An Overview On 2008/2009 – YEAR OF BUILDING GENUINE RELATIONSHIPS
Genuine relationships – including all relationships, ranging from most general to most personal ones – can be broadly defined in different ways. Whatever its definition is, it requires continual, mutual commitments. Certainly, the relationship with God stands most vital, which in turn keep reminding me about the importance of the relationships with the people around me. I wrote about that in The Sabbath, a devotional sharing. This post shares an overview on what had happened for my past-one year. Of course, building genuine relationships is a never-ending process.
1. CONCERNING MY PRESENT FAMILY
First and foremost, I thank God and am glad that my parents and my brothers have accepted the Lord and are now walking with him. I have even decided to join them in the same Mandarin-speaking church (because I had been attending one communicating in English). Although there are still moments of trials, I pray we can grow strong and serve together for and with God. For The Ever-Greater Next-Moments is one of the devotional sharings most inspired by what had been happening in me and my family.
At the time being I have been continually keeping in touch only with my immediate family members (i.e. parents and brothers). Well, guess I gotta be more intentional in this area. Family is always the safest zone in my life whether I feel troubled or joyful.
谢谢你，爸，因为你坚强努力地工作赚钱养家。
你的毅力要成为全家人的榜样！
谢谢你，妈，你为家庭所付出的心思我们知晓。
还有你下的厨，我在沙巴时只能怀念，却不能品尝，唉！
也谢谢你们，垲峻（我的大哥）和阿豪（我的弟弟），我们兄弟要继续努力。
若上帝允许，我们将来要创大大的业！哈哈！
也谢谢你，阿姨，虽然我们很少联络，
但你每月的支助重重祝福了我在大学生涯的日子！哈哈！
也谢谢你们，二伯伯，三伯伯，大姑姑，大舅舅和二姑姑二姑丈。
虽然我也没常与你们联系，但你们所给的帮助，鼓励和指示都使我受益不浅！
阿公、阿嫲，和公公、婆婆，祝你们身体健康。
我每次回去都盼望着要吃你们做的爱心甜品和拿手好菜！哈哈！
Definitely, supports by the rest of the family are most acknowledged and appreciated. Thank you all!
2. CONCERNING MY OWN DREAM FAMILY
Besides, finding a life-companion remains my desperation. I had had a crush on a girl, as I had described in Finding A Girlfriend (the crush being resulted from a possible-to-be-misunderstood eye-contact), and, realistically saying, (1) I am still approaching to know the real her (hopefully not in vain) and (2) she also has yet to know the real me (if she’s ever interested to). Nevertheless, …
… even on a person one may have a crush,
if to share together there is nothing much,
nothing then it would be but a mere-emotional rush
if not a short-lived crush that awaits to be crushed.
Yet at that moment I will know what to do;
I just cannot and must not force my way through.
Throughout this past-one year, I deliberately put to test my feelings towards her, and what I’ve found is that she has remained rather passive (or in a non-initiating role) for most conversations or matters except (1) some greetings and (2) official matters (such as those related to my portfolio as an Exco of Student and Residence Service), and thus, I think, the existence of many barriers between us is obvious. Sigh… Whatever it may be, from now on, “Sever the desire, but not the relationship” is how I should respond, I believe.
Then, as a new beginning in this area of my life, Trusting In God As A Single spells out my heart, soul and mind regarding this major-issue in my campus (and future-working) life, in search of the right one lady.
I’d just like to thank her here for the encouragements she offered during some of those trying moments which I took the initiative to share with her in writing. Well, we are still friends. God will always give her the best.
3. CONCERNING MY FRIENDS
In the perspective of friendship, at the appropriate time, the Men’s Breakthrough Weekend (MBTW) organised by Skyline Church has been a blessing. While I am desperate for my right lady with whom I can share my whole life – and her life – I thank God for the men in my MBTW group (two married and one in courtship) that as we open-up each of our hearts and share a bit here and there, prayers are offered and advices are given by the elders, even for our own quite-personal matters. Although the MBTW has just begun during mid-year of 2009, I believe it will eventually result in more strong bonds of friendship. Am I Accepted Or Not? is a little devotional sharing related to friendship.
I thank my cell group, viz. Faith’s group, for being committed to the warm, friendly and relaxing Friday-evening moments every week, and Clive, Steven and Willy, thank you for what you’ve shared during the MBTW. And thank you, Nicolas, though my busy-ness might have taken its toll on our once-usual times of prayers and sharings. Also thank you, Zheng Feei and Chee Tze, for the occasional tea times where we could open our hearts to one another. And Liu Qing, thank you, too, for the encouragements you gave during some of those doubting moments which I had written about to you. And Rona, you who are staying over there in the Philippines, thank you as well, for the continual, authentic sharings through the chat-room and emails even though we’re far apart. And thank you all, those who have cared, prayed or concerned for me, your name may not have been mentioned here, but I pray God bless you always! Thank you.
4. CONCERNING MY MINISTRIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
In addition, relationships with bosses (in the case of students leaders, officers, deans, lecturers… etc), colleagues and subordinates are essential, with due regard to the importance of teamwork. Yet, it cannot be denied that problems exist among coursemates, housemates, colleagues (in student-led organisations), and so on. Leadership is another devotional sharings inspired amidst the trying times for the past-one year of my life especially as a student rep.
