I Think I Get It

I boarded the plane that would take me home from a visit to Toronto, Canada. A gentleman came and sat in the seat beside me, talking on his iPhone. I recognized his South African accent, having attended a conference there the previous year.

Soon enough, Andrew Harrison and I were engaged in a lively conversation that lasted for the rest of the flight. He had a lot of stories to tell, and I mostly listened. I discovered he had experience in outdoor adventure team-building. For several years his job had involved taking teams of coworkers, often executives, on adventurous outings into the South African bush—an experience that would, quite literally, stress them to their limits.

Andrew grinned as he told me in detail about the various dilemmas, puzzles, and challenges he would set up for these office dwellers in the great outdoors. As they encountered situations where they were physically challenged, emotionally tested, and downright scared, they would start to become different people—people who had gained new perspectives and understood things about themselves and their coworkers that they hadn’t seen or understood before. When they returned home, most of them would get back to work with significant issues resolved.

That sounded to me like a fascinating prospect—to learn new things about myself and my co-workers by testing my limits. I also thought about how engaging it must have been to be in his position—not just for the sheer adventure of being in interesting and exciting places, but for the opportunity to see others experience epiphanies and transformations.

It’s not every day that I get to talk to someone like Andrew, and I figured I could get some excellent tips and advice based on his years of experience in working with people from such an interesting angle.

“In all your years of team-building,” I asked, “what would you say has been the most common issue or problem that needed to be resolved among these groups of people?”

“Communication. The issue has nearly always been communication.”

“Because people who work together don’t talk to each other enough?”

“They talk plenty! What hardly anyone does enough of is listen.”

That was an Aha! moment for
me … or more like a Duh! moment. It sounded familiar enough, although I know I’m not nearly as good at listening as I should be. I said earlier that I mostly listened during our conversation, but that was because I really wanted to hear Andrew’s stories. In other circumstances, though, I don’t think I can say as much for myself.

Andrew went on to share how communication isn’t communication unless people understand one another. More often than not, people think they have communicated because they have said what they felt needed to be said, or have written what they felt needed to be written, but in reality they don’t have a clue whether or not the other person understood them. Very often, the other person will have gotten a completely different idea than what the communicator intended.

To find out if you have communicated effectively or have understood what someone else was communicating, ask questions and—you guessed it—listen!

Not long ago I listened to a talk by Peter Kreeft, “One Thing Needed,” that built on my newfound listening lesson. He wisely stated, “Not many people can be great speakers. We can all be great listeners.” I think that sometimes I try too hard to be a good speaker, and forget that the majority of the time that’s simply not what people want or need.

Kreeft also said, “When we listen to each other, that’s rare, that’s special. Something always happens when we listen.” I do have a few recollections of times when I discovered something amazing by the simple act of shutting up and listening. Unfortunately, they are relatively few. I could have had so many more.

I don’t know that a lifelong resolution to listen more is realistic, but I am now trying to focus on finding people to listen to. Why would I want to limit myself to what’s in my own mind when I can gain insights from many minds—including, notably, God’s mind.

Something else just came to me about the beauty of listening: There are times in our lives—and now is one such time in mine—when we don’t feel we have a whole lot to give. We’re struggling, maybe even a little lost, ourselves. We want to help others, but what can we say that’s sure to help? Well, maybe there are situations when there isn’t anything we can say that would help. But everyone wants to be listened to and understood. If I can listen, I’ll always have something valuable to give. Most likely, that will be more appreciated than whatever I could say anyway.

—

James 1:19 ESV – Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.

Proverbs 12:15 ESV – The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

Proverbs 18:13 ESV – If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.

Self-preservation

In one episode of Foyle’s War, a TV series set in Great Britain during the early part of World War II, the Nazis had already defeated France and an invasion of Great Britain seemed imminent. The uncertainty, fear, and instinct to take care of themselves and their own led some people to show less concern for others than they would in normal circumstances. Many hoarded. Others stole. Some even committed murder.

But some people, in contrast, reacted in a completely different manner. They were heroic, not by dint of performing great deeds, but because they performed small deeds selflessly. They faced their difficulties with dignity. They helped one another. They looked out for the welfare of their neighbors and shared what they had.

