Can one just be a believer and not a disciple of Christ?

I am just a believer, not a disciple of Christ.

Can one just be a believer and not a disciple of Christ? In other words, can I just be a level 1 Christian who has once acknowledged Jesus as my saviour but do not really commit my life to Him? I live the way I want, I go to church once in a while, or perhaps on some occasions, even manage to attend multiple services in a week especially during times like Christmas and Good Friday where you know that you just have to get into the 'mood'.

I carry on living the way I want, unfortunately committing the sins that I have always done, but hey I can always just recall back to the moment, where I acknowledged Christ as Saviour. Well don't they always say that once saved always saved?

Who are the disciples of Christ? The disciples or 'level 2' christians are the ones who really heed God's commands to bear the cost of being a disciple, bearing the cross, giving up everything for Him. But really these are the preachers, pastors, missionaries and others whom have devoted their whole lives to God and His call to carrying their own cross. I am just a level 1 christian. I am not called to serve full time needless to say serve more than just one sunday service per week! The bible calls two levels of christians, the believers and the disciples. And I am just contented at being a believer. It allows me space to be the hypocrite that I am, living the way I want, commiting the sins i have always done, but yet, just at a convenient time, I confess my sins to Jesus and immediately, my sins are forgiven and I have the blessed assurance of heaven, though my glory might be less than others (which I am fine with). Or so is it?

Does the above describe you? Can one just be a believer and not a disciple of Christ? Can the believer bring out all the theologies, justification by faith, pre-election, once saved always saved and re-assure himself that non-committal living to Christ can still gain him access to one of the heavenly rooms that Jesus has prepared for him?

Why do we reject being a disciple of Christ? Why do we in the first place have this fallen reasoning that there can be two levels of Christians, the believer and the disciple? For one, being a disciple demands on us. But can one really just be a believer? Is being a believer different from being a disciple? Let's look into the bible and see what Jesus says.

We are familiar with the passages stating the cost of discipleship. Jesus states that if anyone wishes to come after him, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow him (Lk 9:23). He states that disciples should be willing to lose their lives for Jesus (Lk 9:24), not to lose their lives while chasing after things of the world (Lk 9:25), not to be ashamed of him and his words (Lk 9:26). Now who exactly is Jesus talking to here? Just a concentrated group of deeply convicted fervent disciples? No. In Mark 8:34-38, the gospel book records a similar passage of the cost of discipleship. Verse 34 records clearly, "Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

Jesus was preaching to the crowd. The masses. The multitudes. Everyone. Jesus is preaching the cost of discipleship to everyone. Not a selected group of 'more fervent' christians.

Another passage reiterates this. Luke 14:25-35 records the teaching of discipleship to large crowds.

²⁵Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ²⁶"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Jesus wanted to make true disciples. He never softened his message to majority preferences who are contended just to be believers. Instead, he plainly declared the high cost of discipleship. He made several bold demands that would discourage the half hearted.

Even IF there are indeed distinctions between a level 1 and level 2 christian, didn't Luke 10:27 tells us to love our Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength and with all our mind? With this, how can we not be hypocrites and still say that yes we abide by this but yet we still want to be level 1 christians?

The great commission at the end of the gospel of Matthew tells us to make DISCIPLES of all nations. And what to teach the disciples? That they obey all of Jesus commands (denying oneself, taking up his cross daily etc.). The great commandment for evangelism is to make disciples, not just believers.  

Are we not all Christians? Do you call yourself a Christian? Who are Christians? Take a look at Acts 11:26. "So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch."

Who are Christians? Disciples. 

There is no difference between a believer and disciple. No distinguishing between a level 1 or level 2 christian. Simply said, Believers = Disciples = Christians. Do not let our fallen reasoning control us, but let the bible speak for itself to us, and may the Holy Spirit guides our hearts to accept this truth, to obey as what Jesus commanded. To live as disciples.

The Response to Christmas

Dear friends,

As we near Christmas day, we undoubtedly get excited and busy with Christmas gifts, decorations, trees, lights, holidays and parties. And we may have a reason to do so, given this year's economic recession, job losses, climate changes, natural calamities, it may be a good time to just get a breather from all these and enjoy this festive season. Yet amidst all these celebrations, perhaps let's take a moment to consider the bigger questions. Just what about Christmas are we celebrating? Why are we celebrating Christmas? Or is Christmas just another festive season where I am granted a public holiday?

Many might already know what the celebration of Christmas is for. Rightfully, its to remember the birth of Jesus. You might have heard it for many years, from an occasional television programme, book, news article or friend, stranger with a pamphlet. But perhaps we have chucked it aside as just another fantasy story. Or you might have felt, it doesn't concern me now. Or, I already know the story well enough. Or, there isn't any reason for me to respond in anyway. But is that really the case?

The world recently mourned at the death of Brittany Murphy. A young, promising actress whose life unfortunately ended at just 32 years of age. Everything seemed going well for her, movies, dramas in the pipeline yet to be released, but the lure of drugs proved too much for her. 

The opportunity to respond to the real meaning of Christmas might not always be there. By God's mercy and grace, we can tide through year after year. But what if one day our lives were to end, without an appropriate response to Jesus?

Going straight to what Christmas celebration ought to be about is of course, the birth of Jesus. The beloved, the precious, the only son of God, who came from the seat of the glorious throne in heaven, to the dirtiest of places, as a helpless infant, born in a manger in Bethlehem. We celebrate his birth as like the shepherds and magi did, two thousand years ago. And yes, this is the familiar Christmas story that we have come to know, perhaps not in its full detail, but a similar one, perhaps with dramatization of cute animals, cosy haystack, and nice flaky snow. 

But the vital question is, how are we going to respond to the birth of Jesus? Just a holiday celebration, just a get together with friends, just a party, just a 'well-deserved' break from a year's work? OR, can we spare some time to think why was Jesus born into this world?

Why was he born? He was born to die for us. For our iniquities. For our transgressions. For our sins.

If our lives were each recorded in a DVD which records all our every though, sight, action, and this DVD were to be broadcast for all others to see, we would be so ashamed and would do all we can to stop the broadcast. We are ashamed because of our shameful inner thoughts. Ashamed of what we see, lust, desire, covet. How many of us dare we say that we are of a better moral character than the recently exposed Tiger Woods?

Jesus was born to die for us, our sins, that before the righteous God, because of Jesus's blood shed for us on the cross, we are viewed sinless before God. AND because of this, the greatest hope, that of eternity in heaven, lies before us. 

This might not strike you especially if things are going well at the moment. But if one were to lie on the hospital bed in ICU, at the hospice, or that you know that you had only a year to live, you search  for such a hope with all your might.

Forgive me for the harsh tone, friends, but I would rather be exposed to criticism, rebuke, ridicule for the reason of this letter, than to hear a plead from a loved one, a cry from a loved one, pleading and crying from the depths of a place, no man would want to go, the depths of a place so dark, so lonely, so painful, so hopeless, so regretful.

This Christmas, remember, Jesus was born to die for us, that we might live eternally. This is no cheap gospel or grace. He asks for our faith in him, as the one true God. He asks for our repentance from our wrongs. He asks for our acknowledgement of him as Lord of our lives and obedience to his commands. And if we abide so, his grace, mercy, salvation and the peace, hope, joy that comes along with it will fill our lives. This is the meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Savior. And there is no other.

With love,
Jason

The Nativity - A Closer Look

Are we too familiar with the story of Christmas? Cute animals, cozy manger with hay, cute infant, bright star, is that all to it ? Tonight, let's look at it again, with new appreciation, with a renewed understanding, to be reminded as to what it all means, God sent His son, as an infant, for us.

It is a renewed appreciation of how God became man, beginning in the lowest of cirumstances, living through the height of humiliation and ending in the most tragic of endings, all just for us.

Beginning in the Lowest of Circumstances - Before his birth - The controversy – Mary’s pregnancy

Ask yourself a question. Imagine an unwedded female teenager heavy with pregnancy. How would others view her? Probably an unwanted pregnancy. An adultress. As recorded in Mt 1:19 - Mary if charged with adultery would be stoned. But Joseph's mercy did not intend to disgrace Mary and planned to send her away secretly. But

Yes, Jesus arrival was welcomed by the chosen group, the sheperds, but most of the masses might have viewed Mary's birth as shameful.

Imagine instead of a proud pair of parents who can proudly proclaim the joyous news of their child’s birth, we have a pair of parents， the target of ridicule. Instead of an anticipated birth of a baby, we have the ridicule that he might be a child born out of an unwanted pregnancy.

Beginning in the Lowest of Circumstances - Jesus as an infant - They made their way to Bethlehem from Nazareth.

