her CD's and ministry resources with her and raise money for her ministry.

The songbird sang in church services, and in retreats, and in conventions, and in concerts. She truly enjoyed meeting all the other animals, and she still enjoyed singing. She was getting a little tired of flapping her wings all the time to get from one ministry event to the other, and her voice seemed to be losing some of its former strength and purity from being used all the time, but she accepted that as part of fulfilling the call on her life. Besides, no one seemed to notice. Everyone loved her, and wanted to hear her.

* * *
Time went by, and the songbird was becoming more and more popular. She had a ministry headquarters, a ministry staff, and ministry partners all over the world. Her next CD was coming out soon, and everyone was looking forward to it with great anticipation. She was a busy little songbird, flying all over the place to keep up with her hectic ministry schedule, but having to carry around all those CD's and ministry resources on her back was a constant strain, and she tired easily.

One day she was traveling to her next singing engagement and found herself flying over a canyon out in the middle of nowhere. Exhausted from her flight, she decided this would be a good place to stop and rest her wings for awhile. Far below her she saw a gorgeous flower of indescribable beauty! So she circled around the flower and landed right next to it.

What a lovely little flower it was! It had round petals of many colors - yellow, blue, pink, and white - and golden leaves. She had never seen anything like it in all her travels around the world. And the fragrance! It was unlike anything she had ever smelled, and far better than any perfume she had ever tried. Yet here it was, growing out of a crack in the bottom of a rocky canyon floor, out in the middle of nowhere!

"Hello little flower!" the songbird said. "I was just flying overhead and admiring your beauty, so I thought I would visit with you for a moment. You are certainly the most beautiful flower I have ever seen, and I don't think there is another flower in the world quite like you."

"The Lord has been very gracious to me," answered the flower pleasantly. "Who are you, and where are you going?"

"I am Rev. Songbird and I'm on my way to minister at a retreat on the other side of this canyon. Maybe you've listened to one of my CD's, or seen me on television?"

"No, I don't believe I have," the flower said. "I'm quite alone out here in the canyon, and I don't have a lot of contact with the rest of the world. As you can see, I don't have wings to carry me anywhere."

"That's a shame," said the songbird. "Because you are such a beautiful flower, and you give off such a lovely aroma. The Lord has blessed you to be a blessing, yet your gifts are not being used as they should! Why don't you come along with me to church, so the other animals can see your beauty and enjoy your fragrance?"

"Oh no, that would never do," the flower said, "Because that would only distract me from my own ministry."

"So you are in the ministry? What denomination are you with?" asked the songbird.

The flower laughed. "I'm not with a denomination."

"Where do you go to church?"

"Oh, I'm not involved with a church, either."

"Do you have some books or tapes out?"

"Heaven's no!" the flower laughed.

"So what kind of ministry do you have, then? Are you in the ministry full-time, like me?" the songbird asked.

"Oh yes, it is a full-time ministry," answered the flower.

"But you are out here in the wilderness, all alone. There are no churches, no one to fellowship with. How can you be in the full-time ministry? It seems like such a waste."

"Oh, but that is where you are wrong," explained the flower. "You see your ministry as being to the other animals, but my ministry is to the Lord Himself! He has planted me out here in the wilderness, hidden from the rest of the world. You believe that is a waste, since no one can see me or smell me. But He can see me! And He can smell me! And the measure of my fruitfulness is not what I am to other people, but what I am to Him."

The songbird was silent for a long time. Finally, she said, "Creatures all over the world are being blessed and encouraged by my music. Perhaps you are called to minister to the Lord, but I am called to minister to the other animals!"

"Who told you that you are called to minister to the other animals?" asked the flower.

"The Lord!"

"Really?" asked the flower.

The songbird thought about what the squirrel had said, and what the deer had said, and what the eagles had said, and what the fox had said, and what all the other animals said. "Well... just about everyone who has heard me sing has told me that the Lord has given me a special gift, a special calling, and a special ministry."

"Yes," agreed the flower. "But all of God's creatures have a special gift, a special calling, and a special ministry. Who told you that your gift, calling, and ministry is to the other animals?"

"I guess the other animals said so."

"Naturally," continued the flower. "But wait! What is that huge pack on your back?"

"Oh, that is my bag of music CD's and ministry resources. I carry these with me wherever I go, because this is how my full-time ministry is supported."

"It looks mighty heavy," observed the flower.

"It is, believe me!" said the songbird. But it's part of being in the ministry."

"For your ministry, perhaps," said the flower. "It's not part of my ministry! Ministering to the Lord is not a burden at all."

(Secretly, the songbird envied the flower, but she couldn't bring herself to admit it.)

"It does sound good," said the songbird. "But I'm not sure I even know how to minister to the Lord."

"Do you remember when you used to sing praises to the Lord in secret every morning, and just worshipped Him for Who He is, with no agenda or vision or plan or crowd of onlookers to minister to? Do you remember when you just sang the songs He gave you, and they were just between you and Him?" the flower asked.

"Yes."

"You were ministering to the Lord! And what was your reward, when no one could hear you sing, and you were just singing to Him?"

The songbird thought. "I didn't get any rewards, or recognition, or applause. So I guess the only reward I had was... Him?"

"That's right," the flower smiled. "When we minister to the Lord then the Lord becomes our reward. So then the question becomes: is Jesus enough for you? Or is the work of the Lord more important to you than the Lord of the work?"

And the songbird had to admit that she never had time to just sing to the Lord the way she used to. With all her traveling and performing she seldom took time to just minister to the Lord, the way she did before anyone knew how gifted she was. Now the ministry had become so big that the Lord Himself had been neglected.

"I see it now," the songbird finally admitted. "I went into the ministry, but I missed my calling."

"That's what usually happens," said the flower.

The songbird and the flower sat together in silence for a long time.

"So what do I do now?" the songbird whispered.

"Just go back to the beginning," the flower said. "The Lord is waiting to meet with you there."

The songbird and the flower embraced, and the songbird flew back to her nest, leaving the burden of her ministry behind on the canyon floor. So from that day forward the songbird devoted herself to ministering to the Lord, just like she used to do. And the Lord gave her some beautiful new songs to sing - just for Him.

Permission is granted for non-commercial (free)distribution provided this notice appears.

Proverbs to live by

2008-03-27T00:35:00.007+08:00

Did you know?

You can get by ...
without a fixed income but you cannot live without His provision.

You can sacrifice ...
the comforts of home but how can one give up the comfort of His presence?

You can listen ...
to the harshest critic but you cannot learn without His correction.

You can cope ...
by medicating your pain but you cannot be whole without His healing.

You can confess ...
your deepest fear but to conquer it you need His unfailing love.

You can bear ...
the greatest sorrow but you couldn’t endure without His promise.

You can answer ...
the hardest question and still be unable to explain His wisdom.

You can buy ...
the most expensive gift but you could never afford His peace.

You can neglect ...
the company of man but do not shun His friendship.

You can dismiss ...
the opinions of others but you cannot deny His truth.

You can go hungry ...
without eating but you will starve without His life-giving word.

You can please ...
all the people in the world and never win His approval.

An uncomfortable truth - Part 2

2008-02-12T22:36:00.023+08:00

To answer that last question, we need to refer to the book of Deuteronomy.

This book contains the final sermon Moses preached to his people before they crossed over to Canaan. This was even before they had judges to keep the peace. With uncanny foresight, Moses predicts Israel would ask for a king once they settled in. God knew what His people were capable of and in His wisdom instructed Moses to prepare them for that day.

You have to read this carefully.

Deut 17: 4-17
4 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, "Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us," 15 be sure to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite. 16 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, "You are not to go back that way again." 17 He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

18 When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. 19 It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees 20 and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

Now, Israel enjoyed a succession of kings. Some good, some not so good, and some plain rotten! Under their leadership, she rose to new heights of greatness and glory. But in spite of all their achievements, not one of them could fulfill Moses' requisites.