I thank all UMS staffs and all my colleagues and all coursemates and all fellow-workers alongside me in the Messiah. Thank you all for your commitments; you know that I am talking about you 
5. OVERCONCERNING ABOUT THE FUTURE
Lastly, there has been a battle in my mind: Over-concerning, or rather worrying, especially about the uncertainties lying in the future. Sometimes I just concern too much, about anything, at any time, any where… to the extent that such worries affect my relationships, performance in my studies, carrying out of my duties… etc. Nonetheless, there have been various ups and downs.
All in all, I thank you, God. I thank you not so much for the circumstances around me, but specially for your goodness and loving kindness to all people regardless during good or bad circumstances. About the worries, I guess I need a paradigm-shift; help me.
FINALLY
Undeniably, I have made mistakes. For instance, failing to manage myself in busy-ness and sometimes neglecting the importance of genuine relationships, or when students complained about campus bus service or inquire about some simple things, I got impatient quickly and responded too bluntly at times; I’ll continue to examine myself in these and many other areas of my life, and change accordingly.
Finally, I am still praying specifically about what I would like to focus on as (by the 25th of September, 2009) I have entered into the fifth year following the Messiah. May God bless you, too, as he leads you in all the things that you do.
International Forum (UPLB-UMS): YOUTHS AND ASPIRATIONS
International Forum between the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) and University Malaysia SABAH (UMS) : YOUTHS AND ASPIRATIONS
Written by:
Ooi Christopher,
BSc. (Food Science and Nutrition)
School of Food Science and Nutrition
Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Date of Forum: 27 May, 2009
Excerpt:
This article describes my life during campus years in line with the forum’s theme ‘Youths and Aspirations’. It begins with a foundation that I live on, and continues with my youths and aspirations based on that foundation. Within the elaborations are briefed about the Student Body of my school, the School of Food Science and Nutrition in Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), the Student Representatives Council of UMS, and Sky Campus Community (SCC, a non-governmental organisation), based on my experience. The article ends with a list of challenges I think we as students face with. Footnotes are inserted wherever deemed necessary as a reference for further information.
(This article focuses on the general aspects of YOUTHS AND ASPIRATIONS. It was revised upon blogging due to the grammatical errors and long-winded contents in the 1st printed version that we distributed during the forum. Information about UMS’s schools and academics was not included in the forum; it was given in details during an appointment with the School’s Dean and Deputy Dean on 28th of May, 09, and is also briefly attainable at the official website of UMS: http://www.ums.edu.my)
BUILDING ON A STRONG FOUNDATION
First and foremost, having spent nearly 2 years in Universiti Malaysia Sabah, I thank God for the abundant blessings he has bestowed on me and my family throughout the moments of our ups and downs. I firmly believe that, for a growing life, not only during our campus years but also throughout all life stages, our aspirations should be founded on two indispensable living-principles – (a) relational or communion-based and (b) educational or knowledge-based principles.
a. Relational or Communion-based Principles
It is my daily mission to realise the importance of genuine relationships (vertically) with God and (horizontally) with my neighbours – that is, the people who are closely related to me (e.g. my family) and those who are around me (e.g. my friends). And to me as a Christian, Lord Jesus the Messiah should be the centre of our focus and attention for all strong and genuine relationships.
b. Educational or Knowledge-based Principles
Practical education equips me as richly as it is made clear to all Malaysian citizens in the National Education Philosophy (NEP) of Malaysia:
“Education in Malaysia is on-going efforts towards further developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonic, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God. Such an effort is designed to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral standards and who are responsible and capable of achieving high level of personal well-being as well as being able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family, the society and the nation at large.”[1]
In my opinion, both the relational and the practical, educational principles can be based on and integrated by Mark 11:29-31 of the Bible:
In Mark 11:29-30 is written “The most important is… you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength…”, which indicates our communion with God, the heart, soul, mind and strength of that verse corresponding respectively to the NEP’s four knowledge-based attributes – the spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical attributes, and, integrating to the horizontal relationship with such vertical, revitalising communion as well as with those four attributes and other characteristics compacted in the NEP, we can apply in our lives what the Lord Jesus calls his second-most important commandment to mankind – that is, “…You must love your neighbour as yourself” [v. 31]. And Mark 12:29-31 ends with an emphasis: “… No other commandment is greater than these.”
YOUTHS AND ASPIRATIONS ROOTED IN A STRONG FOUNDATION
The two indispensible living-principles lay the foundation on which I can discover boundless possibilities of successful and secure aspirations. It is a continuous process; I believe that, for us as campus students, our youth is a period as good to be grounded in that foundation as to apply it in our lives. Thus, a campus student should not just rely on academic achievements. I have personally taken part in various activities such as organising different programmes, trips, and farewell dinner for my school, SSMP, involving in the Stage-designing Unit of UMS’s Ang Pow Festival (i.e. an annual Chinese Festival for all UMS residents and the public), and participating church activities. Today, I am a member of UMS’s Student Representatives Council. Now, as a leader, juggling between academic and non-academic matters, it has never been easy to remain passionately motivated and motivative. I made many mistakes, and I find continual learning crucial for continual leading.
