Study in SBC

I really need to seek God's direction whether I should go ahead and apply for the MABS at SBC.

After seeing the application form, I realized that I need to seek approval from my wife and employer. These are the two most difficult criteria for me. Also, I need to get my employer to assess my character. This really put me off.

Today, as I spend time in devotion and reading on Col 4:2, I am somehow led to be more cautious in making decision. Rather, I need to be Prayerful, be Watchful and be Thankful in all situations.

Ok. I will pray about this for 40 days and 40 days whether to pursue my study on MABS in SBC. If the fire is quenched or re-kindled as each passing day, then I will know.

Today is the first day and night praying for this decision. :)

Amplus 10th Anniversary - Family Day

Last Saturday, my company, Amplus Communication Pte Ltd celebrated her 10th Anniversary at the Big Splash Playground at East Coast Park.

We had a good time and fun together. Euodia came along with us and she really gone all out to win prizes and volunteered herself in the magical performance.

Having my portait and shadow traced out. The artist just took about 2 minutes to sketch out my face. He also did paper cutting by tracing my face's profile.

That is Euodia, enjoying her golf at Liliput!

I joined this company since her beginning. Received my gold coin for the 10th Anniversary. This is also the first time I won a lucky draw - 6th prize; Cannon Power Shot Camera. Maybe, it is because my wife is attending this Company Family Day, the first time that family members are invited! :)

It has come a long way for me.... to stay in this company. Not sure how far more I will continue. Must wait for God's timing. :)

Everything has its timing

Yesterday, the boss said, "A date line is a dead line!"

Ok, Actually he meant, "a date line is a date line". But when he said it, it seems to imply that we need complete the work in time, so a date line is like a dead timing for us. When we can't fulfill the schedule,we are dead.

Yes, in life, everything has its timing. Time is Life. Which leads me to think of Ecclesiastes chapter 3. If I learn to walk in HIS time, He will make everything beautiful (verse 11). He controls everything of my life, if only I learn to walk in HIS PRESENCE.

A date line is a .... line.

Why Blog? - Journeying Through Life

It has been a week since I close down this site, and just keep it to myself. No sure when will I open up to others. Maybe, never.

My initial plan to set up this site was to promote interaction and sharing. At least, I start a topic and keep the ball rolling. But it turn out that only one or two are commenting, abate only once in a long while. Others attitudes are just "Great, now I know!" without a single comment on this blog. They take this site as peeping into others lives without sharing or disclosing their thoughts. Such a selfish attitude. That is the last thing I want to avoid. This blog has promote selfishness, so I need to close it.

"Hey, my blog is not for people to come and "know" about things :( " It is about sharing and connectng with one another. Mute readers are not welcome!! :( Go, start your own blog.

But seriously, blogging has taught me to glaze at every moment of life more intimately and reflective. Reflective of what God is doing in my every moments. I became more observant of things around me, more careful in listening to some remarks, more proactive to some actions. All these so that I can blog about it and learn from the journeys through life.

So, blogging will continue. ...

Going back to School!?

After much thoughts and prayers, I sent an email to the School of Theology (English) of the Singapore Bible College to ask for the application form.

I want to apply for the MA (Bible Studies). If I can get into SBC again, I will study Hebrews and learn to read the Bible in Hebrew.

This is still preliminary. Let’s see how things turn out to be.

Closing Blog

Two nights ago, Euodia said to me, “Your blog is very boring!” Looking at her expression, I know she said it from her heart. This is the only feedback I got for my blog. The response and comments are also very few.

I have written about 21 devotion thoughts. Except from Wei Lin's sporadic comments, no reader is interested in devotion, which is my primarily objective of writing this blog - to help people to be more regulare in their devotions. The devotion thoughts are a FAILURE.

I don’t like to do things that continue in failure. I like to win. Everything that I do must have a “winner” feeling. I don’t go for mediocre or lukewarm. It’s either hot or cold. Since the readers decide to let it be “cold”, the blog is now officially closed.

It is now a diary.


PS: A blog has many readers, followers, comments and reactions. A diary has only one reader.

Devotional Thoughts: Lying to the Church

How often do we lie to the church?

