The Good, The Great, and The Rich: Principles of Discipleship (Part 2)

I'd like to dedicate this post to my friends and elders who have stood by me during tough times for without them I wouldn't be here continuing to write like I used to. Thank you. Seems like I will finally finish a series that I start, haha.

Parables of the Good

The Parables of the Weeds and the Net has much to say about the Kingdom of Heaven when it comes to talking about what is good. After some analysis, we see some both basic similarities in both parables: the symbolic harvesting, the act of picking or separation and the consequences following that separation. 

Some interesting points to note here:

1) Weeds are hard to differentiate from wheat - this is analogous to how true and false believers may tend to appear alike

2) Harvesting refers to the day of judgement: When God comes to judge us, the good will be separated from the evil

Additionally, here are some questions to consider before we can start to observe the flow of thought in analyzing these parables:

First up, should these parables only be seen applicable in the 'Christians vs. Non Christians' context, or also even within the community of Christians?

I believe the parable of the weeds would be more apt when discussing within the Christian community due to the analogy of weeds and wheat used. Since weeds and wheat are difficult to tell apart, to me, this brings out the 'same but different' effect. Vice versa, it would seem that the parable of the net would then suit talking about Christians and Non-Christians. But I digress. Here's the important question (in the context of the parable of the net):

What makes us a good or a bad fish?

I like the analogy used by Uncle Chien Chuan in explaining the answer to this question. In the sea, being a fish such as a pomfret (for those who don't know, it is a great tasting fish and is also an essential source of fish for people) would not be ideal. It's small, defenseless and only serves as prey for other fishes and predators. On the other hand, being a shark would be great because you're at the top of the food chain! However, the situation changes and now the fishes are being netted in by fishermen. In this case, the pomfret would now be the more desired and valued fish compared to the shark. That is what the harvesting signifies: Us being brought away from this world. Right now, we pomfrets may not be seen as much; but when the time of harvesting comes, we will be valued over the sharks that once used to dominate. Which would you rather be in the Kingdom of Heaven - the pomfret or the shark?

We have the potential to be good, but remember, our goodness lies in the eyes of God in Heaven.

Parables of the Great

The Parables of the Yeast and the Mustard Seed are two encouraging parables that give me motivation in growing in my faith. Yes, they are really short parables but they hold so much meaning - in simply understanding the context of what Jesus said and thinking about the implications, be it something as plain as a seed or miniscule yeast, much can be learned.

Some points to note when reading these parables:

1) Similarity of starting small: Both the mustard seed and yeast are really small - that's it.

2) Similarity of extensive growth/spreading: Both the mustard seed and yeast grew/spread, and not only that, they did it extensively and reached far.

3) Difference in numbers: Mustard seed was a single entity whereas the yeast was collective.

4) Difference in type of growth: Mustard seed showed intrinsic growth while the yeast caused external growth.

5) Most importantly, both are similar in the sense that they resulted in benefits for others: the mustard seed became a mustard tree for birds to seek shelter in while the yeast allowed the bread to rise and grow.

Some noteworthy points I'd like to highlight:

6) The seed dies in order to grow into a tree. The yeast becomes obsolete in the end.

7) The seed became a tree that provides shelter for others and an environment for life.

There's so much to be learned from a mere seed! Looking at point 5, we see that both of these growths resulted in something that benefited others. In point 7, we also see that as a form of provision for others. However, point 6 demonstrates clearly the ultimate implication: that is to die to ourselves.

You see, if the seed doesn't die to itself, it will not grow into a mustard tree. It will remain what it is - a seed. It is precisely because it died to itself, it could grow into a tree and provide for others. Similarly, the yeast resulted in the growth of the dough surrounding it - however, after this process is completed, the yeast has become useless and is of no relevance. Both the seed and yeast dies/ becomes obsolete in bringing about benefits for others.

Here's the defining question:

What is YOUR idea of greatness?

It was never until I had to answer this question that it occurred to me that I didn't understand what being great was. Both the mustard seed and yeast were considered to be great. Why? Because they either provided for others or they led to the growth of others. Being great is not what we can do or how good we can be but it is how much we can do for others and how good a friend we can be to others. In the end, it was not the seed itself that was great but the tree. It was not the yeast itself that was great but the dough that grew as a result of the yeast. But wait, there's more! For the yeast and seed to do what they did, they both had to die to themselves. The mustard seed had to die to become a tree. The yeast was finite and became obsolete after the fermentation process. Greatness is not just a measure of how much we can do for others but also the price that we are willing to pay to do that! 

So how do we live in greatness?

Well, to live like a mustard seed, give up living for yourself and seek to grow intrinsically so that you may become a tree that provides comfort and rest to others around you! To live like the yeast, be interested in invest the time and effort in helping others to grow; contribute to the growth of God's Kingdom!

Neither the seed nor the yeast become great themselves. But their greatness comes in the work that they do - to provide for and to edify others.