Youths
In The Student Body Of SSMP – 2008
Being an undergraduate in the School of Food Science and Nutrition (SSMP) in UMS has never been more exciting. In addition to the profesionalism of the academecians are the opportunities for the students to get involved in practicals as well as non-academic activities. In the year 2008 I took up responsibility to help the Student Body in organising a practical programme called “Healthy Lifestyle (or Gaya Hidup Sihat in Malay)” especially for the Nutrition-course students. In that programme we practised what had been taught during lecture, namely the way to measure Body Mass Index and to educate nutritional knowledge to the general public.
Among the other various activities that the school’s Student Body also organises are AIM Night (an annual dinner specially organised for final-year undergrads), field trip or visitation to food factories or farms (as an exposure to the working place), family day (to orientate new students), Food Bites publication (magazine of SSMP’s Student Body), seminars and talks (to equip students with extra knowledge), inter-school sports competition (to promote health awareness and harmony in UMS) and, just recently hosted by SSMP in the year 2009, the National Food Carnival (to harness inter-university-and/or-college connection nationwide) – I only managed to commit myself in helping to organise the first three activities mentioned here besides the “Healthy Lifestyle” practicals, but those involvements in fact paved the way for me to become what I am today, that is, a member representing SSMP in the Student Representatives Council of UMS.
In The Student Representatives Council (MPP) – 2009
The Student Representatives Council (MPP) of UMS has the vision to dignify UMS students in a global arena. MPP declares its five missions as 5Ks – that is, (1) Kesarjanaan, (2) Kokurikulum, (3) Kebajikan, (4) Kesahsiahan, (5) Kesepaduan, the Malay words respectively for (1) Academic excellence, (2) Non-academic achievements, (3) Welfare, (4) Morality and (5) Unity, and its motto echoes this way: “To generate the supremacy of the community.” The general policies it upholds include the National Principles (or in Malay, the Rukun Negara), student right, the responsibility to liaise between university administration and students, organisational effeciency and effectiveness, and balanced growth in four attributes – the intellectual, spiritual, emotional dan physical attributes – mentioned also in the NEP. The challeges that MPP faces with are to increase students’ commitment, involvement and co-operation in the events organised, the policies proposed, in handling campus issues and in coming out with new resolutions about those issues, as well as to continually gain students’ trust in the MPP. The bureaucratic organisational chart is also one of the main challenges since many resolutions failed to be realised on time with such time-consuming system.
It was not until after I received a vision from the Lord, was encouraged by my lecturers and friends, and was motivated by various speeches and readings that I chose to step out of my comfort zone and register myself as a candidate for the annual campus election in October 2008, which I then won with a slight majority and made it into UMS MPP. Up to now, I am in charge of the portfolio, Exco of Student Housing and Services (Exco 3P), alongside with my counterpart, Hazimin bin Awang (a student rep of the School of Social Science), until the dismissal of the Council towards the end of 2009.
This is the vision of Exco 3P: To ensure that student hostels and the facilities within as well as the various services in the campus are kept in good condition and in a well manner, and to see improvements realised duly, for the benefit of all UMS residents. And this is our mission: To liaise between the university administration and the students of UMS for the welfare of the latter – conveying any of the former’s messages to the latter, voicing any of the latter’s needs to the former, and proposing solutions to any existing-problem before attempting with best effort to carry out those solutions – so as to realise our vision, continually.
Other than making connections and cooperating with the Student Bodies of our respective schools to take care of students’ welfare and with the Committee of Student Welfare to handle issues in all student residential colleges, our responsibilities also include coordinating campus bus services and conducting ad-hoc matters such as surveying students’ response/satisfaction towards our services and the recent issue regarding the privatisation of campus bus service. Besides, we at times are also privileged to welcome visitors in UMS ranging from honoured guests to secondary school students. The MPP also has occasional retreats, the previous one being done at Membakut, Sabah.
In A Non-Governmental Organisation – 2008-2009
Before I become a student rep I also joined a non-government organisation, called Sky Campus Community (SCC), formed under Skyline[2], the church I belong to in Sabah. We had Emotional Quotient Seminar (EQS) – the main speaker of which was an internationally recognised consultant and former professor in the University Malaya (UM)[3], Prof. Dr. Leonard Yong, who formulated the L.E.O.N.A.R.D. Personality Inventory (LPI)[4], Sex and Sensibility Seminar, mission trip to the interior of Sabah at Timbua village, outings to various places (such as Sapi Island, Kiansom Waterfall, Kinabalu Park… etc) in the state dubbed the Land Below The Wind, and freshies night/dinner. The target participants of SCC events consisted largely of UMS students. One of the most unforgettable experience for me was to present in front of the camera to introduce and report our mission trip at Timbua village through SkyNews (i.e. a video-news production) to the church. In short, my participations in SCC have been none other than a blessing to me, exposing me to and equiping me with various life-values, knowledge and skills.
