Have a blessed New Year!

As we start a new year, it would be good to set some goals for yourself and your family. To begin with, you may want to write down a short statement that encapsulates your purpose for life, for example, "To touch lives for God". Ask God for a theme verse to guide you in the new year. You could meditate on this verse and ask God how it should apply to your life.

There are seven aspects to consider in your goals setting. You could add on. For each, write down a couple of measurable goals you want to accomplish next year.

1. Spiritual: You may aim to read the entire Old Testament by end 2011. Or perhaps set aside time once a week to fast and pray for certain needs.

2. Professional: You may want to include specific courses you would like to attend to help you in your professional development. Or perhaps being able to move into another area of work.

3. Finance: You may want to consider how much to save each month. Or perhaps reconsider some of your investment options.

4. Family: You may want to consider what you hope your family can accomplish together this year. It could perhaps be the salvation of one particular member of your family or spending time together once a week to have family devotional time.

5. Home: You may want to consider delineating home responsibilities for each member of the household to accomplish.

6. Leisure: It could be reading a certain number of books/magazines. Or perhaps pick up a new sport/hobby.

7. Health: It could be exercising three times weekly or taking fruits after every meal.

Whatever your goals, they should be measurable and realistic. That is, by the end of the year, you should be able to note down whether those goals have been accomplished.

Finally, let me leave you with a few quotes to encourage you in your endeavours.

“There are infinite possibilities in little beginnings if God is in them.”

“What you are is God’s gift to you; and what you make of yourself is your gift to God.”

“You are God’s project and God never fails.”

“Success is progressive realization of worthwhile goals.”

Wishing each of you a blessed and fruitful New Year!

Have a CHRIST-filled Christmas

Christmas is just next week; it's a time to commemorate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Jesus' birth was unique in many ways:
1. It was prophesied long ago by many (Gen 3:15;22:18; Is 7:14; 9:6-9; Mic 5:2).
2. His birth was through a virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:34-35).
3. He was the Incarnate Son of God (Jn 1:14; Ps 2:7,12).
4. He was born in a stable, announced by angels and proclaimed by the shepherds (Lk 2:7-18).
5. Worshipped by the magi (Mt 2:11).
6. Born to be the Saviour of the world (Mt 1:21).

Christmas has always been a season of giving and parties, coming at the end of the year where people receive their bonuses. The commercial world has captilised on this to get people to part with their money. Lest the true meaning and intent of Christmas be lost in the celebrations, here are a few thoughts on Christmas even as wrap up 2010:

Contentment: Learning to live within our means and trying not to live on credit. Whatever God has blessed us with, we ought to be content and possibly share it with those in need (Phil 4:12; 1Tim 6:6).

Harmony: Learning to co-exist with one another on this planet and especially those who are closest and dearest to us. Forgiving one another and receiving forgiveness should be part of our DNA (Phil 4:2).

Righteousness: The wrath of God has been laid on Jesus Christ that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21). Let's not live our lives without God in total abandonment because one day the wrath of God would be unleased again towards those who reject His Son (Rom 1:18-32).

Investment: Not so much of making a quick buck in business, shares, properties, etc. but more so in building up of lives of people we come into contact with on a regular basis. One great investment is to share the good news of salvation and to disciple them for the Lord (Mt 28:19-20).

Service: We have been created by God for good works (Eph 2:10). We have heard the phrase that we should move from success to significance. Significance comes about when we do something meaningful with our lives to help impact society for good.

Thanksgiving: Let's thank God for the greatest gift He has given - Jesus Christ (Jn 3:16), and also the many blessings He has dropped along our way. When we cultivate the attitude of thanksgiving in our lives, we learn to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God (1 Pet 5:6; 1 Th 5:18).

I wish you a CHRIST-filled Christmas!
May you personally experience the CHRIST of Christmas this holiday season.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Last week, I brought my children to watch the 3-D movie adapted from the C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia series. This was book five of his 7-parter children's adventure series; only 3 have been made into motion pictures so far. The first that appeared was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe , followed by Prince Caspian. In this recent movie, the screenplay writer and director exercised a lot of freedom to depart from the original script written by Lewis in the 1950s. However, watching reel movie, you would realise that there're lessons to learn as it applies to real life as well.

This is the first time we are watching a movie with 3-D effect together and it was quite an experience; it brings the characters of the show nearer to you for good theatrical effect. Of course, you would have to put on special googles that they provide. Some don't like wearing the googles though, well cheer up, the 2-D version also came out last Thursday. Buying a 3-D ticket would set you back by another about $3 compared to a 2-D version. Looks like we're going to have more movies being churned out with 3-D effects in future, until of course the novelty wears off.