In today Daily Bread devotional passages (Acts 5:1-11):

http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/09/11/devotion.aspx

We sometimes behave like Ananias and Sapphira, giving a portion of what we have and pretending that we have given our all so as to look good in front of others.

Have you and I done a similar thing like them? Dare to be honest?

I have.

One similar situation would be giving Tithes. A tithe is actually 10% of our incomes. Imagine if the Holy Spirit will to strike down all who offer their money as Tithes that is less than 10% of what they received for that month? I would be long dead. I usually give less than 10% as Tithes and the rest to missions' organizations and missionaries in need, adding up to about 15% on average. That is about the best I can give away each month. I just feel that BPCES is not doing enough for the money collected and so members are talking about putting them into fix deposits instead of investing into lives of missionaries and Kingdom works.

Still, it is not an excuse for me to give less than 10% and write it as "Tithes". As such, I have changed it to "Thanksgiving" instead of "Tithes". Yeah, I think I have again put it as tithes for the past two months. So this devotions is a good reminder for me to put things right as be honest.

Beside money, there are other areas. Our talents, our services ...

Is giving excuses not to do something for the church when we can, considered lying?

Forever Friends

Meeting a long lost friend and having some wonderful time together is always a joy and delight to the soul. All thanks to Facebook.

It was through Facebook that I found my old buddy and room-mate during NTI students’ days. Last Tuesday during lunch, we had a wonderful time talking about those days and how our lives have been.

It’s amazing to know that we remained as room-mate for the whole 3 years, a feat no students would do. Most broke up after a year or two. With him, we can almost talk about anything, no secret! I remember the time when he was interested in another girl in our Christian fellowship group. He told me all about his struggle. People use to say that guys don’t talk about personal feelings. But with him, we talk about almost anything. Best of all, we encourage one another spiritually. We even make a covenant that whoever got married first, the other person would be the best man. Guess who got married first?

Then we got married, have our own family, stayed oversea and slowly we lost contact.

It was through facebook that I found him. Thankfully, his photograph was in it.

Yah! Forever friends.

I am back!

Hi! I am back.

Whether you are a Sunday friend, an acquaintance or even a stranger passing by this blog, feel free to check it out.

And drop a comment, others may like to know your thoughts also.

Adios, amigo! :)

The “Cannot Make It” Kid

Being in the elite group also has its struggle. They measure against one another whether they “make it” or “cannot make it”. Those who can’t are called the CMI kid.


Last Friday night, I had a gathering with 2 of my closest friends in one of their house. We know each other since NUS graduate school days more than 19 years ago. No, we don’t meet every Sunday, only once or twice a year. Still, I consider them best of friends. Even though we rarely meet, I know that I can count on them when I am really in need or help. And they are from the elite group, very successful in their careers and lives. They are also evangelical Christians. However, they see themselves as the “Cannot Make It” - CMI kid.

You see, one of these friends came from the elite schools – RI and ACS. There is a saying among the elite that “The RI boys rule Singapore and the ACS boys own Singapore”. So this elite group measure themselves by whether they rule Singapore – politically successful or own Singapore – successful bankers and wealthy businessmen. This friend has classmates like the Law Minister, the Transport Minister and the Minister in the PM offices to measure and compare to. As such, he sees himself as the CMI kid, even though he has a big house, and is a top civil servant.

I spent the 4 hours listening to their “elite” talk, mostly in silence. The phrase - "CMI kid" kept repeating didn’t know for umpteen times.

As I left the big 5,000 square foot, 3-storey house almost before mid-night, the CMI kid thingy was lingering in my mind. If I were to compare to them, I am nothing, just an alumni of a neighborhood school and living in a HDB flat. Probably worse than a CMI kid.


Driving in the still silence of the night, I heard my serene spirit whispering to me:

“You are a CMI kid – Certainly Make It (to heaven) kid”. What a blessed assurance.

Devotion Thoughts: What is Friendship?

Every time I read about David and Jonathon, I think about their friendship. Then I think about my friendship. Or are they really my friends?

I was reading the Daily Bread online today (2Sam 1:11, 17-27)

http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/08/25/devotion.aspx

Saul and Jonathon had died in battle. David laments for them, more so for Jonathan, his friend whom he greatly loved.