Notwithstanding, upon having been elected to be a member of UMS MPP, I have since then withdrawn myself from the core organising team of SCC, called ‘the Ablazers!’, and have become a participant of rather than a contributor to the organised events, in order to fully concentrate on my service in MPP, a ministry which I regard as a calling from God as I did equally SCC ministry. Such positional switch to MPP, as I have mentioned above, has been tough, and many of my weaknesses has been exposed, just like what Dr. John C. Maxwell wrote in his book, that “Defining moments defines your leadership”[5], and till now I am still a learning leader, learning from my mistakes.
Nonetheless, as the saying goes, ‘A wise person learns from his mistakes. A wiser one learns from others’ mistakes. But the wisest person of all learns from others’ successes.’ I believe God works universally, and I agree with Dr. Maxwell’s saying that “Every person has a potential to teach us something.” Futhermore, we should always learn to serve within people of different ethnicities, religions, traditional backgrounds… etc, a practice which in fact has always been emphasised by all the prime ministers of Malaysia since our Independence Day on the 31st of August, 1957. For example, the One-Malaysia Concept is recently propagated by our incumbent prime minister Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak to “preserve and enhance unity in diversity”[6]. I believe that the gist of all these can be applied from what Mark 12:17 of the Bible indicates, and it can be written this way: “Give back to the Nation the things that are the Nation’s, and to God the things that are God’s”.
Aspirations
Having personalised the two indispensable living-principles mentioned in the beginning of this article, I also find influencing them to my family, my friends and the society vital, too, as a leader, and that is why I have joined all the aforesaid activities and events. In the near future, what God holds for me I may not have clearly understood yet, but this is a calling for me: I will become a businessman-leader who contributes also to needy people and the nation’s welfare. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science and Nutrition, the minor subjects of which, in UMS, are compulsory business-related studies. If God wants to, after graduation I will further my studies through a master’s degree if not a PhD. study in Food Science and Nutrition (probably also taking a certificate/diploma programmes on Psychology, for I am interested in it) and, perhaps, I will work as a tutor if not a lecturer first, since I am also fond of teaching and public speaking, and then take some courses if necessary – maybe the Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) – before venturing into my own business, throughout the process of which I pray that the mission reaching out to needy people will not die out in my heart, whatever situation I may be in.
CHALLENGES AND CONCLUSION
In spite of the many youthful events and the very ambitious aspirations that each of us as campus student has, many challenges lie before us in the present and the future. For example, some people may think by common-sense that to remain academically competent in lieu of the various involvements is most challenging. Some others concern about choosing the right friends and eventually the one-right life-partner, which (honestly speaking) are not any less difficult! I agree with all that, and all the more with Maxwell’s popular saying, “The one thing that you need to know to be a great leader is that there is more than one thing you need to know to be a great leader” and “Leaders are developed daily, not a day”. In this way, then, remaining firm in a strong foundation we will strain on forward for the aspirations God has laid in each of our hearts, for the good of those around us.
Proverbs 16:1,9
“Preparations of the heart belong to human beings,
but the response of the tongue is from the Lord…
… A person plans his way,
but the Lord directs his steps.”
Postscript and Acknowledgements:
Preparing for this forum has indeed caused me to reflect and realign my life, especially with the ideal theme ‘Youths and Aspirations’. It is my prayer that through this sharing every forum panelist (or the readers of this article) is benefited and blessed. In addition, I count it my privilege to also introduce UMS, specifically about its School of Food Science and Nutrition, with regards to the student activities, internationally. Last but not least, I would like to thank the administration of UMS and its counterparts in UPLB for giving me the opportunity to present this sharing. Thank you all and God bless you!
[1] Source: Official Portal of Malaysia’s Ministry of Education. http://www.moe.gov.my/tayang.php?laman=falsafah_pendidikan&unit=kementerian&bhs=en
[2] Skyline SIB Official Homepage: http://www.skylinesib.com
[3] Offical Portal of UM: http://www.um.edu.my
[4] Source: Official website of L.E.O.N.A.R.D. Personality Inventory. http://www.leonard.com.my/
[5] Source: Leadership GOLD © 2008 by John C. Maxwell.
[6] Source: One-Malaysia Portal. http://www.1malaysia.com.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=358&Itemid=93&lang=en
Things I Should Have Done (A Good Friday’s Sharing)
Alighting from the bus this afternoon, I realised that I did not do the things I should have done properly. Passing a friend by, my mind was so focused on things and works that I overlooked greeting him/her or, even worse, his/her greeting to me. Waking up at 5am almost every day, instead of spending time in communion with God I had almost every time gone back to sleep.
Things like that happen often, and I am usually struck with a sense of guilt and sometimes depression at the moment I found that I did not do the things I should have done; something or someone is missing in my heart. That often makes me feel bad; that often makes those around me to feel bad. The disciples were not attentive, “… he found them asleep…” [Matt 26:43] and that, as we know, was followed by a disaster.
In today’s perspective, owing to mankind’s weakness many disastrous incidents happen, but we must not give up, “… All things are possible for God” [Mark 10:27]. Nevertheless, while no one knows whether the little things that we are doing will result in fruitfulness or a disaster, the important principle is that immediately when we hear from God we obey, now. What made Good Friday and Easter Sunday significant to us is this: hope is bestowed to the hopeless, and reconciliation to the deserted.
“Never let the sense of failure corrupt your new action.”