The movie began with the Pevensies' children Edmund and Lucy, together with their cousin Eustace, going back to the magical land of Narnia through a picture hanging on a wall. Edmund and Lucy were reunited with Prince Caspian (or rather King now) on board the Dawn Treader, albeit with a reluctant crew Eustace, who couldn't help griping along the way. The lessons to be learnt as you watch the movie are aplenty. But one important thread the film is getting at is that we are all on a journey of faith, with temptations and tribulations lining our pathways. Lucy had to resist the temptation to make herself more beautiful while Edmund had to fight the temptation of power and ambition that so frequently haunts him. Eustace typifies a person who lusts after wealth and fame.

On their journey to find out what happened to 7 Lords, whom young Caspian's wicked uncle got rid off by sending them to explore the unknown Eastern Seas beyond the Lone Islands, they met with all kinds of tests and temptations that the prince of darkness put in their way. However, they were told, "To defeat the darkness out there you must defeat the darkness in yourself." And how true that is in life. The greater darkness lies deep within each one of us. Many times the beastly nature in us comes to the fore when we least expect it. That's why the Scripture tells us that we need to put to death the deeds of the flesh (Col 3:5). When a quarrelsome spirit tries to ensnare us, we need to be reminded and apply Proverbs 15:1, "A gentle answer turns away wrath."

As they encountered each Lord, whether dead or alive, they had to reclaim their 7 swords, which symbolically represent the sins that so easily entangles us (Heb 12:1). It is only when these swords are laid down at Aslan's table (before God), that God empowers us to defeat the evil both within and without. Our submission and surrender to God enables Him to accomplish great things through us. On the other hand, if we cling on to pride and lusts within our hearts, we would not be effective in His kingdom. When we call on the name of the Lord, as Lucy did towards the end, He comes in His own special way to provide a way out in our dilemma and conflict. May you and I reach the shores of heaven triumphant having passed the tests of life.

One final note: My children enjoyed the show with the younger one being inspired to create some artwork accompanied by some literary devices for one of her projects in the future. Go and watch it with your family, if you've not done so.

The Book of Proverbs

At the end of this month, those of us who have been faithfully following the daily Bible reading would have completed the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. Keep up the readings and you'd have wisdom beyond your years! May I congratulate you on your perseverance and diligence in reading God's Word.

The Book of Proverbs has many brief, pithy sayings that reflect the experiences of Solomon and other wise men of that time. Someone has said that proverbs are "short sentences drawn from long experience." Every culture has proverbs, some unique to a particular group, others similar to those of other people. Both the OT and NT contain many proverbs that grew out of the experiences of the Jewish people, which the Holy Spirit has recorded and preserved for our instruction.

Proverbs is not organised as a sequence of ideas that flow from one to the next. It is rather a patchwork with a variety of segments that can be studied independently. The first nine chapters contain the closest approach to an extended discussion of a theme. Following the introduction (1:1-7), comes a series of 12 parental admonitions introduced by "my son" (1:8,10, 2:1, etc.) These were designed to strengthen a young man's resolve not to fall for wicked companions and beguiling women, but to whet his appetite for the pursuit of wisdom.

The heart of the book, and the source of its name, begins with chapter 10 right up to 22:16. This contains the major portion of Solomon's recorded proverbs, consisting of 374 of the 3000 proverbs he is said to have spoken (1 Kg 4:32). Next comes two collections called "the sayings of the wise" (22:17-24:22; 24:23-34). They are given by other men known for their wisdom and tend to be more extended. Then comes another collection of Solomon's proverbs (25:1-29:17), collected and transcribed at a later time by scholars working under King Hezekiah. Many are expressed as similes or comparisons here. Ch 30 contains the words of Augur; Ch 31 is ascribed to King Lemuel, both personages we know nothing much about other that what was stated.

There are different types of proverbs (similar to what was mentioned about psalms):
1. Contrast: second line says something in opposition or contrast to the first. When read as an entity, the two lines reflect different dimensions of the same truth. Contrasting proverbs predominate in Ch 10-15. eg. "The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous." (15:29, NASB)

2. Parallelism: the same thing is stated in two different ways so as to reinforce or bring out additional aspects of the main idea; found mostly in Ch 16-20. eg. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling." (16:18)

3. Addition: the second line completes and enlarges the meaning of the first, which cannot be properly understood by itself. Appears frequently in Ch 17, 20-21. eg. "He who returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house." (17:13)

4. Comparison: usually in the form of a simile; found in the second collection of Solomon's proverbs beginning at Ch 25. eg. "Like apples of gold in the settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances." (25:11)