Jesus did not enjoy normal pre-birth parent preparation. eg. nice infant rooms, clothes, diapers, milk powder, a cot, a nice baby room. But rather, his parents had to come down from Nazareth in Galilee, travelling down 130 km on a camel/donkey/by foot to come down to Bethlehem totally UNPREPARED. A mother about to give birth would not tread more than 130 km (now 2-3 hrs by car, then 8-10 days) through mountaineous terrain and a desert. Think about what can happen in the desert? Extreme hot and colds.

In times when parents can proclaim their joyous news of the coming birth of their child, a father has to borne the front of humiliation that this child is not fathered by him.

In times when a mother needs the most protection, she was exposed to the harshest 最苛刻 of desert conditions .

In times when parents needs the most certainty in preparing for birth, (eg. prepared route to birth place, mid wife, post natal care), they were exposed to the most uncertainty. Where am I to get these care services/facilities?? Remeber that there is going to be a crowd in Bethlehem due to the census. and chances are, it would be difficult to get lodging.

Beginning in the Lowest of Circumstances - There was no room for them in the inn

I remembered when my wife was due, I made sure there was a comfortable ward that my wife could gave birth in, that i knew the route to the hospital, that i brought everything in the 'to bring' list, that there was the best of mid wives and doctors to facilitate their delivery.

But for Mary? She had no room in the inn.

There was no best route to delivery Jesus. Joseph and Mary had to knock from inn to inn.

No mid wives/doctors. Mary wrapped baby Jesus herself. Joseph won't probably be of much help if he was like any first time fathers.

In times when a woman in labour needs the most comfort/assurance, she faced the most loneliness. There are many complications that can happen during birth that will scared any woman. I remember i saw woman having to go into labour rooms alone, and that was so pitiful. Mary though had Joseph, didn't had any mid wife thus was even more alone. Not to imagine the darkness in the manger.

Beginning in the Lowest of Circumstances - For baby Jesus when he was finally born?

In times when an infant needed the most care, baby Jesus had only the most basic of care. A manger, not the often misrepresented cushy comfortable wood plank with hay stack, but a feeding trough for animals. Can you imagine how dirty, smelly, needless to say the bacteria?

Beginning in the Lowest of Circumstances - God became a helpless baby.

Baby Jesus was unable to protect himself. Was totally dependent on his parents. As recorded in Phillipians,2:7 He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Beginning in the Lowest of Circumstances - Jesus as a young child - Target of a ruthless assasination

Jesus with his parents had to flee to Egypt, to escape Herod. Again they had to trek miles across deserts, into a foreign land. Again into a place of uncertainty. Always on the run. No stable place to stay, to pillow over his head. The King of Kings is pursued like a criminal by his creation. The creator pursued by his creation, 

It didn't really end when Herod died. Joseph was warned in a dream to avoid Archelaus, son of Herod, who was still in pursue of Jesus. And Jesus, God who all mountains, lands, seas were created for him, by him, through him, was chased around by earthly lowly kings in his childhood.

The infanticide - It was such a tragic scene. The tears of mothers, fathers, the cries of innocent babies. Who could bear such sight and sound? Weeping for their children, and refusing any comfort. In their hearts, they might be cursing this baby who Herod tried to search. Cursing, this son of God. Thus Jesus might have been continually doubted/hated by others

Now considering the humble circumstances in which Jesus was born, this Christmas, how are we to respond to the birth of Jesus?

The shepherds and magi responded to the infant Jesus. 

Response of the Shepherds - 众 天 使 离 开 他 们 ， 升 天 去 了 。 牧 羊 的 人 彼 此 说 ： 我 们 往 伯 利 恒 去 ， 看 看 所 成 的 事 ， 就 是 主 所 指 示 我 们 的 。 他 们 急 忙 去 了 ， 就 寻 见 马 利 亚 和 约 瑟

Response of the Magi - 有 几 个 博 士 从 东 方 来 到 耶 路 撒 冷 ， 说 ： 那 生 下 来 作 犹 太 人 之 王 的 在 那 里 ？ 我 们 在 东 方 看 见 他 的 星 ， 特 来 拜 他 。

We can choose to response in three ways similarly. 

A. Firstly, we can choose to ignore the Savior

Imagine the shepherds had heard of the angels joyous announcement and just carried on their shepherding? The magi had seen the star and just ignored it as a nice sight in the sky?

For us, do we go on just celebrating Christmas just as we have always done, without pursuing what it all really means? If so, we will just be as lost as we always were. By God's grace, He seeked us, but if we choose to jgnore, then, we remain lost. REMAIN in DARKNESS. What does remaining lost mains? Remaining in darkness means? It means that we bringing our sins along with us heading for hell.

What is hell like? The below verses give a vivid description.

Matthew 5:29-30

²⁹ 若 是 你 的 右 眼 叫 你 跌 倒 ， 就 剜 出 来 丢 掉 ， 宁 可 失 去 百 体 中 的 一 体 ， 不 叫 全 身 丢 在 地 狱 里 。

³⁰ 若 是 右 手 叫 你 跌 倒 ， 就 砍 下 来 丢 掉 ， 宁 可 失 去 百 体 中 的 一 体 ， 不 叫 全 身 下 入 地 狱 。

Matthew 18:9
⁹ 倘 若 你 一 只 眼 叫 你 跌 倒 ， 就 把 他 剜 出 来 丢 掉 。 你 只 有 一 只 眼 进 入 永 生 ， 强 如 有 两 只 眼 被 丢 在 地 狱 的 火 里 。

Mark 9:43-48

⁴³ 倘 若 你 一 只 手 叫 你 跌 倒 ， 就 把 他 砍 下 来 ；

⁴⁴ 你 缺 了 肢 体 进 入 永 生 ， 强 如 有 两 只 手 落 到 地 狱 ， 入 那 不 灭 的 火 里 去 。

⁴⁵ 倘 若 你 一 只 脚 叫 你 跌 倒 ， 就 把 他 砍 下 来 ；

⁴⁶ 你 瘸 腿 进 入 永 生 ， 强 如 有 两 只 脚 被 丢 在 地 狱 里 。

⁴⁷ 倘 若 你 一 只 眼 叫 你 跌 倒 ， 就 去 掉 他 ； 你 只 有 一 只 眼 进 入 神 的 国 ， 强 如 有 两 只 眼 被 丢 在 地 狱 里 。

⁴⁸ 在 那 里 ， 虫 是 不 死 的 ， 火 是 不 灭 的 。

路 加 福 音 16:19-31 (Chinese Union Version (Simplified))

¹⁹ 有 一 个 财 主 穿 着 紫 色 袍 和 细 麻 布 衣 服 ， 天 天 奢 华 宴 乐 。

²² 财 主 也 死 了 ， 并 且 埋 葬 了 。

²³ 他 在 阴 间 受 痛 苦 ， 

²⁴ 就 喊 着 说 ： 可 怜 我 罢 ！用 指 头 尖 蘸 点 水 ， 凉 凉 我 的 舌 头 ； 因 为 我 在 这 火 焰 里 ， 极 其 痛 苦 。

²⁵ 亚 伯 拉 罕 说 ： 儿 阿 ， 你 该 回 想 你 生 前 享 过 福 ，你 倒 受 痛 苦 。

²⁶ 不 但 这 样 ， 并 且 在 你 我 之 间 ， 有 深 渊 限 定 ， 以 致 人 要 从 这 边 过 到 你 们 那 边 是 不 能 的 ； 要 从 那 边 过 到 我 们 这 边 也 是 不 能 的 。

²⁷ 财 主 说 ： 我 祖 阿 ！ 既 是 这 样 ， 求 你 打 发 人 到 我 父 家 去 ；

²⁸ 因 为 我 还 有 五 个 弟 兄 ， 他 可 以 对 他 们 作 见 证 ， 免 得 他 们 也 来 到 这 痛 苦 的 地 方 。

²⁹ 亚 伯 拉 罕 说 ： 他 们 有 摩 西 和 先 知 的 话 可 以 听 从 。

What does the above verses tell us about hell?
a. That even riches cannot save you from hell if you bear your sins alone.

b. You will be in torment in hell. In agony, in thirst, in fire.

c. That once in hell, you cannot get out. 有 深 渊 限 定, 人 要 从 这 边 过 到 你 们 那 边 是 不 能 的

d. That if we hear the voices of people in hell, they will tell us not to come here! v28

e. That you will be alone in hell…

f. It is for eternity

This is the ultimate result that each one will face if he chooses to ignore the Savior. The shepherd who carries on shepherding, the magi who ignores the cross, us who carries on enjoying the world, working, studying, family...

