The Baptist Choice

Tom's article last week made a salient point: Our move to SFCC is neutral. Yet, our decision and commitment are crucial for the growth and advancement of both our church and us. You might wonder why we still have to conduct 2 rounds of voting if our church has somehow decided to move elsewhere for growth and development. The simple answer is that we are not 100% sure if God wants us to move exactly to the SFCC. Thus, our leadership has resorted to a cautious approach by arranging a confirmation voting by all of our regular attendants plus possibly (if at least 80% support is obtained in the first voting) another registered members' voting to affirm our decision.

At this juncture, I wish to bring your attention to the Baptist belief of congregationalism. Baptists concluded from the Bible that authority for church governance should reside with the congregation. Also, Christ is the head of the church (see the Baptist History and Heritage Society). Related to the latter principle are two significant concepts: soul competency and the priesthood of all believers (1 Pet. 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6, 5:10). Soul competency is the idea that God has endowed individuals with the ability to decide matters of faith for themselves. Baptists also affirm that people have free access to God through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the temple was torn (Mark 15:38). The symbol of the division between people and priest in the Old Testament was removed.

Through statements of faith, the Southern Baptists assert that the individual church is an autonomous body, operating through democratic processes under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Members are equally responsible in such a congregation. This is the main reason why our CMC together decided to resort to the proposed 2 rounds of voting by our regular attendants and registered members respectively. By doing so, our church does live up to the Baptist faith and practice of making important decisions through such democratic process as voting. It is also an act of honesty and respect of our identity as a Baptist church and the priesthood of our believers. Beloved, please feel free to cast your sacred vote according to what the Spirit has led you. May God help us! Amen.

Howard, Oct. 22

Our Way to Move Ahead

You might have thought about whether we should move to the SFCC since our 2nd worship there on October 1st. I would like to take this opportunity to explain to you the relevant CMC decisions made accordingly. The CMC has been scrutinizing over the question of our relocation strategy in the past few months. We all agree that our church needs to grow and develop both for the kingdom of God and our own spiritual development. The remaining question is whether the SFCC is the right location for us.

Ever since our last 2 worships there, we have received some feedback from our members. For instance, some have opined that the SFCC is spacious, well facilitated and it has a beautiful surrounding. On the other hand, there are also comments on the possible traffic inconvenience of going to SFCC by the usual bus routes from areas of around Tai Po. Things appear to be a bit at a stalemate. Nevertheless, the same or similar concerns will emerge again if our church decides to move ahead at all. It happens to be SFCC this time. It could be anywhere (the Baptist Seminary, say) in the New Territory next time should things so happen and our situation so demands.

The CMC has consequently resolved to conduct 2 rounds of voting, the first being a pre-requisite voting for a minimum of 80% approval from our congregation (i.e. ALL WHO HAS CAST A VALID VOTE THEN) to move ahead to SFCC. Any registered member OR regular attendant of our church could and should vote with his/her choice in the first round. Regular attendants are those who have attended our church for a minimum period of 6 months with at least 2 Sunday attendances per month. The minimum 80% approval is intentionally set to make a cautious and prudent deliberation from among our congregants. With a bit of faith, we shall take the result of the first round of voting to be either an approval/disapproval from our Lord Jesus.

Should we get the minimum 80% on October 22nd, we would then make a motion to vote on our official decision to move ahead in the nearest general meeting of our registered members according to our church rules. Dear brothers and sisters, the move itself is neutral. Yet, our decision and commitment are crucial for the growth and advancement of both our church and us. Please do remember this in your prayer and be ready to vote according to what the Spirit has led you.

Tom, Oct. 15

Bulletin Article for TPIBC for October 1st

The Reward of Due Diligence and Watchfulness

Joanne's article last Sunday (Sept. 24) asked a question, “How can we hold onto God?” The answer is that we can do that through faith and obedience. Indeed, faith and obedience are the essential and basic attitude of followers of Christ in terms of our reliance upon and connection to God. Such a teaching is simple enough. Yet, its practice requires a lot of watchfulness and determination.

A couple in Christ came to me recently for pastoral counseling. They were looking for help and spiritual direction to overcome a recurrent problem in financial management. They have been believers in Christ for more than a decade hitherto. However, they have somehow missed the opportunity to develop and enter into a good spiritual discipline. As a result, they were beaten by their moods and led astray by the emotional responses when things were not going right for them. The test for our faith and obedience in Christ comes mostly during our afflictions and frustrations. Most Christians could perform well during times of prosperity and success. Nevertheless, the Bible tells us that the maturity and gifts of the Apostles Peter and Paul were perfected only after their personal trials and transformation.

It is almost a universal truth that every servant of our Lord Jesus has to go through some sort of trials and transformation before one could become a valuable instrument in the hands of our Lord. You may wonder how then Christians should prepare themselves to serve the Lord. Should we seek trials actively and purposefully? The answer is “NO”. Jeremiah 18: 4–6 teaches us that like the clay in the potter's hand, so are we in the hand of the Lord God. It is entirely up to our Lord Jesus for what we might have to go through and become at the end of the day.

Luke 12:35–36 records one of Jesus' parables teaching us to be dressed ready for service and keep our lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. This teaching tells us essentially to do what is right and watchful before the Lord God as we are His servants. Luke 12:37 goes on to comment that it will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. The master will even gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them. What a surprising outcome! Beloved, how good a promise we have: we will be rewarded beyond our expectation if we are willing to follow the Lord as our master and serve him with due diligence and watchfulness.

Daily Devotional for September 22nd

Surprises and Assurance

Just 2 days ago (Sep. 20th), the wealthy and politically dominant Thai minister, Mr Thaksin Shinawatra, was ousted by a military coup during his attendance at the UN's General Assembly in New York. The new military leaders said Mr. Thaksin could return to Thailand but may face trial. Today, it is reported that The Pakistani president Mr. Pervez Musharraf said during his address in the same UN's General Assembly that following the attacks of September 11, the US threatened to bomb Pakistan "back to the stone age" unless it joined the fight against al-Qaeda. Are these 2 pieces of news any surprise to you?

Another piece of surprising and sad news is the execution of three Christians today (Sep. 22nd) in Indonesia for leading attacks on Muslims six years ago that left at least 70 people dead and setting off fresh sectarian clashes on the Sulawesi Island. Ironically, the Muslim militants involved faced a maximum of 15 years’ imprisonment only. “Justice” is really in the hands of the ruling and the powerful!

What an incredulous and absurd world we are living in! It is well known that the military has had a dramatic presence in the politics of Thailand. This is obvious from the confusing array of coups and coup attempts that have occurred since 1932 (see THAILAND: MILITARY INTERVENTION). As of today, the coup against Thaksin is something like the 18th in the array. Amazingly, people in Thailand are so used to them that the impact of the September 20th coup to their daily lives is so minimal!

The Apostle Paul's teaching about terrible times in the last days (II Tim. 3:1-5) is so vivid. He prophesied that people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,… slanderous, without self-control, … treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Beloved, what shall we do then? First, let's learn to protect ourselves by avoiding and turning away from those sinful acts and those having a form of godliness but denying its power. Secondly, let's not give up the mission to lead people to Christ while staying as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves (Matt.10:16) in our footsteps to follow Jesus for we are citizens of the Eternal Kingdom.

Devotional for September 19th

The Cost of Evangelism

The Vatican released a statement on September 16th to explain the position of the Pope concerning Islam as a result of the controversy stirred up by the Pope's address at the University of Regensburg, Germany on September 12th. It stated that the Church regards with esteem also the Muslims. Understandably, the said statement was aimed at pacifying the recent outrageous reaction of the Muslim world towards the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, the wave of Muslim protests around the world especially in the hard-line Muslim areas is still surging.

The center of the controversy appears to be the Pope's quote of the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus' statement before an educated Persian, namely, "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached". The theme of the Pope's address (see LECTURE OF THE HOLY FATHER) was, according to the Vatican, rather that of “Acting unreasonably contradicts God's Nature”. The Pope quoted again Manuel II's remark, namely, "Not to act reasonably, not to act with logos, is contrary to the nature of God" in the conclusion of his concerned address.