Thank you for putting up with my long posts, it means a lot to me that people are interested to read the messages that I put up. Again, I'd like to thank Uncle Chien Chuan for being an inspiration for the writing of this series. Tune in for part 3 where I'll discuss the Parables of The Rich.

Take care and have a good week ahead!

Matt

Why people will always be there for you

Hi

It's been a while since I've written anything here and to be honest, it really is a blend of procrastination, laziness and the long period of moodiness that I've been through lately. Perhaps that last bit is the very reason why I'm writing about this topic. I really don't know...

You see, I'm writing this off the top of my head... I could not imagine myself planning what to write regarding this, for fear of the artificial taste that will linger as I write on; neither could I process the sheer amount of what I have to say at the moment, I'm writing from the heart - more so this time.

Have you ever felt like this:

I am sure of it...

This will never change

People will leave you when you need them most

And I refuse to believe that

Things will get better

You get by fine. Day in day out, it's the same - it's always been the same. What else could you expect? After all, you've never really expected yourself to be anybody. Heck, you've never even expected to have a decent life. Well, you do, or at least you think you do. You scroll through your phone on the way home. You wonder to whom you should message, or maybe if you should just call it a day. After all, everyone's too tired for any social interaction at the end of a day. Maybe you'll ask a friend out for tomorrow night's dinner. Maybe. You don't. You never do. After all, how has it ever been any different?

 You decide that you get by fine by yourself. You don't really need someone to listen to your problems. Why bother others with your own miniscule worries, right? You toss and turn in bed, your worries seem to bother you a little but that's really okay, isn't it? After all, it's only human to have worries. Hey, you're crying? Stop crying and pull yourself together. You aren't going to die, it's just an emotional issue - do you need some tissues? There you go, just let it out, but don't let anyone know that you are feeling such pain alright? After all, it's normal that you cry yourself to sleep at times.

You wake up feeling empty. Seems like you don't have quite a sense of purpose today. No worries, you get up, wash up and have your breakfast. Of course, not before saying grace. You pray for God to bless your food, you pray for his guidance and you thank Him for His provision. In your heart, you wished things in your life were very much different. But then again, who are you to make such demands? You're just a human being, that's what you were born to face - life, as and how it is.

You go through your daily routine. Conversations go on around you as usual but all you do is pay attention to them and reserve all comments. After all, you never really have anything to say to others, do you? You have your thoughts but at the moment, they seem unimportant. Funny really, how unimportant they are, but really, are the only things that occupy your mind. You worry about what others might say if you remain silent. Someone asks if you're alright and you reply with the standard "I'm fine", pulling off a weak smile. Way to go, seems like you've been taught well.

Back home, you feel frustrated. You think through everything that's going on around you. You seem to be in a daze while showering. You're done showering. You stare at your reflection in the bathroom mirror. You're on the verge of breaking into tears. But you hold on, because you are strong. Moreover, it's not as if your problems are really worth crying over, are they? Then again, who's really going to hear you out? What friends do you have?

You hate that you aren't as well liked as others. You wished for better friends, you wished you knew people who would understand you. You often told yourself that if you had such people in your life, you'd hold them close to you, treat them well and never let them go. You'd never ask God for anything more. Or rather, you question His plans for you to be where you are - then feel guilty afterwards for having not trusted Him more.

But reality hasn't been kind to you. It seems as if the world is crumbling down on your shoulders.You feel like your life is in a mess. It is, isn't it? Stop lying to yourself, it is in a mess! And you don't know how to fix things. Or if anything can even be fixed. You have the urge to tell someone but you don't. You bottle it. Perhaps its better this way. You'd try to avoid seeing people for fear that you might reveal your vulnerability to others. Why does being around people have to be so complicated?

I apologise for the long winded monologue above - but if you've ever felt this way in your life, you are not alone. Thing is, people will always be there for you, that's who they are. They want to. Well, maybe not all, but at least the people around you do. Maybe it's because we've all been through common experiences and are able to relate to each others' pain and hardships. Maybe that is why we feel hurt when others do not tell us that they've been hurting so much all along but had to suffer in silence. It hurts them when you keep things to yourself and end up feeling worse.

It's good to let your heart out every once in a while - hopefully to someone whom you really trust. Well, you'd even come to realise that there have been others going through the exact same pain, who can understand exactly how you feel... and all this time, you didn't know they existed! People are like that, they crave common experiences from others, regardless of who is going through them currently - be it you or them. They want to go through your struggles with you. When you cry, they wanna cry with you. When you laugh, they wanna laugh with you. When you celebrate, they wanna give you a treat. They truly want to walk with you, through all your struggles, life lessons, hardships, pains, experiences - you name it. 

And admit it, more often than not, you do feel better afterwards, don't you? Bet you didn't regret coming out tonight for that chat huh? People wanna be there to make you feel better and offer some perspective at times for your problems. It's not so much of solving your problems but rather sharing this beautiful moment in life - be it painful or joyous - together. That's the beauty of people. We all need that someone whom will listen to us when we need to share our problems or when we need a shoulder to cry on. 