Oswald Chamber
Therefore, I must not let mere-guiltiness disable me. Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus; the assurance of forgiveness stems only from faith in the unique Son of God – “… I resolved to know nothing except Jesus the Messiah, and him crucified…” [1Cor 2:2]. From such faith comes the confidence to dare to fail and try again (not the license to sin and sin again).
And I believe this is the essence of Easter Sunday commemorating Jesus’ resurrection: “… not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power…” [v. 5]. It is an ever-renewing life to see God’s greatness despite our weaknesses; it is the reality of Emmanuel – God is with us.
Friends, are you and I living in communion with the Risen Lord daily and continually? Or is that kind of reality… far from us?
A Sad SAD Situation? (A Valentine’s Day Sharing)
“It’s sad, so sad; it’s a sad sad situation… Sorry seems to be the hardest word…” How many of you know that song by Elton John? Well, actually it’s not that I am sorry for this, but I had truly been through a really sad SAD situation – a sad Single, Available and Desperate situation. This is because I kept thinking, “I’m single, available and desperate, but not ready yet.”
‘Don’t Cry, Joni’ is another song that will surely intensify the desperation of any single, young man who listens to it. I don’t know how about the ladies, but any man who knows this sweet yet sad classic knows that it is all about “Don’t wait too long! Engage her before another man does, or else regret your hesitation.” (I’m talking about finding a life partner.) Of course, not all people – actually, no one wants to – end up so sad as the poor Jimmy in that song ‘Don’t Cry, Joni’ did.
I understand why many people, including my parents and grandparents, keep asking me about whether I have found a girlfriend or not. I have my own reasons why I am not ready for a date or a courtship (yet). And thank God many people shared their experience openly with me. Now, although I may have a girl in my mind, and even though I had worried that I might be ‘25-minutes too late’ to express my affection, through this dilemma of whether to get involved in courtship or not…
**… I am learning…
how love is different from lust,
and how to wait, and how to trust.
I am still learning…
how to stay in touch… although sometimes in the past
the time we spent together… did not seem to last.**
That can be the chorus of one of the songs of my life!
Prepare First, Then Only Look For One
“If you are not prepared for marriage, then it’s better to not get involved (in a romantic relationship) at all!”
No matter how ‘desperate’ I am now, preparing myself to be a life partner must precede looking for a life partner, so that even if I am still single, available and desperate, I do not fall into a sad SAD situation in my heart or in my mind. Any thought or feeling of ‘singlehood insecurity’ stems from my own fault – I have forgotten if not ignored the genuine relationship I have had (or I should have been having) with God as well as with my family, relatives and friends.
TO CONCLUDE:
I should now keep in touch with all the friends who are around me. Although I am currently attracted to and infatuated with her, I shall draw the line so that I am a friend to her just like I am to a few other people; I should find out more about her and about myself first. I believe it is wiser that I learn to hear, obey God and live my life in holiness as her friend and as an individual myself first, instead of leaping desperately, impulsively and uncertainly into any commitment – commitment that in any moment arouses me to say any words or to behave in any way which signifies ‘till death do we part’ – with her; I think it is better for me to not have a dating or a courtship with anybody, than to cause that somebody (and myself) to go through a struggle of overcoming the hurts, disappointments and awkwardness of a break-up’s aftermath, unnecessarily. I am desperate for a genuine courtship, not an impulsive or an uncertain one!
“What if someone else gets to her first before I do? What if it’s too late for me?” Oh, come on! (I’ll just repeat **chorus**.)
“We do not fall in love with somebody, we cannot; we may fall into an infatuation, but we grow, not fall, in love (together).”
So, am I just merely infatuated with her and nothing else? (I guess I have to go back to the conclusion above.)
Note: The target-readers of this sharing, like Finding A Girlfriend, are those who are single, available and desperate, not those who are dating or courting (as I don’t have that kind of experience to write such sharing), much less to say those who are married.
At Membakut, Sabah (A Christmas ShArIng)
After a moment of mental preparation, I was in tears while sharing on the topic of leadership during an impromptu public speaking session in the Student Council’s Induction Course organised by the university’s Student Affair Department (or Hal-Ehwal Pelajar) at Membakut, Sabah, on the 13th – 16th of December, 2008.
To begin with, I spoke to the participants – that is, the leaders within the Student Council – about what I learnt from the book “LEADERSHIP GOLD” by John C. Maxwell. Then, at one point of the sharing I roughly quoted Patrick Morley by saying that “although terrorist bombing is not common in this nation, imagine this: if it happens, the destruction would be disastrous and its aftermath hard to recover. So it is if we fail to control our emotion and anger as a leader: you just need one explosion and that’s it.”
After that, I went stuttering, being deeply troubled in my heart as some thoughts came to my mind and bursting out in tears before choosing finally to articulate it clearly to the audience: “I regret some of the things I did to my juniors last time as a captain during secondary school, now that after graduation I could only pray and hope that they will be influenced correctly by a good leader now and in the future.”