B. Secondly. What we if we visited infant Jesus, are revived for a few days/week/months, but later forget about the Savior? What if we continue to live unrepentant lives, continue in our lives of sin?

We have to ask ourselves, are we reborn? Is our faith dead? Have we repented? Are we saved in Christ? Or are we just like the the people whom have ignored the Savior but just that we have a surface/superficial acknowledgement of our Savior? Even the devil acknowledge Jesus as the son of God! 

Are we headed for hell thinking that we are headed for heaven? Let's not be the branches thrown into the fire.

⁵ 我 是 葡 萄 树 ， 你 们 是 枝 子 。 常 在 我 里 面 的 ， 我 也 常 在 他 里 面 ， 这 人 就 多 结 果 子 ； 因 为 离 了 我 ， 你 们 就 不 能 做 甚 麽 。

⁶ 人 若 不 常 在 我 里 面 ， 就 像 枝 子 丢 在 外 面 枯 乾 ， 人 拾 起 来 ， 扔 在 火 里 烧 了 。

C. Lastly. But what about if we are like the shepherds, magi, bringing gold, precious gifts to the Savior acknowledging him in his full glory. And after that joyous night, eagerly await his growing up, to follow him? To the point where he died unto the cross still we follow where no one else does? No turning back? 

That we know we ought to be on the cross, but instead Jesus is on it for us?

That we know what ought to flow is our blood but instead its Jesus's precious blood?

That he is our Saviour! He is our Lord!

歌 林 多 後 書 5:21

²¹ 神 使 那 无 罪 的 ， 替 我 们 成 为 罪 ， 好 叫 我 们 在 他 里 面 成 为 神 的 义 。

And because we are seen as right before God, we are assured as having a place in heaven. Where the city and streets are made entirely of gold and precious stones, where there will be no tear, no mourning, no pain but joy, the joy of seeing your loved ones in Christ. 

1. To embrace our him as our Saviour for our sins (see the sinner in us).

If we do not embrace him? Lk 2:34 是 要 叫 以 色 列 中 许 多 人 跌 倒 ， 许 多 人 兴 起 ；will cause many to fall and rise. To those who reject him, its fall into the depths of hell.

2. Repent of our sins. Examine our own sins, pride, lust, unwholesome talk, gossip, laziness and refusal to study God's word

3. Tell others of what joyous day Christmas is, a saviour has come.

Think about it. If it were you, can you give up your son?

Why did he have to go through the humblest of circumstances?

Because of his love for us. He love us so much that he did not want any of us to perish in our sins. But to life in Christ.

I Am Online!

The internet needs no introduction. It has played important roles in all aspects of our lives, be it in family, work, studies or leisure. It is a part of our lives now. We can live our lives with a potential for good or evil, to glorify or rebel against God, to benefit or to harm others. The same goes for our usage of the Internet. It has both the potential for good and evil, glorifying or rebelling, benefitting or harming. We are stewards of our lives because it is God who has given it to us in the first place, when He formed us in the depths of our mother’s womb. The bible commands us to be good stewards of our lives. Hence this warrants us to carefully examine our usage of the internet. Are we a good steward of our lives, using the internet, to the good and edification of ourselves and others? To the glorification of God?

To be good stewards our of lives and in the usage of the internet for good purposes, we need to be spiritually mature. Are we spiritually mature in our thoughts/conduct, in our treatment and witness to others, in our reverence to God?

Being Spiritually Mature in our Thoughts and Conduct

We have to be spiritually mature in the conduct of ourselves. The internet is certainly useful in our course of work. Examples are email, application which enable us to work from home, video conferencing and internet phone calls which save a lot on overseas bills. Our leisure lives now involve web site surfing, online games, instant messenging tools to chat with multitudes of friends and more recently, social networking sites like Friendster and Facebook. However, we ought to be wary of laziness, foolishness and selfishness manifesting itself in our lives unknowingly introduced by the internet. They degrade our level of spiritual maturity.

Being Spiritually Mature in our Thoughts and Conduct - Laziness

When we get online, there are tons of things for us to do, to be attracted, to take notice of, or just to be informed (eg. Facebook notifications). The “to do” list grows enormously huge with the internet. Yes we might be enthusiastic with the things we can do online, but often, we forget about things in real life that we ought to do. Throwing the trash, washing the dishes, cleaning an area of the house, buying groceries, doing homework (or Sunday school homework!), etc. It adds to the procrastination of many seemingly mundane but important things. Things which if not done, will slowly accumulate into an avalanche of trouble. What’s worse is that this does not bring about good testimony with people around us. Our relationships with our colleagues, parents, wives, children sour because of laziness. Colleagues complain that we do not contribute in work. We wrong our parents, wives and children when we are lazy in supporting them in showing them the utmost love to them as commanded by God.

Proverbs tell us that laziness ends in slave labour and hunger [Pr 12:24, 19:15]. Jesus rebuked the lazy with the parable of the servant who does not put the money entrusted to him to work, but just hides it in the ground and does no work with it. We incur the disfavour and wrath of God in our laziness. We forget the more important things that have to be done as compared to ‘levelling up’, sending virtual gifts or updating ‘statuses’.

Being Spiritually Mature in our Thoughts and Conduct - Foolishness

We are well aware of gaming addictions and we think that we will never become game addicts. Well doesn’t it seem straight forward that we cannot play games for consecutive straight hours, without food and rest? However, gaming addictions are rampant all over because we do not have God’s wisdom with us when all that we fill our minds are just Pet Society, Mafia wars or Farmsville. It is a very simple formula. When we do not have God’s wisdom, we are in foolishness. And being fools, we fall too easily into the abyss of gaming addiction.

Foolishness causes our actions in life to be without wisdom. We choose not to study, not to do our best, not to help friends, not to listen advice from parents/teachers/spiritual elders. We hate wisdom, hate knowledge, choose to skip classes, to slack, to harm friends. We can no longer think in God’s wisdom, to understand His Word, to apply His Word in our lives. We are fools. We hate wisdom, we hate knowledge, we hate it when someone forces us to study, to be more involved in church. We bring grief to our parents. Everything we do seems right in our eyes. We do not see ourselves as being hotheaded, reckless, spurning discipline or wandering eyes. But yet, this is how the bible in proverbs describes the fool. We do not grow in spiritual maturity, but in fact take several steps back in to reckless foolishness.

Being Spiritually Mature in our Thoughts and Conduct - Selfishness

How many times have you wanted to level up, waited for money to be replenished, waited for gifts to be given or generated, build up skill points? We have to be wary that we do not indulge in a “I, me, myself” only attitude and think that the world revolves around us. I want to level up. I want to build up my empire/house/farm/café, I want to be the strongest character or avatar. Jesus taught us that as disciples, we first ought to deny ourselves. The ‘self’ attitude that dangerously creeps in online games hinders us from deny ourselves, deny our wants, our interests, our loves for the service and will of God. How then can we ever proceed to carry our cross daily?

Being Spiritually Mature in our Treatment and Witness to Others

We forget to ask a friend if he/she needs help with homework, or has understood what the teacher has just taught, or volunteered to do house chores for mum, or prepare children worship service leading. We become full of ourselves once we dwell too long in make believe simulated environments as every decision, action or result affects only me and no one self. I do not have to learn, or initiate care to others.

Jesus gave us all a new commandment. That we love one another as Jesus had loved us. And by this will all men know that we are His disciples. Indeed we have neglected the loving of others in prayer and action, and much often because of more time being spent online. We have forgotten to love others. Loving others often requires us to take active role, but we often delegate it to a passive role, and with increasing distractions, we forget it entirely.

Jesus mentioned that by our testimony of loving others, people will know that we are His disciples. How will others know then that we are disciples of Christ? When others see our profiles and see game logs all over, or horoscopes analysis, or displaying of a video that goes against biblical principles, what kind of an impression will that give?

In Facebook, our profiles are visible and seen by many more people than we actually think. We claim to want be salt and light for the world, for our friends, for what ever environment we are in. But are we causing a big stain because of our Facebook activities?

Being Spiritually Mature in our Reverence to God

Have we compromised our service to God due to online distractions? Have we created online idols? Have indulged in sins of violence and sexual immorality online?

Have We Compromised our Service to God? Distraction by Online Idols

Have we compromised time for Him, in church ministries, in our devotional time, in our reading of spiritual books or trying to share the good news of salvation because we want beat our friends at typing maniac?

Have we forgotten the call of God in our lives? The call to be disciples, the call to love one another, the call to make disciples, the call to be salt and light of the world? When our minds are filled things of the world, it is only natural that we leave little left for God. The time, effort and energy spent online causes us to forget or be numb to the call of God.