Life is a intertwining web - everyone is connected to each other in some way or another. But if there's one thing that we love more than experiencing life, it's getting to experience life simply with another - the ability to share in one's joy or pain, to love and to be loved, that is truly amazing and beautiful, it is a work of art by the hand of God... it is simply breathtaking just by thinking of it. And that is why we people will always be there for you - it is who we are.

Hopefully after reading all that, you'll feel like this:

Things will get better  

And I refuse to believe that 

People will leave you when you need them most 

This will never change 

I am sure of it...

Thank you for reading and getting all the way here. I truly appreciate your time, to even just peruse or consider what I have penned down from my mind. Take care and have a blessed New Year's to come!

Love, Matt

The Good, The Great and The Rich: Principles of Discipleship (Part 1)

Veritas vos Liberabit 

A beautiful Latin phrase; when translated, literally means "the truth will set you free", which is also the motto of Johns Hopkins University. How marvellous is that? So simple yet so elegant; there is so much meaning behind it. It is also a phrase truly befitting of the Bible for it is said that when you read the Bible, it reflects who you are and should be. The Bible doesn't just reveal the truth to us, it sets us free!

Greetings, dear friends.

I do apologise for having been inactive for over a month or so. It's been a really hectic last couple of weeks and I finally found time between my commitments to gather my thoughts to just share a little nugget of truth. First of all, however, I'd like to give thanks to my Bible Study leader, Uncle Chien Chuan for guiding our group and helping us gain insights to the lessons on discipleship. Thank you for being there for me too, as a mentor and as a friend, especially in my darkest hours, and just for being that mustard tree. I'd also like to give thanks to my Bible Study group for their fellowship, companionship, never-ending support and insights during discussions. You're all amazing! And most importantly, I'd like to thank God, for always being there and being a huge source of comfort. It is truly heartening to know that you have been, are and will be always there for me!

This particular post will explore the lessons of 'The Principles of Discipleship' in Matthew 13. Most of these points and thoughts have been imparted from Uncle Chien Chuan whereas some are subjected to my own interpretation. Nonetheless, all these aren't probably as deeply analyzed as content that can be found online but I do believe it provides a fresh perspective to take on the parables of Matthew 13. Hopefully, this short discussion can provide you with some inspiration and insight to the Lord's Kingdom! 

To understand the parabolic discourse of Matthew, or the whole book of Matthew for that matter, it is important to note that everything should be understood as a whole and not in isolation. Hence, let us take a brief look at the 5 main discourses in Matthew and their key lessons:

Matthew: The Book of Discipleship

1) Matthew 5-7: Call to True Discipleship

2) Matthew 10:  Cost of Discipleship

3) Matthew 13:  Principles of Discipleship

4) Matthew 18:  Pitfalls of Discipleship

5) Matthew 24:  Watchful Discipleship

(An interesting way to perceive the discourses of Matthew and to give them meaning - by Uncle Chien Chuan)

Let's now zoom in to Matthew 13: Principles of Discipleship. This chapter provides us with a number of parables, 8 to be exact, and each having a particular thing to say about the Kingdom of Heaven. Again, to be understand each parable, we'd have to understand them as a collective whole and thus, we'll put them into perspective with contextual meaning (again, by the inspiring analysis of Uncle Chien Chuan). This time, we'll look at them in similar pairs:

Matthew 13: Principles of Discipleship

1) Parable of the Sower and the Parable of the Home Owner: Parables of Personal Choice

2) Parable of the Weeds and the Parable of the Net: Parables of the Good

3) Parable of the Mustard Seed and the Parable of the Yeast: Parables of the Great

4) Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Parable of the Pearl: Parables of the Rich

At first sight, this seems a little over-analytical. Trust me, it isn't. Read on and you'll see the big picture! Let's begin, shall we?

Parables of Personal Choice

For the sake of simplicity, we'll focus on the discussion of the parable of the sower. This parable is seemingly straightforward, it's a matter of personal choice. However, there is great beauty to this parable and within it lies an endearing question. Let's explore the following points:

Firstly, let us look at the similarity of the soils described in this parable. They are ALL fertile soil. Yes, each type of soil may not be fruitful but the text never explicitly states that only the good soil was fertile.

Next, let us break down the different kinds of soil:

1) The soil of the Path: One that lacks softness. Anyone who hardens their heart to the word (seed) will simply be taken away by the evil one (birds came and ate it up). This type of soil is generally used to describe a person who leaves no room in his heart to accept the word.

2) The soil of the Rocks: One that lacks depth. It is important to note that this seed was not completely unfruitful, surprisingly, it sprung up really quickly. However, it did not last against the scorching heat of the sun. This type of soil is used to describe a person who may be enthusiastic in the faith initially after receiving the word but his passion soon dies out due to a lack of depth and understanding of the word.