Subsequently, (after calming myself down,) I went on sharing about what I meant a good leader. “An effective leader might not always mean a good leader; Adolf Hitler was very effective, wasn’t he? Nevertheless, a good leader must be effective.” And I ended my sharing with this: “Therefore, even as I read different kinds of books and am open to many advices, I must look off to a good leader and hold on to a main, authoritative reference to truly understand the standard of living. So I present to you that, to me, the good leader is Jesus Christ, the only one who has never done anything wrong on earth and thus was and is and forever will be called the perfect Man, and the main reference is the Bible.”
What I had shared among them I also share with you now. That was just one of the many aspects of being changed by the Word of God. I was a hot-tempered person, and after knowing Jesus I wasn’t immediately changed; I went through a process of renewal by the Word of God and today, although I like you am by no means immune to the temptation to anger, I know at least that there’s an alternative way to overcome and to live a truly standard life, and that way is found in the Spirit of the Messiah as well as the God-breathed words in the Bible.
That way is neither to live by mere sound philosophies nor to merely adhere to laws and regulations – it’s a loss to think that the Bible and Christianity contain only those things – but the way of the Saviour and the Lord of heaven and earth is far more than just philosophies, laws and regulations; that way points to a genuine relationship between God and mankind restored through Jesus the Messiah. (Messiah in Greek: Χριστός, pronounced as khris-tos’ and translated as Christ, which means the Anointed One or the Chosen One.)
“In the beginning, the Word existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.” – [John 1:1-3]
As the saying goes, “Like father like son”; “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…” [John 3:16] the Word also so wanted to be genuinely related with mankind that he humbled himself in this way: “The Word became flesh and lived among us.” [continued from John 1 above, verse 14] That Word is God’s only Son.
This has come to pass after a cry was heard at a little manger in Bethlehem, on Christmas day. It was a cry of an innocent baby bearing the consequence of mankind’s sins. And, going through human growth from baby to childhood to adult, he has taught us by setting himself as a sinless, perfect example (and thus, as a good leader) while he was on earth and, more than that, he suffered, died (not for his own sin but to take away our sins) and rose from the dead before sitting down at the right hand of the throne of God, from whom he came [Hebrew 10], for us to follow him and his standard of living. Today, such genuine relationship continues through his Spirit, until the time we see him face to face during Perfection in the Last Day – until eternity.
That is the Good News according to the Bible. And that is why I celebrate Christmas. Friends, do you celebrate Christmas? Is the reason behind that celebration the Good News according to the Bible or something else? Don’t replace what is perfect with what is imperfect. “No human is perfect…” shouldn’t end just there; it should instead end this way: “… except Jesus the Messiah.”
Let me end this sharing with a song,
Jesus loves me, yes I know,
for the bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong,
they are weak but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so!
(This is a sharing for Christmas in the year of 2008 with 888 words including reference, excluding this last sentence, counted with Microsoft Word.)
Post-Election Thoughts
Thank God I made it through the UMS Election into the Student Council or Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar (MPP), which had its first meeting yesterday noon. The post I am in charge of will be disclosed on Wednesday in our second meeting.
I would like to thank all of my friends who came out to vote last Thursday, much more those who helped me campaigned by distributing flyers, spreading SMSs as well as hanging banners and posters before the election. Thank you all, indeed!
Friends
Friends matter in campus life. “You may have met hundreds of people, but there’s no way you can really know more than a handful of people. You’d be lucky if you had three real friends.” – [Source unknown]
“I realised that I had a thousand acquaintances but, at that moment in time, less than three genuine friends. I have worked on this area of my life, and today I believe I have five real friends including my wife.”
Patrick Morley, author of the Man in the Mirror
A Warning From Heaven
Just a day after the election result was finalised, I cried out to God and asked him to help me through this coming one year to be strong while serving in the Student Council. And during the afternoon nap that same day, I had two dreams. Now, not all dreams come from God or his angels. Some dreams are just dreams and nothing else, and some dreams come from the devil. We must not believe in every spirit. “Instead, test the spirits to see whether they are from God,” – [1John 4:1] and, “… the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things…” – Jesus – [John 14:26], for every person who believes in God’s only Son has his Spirit living in that person. [1 Corinth 12:3]
Dream 1
I was climbing up an ancient tall tower. After I reached the top and took what I wanted – which is a treasure looked like purified silver – I saw myself rushing back home, and there was my younger brother offering himself freely to help all the way through, going up to and down from the top of the tower while taking stuffs such as the tools and equipments for me, as I was carrying the heavy treasure on my hand. At one moment on the way going down the tower staircase, I saw my younger brother looking at me bitterly.
Dream 2
I was sick – just a mild sickness. I saw myself standing in front of a modern clinic, where a voice asked me, “Are you alone?”, to which I replied, “I have a group of 5 friends with me.”
After ‘Dream 1’ and ‘Dream 2’, I woke up. Those two dreams were from God,
1) The first dream reminded me of the importance of the relationship within my family. Am I distracted by earthly treasures, to the extent that I neglect the relationship with my family members? My family is not around with me in Sabah, this is a warning from God so that I keep in touch with my family.
2) The second dream reminded me of my relationships with the people around me in Sabah, especially my friends. When I am down, do I look only to my own problems and pay no attention to my friends who are there with me and who are concerned for me?
Our Father in heaven speaks into our lives at his sovereignty (God’s instructions can come through not only the Bible and the Church, but also our parents, dreams, visions, the elders, our teachers, our friends, the children, and even our enemies), and when he does that, we must make sure we respond correctly according his Spirit and his Word.