Have we compromised our quality of service to God? While serving Him in church ministries, we might have our minds on whether someone has defeated us in Mafia wars or if we can better spend our time leveling up. We are distracted when we serve God. We are distracted when we ought to love people. We are distracted by online idols. God commands us to love Him with all our minds, all our hearts, not a distracted one. God commands us to worship Him in truth and spirit, not a spirit that drifts off to a virtual world.

Violence and Sexual Immorality

The themes of violence and sexual immorality are rampant amongst online games. Very often, the two are present in the same game. Games like Grand Theft Auto have a very strong violence and sexual theme. We see GTA advertisements even on bus stops which very clearly portray an attractive female holding a weapon. The game portrays a lead male character, often a wronged person who revenges through joining a gang. Along the way, he steals all kinds of vehicles, commits all kinds of hideous crimes with it and involves in sexual relations with prostitutes.

Appropriate Usage of the Internet

With all these dangers lurking in the Internet, should the solution just be a simple banning of usage for Christians?

For Getting Work Done

The internet has certainly aided communication. We communicate via emails to achieve tremendous of work done. The internet in short, has aided us tremendously, in getting work done, including works of ministry. We collaborate by being able to send and share excel sheets (church financial statements), word documents (meeting minutes, preparation of sermons), powerpoint slides (teaching aids, presentation shows) over the internet. Google docs is a good example.

For Leisure

One of today’s avenues of leisure is certainly sitting in a cosy chair and surfing the internet for sites, logging into Facebook to see friends’ statuses, logging into Pet Society to do up your house or chatting up a far away friend over MSN Messenger.

How to Curb Wrong Usage?

With the benefits of getting work done and leisure, how do we determine appropriate methods and durations of usage of the Internet?

How to Curb Wrong Usage? - Self Examination

I think it can be linked to the previous points introduced. If you feel your conscience rebuking you on laziness, you are forgetting to do the things that really matter, foolishness, you are not being able to discern between actions of wisdom, selfishness, you remember just about yourself and not forgetting the more important needs of others, then you really need to self examine. You should always be on the alert and be reminded that we are but stewards of our lives and time. God is really our master and we are accountable to how we spent our time and what we spent it on. We must know that God is in control through us being in control of ourselves. With self-control being the last fruit of the spirit, it probably aids us in remembering it.

How to Curb Wrong Usage? - Meditate on God’s Word Day and Night

However, due to our sinful nature and fallen reasoning, our self examination is often neglected and faulty if we indeed try to self examine. We have to meditate on God’s Word day and night. Not let it depart from us. A cup can only contain so much. If we fill it with filth, there is no place for God’s Word. If we fill it with God’s Word, naturally there is lesser place for filth. David sinned and committed adultery not when he was busy fighting God’s enemies, tending sheep or planning for battle. He had his cup filled with doing the things of God then. He sinned when he was free, had nothing much to do, and allowed the things of the world to fill his mind. Solomon did not sin when he was busy planning and constructing the temple of God. He sinned when he was free, not dwelling into the laws of God, where it specifically mentions in Deut 17:14-20 that a King should not multiply horses, wives, golds and lastly, to keep a copy of the law beside him that he should not depart from it.

How to Curb Wrong Usage? Beware of being too Free

David and Solomon had favor in God’s eyes when their cups were filled with the Word and ministry of God. They incurred the wrath of God when their cups were filled with filth. And many times, the filling of filth starts with us being too free. So let us pray that we really can have wisdom in our usage of our time, especially during the holidays.

How to Curb Wrong Usage? Be Watchmen of One Another

Because we cannot always trust on our own ability to self examine, to fill our cups with God’s word and ministry and to have wisdom in our free time, we need the watching over us by friends in Christ. The titanic would not have sinked have there been another lighthouse or ship watching over it. The claims by itself being the unsinkable ship sunk with the physical ship the moment it struck the ice berg. David would have gone on sinning have Nathan the prophet not rebuked him earlier.

As watchmen of one another, we should rebuke others in wrong and be humble enough to be rebuked when we are in wrong. 2 Tim 4:2 “Correct, rebuke and encourage”. Heb 12:5 “Do not make light of the Lord’s disciple, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.” We are well aware of other’s online activities especially through our home page. If you see a friend who is engaging in something not appropriate, correct him, encourage him. If he still persists, rebuke him. Similar we ourselves, should accept the rebuke of a brother which is according to God’s truth, and be sensitive to it as God’s rebuke might come from a loving brother.

Using the Internet to build Spiritual Maturity

The Internet has great resources to build us up in word, faith and conviction. In word, gty.org is a great site that has sermons by John Macarthur in audio, video readily downloadable for free. You can read pdf versions of books he has written or request for hardcopies of it. You can shop around for books in the site and order them with free shipment to your house.

Biblegateway.com is a great site that provides bible commentaries, concordance or search for verses with a specific theme or keyword. Such really helps to find out the biblical principle concerning a particular word, theme or concept.

Biographies of missionaries, both past and present are readily available via search engines. Let’s not forget the sermons available online at edenbp.org.

The resources online certainly helps us to meditate on God’s Word day and night. We can listen, read online, or download the audio sermons and listen to it at almost anytime we want. How fortunate are we at this age, but yet we our knowledge and conviction of our faith seemingly pale in comparison to our forefathers who do not have Internet, but the plain good old paper and pen.

We can often also encourage others via online methods like email, Facebook groups or blogs. Blogging about sermon notes, the reader re-caps not only what was said during service, but also has insights to how the writer intends to apply what was heard. Through email and Facebook groups, links that help build spiritual maturity can often be shared. For eg. how did the 12 apostles die. Unforunately, we are very much lacking in this area.

We do not encourage or share very much on God’s truth online, where this can actually be a very good avenue of shining for God. Posting edifying videos, sites, statuses, emails certainly helps to keep God’s truth, drip by drip into our minds as we log on.

Conclusion

To end it all, we have to ask ourselves if being online helps moulds us to becoming spiritually mature youths. Towards ourselves, does it cause us to be lazy, foolish and selfish? Do we forget about the more important needs of others and always think about ourselves? Do we compromise in our service to God in time and quality? Have we forgotten the call of God? Have we set up online idols or secretly indulge in violence and sexual immorality online? Or perhaps we can use it appropriately, for work and leisure. And more importantly, for the building up of our spiritual maturity. This we can achieve, by filling ourselves constantly with God’s Truth with the help of resources online and being watchmen for one another.

Thank you Lord for grandpa

Dear Lord God,

I thank you for hearing my prayers and for answering them. You grace and mercy was on grandpa and he recovered. Three months ago, he was lying on the hospital bed in the intensive care unit, hands tied to the bed and struggling, but dear Lord God, your eyes were upon him. You healed him, slowly day by day, till the day he was able to be discharged.

I was praying that there would be a messenger of yours who would pray for him, share the Word with him, and dear Lord indeed you sent such a messenger. I thank God for these messengers, faithful loyal servants of yours. May you bless them greatly and repay their love for your children.

By your grace, i pray that i can be such a messenger myself to others in need.

Thank you God, and in Jesus name i pray,

Amen

Sep 14

Very close to Sep 11, is sep 14, exactly one year after the collapse of Lehman Brothers. The US govt back then refused to save the bank with a long traditional, and it thus had to collapse due to its sheer amount of loses caused by the devaluation of its toxic assets (the mortgage backed securities).

After that, a tsunamic of financial institutions collapse followed. The govt stepped it and poured almost a trillion dollars into the financial system in a desperate bid to avoid a financial system meltdown. Yes, a trillion dollars. Probably enough to bring an entire 3rd world country to have skyscrapers in it.

After that, a string of regulatory reforms were enacted, and fast forwarding, it seems that the dust has settled and the financial system is strong again, picking up, traders are back at their game again. The question is, will things turn topsy turvy again? Yes it will.

The root of the problem wasn’t solved. Its not some toxic product, or about whether its capitalism or communism, but the greed of man, the severe greed of man, is ever present. They might not offer mortgage backed securities any more, but the so called ‘financial innovation’ will once again come in the form of disguised ‘vanilla’ products that might seem to offer simple fixed returns, but man’s greed will soon let it loose again, derivatives will start to creep around the corner, and we are in the process of creating another bubble again.

No amount of financial reform will resolve this problem. The bible says that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve the Lord at the same time and also serve money. Not that we cannot possess money, its important and a very important tool for expansion of the church, benefitting brethens in need, and a tool for our livelihood.

Its the priority that we rank them. God first? Money first? Which is our Lord? Or is God ever in the picture? The bible has mentioned that blessings come upon the man who meditates upon His Word day and night. Regarding blessings from money? Erm…Or rather, regretful consequences from greed?