The hostility and protests are certainly unfortunate events. It is also a sad thing regarding the use of violence in connection with religion. As a reflection, these events prompt me to ponder over our relationship with the other religions and the cost of our Lord's Great Commission. In Luke 12:51, Jesus said, “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.” What an amazing remark it is – especially when we think of Jesus' earlier teaching (Luke 6:27) that we should love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. The apparent conflict between love and division could be resolved through John 15:18-20 when Jesus pointed out that, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.”

It is so true that preaching the gospel requires a proper understanding of our neighbours and the cultures around us. It often attracts some form of confrontation between us as Jesus' embassadors and the world because behind somebody's conversion is spiritual warfare! Beloved, let's remind one another of the Lord's instruction (Matt.10:16) for us to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves when we are sent into the lost world.

Devotional for September 14th

Our Hope and Destiny

Beloved, have you thought about what heaven is like as our future destiny? In your attempts to preach the gospel to others, similar questions might prompt up such as: “If the people in heaven have no lust and desire, are they living like monks? If there are no money, no hunger, no material needs, what then will be their satisfaction?” Do you have an answer for them?

For a genuine seeker of ETERNITY, we should praise them for their sincerity in their quest for human beings’ ultimate destiny. Obviously, there are NO simple answers to the above questions. However, we could take the chance to reflect on the promises in the Bible and to share our honest belief and hope with them. Most of such questions have two foci, namely,
(1) What is "heaven" in the Christian sense? and
(2) How is the life in the heavens like?

The biblical answers for (1) are available in Isaiah 65:17 which points out that the Lord will create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. Isaiah 66:22 assures that the new heavens and the new earth shall remain before God. II Peter (3:13) states that righteousness will dwell in the new heavens and the new earth. Hence, the Righteousness of God will replace the unrighteousness and depravity (including the transient good things) of the current cosmos we are in. In fact, chapters 21 & 22 of Revelation describe the new heavens and earth as an absolute purity. They are also free from the wrath and curse of God.

As for (2), I Corinthian (2:7,9) says, “But we (i.e. Paul & his coworkers) impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glorification.… But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him'.” The important clue in these verses is that it is beyond our imagination and physical senses concerning the actual livelihood or events which will take place in the new heavens and earth.

Thus, we have a good reason to believe that our eternal destiny is really good and promising. It is guaranteed by God's grace given through our faith. It is the true gift of God not because of our works; lest any man should boast and might find a reason to argue that one may become dull of such eternal destiny.

Devotional for September 13th

A Choice for the Narrow Gate

Have you ever seen somebody spitting in the public? If you are a regular mainland traveler, I would bet you must have seen such “disturbing” acts as spitting in the open or yelling aloud in restaurants. Honestly, I feel a bit disgraced as a Chinese in front of such uncivilized acts because they are either unhygienic or causing a nuisance. Nevertheless, people's reaction to unseen but potentially hazardous acts is very much different.

One of my good old friends in Canada asked me recently: Is man-to-woman marriage a moral standard based on biblical story? How about one to two, two to two etc.... If God had created two men and two women in the first place, do we have a two-to-two situation? He also pointed out that the church has been against the homosexuality strongly via different means while some scientists had suggested it was a genetic problem. Beloved, have you been challenged by a similar question before. Sadly enough, the advocates for homosexuality and homosexual marriages often turn a blind eye to the ever increasing divorce rate in our modern society, the increase in the incidences of sexually transmitted diseases especially the risk of AIDS spreading around the world. They also neglect the important findings by sincere researchers that it is too early to conclude that homosexual inclination is genetically determined. The traditional family system and values of the west are facing a threat of disintegration much as the Chinese Confucian values were facing during the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

The western world today is not only that the fear of God and faith in the Lord Jesus are no longer their norm, their peoples have a tendency to do away with all the traditional norms. Instead, the individual person and individualistic freedom is at the center of such post-modern cultures where the INDIVIDUAL often takes precedence over the collective society. There are definitely social and anthropological reasons behind such a tendency. Amazingly, the Bible (e.g. Jude 17-19) has foretold long ago that in the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. They are the men who divide the Christians; who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit – what a striking similarity with our existing situations!

As an individual, one is free to choose one's choice and values. However, the reasonable choice should be made in terms of the development, welfare and sustainability of the human society at large. As Christians, we must remember the Apostle Peter's warning (II Pet. 3:10) that the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. For this reason, we must exercise our spiritual freedom to bear witness to our Lord and to be a salt and light to the world even though it is the narrow gate that the world would despise.

Bulletin Article for TPIBC on September 17th

Peace and Courage

Joanne's article last Sunday (Sep. 10th) mentioned Tse Pau Pau, a sister whose life was dictated by a great sense of fear before she was delivered by Christ Jesus. We, most probably, have gone through a similar struggle and bondage (be it fear or emptiness) before our conversion. Being saved is a wonderful experience. On the other hand, being Christian is a life long experience and blessings. Nevertheless, our Lord has not promised his followers a through road of success and prosperity in the world. What the Lord Jesus has promised (Jn.14:27) is His Peace. He also reminds his followers not to let their hearts be troubled and do not be afraid because Christians are Jesus’ messengers sent into the world (Jn.17:18). For this reason, Jesus had prayed for all those believe in Him before he returned to the Father. His prayer (Jn.17:15-17) is not that the Father will take the believers out of the world but that God the Father will protect them from the evil one because Christians are not of the world and are sanctified by the truth – the Word of God.

As a matter of fact, proclamation of the gospel is not an easy task for behind someone's choice to accept or reject the Salvation of Jesus Christ is spiritual warfare! It is obvious warfare when we try to preach the gospel to the Muslim or anti-Christian countries. It is also warfare even when the gospel is preached in Christian countries! Do you agree? Let's think about the 9-11 attack and tragedy 5 years ago. It is a sign of the conflict between the western Christian nations and the Muslim Middle East. Furthermore, it is the result of mutual distrust and hatred between the two camps. More unfortunately, the road to a real peace and solution to eliminate terrorism through the application of armed forces and retribution appears to be endless! Indeed, such a retributive reaction and treatment of the problem does not conform to the Christian principles of love and hope.

The modern advocacy of the liberalistic freedom and rights has resulted in pluralistic and highly individualistic societies in the west. The fear of God and faith in the Lord Jesus are no longer their norm or foothold. The authority of the Bible is replaced by their ever changing constitutions. The Christian love and hope are being overwhelmed by the quests for worldly achievements and competitions. Today, few people in the west talk about leadership through service and humility. Rather, people are craving after leadership by leading and success. It is against such a backdrop that the gospel is making its way through to save the lost souls. Dear brothers and sisters, let's encourage one another with the Lord's promise of His Peace and do not be discouraged in our Christian pursuit for we are Jesus’ messengers sent into the world having a divine protection from God. Amen.

Devotional for September 6th

A Heart for The Seasons

In my devotional Master of Our Freewill dated August 25th, 2006, I quoted Luke 12:34 saying, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Beloved, where is your treasure today? Is your heart with it? As Christians, we are taught and encouraged to look to our heavenly treasures. As human beings, we are under a constant reminder of the power and influence of money. Such a situation often draws us into a dilemma in our decision making.

I once heard a story about a Christian brother's confession during his escape from Vietnam. It goes back to the time when Vietnam was divided. The said brother was a rich man living in the South. He enjoyed his living and business before the South was annexed by the North. As South Vietnam was tumbling, he had to desert his business and join a massive exodus to flee out of Vietnam. During his escape to the nearby countries, he could still travel in a Mercedes Benz with his family! He figured out a clever idea to hide his treasure by forcing all his bank notes into an empty tyre. Unfortunately, the vehicle broke down in the middle of an isolated area. His family had to spend the cold night there. Without suitable firewood or other materials to light a fire, he finally had to burn up his treasured bank notes for his family's sustenance! Tears immediately rushed down from his eyes. His heart was aching with a strong sense of distress and repentance – he was so sad that he had not used the money wisely to support his church and God's kingdom while he was free to do that. Things were too late then because he was running for his survival in a country filled with hatred.

Beloved, does the above story remind you of any thing? It really enlivens the parable in Matthew 25:14-29 about the burden of servants to make profits on behalf of their master. Isaiah 55:6 urges us to seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. Let's learn from the aforesaid story and prepare ourselves against possible crises in our lives. The Apostle Paul's reminder (I Thess. 5:1-2) is germane – But as to the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Bulletin Article for TPIBC on September 3rd

Our Transition Reviewed

In my earlier article (12 Feb.,06), I talked about our transition. Specifically, I pointed out then that you should be seeing me much less frequently than before. At the same time, I am open and ready for whatever consultation or assistance as may be required by our congregation since I am still an interim minister of our church. Time really flies, another 6 months have past ever since and my service has been reviewed by our CMC members recently as my service agreement is renewed on a 6-month basis.