Practical
Campus life as an MPP member may be busy, but let’s keep one another in prayer so that as we stay close to Jesus, the best friend we can ever have, we also make every effort to express our love in action and in truth to our family and friends while we’re still alive on earth.
“This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you. No one shows greater love than when he lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.”
Jesus – [Gospel of John 15:12-15]
My Theme In The Fourth Year
After the 3rd reunion anniversary with my Father was a week of holidays. As I spend some time quietly with God, I was kept being reminded about the importance of genuine relationships over religion, and this is my personal theme for the fourth year of my Christian life,
Right now three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Paul – [The First Letter to the Corinthians 13:13]
Campus life can sometimes be busy and stressful – we are human – and many times people find relief through religion. Nevertheless, I can go to and serve in church, serve in university and in school while keep studying hard to maintain if not improve my academic performance – I can do all those things and still not having a genuine relationship with my Father and his loved ones – you and I are his loved ones.
To practise mere religion is to have no relationship with God at all. Relationship is grown deeper between two beings only when one is continually communing with another. Mere merits through good deeds and ritualistic practices relate to religion, but a genuine relationship through Love, Hope and Faith leads us directly to God himself and, when we remain one with God,
“At that time you will know that I am in my Father, that you are in me, and that I am in you… the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things…”
Jesus – [John 14:20, 26]
Love, Hope and Faith underlie the foundation of genuine relationship between God and mankind. These principles are applicable among mankind ourselves as well. In my coming articles I will share about this theme of my 2008/09 term in University Malaysia Sabah (UMS), stressing on the importance on genuine relationships over mere religion. After that I’ll share my thoughts on Love, then Hope, and lastly Faith. But, as the saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words.” Pray that I’ll really grow in God this year.
My Themes For The Previous Years
… about My First Year Theme : The Year Of Manna
“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way these 40 years in the desert, to humble and test you in order to make known what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to be hungry, yet he fed you with manna that neither you nor your ancestors had known, in order to teach you that human beings shall not live by food alone — instead human beings are to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” – [Deuteronomy 8:2-3]
My first year as follower of Jesus was one like a desert year. It was this period that I faced all sorts of spiritual attack, seeing evil and false spirits, dreaming bad dreams and being shown camouflaged visions frequently. From then, as I look back now, God directed me to depend on his Word and his Spirit and nothing else to grow spiritually.
… about My Second Year Theme : The Year of Being Rooted
“This set of instructions is not to cease being a part of your conversations. Meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to carry out everything that’s written in it, for then you’ll prosper and succeed. I’ve commanded you, haven’t I? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be fearful or discouraged, because the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” – [Joshua 1:8-9]
My second year journey with God was a year consolidating what he had put into my heart in the first year – to keep relying on his Word and his Spirit and keep growing. I was still struggling in the area of spiritual warfare, but thank God for all my pastors and friends who are from Bukit Mertajam Baptist Church (BMBC) and who are with me throughout those hard times. Half-way through the year I moved from Penang to Petaling Jaya, attending Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC).
… about My Third Year Theme : The Year of Evangelism
“The harvest is vast, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” – Jesus [Matthew 9:37-38]
That theme came with three visions during worship with the Church before I came to Sabah. In my third year of Christian life (Last year) I came to Sabah for the first time. In that year, I was further equipped in the area of evangelism besides continuing the course of discipleship. I have been studying in University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and attending Skyline SIB church.
… about my Fourth Year Theme
I’ve been blessed throughout all those three years in the Lord despite my past disobedience. Now that the fourth year has begun, I’d like to share with you about my fourth year theme in the next post.
The 3rd Reunion Anniversary With My Father
I forgot when I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Saviour (maybe around April, 2005) but I remember vividly the time I was first baptised – 25th September, 2005 (baptism simply means that I declare publicly, “I’m a Christian. Jesus is my Lord forever!”) So I just make this day a special day for myself in remembrance of the Reunion with my Father in heaven.
This sharing is also a sequel to my previous article ‘Mere Impressions and Clear Instructions’.
Jesus’ words recorded in the Bible are in red colour.
“The wind blows where it wants to. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. That’s the way it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Jesus – [Gospel of John 3:8]
God’s clear instruction for us truly come with deep impression in our hearts (or our spirits), but our mere impressions after that might not always mean that they come from God. Our faith in God can only be consolidated through continually listening to and believing in God’s clear instructions (or what God has said) – “That’s the way it is…” Conversely, those who believe (or have faith) in themselves do so by their human/fallen/sinful nature; they follow their own thoughts, only hold to their individual principle and nothing else – “… they don’t know what they’re doing.” [Luke 23:34] (No one is immune to the human nature; I once lived like that, too, and it’s shameful to see the sins I’ve done with such nature! Thank God that, through his Son who takes away the sins and shames of the world, his Spirit restores the New nature into everyone who is willing to believe and follow him. But if I’m not careful, I may repeat the same mistake. Therefore, I hereby also sincerely apologise for all my wrong doings that may have hurt you or made you stumble, if you know me personally. Forgive me… more than that, pray for each other that we may stay close to Jesus, who is the one and only man that lived perfectly sinless on earth, and learn from him.)
