Taking the fight against Homosexuality

In recent years, the homosexual community in Singapore has been making progress in effort to legalize their way of life, and to getting the government to endorse the homosexual lifestyle through first, relaxing the enforcement of laws on gay activities. In the last few weeks, aside from the occasional earthquakes in Indonesia sparking off fears of another tsunami, a spiritual tsunami resulted from the quakes of homosexuality and its tremors can be felt in the Parliament and in the legislative circle, and not least, throughout the entire Christian community in this island-state.

As i was chatting with Eric after church about the homosexuals fight to repeal 377A (the law that bans sexual activities between men), is the same when pro-abortion groups fought to legalize abortion, and the church did not act in time to prevent that from happening. The implications are huge and wide, considering how this signals the changing climate of the social structure of Singapore towards homosexuals. If the churches in Singapore continue to slumber, we will  be seeing how the law 337A will be repealed and taken off the Law and there, floods of immoralities will engulf Singapore. Do we want that?

As we seek to restrain homosexuality, not through violence or anger or prejudices, but with the Good News in the Gospel, that salvation is for these people who needs God. In order to restrain such wickedness, the church must wake up and advance to show Love to these people.

Footsteps in the river of time

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Moving into designing?

Two designs i did for the Intercession ministry and Youth Ministry Vibrant caused me to rethink what i want to do, perhaps in a design service?

Taking Revival to the World | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Taking Revival to the World | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

A very good article about Hillsongs Australia, now having started up churches in London, Paris and Kiev. While the author explores the corporate operations of the church stemming out of Australia Sydney, the fundamental theological makeup of Hillsongs in the usual Pentecostal’s prosperity message, and to the various agendas as perceived by many of its anti-hillsongs groups, i believe that if a church were to hit the world, it needs to be salty.

Pastor Frankie shared on why John the Baptist was called the Greatest prophet of his time and before by Jesus, because John turned the nation back to God. How many John the Baptist we have today? Hillsongs, while many will see them as cavalier, and all about money, they have done more good than those critics who have not lifted their finger to impact their world for Jesus as Hillsongs have done. From the community driven projects to Hope Rwanda, to Hillsongs Europe, many people have turned back to God cos of their songs, their elaborated social community projects, their driven worship; as many are turning to God.

Hillsongs are impacting the generation for Christ, are you? Am i? This generation is to lose or gain by our decision everyday to live as Christ did. Time does not allow us to live as we pleased, for Christ will come back soon, and when He did, will he see a generation lost by our slumber?

Repent!

If anyone were to know me, i am mostly negative about the government etc. Until recently after a long drawn out debate with Mercy, who pointed out some important points on fair appraisal of our government, i decided to come up with some of the good things our government has done. (Mercy came up with 10 too, but i decided it should come from me instead on this blog).

Education
At least 90% of the younger generation of Singaporeans are educated to a certain extent, and it is mandatory for a child below 12 to go through at least Primary School education. While this is one of the strongest achievements for the government, in contrast to the neighbouring countries like Laos, indonesia where it is a privilege to receive education. This is something we all took it for granted, isn’t it?

Clean water
We are so blessed to have clean water delivered to our house, without us going to the wells with pails and buckets, or to deal with diseases or unclean water, etc. Thank God for the clean water that flows from the tap and when we turn on the shower head with hot water!

Transport
Singapore boast of one of the finest public transportation system in the world, and it is even studied by the more developed countries in Europe and by China. We have efficient MRT station, good network of public buses, and a fleet of quite accessible taxi services.

Legal System
While most would argue on Singapore’s Legal system, i think with an incident in the last few weeks would be evidence for Singapore’s stand on the Law, and the 337, where the government maintains its stand to keep this legislation in the legal system – the Homosexual Act. That they are not bowing down to pressures of the homosexual community to repeal this code in the legal system.

Housing
Even though the cost of housing here is extremely high, the very least that the government makes sure that the huge majority is comfortably homed. Unlike India or other countries, where public housing is a question and been the major problem for the authorities.

