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]
Finding A Girlfriend (Revised Edition)
Note:
The prelude to this story is my previous article ‘Loneliness’.
- A Letter To Those Around My Age, 21 -
To my friends, especially those in UMS and all my former schoolmates,
Let the story begin…
Both of us had known each other for a few years; a nice girl to mix with, and very well behaved, she’s a quiet person, but no one can deny her beauty. I had not failed to expect to see her at ‘a place’ we usually went to and, if I saw her, I would do everything I could just to catch her attention and say, “Hi!”, and then start a conversation, even a short one would suffice.
One day, in that place, there she was passing me by in front of me; I was sitting, looking at her as she was walking away from my seat. She was heading home. “Oops!” Something dropped to the ground, and I just couldn’t turn my sight away from her when she was reaching her hands down to pick it up. Afterwards, to my surprise, she turned and looked at me straight into my eyes, I didn’t shun away; we’re all by ourselves in a small little space with just a glass door separating us – no one was around to distract us, and this time we had an eye-to-eye contact, without talking to each other, for quite a while. I didn’t know how she felt and what she was thinking, but as for me, I felt very excited inside my heart, though I appeared not to be, and thought ‘I think I’m in love’ at that moment before she went home.
Truly, those feelings and thoughts were intense… indescribable.
After that, I pondered on my life, and a feeling of loneliness crept into my heart, troubling me. I immediately whispered something in response to it,
“Father in heaven, I know you said that there’s a season for everything under heaven. Now, tell me, can I start a relationship with her? In Jesus’ name I pray… ”
It was on a Saturday’s morning that I prayed that prayer. That very night I went to the youth meeting as usual. So then, my friends and I listened attentively as the pastor spoke on the topic of ‘Music and its origin.’ Half-way through the talk, the pastor, after looking up for a moment as if he was interrupted, switched the subject to ‘Boy and girl relationship (BGR) – Dating and/or Courtship’, giving a short but stern reason before doing so. This was the reason and the way he said it,
“There must be someone here who is troubled and is asking God about BGR. Now, listen to me, you… don’t be foolish! Never be involved in a BGR before graduating from the university! During campus life, you must mix with all kinds of friends… but never be involved in any dating or courtship!”
Pastor
That was of course obviously irrelevant to ‘Music and its origin’, but then he went on sharing with us all about BGR, advising us and telling us from stories to stories, and we youth were always very interested in such stories. Now, I did not tell my pastor that I had prayed the above mentioned prayer, and he also did not notice that I was trying my best to keep the tears in my eyes from flowing while I listened to him – I was touched and very much alarmed in my heart! (My pastor, unless someone had told him, does not know about this until today.)
As for the ‘feeling of loneliness’… I say goodbye to it. It is but a lie of the devil, should it trouble me to the extent that I think of all sorts of evils – immoralities, rejection, lack of confidence, impurities… etc. However, now, as I look at it positively, I realise that it was a deep yearn inside my heart that drew me to call out, “Father in heaven, can I… ” and then came the answer – “No, not now.” – and I wept as I went back home alone that day, not because my request was halted, but because I was touched by the way God cared for me.
Today, I am still keeping in touch with that special girl. I know the boundary I should set – just friend – and I must test everything before I decide for a courtship because relationship, I believe, does not depend on feeling alone.
My personal opinion on finding a girlfriend during university
Dear friends,
Why do I share this? While I don’t have the experience eligible to suggest that the urge of dating should be resisted during the campus life, I just can tell you that God cares for every one of us. Well, this is what I want to say,
At that moment I asked him, “Can I begin a courtship with her?”
He sent a pastor, giving me just a simple answer, “No, not yet.”
I thank God someone told me the Good News.
Otherwise, I would have decided everything on my own.
Truly, I have all the right and will to say, “I wanna find myself a girlfriend,”
but nothing is more important than to obey God’s clear instruction.
This is the Good News for us,
Jesus loves us; he desires to commune with us.