The priority is important. With God first, we will consider how we should gain our money. Through proper, moral, God favouring means. And also, the intent, when we earning this money.

God’s abundant grace is ever present, and might possibly be in the form of money, although its just one out of the millions of ways his grace can flow to us. What’s important is that God asks us to seek His kingdom and His righteousness first. In short, its to seek Him first, His ministry, His Word, to Benefit his children first. And after that, if He’s willing, the rest will follow through.

So, countdown to the next financial collapse? Can probably look out for a few signs, some so called ‘super goody’ financial product appears again, might probably be from real estate given the frenzy now in singapore. Look out for speculation on prices for ALMOST EVERYTHING, commodities, wines, art pieces, i dunno…erm…names? Basically speculating on anything.

Till now, the eager bankers would probably not worry about when the next collapse will come…

Sep 11

ohh…Caleb is now at Sembawang. But he is coping well there and mummy and papa still visit him at night, so its ok. We will fetch you back on thurs nite ok? So its not too long that you will be away from us. One week 4 out of 3 nights you are with us =).

Other than that, the sep 11 anniversary just past a few days ago. As we watch new footages of the planes crashing into the towers, renewed memories of those terrifying scenes kept flashing through our minds. In a fallen world, with the depraved minds of man, in the name of false ideological gods, all immorality is put aside. Now which religion would condone such an evil act? The very taking away of numerous lives?

Let us have a sound mind, that we know the truth and goodness of a loving God, whose wrath on sin did not fall on those who have repented and believed in Christ, but on Christ himself, on the cross, and those who have rejected him. With a sound mind, we read, understand the Word of God, the bible, and there is no way you can get a hinge of a meaning that you ought to self-sacrifice and destroy another religion with violence and oppression.

Caleb photos! From my E63 – first time transfer

 

Caleb with Samuel and pr. lingli’s aunt

Pr. LIngli’s aunt close up

 

Oops, he ain’t getting very used to the flash.

    

Caleb with Pr. Lingli who has a big smile

   

Caleb having a weird look with teacher Grace

 

Caleb having a ‘small eyes’ look with teacher Grace

 

Close up with Pr. Lingli’s aunt

  

Oops…intruder alert

Going to Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibition

We will first go to Bank Negara of Indonesia to remit money for the maid, then we will go for lunch at Beppu?? (mummy is hitting me)

And then we will go to the Arts Museum to see the Dead Sea scrolls where the rest of the church members will join us.

Then after that, we will go to Mummy’s friend’s baby who is celebrating his one year old b-day.

Ok, what a boring post this is, well to test Windows Live Writer 2009. Get your free copy now. It comes with many other useful applications like a photo gallery. Well of coz, google still rules.

http://windowslivewriter.spaces.live.com/

View Full Album

Really really thank God

Really really thank God that grandpa was discharged today and able to go home. May I plead with God that he continues to build up grandpa's faith that he can believe in God more and experience Him more.

It was really a miracle when i think back, when he was struggling to even breathe and his life was in danger, till now at home filled with energy though now his level of antibodies is very low due to his medication for MG, and as a result is very vulnerable to common diseases.

Finding a church for cousin

Hmmm...does anyone know of a good english speaking church which preaches the Word of God truthfully and worships Him in spirit and in truth?
It would be really useful too if the church is located in the east.

Would like to bring my cousin and her brother there as they are having some problems coping with the mandarin language used in my current church.

I really do hope that they have a right relationship with Christ through the use of a language they are comfortable with. May God lead us to finding such a church.

I love Mummy and Caleb! + random thoughts

oh gosh, its been ages since i last posted. Well many things have past and gone, and God's abundant grace and mercy has never failed to be on me. As well as pray for strength on how to be moulded by his trials.

Caleb is 7 months and 5 days old! He can crawl, walk on the walker, reach out his hands to ask to be carried, can eat solids, do ga-gas wa-was, hold his milk bottle to feed himself and of course brings lots of joy to people around him as what his name is intended for.

Thank God for taking care of him, growing stronger day by day.

On a side note, did you guys read the article on the suicide pact by a self made taoist medium who is only 16 yrs old? He made the pact together with 6 other teenagers and 2 really did jumped off a 9th storey floor. Felt really really sad on what had happened.

Apparently, they felt that they had to self sacrifice themselves to save the world. May we always have God's truth in us, given to us by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, having God's Word as a light before us, shining clearly and brightly the path before us, to warn us of temptations, warn us of dangers, to know the truth, and the truth sets us free, free to do God's will. Not the will or deception of the devil, or man's depraved thoughts.

Oh well, off to teach my Global Citizenship class now. Signing off, Jason.

Our Very First Family Portrait!

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Originally uploaded by certainan

The Entertainer!

Caleb with his great grandparents who accompany him in the day and evenings. =) Caleb never fail to amuse them. And of course, it brings about the great story telling/analysis/prediction skills from greatgrandparents too! haha. Jia Le realli added joy to the family. Thank God for children are a gift from God.

Who Loves Caleb? Me! Me! Me!

Sleeping soundly…zzzz….zzzz. Don’t wake him up!

Smiling and chuckling. =D

Just lazing lazily on mummy. Hmmm…seems that hairloss is more obvious.

Papa trying to imitate his sometimes grumpy look.

Windswept photo shot! And he’s wearing mummy’s long awaited bip.

Documentary on Benny Hinn

 

I got the below youtube link to a documentary on Benny HInn. It assesses if his claim to miracle healings are true or not. Thanks to my Stemi Sg facebook friend.

Do add him/her to ur fb, veri uplifting and truth indwelling videos it shares not to mention any services tat are up and coming.

In the video, you will realize how awfully similar the worship services conducted are to some other Mega Charismatic churches in Singapore...

May God Himself guide us into His truth and give us the wisdom to discern, as well as the heart to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth instead of just aiming for a uplift of our individual self.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhvFScYQR_c&feature=related

Blog using Windows Live Writer!!!

Decided to try out live spaces instead of my blogger site where it is a pain to add photos. So far so good, still trying to get used to spaces.
So if things turn out well, expect to see my posts here!

My beloved son! haha. so funny! Love u Caleb!

Pretty Wife and cute son!

Thank God for His grace for blessing me with a wonderful wife and son.

The Rapture

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=7e18e50b58eb7e0c6ccb&sp=1

First Day of Teaching at TP

IT was my first day of teaching at TP today. A fun day starting with class at 10am, engaging the students with numerous real life examples, giving them homework, later in the lunch time going back home to bring Caleb to see the pd for a slight bout of constipation.

It was real fun teaching the students, their excited faces beaming with curiousity and thirst to know what is upcoming for the semester. And hopefully, I responded with the needed energy to quench their thirst.

But what hit me on my first day was when I was walking towards my lab room, I saw a student in a wheelchair doing his homework with his grandmother standing beside him. Both were there at 9.30 waiting for their lesson which starts at 10am.

It was really a heart warming scene. I couldn't concentrate on my teaching task any longer till I could understand them both more. So after connecting my audio visual aids, I went over to ttalk to them. The grandma was a teochew and she had been bringing her grandson, wheel ridden from young to school since primary three. And yet there she was, day in day out, fetching her grandson to school, sitting with him in classes, with love caring for him.

I introduced myself to the boy, and he was there diligently concentrating on his assignment placed on a tabletop on his wheel chair.
It was then that I really had to thank God for whatever troubles I have cannot be compared to them. And also, the kind of love that this grandma demostrated to her grandson reminded me of my own.

May God help me to keep a lookout for them and get to know them better, helping them in needs and in God's love and truth.

Good Friday - Just Another Holiday?

Dear Wonderful Friends,

In the anticipation of tomorrow's Good Friday public holiday, I hope that we can just spend a little time thinking of the significance of this very important day two thousand years ago when a man, whom no judge could find any wrong-doing by him, yet was sentenced punishingly to death by Crucifixion on a cross.

I hope that before we just ignore this mail and go on about surfing sites/or work, that we will at least sit down to ponder on the actual happenings that have occurred, and if indeed it is not just a fictional recording, what does it mean for me?

Born by a virgin birth, Jesus grew up progressively and reaching the age of thirty travelled around towns and cities of Israel, making disciples, whom have recorded his teachings which have made up the Gospel books today as found in the bible. He gave comfort to the hurt, rest to the weary, healing to the sick, nourishment to the tired, hope for the faint, peace to the worried, joy to those in sorrow. He was sinless, not even a faint drop of wrong-doing was found on him.

Yet the most important thing was not about the impact of his actions but about whom he claim he was. He proclaimed and taught of Himself as the Saviour, the fulfillment of the Messiah as prophesied in the Old Testament completed five hundred years ago. That through him and only through him, we can gain eternal life. And that is not in abstract terms, but eternal life realized in being able to live in God's heavenly Kingdom for eternity.

