JEWELS OF THE DEEP

Always on the lookout for something pretty, I noticed a small nugget of smooth glass as I walked along the beach. When it’s smooth and polished, an ordinary piece of glass seems precious, like something to be showcased in a beautiful wind chime, necklace charm, or the like. The ocean does the same thing to wood. A smoothed and polished piece of driftwood can be changed from a worthless branch to the material designer furniture and art are made from. Each piece of wood or glass that is smoothed by sand and water is unique, and some have even been collected or sold.

Nature is full of examples where harsh circumstances convert something of little worth or beauty into something exceptional and valuable: the pearl, the diamond, the hardwood that grows high in the mountains. Even maple syrup needs cold and long winters for there to be enough sap for production. You can also find a lot of examples of harsh circumstances creating extraordinary people—those who are empathetic and gifted with wisdom, hope, joy, patience, self-sacrifice, or other admirable qualities.

But where you actually have to go to breed these qualities is not always pretty, and often, it’s a place you do not want to go to, a place you fight going to.
I’ve never experienced anything extremely traumatic in my life. I still have all my limbs, no one’s been shot before my eyes or died in my arms, but there have been times in my life when God took me to that broken place through other means, like embarrassing big mistakes, changes I did not like, personal relationships that ended, health issues, and other things that have roughed up my life the way the ocean waves assault a piece of glass.

The first time I found those smoothed pieces of glass on a beach, I was so excited. I had all kinds of ideas of what I would do with these treasures. And to be sure that I would never run out of beautiful smooth glass, I decided I would make my own. Finding pieces of sharp broken glass was never hard to do. I found a few in different colors: brown, light green, dark green, transparent, and even a light blue piece. I placed these soon-to-be treasures in a little pool of water and sand that was trapped in a rock basin that the waves washed over constantly and anticipated what I was sure I would find in a few short weeks.
Of course, when I came back to that spot a few weeks later, I was not impressed with what I found. The glass was still there, obviously roughed up a bit, but it was not smooth. It was not beautiful—not yet.

The point is, you have to be patient. It takes time for the glass to become smooth, for the grain of sand to become a pearl, for the lump of coal to become a diamond, and for you and me to develop the gentleness and brokenness that Christ is known for.

The next time you feel a wave crash over you—maybe you’ve tried something and failed, maybe someone you care about doesn’t seem to care as much about you, maybe there is something you have had your heart set on that just doesn’t seem to be materializing—whatever your “wave” might be, just remember what it’s doing to you.

It’s making you patient. It’s teaching you to endure. It’s drawing out your empathy. It’s showing you that God is the only one who does not disappoint. It’s teaching you a peace that is not based on circumstances. Whatever it’s teaching you, I think you’ll be happy and at peace with the outcome.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” And, as much as I don’t love tough stuff, I have to agree with Paul there. I know that each wave that has bashed into me has changed a little bit of me for the better.

—

Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

THE BOOKMARK

I’m sitting here staring at the side of my computer screen, where I’ve stuck one of the cutest little bookmarks I’ve ever owned. It has a picture of a mother hugging a little child, and a quote from Charles Dickens at the bottom: “It is not a slight thing when they, who are so fresh from God, love us.” When I read that quote, it thrilled me through and through. I resolved to use that bookmark for my next reading project. Unfortunately, I failed to immediately tuck the dear little bookmark safely away, and so it lay, halfway to greatness, on my desk—at just the right height for a very cute short person (my three-year-old daughter) to spot it and pick it up.

This bookmark is one of those with three sides of a little square cut out near the top, so it can be hooked over the top of a page and stay in place. By the time I noticed that Kimberly had found it, she had pulled on and accidentally broken the top part off.

I knew this was an innocent act, of course. She hadn’t meant to tear it; she was just trying to figure the thing out. But because I had had such a special bonding experience with that bookmark, I was a bit distressed. I snatched the pieces from her and put them aside.

Later, after Kimberly was in bed, I picked up the two pieces of the bookmark and read the quote again. Suddenly the whole experience struck me in an entirely new light. Did this bookmark have to be perfect to be special? I could tape it back together and it would be as good as new—maybe even better than new because it would have something that it hadn’t had before: evidence of having been touched by those little hands that I love so dearly. Now that bookmark is twice as special to me, Scotch tape and all.

Riches take wings, comforts vanish, hope withers away, but love stays with us. Love is God.—Lew Wallace (1827–1905)

Let us strive to see things that are as they should be; and as we live in an imperfect world, let us be content to glory in that imperfection, that each building block of the day’s events may rest upon another to form the final product of a life rich and full—not in the glassy beauty of perfection, but in the rich fullness of love.—Author unknown

—

Philippians 4:6-7 ESV / Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 41:10 ESV / Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

1 Peter 5:7 ESV / Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

THE CHALLENGE OF CHANGE

For many people, coming to know and accept Christ is a life-changing event. For example, immediately after he met and talked with Jesus, Zacchaeus’ entire life was turned around. In a matter of days, Saul went from “threatening with every breath and eager to destroy every Christian” to preaching the gospel as the apostle Paul. More recently, many people have been known to be freed from addictions or other bad habits on the spot.