There is some fine tuning in my modes of service with our church. They are only minor adjustments. For instance, I shall attend Sunday services more often – not less than 3 Sundays per month. Joanne will continue to serve us in her interim role as our minister. We shall cooperate to serve our congregation and the needs of our church. As you might have noticed, there is some sort of division of responsibilities between us. Joanne will be the best person of contact regarding the needs of our sisters while I shall be looking after the needs of our brothers. Obviously, there is no harm if any brother wishes to talk to Joanne direct or any sister to me. We will be most happy to help out.

I would like to thank our CMC for giving me a bit more of the flexibility to try out my endeavors as an independent evangelist. You could learn more of them by clicking onto my blog. A web link to My Articles is also provided therein. It is a collection of my articles basically written for our church's purposes. For example, I shall be supplementing my sermons with the articles so written. I am trying to post up daily devotionals on a weekly basis (3–6 devotionals per week) there. Hopefully, it will provide a meeting point for our brothers who are facing an increasing demand to work in China or other parts of the world. Let's remain in touch with one another through facilities such as emails or web writings. Let me also emphasize that any body among us is welcome to surf and comment on my articles as a way of communication and exchange.

Joanne and I shall be visiting newcomers to our church in order to promote their connection with us. If your home is available to ministers like us, please do not hesitate to invite us to visit you. A good understanding and communication among our members is essential in keeping us connected and concerned. May God the Father and Jesus our Lord help and guide us along while we are seeking His view and blessings for our congregation.

Devotional for September 1st

The Wisdom of Investment

There are a lot of investments in the world. Some of them would generate substantial and even phenomenal returns. For instance, Warren Buffett (a very famous American investor) has amassed an enormous fortune from astute investments, particularly through his company Berkshire Hathaway. Starting from $100 in 1956, he established Buffett Associates Limited as his first investment partnership. From such a humble beginning, Buffet eventually becomes the 2nd richest man of the world in 2006 according to the Forbes' list.

On the other hand, failures in investment are generally more numerous than successes. For instance, there were 3071 local bankruptcy cases in 1999, 4606 cases in 2000 and 9151 cases in 2001 in Hong Kong. Such a trend still exists and 2500 bankruptcies have been filed in the first quarter of 2006. All these figures reveal an undeniable fact ─ investing is a risky business!

What does the Bible teach us about “investment”? Matthew 25:14-29 unambiguously talks about the burden of servants to make profits on behalf of their master. As a result, the one who received one talent was condemned because of his inaction and his fear of taking risk! Thus, we have to be very cautious in terms of spiritual investments if we do consider our Saviour to be our Lord. In another parable of the dishonest steward (Luke 16: 1-9), the master commended the dishonest steward for his shrewdness for the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. The Lord Jesus went on to tell us to make friends for ourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive us into the eternal habitations.

Beloved, have you thought about the question of investment seriously? What is your lesson or illumination from reading the aforesaid parables? The billionaires are certainly to be envied in this world. Nonetheless, have you ever envy the Apostles in the spiritual realm with a view to the new heaven and earth to come as promised in the Bible? Let's use our freedom and gifts today in investing for our eternal future. Indeed, it is our responsibility to invest wisely and properly for the Kingdom of God. More importantly, our Lord's promises and assurance of our eternal destinies are too great a reward to be ignored! Let's therefore encourage and stimulate one another with the example of the poor widow in Luke 21:2 who put in two copper coins into the temple treasury.

Daily Devotional for August 25th

Master of Our Freewill

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates announced in mid June 2006 that he would transition out of his Microsoft CEO role beginning in July 2008 to further his career in philanthropy with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Bill and Melinda Gates have already contributed not less than 16 billion US dollars to the foundation comprising three major program areas—Global Development, Global Health, and U.S. Programs.

Bill Gates has been number one on the Forbes list of The World's Richest People from 1995-2006 with 50 billion US dollars of assets. I am sure he is both a well-known entrepreneur and a much talked about celebrity of humanitarian efforts. What you might not have known is that there are also reports that he is also a man with the usual struggles as you and I have. Would you believe that people such as Bill Gates still has struggles over values and meaning of life? It is genuine even though it sounds surprising.

Do you still remember the parable of the foolish rich man in Luke 12:15-21. Before telling the parable, Jesus warned his listeners to beware of all covetousness for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. He then gave a self-explanatory story of a rich man bothering over where to store his bountiful crops. The rich man decided he would build larger barns so as to store up all his grain and goods for his own future use and enjoyment. Nevertheless, he was not aware that God would reclaim his soul that very night. Jesus then posted a question to the rich man, “The things you have prepared, whose will they be?'

This simple story of value disorientation is so true that Bill Gates is not the only rich man struggling for an eternal answer in our Age. You might have heard of Thomas Kwok's (郭炳江) testimony of how he was led to the Lord Jesus by an immense feeling of emptiness, sadness and uncertainty around late 1994. It is so true that (Luke 12:34) where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. In terms of freewill, the actual deployment of one's riches is the true sign of his freewill and values. There is a similar oriental philosophy that true richness is measured by how much one spends not how much one has. In this sense, Mother Teresa is truly rich even by earthly standards.

Beloved, we all know that Christians are not exempt from the need and temptation of money. An honest test of our values and volition is the way and manner with which we spend our money or riches. Let's be reminded by the foregoing parable that we should opt to lay up our treasures in heaven while we are still free and masters of our freewill.

Daily Devotional for August 24th

Trials and Freewill

A friend of mine is facing a tough decision ahead – he needs a drastic treatment to release himself from a persistent and overwhelming financial burden. He is a free man and definitely nobody can rob him of his freewill. However, mature adults as we are know pretty well the dilemma facing such significant and vital decisions in life. What matter are usually not the facts but our emotion and perception.

It is a human nature to seek security and safety as well as to avoid uncertainty. However, it is more often than not that we tend to over protect ourselves with such inclination. As a result, we might end up entangled and become estranged with unjustifiable details and worries in our decision making process. Hence, we loss our orientation in the forest (of reality) while paying too much attention to minute details of a particular spot in it. Is this amazing to you? Let me testify with my and others' experiences known to me, we are biased towards over protection and disorientation unless we have been trained and coping with similar challenges before. Otherwise, it is only through God's grace and guidance that we could make right the first time when we are faced with a threatening and impending challenge.

The Apostle James is well aware of our weaknesses with his teaching (James 1:2-4) telling us to count it all joy when we meet various trials. He further states that for we know that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness, and let steadfastness have its full effect, that we may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Brothers and sisters, do you agree with James? Proverb 15:33 tells us the fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility goes before honor. It goes further (16:2-3) to state that all the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit. Thus, our plans will be established by committing our work to the LORD. An important illumination from the foregoing teachings leads us to understand that trials, humility, trust and commitment in the Lord are essential to set us free from our fleshy and sinful bondages.

Dear brothers and sisters, let's encourage one another to commit ourselves during the trials of life to the promises and teaching of God the Father if you were facing an imminent challenge. Let's also experience how true it is that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom!

Daily Devotional for August 22nd

Restoration of Our Freewill

I mentioned yesterday that our world is filled with so much illusions and false teachings working to hinder and disable our free choice in Jesus Christ. It practically means our freewill could be impaired. Yes, it is possible to impair and even deprive somebody of his/her freewill! It involves profound philosophical concept and ideas. Nevertheless, freewill is basically independent and free volition on a pragmatic ground. In other words, freewill is the power to make conscious choices and deliberate decisions in a free and independent manner.

Nowadays, some people question the existence of “freewill” because they claimed that there is scientific evidence showing that people make decisions before the area of the brain responsible for rational thought even gets activated. It is definitely an issue too complicated to be thoroughly discussed in this article. However, we may refer to some of our daily experiences to get an insight of the issue. Parents know well how conflicting or uncontrollable our children and youngsters are. Their behavior is not only rebellious but often unpredictable. For instance, most young children would be excited and happy to go to parties and most of them would make honest promises for behaving well. Nevertheless, clashes and quarrels among youngsters are almost inevitable subsequently. This is a typical illustration for our (youngsters’ at least) inability to fulfill or live up to our freewill and its promises.