3) The soil of the Thorns: One that lacks purity. Essentially, the 'thorns' of the world choke us and causes us to become worried, distressed, impure, distracted and disillusioned. Some types of 'thorns' include worries of life, deceitfulness of wealth, desires and pleasures. This type of soil is used to describe a person who is preoccupied with things of this world that are of carnal nature.

4) The soil that is Good: One that is not lacking in any way. This soil is perfect - it is soft and welcoming, deep and rooted, pure and focused. It describes someone who hears, understands the word, accepts it, believes in it with all his faith, seeks to deepen his understanding of it and remains true to it.

Again, it seems straightforward. However, there is more to this parable than simply knowing the consequences of how we react to the word. It is a parable that keeps our spiritual condition in check. Here is the key question:

How is your heart and your character?

Have we hardened our hearts to what God has to say to us everyday? Have we been too full of ourselves to rely on our own strength and understanding and failed to trust in God? How about our desire to learn more about God? Have we been doing what we should be doing, to become more Christlike? Or have we forgotten that our obedience is the key to abiding in Christ? Have we been too concerned, too worried about our daily troubles of life? Or have we become too distracted by our worldly desires to pay any attention at all to the Bible?

You see, this chapter of Matthew deals with the principles of discipleship. And to be a disciple means to be a student or a learner. When Jesus called his disciples 'disciples', he was really calling them to learn and follow. Note that in verse 12, "Whoever has will be given more..." - "has" really refers to having the desire to know God. Do YOU have the desire to know God?

On hindsight, we may see all the different types of soils in ourselves at different times. We are not exclusively one particular type of soil. However, one thing remains unchanged: if we are consistently changing between the different kinds of soil and fail to remain as the 'good soil', then we will never become fruitful.

We have the potential to become good, great or rich, but it all lies in our personal choice. How we choose to treat the word of God determines who we become in life.

Suppose we decide to set our hearts in the right direction. Now then, how will we become good, great or rich? I shall leave that for another time in part 2 (partly due to my hands becoming tired)

Take care and have a good weekend!

Matt

Intentional Disciplemaking Church (IDMC) Conference 2014: Overview of Day 1

Salutations, fellow readers!

As the title suggests, I am currently taking part in the Intentional Disciplemaking Church (IDMC) Conference 2014, finishing just the first night but I feel compelled to post an overview of the session simply because the talk was seamlessly delivered and the points made were stunningly empowering. After all, if something's good, why not share it with others?

Before I continue, this is just a quick disclaimer to state that the following information is taken from the content delivered by (and what a pleasure to have with us) Rev Edmund Chan who served as a Senior Pastor at Covenant Evangelical Free Church. Hopefully, this will inspire any one of you out there reading this to go check out his books!

This year's conference theme was aptly named "Radical Discipleship" and it presents the following as the key framework to radical discipleship itself:

Return To God

Abide In Christ

Deepen Your Roots

Ignite Your Passion

Conquer Your Fears

Advance His Kingdom

Leave A Legacy

The introduction is presented briefly in terms of 3 movements that are followed by the above 7 steps as such:

The Upward Movement

Return To God

Abide In Christ

The Inward Movement

Deepen Your Roots

Ignite Your Passion

Conquer Your Fears

The Outward Movement

Advance His Kingdom

Leave A Legacy

Of course, every good speech dealing with particularly ambiguous terms has to define the terms it uses explicitly and here are the key definitions of the term 'Radical":

1) Revolutionary and different from what is traditional or ordinary.

2) Very basic and important. Fundamental and Foundational.

3) Relating to, or proceeding from a root (dubbed the heart of discipleship)

As such, Radical Discipleship is not merely Extreme Discipleship. Radical Discipleship may be extreme but Extreme Discipleship is not necessarily radical.

Moving on, Rev Edmund Chan continued to explain the rest of his first plenary: Return to God. He observes the following five flaws of the "Discipleship Movement":

1) The "Elite Lone Ranger" Syndrome.

• "Best of the best mentality"
• Fails to recognize the community, as well as God's grace to us as a community
•  We are not to be lone rangers in the body of Christ

 2) Authoritarianism and Abuse

• Seeing discipleship as a regimentation - where control is concerned, undue control is a problem
• Authority can be good; it is authoritarianism (abuse of authority) that is not good

 3) Failure to emphasize Transformation aright

• Doing things such as devotions and services do not guarantee intrinsic transformation; double lives can exist in us
• Transformation has to be measured by Christ-Likeness (Intrinsic) and Cultural Transformation (Extrinsic) - Transformation of Society

 4) Over-emphasis on Discipleship Programmes

• Programmes are important but they do not guarantee discipleship - the emphasis should be on people
• Theology impacts Methodology: If the church is seen as an institution, the emphasis will lie in the programme whereas if the church is seen as a community, the emphasis will hence lie in the people and community

 5) Failure to emphasize the Holy Spirit

• It's all about God moving into our lives and transforming our lives

In Simply Christian, British Theologian N.T. Wright speaks of Four Fundamental Longings:

1. The longing for Justice

2. The longing for Relationship

3. The longing for Beauty

4. The longing for God

In the segment of Returning to God, Rev Edmund Chan prompts us to take a look at Hosea 10:1-2 and 14:1-7...