What then is friendship? Isaac Lim says it right – the bottom line of friendship is trust. http://izinmid.spaces.live.com/?lc=18441

(1) Friends trust one another
Read what Isaac wrote:

Who can we talk to? Who can we trust? Sometimes we want to talk to new people, to connect, to help them know more about us, but yet some of the things we tell them can be easily used against us. We want to have friends whom we can trust with the going ons of our lives, we want to share our struggles and pain, and yet sometimes, even people we think we know and can trust aren't exactly who we think they are. I guess sometimes we need to take a little risk to know if someone can be trusted. It isn't easy to open up; clamming up is so much easier.


David trust Jonathon that he will not betray him to his father, after Jonathon visits David while he is on the run from his father (1Sam 23:16-18). Without that trust, David might be wondering whether Jonathon is going home to tell Saul of David’s whereabout.

Without trust, there is no friendship.

(2) Friends rejoice and weep with one another.
When someone says (or blog) it’s their birthday, we greet, “Happy Birthday!” When she blogs about her good results, we congratulates her. When I read others' blog, I also like to know whether people care to comments on their blog. It is the comments arena that reveals how strong the bloggers’ friendships are. There was this simple blog with just ordinary postings - joy and pain that she goes through. But, everytime she share some things, her friends will write comments to encourage her. Blogging has become her motivation. In this aspect, of encouragement, I think non-Christian's blog fair better. Maybe I am wrong ...

(3) Friends are tolerant with each other
Not too long ago, a person from the English congregation called me and voiced displeasure at me because I did not do something. Maybe it was because I am an English Committee member in BPCES, I am expected to do what other can choose not to do. OK, so much about friendship! I began to see church members as … just church members, not friends anymore. Hence, I need to scrutinize who is reading my blog.

What then is true friendship?

Devotion Thoughts: Check my Attitude

I am thinking about this question: “What does it take to be a good Christian?”
Perhaps some answers will be:

A good Christian worships God every Sunday in worship service.

A good Christian does his daily devotion.

A good Christian talks to others about Christ regularly.

A good Christian gives his tithes.
…

If you ask the Lord Jesus Christ this question, what will HIS answer be?

In today’s Daily Bread’s devotion on Matt 5:3-12

http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/08/21/devotion.aspx


Jesus’ answers would be: “your attitude towards God and towards people” Hence we call this passage the Be-attitude.

Our attitude towards God:
(1) poor in spirit v3
(2) mourn v4
(3) humble v5
(4) desire to get right with God v6
(5) purity v8

Our attitude towards people:
(1) humble v5
(2) doing what is right – morally and integrity v6
(3) merciful v7,
(4) purity v8
(5) peacemaker v9

Poor in spirit – seeing our spiritual situation as what God would see (we are spiritual bankrupt in God’s sight, Isa 64:6)

Mourn – to mourn for our sins and sinful nature.

Once we are able to see ourselves just as spiritually bankrupt and as sinful as anybody else, no matter how much I know the Bible, how much tithes I give, or how regular I come for Sunday worship service, then my attitude towards the common people will be more amicable and friendly.

Many months ago, my company employed a part-time middle age Indian man as a cleaner. He either comes to work after office hour or very early in the morning before anybody comes to the office. From the look, I suspect he was an ex-prisoner, with tattoo all over his hands (and body also?). He doesn’t talk to us. He just does his work and went off.

When he first came to work one late evening, I was perhaps the only one to greet him, he appeared surprised. Usually, people keep away from such a person. Now, when he sees me, he would smile a bit.

Likewise, there is the Ah Soh (auntie) who cleans the pantry and clears the office's rooms. Showing some respect to such people by greeting them daily help to build our way of getting along with people

It is not the things we do that make us a good Christian;
It is the Be-attitude inside us.

Is there such a thing as CONSCIENCE?

Integrity – that’s the word that I keep thinking for a quite a while now.

Living in truth and honesty don’t mean much to people so long as they can get what they want, sometime at the expense of others. Wonder how their conscience feel?

Well, about 4 months ago I recruited a fresh poly graduate as my Engineering Assistant after the previous staff tendered his resignation. So far, all these young workers just can’t persevere in engineering work. Engineers live a dog life, at least mine is like that. I fight problems almost everyday.