Adults are not much better. Taking the example of making New Year resolutions, an American statistics shows that in the longer term, 80% of resolution-makers become resolution-breakers. If you would make a log of what you’ve been decided or resolved to achieve or do and follow them up diligently, I am sure you would agree with me that we are more often side-tracked or off-tracked than not. One of the main reasons behind such discrepancies is the impairment of our freewill. The question becomes then what shall we do to restore our freewill?

The Apostle Paul states that (II Cor. 3:17) the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. In order to regain freedom and hence freewill, we must trust and be abide by the Lord Jesus. The reason is obvious, no one can be living and free before God our Father without a regenerated soul. From a biblical point of view, we may attribute the impairment of our freewill to sin. Indeed, we were once dead but are alive, were lost but are found as God’s children. In order to keep and cherish such a miraculous regeneration and the faculty of freewill, let’s be reminded of the importance of keeping our heart with all vigilance; for from it flow the springs of life (Pro. 4:23).

Daily Devotional for August 21st

A Matter of Choice

Besides God, another important factor determining our life destiny is our freewill since we decide with our freewill to believe or not. The Apostle Paul points out in II Thess. 2:13 that from the beginning God chose us to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. The work of the Spirit is definitely initiated by and of God while our belief in the truth is essentially a personal response and choice by the individual believer. Paul also reminds us (Heb.11:6) the importance of faith for without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Bearing in mind that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb. 11:1).

I am sure most of us (if not all) must have some kind of “crossroad” experience where we are stranded at a junction of choices because we hesitate and could not make up our mind on which way to choose. The underlying reasons are various. Some may find it difficult to make a choice because they could not see through the available pathways regarding their destinations. Others may simply find that making a choice is too risky for them. Hence, they'd rather somebody make the choice for them.

As you might know, I had been serving as a civil servant before I embarked on my current career as an independent evangelist. The main reason for leaving my former job is basically that I am a job seeker in our Lord's Kingdom. As Christians, we would certainly long for a commendation by the Lord Jesus regarding our earthly works. The Apostle Paul has made a very vivid comment [I Cor. 3:12 – 14]: "If any man builds on this foundation (i.e. Jesus Christ) using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward."

A Christian brother has once asked me, "Howard, are you so sure you are making the right choice?" My heartfelt answer is: "I am not sure if my choice is the best but I believe in our Lord and His choice which is the best." I think you would agree with me that our present status as a chosen people is really a grace of our Lord who, with His wisdom and foreknowledge, had chosen us right from the beginning of our lives at least.

Let us treasure our status as the Lord's chosen people through our choice of His will and plan for our lives. This is especially important when our world is filled with so much illusions and false teachings working to hinder and disable our free choice in Jesus Christ.

Daily Devotional for August 17th

On Our Destiny

As a child of God, have you ever thought about your personal destiny? After all, can we know our destiny? The answer is both yes and no. “Yes”, the Bible is crystal clear about a faithful believer's destiny ─ eternal life and blessings in Heaven. Alternatively, any disbeliever in Jesus Christ as our Saviour will be doomed to the eternal punishment in Hell. “No”, the Bible is basically silent about the average believer's earthly destiny. The life and mission of the Lord Jesus is an obvious exception as is proclaimed in Hebrew (10:7) that“Lo, I have come to do thy will, O God, as it is written of me in the roll of the book.” (see also Luke 24:25-27)

When we refer to Bible characters such as Abraham, Moses, David, Ruth, Esther… and the Apostles, we may feel a strong sense of pre-destination in their destinies. In fact, I do believe that God has a plan for every one of us in Christ (see Eph. 2:10). Yes, we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. This reminds us that God prepared us long ago with a purpose, i.e. to do good works according to His will. Besides God, another important factor determining our life destiny is our freewill. The irony is that we were sinners under the bondage of sin until Christ has made us free (Gal. 5:1). The greatest freedom in Christ is exemplified by his sacrifice on the cross. The Apostle Paul therefore urges us not to use liberty for an occasion to the flesh after we are set free in Christ (Gal. 5:13). We should rather serve one another by love.

Brothers and Sisters, I certainly could not give you a clear answer on your earthly destinies. However, it is both a mystery and goodwill of God our Father and Jesus our Lord that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28). Hence, we may safely assure one another that our destiny in the Lord is linked to love and our freewill to serve God and the people around us. What is better out there than the promise of a blessed eternal life for the faithful believer? So, let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works (Heb.10:23 – 24).

Why Do I Need A Good Habit (Article for Sunday on August 20th)

Pastor Tom Dooley at the Harrison Free Will Baptist Church once preached on “Eight Habits of Highly Effective Christians” based on II Peter 1:1-10. He points out that Christian life begins when one places their trust in the Savior. Accordingly, Peter wants us to understand that becoming a Christian is not the end, it is rather the beginning. The Christian life is to be "added to" or growing and maturing.

II Peter 1:5 (KJV) puts an emphasis on “giving all diligence” as we add to our faith. The word "diligence" refers to the earnest and zealous exertion of oneself. This matter of adding to our faith – seeing our faith strengthened and enriched demands our diligence. No one grows in the spiritual realm automatically. It takes intentional effort. Indeed, it is an investment into eternity!

Most of us would agree that a diligent pursuit of becoming all the Lord wants us to be is necessary. In reality, a spiritual pursuit is very much like pursing New Year resolutions. Some resolve to quit a bad habit, some to loose weight… but after a few days or weeks... they start thinking “Is it worth it?” or “Must I continue?”. Many decide no. Their problem is that they fail to see the future reward and the importance of building up a good habit.

A good habit not only helps us to improve but to protect us as well. I am sure many of us have the experience of losing our umbrellas during weathers with occasional showers or drizzles. Without a good habit of picking up things, it is obvious why people tend to lose their umbrellas. Similarly, we may find ourselves at a loss when a fire breaks out if we don’t have sufficient fire drills.

As a matter of fact, Christians are not exempt from difficultly, failures and discouragement. If we do not have a good trust in God during our up times, how can we trust Him during our down times? If a good habit is not built up during our successes or peace, how can we build up one during our failures or chaos? If we can’t stay focused in our relationship with the Lord Jesus in times of encouragement, how can we stay focused in times of discouragement?

I don't have all the answers for you. However, I do encourage you to build up a good habit by setting aside 21 days consecutively for an objective which is clear, worthwhile and practicable to you. May God the Father and Jesus our Lord help and build us up. Amen.

Letter from Sr. Betty Vaught

Dear brothers and sisters of TPIBC,

The letter is from Sr. Betty Vaught, our founder for your appreciation. Please click upon the letter to prompt for its enlarged photo. Blessings.

Howard, in Christ.

The Price For A Purpose Driven Life

I put the question about your choice between a dull and aimless life and a purposeful one to you in my last article. My presumption is that you would opt for a purposeful life. We would certainly encourage one another to do that if given the circumstances. However, it does not mean that a purposeful life is easy and comfortable. On the contrary, it usually costs us a lot of effort, devotion and a great price. For example, it costs Martin Luther King's own life for his calling.

The local homosexual communities are becoming more and more outspoken nowadays to fight for their rights. It is obvious that they are far from satisfaction in terms of what they are fighting for. I am sure they will not give up and they will continue to invest their effort, money and talent to reach their goal. I must state loud and clear here that I would in NO WAY endorse what they are trying to get. Indeed, the Bible is crystal clear that human homosexuality is NOT a divine design. Instead, it is a sin (Rom 1:25-28; Lev.18:22; 20:13). Despite their disobedience, the gay activists have demonstrated a determination, persistence and commitment worthy of praise as an example of their life pursuit. Regrettably, we Christians nowadays are often overcome by their perseverance and lobbying.

It is definitely NOT my intention to elaborate and discuss the complex phenomenon of homosexuality in this short article. Rather, I am using the example of the gay activists to arouse our reflections as to the price of a purpose driven life. Without a clear purpose and vision, nobody can invest properly and sufficiently in his/her life endeavors. The Apostle Paul is a typical example. Difficulties, barriers and hazards abounded throughout his effort to evangelize the gentiles. Besides the promise of a heavenly prize (2 Tim 4:7-8), God may be using similar afflictions to train us up, to humble and prove us in His eternal plan (Deut. 8:2).