With jealous, hypocritical, untrusting and murderous hearts, the religious teachers of that time whom are well versed with the prophecies of the Old Testament about the Messiah, plotted to discredit him, shame him, hurt him, kill him. And in doing so unrealizingly that they had actually fulfilled one of the many prophecies that Jesus was to be brought like a silent lamb, to the slaughter.

Betrayed by his disciple for 30 silver coins, whom later admitted that the had spilled the blood of the innocent, he was arrested and was brought before the temple priests, whom couldn't find charges against him. They later referred him to the Roman courts and repeatedly, the judge, Pontius Pilate refusing to condemn him of any charges, an act shared by his wife that "this man is innocent". Finally relenting to the shouts of the people who wanted Jesus crucified, Pilate gave in but not before professing that the blood of this man was not his head and he was found to be innocent.

He was flogged, severely whipped, till his flesh and muscles were left dangling from head to toe, with intestines and bones being exposed. A crown of thorns put onto his head, being mocked, spitted, shamed as the King that he had claimed to be. And the final act of punishment, the crucifying of him on the cross oh which, nails driven through both hands and legs, he finally succumbed to the tortuous treatment and breathed his last.

There was a huge earth quake after that and the curtain temple separating the Holiest of holies from the holy place was split into two. Many who witnessed then wondered, surely he was the son of God!

Before he breathed his last, he uttered two very important phrases. "Father, spare them for they do not know what they are doing." and "It is finished."

What these two phrases mean is that all the suffering and ultimately death brought upon Jesus Christ was actually God's wonderful plan to save man kind. With tremendous pain, Jesus still had mercy on the people whom are killing him, pleading for them before God the Father. And as he breathed his last, "It is finished." Signifying that the price for man's sins for all time has been paid by His death on the cross. That whoever accepts Jesus as dying for him/her, he/she can appear clean of sin before God.

And that is, really, the really Bad Bad Bad Friday which ultimately turned out Good for God's Love for Man that day was shown and accomplished.

So dear friends, I hope that the significance of Good Friday speaks to you today. And it is all summarized in our often over-looked verse which I would add some elaboration,
"For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, to die for us on the cross on Good Friday, that whoever believes in Him dying for us, will not perish but have eternal life."

And lastly dear friends, it does not end here, but He who died today, will resurrect three days later, disapproving once and for all, any doubts that He was the Messiah, proving once and for all, that He is the Messiah, Saviour of Man kind.

The empty tomb, the mark of my salvation.

God Bless,
Jason

Stupid AXA Agent

quite stupid saturday...when Caleb was born, there was a free 6-mth insurance coverage for him by AXA. So naturally, when the insurance agent called, and mentioned to come on down our home to arrange the docs for us, we agreed. of coz we knew that he wld definitely recommend 'extra' products to us but we were v. strict on only signing the basic essential insurances.

so he came first time down and did the docs for us, and of coz recommended a whole set of additional coverages for our family but it was quite a hefty premium per mth and we realli didn't feel the need for such extravagant coverages. so politely turned down his offer.

now he called us a second time saying to deliver us caleb's completed insurance coverage, so again of coz we are ok with that and also expected him to recommend again to us strongly on more coverages.

and it was as such, giving us caleb's stuff, he proceeded to turn away to recommending a 'family' coverage. As i have an existing coverage frm an army fren of mine whom has given me appropirate coverage, he asked to review tt coverage. Well, wrong choice actually, as once we laid all our existing coverages, it kinda became clear to me which plan was the better one. The existing one i had was much much better then the one he was recommending to me.

What made me realli angry was that he kept insisting that the one he had was much better. I realli politely rejected him a few times as his plans realli needed me to pay premuims well into my old yrs. He had well proclaimed he was looking out for our finances and all tt, but his actions were unfortunately not in tune with his recommendations.

Some of his absurb recommendations include saying of 9% interest rate is easily obtainable because we are monitoring it for u, hence u dun have to worry abt ur withdrawal being non-guaranteed. And he quoted this example believe it or not...imagine..u bought stuff with us in 2003 and in 2007 when it reaches the peak, and sell it, u gain a 30% return! well tt is true and many might be enticed...but wat we want is just a basic coverage and not investments and if realli investments, we wld hld it long term..and tt means holding it beyond 2009 which means a 10% loss instead which he conveniently just blanked out.

I asked him why he ignore the latter part of the years from 08-09 and he said, "because we wld know to sell it 2007!" yea rite...realli can't believe it man.

more stupid stuff to come...

i showed him my existing plan and he calculated the compounded interest rate for it. And unfortunately, he calculated it wrongly and still told me the wrongly calculated result. Becoz of my previous cfa exp, i knew the right of calc but the thing tt angered me was his blatant lying.

And of coz, i was most angered when he kept insisting his plan is better and its better for my family but obviously his first priority is defn to get the deal done.

before that, i actually believed that he as a insurance agent with his professionalism, cared abt his clients more than getting a deal which i feel tt is the true valued thing tt makes ur job worth while and worthly of a call. but he realli changed my mind quickly.

I seldom am pissed off with pple but i realli wanted to highlight such insurance agents to all...there are realli those who care for u and ensure tt u get appropirate coverage but there are those, who quickly turn a blind eye to better coverages from competitors. forunately for my basic finance knowledge, i cld discern it better and in the end, i had to reject all his plans.

And worse, was that he originally suggested upgrade to MySheild paid using cpf, he didn't want to do for us as he doesn't earn any commision frm tt...well fine...dun wanna own him any favours.

well i understand that its his job and the hrs he spent on discussions with us, but its my family's money tt is in concern now and not just a one time payment but almost life time.

oh not to forget, when i kept rejecting his plans, he started to randomly come up with plans from all his AXA arsenal and ust randomly recommend this and that, saving that he wld like to at least have us sign a plan with us.

haiz...realli hate to do this but, he to me, his concern wasn't for us and tt pissed me off. if he calls me again, wil simply just reject reject reject.

tt are gd insurance agents out there,....and there are erm....no comments.. but well through out the whole thing, i was polite to him, offering him drinks, but realli unhappy abt his unthought of reommendations.

but wat struck me was also, paying premiums here and there, i am reminded of Christ' s saving grace for us which is ENTIRELY FREE. Freely given to us. Freely. And as we enter passion week, let us remember Christ dying for us, and we, reminding ourselves to live for Him!

复活了

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

My Resolution I Pray

Two things I ask of God to grant me in my new role,

1. To love my students just as Christ as loved me. To have the strength to go beyond my duties to help each student grow.
2. At available opportunities, to share Christ's love with students.

Caleb's trip to T3

DSC_4279
Originally uploaded by certainan

Been quite a while since we church youths last gathered. Finally, met at T3 food court and then Ya-Kun for a mini-farewell for our bro.
Oh Caleb was there too, with Grandma, haha. He kena over stimulated that day.

Do your own passport photo

Who wants to do your own free passport photos?
Don't need to go to those photo studios and pay $7 for 4 photos which we keep losing...

http://www.epassportphoto.com/

Farewell

(this post was created wif a baby on my arm whom i am tryin to put to sleep =X)

mar 18 was my last day at cs. it was one of the most unforgettable days ever for me as i received a great farewell frm my colleagues. i thot it was just gonna be a hand shakin plus greeting thing but wat happened was really beyond my expectations!

(ok, luckily mother in law took caleb away so i can type much faster!)

THe sweet guys gave me a super big precious card! And it in had signatures/greetings from my IT team and even the proj mgmt team which of coz i gotta thank Karen for orchestrating this.

Here's the size of it.

Besides that, they gave a big photo collage which consisted of photos taken in my whole duration at CS. Incredibly well done and I heard that they had to put many hrs, collecting photos, arranging photos and getting the photo frame putting it altogether.Of course i had to pose with these wonderful guys with the gifts. Of my team also gave me a team t-shirt!!!
Special thanks to my teammates and also Karen and Cheri for orchestrating these...this is also not to mention the farewell lunches for which i did not post photos over here.

To express my gratitude, treated them for afternoon tea of brownies, rum balls, cakes, biscuits...

Thank you guys. Realli appreciate the efforts and it made it realli a wonderful and memorable departure. Will miss u all.

On the road to Wanaka (9)

On the road to Wanaka (9)
Originally uploaded by certainan

Let the rivers clap their hands, Let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.
Psalm 98: 7-9

Mummy and Grand Mummy!