Some non-negotiables of an extraordinary life in God include prayer, the word of God, devotionals, worship and praise, and following God. Whatever they are, there's one thing we MUST first know and that is - How To Return To God!

•  Our efforts are never enough not because God is a perfectionist in His expectations of us; it's because our efforts are human efforts
• Discipleship is about redemption; it's about picking ourselves up
• We begin to do this by Returning to God

Here's how we do this:

A. The Anomaly That God Detests (Hos 10:1) - "The more his fruit, the more altars he made..." (v.1)

• 'Ephraim' = 'twice fruitful' (which equates to very blessed)
• How ironic: the more fruitful, the more idolatries!
• What was a blessing from God is now a curse

B. The Sin That God Highlights (Hos 10:2) - "Their heart is faithless; now they must bear their guilt..." (v.2)

• The problem of the Heart!
• In Psalm 14 - "The fool has said in his heart, 'there is no God'.", the word 'fool' here is actually a consequence of not recognizing one's accountability before God; whereas 'in his heart' refers to the hypocrisy of one when what is said is contrary to the belief of the heart.

C. The Solution That God Prescribes (Hos 14:1-7) - "Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God..." (v.1)

• God seeks for us (Gen 3:9 - "Adam, where are you?") 
• God is a loving father waiting for us to return to Him

D. The Promise That God Offers (Hos 14:4-7) - "I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely..." (v.4)

• God 'un-messes' the mess in our lives
• The deepest of these longings of the soul is the longing for God; which can be killed by a compromised life (an illusion)
• In order to come close to God, we must come clean with God!
• Breakthrough is possible! For me! Today!

These pointers essentially mark the highlights for Plenary 1: Return To God. I find that the opening of this conference has been executed well: Rev Edmund Chan seems to have a stunningly clear idea of his message and is definitely a seasoned speaker judging from his apt use of personal anecdotes in order to bring across his framework effectively. 

Overall, I'm highly satisfied with the takeaways from the first session and I excitingly look forward to tomorrow's installment!

Some last words... (My takeaway from tonight): A transformation breakthrough is POSSIBLE for ME, TODAY!

 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Take care,

Matt

Food For Thought: Why Absolute Gender Equality is a Flawed Concept

Alright, alright! Before any of you start raising your fists and claiming that I'm against gender equality, read the title closely first though. Nope, there is nothing wrong with it and here's my stand:

Gender equality cannot exist absolutely. It is possible to have gender equality in some areas but not in everything, simply because men and women, by nature, are biologically different to begin with. 

People who speak of gender equality as if it should be omnipresent do not realize the absurdity of their sentiments. Often, especially if you are Singaporean, you'd hear discourses such as the following:

Man 1: 

"Hey, did you hear about the new campaign for gender equality? Apparently, these women are claiming that it is unfair that man are allowed to..... whereas women are unable to...."

Man 2:

"Is that so? If they really want gender equality, then why don't they ask women to do NS then?"

It is really annoying to hear how people seem to oppose the notion of gender equality by countering them with the existing gender inequalities in our society. They do not understand the need for genuine gender equality. They do not understand the difference between absolute gender equality and gender equality only in particular areas. Most importantly, they do not understand gender equality on a contextual basis. 

Here's the truth folks: You can't have gender equality everywhere. This is attributed to the fact that men and women are not biological equals to begin with. Why is it such that men are typically called to be soldiers? Well, research (and more commonly, human observation) has shown that men are generally physically fitter than women and are more capable of making decisions under stressful conditions. (Calm down, note the use of generally to indicate a generalization based on statistics) In addition, men are more likely to be able to manage psychological trauma better than their female counterparts. Now tell me if its fair to expect women to be soldiers that are just as good as the men. (Of course, some are but likelihood is that, you'd have an easier time finding an elite male soldier compared to a female one.) This is just one of the many areas which absolute gender equality cannot take place.

I believe I do not need to demonstrate this with the use of more examples since its ad nausem, to say the least.

Now here's the crucial part: Gender equality can exist in some instances but not in others. The key to achieving gender equality in the greatest number of areas is to identify aspects of the world which gender equality can be achieved but has not been achieved yet.

For instance, many countries around the world still haven't established voting rights for women and in this case, it is blatantly obvious that there is no reason why women should not be allowed to vote. The only contending principle is that the culture in these zones enforce only the rights of the male population. In such instances, I feel it is only necessary for the culture to change (not a culture condemnation but rather a rights integration) so as to come of terms that women can and should be equals to men in some ways too. This is probably one of the many challenges that gender equality will face in this world despite its dynamic nature.