Remember King Solomon? His reign brought peace, prosperity, wisdom and worship to Israel such that neighbouring nations sat up and took notice. But even he was a notorious horse collector, a polygamist (700 wives & 300 concubines!) and indulged in opulent exhibitions of gold and silver!

I am convinced this passage of scripture was more than just a rule for royal hopefuls. It was a messianic requirement and only the real Messiah could fulfil this charge in every sense of the word.

Guess what?

Only Jesus, God's only begotten Son made the cut! He

was a Jew by birth

only ever borrowed a donkey and its colt (and didn't send his disciples too far to fetch them either!)

never married &

died poor.

From age 12, Jesus simply astounded people with his knowledge of the scriptures. He taught with authority unlike the religious scribes of his day. You'd never describe Jesus as a theologian for his was not intellectual knowledge of God but a spiritual intimate relationship with the One he called Father. He fulfilled every letter of God's law and observed the Jewish calendar, but he was NOT religious. In fact, he constantly irked the religious community by healing on the Sabbath, fraternising with‘sinners' and ignoring their tedious ceremonial forms.

Contrast that with today's enlightened ‘spiritual’ leader who strives to be theologically sound, politically correct and ecumenically unified.

God used Israel's monarchy to teach us about the kingdom of heaven. Saul disqualified himself but King David who succeeded him showed us what the coming Messiah would look like. David had many wonderful qualities but the one quality by which all succeeding kings were eventually judged, was his wholeheartedness in following God. The bible tells us it was David who won the title of man after God's own heart.

I Kings 15: 5 For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord's commands all the days of his life - except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.

Acts 13: 22-23 And when He had removed him (Saul) , He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ 23 From this man's seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus—

It's important to note that although King David was God's choice, he was NOT the Messiah. David was a messianic witness to Jesus, the Anointed ONE.

The prophet Isaiah made an amazing prediction;

6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9: 6-7

A mere human could never accomplish this. He had to be God and Jesus fit that description perfectly. He confirmed every prophecy spoken of him by complete and total obedience to God the Father.

Nobody could equal or surpass Jesus' achievements. No not one.
Not before. Not after. Not ever.

Who are we to confer such lofty titles on another human soul addressing them your eminence, your holiness, your grace , your lordship, your reverence etc ? Shame on us!

The author of Hebrews exhorts us to fix our eyes on ONE person.

Hebrews 3: 1-6Therefore holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honour than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honour than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

Here's another challenge for you.

Why didn't Jesus want to be king? After all he was a bona fide blue-blooded descendant of David's royal house. He could have joined the revolutionaries to overthrow the goverment and sent the Romans packing. The Jews had been waiting for more than 400 years since the last prophetic voice had faded. In their mind the coming of the Messiah would mean national unity and end of pagan rule. Israel could then begin her journey to reclaim her former glory.

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem (once the royal city of David), he had the crowd eating out of his hand. They believed he was the prophet and were prepared to make him their leader.

Read Matthew 21: 8ff

8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!"

Jesus himself never denied he was the King of the Jews. Yet, why didn’t he try to fill the shoes of his ancient predecessor? Isn't that why He came? To ascend David's throne and establish God’s government eternally?

The answer is found in Jesus’ reply to Pontius Pilate.

35"Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?" 36Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." 37"You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

Ready for this?

The kingdom Jesus came to declare is literally, I mean literally OUT OF THIS WORLD!

To be continued..

An uncomfortable truth - Part 1

2008-02-05T23:05:00.006+08:00

Do you know what was KIng Saul’s greatest sin that caused him to forfeit the throne? Was it uncontrollable sexual passions? Abuse of power? Insatiable greed for gold?

Give up? Dust off that bible and turn with me to I Sam 13.

Jonathan's surprise attack on the enemy outpost had incited the Philistines. They quickly assembled their armies to fight Israel. On seeing the strength of their military line-up, the hearts of Saul's men melted in fear.

Just days earlier, at Saul's coronation, the prophet Samuel had given Saul strict instructions to wait 7 days for him at Gilgal after which he would come and offer the burnt offering. Only after that would Samuel tell him what to do next. You can read this in I Sam 10:8 ff.

With a battle brewing, Saul had to uncover God's plans pronto! So Saul waited in Gilgal for Samuel to offer the burnt offering but when he still didn't appear after the stipulated time, Saul decided to do it himself. But just as he finished, Samuel arrived and chided Saul for acting presumptuously.

Read I Sam 13: 11-13.

Saul blamed everyone else for forcing his hand. His men for their lack of focus. Samuel for his tardiness and the Philistines for their imposing presence. But God did not let him off the hook! As a result of Saul’s failure to keep God's command, his kingdom would not endure and another would take his place as leader of God's people.

Few pastors will readily admit personal responsibility when they know they have failed God ; preferring to pin the blame on members' lack of commitment, leaders' inefficiencies and 'spiritual' attacks from Satan himself!

In this second incident, (Read I Sam 15) Samuel told Saul that God wanted him to utterly destroy the Amalekites sparing nothing and noone. Saul fought and won the battle but told his men to save the best of the livestock and destroy the rest. He also spared Agag, king of the Amalekites. .

Read on.

10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: 11 "I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions."

Meanwhile, Saul traipsed off to Carmel to build a monument to himself before he caught up with Samuel at Gilgal (v12).

When Samuel reached him, Saul said, "The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD's instructions." 14 But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?"

Now what was so wrong in destroying the blemished and preserving the best of the sheep and cattle? After all, these were only spared to be sacrificed to God.

When Samuel confronted him, Saul defended his actions.

20 "But I did obey the LORD," Saul said. "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal."

Well, 2 out of 3 isn't bad. Or is it? After all Saul was only thinking of what was best for everyone. Right?

Wrong.
Check out how Samuel sums up Saul's actions.

OBEDIENCE to God’s voice is better than sacrifice.
REBELLION is equal to the sin of witchcraft.
ARROGANCE is no different from committing idolatry &
Since you REJECTED GOD'S WORD, God also has rejected you as King.

Strong words. What we may consider petty and inconsequential, God regards with extreme gravity. With God, partial obedience is no obedience and delayed obedience is still disobedience.

God's Word is NOT a suggestion or an option to be ignored.

His back against the wall, Saul concedes that he did violate God's command for fear of his men. He begs Samuel to forgive him and accompany him one last time to worship God so he doesn't lose face before the elders. (Yes, It IS possible to resist God and still participate in an act of worship!) Finally, it's Samuel who fully executes God's word. He slays Agag before returning home to grieve Saul until his death.

It's true Saul was anointed king on God's instructions (I Sam 9:16 - 17), but God only gave Israel the kind of king they wanted. They wanted to be on par with the other nations - a worthy king who would lead them and fight their battles just like the kings of the nations around them. They rejected the headship of God for the leadership of man. So God agreed to their demands and gave them Saul.

Saul embodied every proud aspiration of man. A man we're more than happy to have take charge and lead us to glory. Society constantly worships at the altar of good looks, talents and charisma and Saul fit neatly into the mold of this idol. What's more, Saul was anointed of God, empowered by His Spirit and even flowed in the gift of prophecy! Saul was an accomplished leader; an important protagonist in the annals of Israel’s kings. But failure to carry out God's clear instructions, exposed how spiritually bankrupt he really was.

Some pastors are convinced that God chose them for their extraordinary leadership skills. Can you really imagine God saying, “Tom is a true visionary, Dick is a keen strategist and Harry can get people to where he needs them to be (whether they like it or not!) - I gotta have them on my team”?

If this is what God is looking for, then Saul would have been the man after God's own heart. But he was nowhere on that list.

There could be a question at the back of your mind.
Didn't God see this coming? Surely God could have warned His people about Saul?

More to follow....

Blast from the past

2008-02-03T00:52:00.001+08:00

God has placed in each soul an apostle to lead us upon the illumined path. Yet many seek life from without, unaware that it is within them. - Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931)

Don't underestimate the ordinary

2008-01-26T01:02:00.001+08:00

I was worried about the future, wondering what it is I could do to make a decent living now that I no longer worked in the church. I know it was no mistake that I gave up pursuing a career in the corporate sector but what was it then that God had called me into? What should I do? Whom do I see? Where do I apply? So on so forth. And God being God, chose a movie to speak so clearly to me. I was watching the movie Paycheck starring Ben Affleck and Uma Thurman.