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Originally uploaded by certainan

I love this comfy breast feeding pillow! I can just snuggle in it. And oh look! Mummy and Granny are beside me! Let's all pose for Daddy to snap from his borrowed D200. A pity daddy still doesn't understand the concept of ISO etc....

Mummy and Caleb!

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Originally uploaded by certainan

Both of them making funny poses at Daddy!
And btw, this is a test blog post straight from flickr.

Caleb - My Story

I love mummy! And hmm...why do I look at her so much?

Feel so comfy in grandma's arms!

My cot during my first day in the world in KK.

Oh, I learned how to open both my eyes for the first time!

Caleb's arrival

Finally, on the 3rd of February 2009, at 1815 hrs, Caleb was brought into this world.

Peixuan was induced on Sunday, and it was a long and terrifying wait for dilation to happen as we really didn't want her to go through C-section as her fibroids ran the risk of her losing too much blood.

Thank God that after 2 days, it dilated and it was time to push. Gynae's recommendation earlier was that she try natural delivery as the fibroids are not obstructing baby's path out. And it was indeed! Her delivery actually only took 1/2 hrs! Also thanks to Mummy's super determination and pelvic muscle and strength that she pushed and pushed and pushed and Caleb came out!

When I saw Caleb for the very first time, i was in total awe. We are indeed wonderfully and fearfully made by God! There must be an intelligent designer these wonders and He is to be praised! Also thanked God that I was involved in the actual delivery, mid wife taking one side, and I taking the other, both of us helping Cat count the pushing breaths, taking a deep breath, breathing slowly...the tips, the reminders. Hubbies, hope you will find the quick tip guide to helping your wife give birth useful.

QUick Tip guide to helping your Wife Give birth

1. If possible, go enrol for antenatal classes, you might say you know already. But it really doesn't harm and gives you the added confidence to support your wife.

2. If contraction pain, ask her to breathe slowly. Appear duhz, but trust me, your reminding will help them (as verified with my wife.)

3. Talk, chit chat, with mid wife, bring some humour in to ease the tension. Must get your wife to relax

4. And err....epidural if wife can't tahan anymore, feels like heaven.

In all, I really thank God for hearing and answering our prayers. Helping Peixuan have a safe delivery. Keeping her and Caleb safe. Caleb growing well to today. Faith in Him really kept us going and facing the next moment in confidence though we may fear.

Thank God for Caleb and Cat.

Caleb's coming out

Cat's gonna be induced coming Sun. Admission at 1pm and induction at 2pm.
Induction is needed as she has some fibroids which might get in the way of the delivery if baby is too big. So since baby is now 3.1kg (2 wks ago) and lungs are mature, will induce first.
Praying that her natural delivery will be all smooth.

Please do keep her and Caleb in prayer.

New Year, New Heart

New Year, New Heart - New Year's Eve Sunday Morning Sermon

Philippians 4

A heart of rejoicing.
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

A heart of gentlesness
5Let your gentleness be evident to all.

A heart of entrusting to God, not being anxious about anything.
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

A healthy heart, medicated by these qualities.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

A heart of setting an example.
9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

回顾2008 - 数算主恩

2008年实在是一个该感恩的一年。

年头，我和珮宣结了婚。过后就到纽西兰度蜜月。真好玩。自己也体验到了，神伟大的创造。

回来后不久，公司就安排我到Sydney公干两个星期。在那段时间里能和在那里居住的亲戚见面。太太也在那里陪了我一个星期。也蛮好玩的。最高兴就是能够与亲戚见面。

回到新加坡后，糟糕，工作忙起来了。但仍然神眷顾。祷告会，主日学教导，团契，崇拜，诗班仍没有缺席。

忙到了六月份，感谢主！太太怀孕了！心里又感激又欢喜。

前三月的怀胎期真不容易。若不是神的眷顾，人的眷顾就枉然劳力。但凭着神的看守，终于度过了前三月的怀胎期！

八月发现到我及格了CFA level two。真没想到会及格。但应该是不会再继续读了。也就在这期间，美国许多的投资银行开始倒塌。累积了好几年的经济繁荣泡沫终于被穿破了。也在当中看到泡沫是因为人自己的贪引起了百物高涨而造成的。认为什么物价会起。认为越不能测透的经融产品赚钱。认为越多贷款来赚更多的钱越实际。因此，从未见过的经济市场倒塌就发生在我们的眼前。

十二月-感谢神能够参加实乃断宣。太好玩了。而且又学习到儿童侍奉和各人布道，并看到神自己预备的果子。

在这月里也要感恩的是虽然经济衰退，工作仍然稳定。也看到前面的道路神预备。

当然不忘了每个星期能够教导可爱的少年人们主日学。整个过程当中也也在圣经里的话造就到自己。

主的恩典样样都要数！主的恩典都要记清楚！必能叫你惊讶立时了欢呼。

新年蒙恩！

刚刚下载了谷格（google）的中文拼音输入工具。哈哈。觉得他比windows的输入法好多了！就让我用华文来写这个部落格输入吧！

新年将来临了。很期待。也很紧张，因为。。。快要当爸爸了！但靠着神的力量，和恩惠，我会学习做个好爸爸的！

时间要到了。即将要去锡安楼开青年团契会议了！过后就是守岁礼拜，在神的家过年。

新年蒙恩！再见了！

如果你要试试谷格（google）的中文拼音输入工具，请到以下的网址下载。
ps：http://www.google.com/ime/pinyin/index.html

Hello Caleb!!

Hello Caleb!

You are going to arrive in about 1.5 to 2 months time! I hope i can carry you well and bring you up into a fine boy! Growing in stature and in favour with man and God.

I also pray to God that i can help mummy ensure your smooth and safe delivery and both you and mummy will be fine.

Looking forward to holding you Caleb!
You are wonderfully and fearfully made by the grace and mercy of God!

Senai Mission Chapel on Google Maps

Just some extract of google maps of Senai Mission Chapel below,

Zooming in...

And the area which we gave out tracts as well personal evangelism are demarcated by the red bold lines.

Thank God! Will hopefully write a proper blog entry on the wonderful experience!

唐崇榮 - 信仰難題有問必答

Very very very edifying. This is part 1 of Rev Tong's Q & A. Do go on to the succeeding parts. Think up to part 31...

Our Everlasting God

Too good lar!!!

You are my Hiding Place =X

As the Deer - (Gosh I need to improve =X)

Dear Baby

Dear Baby,

Felt you kick for the very first time today. Very excited and happy to feel you. Haha, and you did it on my birthday too. Haha, though mummy has been feeling you for a while already, it was my first time feeling you, thought I was abit sleepy haha.

Look forward to welcoming you to this world wonderfully created by God. Do continue to grow well ok and keep Mummy happy and safe.

Dad

Why I do not support the US USD 700 billion bailout plan.

Why I do not support the US USD 700 billion bailout plan.
I support that the government rescues the ailing economy by injecting money into it.
I sympathize with the Americans that they are in risk of losing their jobs and need a jab in the economy.
I am fine with the amount being USD700 billion, the nation probably needs that.
Why I do not support is, where this USD 700 billion is being put into!
It is to buy toxic assets which are in the balance sheets of wall street companies. Basically transferring toxic assets from these companies to the US govt, which is in turn and we already know, funded by tax payers.
The greed that had caused these wall street companies to buy these assets have caused them to end up in this state. Many of the employees of these companies have for the past years benefitted from fat bonuses and salaries. Why as tax payers do they have to ensure that these people continue (albeit lower pay packages) at the expense of still ailing citizens still recovering from inflation, hurricanes and losing investments?

Yes the economy has to have a fiscal injection of money from the government. But not to buy toxic assets from these fallen-from-grace companies. These companies as severe to say, have to face a year of losses. But these 700b has to be spent properly, in education, in medical welfare, in ensuring the old’s retirement benefits, in the providence of the not so well to do, in recovery from people impacted by natural disasters, in the continuing fight against terrorism. Not in saving companies who have avert these losses on to themselves, leveraging to get better losses, basically greed when the upturn was on, borrowing to get more profits which resulted in the state they are in today when it turned out that money has to come from a solid root cause, not some nice sweet AAA wrapper around dung that people thought cost $$$.
These companies have to face the consequences of hindsight blinded by greed.