Hopefully this short discussion will raise some awareness on the gender equality issue. I'm not personally prescribing any follow up action to be taken but my purpose here is just to highlight that gender equality can be achieved in some areas but not all. It's as simple as that. So next time, if anyone ever shoots off a poorly thought-through comment to rebuke the lack of gender equality in a particular area, think carefully before agreeing so quickly.

I apologize for the month long hiatus; I've been under much fatigue recently in the last couple of weeks and am going through much change in life. I'll try to upload some material once every 3-4 days or so though. If you've any comments or thoughts to share, feel free to share with me, even privately. I'm open for disagreeing arguments :)

Once again, may the Lord bless you in your week to come. 

Matt

Food For Thought: An Accurate and Unfortunate Observation by the Late George Carlin

Hello!

Here's just a little food for thought that I've picked up from the internet. Title says it all.

"We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast,get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much. We have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living but not a life. We've added years to life, not life to years."  - George Carlin (1937-2008)

Have we prioritized the wrong things in life? What do you think?

Matt

Love God, Love Thy Neighbour; And Why They Are Inseparable

Hello! Welcome again and I hope you'll enjoy this mini breakdown of this short passage.

On Reading 1 John 4...

This chapter is a particularly encouraging one - it tells us to love one another because God is love. Wait a minute, how does that follow?! To understand this correlation, let us explore what 1 John 4 says briefly:

1 John 4 encompasses these 3 points: God is the source of all love, God models true love for us, and God commands us to love each other.

Firstly, God is the source of all love. How do we know this? Let's start with the premise God is love. The passage explicitly says this about God. God is love. This is further reaching than just saying God is loving. We may say that our friend is loving because she demonstrates the values of selfless, genuine love. Yes, that is correct. However, it makes less sense to say that our friend is love because she may be loving but she cannot be characterized by the value of love. This is where the distinction comes in: God is characterized by love, and hence, we say that God is love. Now, when we say God is love, we speak of love like its the flowing water in the rivers that comes from the source, that is God Himself, and flows to others (people) like a river's distributaries. This means that people that claim to know of love or are able to receive love must have had love flowing through them; this means that our love comes from the source of the love river and that is God Himself, thus, we know that our God is the source of all love. 

Next, the bible tells us that God models true love for us and I think that if we probe deeper to find out how this is true, it really isn't hard to see it. 

"While we were sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8

The above verse accurately and succinctly describes the extent of God's love for us. God was not obligated to send his one and only son to die just to save us from our own damnation. God had a choice: No one would have blamed him if he chose to let us die from our own sins; yet God chose to sacrifice his son to save us. Why? Because God loves us - there is no greater love than this. Our salvation was infinitely costly to God, but it is absolutely free to us! 

How then, shall we learn from God's example? If God's love was manifested in the sending of his son, then it should be clear that we demonstrate our love for others by action. We live out our love in kindness, generosity and service to others.God has loved us in a way that has given us life. It has created a life-giving realm where love is received and expressed.

Lastly, God commands us to love each other simply because scripture tells us that by loving others, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. What this is trying to tell us is not what God is like but how God is known. If we as believers hope to know the Lord and follow his commandments, it is an obligation to love others because to live in love is to live in God Himself. As we've been in touch with the very source of love and also been shown what love is, we can receive the commandment with hope and joy. We understand that we are not commanded to do something that is an external compulsion nor is it something beyond our ability to learn and do.

Here's an epiphany of mine while reading this passage: The commandments of 'Love God' and 'Love Thy Neighbour' are actually the same commandment but understood in two parts. Why do I say this? To love God is to honour His word and His commandment; and hence, do what he tells to do which is to love our neighbour. To love our neighbour is symbolic: it is a demonstration of the love God has for us; it also says that we have come to know the source of love which is our God and we have received love from him that we are able to love another. These commandments aren't dichotomies, they are mutually dependent - one simply cannot hold true without the other. If one loves God but is hateful to his neighbour, he is a hypocrite and does not truly love God for he has broken the commandment of his God. Likewise, if one loves his neighbour but does not love God, it simply does not make sense because if he does not love God, then he will not be in touch with the source of love and hence the question, how can he hope to love his neighbour if he doesn't have love in him in the first place? Therefore, I think that they are, in fact, inseparable notions of the commandment and this may also help us see clearer, what it truly means to love God: to love others around us as well. After all, don't we all get some feeling of satisfaction when we love another? Perhaps it might be the manifestation of the resounding applause God is giving us silently. Paradoxical? Maybe.

Let me know what you think :)

Again, take care and have a great weekend ahead!

"Character is how you treat those who can do nothing for you" - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Matt

The LGBT Series: What is the reality?

Hey! 