Now, about 2 years later – I’m studying in University Sabah Malaysia,
and after much knowledge instilled in me,
as I keep growing in Christ Jesus, my Teacher,
only then I realise – I’m not at all ready yet to have a girlfriend.
Oh… I was about to step out and start dating her!
Oh… what if I didn’t obey after God answered my prayer?
So I found that in everything we do, we must remain in communion with God.
Truly, that prayer is life-impacting for me!
Indeed, God never fails to show himself faithful to his children.
What can I say, friend? “Finding a girlfriend” seems to be a big and important issue for me personally. Yet personal needs are secondary to the plan of the One in whom everything is made perfect. Human will can be good and pleasing sometimes, but it is never perfect by itself. I don’t know when will I be ready to find a mate and marry her, though I could plan about it. However, a living principle that I hold on to is:
Do not be conformed to this world, but continually be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God’s will is — what is good, pleasing, and perfect.
Paul of Tarsus – [The Letter to the Romans; chapter 12 verse 2]
This world says to me, “If you do not date one partner during university,” often with a ‘wondering why’ manner, “You’re just so traditional, don’t you think it’s boring?” or it may trigger me to get worried, “Don’t regret then, you would have missed the greatest opportunity given in the campus life.”
Well, finding a girlfriend now may seem good and pleasing to me, but my will must be in line with God’s. I never seek a perfect life – that’s impossible, but I do desire for a better life – every one does. What is the will of God for me, then? To be frank, personally, I don’t really know much yet. Nevertheless, generally, everything is written in the Bible, the Word of God. Say for example the above quote on Paul of Tarsus in his Letter to the Romans, try to read on the rest of chapter 12 and we’ll know the general will of God, which will direct our mind to look at the right perspectives and priorities.
Finally and most practically
So friends, what can I do now? Read, listen, understand and do the words of God ministered to me – practise what has already been made known… everyday! Growth is a process, and God’s will for me in my personal life shall be revealed by his Spirit, not too early and not too late – at the exact time, not only about BGR, but also in every other areas of my life, according to his precious and wonderful promises recorded in the Bible.
What about… that special girl? They say campus life is the best opportunity! Well, be friend first, however, NO DATING YET for me; I’ll draw a line – just friend… even after graduation when I’m in my workplace… until after I examine myself (and her, of course) thoroughly… then baru saya tengok ada ‘feeling’ atau tidak lah! *(Grins)
“Marry your best friend (till the day you die).”
Pastor Chris Kam - [DUMC’s Floodgates Magazine: Issue 44, page 19]
I don’t know how about you, friends, but are you willing to ask, “Father in heaven, … in Jesus’ name I pray,” and wait on God as you keep doing the words ministered to you and continually discover his general will first? If you are willing, then start with the Good News.
God bless you in finding your life-long mate…
Do consider the Good News,
CHRIS
- End of Letter-
The Sequence of this Sharing >>> A Sad SAD Situation? (A Valentine’s Day Sharing)
Loneliness
“… having nice chats and conversations, yet sometimes,
although I was in the midst of a crowd or among two or three people,
even then I could, not understanding why, feel lonely.”
Owing to what I’ve been through and how I learnt from my experience, I pondered on the word ‘loneliness’ recently and classified it into three aspects. Just want to share with you…
… about Being Lonely
There is a kind of loneliness every one of us spends in our own unique ways. As a student, for example, I need personal time to concentrate and study, to be in privacy, to rest… etc.
Although everyone spend this lonely time differently, I realise that I must be careful not to spend my time alone in ‘busy-ness’ or because of the fear of being rejected by others. Thinking this way will eventually cause bondages of workaholism or rejection respectively. Indeed it caused such bondages for my case a few years ago, but not anymore now because Jesus broke those bondages in me. So, while I may be spending my time more in loneliness due to my introvert nature, I must not forget the time mixing with friends. It’s all about balance. It would be yielding to the thoughts of evil or the weaknesses of man to say that I always want to be alone and not spend time with others – this is not introversion but self-isolation.