You can read about it in detail at this link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paycheck_(film)

The hero had a envelope filled with ordinary items that he did not recognise or recollect but which was crucial to helping him escape from life-threatening situations and finally leading him to the truth.

God said I have already deposited in your life what you will need for the future but you don't recognise them simply because they are too ordinary for anyone to take notice. But I know what your future entails and I will give you the details when it is time. You can try to figure out the what, how, why and when but you won't succeed because only I know what's in store for you. Just learn to trust my leading and at the precise moment, you will understand why I worked in the way I did. You can trust me for I make no mistakes and I cannot fail.

You have to love the way God speaks! No secret codes to decipher, no clues to break and no need for second guessing what it is He is saying to us.

I am still learning what it is to serve an Extraordinary God!

I started writing this post in Nov 2007. It is now Jan 2008 and I am teaching a basic English course in a local college. Teaching is my thing and English is (strangely) my first language! A happy combination for me. I get to work AND enjoy what I do at the same time! The majority of my students are from a home for the handicapped and they are simply precious!

For those of you who didn’t know, I was without a job for 8 months after resigning from the church I was serving in. I was so messed up that I couldn't work even if I wanted to. But God marvelously provided for me - I reconnected with my nephews and nieces in Dubai and then had a wonderful holiday in South Africa. I spent time with family and old friends and even found time to make new ones. I ate well, slept well and spent lots of time just chilling with God and allowing Him to speak into my heart. I had time to de-stress and work on this blog which is fast becoming a hobby of mine.

I just love this God who takes really good care of His sheep of whom I am happy to be one!

Changing Garments

2007-11-23T21:39:00.001+08:00

Changing Garments

Christine Beadsworth
South Africa

Fresh Oil releases newsletter
Apr 02, 2006
www.freshoilreleases.com

To all God’s precious sons (be they male or female)

I would like to begin by sharing something I saw in the Spirit this morning. Before me stood a person dressed in long liturgical robes, complete with regalia and signs of office. Then I saw this person begin to remove his priestly robes piece by piece. He laid them aside and handed in his resignation from the priestly order. Then he began to put on fresh robes, supplied by an attendant at hand. These were rich garments, giving the impression of royalty. As he stood there in these new yet obviously ancient garments he seemed to question what he was supposed to do next. The answer came, “ walk in them!” Then a scepter was held out to him. He took hold of it and held it high above his head. As he moved it back and forth and extended it in front of him, the scepter changed to a sword and then back to a scepter during the movement of his arm.

As I pondered what I had seen, the Holy Spirit had me begin to personally pray through and complete the actions I had seen the person do. Then He began to unfold the message in what I had witnessed: “There are many born into the Body of Christ who have worn and walked in the robes of the priesthood. They have faithfully attended to their duties, serving in the temple according to their set times and appointed places. They have done this out of love for Me. They have given of their time and substance. Yet they have failed to understand this one thing. They were not born as priests after the order of Aaron. They were born as royal priests after the order of Melchizadek. One is an earthly order; the other a heavenly bloodline. They were born of an ancient and incorruptible Seed; the Living Word. Because of this misunderstanding as to their bloodline, many have subscribed to a system they are not truly a part of. They are not of this world, just as I am not of this world. They have allowed an earthly religious system to ‘name them and claim them’ as its own. They have allowed themselves to be clothed in priestly garments belonging to an earthly order; an order which in fact was brought to a close when the old order of things passed away and the new heavenly order came into being. They have allowed themselves to be relegated and delegated to different corners of the same religious prison. They have served faithfully in their manmade divisions, receiving the approval, decorations and promotions of a works-based system; year after year offering the same sacrifices. But now the time is coming when I will remove the old dry husks of their liturgical robes and reveal the incorruptible Seed planted deep within. They will rightly align themselves with their blood-bought heritage as priests of the ancient Melchizadek order, after the pattern of the First-born from among the de ad. They will put on the royal garments that have been prepared and waiting in heavenly places for this time and begin to walk in a revelation of their identity as part of a royal bloodline of servant-priests. The manifestation of the sons of God will be after this manner, a breaking forth out of a hard dry seed-case of religious mental restriction into the full freedom of indestructible life working within the sons of the Kingdom. Then shall the sword of My Word become a scepter extended over situations, judging righteously and ruling in the earth; declaring, “IT IS WRITTEN …!”

Beloved, we were not grafted into the fig tree of religion but into the olive tree, where the capacity for continually flowing anointing is stored up. As long as we have the mindset that we are of the Aaronic priesthood, we will never function in the kingly anointing in the earth. The Aaronic priesthood was condemned to going through the same rituals year after year without any lasting deliverance or freedom from sin. We were not born into that family, an earthly family. We were born into an inheritance far above that. In this priesthood, there was no opportunity provided to rule in any way; the priests functioned totally within the four walls of the temple system and had to protect themselves from being contaminated by anything unclean. This meant that only those who were born Jews could receive the benefits of the religious system. Jesus came into the world, not to save only those in the four walls of a man-made building but to save the whole world. The tearing of the veil portrayed a removal of any separating wall between God and man. No longer would another human being have to represent our case before the ark of His presence and bring us word from the throne-room. Yet still there exists within the church a mentality of waiting until Sunday to go and ‘receive’ the Word. This mindset is one of the vestiges of an old religious system. We actually have access to the Father at any given moment and the Word dwells within us and furthermore, we have the Holy Spirit Who progressively leads us into all truth.

It is time for us to take another look at our ‘birth certificates’ and find out whose name has been filled in as ‘parent’. There are some who have been claimed by the religious spirit for its own ends, to have our gifts used for the benefit of a religious system which attaches no worth to the slave-labour it employs. Some of us have voluntarily subscribed to belong to this group, even paying yearly subscriptions to ensure our names remain on the roll and that we receive the indoctrination updates designed to keep us enslaved. Praise God for the light that is being released from Heaven at this time to cause us to truly see, to understand the truth of who we really are in Christ and to be set free.

When one belongs to an organization, one’s name is on their database and they have one’s residential and contact details. This is in order for them to be able to supply one with any information they wish to convey to one as a recorded member of that organization. When one wishes to resign and sever membership, it has to be done officially so that one is removed from their database. Beloved, we need to serve notice on the religious spirit that we will no longer be a part of its endeavors; that we refuse to receive any messages it sends out, be they snail-mail or email; that it needs to stamp across any forms in its possession with our names on, ‘TRANSFERRED’ because we have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness (even the darkness of religious enlightenment) into the Kingdom of Light. Our bloodline is now that of the Lamb that was slain and any inheritance passed down to us will come only from Him, not from any earthly bloodline. We must refuse to serve the goals of a religious system any longer, remembering that we are not wrestling against flesh and blood but principalities and powers.. We must remove every vestige of religious garment that has been placed upon us by any system of man, fold them up and return them. Don’t forget to remove the signet rings representing any authority delegated by man, for we cannot wear both the Father’s ring and that of the earthly realm of government at the same time. The Melchizadek priesthood rules from a seated position at the right hand of the Father. We need to unravel the turban of tight religious mindsets that have formed strongholds in our understanding and take captive every thought to obedience to Christ alone.

This resignation and de-robing is only the first part of our instruction from the throne-room. Secondly, we need to put on our tailor-made royal robes of the Melchizadek order, including the clean turban of a fresh mindset. Then thirdly, once we have clear revelation of our identity as Royal priests, we need to walk in the good works prepared for us.

This whole procedure sounds relatively simple but will in fact be a process of steadily increasing light; first to reveal to us the filthiness of the robes we have worn and secondly to provide light by which we can don the waiting royal garments.