Yes, we receive the grace of salvation (Eph.2:8) through faith. However, it is not exactly "free" in terms of our response and commitment to the Lord for true faith is always accompanied with heartfelt works (James 2:20). At the same time, there is always a great price and prize behind any earnest and far-reaching endeavor. So, Dear Brothers and Sisters, let's encourage one another with the Lord's word: “And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart (Gal. 6:7 ,9)”

Be Steadfast to Your Life Purpose

Located in the vicinity of my residence are a stream and a bridge. A few large trees are planted by the side of the stream and near the bridge. A group of elderly villagers come almost every day and sit in the shade of the trees. They are retirees taking their leisured time and chatting routine there. Nonetheless, dullness and aimlessness could be observed from the facial expressions of a few old men among them. You may or may not envy such a lifestyle. However, some one hard pressed by the stresses and cruelty of living might find their lifestyle adorable. Indeed, it is a great contrast to the exhaustive and mind boggling lifestyles confronting the average adult in Hong Kong.

WE do need a peace of mind and periodic rests to refresh ourselves. However, a habitual dullness and aimlessness is a poison to every ambitious or serious life lover. Let's have some reflection by referring to a few examples in the Bible. Moses, if not driven by his fear of cruelty and persecution after he killed the Egyptian officer, could well miss his flight to Midian (Exo. 2) and consequently forfeit his opportunity to become the Israelites' deliverer from their bondage of slavery. Samson, without his total defeat before the Philistines, might not have asked God to give him the last chance to pull down the central pillars in the temple of Dagon (Jud. 16) in order to avenge the Israelites' oppressor.

I am sure you could think of more similar examples in the Bible. Let me cite another one before I conclude. Without the long night of discrimination and slavery of the Negro in the States, Martin Luther King (the great civil right leader) would not have made his famous speech of “I have a dream” on August 28, 1963. Without King and his sacrifice, the Emancipation Proclamation of America might still have a long way to become effectuated.

What is your choice if you are asked to choose between a dull and aimless life AND a purposeful one? I hope you've already got my message: The fulfillment of one's purpose of life is often accompanied by weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and even calamities. Let's be encouraged by Paul's words: for when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:10). And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart (Gal. 6:7 ,9).

Faith and Fleecing

I have just read Dr. Ray Pritchard's sermon entitled “Don't Get Fleeced!” which is real good. You may click on the foregoing link to see his sermon. The Bible passage is from Judges 6:36-40, namely, Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised—look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is…" ‧‧‧That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

Today among Christians, a fleece is usually taken to mean seeking to learn the will of God by means of a pre-determined sign. For example, you're faced with a job offer and don't know whether to say yes or no. So you say to God: "Please give me a sign." It's not just asking for guidance. It's when you say, "Lord, I want you to do such and such, and if you will do what I have asked, I will know what your will is."

Dr. Pritchard mentioned in his sermon "The Plan" which is Pat Robertson's book on the will of God. It was written in the aftermath of his failed candidacy for the presidency of the United States. In 1985, a hurricane was moving up the eastern coast of the United States. All the forecasts said that the hurricane was going to hit the Virginia Beach area which is where Pat Robertson has his headquarters. As a consequence, Robertson decided to pray for God's confirmation of him running for the American presidency. He dared challenge the Lord to direct the hurricane out into the Atlantic Ocean instead. His reasoning went like this: "Lord, if I can't move a hurricane, how can I move a nation?" To his amazement, the hurricane did suddenly turned to the north and east before it hit Virginia Beach and eventually drifted harmlessly out over the North Atlantic Ocean!

Judge 6 tells us that God said to Gideon, "I am going to use you to deliver My people." The command is loud and clear. God repeats it two or three times. Gideon, though perfectly clear of God's command, opted to put out a fleece for God’s reassurance. Gideon doubted God's command with a good reason – what can a humble Manasseh achieve in front of a mighty enemy?

The gist of the question is: our contemporary usage of the fleece is not the same as Gideon's. We use the fleece today when we are uncertain about what God wants us to do. Remember “the fleece” was never intended to determine God's will. Rather, it is a quest to ascertain God's will by asking for a pre-determined and subjective sign.

Coming to the question of faith, Corinthians 5:7 teaches us that: "We live by faith, not by sight." Obviously, “What is God's will” is yet a different challenge for believers. After all, we still have to choose. After all the prayer, all the study, all the counsel, all the meditation, all the Bible study, all the thinking, all the writing down of options, after we've agonized, still the moment comes when we must decide. God won't take the responsibility for us. If you're going to take that new job, you've got to decide for yourself. If you are going to sell your house, you can't wait for God to write a message in the clouds.

Three Crucial Considerations:

1. If we are still searching for God's will, fleecing can be dangerous, misleading, manipulative and confusing.
2. What is the measure of faith (see Heb. 11:1-2) in the Bible?
3. Assuming we are having difficulties, what shall we do if God's will is crystal clear before us especially as mature Christians?

Men's Fellowship on June 10th

There were altogether 6 of us joining our fellowship this time even though our brothers dropped in at different points along our meeting. We had a good discussion at the home of Thomas Tsang, deacon of our Chinese chapel as well as one of our founding members. Though our brothers are so busy nowadays, we managed to sit together and talk about “God-representations in the face of trans-cultural experience”–an extract of a paper by Brian W. Grant , Professor of Pastoral Counseling, Christian Theological Seminary. Grant cited a number of his trips to India each of which had produced crises - physical and spiritual - generating questions about the impact of physical and cultural context on his identity and experience as a religious person.

For example, Grant visited Bangalore in June 1997. He said, “We shopped for three hours on MG Road before the Globalization in Theological Education meeting, combining stifling heat with retail claustrophobia. I collapsed on the bed with a sense of spiritual emergency. I felt I had lost track of God while battling the heat and the crowd. A few hours later, leading worship for the meeting, I forgot the words of the last half of the Lord's Prayer. And the gout came back.” Such experiences prompted Grant to ask the following questions:

1. What relationship exists between God and our experience and/or image of God?


2. When our most direct psychic representations of God change so dramatically and unsettlingly in response to changes in our contexts and circumstances, what does that tell us (if anything) about God's reality and how God is known?


3. What implications do the answers to these questions have for our understanding of how God acts in human life, and how we can, do, and should behave towards God?

You may not be able to understand all his questions without reading his article. However, the 1st and 3rd questions are rather plain and meaningful. I wonder whether you have such similar experiences if you were a foreigner coming to Hong Kong the first time especially when you are a missionery. Hong Kong is quite westernized and yet China at large is still quite oriental and her people (not the government) quite superstitious. I heard stories of demon possessions in China (the rural area especially) once in a while and I am sure you could dig out numerous cases of reported exorcism in China if you so wish. The question then becomes how severe is the spiritual warfare (2 Cor.10:3-4) between God's and the devil's camps nowadays? To put it differently, do and should our experince affect our knowledge of God and vice versa, and is our experience dependent on the culture around us? Please share your experiences or views with us. Blessings.

For Man-to-Woman Marriages

Today (June 7), I've just submitted my opinion to the CBS forum on the United States' constitutional amendment that bans gay marriage. It reads:

“I am in favor of the constitutional amendment that bans gay marriage. Besides a Christian, I have got the following anthropological considerations:

The human race has been preserved and propagating with man-to-woman marriage for at least thousands of years. No scientific study or analysis could disprove the importance of such a social norm. If this norm is threatened simply because somebody claims it is NOT democratic enough, it is very unscientific and DANGEROUS (c.f. super germs and environmental pollutions subsequent to the discovery of penicillin and the industrial revolution -- NOBODY could anticipate the shortfall coming with apparent short term solutions!). We should safeguard the man-to-woman marriage norm.

The world is currently endangered by the spread of AIDS, possible pandemics like SARS and the bird flu. More unfortunately, NO country on earth has a 100% sure solution to either prevent or cure the potentially hazardous situations created by the widespread of such diseases, not to mention that many UNDERDEVELOPED countries are simply UNPREPARED AND INCAPABLE of dealing with any major outbreak such as to contain them from further spreading. Unfortunately, the gay community is found to be a prominent sector with a high threat (risk) towards AIDS. Thus, we should not blindly push for something such as gay marriage (hence safeguarding the man-to-woman marriage is important) unless we have a scientifically proven solution to heal and prevent the spread of AIDS, etc.