5. Extension: basic proverb consists of two lines but some are longer, which occurs mostly in "the sayings of the wise". eg. Pr 22:17-21

As you read the Book of Proverbs, let the wisdom of the wise guide you in your everyday living. "Strike while the iron is hot" - a contemporary proverb reminding us to seize the day whenever opportunity presents itself, to do good rather than evil. Many proverbs give us practical advice as to what we ought to do. For instance, Pr 1:10ff counsels us not to follow the ways of sinners but to walk away from them. Of course, sinners here could also be the tempter who comes to put evil thoughts into our minds, in order that we may accomplish his plans and purposes. Do not consent has to do with resisting the devil (Ja 4:7) that he may flee from you. Seize each moment to live for God.

Carpe Diem!

God notices (Mark 12:41-44)

Jesus observed how people put money in the treasury. He saw the rich putting in money out of their abundance and a poor widow putting in a lepta (two small copper coins) out of her poverty. The lepton was a currency used in ancient Greece; and a lepta has the equivalence of 1/64 of a denarius, a Roman currency. In early Roman Empire, the daily wage for an unskilled labourer and common soldier was 1 denarius. So even though it was a very meagre amount, she was commended by our Lord for her generosity. I wonder how she lived after that? At any rate, those who sow bountifully shall reap bountifully (2 Cor 9:6).

James said that pure and undefiled religion is to visit the orphans and widows in their distress (Jas 1:27). Earlier on, the religious leaders were plying Jesus with questions, trying to trap Him. But they were unable to do so. Jesus ended the exchanges with the remark that religious people like to make a show of themselves. And unlike what James advised, they would not hesitate to take advantage and swindle widows (Mk 12:38-40). It takes a widow, and a poor one at that, to demonstrate what God looks at. God does not look at the external performances of men but rather the internal workings their hearts.

God also notices when we give to Him today. Whether we give tithes or offerings, He knows because Malachi talked about the nation of Israel robbing God (Mal 3:8). We open ourselves to curses if we fail to pay our tithes and give our offerings. On the other hand, we if honour the Lord with our substance, He would open heaven's windows to rain down blessings on us. Those who fear God and esteem His name will be remembered by Him and will be a part of His special possession (Mal 3:16-18). The arrogance of men is again taken note of by God (Mal 3:13-15). Let's examine daily our hearts' condition before God that we may present unto Him acceptable offerings of both our praise and substance.

Children

The Bible tells us that children are a gift or heritage from the LORD (Ps 127:3). In an age and time when couples are having difficulty conceiving and our population is not replacing itself, indeed the fruit of the womb is a reward. The Scripture continues, "How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." (Ps 127:5). Unlike the generations of our forebears who had many children, the younger generations are not keen on having more than two. It could be due to the effective campaign by the government to stop at two or more possibly, the changing demands in modern living, where the cost of raising children does not come cheap. Well those who have more are certainly blessed by the LORD; some say a quiver full contains at least a dozen arrows like Jacob of old.

Children, when they are young, are bundles of joy to behold and cradle. Young parents would soon find that their lives would revolve around their child(ren). From changing diapers (or nappies) to feeding and outings, these are the exciting journeys every parent goes through. Whenever they are not well, not only will there be the anxious moments but also the long wait to see the pediatrician, especially a popular one. Feeding your sick child with medicine could also pose a great challenge and sometimes we need God's wisdom to guide us. I remembered we tried mixing the medicine with our child's milk one time to get the sugar to go down. Somehow the young child would be able to detect the difference and refused to drink. But we managed nonetheless.

When children are slightly older, we can do a lot more talking, reading and playing with them. The time invested in our children when they are young would certainly not go to waste. Many young parents leave it to their child-minders to look after their kids without counteracting the possible harmful effects this arrangement could bring. As parents, we read to our children Children/Bible stories and taught them how to pray. It's wonderful to hear their prayers when they were young because it reveals the simplicity of a child-like faith. In one of the many voice recordings made when they were younger, they prayed for an oikos couple who longed for a child but were apparently unable to conceive. Together with the prayers of the saints, the couple eventually conceived the next year and had yet another child later.

The Bible instructs fathers not to provoke their children to anger but to raise them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4). Implied in this verse is the control men ought to have over their faculties and emotions, especially their temper. Because they are young and impressionable, the things we say and do would leave a lasting impression on our children. Instead, we are to role model the life of a believer in the way we live out our Christian life. There is a need to teach them the Word of God and how to pray; more importantly how to go about maintaining a consistent devotional time with God. This is all part and parcel of Christian discipline and virtues that we ought to inculcate in them. Our elder child does not seem to have much problem in this area but the younger one needs more reminding. As we train our children in the way they should go, when they grow old they will not depart from it (Pr 22:6).