Zec 3:3 Joshua, standing before the Lord, was dressed in dirty clothes.
Zec 3:4 The Lord spoke to his attendants, "Get him out of those filthy clothes," and then said to Joshua, "Look, I've stripped you of your sin and dressed you up in clean clothes."
Zec 3:5 I spoke up and said, "How about a clean new turban for his head also?" And they did it--put a clean new turban on his head.

When we know this truth, we will be set free to rule in kingly authority. When we understand the power invested behind the scepter, then we will confidently raise the sword of the Living Word and declare it over those in bondage and any area of unrighteousness or injustice. The scepter of the Lord will be extended from Zion (ps 110:2).The scepter is the sword and the sword is the Word. It is by the unchanging Word, settled forever in Heaven, that we rule in the earth.

It is time for that incorruptible seed to burst forth from its casing and push into the light of a new Day!

Fact or Fiction?

2007-11-22T12:25:00.001+08:00

Christianity began in Palestine as a relationship, moved to Greece and became a philosophy, went to Rome and became an institution, moved to Europe and became a culture, finally it came to America and became an enterprise.” - Richard Halverson

What do you think?

The pain of life

2007-11-16T13:23:00.001+08:00

Today I woke up with a dark cloud hanging over my head.

God,I want my day in court!

I want to be both judge and jury over the people who used and misused me. I want them to taste the tears they forced me to drink. I want them to suffer for shredding my hopes and feeding it to the wind. I want them to know how painstakingly long it takes to heal the deep wounds of betrayal. I want them to spend sleepless nights wondering "What did I do wrong?". I want them to grieve the innocence of a childhood lost forever. I want them to feel like the freak I have become. I want to wipe the smile of their faces as they did mine. I want justice and I want it yesterday.

I want.

I want.

I want.

Jesus, please save me from myself.

Worship 101

2007-11-08T22:16:00.005+08:00

Another word i think that's worth reclaiming is 'WORSHIP'. Today worship is used to refer to the time of singing we have in our service. We ask, "Where do you worship?" or "Did you enjoy the time of worship?"

Interestingly, the first time we encounter the word worship in the Bible is in Genesis 22

2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."

Abraham had waited 25 years for his son and heir and now God was asking Abraham to sacrifice him? How did Abraham respond? Read on.

3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?""Yes, my son?" Abraham replied."The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

Wait. There was no worship leader rostered for this worship service. No musicians, musical instruments or back-up singers. No music to touch Abraham's emotions and lead him to peaks of praise. No congregation to chorus the cheerful refrain of joyous hymns. No pageantry and props of a carefully coordinated liturgy. This was between God and Abraham. There would be no spectators.

What happened next?

11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!""Here I am," he replied.12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."

Abraham was willing to execute God's command even if it meant the death of his dream. That was his act of worship. And we know his obedience won God's eternal blessing.

But today corporate worship has become a time where we simply render lip service to God. Many sing beautifully and clap enthusiastically but they return home to continue their rebellious existence. How can we say we worship God when we trivialize His commands? Can a musical performance (no matter how flawlessly executed) take the place of true worship which is obedience to God's word? God is looking for worshippers - those who will worship Him in spirit and truth.

'When the music fades

And all is stripped away

And I simply come

Longing just to bring

Something that's of worth

That will bless your heart

Bridge:

I'll bring you more than a song

For a song in itself

Is not what you have required

You search much deeper within

Through the way things appear

You're looking into my heart

King of endless worth

No one could express

How much you deserve

Though I'm weak and poor

All I have is Yours

Every single breath

Refrain:

I'm coming back to the heart of worship

Coz it's all about you

It's all about you Jesus

I'm sorry Lord for the thing I made it

When its all about You

It's all about You Jesus'

- Matt Redman

Back to Basics

2007-11-07T20:05:00.001+08:00

Words today have evolved and changed so much so that they bear little or no resemblance to their original meaning. You still spell them the same way but the meaning that was originally attached to it has been replaced by another.

Some words in our christian vocabulary need re-defining too. 'CHURCH' is a good example of a word that got re-invented and eventually took on a life of its own. We say, "I go to church every Sunday" or "Which church do you attend?" as if it refers to a place or activity but it didn't use to be that way.

When Jesus said "I will build my church", he wasn't referring to a building project. He was talking about a living breathing body of Christ believers. He challenged the religious leaders to destroy the temple which He would raise up again in 3 days (John 2: 18-22). They thought he meant the temple that stood in Jerusalem. But He was talking about the death of his physical body and the raising of a body of believers that He would indwell by the Holy Spirit. 'Church' in actual fact refers to you and me. You and I are the living temples that house God's presence and Jesus is the high priest who makes us worthy to come to God.

We do not automatically become His body by simply signing on the dotted line. You can fill in an application to become a member of an institution but to be joined to Christ's body is a different thing altogether.

John 10 makes it clear - please take a moment to read this.

3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.
7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

[Compare this with how western ranch owners cruelly brand their sheep and employ cowboys and sheep dogs to round up their herds. On the other hand eastern shepherds use a unique call/whistle to get their sheep to follow them]

Jesus does not recognise us by our doctrinal position or denominational preference. Membership certs mean nothing to him. He knows who belongs to him by their willingness to obey his voice and follow his leading.

So if Jesus is your shepherd, then you are his sheep. And if Jesus is your head, then you are his body. God entrusted only one person for the task. His One and Only Son. One flock with one shepherd. I read somewhere, that the diverse denominations we have in the world today is more a testimony to our division than it is of our unity. I totally agree.

The answer is not calling for ecumenical oneness - trying to find common ground to agree on. Jesus called people to HIMSELF; not a denomination, movement, community, creed or cause. If you reject His headship over your life, you detach yourself from His body. And we know a headless body is a dead body! The Body of Christ has only one Head.

[Trivia: How many heads does the institutional church have? Lets see...pope, cardinals, bishops, elders, deacons, senior pastors, cell/zone/cluster leaders, ministry heads etc. Friends, there is no hierarchy in God's house.]

Sadly, God has been relegated to 52 days on the calendar (with special mention on Easter and Christmas, of course) and a fixed home address. Once discipleship identified us with our Lord and Master Jesus Christ but today evidence of membership is a worthless certificate. Pledges, decision cards and baptismal certs. These are mere tokens, reflecting a decision we made in the past and by no means are they indicative of our standing with God.

There is a test you can do to find out if you are His disciple. It's found in John 15. Read it and tell me in all honesty. Do you qualify?

You may be surprised to find who God actually has on His list.

No sex please, we're married.

2007-10-24T23:44:00.001+08:00

His name is Bill.
Her name is Betty.

He's a high school English teacher.
She's a homemaker by choice.

He pays the bills, mows the lawn and takes out the trash.
She cooks and cleans and does the laundry.

He volunteers at the soup kitchen every fortnight.
She teaches Sunday School every 3rd sunday of the month.

His teenage students feel he's too cute for the classroom.
She can still turn some heads whenever she goes for her evening jog.

When he's not tinkering with his bike, he likes to have a beer with the guys. When she's not baking , she loves to shop or catch a movie with her girl friends.

At dinner, they sit down to a healthy balanced meal which she prepares.He makes sure she knows how much he appreciates her good cooking and she listens attentively while he shares the highlights of his day. And when its time to do the dishes, she rinses while he dries.

He unwinds with Larry King Live while she reads a chapter of Sophie Kinsella. An unspoken ritual that has remained unchanged with the passing years.

As the evening draws to a close and its time to turn in, the couple retire to their beautiful 4 poster bed complete with matching drapes and lush satin covers. When the lights go out, they lie side by side in the darkness with only the sound of their even breathing to break the silence.

That's a page out of the life of a happily married couple.

Except for one tiny detail.

Neither Bill nor Betty have ever had to make their bed the next morning.

Okay I made them up. Bill and Betty are cardboard cutouts. They are not real. But their sham of a marriage reminds me of the cardboard Christianity we practice in our churches today. All of the responsibility and none of the intimacy.

[I extracted these lines from the most passionate book in the bible - Song of Songs (NIV)]

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
for your love is more delightful than wine.
Take me away with you—let us hurry!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.