Security
Comparing to other countries even in Europe, Singapore is relatively safer in terms of low crime rates. We enjoy a faster response to Police services, Fire Safety coverage or even ambulances services too. This is by no mean small feats, and this is partly due to the efficient traffic grid system we have in Singapore

Holiness

I was waiting for Mercy yesterday at Toa Payoh Central, and i saw two very old ladies selling tissues. I bought from them, and as i was standing and looking at the two ladies trying to sell their stuff to the people around them, people just walked off or ignored them. My heart broke when i saw how these two ladies helping each other to sell tissues for maybe $1, and people, obviously, they can afford that $1, did not give any notice to these 2 old folk. I wish i had more to give, like bringing them to a nice meal, and perhaps, organize a trip to the zoo, hire a bus, gather the whole lot of them to bring them out on a nice saturday afternoon with all expenses paid for, their meals, etc with people to talk and spend time with them. Thinking about this, i saw another old lady at Toa Payoh on monday in dirty rags, begging for food, NOT money, and people just walked past this old lady. Almost cried, and went back to look for her so i can bring her for a nice dinner, but i can’t find her after that.

God dropped a note in my heart that two days – Holiness is when we do what pleases God, not just preaching about it, or talking about it. What pleases the Lord – putting Him first, then we must care for the poor, widowed, and the orphans. How many Christians today are doing that? They are more skeptical about these people being in a syndicate than to really care. I realized, one of the key things to realize the call of a person, is what moves the person to care – for me, is to teach, and to care for the poor, and old folk. I want to be able to bring some joy and definitely pointing them to Jesus so at the end of their lives, they will know that there is a God who loves and cares for them.  I think, this is what holiness is all about.

Spirit-led or Sound Exegesis?

I’ve been helping my pastor for the last week to look through a text submitted by one of the church members, and it wasn’t an easy task. There were numerous if not the entire book, poor structure of flow in the presentation of information, plenty of grammatical errors, lack of expository notes and explanations, many examples without relevant references or probably without any references at all, and last but not least, a book that borders on personal grandeur that borders on arrogance. At the end of the exercise, I came to a few conclusions – many are not equipped with sound exegesis and hermeneutics knowledge and techniques, and even more, ill-equipped to handle such.

Evaluating a Church through Rick’s questions?

Pastors.com | Encouraging pastors and church leaders

Tom Halloway, executive and teaching pastor of Saddleback Church had a series of questions to evaluate the Church’s effectiveness, and as usual, being a usual skeptic of Rick Warren’s ministry, i question the validity of having a couple of questions to evaluate the church’s effectiveness.

First, is the size of the church an indication of the effectiveness of a church, or can the ratio of people involving in small group or ministry an indication of the health of a church? With these quantitative analysis of the Church, it is hardly a genuine reflection of the true spiritual health of the church. A big church or an extremely busy church is by no mean a spiritual healthy church. God does not look to the size, cos first, the church is by itself measured as an entire body – the Church. Can one measure that the index finger is better than the pinky cos of its size or usefulness? or that the head is better than the intestine? Second, God measures its health and wealth through their faith, not through material wealth or richness in their program or their busy ministry, look to every churches in the Book of Revelation, or in the Book of Acts. Third, i question such intent to measure the health of the church, to what end or purpose will they achieve in doing that?

My first official article

My first official article on espnstar.com, about why England will never win; a football tournament. Go check it out!

Rich library of resources

I’ve made an amazing discovery of a rich library of resources on Christian text – theological, biblical exegesis and criticism etc from Google Books. Some of the books, you can download the entire book in PDF! Got a few good books and some very old, dated to 1850s!

Prayer for miracle

God must have a wicked sense of humour! I prayed for miracle yesterday, instead He sent hell of a situation which now reflecting back, a wicked opportunity for a miracle! Ok ok, this is highly biblical, so stay with me….. The wedding Jesus attended for his first miracle, instead of walking into the situation to perform his first miracle, he saw a problem for an opportunity to perform a miracle. Second, as God, He knew that would be a storm when he stepped on the boat, and He did, and went to sleep; soon a storm comes (oh no, we’re in trouble….) and Jesus performed a miracle to calm the storm! Wow. He is so cool, isn’t He?

So often, i realised, with our limited, and often with an upside down view of God’s deliverance and miracle, God doesn’t deliver a miracle, but He created an opportunity for one. When we are in trouble, praise God for it is time for miracle, but more important, it is a time to exercise our faith. Even when all the time these trouble comes because of our shortfalls, sins, and mischief; my God never fails, for with such, an opportunity for miracle, the real miracle is not God rectifying those problems but it is through such times, our characters are transformed slowly but surely to be more like His Son – Jesus.