This fresh grad was a China scholar. I thought she has a desire to do engineering as I asked her during the interview. Now that she has gotten her Permanent Resident (PR) pass, she tendered her resignation immediately. So her intention to get a job is to qualify for the PR status.

I have spent a lot of time teaching her and training her. At first, I was wondering why a bright student (with good results) can be such a slow learner. I have to keep teaching her the same thing. Now I know, her intention is just to get the PR. That is why she is not interested to learn. Also, she is so prone to take medical leaves and go on leaves; it becomes a liability to the company.

We all like to put on a false front (like this staff), but how does one conscience feel?

Song Humming in my head

Lord, my heart is prone to wander
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart
Lord take and seal it
Seal it for
Your courts above.

I woke up this morning with this song humming in my head.
Maybe, I was reading Brother Lawrence’s book:
“The Practice of the Presence of God”
and was deeply immersed in his writing.

Every time I pause in what I am doing,
this song just come back by itself,
as if somebody is singing behind my ears.
It just sticks in my head the whole morning,
even as I am writing this.
…

Lord, my heart is prone to wander
...

Sowing & Reaping

Everyone needs to understand and learn the meaning of sowing and reaping.

It all started when Auntie Lily invited us (my daughter and me) to join her in FARMVILLE in facebook. Euodia then started clicking on the icon, “play Farmville”. It was just a small plot of land. And so we planted eggplant and strawberry. Nothing much, looks boring.

After many days past, she again went into the farm, only to find that all her plants had overgrown and withered. She was sad but learnt a great lesson. Living things can die. We learn the lesson that what we sow, we will reap. So, we got more meticulous and pay more attention to what length of time each plant takes to grow, bear fruits and wither if we fail to harvest them.

Farmville gets interesting when we make neighbours. We can also send and receive gifts from neighbours. We also visited our neighbours’ farm and took pictures. The children love to visit Auntie Lily’s farm. We also learnt from her farm; how she arranged the animals and the decorations she had. It’s very beautiful. Farming becomes a community affair! Harvesting time is always an excitement for the children. Some plants take days, others a few hours before fully grown. We need to know them well or else they will wither. I am also thinking about who I should invite to start a farm in Farmville.

There are many more things we’ve yet to explore. But we will.


Spiritual life is also about sowing and reaping.

Is your spiritual land (farm) vacant? Do you visit it daily? How about getting more “neighbours” to help you spiritually? Or maybe visit your neighbours’ spiritual farm and see how they grow theirs? We need to send spiritual encouragement to one another also. There are friends who have no Spiritual life yet. Shouldn’t we also invite them into this Spiritual Farmville (Kingdom)?

Each time I lock into Farmville, I am reminded to also tend my spiritual farmville.

Come, join me in “FARMVILLE”, …

to learn about sowing and reaping,

and be a community of “spiritual” farmers…

“A man reaps what he sows. … for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

PS: This will be my last post. I rather be a farmer than a blogger. See you at FARMVILLE.

Adios!! :)

20th Anniversary of BPCES

What changes do you see after 20 years in Bethany PCES?

I was pondering over this question for a long time. Should I or shouldn’t I blog about my thoughts on this? I shelved the idea …, until I happen to read about another church who is also in her 20th anniversary.

http://www.konghee.com/www/2009/08/what_chc_is_all_about/#more-4793


In 1989, we formed the "new" Bethany PCES with a sad beginning. There was a church division. It was not that we wanted to grow for the LORD. We just wanted to stay in Bethany while the other group wanted to build their own church. I had just returned from the United States and was not fully aware of the issue. I was free to join any groups or to go to another church.

I came to Bethany in 1986, after attending another church for 10 years. So, it was not appropriate to move to another church again. All my close “working” church friends joined the out-going group, Bethany Emmanuel, except David Lim who remained in BPCES. Ever since I came to Bethany, they were my regular partners during street evangelism. However, I was not comfortable to be under the leaders of Bethany Emmanuel. Whether the church will grow or die depends on the leaders. “But they have taken all the ‘working’ people and the youth.” That was my parting thought.