His left arm is under my head,
and his right arm embraces me.
My lover spoke and said to me,
"Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one, and come with me.

My lover is mine and I am his;
Until the day breaks
and the shadows flee,

His mouth is sweetness itself;
he is altogether lovely.
This is my lover, this my friend,
May the wine go straight to my lover,
flowing gently over lips and teeth
I belong to my lover,
and his desire is for me.

Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.

Do you wonder why church today feels sterile, cold, contained and controlled? Could it be we're so busy being committed, communal, relational, relevant, kingdomic, missional, evangelistic, mentoring, authentic _________ (fill in the blank with the latest christian fad/buzzword that's overtaken your church) etc.

All of Martha and none of Mary.

Do you wonder why you feel hollow and empty inspite of all the good and right things you do? Do you feel disoriented, lost even though everyone looks to you for guidance and inspiration? Do you envy those who talk to God on a first name basis? Does it puzzle you that they know Him so intimately even though they don't belong to a cell group? Worse, do they remind you of who you used to be at one time?

Its not too late, you know.

He's still smitten by you.

Prescription for fruitfulness

2007-10-14T20:08:00.001+08:00

1 Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

The Bible, Psalm 1 (New International version)

A match NOT made in heaven

2007-10-11T22:16:00.002+08:00

Abigail and Nabal.

A totally mismatched couple! How they ended up together in the first place is not told to us but there are different ways to tell a story and the bible chooses to begin where David makes his appearance.

David has been on the run for a while now and he makes a stop at the Desert of Maon. Fugitives, David and his men seek temporary shelter on Nabal's property. Nabal is an extremely wealthy man. David sends an appeal for food and other necessities but Nabal's response is typical of the arrogant man that he is. In his own words...

"Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. 11 Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?" - I Sam 25: 10 (NIV)

Interesting.

[Having shaken off the shackles of serving the institutional church, i find i am one of those without valid membership to any recognised fellowship. Which means i am dangerously independent having no accountability to those appointed its leaders. Since i have no spiritual covering, spiritual malfunction is imminent. Its nothing personal. That's how it works. If you don't subscribe to the system, it can't support you. Church membership does have its privileges.]

Back to the story. Nabal sends David's men packing but the servants quickly alert Nabal's wife to the possible consequences of his rash decision. Abigail wastes no time. She packs the necessary rations and saddles her donkey. She manages to intercept David's party on their way to massacre the entire household of Nabal.

She falls to the ground and begs David's forgiveness.

Her words betray a wisdom her husband does not possess.

[Allow me to paraphrase]
"Please don't pay any attention to my husband. Nabal means 'a fool' and the man has certainly lived up to his name. May God avenge you from all your enemies so you need never fight the battle to vindicate yourself. Your willingness to fight God's battles has earned you His eternal favour and granted your family lasting posterity. It doesn't matter that your life hangs in the balance because God is watching your back. Your enemies have already been served the death warrant. It's just a matter of time before you become king. But if you choose to take matters into your own hands now, you risk jeopardizing your excellent track record. While you will be fully justified in your actions, it will continue to weigh heavily on your conscience long after this trial has passed."

The woman's as smart as she's beautiful.

Abigail averts a tragedy and in the process saves David's reputation too.

David is full of praise for her and assures her that he will take her advice. Abigail then returns home to find a very drunken Nabal hosting a huge party. So she says nothing. The next morning, when he's sobered up, she tells him what she's done. His heart turns to stone and ten days later God strikes him dead.

David hears the news and asks Abigail to be his wife. She says yes (clever woman!) to David and marries him.

What is the moral of this story?
There are 3 conspicuous characters in this tale.

Nabal means 'fool', although I'm sure he didn't realise how well his name suited him. I Cor. 1:20 says, God counts the wisdom of this world as foolishness. Sadly, it has crept into the church (disguised as good governance) and much teaching has been influenced by renowned management gurus and leadership coaches. To the point it is hard to discern what is God’s and what is not.

Abigail (whose name means 'cause of joy') had learnt to rise above her adverse circumstances. Although she was married to Nabal, she was his wife only by name. Indeed, she was his 'better half' and refused to be a party to his unscrupulous dealings. She knew God and recognized that David was His true servant. She did not blindly defend her husband but acknowledged that David and his men had been unjustly treated. She used her influence to right the wrong to the end that David and his men received due honor.

My disillusionment with the religious institution is understandable but there are thousands who, while they serve the system do not identify with it. Their faith and conduct are exemplary and often their timely intercession has averted God's judgement on the 'Nabals' of the religious system giving them space to repent. I salute them.

I pray that Abigail has the courage to boldly confess Christ before those who would rather die defending the religion of legalism and works. Her confession will break its power to dominate and enslave her so that she is free to be joined to the One who is full of grace and truth.

For those who identify with David - once the king's favourite but now his sworn enemy; perhaps you too have been rejected by the system you served so well, but do not despair. Jesus too was regarded as an outcast by the religious order of his day. Be patient. God will exonerate you in time. He is faithful and will allow no sin to go unpunished. If you act according to the dictates of the flesh, it will hinder the working of the Holy Spirit who is cultivating Christ' character in you.

David represents the Christ. The failure of the system will make many widows but Christ will make honest women of them because Jesus is our true bridegroom! And just like Abigail, our new found freedom in Christ will release us to run with God's holy purpose. God's kingdom will be firmly established in justicec and righteousness and Christ will be the Head of His Church once more.

A Love Story

2007-10-01T22:35:00.001+08:00

Hidden within her frail and worn frame, throbbed the bloody pulp of a pulverized heart. Too many times to remember. But experience had only hardened her resolve to give it "one more try" and try she must, if she was to be whole again.

This stranger intrigued her with his story. He seemed sincere enough except for some audacious claim of being the only one for her. Ever the cynic, she compared him to past suitors who wooed her with tricks and trinkets. Until he showed her the holes in his hands and the scars on his back.

How could she be sure he wasn’t going to be another heart-ache on her list? Another hurt to handle? But what if he was THE ONE? Dare she risk losing salvation? Rest for her oh so weary heart! Healing for the wounds time had forgotten to mend? Her face fixed a smile while her heart weighed the possibilities. She forced the fears out of her head and willed herself to think of sunrise and butterflies.

Timidly, she listened to his assuring voice. Weakly, she let him draw her into his arms. "Has my search for true love ended? Or is this just another game to survive? Where winners take all and losers live to die another day?" The fears returned but she caught the scream before it escaped her.

Gently he brushed the strand of hair from her face. Such tenderness! The gesture filled her with both pleasure and pain. Clumsily, she returned his caress, mustering all the trust of a little child to make it real. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers. His breath tasted warm and sweet and she closed her eyes to savor the moment. Anticipation was ripe and hope did not disappoint. His lips met hers and he breathed his life into her. The moment was like no other.

For the longest time, she searched his face. His eyes were bottomless pools of mystery inviting her to dive into a abyss of endless secrets to be discovered. She had been afraid to acknowledge it before but now she felt the desire stir within her. A restlessness, an unsettling in her spirit. A holy discontent. She felt the last of her defenses crumble and faith march bravely to the fore..

She took the plunge. Determinedly, she shook her hair free from the cruel grip of domineering guilt and shame. His approving laughter rang out loud and clear. It was music to her soul! She kicked off her shoes of past regrets, skipping and spinning like a carefree child. She wanted to dance until she was lost in his love. The melody was irresistable, calling her to abandon the familiarity of the beaten path to share an unknown destiny with this stranger.

All fear was gone because perfect love had come.

Her conscience washed clean and her innocence reborn. The lightness in her heart testified to the change. Wait. There was something else. Imperceptible at first but slowly growing in clarity and strength until it was staring her full in the face. An intuition supernaturally birthed in her spirit.

“Who I used to be will never matter again. The future has changed because I am no longer the same. I have a new name. His."

A child loved by the Heavenly Father. A bride burning in passion for her King.

Created for His eternal pleasure.