Seeing the contrast between the two types of responses brought home the challenges we face when we find ourselves in uncertain, difficult circumstances. In times of economic or social turmoil, when the status quo changes, when everything seems topsy-turvy, it’s natural for people to feel concerned for themselves first and foremost. Not everyone will respond in the same way, of course; the human instinct of self-preservation takes a more prominent role for some than for others.

When all around us is unstable, we become destabilized too. When what we thought to be solid ground begins to feel like shifting sand, fear can grip us—fear of the future and fear of the changes being thrust upon us. If we allow that fear to overpower our faith, our trust in God’s care diminishes and we feel that we must take control of events by taking matters into our own hands. This isn’t necessarily bad, since the “fight or flight” instinct is built into our nature; we automatically respond to perceived danger with moves to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

The challenge we face, though, is finding the right balance between our human nature and our spiritual nature. As Christians, we are “new creations” who possess more than human nature alone. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” We have God’s Spirit dwelling within us. “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” We abide in Jesus and He abides in us. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

Our responses to circumstances and events should be influenced by Christ’s presence in us. While we feel naturally driven toward self-preservation, the Spirit of God can temper that reaction and help us find a balanced response—one which is compatible with Christ’s nature. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”

Such a response isn’t easy, because our human nature is so, well, human. It’s our default setting. Being concerned for others or their need, situation, or struggle isn’t naturally our first priority. Because of this, there is the danger that we will minimize or even ignore someone else’s needs in favor of our own.

If we plow forward with our self-serving plans without consideration for those around us, chances are we will make decisions that will hurt others. Promises and commitments that we’ve previously made will take a back seat, and we’ll gravitate toward what is best for us. This can cause disillusionment, resentment, and bitterness—any of which will damage friendships. Those left in the wake of our selfishness will suffer, because we allowed our human nature to override the Spirit of God within us.

When this happens, we suffer as well. It may not come in ways we can see, at least not immediately, but it invariably does us harm. We undermine God’s blessing, and we lose the respect of others. I read somewhere that in business, if someone is displeased with a certain product, as a rule they will tell about 50 other people about it in their lifetime. If we have damaged someone’s faith in us by harming them with our self-preserving acts, they may never fully trust us again. And it’s possible, even likely, that they will convey that mistrust to others. It hurts them, and it hurts us.

Taking care of your own needs and the needs of your loved ones isn’t wrong, but as followers of Jesus, filled with the Spirit of God, we should step back from focusing only on our own needs in order to see the needs of others also. “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Finding the proper balance in that should be our goal.

—

Philippians 2:4 NIV – Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Ephesians 4:32 ESV – Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

1 John 3:17-18 ESV – But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

Relationship Challenges and Rewards

You probably didn’t understand the law of gravity in scientific terms until someone explained it to you, even though you’ve been subject to it since birth. You became aware of its basic effect as soon as you were old enough to sit up and topple over.—“What goes up must come down.” When you got a little bigger, you learned “The bigger they come, the harder they fall.” Those were tough lessons at a tender age, but they are why you can now handle the good china without breaking it and climb a ladder without breaking your neck. Gravity has benefits as well as undesirable consequences, of course. Without giving it a passing thought, much less due credit, you use gravity to arch the ball into the basket, draw water from the faucet, check your weight, and perform a thousand other services.

Just as God created gravity and other laws of physics to govern our physical world, He created spiritual laws to govern our relationships with Him and others. If gravity is our starting point in learning about physical realities, parental love is our starting point in learning about relationships. Our parents’ love is all we need as babies to feel secure and complete. But as we grow up, our worlds expand. Situations and relationships get more complex. We find that gravity isn’t the only natural force at play, and that not everyone loves us the way our parents do.

Interpersonal relationships are one of life’s greatest challenges, but also one of its greatest rewards. How can we both give and get the most from those relationships? Where do we even start? Jesus gave us the keys when He said, “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you,” and “Love one another as I have loved you.” As sure as the law of gravity, the better we get to know Jesus, the more of His love we experience and the more it spills over to our relations with others.

—

John 13:34-35 ESV – A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Galatians 6:1-5 ESV – Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

Philippians 4:8 ESV – Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Does God Have a Plan?

Question: Does God really have a wonderful plan for my life, like I keep hearing? Often it feels more like a bumper-car ride—continually running into one obstacle after another and getting bounced in every direction.