Technologies such and cloning, test-tube babies and sperm donors have imparted a serious threat to the ensured propagation and sustainability of the human race because our scientists admit that NO ONE can guarantee there will be NO unforeseeable or harmful consequences from such technologies to the human race. Furthermore, we have already been faced with such challenges as behavioral problems of single-parent children and problems of unknown parent(s) as a result of unscrupulous marriages and sperm donations.”

I am happy to hear your views especially your solution towards a really harmonious and healthy human relationship for the sustainable development of our race on earth. Regards and blessings.

Howard

Men's Fellowship on May 13, 2006

5 of us took a leisure walk along the Mui Tsz Lam Road which was right next to the Chevalier Garden and Ma On Shan Country Park. The road bears a remarkable countryside setting with trees planted along both its sides. It was an uphill walk of around 30 minutes. We spent roughly an hour going up and down the road. The scene at our mid-hill destination was good – you had a mixed view of green slopes and the downhill high-rises from where we were.


Tom,Terrence,Teddy & Eddy (Howard's friend on the right) were in the photo. I was the photographer.
There was an added delight along our way – some birds and frogs were available for watching. We took a picture of a frog which happened to jump across the road in front of us. It was kind of a funny and smart guy. It stopped among a patch of dry grass and pebbles. Even the ants mistook the poor fellow as their free meal and crawled upon it!


Do you recognize the frog? It has a good camouflage.
The trip did us fun and we had a short discussion about the possible effect of bullying in our lives followed by a lunch fellowship together (except Tom as he had another appointment) before we departed.

Let's Chart Our Lives

I proposed last time (May 21) that your life purpose will be revealed if you can let go your earthly wishes and desires and be ready to accept Jesus’ sovereignty as God and Lord of your life. On the one hand, the Lord Jesus clearly teaches us that (Jn. 6:63) it is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail and His words are spirit and life. On the other hand, Paul further opines that (Rom. 8:6 -7) to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, indeed it cannot!

The main reason to let go our earthly wishes and desires is to create enough space and readiness to receive God’s word and will concerning our lives. The Bible is clearly indispensable. Equally important is our attitude and understanding of God’s will for us. People who are in the habit of writing diaries would find them useful and enlightening for making life reflections as well as inductions. In a way, diaries are records and charts of our emotions and experiences. Just as any systematic record (e.g. health, financial, etc…) would help a person to grasp and understand his/her status or needs, our diaries (especially those written honestly and purposefully) would help chart our needs as well as God’s will for us.

In Deut. 26:5–10, God commanded the Israelites to offer their first fruits to Him by reciting the so-called historical shema (i.e. an oral confession) acknowledging how God had led them out of Egypt and suffering with a mighty hand, great terror and with signs and wonders; and how God brought them into Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey. This becomes the central theme in Israel’s worship before God and a vivid reminder of their national purpose. Indeed, our faith in God is linked and entwined with our own history – be it personal or national.

Dear brothers and sisters, I encourage you to work out your own shema by periodically writing down what you have experienced and perceived in your life. If you want to share your written testimony with us, you may consider passing your testimony to our church or me either in person or by email. I have just renovated my blog at http://howards-collection.blogspot.com/ which contains basically my weekly and other articles intended for sharing and encouragement among Christians. Your testimony (if any) will be published there for reaching out to any passers-by there. May God bless and help us. Amen.

The Power of Letting Go

Let’s recall our last statement (May 7), namely, in discovering God’s purpose for our life, it’s always helpful to look at the probable consequences of our choice or decision. Remember that you have been saved so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in your life (2 Corinthians 4:10 ). Focus your energy and powers so that you may achieve the purposes of your election as a child of God. Treat every occasion which may come your way as an opportunity to serve our Lord and the people around you. Why? While we could do nothing to achieve our salvation, we have to do something to exhibit God’s salvation. This is similar to the Chinese saying, “What you have within will be exhibited without.” (有諸內，形諸外) We must "work out our own salvation" which God has already worked in us ( Philippians 2:12 ).

Are your speech, your thinking, and your emotions evidence of your salvation working "out"? If you are still the same gloomy, grumpy person, set on having your own way, then it is false to say that God has already saved and transformed you. Spiritual vitality and maturity relate to our inner quality and readiness to face anything God brings our way. The only proper goal of life is to glorify the Son of God in and through our lives. As our Lord never dictated demands to His Father, neither are we to make demands on God. We are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. Once we realize this, we can embark on Paul’s appeal to us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship (Roman 12:1).

Paul went on to urge us not to be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of our mind, that we may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Hence, what is the purpose of our life in the Lord. In short, your life purpose will be revealed if you can let go your earthly wishes and desires and be ready to accept Jesus’ sovereignty as God and Lord of your life. May God bless and help us. Amen.

The Choice for God

In an article entitled “DISTINGUISHING NEEDS FROM WANTS”by Randal Walti (Business Life Today), he referred to the popular concept of life is summed up by the things in one's life: The more things one has, the happier one will be. Is that true? Walti once had an experience of moving from a large home to a much smaller residence. He then realized how many things he had been having in his life became a burden. I am sure you would agree with him if you have a similar house move before.

In discovering God's purpose for your life, it's always helpful to look at the probable consequences of your choice or decision. For example, you may ask yourself what are the consequences of not buying a better TV, item of furniture, etc… if you are pondering over buying something or not. Smart investors often ask themselves the question: Is there a better investment scenario with my existing capitals? As Christians, we might ask ourselves a similar question, “Am I really serious about investing for the future according to God's will and wish?” If a few small reductions in lifestyle would allow you to be more at ease and happier such as you can spend more time with your children, spouse, etc…, you have a better opportunity to experience, understand and glorify God's will and wish for you.

Another important reminder in our pursuit for our life purpose is to avoid letting our wants override our values. Otherwise, the object of our desire has probably become an idol obstructing our relationship with God. Thus, the Bible states it is impossible to serve both God and money (with the same fervor and at the time). Material things can negatively affect our lives if we start to worship the creation more than the Creator. As human beings, it is easier to seek entertainment rather than the God of the universe. Attractive but unnecessary things can deceive well-intentioned people into living more for their own glory and gratification instead of living for God. When in doubt, ask, “How will this thing help me love God better?”

Dear brothers and sisters, let's be wise and faithful according to our Lord's teaching (Luke 16:10-13): He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. …. No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Your Will be Done

When Jesus was struggling with his passion in Gethsemane against the threat of death and separation from His Father (Matt. 26:36-44), he asked his cup be passed from him three times. Nevertheless, He has set an example for all of His followers to honour God The Father’s will instead of ours concerning purpose and mission of our lives.

As Christians, we may still be searching and struggling with our lives’ purposes. Vexation and distraction are, more often than not, encircling our lives at the same time – Your boss might have just spoken to you harshly, one of your closest friends is at odd with you or your family is facing a stressful situation recently. Else, you may be enjoying and embraced by others’ admiration as a result of your recent achievement or success in your career. What are you going to do then? Would you think that your life’s purpose has been fulfilled, or are you at a loss concerning the purpose of your life?

I mentioned last time (article of April 9) that motivation is a powerful force for activity and accomplishment. Indeed, we need a motivation to discover our own life’s purpose. Such a motivation must come from God and His words. In order to do that, I invite you to ponder over the following 3 questions:

1. Are you satisfied, deep inside your heart, with your current situation?


2. Do you believe that God endorses your current life style and endeavour?


3. Is there any direct bearing on the Lord Jesus’ great commission (Matt. 28:19-20) and the great commandment (Mark 12:30-31) as a result of your current pursuit?

If your answers to the foregoing questions are NOT always affirmative, let’s encourage one another with the Apostle John’s teaching (II Jn. 8; RSV): Look to yourselves, that you may not lose what you have worked for (OR we have accomplished as in NASB), but may win a full reward. Yes, the Lord is intending to give every one of us a heavenly reward subsequent to our accomplishment of our own purpose and mission on earth. Let’s all re-affirm the Lord’s prayer (Matt. 6:10), “May your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Amen.

Purpose vs Problem

In my last article, I mentioned that our lives are intertwined with good and bad things. Such a situation calls for our choice and response – we can choose to focus on our purposes or on our problems. I presume most of us would naturally turn to our problems first. If that was the case, let’s remember that God has a purpose for trials and tests (James 1:2-4).