Eager and ready for adventure, she turned to the Son of God and welcomed Him into her world.

The curse of serving two masters

2007-09-22T20:11:00.002+08:00

3 years ago, the church i was serving in suffered a leadership crisis...the senior pastor resigned and many people left, hurt and disillusioned. For some inexplicable reason, i became obsessed with the character of Jonathan in the Bible.

If you study him you'll discover that he really was a fine individual. (1 & 2 Samuel)

He was the firstborn to King Saul and heir apparent to the throne. He was a valiant warrior fearless in the face of danger and all his men regarded him a champion. One time, he tasted some honey not knowing that his father had rashly forbidden the men to eat. When he was found out and sentenced to die, his men spoke up for him and rescued him from certain death. History records how he attacked a Philistine outpost with only his armour bearer for backup. His faith in God was echoed in his words, "Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few" (ISam 14:6).

When it became clear that David was going to be Israel's next king, Jonathan simply submitted to God's plan and loved David as his own. But he was also a filial son and continued to serve his father although he knew God had removed the kingdom from him. This conflict of loyalties did not distort his objectivity and ability to discern between right and wrong. When David told him of Saul's plot to kill him, he chose the role of peacemaker. But Saul's promise to relent did not last. Only when Jonathan witnessed for himself his father's madness, did he finally believe Saul was intent on murdering his rival.

He was a man who truly loved God's people. He didn't believe in ousting his father but patiently waited for God's timing. He always believed David would one day be king and that he would become David's second in command.

While he refused to be an accomplice to his father's wicked plan, he still fought alongside him in the war against the Philistines. It was one such battle against the Philistines that took the lives of Saul and his sons including Jonathan. A tragic end for a noble soul. King David grieved for his friend whom he loved as a brother and wrote a moving eulogy for him.

Here was the difficulty.

Jonathan committed no crime yet he died in defeat, his body shamelessly displayed on enemy walls as a trophy of war.

How could God allow Jonathan to become a casualty?

How could almighty God who judged between the wicked and righteous allow such a travesty of justice?

But the confusion melted away when God spoke these words to me 3 years later.

You are Jonathan. And you too will die if you continue to serve the House of David while still being loyal to Saul.

Could this be you too?

Listen.

You don't get extra brownie points for serving a religious system that has already rejected Jesus. Sadly, many precious men and women of God have become casualties because they tried to serve two masters. For some it is affecting them emotionally. For others, it has taken a toll on the physical body - breathlessness, backaches, migraines and other chronic ailments. They've consulted doctors and counselors for a cure. But they can't see a way out of their predicament because the system is paying their salary.

In Matthew 6, Jesus says -
24"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

Come away even if it means you have to live without the comforts and conveniences you are accustomed to. If you can hear His voice calling you to join David in the wilderness but you're choosing to remain in Saul's palace, please please reconsider! The cost of compromise is too high. There is only one Master worthy of our love and devotion - The Lord Jesus Christ.

Who do you pledge allegiance to?

Who is your Master?

End of an era

2007-04-24T16:56:00.001+08:00

The end of an era.

After having served the institutional church for 7 years 3 months, i have left it all - my position, my ministry, my fixed stipend, my wonderful students (and very possibly my credibility as a bible teacher!) to follow the ONE who loved me and gave His life for me.

i am so sick and tired of mediocre christianity. Weary of trying to please both God and the religious community. i learnt (the hard way) that you can't atttempt to do that without seriously damaging yourself emotionally and physically. It is my experience, that when you try to serve God under the yoke of an institution it can literally choke the life out of you!

If I try to make sense of the turmoil i have experienced as fulltime church worker, these past few years (and more intensely the past few months), this is what I discovered. Like Job, I have been wrestling to understand why the 'spirituality' that surrounds me is at odds with the God I personally encountered more than 20 years ago.

And what was worse is that i worked so hard to reconcile the two. Most unhelpful were distant relatives of Job's friends who constantly pitched their theories of God even though these proved inadequate and shallow. But who was i to disagree? In learning and experience they were more 'qualified' to expound on the theology of God and His ways.

But tell me, why is the God in my Bible more pure, more righteous, more just, more loving & compassionate than the god we serve in our religious insitutions? Why does this God i know forbid me to have any other gods beside Him. What kind of God takes everything you hold precious, leaving you empty handed? The jealous kind. The Old testament God who takes great pleasure in the aroma of roasting flesh on the sacrificial altar. He rips out even the seemingly harmless and innocent affections in your life.

Stripping you of every earthly security that has helped you sleep soundly at night. Stopping at nothing until He has the satisfaction of knowing that all of you belongs to Him - body and soul. Until the only thing keeping you sane and centered is the seed of His word that He sows carefully in the bloody soil of your heart. For nothing must stand in the way of your devotion to Him. Isn't that what it means to love God with all your heart, soul and strength?

Strange. How different from the god we worship on Sundays, don't you think?

I know something now that i did not know then. The ways of man are in complete opposition to the ways of God. Today the institution that calls itself 'church' is governed by man's rules not God's laws. But how can it be his Body that chooses to follow after 'visionaries' who preach a different gospel from the incarnated Christ?

Stop lying to yourself. Stop compromising the truth. Stop trying to reconcile the two. Its time to choose whom you will serve.

But what balm for my broken heart? My broken body? Only the words of Jesus bring healing.

Come to me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. - Matthew 11: 28-30

Gospels revisited - Part 1

2007-04-12T14:49:00.001+08:00

Mark1:9-11
It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Mark 9: 2-8
Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— 6 because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.
7 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” 8 Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.
-The Bible (NKJV)

Twice God commends His Son. Under Jewish law, two witnesses are all that’s needed to establish a fact. Since God can only swear by Himself, He alone gives witness to His Chosen one. Not once but twice. And nowhere in the Bible, will we find God conferring similar praise to anyone apart from His Son.

The only man God ever endorsed was His Son.
The only ministry God ever endorsed was obedience to His Word.
The only method God ever endorsed was the way of the cross.

Guess what? Nothing's changed.

Why do we insist on an individual to mentor us? Forcing ourselves to fit into a ministry mould? Draining our brains trying to hit on the right strategy or method to carry out kingdom business?

What then should our response be? Read the gospels. Examine the claims Jesus made about Himself. Think about what He said (in particular what He didn't say).

Jesus never said, "I know a way"
Jesus never said, "I know of a truth"
Jesus never said, "I know about life"

He said "I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE. No one can come to the Father except through me".

The woman in ICU

2007-04-04T18:39:00.002+08:00

A woman chronically ill occupies a bed in the Intensive Care Unit. A host of expert doctors have been assigned to her case. But none have succeeded in waking her from her deep sleep. They’ve studied her medical history from every angle and pored over ancient texts for answers. They’ve experimented with various theories and filled universities with their learning. They’ve run a battery of tests till there were no surfaces left on her person to probe or puncture. Still she lays there dead to the world, baffling the wisest of worldly men.

The search for a cure has spawned extensive research and endless intellectual debates all over the world. Experts have been consulted, books have been authored and conferences conducted to discuss the peculiarities of her case. She's even unwittingly lent her name to organizations who’ve dedicated their cause to her living memory. She is loved and supported by people she will never meet or know.

She has survived every groundbreaking discovery in the field of medical science. No expense has been spared. No stone left unturned. But to no avail. A machine now breathes for her.

Her tired caregivers have now turned their efforts to making her more presentable to her kind well-wishers. They've disguised her sickly pallor with a rosy blush, painted her shrunken eyelids with rainbow hues and tinted her blue lips, a brilliant red. A liberal splash of floral scents masks the presence of bed sores while a specially tailored garment keeps atrophying limbs out of sight.

Those who step into her exclusive quarters are greeted with a view of a sensuous woman dressed in designer silk, reclining on smooth satin sheets and supported by soft fluffy pillows. Soothing music plays in the background so visitors are not alarmed to her real condition. An IV supplies nourishment to her veins while an invisible catheter discretely disposes her wastes. Her doctors are ever ready in case of an emergency. Their professionalism and excellent bedside manner has everyone believing she couldn't be in better hands.