700b is a mighty lot of money. Dividing it to all Singaporeans assuming 4 million population, each one of us, baby, elderly, adult will get what? 180,000 sing dollars.
Ok, the above is just an illustration of how much 700b is. But the point is, the economy can still be saved by the govt’s injection of money as illustrated above, where more job opportunities will be created, and more importantly, tax payers, people, children getting assisted directly through this fiscal spending. And this will helping the ailing economy in the indirect, natural free market way albeit taking a longer time as compared to spending directly to in-the-red companies, tax payers not benefitted, top executives who made wrong decision to go scot-free without the punishment in economic sense, and the govt. left as a toxic dump. Not much better than a landfill waste.
US Fed Reserve Chairman Ben mentioned that as markets recover, tax payers might even benefit from profits in the toxic assets. Key word is might.
First Point. No guarantee that markets will recover
Second Point. No guarantee that toxic assets will profit. In fact, extremely low probability.
It is really bad to make such a probability based statement using words like ‘likely’,’might’ in front of congress, in front of the world and considering the seriousness of the issue. One has to at this point be extremely definite about it and certain.

Hence I disagree with this bailout plan on two fronts.
700 b not spent on the proper avenues, and the people who made the mistakes have to face the consequence. Well facing the consequence is not like being placed in jail or something, but you might be sacked, retrenched, yes, but it allows you the time to reflect on things. Reflect on what he/she have been doing for the past few years, betting on complicated derived hollow business models to make money. Money in the end state, has to come from a solid base. And upon reflection, stand up, understand something not based on fundamentals will one day come crashing down.

Now spend the 700b yes! But on more the people! For the people! Not for greedy companies!

Goodbye Investment Banks.

Goodbye Investment Banks.

You certainly made the world go round when you were around for these 20 odd years. Simple stocks were not enough. You had to wrap some weird filthy stuff up in nice little wrappers, stamp an AAA on them, give them complicated names, and shared them with the world.

Once upon a time when jobs from you were most coveted, people just couldn’t fathom the amount of money that you generated. It was incredibly crazy and unimagineable just how you earned at a rate more than the minting machine could make.

Now, back to the good old days of using deposited money instead of some weird source of borrowed money. Goodbye Investment Banks.

Ha ha..just a funny ‘poem’ about our dear wall street financial institutions and the dire state they are in now. Sometimes, we really have to get a real job instead of ‘deriving’ from real jobs. Punt intended.

Sorry if the above post may seem weird, its really suppose to, like the way these guys have functioned for the last few years. ;p

Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

Oh ya, recorded some sermon summaries from Rev Tong's gospel rally and prayer meeting sermons. Hopefully will persist in adding these precious, precious, precious messages as we go along.

Ranting 16th july

Ok ok...you guys probably already know it, but if you don't, here's the ahem..shocker. yes my wife's 'you le'. Thank God for children are a gift from Him.

Bad news is that she has to stabilize her condition more and is currently a week of m.c. Have to be confined to bed rest and absolutely no load lifting, walking about too much etc etc.

The confines of growing up to more and more adult like responsibilities have been indeed abit too much to take sometimes. But its part of moulding i guess. And of course and that we can leave any burdens to the Lord.

Work now is realli quite hectic and it is not really to my enojoyment. I seldom wanna talk abt work but this time round, its like...abit overwhelming at times. But taking it in stride and step by step and definitely by relying on God, I get by well.

Have been interpreting much more now in church and i've kinda enjoy it. Though the nervous bugs till bite me when i start to step into unfamiliar ground. To all budding interpreters! Interpret that thru you, others are edified (they can understand), and bringing them to God. Simple as that.

Its been so long since i have last blogged and so many things have happened in the world, sichuan, myanmar, oil price, zimbabwe, catholic priest in scandal,...i wld like to comment on each one by probably just to lazy to type it down. sure thing that i wld comment if face to face discussion. =)

Please treat the above as just my ranting, its like 2am and I can't get to sleep so i am just anyhow bloggin out my thoughts which are highly subjective and prone to changes hahahah...

Why can't I?

Just added my minutes on Pastor Teo's sharing on "Why can't I?".

Please go to http://sundayschoolz.blogspot.com/

四川

对不起。真的很久没有blog了。要和各位分享以下的短访问(thanks to Uncle Victor)。是和一个在四川christian relief worker.
短短的访问在次的提醒我们人很软弱,很有限，生命不再我们的掌权之下。
要信耶稣，神有他美好的安排。

http://upload2.net/page/download/NStg08MBIFsCF21/qingting.mp3.html

继续为着受灾民祷告！

BBN Radio

Check out the below 福音电台

http://www.bbnradio.org/wcm4/tabid/3104/Default.aspx

Can just listen from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection.
Its really edifying, with sermons, prayers and hymns.

A good word from God

Proverbs 12:25 "Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad."
Care, fear, and sorrow, upon the spirits, deprive men of vigour in what is to be done, or courage in what is to be borne. A good word from God, applied by faith, makes the heart glad.

So do not worry about tomorrow;
for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34

Good bye Sam

When I first joined CS, a british accented chinese sat near me. Becoz I sat near him, I always got to hear him speak. And it was really fascinating, to see a chinese speak in perfect british accent. He was of vietnam accent but guess his family moved over to London. Not only was it nice to hear him speak, but as he handled issues, management of projs, it was quite an experience to witness all that.

I do not know him personally and never got a chance to speak to him. It was just me observing him from far. A month or so later, i moved to another location and thus was the end of our close proximity.

Today I received a mail ,

"I was told the sad news yesterday that Thang Sam died in the early hours of Thursday morning. As many of you know he has fought a brave battle against cancer for the last year or so. Thang has been an important and very popular member of Risk IT for as long as I can remember. In 2006 he agreed to move from his management role on Insight in London to head up the Credit Risk IT deployment in Singapore. It was during his time in Singapore that he was diagnosed with liver cancer. He was very brave indeed in the face of this news and carried on working for a long time whilst undergoing treatment. Eventually however in mid 2007, he had to return to UK to go on long term disability. He leaves a wife and two young children."

I was immediately down spirited for the whole morning. I pray that in God's sovereignity, might he be saved and may his family be preserved and guided by our all powerful all loving God.

Writing Down

Surprise, surprise...

"CS has written $2.85 billion off the value of its asset-backed investments and found mismarking and pricing errors on its books, it revealed on Tuesday, sending its shares plummeting."

It was first Julius Bear, then Merill Lynch, then Citi...and sub prime blood was soon all over markets. But the thing that pissed me off is not that CS is writing off a loss, the thing that pissed me off was the timing it did that.

Time and again it reported that '07 3rd quarter, 4th quarter had earnings despite writing downs (of which are not so big a magnitude). And it had to wait till 1st quarter to announce the big bath write down.

Surely it would have its balance sheet tidied up way back in '07 right? I mean where's the integrity of the company? Why wait till now for this big write down?

Whoever is being this decision, reputation has indeed fell deep down in the pit. Let's wait till the next can of worms pops up.

Sorry about my ranting, but I am really quite disappointed about the integrity of the company here...which I always thought was respectable.

Chinese New Year (status: married)

Hey, just got back from home after watching 881, the singapore made film on getais.
Today is the first year of the chinese new year, went to bedok shop, then went to 3rd grand aunt and 4th grand aunt and finally to Cat's house. This is also the first new year where i start giving hongbaos.
Whoa, its seriously big losses man, people stop giving me hongbaos and I start giving them out. Cash Out no cash in. haha...the only way to counteract this is of coz...haha..u know

Talking about 881, for most parts of the show, its actually quite fun, watching the hokkien songs and superb act by Mindy Ong and Yeo Yann Yann. But it was really sad at the last scene, with her life slowly disappearing due to cancer. It was particular sad knowing that Mindy knew that life was coming to an end, but she was doing all she can to live her life to the fullest.
The show overall was kinda boring, but Mindy's role kinda touched me, and to really appreciate that to live the fullest with hope, we have to live in Christ.

Also just got back from having a tour with Cat over the Compassvale Beacon site. The site where we got a queue number of 399 for 540 4-room flats. The flat is situated in an established area, v. near Sengkang Sec. sch. Transport wise it would be taking an mrt from Ranggung LRT then to Sengkang MRT. Well, not to sure whether to take that up yet, but will wait for the HDB call up to finally decide.

A month ago, our house is bustling with relatives from all over and excited about our wedding. We ourselves were excited about preparing to go to New Zealand. A month on, excitement is still there, discovering our marriage lives, grappling a foothold over it..haha..mum's back, but sis is back to NY, coming back in May(hopefully). Also, have to pay more attention to grandparents, for their health is deteriorating slightly. Hmmm..must come back home earlier!

Also started initial study prep for cfa 2, having a break from sun sch teaching this wk, catching up with work, looking with intent interest at the world's development, firms' losing money, central banks cutting interest rates, microsoft over yahoo, Jerome Keriel wanting to drag SocGen down...well haha...this blog is really about me ranting rite?! ahah..

Oh ya...church frens coming over on sun to have lunch. Also a simple way of thanking them for their help during my wedding. ALso glad to have the long weekend being able to spend with family.

Thank God for everything!