… about Feeling Lonely
On the other hand, there is another kind of loneliness that comes in the form of feeling. I believe this feeling comes sometimes so that I realise the nature of mankind to have companies. In spite of that, the situation had become something worse for me, though. This is the case:
Even though I was often with my parents, and with teachers as well as my friends,
having nice chats and conversations, yet sometimes,
although I was in the midst of a crowd or among two or three people,
even then I could, not understanding why, feel lonely.
This kind of ‘feeling of loneliness’ does not lead me to mix with friends but it strikes me even when I am with my family or friends. My pastor described it well when she told the church about one of her stories last year in a seminar,
“One day, as I woke up, seeing my husband was still asleep, I got up on my own and just spent time looking through the window at the rainy scene outside when suddenly thoughts came to my mind, ‘Oh Lord, I feel lonely…’ Immediately, I rejected those thoughts. So I can confidently assure you that this feeling of loneliness is indeed very real while, according to what we’ve learned in Jesus Christ, it is but a lie of the devil.“
Rev. Margaret Falls
Indeed, this kind of ‘feeling to loneliness’, which is really very real and strong sometimes, leads me away even from whoever that is around me like the situations mentioned above, sometimes it also triggers me to think evil thoughts such as lustful desires, impurity, immorality, hatred, unforgiveness, low self-image, discouragements,… etc; these are either the weaknesses of mankind or the deceptions of the evil ones. But thank God that in Jesus Christ it is made possible to overcome all these completely.
But there’s a feeling of loneliness that reminds me of my family and my friends so that I take the initiative to keep in touch with them; this, I believe, is from God and the nature of mankind he’s created so that I will not always want to be by myself.
… about the Sweet Loneliness
Yet, there is, however, a time of sweet loneliness no one should miss in any day.
It is to be in a place where there is no one else but only me alone – it draws me to hide myself from the world. Yes, truly, this is the kind of loneliness we all can’t live without – this is the quiet time spent with the living Jesus, who rose from the dead about 2000 years ago, after he preached the Good News on earth!
“After dismissing the crowds, Jesus went up on a hillside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone…”
Matthew – [Gospel of Matthew 14:23]
To be not lonely in a lonely place, how can it be? – Jesus said, “…Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.”
“Come close to God, and he will come close to you.”
James, the son of Joseph – [The Letter of James 4:8]
God coming close to us doesn’t mean that he’s often far away. No, God is always with us even without us knowing. God coming close to us means he is revealing himself to us, to let us know that he is real, to assure us that his Son has risen from the dead, to empower us as we experience his Spirit tangibly. This is the most wonderful way to be lonely, because God’s revealed Presence will expose and cast out all weaknesses of mankind, continually transforming us into God’s perfect image as we keep coming into his Presence. How marvellous – the quiet time spent with the Father through the Son, Jesus, by His Spirit living in us – is the moment communing with the Almighty One! It’s full of love, joy and peace. That’s why I said no one should miss this time in any day. This quiet time is made possible only because of the Good News. So it is said,
“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!”
Paul of Tarsus – [The Letter to the Romans 10:15]
CONCLUSION
In conclusion of my pondering of the word ‘loneliness’, I found that there is a difference between being lonely and feeling lonely. The former is just a physical condition or situation which is true even during the time of sleep in my room while the latter may either reminds me of my family and friends so that I take the initiative to keep in touch with them or, if I’m ignorant of what Jesus has said, strikes down my soul even when I am among a crowd of companions. Last but not least, I also deduced that…
Firstly, there is a general lonely time when we spend privately in different ways and needs. Secondly, there is a feeling of loneliness that reminds us to not always be alone by ourselves. Thirdly, there is a sweet loneliness which lifts us up from the natural to the supernatural, experiencing the wonder to be alone without being lonely – the oneness with God – supernaturally natural and naturally supernatural. The third is able to beautify the first and perfect the second, so that our faith in God is grown at every moment for all areas of our lives in both the personal and the corporate perspectives – whether when we’re alone, with 10 partners, 100 companions, 1000 members, 10000 people or billions of multitudes.