To focus our minds on the human nature leads to death, but to focus our minds on the Spirit leads to life and peace. That is why the mind that focuses on human nature is hostile toward God. It refuses to submit to the authority of God’s law because it is powerless to do so. Indeed, those who are under the control of human nature cannot please God.
Paul – [The Letter to the Romans 8:7-8]
… about Hui Yi’s Testimony
Let us consider the case of Tee Hui Yi, the miracle girl last december in Malaysia who has undergone two heart-transplant surgeries and survived. This was her encounter,
“It was two days after my second transplant. As I was resting, each time I closed my eyes, I saw him. He had dark eyebrows and long curly hair. It was Yesus! I knew him from pictures I had seen of him. He looked at me with eyes that seemed to tell me, ‘I will take care of you,’ and seemed to invite me to trust him.”
Tee Hui Yi – [Interview in Asian Beacon, Vol. 40 No. 2, page 24-25]
Indeed, “The wind blows where it wants to. You hear its sound…” is no longer an analogy of the wind but a Reality of the Spirit, who revealed Jesus to Hui Yi. Now, will Hui Yi, after her encounter with the Spirit of God (and being deeply impressed), grow faith by keeping on closing her eyes and desiring to see the Jesus in visions or dreams again and again? No, of course! If she thinks (or relies on her mere impression) that she can grow faith like that, she will surely be very disappointed at the end of the day; the move of God’s Spirit is not under anyone’s manipulation; he is sovereign (or he works in his own way), “…you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going.” The only way to grow faith is only through continually listening to and believing in God’s clear instructions – “That’s the way it is….”
… about My Testimony
To be frank, I don’t personally know Tee Hui Yi or how she is now; I just read about her testimony in the magazine. Here, this is my own testimony on conversion:
(We dream when we’re asleep; we see vision when we’re awake.) Some spirits came to me through dreams and visions at different nights to impress me, “I am Jesus,” or, “I’m sent by Jesus,” so that I follow the instructions given by them; now, who was the real one? It was fearful, that’s the problem; God is love and ‘there is no fear where love exists.’ – [1John 4:18] They were not from God but were just gods and spirits – they’re liars. So I thought (or impressed on myself that), ‘How I wished to see the real Jesus in my vision or dream so that my faith in God can be boosted! I think that should be the way. Yes, God, please reveal yourself to me so that I can see you, because I’m so confused by those liars now that I find no meaning to continue my life!’
As a result (on the contrary), I was hit from disappointment to disappointment, seeing the false spirits, who deceptively came with ‘good intentions’ (e.g. they quoted the Bible and claimed that they were angels from God!). Those days (during Form 6 or Pre-University period) of spiritual darkness were tough for me. Without the Word of God, I might not be here today to share with you. The Word of the Father authored by his Son and enlightened/instructed by his Spirit* is the only weapon against the camouflaged visions, dreams and voices/instructions of the Enemy given by liars, whether these liars are living humans or deadliest daemons!
“Is it because you have seen me that you have believed? How blessed are those who have never seen me and yet have believed!”
Jesus – [Gospel of John 20:29]
*Source: Smith Wigglesworth’s sermon on “The Author and Perfector of Faith”
… about Mere Impressions and Clear Instructions
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you have known me, you will also know my Father.”
Jesus – [Gospel of John 14:6]
Dear friends, have you known Jesus, so that you also know the Father and thus live by his clear instructions? Or has it often been a sad lament, “I have not kept in touch with the Father; he seems like hiding away from me,” or worse still, “I don’t know who my Father is or what he wants,” so that you live by your mere impressions? I ask those questions daily to myself, too. God is God whether we believe in him or not, so why resist him (and estrange ourselves from him)? Friends, the Father is always eagerly waiting for us, so that we will turn back to him and embrace him (with tears of joy)! Remember: God loves you whoever you are; he sent his Son to die for us so that we can be forgiven of our sins and be healed and restored by his Spirit in order to receive eternal life. “And this is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent — Jesus the Messiah.” – That was Jesus’ prayer to his Father (at the critical time before going through the Great Suffering on the Cross) for us – “Sanctify them by the truth. Your word is truth.” [John 17:3, 17]
ONE more indirect lesson: If you find it difficult to follow this God whose Son has died for us, pray (and listen to the clear instructions of his Spirit); the reason for us to pray is that Jesus did so; only this perfectly sinless Man is qualified to be our highest Teacher and Example (on earth); follow Jesus; only believe!
Mere Impressions and Clear Instructions
“The wind blows where it wants to. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. That’s the way it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Jesus – [Gospel of John 3:8]
God’s instructions are not received through mere impression or feeling. I can feel like I want to do many good works or be impressed in my heart to serve God in this or that way and still not be doing God’s instructions. A man of God made this point very clear in his sermon ‘How To Discern Voices’,
“Was it of God? That is the first thing. It was an impression, coming from a desire to be something special. That’s the danger…”
Smith Wigglesworth
“The wind blows where it wants to. You hear its sound…” Indeed, God’s clear instructions truly come with deep impressions, but mere impressions do not always mean that they come from God.
… about Human Nature