Should you find yourself in a tight spot today, don't just view it as something to endure or bad. Rather, consider it an opportunity for growth. You should use the occasion to examine your heart. Perhaps God wants to teach you something and develop an area of your life, to mould you as a potter does to his clay (Isa. 64:8) or even to give you a blessing in disguise! We need certainly to rely on and trust our Lord, the Father both in His work and purposes.

What about if you just weren't motivated to do anything? Please remember that motivation is a powerful force for activity and accomplishment. More often than not, the real problem in our lives is a lack of motivation. We would then be in trouble certainly. In Ephesians 4 we're given a clear picture of the unity God desires among His people. Eph. 4:15 – 16 teach us to speak the truth in love so that we are to grow up in every way into Christ from whom the whole body is joined and knit together. When each part is working properly, the body of Christ will grow and up-build itself in love.

The foregoing teaching is a vivid reminder and guide to lead us out of our problems. We should talk to our brothers and sisters in truth and love which means sharing our worries and fears with someone we trust and believing in God’s love and care among His people. As Christians, we are joined together by our faith and knit together through love and hope in Christ. By giving a chance to your beloved brothers and sisters to work out their purpose of mutual up-building, God will renew in the spirit of our minds and reveal His purpose for our lives. So let’s cheer up and be united in God’s purposes for us as a holy family.

What Is Driving Your Life?

In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren (The Interview), Rick said, “People ask me what is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity.” Most of us live 60 to 100 years on earth, but we are going to spend an infinite number of years in eternity. Yes, our bodies will die one day but our souls will not.

Our earthly lives are just a preparation: God prepares us for His eternal plan. We were made by God and for God and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense. This is perhaps why we often hear grumbles about the dullness or emptiness of living. More often than not, life is filled with problems. The reason for this is that God is more interested in our character than our comfort. The bible clearly tells us that our life goal is to grow in character, in spirituality and in Christ likeness.

For this reason, our lives are intertwined with good and bad things. The important issue is: No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on; and no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for. You can focus on your purposes or you can focus on your problems.

If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness and will become overwhelmed by your problems and pains. One of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others. We need to ask ourselves, “Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's love and purposes for my life?”

Dear brothers and sisters, let us pray hard for God’s purposes for our lives and ask Him to empower and bless us to become living testimonies of His wonderful plan for each of us. Amen.

Chance and Opportunity

A chance is available in a situation where you had not expected it or planned for it to happen. For example: As we were in California last October we had a chance to visit the museum. When something is planned and it can also lead on to something else, we would say there is an opportunity. Parents would certainly agree to that if children work hard at school, they have an opportunity to score higher grades.

It is our church’s vision that we will become a praying body, developing our congregation in an understanding and practice of prayer, including individual prayer, family prayer, small group prayer, and congregational prayer. I have invited you in my article of Feb. 26 to encourage one another with this belief: While we wait with the Lord’s patience, we will find great enrichment through His promise.

Jesus promises his followers that the Father will give them another Counselor to be with them for ever [John 14:16]. The Counselor is the Holy Spirit. Have you thought about having the Holy Spirit as your Counselor? Yes, what a wonderful thing it is! However, have you experienced or are you convinced that the Holy Spirit is with you? There is no scientific proof to the aforesaid questions. Nevertheless, Jesus reminds us that the work of the Spirit is just like a blowing wind: The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes [John 3:8 RSV]. Here is the good news – you shall know it if the Holy Spirit has ever worked on you.

In terms of prayer, there is a promise in Rom. 8:26, namely, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. Brothers and sisters, let’s hold firm to these promises and work together towards our vision to become a praying body in the Lord. You must have heard about the 10 p.m. prayer for the church and been invited to join us in this spiritual endeavor. Even you are not always available at 10 p.m., let me encourage you to join our prayer effort at a time convenient to you. If you do that consistently and persistently, I belief it is not just a chance for you to make a difference in our church. Rather, it will be an opportunity for you to experience God’s promise and be transformed and lifted up spiritually as have been with the prophets and apostles.

Wait With Patience

Have you had any idea of how much of your time is spent in waiting? Do you feel a sense of helplessness and emptiness when you wait?

The message of Feb.21 in The Springs in The Desert is “Wait With Patience”. Mrs. Cowman quoted Ps. 37:7 saying, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him". If you were out of steam either for your resolution or your goal in the Lord, Cowman's message is timely encouragement and refreshment. She asked, “Are you tired of seeing nothing move? Are you just at the point of giving it all up? ” Perhaps you have not waited in the right way. This would take you out of the right place – the place where He can meet you.

Patience takes away worry. Patience takes away your weeping. Why feel sad and despondent? Our Lord knows your need better than you do, and His purpose in waiting is to bring more glory out of it all. Patience takes away self-works. The work He desires is that you "believe" (John 6:29), and when you believe, you may then know that all is well. Patience takes away all want. Your desire for the thing you wish is perhaps stronger than your desire for the will of God to be fulfilled in its arrival. Patience takes away all weakening.

Instead of delaying and unfruitfulness, it is a time of letting go – knowing that God is getting a larger supply ready and must get you ready too. God's foundations are steady; and when His patience is within, we are steady while we wait. Patience gives worship. "Let (all these phases of) patience (i.e. steadfastness and perseverance) have her perfect work" (James 1:4). Our almighty Lord chose to manifest his mightiness through the humble life of Jesus, not a great warrior king. Paul echoed on such mightiness in humility as he quoted God saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

Dear brothers and sisters, let's encourage one another with this belief: while we wait with the Lord's patience, we will find great enrichment through His promise. Amen.

Our Transition

I am sure you would agree with me on this: We get much of our motivation from our hopes which indeed steer our lives. Among our hopes as a congregation, we are looking forward to have our full-time pastor soon. Obviously, we have to live with the fact that we are still waiting for our pastor to come along. Joanne shall continue to work as our interim part-time minister in the coming 6 months. As for me, I shall be her partner and supporter because our CMC has kindly agreed to permit me to take up an even more flexible role. The reason behind such a change relates much to my New Year resolution to diligently discover my long-term ministry. Yes, an interim minister in our church is only a transition for me. Besides the fact that I lack the confidence and experience to serve as our full-time minister, my calling in the Lord is much more felt in the area of brotherhood support. As a result, I need to venture outside our church for the opportunity and confirmation towards such an aspiration.

I need your prayers and understanding for such a change as you shall be seeing me much less frequently than before. Nevertheless, please do NOT hesitate to talk to me as you wish for I am still an interim helper in terms of pastoral services. In the meantime, our CMC members will continue to share the burden of running our church collectively. Hopefully, such an arrangement will provide a smooth transition for our future pastor's coming. There may be inconveniencies, however, for example, things may take a bit longer to materialize and church decisions might take some time for collective endorsement. We again need your understanding and support to make good our arrangements. Let's continue to press on toward the goal and prize of God's calling as a holy family in His Kingdom. Amen.

Congratulations And Be Prosperous

Today is the Lunar New Year’s Day. I would like to kunghei (i.e. congratulate) and wish you a wonderful and prosperous year. You may recall from my sermon on January 1st in which I quoted Gary Ryan Blair’s saying: “New Year is the only holiday that celebrates the passage of time. Perhaps that's why, as the final seconds of the year tick away, we become introspective. Inevitably, that introspection turns to thoughts of self-improvement and the annual ritual of making resolutions, which offer the first of many important tools for remaking ourselves!” There is a related Chinese saying, “The face of the earth renews as spring returns. (春回大地，萬象更新) ” Yes, there is always a hope of renewal especially during such times as celebrating the new year.

As Christians, our hope of renewal is further guaranteed by the word and the will of our Lord: Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come (II Cor. 5:17; RSV). Dear brothers and sisters, we all need such a renewal and the underlying wisdom in the Lord. Let’s keep on reminding and encouraging one another towards such a life goal. To this end, I would like to share with you the following lines from a devotional movie “Another Chance”:

If we might have a second chance
to live the days once more,
and rectify mistakes we’ve made
to even up the score,
…     …     …     …     …     …     …
But we can’t retrace our steps,
however stands the score,
Tomorrow brings another chance
for us to try once more!