Answer: God does have a plan for each of us, and it is one that is perfectly tailored to our unique makeup, abilities, and interests. Not only that, but He wants to let us in on that plan and work with us to bring it to pass.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” That doesn’t mean, though, that everything will be easy or happen just as we would like. In fact, it may sometimes seem like everything God brings your way is difficult, and that trying to follow His plan only makes things more so. Does God ever ask too much of us? Sometimes it can seem that way.

God wants what’s best for us, but often the means to that end involves taking us through both triumphs and trials, joy and pain. From our perspective, a particular situation or event may not seem good, but from God’s perspective, it’s what He wants for us because He knows it will further His plan. He sees farther than we do, and His plans are better and more complete than ours.

In the prophet Jeremiah’s time, the Israelites were defeated militarily, scattered, and in exile. They probably wondered what had happened to God’s promised plan for them as a people. God explained that they would remain in exile for 70 years, as a punishment for their waywardness, and that this was also part of His plan. That couldn’t have seemed like good news, but He reassured them that He continued to pull for them. “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

So if you find yourself in a similar situation, lost and wondering what became of God’s plan for you, don’t despair. God’s plan is never defeated, and He never gives up trying to help us catch on or catch up.

If we could see, if we could know
We often say,
But God in love a veil doth throw
Across our way.
We cannot see what lies before,
And so we cling to Him the more,
He leads us till this life is o’er,
Trust and obey.
—Norman J. Clayton

—

Proverbs 19:21 ESV – Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Ephesians 2:10 ESV – For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Proverbs 16:9 ESV – The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Falling Upward

Life is one big learning experience, and for those of us who know and love Jesus, He is our teacher. More than anything, He wants to teach us all we need to know about Him and His love, so things will go better and we’ll be happier.

He knows that none of us can accomplish any real good if we depend on our own supposed strength and wisdom. In fact, He said, “Without Me you can do nothing.” But the Bible also says that we “can do all things through Christ.” That’s the key right there. We need to learn to let Jesus do things through us.

Of course, learning to be more dependent on Jesus is not something that we can learn overnight. It takes time and experience, and often that involves some difficulties and seeming defeats. The list is almost endless of people in the Bible whom God had to humble before He could use them.

Look at Joseph. Of Jacob’s 12 sons, he was his father’s favorite. Joseph’s older brothers finally became so jealous of him that they nearly killed him, threw him into a pit, and then sold him into slavery. Joseph had to be made a slave and later be condemned as a criminal before God could exalt him to the second most powerful position in Egypt and use him to save His people from famine.

And look at Moses. For 40 years Moses was groomed as a prince in the courts of Pharaoh, but God couldn’t use him until he had spent another 40 years in the wilderness doing nothing but tending sheep.

And consider King David. When David fell in love with a married woman, Bathsheba, purposely had her husband killed in battle, and then tried to lie and cover up the entire crime, God had to expose him and severely punish him. And later David’s own traitorous son, Absalom, drove him from the throne for a time. Was David’s a fall downward? Or did he fall upward? Sometimes God’s way up is down—just the opposite of what we think. David was humbled and reminded that it was God who made him great. From that squeezing and twisting of David’s life came forth the sweet honey of the Psalms, praises to God for His love, goodness, power, and mercy.

Or consider the apostle Paul. He was an up-and-coming Jewish activist, then named Saul, who had taken it upon himself to put an end to a fast-growing new sect. As he journeyed by horseback to Damascus, where he intended to capture, imprison, and execute as many of the followers of Jesus of Nazareth as he could find, God had to knock him off of his horse and blind him with the brilliant light of His presence. Trembling, helpless, and blind, Saul had to be led by the hand into the city, and was so astonished by what had happened to him that he was unable to eat or drink for three days. A disciple of Jesus then came and prayed for Saul, and Saul regained his sight, was converted, and became the apostle Paul. God had to break him and make him a new man before He was able to use him to help many.

Nearly everyone who has ever been of any real use to God had to first come to the end of themselves. Otherwise, they would have been too proud and self-confident, and would have taken the credit to themselves. God uses weak and foolish things.

When we learn from our mistakes, we become better for them, like these men in the Bible did. We can also learn from their mistakes. “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our benefit, that we might find hope.”