Although few converts experience such an earth-shattering change, we know that God wants believers to grow. As Billy Graham said, “Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion—it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.” And here’s Paul: “Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted … Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature … truly righteous and holy.”

Of course, no one is perfect; that is a fact of life. Fortunately, however, we have a God who is both omniscient—He knows our future and can prepare us for the changes we’ll be faced with—and omnipotent—having Him in our corner significantly boosts our chances. He also loves us unconditionally and wants to help us succeed.

Even if you feel like life has dealt you some crushing blows and you don’t know if you can recover, or you fear you’ve outlasted your usefulness or are worthless, don’t despair. God is in the upcycling business, and you never know what great things He might have in store for you just around the corner.

—

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV – So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 ESV – For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

Proverbs 18:15 ESV – An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

PANCAKES AND PUDDING

My nine- and ten-year-olds came whining to me again. “Mommy, Chalsey’s taking all the LEGO blocks!”

“Davin always gets the best pieces!” Kristy, my five-year-old, was crying. “It’s not fair! I want to build an airplane, but they
won’t let me.”

This had been going on all afternoon, one thing after another. No matter how many toys they had, they couldn’t just have fun together. I shot up a quick prayer for an illustration that would help us to get a grip on the problem.

“Who likes plain, dry pancakes?” I asked. The kids froze and looked surprised at my sudden change of subject. “Plain pancakes with nothing on them—just dry, get-stuck-in-your-throat pancakes?”

“Not me!” they all cried in unison.

“I see. So when you asked me to make pancakes yesterday, you didn’t want plain pancakes. You wanted pancakes and pudding.” It had been a special Father’s Day breakfast of hot pancakes smothered in creamy chocolate pudding.

“And when you’re playing, you don’t just want to play with plain toys, any more than you wanted plain pancakes. Just like the pudding made the pancakes delicious, your friendship is what makes the games fun. Even if you got every LEGO piece you wanted, your playtime could still be no fun. What makes it special is when you all play together. That’s when you really have a good time. You need ‘pancakes and pudding.’”

The children understood the illustration perfectly and decided to play a game together. It worked like magic. We were stuck in the house for the next few days due to bad weather, but no one seemed to mind. Any time tempers flared, I’d tell the kids, “The pancakes need some more pudding.”

As I thought more about it later, I realized that lesson wasn’t only for my children. I sometimes work so hard to accomplish the goals I set for myself that I view everything else as a distraction. I want plain, uninterrupted work time, and then I wonder why my work feels so dry and unenjoyable.

If you too sometimes find that your day is crowded with worries, stress, and work, if you feel you’ve lost that spark, if you’re feeling a little dry, perhaps what you need to make your day complete is a heaping scoop of sweet, fresh “pudding.”

THE FAITH AND PEACE CONNECTION

God, teach me to be patient;
Teach me to go slow.
Teach me how to wait on You
When my way I do not know.
Teach me sweet forbearance
When things do not go right,
So I remain unruffled
When others grow uptight.
Teach me how to quiet
My racing, rising heart,
So I may hear the answer
You are trying to impart.
Teach me to let go, dear God,
And pray undisturbed until
My heart is filled with inner peace
And I learn to know Your will!
—Helen Steiner Rice (1900–1981)

Jesus promises us peace. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Just as Jesus calmed the stormy sea when His disciples thought their ship was sinking and they were about to drown, He can calm the storms of life and give you inner peace that passes all understanding.

He did it for Paul and Silas, when they were beaten and thrown into prison. Instead of despairing, they sang praises to God—and were suddenly and miraculously set free! As you learn to trust in God with all your heart, you’ll find that He can give you perfect peace—no matter what is going on around you! —Rafael Holding

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. —Isaiah 26:3

Trust doesn’t just happen. As children, we learn to trust our parents because we feel their love and benefit from their care and mature understanding of life. We trust friends who have stuck with us through thick and thin. We trust business people who we find to be honest and reliable. We trust people, in short, because of our experience with them.

It’s the same with God. The more we open our hearts to Him, the more we experience His love and concern. The more we study the Bible and Bible-based
materials, the better we understand life and the more we appreciate God’s wisdom and goodness. The more we learn and claim God’s promises, the more faith we have in them. The more we take our problems to Him, the more we learn to depend on Him to work them out. The better we get to know Him, the more we trust Him; and the more we trust Him, the more inner peace we have.
—Keith Phillips

THE BLOCKED CARD

Not long ago, when we checked our credit card statement after buying an airline ticket, we discovered that the airline had charged us twice. We contacted the airline in the hope of correcting the error right away to avoid the charge and interest that it would incur. After three futile and time-consuming phone calls to the company’s call center, we felt irritated and helpless. Then we called our bank and were advised to block the credit card until we could find a solution.