If you're here, you must either be a friend of mine or you were probably just enthralled by the title. I've just gotten home from a Young Adults Dialogue Session from my church and the topic was on the LGBT issue, that has, so often, been brought up over the last few months. Just a quick recap, this whole LGBT fiasco was triggered by the fervent campaigning by activist group "Pink Dot" and was further exacerbated by the backlash campaign from the Muslim and Christian community.

I'll just like to shed some light on the whole LGBT issue, not only based on my own observations but also the sharing from this session as well as articles that I have read. However, first of all, let me share why this matter affects all of us: The LGBT discussion has brought attention to a longstanding polarization of views around a complex and commonly misunderstood subject; and this can bring about a number of consequences - be it to do with relationship tensions, political pressure and social fabric.

Tonight's session was really informative yet concise. I'd say that the Pastor (and Chairman of the sharing session) did a really good job of skimming the surface of issue; and was careful to not go in too deep the issue. This is beneficial to everyone: it gives us the big picture of the reality of the LGBT discussion in our society, introduces us to who we are dealing with and most importantly, challenges us to reevaluate our stand to the issue and find out the clear reasons for doing so. 

What was shared during this time put things into perspective. Who are we really dealing with? Are we handling our responses the right way? Well, first of all, we have to recognize that the LGBT community can be categorized into 4 main groups, namely: activists, moderates, strugglers, and overcomers. Activists are mainly those who are determined to change the system in order to 'fight for their rights'. They believe that the system and law is flawed; and see themselves as ambassadors of such movements. Moderates, on the other hand, do not engage in public discourse but rather keep their lifestyle to themselves and just follow the current laws. They may have identified themselves as homosexuals and are okay with that. Strugglers are individuals who may have been involved in homosexual acts but are aware that it may not be right and are trying to overcome their urges. Lastly, the overcomers are a group of people who have managed to overcome their urges and although the feelings of urges come once in a while, they are able to withstand it and control themselves.

Now that we have identified who we are talking about, it is only logical to discuss further into the truth behind the origins of LGBTs and how then, we should handle our interactions with people, friends and family, who may be a part of the LGBT community. However, our session did not manage to go deeper into a debate regarding the truth (for the sake of just bringing up and familiarizing ourselves with the issue at hand - I should be uploading an installment to this debate in the near future) but I suppose the stand of Christians is clear: Homosexuality, sola scriptura, is a sin; and hence it is a lifestyle Christians will choose not to condone. That being said, just because Christians do not accept the lifestyle of LGBTs, it does not mean we aren't able to befriend them and love them just like any other individual. Allow me to illustrate:

"Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." - John 8:7

This verse tells us that we are all sinners. As sinners ourselves, what right do we have to condemn another sinner? Who are we to say that the sin of homosexuality is more sinful than the sin of lying or the sin of adultery? To God, all sin is the same and it is a violation of his commandment. It is only by the redeeming grace of Christ that we are able to live a new life and free ourselves from the bondage of sin.

"Then neither do I condemn you... Go now and leave your life of sin." - John 8:11

Jesus was forgiving and refused to condemn the woman of her adultery in John 8. He did, however, ask her to repent from her sinful life so that she may experience life free from sin. Likewise, as sinners ourselves, we have no right to condemn those in the LGBT community but instead, we should help them (and ourselves at the same time) to leave their life of sin. We can only do this by first loving them and gaining their trust; by being a friend or a fellow brother/sister to them so that they may come to know the love of Christ and hopefully, see things from a different perspective.

With regards to how we should handle personal relations with others who may be part of the LGBT community, one of our elders gave an insightful response: We could first ask them if they would like to have just one conversation about the topic; and then we'd share the Christian stand on the issue. After which, it is up to them if they'd like to bring the discussion further to the next stage. Another response that would really show our sincerity to them could be:

Friend: I'm a gay/lesbian... Are you homophobic?

You: Like you, I too am a sinner, no less worthy of condemnation than you. 

Friend: (Remains surprised)

You: Let us journey with God together to overcome our struggles.

Yes, it is indeed powerful and I honestly think it's a response that would throw your LGBT friends/family off - it will leave them confused at your lack of condemnation for them but yet touched by your sincerity and love.

Allow me to share something that I found on Facebook awhile back:

I went to church with my family tonight and the pastor said something that I think every Christian should hear.

Pastor: Now, according to a few passages in the bible, homosexuality is a sin.

Couple of older males in the audience: Amen!

Pastor: Now, wait, I'm not finished. You know what the bible defines as a sin? Divorce.

-uncomfortable silence-

Pastor: There are countless passages that talk about how divorce is wrong, and that there are consequences to getting a divorce, such as the wife should be stoned. Yet, I witnessed a divorce just this morning. And I gotta tell you, it was heartbreaking, but i definitely didn't attempt to throw rocks at the wife, even though she was the one who filed for divorce.

Pastor: We choose to overlook the consequences of divorce because time has proven that they're inhumane and cruel. The bible doesn't say anything about the consequences of a homosexual lifestyle. Yet, we seem to be spearheading a campaign to ruin the lives of people we don't even know.