Well instead of a miracle, i got an opportunity for God to perform a miracle. (My mind would say…. trouble, a letter from the solicitor). Nevertheless i will trust Him. It is not how big my faith is, but the length of my faith, to continue to trust Him even in tough times.

Chat with Pastor Sally

Mercy and I went over to take care of Apostle yesterday after church and had a good time chatting with Apostle. Apostle still has his unique sense of humour and of course, the usual chatty person before his present predicament. We enjoyed his jokes totally and for the first time, I realised how much this family has to go through especially Pastor Sally, the living examples of how much they’ve given for the body of Christ without expecting anything in return except continuing to serve the Lord faithfully. In contrast, i am like the worst sinner compared to them, the saints. Yet, they are completely transparent even with their flaws, but it makes them all the more, real and human.

With my decision to quit the cell group, i had a chat with Pastor Sally and of course Mercy was there to join in the conversation why i shouldn’t quit cell group. And of my decision to go to Singapore Bible College next year. Well the responses were simply hillarious – Apostle came out and said, “Go there sure die.” I could understand how the puffing of knowledge without the actual application of it in one’s life makes a conceited person and knowledge won’t translate to living one right before God. Like Pastor Douglas once said, the longest journey is 1 feet down from the head (knowledge) to the heart (application and living it out). Am i going to stop pursuing knowledge and start giving? I’ve asked myself the question that what’s stopping me from investing into someone’s life, probably that it is hard work and a hell lot of sacrifice. It is time to give, perhaps with the view that am i ready to do that? For a start, i am going to help Pastor Sally looking through the materials for the Basic Christian Class which is the fundamentals of Christianity that a young Christian in the church has to go through. I will be taking small baby steps in investing what i’ve learnt and prayerfully, the passion and the love of God’s Words will be passed on to the younger generation to carry it on to influence their generation for God. Isn’t that all about discipleship? I guess it is.

Which version of the Bible is the best?

Four scholars argued which is the best tradition of Scripture. One argued King James version, another NIV, and still another, the New American Standard bible. The fourth scholar claimed he liked his mother’s translation best. The three replied: “O we didn’t know your mother was a scholar and a translator!” “O Yes, she translated the Bible every day into a living, breathing witness as she lived out her holy life”

This small excerpt i read in an article completed not related to this, simply cuts my heart, piercing into the deepest and innermost core of my  being, that  i am left breathless and panting that my heart is racing a thousand times. Am i exaggerating its effect? No, and i hope it has the same effect on everyone who reads this article. Aside from all the bibles we have (i have about 5 to 10 bibles with various translations, and a dozen more commentaries etc, and some thick theological books i can hardly understand) and all the Christian literatures we have, it all means nothing if we are not walking Scriptures, Scriptures made alive in my life itself. Everything else we have learned and read and understand will mean nothing if we are not IT. This blog will mean nothing, my bible will mean nothing. This excerpt hits me so hard, i want to break down and cry. God I am a sinner, who is a dirty player in this game of religiosity! A sinner in the hands of an angry God, i am that sinner, the worse of its kind. Friendship, money, career, my life, family shall all fade into its shadow behind the crux of this issue that’s the point of my Christian faith! Let the few words and again i shall emphasized have i lead a “Scripture made alive” life? Again that should be my single pursuit in knowing God and to make Him known.

Rethinking success by Max Lucado

Name the ten wealthiest men in the world.

Name the last ten Heisman trophy winners.

Name the last ten winners of the Miss America contest.

Name eight people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.

How about the last ten Academy Award winners for best picture or the last decade’s worth of World Series winners?

How did you do? I didn’t do well either. With the exception of you trivia hounds, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday too well. Surprising how quickly we forget, isn’t it? And what I’ve mentioned above are no second-rate achievements. These are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here’s another quiz. See how you do on this one.

Think of three people you enjoy spending time with.

Name ten people who have taught you something worthwhile.

Name five friends who have helped you in a difficult time.

List a few teachers who have aided your journey through school.

Name half-a-dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

Easier? It was for me, too. The lesson? The people who make a difference are not the ones with the credentials, but the ones with the concern

To God be the glory indeed

As i was browsing through the referrals (i have a knack of doing that, checking who has been reading my blog), i found out that my wallpaper that i designed was put on this website Wallpaper4God and was downloaded by 885 people and was rated 5 stars! wow i am shocked and humbled. Thank you for this surprises and maybe i should do up more wallpaper! Glad you guys like it!