It turned out to be too hasty a decision. After searching the airline’s website, my wife found detailed instructions on how to proceed in the event of an overcharge. We sent an email with the necessary details, and within a few days, we received a gracious reply notifying us that the money would be reimbursed to our account.

In the meantime, we had to deal with the consequences of having blocked our card. First, we had to deactivate our old card and then activate a new card. We also had to fill out, scan, and email pages of forms and make two trips to the bank.

All these wasted hours could have been avoided if we had not been so hasty. Our attempts to speed up the process ended up making things much more complicated. There are times when we try to push our way through a problem instead of giving God time to work or waiting for things to run their natural course. When we feel inclined to rush into a situation, it is a good idea to take time in communion with God. Instead of intervening on our own, we can pray for a solution to the problem and seek heaven’s guidance on how to proceed.

The Bible calls us to work in the Spirit rather than in our own natural strength. To take off running to win the 100-meter dash is fine for athletes like Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter; but even he has to watch his step, because he lost the opportunity to defend his 100-meter world sprint title in 2011 due to jumping the gun.

My conclusion is to go slower, give God time to work, let things flow, and act with deliberation. The next time I am tempted to rush off on an impulse, I plan to wait instead for God’s leading.

IT’S ALL RIGHT

Those were the words uttered by a woman nearly 3,000 years ago whose only son
had just died in her arms. Hours earlier, he had complained of a headache after
returning from harvesting the fields with his father. She had sat him on her lap and
tried to cool his burning forehead, but by noon he was gone.

Her son had been her delight. And no words can adequately describe the shock,
pain, and sense of loss she must have felt. This makes what she did next quite
extraordinary. Apparently without breaking the news of their son’s death to her
husband, she set off on the journey to Mount Carmel, where she knew that she would
find the prophet Elisha. Her husband was surprised and asked her why she wanted
to go. Her only explanation was a confident statement: “It’s all right.”

From his vantage point upon the mountain, Elisha saw her riding rapidly toward him
and sent his servant Gehazi to ask her if all was well. She gave Gehazi the same
reply she had given her husband: “It’s all right.”

When she reached Elisha, she threw herself at his feet and cried, “Did I ask you for a
son, my lord? Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?” Elisha understood her
meaning instantly: Several years earlier, in gratitude for her hospitality and generosity
toward him, he had prophesied that she would have a son, and God had fulfilled His
promise. That was the son who now lay dead.

Elisha was deeply moved by her faith to reach out to him in the midst of her anguish.
Having arrived back at her house, he went into the room where the boy’s body lay,
closed the door, and prayed desperately. Eventually, the little boy sneezed seven
times … and opened his eyes!

While I have never faced as extreme a situation as this woman, there have been
times lately when challenges and problems seemed to ambush me from out of the
blue, and my life seemed to go to pieces. The next time I’m tempted to become
alarmed and panicky, I hope I can remember how, in the midst of terrifying
uncertainty, this nameless woman held to what she knew to be unchanging: the
faithfulness of God. She put her son into God’s hands and trusted Him to work
everything out. Her faith even enabled her to anticipate the miracle and declare, “It’s
all right.”

READING TIPS

“Where do I start?” is probably the most common question asked by people starting out reading the Bible.

I remember my first attempts when I was a young man. I started at the beginning, but didn’t get too far, losing interest by the time I got to Leviticus, a book full of ancient laws.

Later, when I began developing a personal relationship with Jesus, I discovered that I was better able to understand what I was reading. Paul tells us, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” Once you personally know the “author,” the book becomes a lot more interesting.

I enjoy reading through the book of Psalms quite frequently. These are often actual prayers and can help us to verbalize our own requests. A psalm may start out in anguish and despair, but it usually ends in praise and thanksgiving. There are 150 psalms, and if you read five a day, you’ll get through the book in a month. There are 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs, which makes reading one per day for a month convenient.

The Gospels are always a joy to read and are easy to get through. I go through them a few times a year and find they’re the best for helping me to stay close to Jesus and keep my life in check.

Another tip is to ask God to help you understand what He wants you to learn from your reading. I often claim the verse “Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law.” When I come to a passage I don’t understand, I research it further or put it on the shelf of faith and leave it for another time.

You never go wrong reading the Bible. It is food for your soul and will give you strength for life’s battles.