In 1989, we started with less than 30 people. In 2009, we had about 89 members and probably about a 100 worshippers each Sunday. In 20 years, we increased less than 4 times, many of these are biological. We were waiting for our kids to grow up and take over. When they reached their late teens, we were already talking about handling the church leadership to them. They are now playing active role in worship, Bible Study and even as committee members of the English service.


Bethany PCES is never strong and dedicated to prayer, Word and evangelism – the pillars for spiritual revival and growth.

We started that way, we will continue to move in that way.

We just wanted to stay in Bethany. ...

Devotional Thoughts: Be an evangelist?

“That person doesn’t behave as if he is a Christian” my General Manager / boss blurted out after we were talking about dealings with people issue.

The passage today from The Daily Bread brought back thoughts of my conversation with my General Manager last Friday:

http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/08/09/devotion.aspx


Seizing the opportunity to talk about Christianity, I emphasized that we are sinners and that is why we all need Christ as our Saviour. But when we are pardoned from our sin, we need to develop a life changes toward Godliness. It is sad that sometime, Christian don’t display a life that is required of our faith and so stumble unbelievers.

While our ministry may not be that of an evangelist, like Timothy (2Tim 4:5), what we can do as a Christian is to look out for opportunity to share the Gospel, not forcefully, but help others see the need to put their faith in Christ.

There are a few ways to create opportunities for sharing the Gospel. First of all, we need to make our faith in Christ public. If we are ashamed to be identified as Christians, there is no way we can be Christ’s witness. Praying before meal is a good practice. Wearing a cross round your neck (for ladies) is another testimony. Some Christian put Bible verses as screen-savers on their computer. For me, I usually leave my Bible on my desk.

Be a witness – by word and by behaviour.

Devotional Thoughts: The Input & Output of our lives

People know us by our output, not by our input.

Today’s devotion from The Daily Bread triggers the following thoughts:

http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/08/08/devotion.aspx


Input = listening (by our ears), seeing & reading (by our eyes), thinking (by our hearts and minds)

Output = Doing (by our hands), talking (by our mouth & body languages)

It is our inputs that shape our lives. It is our outputs that will shape others lives.

The inputs are our private lives. My daily inputs are the books (including the Bible) that I read, the internet websites that I surf, the conversation that I heard, the thoughts that came suddenly to me, the nature that I observe, the newspaper, … Are these inputs healthy nourishment or pollution to my life (Jas 1:27b)?

You don’t know what my inputs are until, I blog or talk about it. Are my writing and talking timely that lessen stress to you, or encourage you? Or are they words that rub salt to your wounds? Likewise, when I do something, you evaluate them and see whether they are in line with Biblical teaching. Am I a doer of the word (Jas 1:22) and so prove that I am consistent with what I read from the Bible? Do my actions bring about blessing to the needy (Jas 1:27a)?

Beware the input and output of our lives.

Devotional Thoughts: Changing of Mentality

I see my children grow from having a mom’s mentality to herd’s mentality.

Today’s devotion from the Radio Bible Class, The Daily Bread brings my thoughts to my family and my youthful days.

http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/08/07/devotion.aspx

When they are toddlers and in their primary school, it’s usually, “Mom says this …, mom says cannot do this …”

Now that they are in their secondary schools, decisions are made usually by following their friends. The mobile phone is a very important item in their lives. They switch from mom’s mentality to herd’s mentality and do things in groups. Friends’ decisions take priority.

This is the process of growing up.

It also happened to me when I was young. It was the herd’s mentality that I chose to go to the polytechnic instead of staying in the Junior College.

Hopefully, they will grow up from this herd’s mentality and move on to … Cross mentality. One day, when they grow towards spiritual maturity, they will learn to make decision base on the Cross of Christ.

Mom’s mentality … Herd’s mentality … Cross mentality.

Whether they have reach the Cross mentality or not, they will know it themselves.

Paying 60cents for a 10cents share

Pardon my ignorant, but can someone explain to me this ...

Why would people want to buy a share for 60 cents that is value at 10 cents?

My company has been offering me share at this price and state that its value is 10cents per share. It happened so many times and no, I have not bite it yet. Is this a bait or what? Yet, I don't see the logic of this.

I try to ask someone in the company and the answer is: "It's like that what!"

I have not buy any share (except SingTel share which the government do it for me) so I am really blur in this.