The above devotional reassures us again of Paul’s teaching: “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philip. 3:13–14).” I hope we would truly attain our hope and wish in the way ahead. May the Lord bless us and keep us on. Amen.

Growth and Order

Elisabeth Elliot (Back to the Bible) once wrote on nine principles for the shaping of a Christian family. They include firstly the authority of Christ followed secondly by order. Elliot quoted punctuality as a visible sign of order. Her father often reminded her, "When you're late, you are stealing from another person the most precious commodity, which is time."

Dear brothers and sisters, have you made your New Year’s Resolution? If so, has it anything to deal with order? As an interim minister of our church, I must apologize for my unpunctuality at times. Presumably, most of us have been unpunctual occasionally and there is a variety of reasons behind it. However, our growth will be affected if our unpunctuality becomes habitual. Why? Being human, we and our church are subjected to the normal norms and effects of human interactions. For instance, we like to start our worship at 9:45 a.m. while it is often started around 10 a.m. instead. Such a phenomenon not only affects our feeling but our spirituality as well because our worship is a divine appointment with God. We’d hardly miss any important appointment with a prominent person. Most likely, we would be well prepared for it. Hence, punctuality reflects our preparation. If we are not well prepared for worshipping and meeting our Lord, do you think our spirituality will be benefited accordingly?

One of my New Year’s resolutions for you is that 2006 will be a year full of blessing, growth and realization of your personal goals in the Lord. Let’s learn from the Lord’s teaching on the faithful and observant servant (Luke 12: 35-40) for blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. As leaders of our church, I am sure our leaders would agree that it is our obligation to set a good example in our church. To this end, your support and encouragement are vital. Let’s therefore stimulate one another towards the good deeds and blessings in our Lord. Amen.

Christmas Dedication

In my last article, “Living a Life Worthy of The Lord” on December 11, I quoted Sylvia Penny saying, “To live a life worthy of the Lord we need, first and foremost, to be obedient to His will in our lives.” In a nutshell this requires us to show evidence of our faith in the form of good works.

Jesus during his earthly ministry has set the ultimate example for Christian living. The Apostle Paul (Phil.1:21) also said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Such teachings all point to an ultimate gain and reward in heaven for those who live their lives worthy of the Lord. Today is Christmas. What would you do to celebrate our Lord’s earthly birth? Joanne reminded us last Sunday (December 18) by pointing out that Christmas is the best time to rededicate our life to Him and to tell others about our Savior. She also challenged us to put Jesus back to the center of Christmas.

In the liturgical tradition of the church such as the Lutherans, “Advent” is a holy season commemorating the first coming of Christ as Saviour and a reminder of His second coming as Judge. It is the beginning of the Christian year and covers the period from the Sunday nearest to the 30th of November until Christmas. From the 6th century the season was kept as a period of fasting and penitence. It may seem a bit dissonant when the celebration of Jesus’ birth is mixed with penitence. However, The Bible (Ps. 51:17) reminds us that the sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit and God will not despise a broken and contrite heart. Indeed, a life without bitterness is very unusual and probably futile. As for both food and life, bitterness is one of the basic flavors to make up a remarkable and lasting recipe. Without question, the birth of Jesus is destined with his crucifixion without which our salvation would have missed a firm and eternal ground. So, brothers and sisters, let’s encourage one another to do and fulfill the will of God by a heartfelt commitment of our deeds to Christ.

Living a Life Worthy of The Lord

The presentation last Sunday (Dec. 4) by our Filipino sisters was interesting and enlightening in that it vividly illustrated the idea of the armour of God as depicted in Eph. 6:10-24. Without doubt, we Christians have an obligation to live our lives worthy of the Lord so that we will be protected and empowered to win the spiritual warfare around us.

Sister Sylvia Penny of the Open Bible Trust hits the bull's eye of today's devotional theme (Her Article) by pointing out that: To live a life worthy of the Lord we need, first and foremost, to be obedient to His will in our lives. In a nutshell this requires us to show evidence of our faith in the form of good works. She goes on to ask, “If we were put on trial for our Christian faith, would there be enough evidence to convict us?”

Indeed, faith and work could not be separated when the quality and fruitfulness of our lives are in focus. Ephesians 2:10 also points out that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. The good works in question are clearly set out in Ephesians chapters 4-6 and elsewhere in the Bible. Hence, we may take the internal quality and external expression (deeds) of our lives to be the result of putting our faith in Christ Jesus.

John 6:28-29 mentions in passing that the people asked Jesus what must they do to do the works of God? Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.' Elsewhere, James 2:14 adds, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?" A saving faith, then, is one that manifests itself in good deeds as a natural consequence. It is as natural as babies and toddlers are after milk and toys.

If we are to live a life worthy of The Lord, then our good works are indispensable evidence of our faith. Dear brothers and sisters, Christmas is about the commemoration and celebration of Jesus’ birth wherein we have a tradition of giving out presents to one another. What would you give to the Lord this year in order to celebrate Christmas? Would you consider offer your good deeds as a living sacrifice and gift to the Lord Jesus? May the Lord help and encourage us. Amen.

What A Name We Have!

"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24; KJV).

During the American Civil War, a man had an only son who enlisted in the armies of the Union. The father was a banker who very reluctantly let his son go. He became deeply interested in the soldier boys, and whenever he saw a uniform, his heart went out as he thought of his own dear boy. He spent his time, neglected his business, gave his money to caring for the soldiers who came home invalid. His friends argued with him, saying he had no right to neglect his business and spend so much thought upon the soldiers, so he decided to give it all up.

But then there stepped into his bank one day a private soldier in a faded and worn uniform with signs of battled wounds. The poor fellow was fumbling in his pocket to get something or other, when the banker saw him and said to him: "My dear fellow, I cannot do anything for you today. I am extremely busy. You will have to go to your headquarters. The officers there will look after you."

Still the poor fellow stood, still he fumbled in his pockets and, by and by, drew out a scrap of dirty paper, on which there were a few lines written with a pencil, and laid this soiled sheet before the banker. On it were the words: "Dear Father: This is one of my comrades who was wounded in the last fight, and has been in the hospital. Please receive him as myself. --Charlie."

In a moment all the resolutions of indifference which this man made flew away. He took the boy to his palatial home, put him in Charlie's room, gave him Charlie's seat at the table, kept him until food and rest and love had brought him back to health, and then sent him back again to fight for the flag.

Dear brothers and sisters, how do you feel today? Let's remember that Jesus Christ has made a promise on his name so that we can be confident to make any supplication before our heavenly Father and be assured that it will be granted for our joy in the Lord.

(abridged from In His Name by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman)

To Suffer in Hope

Dr. Lindsay Robinson pointed out in his sermon “Bad Things to Good People” on October 30 that after Good Friday, humanity began to suffer in hope. The story of Peter and the other Apostles in Act 12: 1-25 is a vivid illustration of the power behind to suffer in hope. Despite apparent barriers and trials, God’s word continued to increase and spread.

In his book Man's search for Meaning, Victor Frankl argued that the "loss of hope and courage can have a deadly effect on man." As a result of his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp, Frankl contended that when a man no longer possesses a motive for living, no future to look toward to, he curls up in a corner and dies. When I was first told about Joanne's mishap in Shenzhen on October 30, I was a bit worried then. I asked in my heart: Why did it happen? I didn't have a full answer then nor do I have it now. Fortunately, we prayed together to bring Joanne back safely as soon as possible and God took heed of our prayer - Joanne returned home in the evening of the same day. Praise the Lord!

As you know, Joanne was doing evangelism with a group of Christians from our Chinese chapel. They were fighting a spiritual warfare. Obviously, Satan was unhappy. Joanne's incident did not frighten her. It should not frighten us either. I rather felt that God was speaking to us through the incident –He will not let us down though bad things could happen when we are doing His will. More importantly, our church is at a juncture to wander out of our comfort zone by practicing the Great Commission. I do believe that it will bring about a revival to us. Yes, a revival which is due. There is no reason to retreat and give up such a precious chance of putting our faith into deeds. Besides, we are cooperating with our Chinese chapel to further the Kingdom of our Lord and to enhance the brotherly tie between our chapels. We have every reason to move ahead unless we are forbidden by the Holy Spirit. So, let's pray together for a confirmation of such a vision and for a sustainable mission to expand the Kingdom of God so that our church will actively partake in the fulfillment of the Great Commission as well as the underlying blessings.