2018 - CNY Lunch

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Announcement

Women's Camp 2018
Date: 13-15 April 2018 (Fri-Sun)
Venue: Melaka Estradia Hotel (Lodging)
Theme: Matchless Design
Fees: Twin Sharing - RM220, Single room - RM310
Closing date: 15 March 2018 (Thur)
Details: Please contact Capt. Fiona

Southwest Cell Group
Date: 9 March 2018 (Fri)
Time: 8:00pm
Venue: Bro Sunny & Sis Rachel Resident

Northwest Cell Group
Date: 11 March 2018 (Sun)
Time: 1:00pm
Venue: Community Hall

A LIFE ABOVE THE ORDINARY

The secret of drawing closer to God is prayer and communion with Him through meditating on His Word. But it’s not just quickly opening your Bible. I’m sure that the failure of many Christians to gain much from meditation arises far more often from  opening their Bibles too quickly than from shutting them too quickly!

When opening your Bible, ask God to reveal to you the riches of what you’re going to read. Your prayer can be very simple, such as, “Holy Spirit, help me to get in touch with God,” but it has to be a sincere cry from the heart, a real hungering and thirsting. You can’t survive spiritually on just a few sips of the milk of the Word on Sunday morning or an occasional nibble of a verse or two from the Bible. In order to grow morally and spiritually, you also need full meals; you need to chew on and assimilate the meat of God’s Word. That’s how you can come to know the joys, the benefits, the comfort, the peace and rest that can be found in Jesus—and the closer the walk with Him, the greater the revelations of His power and glory.

Jesus wants you to have the things He has to give. He wants to give you His best, and He longs for you to have peace and rest and joy. He says, “My peace I give to you,” and “Ask and you will receive so that your joy will be complete.” He even desires for you to succeed in all that you do!

He wants His children to have all this because He loves us. He wants you to draw closer to Him so you’ll know the life He comes to give: a life above the common, a life above the mediocre, a life above the ordinary. “God is the strength of my heart and all I need forever.”

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea.
I am weak, but Thou art strong
Jesus, keep me from all wrong.
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.
—Traditional gospel song, author unknown

Divine Scripture is the feast of wisdom, and the single books are the various
dishes.—Saint Ambrose (c. 339–397)

100% COVERAGE

Around 40% of the world’s population has Internet access. That’s more than three billion people. Instead of hunting through books or doing research at a physical location, we can find information we need by typing a few key words and clicking “search.” Within seconds, links to thousands of websites appear on our screen. Admittedly this can be a bit hit and miss. There’s a lot of material to skim, and not everything you do find is reliable, but there’s no arguing that the Internet puts a world of information at our fingertips.

Wouldn’t it be great, though, if instead of merely supplying us with information, the Internet could actually provide guidance, answer our deep questions about the meaning of life, help organize and direct our daily lives, and satisfy our emotional and spiritual needs? The Internet will never be able to do all those things, of course, but God can. God put in us all the needed hardware and software for us to access Him when He created us. We can reach Him anytime, from anywhere, for free, and it’s never hit and miss.

All that is necessary to power up our system is faith. We get that faith by reading up on our equipment in the Maker’s manual, the Bible. Faith-building tips and testimonials can also be found in feedback from those who are already powered up and enjoying the benefits. Let’s connect with our interactive God, so we all can receive, enjoy, and benefit from what He has to offer. Seven billion people have access to God. That’s 100% coverage.

The Void

King Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, had wealth beyond measure, wisdom beyond any man of his time or ours, hundreds of women, palaces and gardens that were the envy of kingdoms, the best food and wine, and every form of entertainment available. … And yet he summed up “life under the sun”—life lived as though all there is to life is what we can see with our eyes and experience with our senses—is meaningless. Why is there such a void? Because God created us for something beyond what we can experience in the here-and-now. Solomon said of God, “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men.” In our hearts we are aware that the “here-and-now” is not all that there is.

THE THERAPY ROOM

A friend of mine recently had a traumatic experience. While at work, a dog bite took off part of her finger. Weeks of pain, surgeries, casts, pills, anesthesia … and it still wasn’t the end of the story. Her finger had gone into “shock mode”—any touch brought on fresh pain. It seemed almost paralyzed.

Two months later, I accompanied her to the physiotherapy clinic for one of her weekly sessions. By then, her finger had “petrified” from the trauma, and it would take many more weeks of gentle flexing and motion exercises until it would be normal again.

As I sat there, I watched the other patients in the therapy room, stretching, weightlifting, exercising. They were all different ages and had sustained varied
injuries, so the physiotherapists were coaching each through their own personal program.

We all suffer blows at some stage in our lives—physical, mental, spiritual … sometimes all three. When a crisis hits, our faith takes a blow, and we can go into “shock mode,” where moving, let alone moving forward, feels impossible.

The therapy room reminded me how fragile we are. We depend on professionals to help and guide us. We trust that they know what they’re doing, they know what our body needs, and we surrender to the healing process.