The sequel to this article is my story on Finding A Girlfriend.
Careless Thoughts
Note: Thoughts are often long. :)
Yesterday morning, after thinking about what was happening in Myanmar and China, I believe this is an sounding alarm to remind us that the sufferings happening there – hunger, sorrow, nakedness, sickness, diseases… are also happening around the globe! Therefore let’s keep them in prayer and do something about that. May God guide us.
On the other hand, while all these disasters are happening, I also thought of how God has actually blessed his church on earth so much. We can see a lot of churches around the world, and many of them having mega church buildings. Yet recently, I’ve always been reminded of one other verse in the Bible whenever I started to think that how richly blessed and big and beautiful is the church I’m attending in PJ. This verse is in Luke chapter 21 and it is stated this way,
Before this verse was an accounting of how a widow gave an offering (two small copper coins) even in her poverty. After Jesus honoured this widow, the following story came, “Now while some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and offerings, Jesus said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn down!…” Then Jesus went on in later verses to tell us in detail what will happen in the future before he comes to earth the second time – earthquakes, wars, famines… will be increasingly terrible and common! Also, in those later verses of Luke chapter 21, Jesus urges us to always be watchful since none of us knows when is his second coming.
Therefore, as I kept pondering on God’s words these few days, I found that how careless and UNwatchful was I to wrongly yield to evil thoughts and thoughts of evil! But thank God, like all of you, I was constantly reminded that,
First and foremost, KEEP WATCHING so that I will not sin by doing anything against God’s will. When a papaya seed is planted into the soil, papaya tree will grow and bear papaya fruits! But if the tree is unfruitful or fruitless, then the way we plant and nourish the seed may be the factor/problem causing this. In the same way, when we say we believe in Jesus, truly, we are forgiven freely on the basis of what Jesus has done on the Cross and thus we are set free from judgment during the Judgment Day. Yet the fruit should be repentance and of the Holy Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. If the fruit is not these, then the way we understand and practise our faith/belief may be the problems causing this.
Guess what will happen to an unfruitful papaya tree? Yeap, you’re rite – The gardener will try his best to fix the problems. What if it, after having fixed all the problems, still can’t bear any good fruit? Yeap, you won’t disagree with this – It’s useless and it will be chopped down! God is the Gardener of our spirits and our souls, so don’t take life for granted. Stop disobeying God! KEEP WATCHING and be alert!
Secondly, The church is not about the building, it’s about the people, whether they are DOING THE WILL OF GOD or not.
Last but not least, Who among us is sinless? Let him/her say, “I don’t need Jesus to save me. I’m sinless and I will not be guilty of anything during Judgment Day.” None? Then, thank God for the blessings we have. Indeed, receive the blessings and thank him. But, well… as the saying goes, “A rich person is only a poor person with money.” So, above everything else, REMAIN IN JESUS!
Keep praying for one another, whoever Jesus puts into your heart to pray for. God bless!
A Fearful yet Relieving Message
Last Saturday, I heard a report in the church:
Chuck D. Pierce, a prophet of God, prophesied, “…I then began to hear, Earthquakes! Earthquakes! Earthquakes! The ground is shaking. Unusual earthquakes! Asia! Asia, you will now shake! You will see shifting winds that are shaking the nations of Asia. You will see nations shaking this week! Pray for Asia!”
Since then, after just a few days, Asia experienced both cyclones and earthquakes in Myanmar and China respectively. Thank God aids have been sent, but we need to continue to help them and to keep on praying for them.