Children's education is an area where parents can fret much over. Many would start planning ahead of time where they would like to put their child(ren), whether it be playgroup, nursery, kindergarten or primary school. Young children have no choice to determine their school destiny; parents would choose for them based on their judgment as to what is expedient for them. We chose for our children a kindergarten and a primary school that is affiliated to an Anglican church as we would like to imbue in them Christian principles and values. Of course, the reputation of the schools concerned also played an important role in our choice. Getting into the primary school wasn't automatic as my wife had to volunteer her services. It was through much prayer and fasting that our elder child secured a place.

Now that they are much older, our children can and have made a choice regarding which secondary school they would like to attend. However, we still had to guide them and give them all the necessary information to help them make an informed choice. We encouraged them to work towards their respective goals by attaining good results for their PSLE, pumping in resources wherever possible. Sheryl by virtue of her artistic talents would like to go to SOTA but admission was through DSA. She didn't have an art portfolio, so I got her to see my Art teacher colleague who graciously agreed to help and guide her. I believe the skills sets that she picked up in building up her portfolio and going through the Talent Academy selection test cum interview would stand her in good stead for future challenges. To cut the long story short, she got into SOTA and has successfully completed Year 1. She has been inspired during the holidays to do a lot of artwork to hone her skills.

Shermaine on the other hand went to Anglican High, another missions school near our place. She has been doing very well in her studies and is enjoying her CCA which is NPCC. The camaraderie forged both in class and in her CCA has been wonderful. In their teenage years, friends or peers play an important role in shaping our children's destiny. We have to keep an eye on the people they are mixing with to ensure that there are no harmful influences. This year she applied for the Temasek Academy (through DSA) after having visited the School Open House and talked with us. Again to cut the long story short, she has been accepted and would start the new term next year in the Integrated Programme of TJC. She made it through on the basis of her own merits. It would certainly be a new chapter for her as she works toward getting a good A level certificate, while Sheryl her International Baccalaureate diploma.

Children in their teenage years will have a mind of their own, learning to assert their independence yet at the same time still dependent on us. As parents, we have to continually engage them. Our roles would have to evolve as well; from that of being a parent to that of being a friend or mentor as they grow up. At any rate, the joys and tribulations of parenthood continues.

The Book of Galatians

This is an epistle on freedom - not a freedom to do anything we like but a freedom given to us through faith in Jesus Christ. The key verse is found in Gal 5:1, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Apparently, some Judaizers who professed to be Christians were demanding the people to obey the Jewish law for full salvation and spirituality. Paul had to correct the Galatians for their erroneous thinking by telling them that Christ has indeed set them free from observing the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament (Gal 5:2-3). What's important for believers is that they walk by faith and be led by the Holy Spirit (5:16-18).

We are free in Christ but that freedom does not mean we can indulge in the deeds of the flesh (5:19). Paul listed specifically what these acts of carnality are:
1) Desires: immorality, impurity, sensuality (sexual sins & perversion)
2) Divination: idolatry, sorcery (witchcraft/deception/bondage)
3) Disharmony: enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger
4) Disunity: disputes, dissensions, factions, envying
5) Destruction: drunkenness, carousing
The ultimate goal of Satan is the destruction of our soul/body.

The antidote against licentious living is to live by the Spirit, allowing Him to reproduce His fruit in our lives (5:22-26). Notice the singular fruit consists of 9 aspects: love, joy, peace (Godward attributes), patience, kindness, goodness (outward attributes), gentleness, faithfulness and self-control (inward attributes). When we exercise the fruit of self-control, we prevent disharmony, disunity and destruction from rearing their ugly heads.

How do we cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in our lives?
1) Spend time communing with God.
2) Respond to the Holy Spirit's conviction.
3) Pray and ask God for His fruit to be reproduced in us.
When you act on #3, be prepared that God will bring about situations in which you would be put to the test. It does not matter how many times we may have failed God, the important thing is to rise up again and walk with God, repenting of our wicked ways and seeking His ways once again.

Gal 2:20 is a verse which I memorised when I was in Sunday School, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." This verse talks about our identification with Christ in His death; our carnal flesh should be crucified with Him. When we are in the body, that is still on earth, we need to exercise faith in the Son of God. And this we will continue to do until we see Him face to face in heaven, by then there would be no need for faith. The verse ends with the fact that God loves us dearly. Let us reciprocate that love by living for Him.