God does not see things as we see them, for His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not ours. He doesn’t judge or reward us according to our successes or failures, but according to our motives. In heaven one day, He won’t say to those who are true to Him, “Well done, My successful servant,” but “Well done, My good and faithful servant.”

So even if you don’t always understand why you’re going through tests, trials, hardships, and breakings, remember that God has a purpose and knows what He’s doing. God gets some of His greatest victories out of seeming defeats—victories of yieldedness, brokenness, humility, and utter dependence on Him. So don’t be discouraged when you make mistakes, but learn from them. Fall upward.

—

Proverbs 24:16 KJV – For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Philippians 4:13 KJV – I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV – No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

2018 - Mother's Day Celebration

Click here for more pictures

Announcement

NorthEast Cell Group
Date: 20 May 2018 (Sunday)
Time: 12:30pm
Venue: Penang Community Hall

Helping Hand Project 
Duration: May - July 2018
Target: RM2500.00
Theme: Extend A Hand of Hope. (Helping the children of Malaysia and Myanmar)
Details: To be announce later

Insurance or Assurance?

As last year drew to a close, I was still struggling with many of the complications and worries that had been making me feel insecure for some time. Then I came across an article about the difference between “insurance” and “assurance,” which got me thinking. Was God my insurance or my assurance?

Having God in our lives is a form of insurance. We know that no matter what happens, He will be with us and bless us for trusting Him. “I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,” and, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God”.

But in my day-to-day life, particularly when I’m faced with a decision or problem, what I want and need even more is assurance for the short term. God gives us that, too. He promises us guidance, supply of our needs, and grace and strength in difficult times. He also offers the assurance, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”—and that is as true in the immediate circumstance as it will ever be.

Life is a series of situations and decisions. When we focus on the uncertainties, we become paralyzed. But when we take our problems to God and look to Him in our decision making, His assurances propel us in the right direction. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God … and it will be given to him.” “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.”

Who knows what the coming year will bring? Probably a mix of surprises, successes, setbacks, and some sleepless nights. But through it all, God wants to be both our insurance and our assurance—insurance in the long term, and assurance in the short.

—

1 John 5:14 NASV – And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us.

1 John 5:15 NASV – And if we know that he hear us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Ephesians 3:12 NASV – In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Nine How-tos of Change

Take stock and set goals. Make a list of the areas you want to change in and what you can do to bring those changes about. Putting goals and plans in writing will help crystallize your thoughts and firm your commitment.

Program the changes into your daily or weekly schedule. Without a definite plan, good intentions will probably soon be forgotten or get lost in the press of everything else you have to do.

Depend on Jesus, not willpower, intellect, or natural ability alone. The Bible tells us, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” and “Happy are those whose strength comes from [God]. The people get stronger as they go.”

Find instruction and encouragement in God’s Word. God promises, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.” An online Bible-search site, concordance, or Bible study help such as Keys to Happier Living, Bible Basics, and Key Bible Verses makes it much easier to find what the Bible has to say about specific topics related to the changes you want to make.

Join or form a support group. Being around like-minded people provides positive reinforcement and moral support—two catalysts of change. “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.” “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

Ask others to pray for you. United prayer gets remarkable results.

Thank God for His help. The more you show your gratitude, the more God will want to do for you. “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.”

When you fall short, ask God to help you keep trying. “A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again.” “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”

Keep believing that you can change, with God’s help. Claim verses that increase your faith, such as, “It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure,” and “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

—

2 Corinthians 5:17 NASV – Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Ephesians 2:10 NASV – For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Isaiah 40:31 NASV – Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

DISCOVERING FAITH

I grew up in a Christian family, but at 13 I declared that I was an atheist. When I was 18, I left my hometown of Rio de Janeiro 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 means.

In my experience, as you pass the tests of life one by one, you will find that faith beckons you onward. It keeps you going when setbacks and discouragement scream that you should give up. It is 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 you think your faith is still small, remember what Jesus said. Even if your faith is as tiny as a mustard seed, it can move a mountain.

—

Hebrews 11:6 ESV / And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

1 John 5:4 ESV / For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

Galatians 2:20 ESV / I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

BEYOND WISHFUL THINKING

I was eight years old when I lost my grandfather at the age of 65. My family is very close knit and this was a big blow to all of us.