In the same way, God wants to fortify our faith, mend our wounds, and soothe our spirits, if we’ll let Him. “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.” And He promised, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

We can’t always prevent the faith shakers from coming our way. That’s just life. But it’s nothing to be afraid of. As long as we keep coming back to the therapy room to God’s welcoming arms and the strength of His Word, we will find the comfort we need, along with the power to heal and move again.

BECKONING ME ONWARDS

I grew up in a Christian family, but at 13 I became an atheist. When I was 18, I left my hometown of Rio with a backpack and set off to see the world. I visited the British Isles, then crossed the Channel and took a bus overland to India, through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. I learned that Arabic speakers use the same expression, As-salamu alaykum—the peace of God be with you—for hello and goodbye.

Once in a little town in Afghanistan, I heard a boy singing a beautiful song in his father’s tailor shop. When I asked what he was singing, he said, “The Koran, of course.” When I arrived in Goa, I stayed with a group of French young people who would sit in their hut and spend hours silently contemplating a lit candle on the table. I remember thinking, There must be a God. Everywhere I go, people are seeking Him. Soon I found my Christian roots again and became a missionary, and that’s when I began learning what having faith really meant.

In my experience, as you pass the tests of life one by one, you will find that faith beckons you onwards. It keeps you going when setbacks and discouragement scream that you should give up. It’s a still small voice that tells you in the midst of turmoil that everything is going to be all right. Faith grows through the challenges we overcome day by day.

If God would give us all the gifts and everything that He is able to give, but withhold only Himself, we would remain hungry and unsatisfied. The inward stirring and touching of God makes us hungry and yearning; for the Spirit of God hunts our spirit, and the more it touches it, the greater our hunger and our craving. And this is the life of love in its highest working, above reason and above understanding; for reason can here neither give nor take away from love, for our love is touched by the divine love.—John of Ruysbroeck (1293–1381), adapted

Religion leaves a million questions unanswered and apparently unanswerable. … Religion does not relieve us from the duty of thought; it makes it possible for a man to begin thinking. It does not put an end to research and enquiry, it gives a basis from which real research is made possible and fruitful of results.—G. A. Studdert Kennedy in The Wicket Gate(1923)

WHAT FAITH KNOWS

When I look at some of the men and women in the Bible, at a quick glance they seem
to be so confident, so certain of everything. Next to such seemingly unwavering faith,
we can start to feel a little unsure of our own faith.

Perhaps that’s because we’re seeing the miracles they experienced through the
perspective of hindsight. But try to put yourself in their shoes. Consider how
impossible the situation must have seemed for them at the time when they couldn’t
see the outcome.

For example, look at the three Hebrew men who were about to be thrown into the
fiery furnace for not bowing down and worshipping the golden image that
Nebuchadnezzar had set up. It might look like they were glowing with confidence in
front of the head of the largest empire of their day, certain that nothing could happen
to them in that fiery furnace. But could it be that they also battled fear and the
uncertainty of what would happen?

It’s true that their friend Daniel held a great deal of power and influence, and he might
have been able to stand up for them and rescue them from their fate, but he is not
mentioned in regard to this event and may have been away on a trip to another part
of the empire. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were on their own, standing up for
what they knew was right; and there they were before a king who saw himself as
God, surrounded by the king’s jealous counselors who may have seen these
Hebrews as a threat to their power. Those angry counselors had probably been
instrumental in whipping up the king’s fury against the three Hebrew men.

Despite the bold declaration of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that they would
trust in God no matter what happened, they were human and prone to the same fears
that any one of us facing such a horrifying fate would experience.

Faith isn’t the absence of fear; faith is what overcomes fear. My guess is that they
dreaded what was about to happen with everything in them, but they still knew what
they had to do. Their faith didn’t seem to be based on any assumption that their
bodies would miraculously be impervious to the heat and fire. At least, that’s not what
their words in the Bible indicate.

They said, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to
deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does
not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship
the image of gold you have set up.”

They didn’t know what would happen, but they had faith that God was in control.
Their faith was in the fact that no matter what, they knew God had a plan, and they
trusted Him to take care of them as He saw fit. They weren’t setting conditions
according to what seemed best to them. They didn’t tell the king that their bodies
couldn’t be burned. Of course they knew that God could do anything, but they weren’t
basing their faith on God keeping them from burning up in the furnace. Their faith was
in God’s love and power, not in the results they thought would be best.

We know that God will ultimately make things right in the next life, but that knowledge
doesn’t lessen the struggles of possibly facing very painful experiences or death. At
this moment in time, it’s not the next life that we have to deal with, it’s the present.

You may feel afraid of what you’re facing. You may not see anything you can do to fix
the situation you’re in. But God’s intervention in your life isn’t based on your self-
confidence. It’s based on your belief in Him and your trust in His unlimited power,
goodness, and love. You don’t have to believe that what you want to happen will
always happen. You just have to believe that God can bring about what is best in His
time and His way, because you trust Him.