But her doctors know a secret. Their patient is only useful to them as long as she sleeps on in oblivion. Can you imagine the consequences if she woke up? Her condition has provided hundreds of jobs and kept their established centers of 'wellness' solvent and debt-free for years. In fact, in the event she expires, they have planned a fancy funeral and a cemetery plot on prime property where the public can pay to picnic while fondly recalling the once famous woman she used to be.

13 "From the least to the greatest,
all are greedy for gain;
prophets and priests alike,
all practice deceit.

14 They dress the wound of my people
as though it were not serious.
'Peace, peace,' they say,
when there is no peace.

(Jeremiah 6: 13-14, New International Version)

How will we answer Jesus when he asks what we have done with His Body, His Bride, His Church?

EVERYTHING - Tim Hughes

2007-04-03T13:45:00.001+08:00

God in my living
There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping

God in my resting
There in my working
God in my thinking
God in my speaking

Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything

God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting

God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me
the hope of glory
You are everything

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me
the hope of glory
Be my everything

A God who reconciles

2007-02-08T15:02:00.001+08:00

It's strange.
In the last one month, 4 of my friendships suddenly resolved themselves. I had nothing to do with it. Really!

1. M. who i had lost touch with for about 4 yrs. I was insensitive to her feelings and she had hung up on me. I tried to apologise many times but she never returned my calls. I spied her coming down the escalator at the hypermarket. She smiled at me and that was all the encouragement i needed! We exchanged handphone numbers again. She had lost her phone a couple of times (it appears she never received my messages).

2. J. one of my favourite students who dropped out of my bible class wrote me an email apologizing for quitting the way he did. That incident had made it a little awkward for us to be around each other. I asked him to forgive me too.

3. S. who warmly responded to my New Year wishes after i had given up on us remaining friends. She even gave me her new email address to keep in touch! I am absolutely relieved I am still her friend!

4. L. who didn't say goodbye when she suddenly left the house we were renting together nearly 3 years ago. That really gave me grief because we got along quite well.

L. tells me it must be God who is tying up some loose ends for me. Like prophet Elisha who settled his personal affairs before he accepted his new commission.

Honestly i don't know whether this means i am moving on but I do know it HAS to be God because i asked Him to fix my broken relationships. It's bad testimony for those of us who are supposed to be in the business of reconciling people back to Him! There are a couple more.... but God knows when and how.

Praying with Paul (Colossians 1:9-12)

2007-02-08T14:08:00.001+08:00

God, fill me with the knowledge of your will

empty me of self-absorbed ambitions so that the full knowledge of your purpose fills me up to the brim. I do not want to be ignorant or dispassionate of your will for my life.

through all spiritual wisdom and understanding

help me discern what is your will, not by using human intellect but by discovering it through the revelation of your spirit. I don't want to guess or presume that I know what it is. How can the finite mind understand the intricate workings of your infinite wisdom? I don't want hints or suspicions. You are the God who speaks clearly, "this is the path, walk in it". Show me in Your Word. Explain it to my mind. Clarify it through others.

in order that I may live a life worthy of my Lord

I want to be a credible witness for you. I don't want to practice a different gospel from the one you preached. Consciously and consistently following in the Master's footsteps.

pleasing you in every way

to concentrate on making you proud of me without fear or favour of man. Even if nobody sees, let me always choose to walk in integrity before you. Even if I mess up, teach me to be responsible so you don't have to be ashamed of me.

bearing fruit in every good work

to succeed in every good work you've ordered me to do. 'Success' simply defined as doing your work your way. Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. Help me remember that I'm not doing this for monetary reward or man's applause but at the end of the day to hear you say, "Well done good and faithful servant".

growing in the knowledge of God

I want first-hand knowledge of you, personally tutored by your spirit. Like Mary who chose to spend her time sitting at your feet.

strengthen me with all power according to your glorious might

I can't dictate what you can or cannot do in and through me. All things are possible with you. My weakness? Simply an opportunity for you to show me how strong you are.

so that I may have great endurance and patience

the real goal of my faith is the cultivation of character. It's not what I can gain in terms of power, position or popularity. It is always about becoming more and more like you.

and joyfully give thanks to the Father, who has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light

bathe my heart with gratitude. Never let me forget what you have done for me eternally. You are my father. I am your heir. I have an incredible destiny in you. I am indeed blessed!

Who gets noticed in your church?

2006-12-05T12:31:00.001+08:00

I have observed that those who get noticed in my church are usually pastors & elders, leaders, theologians, foreign speakers, MU football fans, married (or dating) couples, the visibly gifted, intellectuals, successful white-collar professionals and quite recently singles below 40.

Others get noticed for the wrong reasons or don't seem to get noticed at all.

The way I have been feeling recently made me go back to the Bible to see what it says of how we should treat our brothers & sisters in the faith. In I Corinth 13, Paul talks about the community of believers as a human body...made up of many parts - each having a specific function that contributes to the health of the whole body.

The New Living Translation puts it this way....

One Body with Many Parts

12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

Could it be that many 'significant' people in our church are being given the respect and honour that rightly belongs to those we consider weaker and lesser ? If we are to take Paul's explanation seriously, then the people we ought to proudly honour and fiercely protect are the

Coffee servers

Ushers

Church workers

Janitors

Blue-collar employees

Unemployed

Single mothers

Singles

Divorced

Barren

Clerks and typists

Financially disadvantaged

Disabled

Dysfunctional

Minority group pastors

Elderly

Etc

When we do notice them, what do we do? Offer an obligatory (once-a-year) gesture of appreciation that fits neatly into an 'ang pow' packet? Treat them like a charity case? Perform random acts of kindness when we feel like it?

Honestly, how many of us take time to befriend them? Lavish our love and affection on them the way we do for the more high profile people of our church community? Defend them and protect them from the harsh realities of life? Ask them if they feel safe and loved in our fellowship? And worry if they don't?

Why? There are many reasons.

Because they deserve nothing less. Because it is just and fair. Because God commands it. Because without them the church will become self-indulgent, obese and riddled with disease. Because we are called to mirror the Christ who chose the stable, revealed himself to poor shepherds, dined with miserly tax-collectors, touched the lepers and died for sinners.

This Christmas, pick someone who is 'invisible' or rarely gets noticed. Pick someone who is 'undeserving'. Pick someone who faithfully serves without recognition. Pick a 'nobody' and then spoil them silly! I have a hunch that Jesus would like that....a lot.

He picked you, didn't He?

Enough said

2006-11-15T12:16:00.001+08:00

I was browsing in a pay less bookstore just looking for a bargain when i came across this book entitled 'In the eye of the storm' by Max Lucado. I just flipped it open and this quote caught my eye.

"A season of suffering is a small price to pay for a clear view of God"

Profound. I think its what Job would have said too.

My darling girl

2006-11-07T14:33:00.001+08:00

I am suffering from emotional stress. My breathing is laboured and just last week i felt it choking the very life out of me. I had to see Dr. Mike. He said i am headed for a nervous breakdown if i don't deal with it. Seems like I've been dealing with it forever. How long Lord? How long must i suffer the unjust practices of so called 'godly' men? Forgive you said. Let it go. Bury the past and don't look back. I do but i see it again & again.

What is forgiveness? It's cancelling the debt owed to you. It's choosing to bear the consequences of someone else's sin. It's accepting the pain of betrayal while releasing your offender from the punishment he deserves. It's a very noble thing to do. It is for that reason, Jesus is my hero. It's why i think Nelson Mandela is a great man. But it's so very very hard.

A counsellor suggested that I feel like this because I have not fully forgiven. Just adding insult to my injury and salt to my wounds. If I am doing it wrong, tell me how to make it right. You think i enjoy this?

I feel unappreciated, unloved, and at times hated without cause. I feel that discrimination is alive & well even in the community of faith today. I feel it's worse if you are female and single because you have none to speak on your behalf. You feel like a liability, a non-entity, a big zero. I say 'feel', coz i want so much to be proven wrong. You give and give to others and in the end your hands are empty. I ask myself, and for what? Spare me the sermons on dying to self. I think i died a long time ago. But if i'm dead, how come it hurts so much?