I remember kissing Nanu’s cold cheek and bidding him farewell. But something inside told me this was not a permanent goodbye. I always had a fervent hope of reuniting with him one day.
Every time we visited the graveyard, I cried at not being able to see him, touch him, talk to him; but deep down, there was always a confident knowledge that I was going to see him again. In expectation of this eventual reunion, I’d think thoughts like When I see Nanu again, I’ll ask him about the time he was chased by a gang of armed robbers, or When I see Nanu again, I’ll reprimand him for not getting his kidney operation done in time. As I grew older, however, I adjusted to his absence.

After Nanu’s death, my grandmother, Nanna, was the heart of our big family, and now she too is gone. When she died recently and we gathered to clear out her house, I ran my hand over the quilt on her bed and couldn’t stop weeping. At church, I would find myself looking at her regular seat and asking Jesus, Why?

As the weeks passed, the pain became less raw, less constant, but it was nevertheless always there. Until one day I caught myself thinking, When I see Nanna again, I’m going to tell her how much we’ve all missed her. I’ll give her that hug I couldn’t at the hospital …

And that’s when I realized that the promise of eternal life isn’t just fit for the childish wishful thinking of an eight-year-old, but that it can comfort throughout life. As Christians, we have an undying hope and faith that death is not the end. God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth so we could have eternal life with Him. All we need is childlike faith to believe God’s promise.

I don’t know exactly how the relationships we enjoy so much on earth will continue in heaven, but I know that eternal life with God awaits us. Death is the door we pass through to reach it.

—

1 John 1:9 ESV / If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Revelation 21:8 ESV / But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Galatians 6:7-8 ESV / Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

CHANGING LANDSCAPES

I was driving home today and missed my turn. I’m familiar with the neighborhood and have turned into that street thousands of times. But I was confused by the changing landscape.
An unused strip mall was being torn down, and bulldozers had been busy all week. Suddenly, the corner building was no longer there, and I went cruising past my turn. I hadn’t realized how accustomed I was to turning left at that building.

I began to think about the landscape of my life and how difficult it is to respond to changes. I like to follow familiar routes. I like to know my way. I like to cruise along without having to think about it. I am thankful for new technologies that provide turn-by-turn guidance whenever I have to venture into new areas, because I don’t always have a navigator in the car with me to read the map and help me spot street signs. But familiarity can also become a navigation system.

I grew up in the countryside and learned to use trees and hills as landmarks instead of streetlights and signs. I very rarely read signs unless I am in unfamiliar territory. I like to unconsciously follow the way I have traveled thousands of times by looking at the visual landscape.

There have been a few times in my life when I had sudden changes, and my spiritual landscape was completely overhauled. I struggled to find patterns and learn the ropes in my new domain. The only way to find my way was listening to God’s voice, like Google Maps, “In 30 feet, turn left on Broadway…”

God can guide us through changing landscapes and bring us home, no matter how much things have changed. All we have to do is turn to Him and ask for His help, and He can give us a step-by-step plan to get us through. Changes force us to get out of our ruts, pay attention to where we’re going, and carefully read the signs.

Right now the demolition process down the street looks like a big mess, but somebody knows what they are doing. Somebody has a plan, and eventually, I will be thankful for something new and better in our neighborhood. The only way to have improvements is to have change. In the meantime, I need to be a little more conscientious driving home and remember where to turn. No more relying on “automatic pilot.”

—

John 14:26 ESV / But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Luke 10:27 ESV / And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 26:52-54 ESV / Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”

FACING THE UNKNOWN—TOGETHER

Like most people, I like predictability. Change can mean stepping into the unknown and losing my comfortable routine, and that’s frightening.

It also means I have to give up some control. That’s scary too. Even when you prepare as well as you can, there are so many factors involved that you just can’t control them all.

“Change always comes bearing gifts,” wrote Price Pritchett, but I’m sure we’ve all sometimes wondered if those gifts were worth it, and if it might not be better—easier—to forgo them instead of having to deal with the discomfort of change. Then again, we often don’t have a choice; changes have a way of coming upon us whether we want them or not.

One thing I’ve experienced recently, though, is that change is so much easier to go through with God than on our own!

God knows all things, including the future. He can prepare us in ways we couldn’t prepare ourselves, and He works all things together for our good. He’s never surprised by the bend in the road or the turn of events, and He is able to guide and equip us for what’s ahead, even if we don’t recognize what’s happening at the time.