This report also gave the church a message that we shall not take our lives, which are God’s gifts, for granted. Jesus, being sinless and a Lamb of God, died in our place on the cross as a perfect sacrifice to bear our sins – the Sinless Jesus saving the sinful humans, so that whoever believes in Him will be forgiven of his/her sins. The fruit of this faith/belief is not indulgence - saying, ‘it’s OK to sin since we’re forgiven,’ but repentance – stop sinning/disobeying God and start doing God’s will. After hearing such message, the FEAR of God gripped my heart, especially when I was reminded of Jesus’ words saying, “Not everyone who keeps saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will get into the kingdom of heaven, but only the person who keeps doing the will of my Father in heaven…” and the immediate prompting to me is to stop sinning/disobeying God and start doing God’s will. May God help us! Yes! He certainly will! What a RELIEF! Thank you Jesus!
I’m back in PJ!
At last, I arrived at Petaling Jaya, tired but happy. I was surprised by my mother as she’s been working since the last one month. She told me how God taught and touched her recently and she’s changed her mind about what is life and I’m very glad to hear that God healed her of many past hurts. Now, behold, a woman at her 40s without any qualification, by God’s grace, passed the interview and is working in an office, learning computer stuffs. I would like to thank you all for remembering me and my family in prayer, I’m blessed to have you all as my brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s continue to pray for one another so that God’s move among us would be very evidential and powerful, touching people and transforming lives wherever we go, by God’s grace, only by grace…
One of my FIRST TIMEs
I just came back from prayer clinic (a seminar to learn prayer). Thank God for my pastor, Clarence, and his wife as they helped me arrange transport and take me to eat. Their simple acts of kindness bring showers of blessings to me.
The prayer clinic was conducted by Pastor Jean Lim, who is greatly used by God not only in pastoring/teaching ministry, but also in the healing and deliverance ministry. In fact, the FIRST TIME I came to get attracted to Jesus Christ and received him as personal Lord and Saviour is because of her famous Jesus Heals Ministry (http://www.jesushealsmi.com/). I remember she went to penang a few years ago and conducted a Jesus Heals Service. My aunt brought me to that service…well, lo and behold, this is what I saw:
1. A man sitting on a wheel chair WALKED after prayer by pastor Jean.
2. Testimony of a woman (showing photos): how she, with her eyeballs all white (without pupils), was being healed when the pupils just appeared after pastor Jean prayed for her.
3. Many others testified how they, when the doctor said, “you have only a few months left because of that cancer/tumour growth,” were HEALED after a simple prayer of faith in Jesus’ name.
At that time, I really marvelled, “Wow, I can’t believe that such things are real.” Now, no boasting about human, human cannot do this by own effort, only God can, so all glory be to Jesus. Nothing is impossible in Jesus!
Therefore, I thank God that this week, for three days (15th – 17th May, 2008), I had the opportunity to meet with pastor Jean Lim, who is also called to be a prayer warrior or intercessor, in one of the Glory Place Prayer Centres (http://www.gloryplaceprayercentre.org/) she has set up with the help of our church member Dato’ Edward Ong, the owner of Sutera Harbour. I learnt practically a lot about praying and also about living as a Christian. Owing to my ‘MISSplan’, I’ve got to stay in Sabah for extra two weeks when most of my friends had already gone home. However, God turned my mistakes upside down, that it should result in me meeting with a servant of God – Pastor Jean. Jesus is always like that:
When you did a mistake, he always wanna help.
When you are sick or diseased, he always says, “I want to heal you.”
When you are sad and distressed, he always reveals his love.
When you are faithless and hopeless, he always says, “Believe in me.”
When you are helpless, he always says, “Learn from me.”
And, now read carefully,
When you die, he has the authority to say, “You live.”
Jesus is always like that, I can’t do anything but just say, “thank you, Lord!”
I will serve the King always, I will follow Him all the days in my life.
For He is God, from everlasting to everlasting,
the One and Only, who died and rose again,
with the marks of the nails,
in the heart and hands and feet.
He is risen! He lives forever! He alone is able to save completely!
I will serve the Master always, I will follow Him all the days in my life.