Last week i broke down. I told God, you had the best years of my life. Now i want what's left. And then i cried some more. I felt i had come to the end of myself. But it's funny. In desperation i called my friend and she's talking but it's his voice i hear. He calls me...my darling girl. I am so FOR you. I break down again but this time i feel his love washing my wounds...healing my pain.

1 O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
3 Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
4 Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
6 I will sing to the Lord
because he is good to me.

The Bible, Psalm 13 (New Living Translation)

10 habits of highly defective church leaders

2006-11-03T15:08:00.001+08:00

A slip of tongue gave me the idea for this post! :o)
A friend of mine was telling me about a book he had borrowed from the library. Instead of "7 habits of highly effective people" i heard it as 'highly defective people'. I was practically raised in church and throughout my life, i've come across many ‘interesting’ characters in various leadership roles. Some of them have left what i will call a lasting impression on me and my family... I have listed what i think are the most damaging (the word defective lends to this!). I'm sure you will recognize some of these characteristics in people you personally know and perhaps even yourself? I am not putting anyone down. I am guilty too. So read and learn!

10 Habits of Highly Defective Church Leaders

(in no particular order)

Flattery, intimidation and manipulation are useful tools to get people to do what you want (because NOTHING must stand in the way of God's work!).
Constantly put others down so you can feel good about yourself (But don't forget to add, "Just kidding!").
DON'T TOUCH THE LORD'S ANOINTED! is useful to deflect unwarranted advice. (Unfortunately it works just as well on constructive criticism but who cares?)
Encourage open & honest communication, then promptly silence the one who doesn't quite 'flow' with what leadership is saying. (I'm sure Jesus will agree that nothing's more important than corporate unity!)
Love and cherish only those who agree with you; don't bother with people who won't back you up. (What did you say? That's what pharisees do? No way!)
You can always mask serious character flaws with personal charm and charisma.
Perform unqualified psycho-analysis on people you consider weak & problematic. (Btw, we don't call it judging coz the bible prohibits it)
Remember that stinginess is a true sign of godly stewardship. (If you must give it away, make sure you take the credit)
Readily admit your weaknesses (Once people know, they've no choice but to live with it)
Why have personal confrontations when you can do it from the pulpit?

This is Jesus!

2006-10-26T14:41:00.093+08:00

This is Jesus
In His glory
King of Heaven dying for me,
It is finished,
He has done it
Death is beaten
Heaven beckons me.

Such love, such love

is this for me.

(I want us to just imagine that we're part of the curious crowd of people who followed Jesus around…)

We are impressed with his teaching and expert exposition of Holy Scriptures - such authority! Amazed at how he cleverly answers difficult questions thrown at him. We cheer when demons are expelled at his command and applaud when the lame walk and the blind see. Nothing is impossible for him! Why, he brings even the dead back to life! Do you remember how he raised Lazarus from the dead though he'd been lying in the grave for 4 days?

We're thrilled that he can feed multitudes with a few loaves of bread and still have leftovers in abundance. It warms our hearts to see lepers healed and restored to the community by a single touch. We nod approvingly as he takes little children into his arms to bless them. We marvel that he abandons protocol to mingle with tax-collectors and sinners - people considered misfits of conventional society.

We’re delighted at how he outwits the Pharisees who try to trick Him. We feel vindicated when he exposes the hypocrisy of religious leaders. We tremble at the way he clears the temple of greedy money-changers and dove sellers. What righteous indignation! A daring display of holy anger! Did you hear how he calmed the raging sea? How he walked on water? The people adore this Teacher, this Prophet, one of a kind Healer, Miracle-worker and Master over nature! Why, the crowd went wild, strewing their coats and palm branches before him as he rode into Jerusalem city. This god-man deserves to be King.

(But wait! This isn’t any run of the mill story with a Hollywood ending. This ‘John Wayne’ didn’t ride into the sunset.) We continue our journey.

What about when he was betrayed by one he called friend? When he was unlawfully arrested and suffered the sham of a court trial? When he was falsely accused yet said nothing in his own defense? When he was sentenced to death without just cause? When he surrendered his body to his torturers to be beaten and spat on? When he offered no resistance and made no last minute appeal? When he looked sadly into the faces of the bloodthirsty crowd that had forgotten all the good he’d ever done? When he silently endured the taunts and insults of brutish unrepentant men? When the soldiers nailed him to the wooden beam where he had to remain till he drew his final breath?

What did you feel?
Disbelief? Disappointment and disillusionment perhaps? A sense of hopelessness? Grief for the way his life was abruptly ended? Anger at the injustice he had to suffer? Maybe disgust because he could not save himself?

As he hangs there, dying, we hear him speak the words that release his murderers from their guilt, 'Father, forgive them! They don’t know what they are doing'.

Our feelings give way to revelation.
Shame. Humility. Awe. Praise. Gratitude. and finally Surrender.

It is there, at the foot of the cross, looking up at his broken and bleeding body that you and I must bow our head, bend our knee and call him … Saviour and Lord.

Because at that moment, we receive an epiphany. All of a sudden, we understand the meaning of grace. And unconditional love.

John3:16

¹⁶ “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

This is Jesus in his glory…. his limelight moment.

Words fail me Jesus.

You are my true hero.
You have shown us the way. Now teach us to follow you.

The resilient rose

2006-10-13T12:48:00.001+08:00

I was online, searching for information on the desert rose and stumbled on some pictures. Wow! 3 words! Beautiful. Brilliant. Breathtaking! I never imagined they looked like that. The word desert itself does not immediately conjure up such visions of beauty. Think dry, dusty & dehydrated instead! Apparently, the desert rose a.k.a adenium or impala lily is a unique breed. One website said they are recognizable at a single glance coz they look like no other plant.

As i was reading .... i was reminded how last year, i was moaning to God about how much i disliked being in a period of dryness and being unproductive. You know when your prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling and life is temporarily suspended in time? (Seems as though, much of my life experiences this kind of weather.) Well, after i was done moaning (God listened quietly, coz He's such a good listener!) He offered, "I've got a new name for you - Desert rose". I asked Him, "Desert rose? Why desert rose?" He chuckled, "You prefer cactus?". That cracked me up but no i certainly didn't want to be called a cactus.

In my mind it means someone who reacts to a difficult situation by building protective defenses around them - becoming bitter & unapproachable in the process. On the other hand, the desert rose is someone who chooses to bloom regardless of what they have to endure. Interestingly enough, both plants store water in their stems to survive infrequent rains but while the needles of the prickly cactus draw blood, the rose blooms to bring pleasure (desert rose has no thorns). I know God's delays are not necessarily denials and i also know that God is right on time but it's still hard to wear a smile when the sun's out. However, since the resilient rose does not rely on the weather, i decided neither should i. I am happy to say, i survived the dry spell!

Back to the website in question, this site advocates growing the adeniums as nature intended and guarantees 'individuality of spiritual magnitude' if grown from seed. Apparently this approach yields a healthier and disease resisting plant. Uncanny! But i burst out laughing when I came across this line, 'We respect periods of dormance and dryness'.

Going down the blogging track

2006-10-05T16:28:00.002+08:00

Yes, i am trying out this new thing called blogging! Well, new for me anyways. Meera helped me set it up, but i am still feeling my way around. i am discovering its like buying a new pair of shoes. You want something comfortable but which makes a daring statement at the same time. Know what i mean? Its got to flatter your feet without pinching your toes. The heel's got to be just right - high enough so you can strut your stuff but won't trip you when you need to hightail it out of someplace real quick! It must complement the clothes you wear but be able to warrant a conversation piece all on its own.

i wonder if it will become huggy and comfy like my favourite well-worn jeans..... (hmm there's another analogy for you..). Or will i have to stick it in the recycling bin, perhaps kiv for another day?...... Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Olé!!