God is in control. Knowing that the being who created us and will fulfill His purpose for us is on our side can be just the shot of confidence we need in order to face whatever happens. “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Perhaps one of the most important realizations God leads us to in times of change is His unconditional love for each of us. When change is difficult, scary, or hurts, He remains by our side. His love never wavers, and He wants only the best for us.

Even though we go through innumerable changes and experiences that shape and ultimately modify our character, He remains constant, supportive, and ever dependable. He’s the best friend we could have … and that’s one thing that’s not going to change: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

—

Hebrews 11:6 ESV / And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

1 John 5:13 ESV / I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

1 John 4:18 ESV / There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

HOPE AND THE TREE OF LIFE

He’s a tall, tanned, lanky fellow in his mid-sixties—older than most of the other vendors at the fruit and vegetable market. He invariably greets his customers with a radiant smile.
One hot July morning when I approached his stall, I was surprised to see that he was wearing a thick brace around his neck. It stretched from the tip of his chin to his shoulders, and although he did not complain, his eyes betrayed his discomfort. He explained that he’d had an automobile accident and was recovering from an operation.
It was the peak of Taiwanese summer, when humidity levels soar and temperatures rise to uncomfortable levels. I cringed as I imagined how he felt to be wearing a brace of woven plastic in the blistering, sultry heat of an outdoor market. He saw my concern and smiled. “It will get better. All wounds heal, and whining about how hard it is won’t help any.” I paid for my purchases and promised to pray for him.

When I saw him again two weeks later, the brace remained, but so did his smile.

“Are you in a lot of pain?” I asked. “That brace must be so bothersome!”

“It is painful and stifling,” he agreed, “but what keeps me going is thinking of that wonderful day when it’ll be gone and I will move about freely again. Having something to hope for really helps!”

As time passed, that “wonderful day” seemed to not arrive. He didn’t recover as quickly as anticipated, and the brace remained for over a month. But my friend kept clinging to hope and kept refusing to despair, even as he struggled to maintain his business while undergoing treatment.

At last, the day came when he was freed from the brace’s grip. A large red scar was visible on his neck, but he held his head high with no trace of self-consciousness and willingly shared how glad he was to be free of the brace. His joy reminded me of the verse, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.”

My friend is a testimony of what Paul calls “endurance inspired by hope.” His hope wasn’t just a vague desire or fanciful idealism. It was a choice to believe that no pain lasts forever, that all wounds heal. It didn’t matter how long or difficult the process; what mattered was keeping his spirit buoyant and clinging to the promise of a better future. As I weather life’s storms, his example inspires me to hang on when things look bleak. I will cling to the One in whom my hope is “as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.”

—

James 1:2-4 ESV / Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV / No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 John 4:18 ESV / There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Announcement

SouthWest Cell Group
Date: 11th May 2018 (Fri)
Time: 8pm
Venue: Bro Kim Aun & Sis Jasinta's House

Mother's Day Service and Celebration Lunch
Date: 13th May 2018 (Sun)
Time: 12:30pm
Venue: Penang Community Hall

Youth Camp 2018
Date: 20-23 June 2018 (Wed-Sat)
Venue: The Kabin, Jeram, Selangor
Cost: RM200 - Before 7 May,  RM400 - After 7 May
Age: 13-18 years old
Details: Please contact Corps Office for more details.

HAVING FAITH IN FAITH

It’s second nature for some people to have faith and show trust in God. They somehow see the good in difficult people or trying situations. To them, the glass is always half full. You’ll often hear them say things like, “God will supply,” and, “Don’t worry, things will work out.” Upon meeting a person like this for the first time, you’d probably think their life has been pretty peachy—with very few problems and everything going their way.

It might surprise you, though, to discover that people with such exemplary personalities didn’t necessarily become faith-filled and positive because their lives floated along like a song. Many people have taken on this nature as a result of facing difficult, trying, sometimes heartbreaking and painful circumstances, and choosing to wait to see how God would come through for them—even though it sometimes took a while.

They may have fought battles with their health or watched their children battle an enduring sickness or lost a loved one. Whatever it was, these faith-filled people came out strong, courageous, and compassionate. I take my hat off to them. They give life and meaning to the word faith and show me that no matter how bad things get, God will be there to help me through; all I have to do is hold on to Him and to the faith I have received through His Word, which will keep doubts and discouragement away.