Faith knows what is most important to know: God will never leave you nor forsake
you.

None of us knows what lies ahead. We often can’t know if that setback we’re facing
or the things we’re suffering will be gone in a minute or a month, or if they will last a
lifetime. Our faith can’t be built on expected results that make sense to us. What faith
knows is that Jesus will not leave us comfortless; He’ll be there walking with us
through the fire, as He was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

LIKE A DOG WITH TWO TAILS

There she was at the door, jumping up and down for joy, barking and wagging her
tail, as if to say: “He’s back!” After a long and tiring day, I received the most wonderful
welcome from our black Labrador retriever.

It made me feel good. I smiled and gave her the attention she wanted. After all, a dog
is man’s best friend.

But then a funny thought struck me: Am I just as excited when I meet with Jesus?
I’ll be honest: I have a way to go.

I treasure prayer, and I enjoy studying my Bible, but compared to my dog’s sincere
outburst of joy, I realize my enthusiasm could be greater.

Why is my dog so happy to see me? I suppose the answer is as simple as it is deep.
It’s because she treasures being with me. She isn’t only happy because she knows I
feed her and take her on long walks through the fields. She’s happy because she
wants to be with me.

When I read about the heroes of faith, I notice they had the same attitude.
These men and women of God liked to pray. They liked to read God’s Word. They
looked forward to the moment they could spend time with their Lord. They loved being
with Him early in the morning, late at night … and almost constantly throughout the
day.

Is that enthusiasm reserved for the great heroes of faith? What about average people
like me?

For a while, I thought I had that excitement in my relationship with God, but after
seeing my dog today, I’m looking at it a bit differently.

Sometimes my time with God feels flat, because I’ve got my priorities wrong. I’m not
seeking God because I like to be with Him, but because I have selfish reasons of my
own. I’m sad, or lonely, or sick, or struggling to pay the bills, or all of these things. In
short, I need something from Him.

It’s not wrong to pray for needs. Jesus wants us to do that. But in our relationship with
God, we should want to be with Him because we like it. Oswald Chambers said: “The
goal of prayer is that we get closer to God. It’s not that our prayers are answered.”
I’m going to take that lesson to heart.

Funny that I had to learn it from my dog.

MOUNTAIN MOVERS

I’ve always wondered what Jesus meant when He said, “If you had faith even as
small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’
and it would move.” I’ve never heard of mountains moving—and I’ve certainly never
moved a mountain—so why did He choose that analogy?

Over time, I’ve come to realize that while my faith hasn’t moved any literal mountains,
even a little bit of faith—faith the size of a tiny mustard seed—can overcome
mountainous obstacles in our lives.

The difficulty with this is that the outcome is often not as obvious as a mountain
moving and falling into the sea. Christian author Kent Crockett put it this way: “Faith is
the ability to look past adverse circumstances and see God’s hand at work.” That
ability can be hard to gauge, and that’s why we often wonder if our faith is real.

In Hebrews 11, Paul lists characters from the Old Testament who lived their entire
lives in faith, but never got to see the final fulfillment of what they were hoping for—
the kingdom of God on earth. Yet their faith was not wasted: among other things
along the way, “these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received
what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of
fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to
strength.”

Announcement

Chinese New Year Lunch
Date: 4th March 2018
Time: 12:30pm
Venue: Community Hall

Women's Camp 2018
Date: 13-15 April 2018 (Fri-Sun)
Venue: Melaka Estradia Hotel (Lodging)
Theme: Matchless Design
Fees: Twin Sharing - RM220, Single room - RM310
Closing date: 15 March 2018 (Thur)
Details: Please contact Capt. Fiona

Young Adults Retreat 2018
Date: 15-17 June 2018 (Fri-Sun)
Venue: La Pari-Pari Langkawi
Cost: RM300 - 16 April
Closing date: RM600 - 14 May
Details: Please contact Capt. Andrew/Capt Fiona

GOD NEVER LETS GO

We all sometimes face tough decisions where we wrestle to find the right path. We all
know how scary it can be to face the risks or consequences of making a wrong
move.

Quite a few years ago, when I had barely begun my journey as a volunteer
missionary, I was faced with a big decision. I was fretting and fearful and ended up
struggling for days with this decision. God eventually answered by giving me a simple
illustration.

It was a picture of a little girl who was holding her father’s hand as they walked. All
the while, this girl was fearfully begging her father to hold on to her and not let go!
“Daddy, please don’t let go of my hand!” On and on she went, until finally her father
stopped, knelt down, and looked straight into her eyes. With a firm but loving voice,
he told her that he would never let go of her, that as long as she wanted to stay close
to him, he would always lead her and walk beside her.