God promises, “All things work together for good to them that love God.” It took me a while to realize that the verse doesn’t say, “All things are always good” but that, “All things work together for good.” To me, that means that even though bad things do happen to all of us, God works them into the story of our lives to bring about good on our behalf, whether now or in eternity. When I take this approach, I also realize that we can’t thank Him for all the good in our lives and then blame Him for the bad things. It means we can trust Him through the bad and be absolutely confident that He’ll make our difficulties become something good, or through them bring something good into our lives.

The Bible is so full of examples of this principle, and I think it’s because God wanted to get this point across.

King David is one of my favorites. Imagine for a second that your big career plan was to be a shepherd, which from my vast knowledge of shepherding (and my vivid imagination) amounted to watching sheep eat for hours, fighting off the odd life-threatening beast, and fiddling on your harp. Then suddenly, you’re hitting the big time: you get anointed king; you kill a giant in front of two armies, the king, and your big brothers; and you become best buddies with the heir to the throne. At that point, if David was all like, Yeah, God’s really great, you’d know it was easy for him to say that.

However, reality hit later on when he nearly lost the kingdom (a few times), had his own son betray him, and had to face God’s punishments for some seriously bad choices. You know that when he praised God after that, he was doing it from a place where he knew exactly what it meant to trust God through ups and downs.

I was reading where King David says to God, “You are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.” In that psalm he’s desperately praying yet again for God to deliver him from his enemies, but he also knows and is confident in God’s protection and care, so that his faith is not shaken but is stronger than ever.

Faith is compared to gold in the Bible. And like gold, faith has high value. Faith that weakens when it is tested would be like having a currency with little or no value, which would be pretty useless. But like gold, faith is precious, rare, costly, and lasts a lifetime.

In my own life, I can look back at situations and events that weren’t easy to experience, or that I definitely wouldn’t want to relive, but I realize that if I hadn’t gone through the tough times, I would have missed some of the wonderful things that I gained along the way. Having this knowledge and experience has strengthened my faith and given me the assurance that no matter what emotional storms I go through, I know Jesus is behind them, waiting to shine through and give me exactly what I need to move forward with grace and strength, ready to face whatever else life throws at me.

—

Hebrews 11:6 ESV / And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV / For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV / Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

BUTTERFLY ENCOUNTERS

As I was researching material for a short story about an antique dealer who collected rare butterflies, I came across a website that revealed a rich resource of stories involving those fascinating creatures.

I was amazed at the vast quantity of stories that had been contributed to this one website—hundreds of experiences—and I was struck by how big an impact the tiny butterfly has had on the lives of us mortals throughout the ages! Over 2,000 years ago, the ancient Greeks were already using the transformation of butterflies from pupa to adult as a metaphor of the soul’s resurrection and immortality.

A common thread running throughout the accounts I read on the website of butterfly encounters was how these wondrous creatures have comforted people in particularly difficult times in their lives. After reading so many of these stories, I wondered if butterflies could work their magic for me too. I was going through a rough time and especially missing my oldest daughter, who had passed away seven years earlier.

One evening, I asked God to send me a butterfly as a sign that she is still with us in spirit, and then forgot about it. However, the next day, as we were packing our equipment and loading up after a show in a distant rural area, a colorful butterfly persisted in fluttering by me the entire time. Then later as I was commenting on this to my friend while we were stopped at a traffic light, another butterfly passed in front of our windshield, as if to say, I am still with you.

But the most remarkable butterfly encounter occurred on Christmas Day. As our family was gathered around the tree, opening presents and enjoying one another’s companionship, a butterfly floated into the room and rested near the light. It stayed with us all day and all that night. The next morning it was gone, as if it had completed its mission. We were encouraged and thankful for its visit, feeling this was a sign to remind us of her at this special time.

Of course, our encouragement and comfort should not be dependent on such signs, but we can nonetheless appreciate them when they occur. God’s Word promises that if we ask, we will receive. If you need comfort or direction in your life, God can send messengers to your aid in a variety of forms—with or without wings.

—

Joshua 1:9 ESV / Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV / For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Psalm 37:4 ESV / Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.