I got the point and made my decision. Since then, I have encountered many times
when I struggled with fear of the outcome, of making a mistake, or of going astray.
But whenever I’m faced with an important decision, this illustration always comes
back to me. It has comforted me a number of times over the years. As much as we
desire to make the best decisions we can, we all find ourselves looking back to those
times when we obviously didn’t. But even then, we can be encouraged by Jesus’
promise that He will never leave us or forsake us.

I think we sometimes have a false idea of what being on the right track or in God’s will
is. Life is naturally full of wrong turns and missteps, and sometimes we zig when we
should zag, but we can always return to His side and find our way again.

On the lonely and rugged mountain trails, He is our companion. On the trek through
the desert, when we thirst and feel the dryness of life and wonder when (and if) we’ll
find the oasis, He is bringing us closer with each step. When we push through the
crowds and confusion of day-to-day life and struggle against endless questions,
weariness, and discouragement, He walks beside us and tells us, “I’m here. Talk to
Me. Tell Me all about it.”

Sometimes the more dangerous territory for us can actually be when things seem to
be going just fine and we have found our stride. When things are looking up, we tend
to not have that same desperation for His presence.

And say we do fall, we blow it, and mess up—like so many of His followers that have
slipped, tripped, and fallen on their way through life’s journey. Does He ever give up
on us?

Of course not. The thought would never even cross His loving and forgiving mind.
Then why do we worry and fret? No matter what decisions I’ve faced or how daunting
they might have seemed, I can sincerely say that I have never regretted holding on to
His hand!

THE RIGHT CHOICE

The summer when I was twelve, my father surprised my younger sister and me by
announcing that he had a different plan for our summer holiday. Instead of planning
our vacation, he gave us the money that he had set aside and let us decide what to
do with it. We could save it, spend it as we pleased, or use it for a five-day vacation at
the lake. After some discussion and prayer, my sister and I told Dad that we wanted
to go on the lakeside vacation.

But immediately after making the decision, I felt a cloud of doubt descend. Suppose I
had not made the best choice? Perhaps the money would have been better spent on
something else? Then a series of severe typhoons and family emergencies forced us
to delay our vacation until the next summer, which added fuel to my worries. Maybe
this was all too much hassle?

When I voiced my feelings to Dad, he assured me that while I was free to change my
mind, fears and doubts were a natural part of making decisions. “Just because you
feel uncertain doesn’t mean you’ve made the wrong choice,” he said. Encouraged by
his words, I decided to wait and trust God to work everything out in His time. Sure
enough, a year later we were enjoying the time of our lives at the lake!

But I brought home more than happy memories and mementos; the experience
taught me important lessons that have since helped me many times when I faced
bigger and more important decisions with higher stakes.

I learned that hardly any decision can be made without taking a risk; yet being willing
to take that risk is crucial to arriving at a wise choice. Having difficulty reaching a
decision—and feeling worried or uncertain about it afterwards—is natural, and a wild
storm of emotions is not an indication that I should not have made the voyage or that
my boat will sink. God is both my anchor and my compass. I can trust Him to not only
steady me but to also guide me to His perfect destination, as His Word promises: “In
all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

LIGHTEN UP

The ministry of John the Baptist mostly preceded that of Jesus. John’s message was
one of repentance; he proclaimed the coming of the Savior. Although some of his
followers went on to become disciples of Jesus, others evidently stayed at John’s
side.

John is traditionally recognized as having been a zealous teacher. Perhaps his
strictness could be partly attributed to being a Nazarite from birth, which meant he
was not permitted to drink alcohol or cut his hair, and also had to abide by other
restrictions. Evidently he also expected quite a bit from his followers, as on one
occasion, some of them asked Jesus: “Why is it that we and the Pharisees rigorously
discipline body and spirit by fasting, but your followers don’t?”

Perhaps they were puzzled—and a little envious—of the more relaxed lifestyle of
Jesus’ disciples. Maybe there was even a bit of self-righteous chiding in this question,
implying that it was high time for Jesus to make His followers shape up. In any case,
Jesus replied: “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is
with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from
them, and then they will fast.” It sounds like He was saying, “Lighten up. Troubles will
come soon enough, so enjoy these moments of peace while you have them.”

We all sometimes make our lives harder than they need to be, by taking on more than
God expects of us. We convolute what could be straightforward. After all, the main
thing He wants is love. The prophet Micah put it this way: “He’s already made it plain
how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple:
Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love,
and don’t take yourself too seriously.”

Sure, there are occasions when our path is rough or there are life-changing decisions
to be made. But when we’re not in the midst of such critical times, maybe we should
avoid getting tied up in knots trying to figure out minor details of life. Otherwise, we
could end up missing out on the fullness of joy and peace that comes with God’s
presence.

Life is not always complicated, and decisions are not always major. Let’s remember
that, and when appropriate, let’s lighten up.

42 KILOMETERS OF LIFE

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of
faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily
trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this
by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.

I started walking away from what I knew God was calling me to a few months ago. I
think I just grew tired of striving.

Come to think of it, I didn’t walk away so much as stop walking. In any race, to stop is
to fall behind. I asked myself subconsciously why I had ever chosen to run in the first
place. I forgot the thrill of the chase, and all I could think of was how hot the asphalt
was.

All I did was stop to catch my breath, and now the pack is gone, far into the distance.
It feels like I am so far behind. But I feel a force beside me. It is the voice of my
Trainer, ever close, urging me on in spite of my weak character. Why does He still
care? Can’t He tell that I’m a loser and a quitter? Not only that, but I made empty
promises to Him and others—the other runners, sponsors, fans, friends, family, as
well as to myself.

He tells me that none of that matters; all He is asking me to do is to forget the past,
the grueling last few kilometers, and get up and run again. I tell Him I can’t do it; I
can’t finish this race. Here I am maybe 15 or 20 kilometers in, and I’m already sitting
down! What makes Him think I can do it?

He tells me that He will give me the strength. He gives me a cup of cool water to
drink. It tastes wonderful, and I realize that I had stopped drinking this refreshing
water. I had figured I didn’t have time.

He tells me that He will set the pace to ensure I make it to the end. “But,” I argue, “I
won’t win if I don’t push harder.”

He reminds me that I am running for more than a trophy. I’m not running to beat the
other runners. I’m running for a cause—to carry my flag over the line. I didn’t start this
race to give up.

The cup is empty now, my thirst is quenched, and it’s time to get back on the road.
I’m aware of the time I’ve lost by sitting under the tree, but a part of me is still
screaming to sit back down. It’s a full five degrees hotter on the road! But is that
enough to keep me down? I was born to run!I tell myself. But I still can’t bring myself
to start. I can’t let Him down! I try to convince myself, but still the shade holds me
fast.

That’s when I hear it, carried on the gentle wind that swirls all around me! From just
around the next bend, they beckon me—those champions from races past. No, not
the vacationers sipping cocktails just behind the fence; these voices are much higher
up in the bleachers, in seats reserved for those who have gone before, who deserve
the honor and recognition accorded to those who have paid the price and run the
race to the finish line already.

They are calling me—no, they are yelling my name. “Run with the wind!” they tell me.
Now’s the time! My heart races but I hesitate yet again. Will I make it?“Yes,” my
Trainer promises, “Because I am here with you, and I will guide you all the way. Don’t
focus on the effort; focus on the goal. And most of all, don’t get down on yourself,
because in the end, what matters is to not quit.”

The first step is the hardest, as always, but somehow I manage. I believe this is what
He meant by “running with endurance.” Each step somehow feels lighter than the
last, now that I’ve started running again. I think I can do this. No, I think wecan do this
together.

Someday you will look back on your life and realize that everything worthwhile you’ve
ever accomplished initially challenged you. And that is as it should be, because big
challenges often prepare ordinary people for extraordinary success.

Every struggle arises for a reason—either for experience or as a lesson. A great
journey is never easy, and no dose of adversity along the way is ever a waste of time
if you learn and grow from it.—Angel Chernoff

SET SAIL!

My friend Jack lived in a large house in a pleasant, leafy suburb. It was a great place
to raise his family of five, but his children have long since married and moved on.

Around 15 years ago, Jack’s business failed, and although it would have made
financial and practical sense for Jack and his wife to downsize, they loved their home
and always put off the tough decision. They ended up keeping the home by default,
probably hoping things would improve. Instead, as the years passed, their debts
mounted until they absolutely had to sell. Unfortunately, by this time the housing
market had collapsed, and the proceeds of the sale no longer even covered their
debts.

Not making a decision is a decision. Like Jack, I have plenty of my own stories in this
regard, finding it quite difficult to “sign on the dotted line.” I think there are a few
reasons why we sometimes delay our decision-making as long as possible.

Perhaps we hesitate to face an unknown future. After all, as much as we try to
anticipate the results of our choices, there are many factors beyond our insight and
control. We cannot know for sure what will follow.

Future fears didn’t hold back Abraham. He said “yes” to God and left his home in
Haran, not knowing where he was going. Moses showed similar faith, leading the
Hebrew slaves out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and onwards to the Promised
Land. Jesus’ disciples left their livelihoods to follow Him, which took another kind of
faith.

Who knows whether Abraham foresaw the difficulties he would face—famine, family
troubles, and battles, amongst others. Could Moses possibly have anticipated the
troubled wilderness journey ahead? Jesus’ disciples didn’t always have an easy time
of things either. Yet events showed that all these people made the right decisions,
helping create the foundation for our faith.

Few of us face such dramatic circumstances as these Bible heroes, but we all face
choices, big and small. May God help us to make well-considered decisions.