Pastor: The bible states to love thy neighbour. That's it. There are no other rules or restrictions according to that passage. So, we as a church family have to support equality with a smile on our face. THAT is the true Christian way.

I suppose the text speaks for itself but in essence, we as Christians should aim to love and accept the LGBT community but at the same time, not to compromise on our stand towards homosexuality. In a still conservative country such as Singapore, there is a need to maintain status quo so that there is still social cohesion - we cannot allow the argument of two different perspectives polarize our society. Alastair Su, a fellow church member, eloquently and masterfully writes about this issue in his blog ("Please Don't Bring the Cultural Wars to Singapore": http://lemoulard.wordpress.com/)

Lastly, I'd like to highlight the differences between a cause and a calling. I believe that a cause is something that we fight for to achieve it - be it a particular goal or outcome that we want to see whereas a calling is something that we are called to do (in this case, called by God). I do not see the LGBT discussion as something that should be our cause. Instead, we are called by our Lord to love our neighbour and hence, let us show the LGBT community and the rest of the world that as Christians, we mean not to discriminate against them but rather to love them and befriend them - that their lifestyles do not lessen the care and concern we have for them as fellow human beings. That, albeit an ideal, is what I truly believe in.

Hopefully I will find some time next week to learn more about the debates surrounding the LGBT discussion, for instance, the origins of homosexuality and what respective authorities have to say about that. Till then, I pray that you will learn to accept others and to truly love them as Christ would have done. I wish you a good weekend and a great week ahead! Take care and give thanks to the Lord.

God Bless.

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance in what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1

Matt

"Security in Christ" - On Reading Matthew 4

Hello!

If you are reading this, thank you for supporting me with your readership. I do apologise for any waiting, now and in the future, as I'd usually publish a blog after I've had time to collect my thoughts and organise them. This is the second installation of my new blog series and I do hope you'd enjoy reading it:

On reading Matthew 4...

This passage could not have been more apt as God's response to my current situation. The girl whom I have been romantically involved with recently made the decision for us to remain 'best friends'. Devastated at the thought of losing her, I broke down frequently and lost what hope I had for the future. The last week has been trying - raging emotions of fear, sadness and anguish flooded my head; crippling insecurities started to take over. This passage, however, tells me to be secure in Christ alone and challenged my understanding of the faith.

Matthew 4, "The Temptation of Jesus", eloquently brings out messages that speak of security in Christ:

Firstly, the devil questioned Jesus' identity as the Son of God by challenging him to turn stone in to bread, knowing that Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and 40 nights and would be likely to give in. Jesus simply refused, claiming that one does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. This temptation is particularly perplexing... think about it, even if Jesus were to give in and turn the stone into bread and then ate it, what sin would he have really committed? I find that this instance was not really a test of physical temptation but rather one of maintaining his identity as the Son of God. Here, the bible tells us to know who we are - without doubt, that we are all children of God.

Next, Jesus was challenged yet again, this time to intentionally put himself in harm's way so that God may save him with his angels. The devil even used the word of God against Him. Now, Jesus was not deterred but calmly responded that he will not put his Lord to the test. Many of us tend to put God to the test - by choosing to believe in Him only if He performs the miracles that we pray for ever so fervently. This is not only a sign of weakness in our faith; it is an insult to God himself. Have we such little faith that we need to rely on his miracles rather than his word? Here, the bible tells us that as believers, we must have absolute faith in our Lord, and to never waver in our belief nor doubt the Lord even for a moment.

Lastly, the devil tempted Jesus with the splendors of all kingdoms. Unfazed, however, Jesus refused to worship the devil and proclaimed his worship for God and God only. Such a declaration was bold indeed; yet speaks volumes of Jesus' enduring dedication and love for God. We should keep in mind that it is easy for us, especially in the human world, to hold in importance material things and/or people, sometimes even to the point of making them our idols. Matthew 6:24 says: "No one can serve two masters" and thus, we can only choose to make God our idol and nothing else. In short, we must and should be prepared to give up everything for the Lord. Of course, this is easier said than done but the truth is, unless we learn to love God and be willing to give our lives up for Him, we cannot know how to love anything or anyone else.

In short, the story of Jesus' Temptation highlights these key points: identify ourselves as God's children; have absolute faith in Him; and love nothing more than God: worship Him and Him only.

For me, personally, it's going to be a tough journey of waiting ahead, given that I have yet to learn to have full security in Christ. It is sometimes challenging to put everything we have and want into the hands of someone we cant see or experience at times. However, I have faith that God will grant me the strength to pull through - because He's kind and He loves us. When you least expect it, God comes through for us, so have complete trust in Him and know that you are loved by Him. Hence, worship the Lord and nothing else because He is our Lord and Saviour :)

Once again, I thank you for reading my post and feel free to leave your thoughts or comments that you may have for me. I pray that you'll find security in Christ more than ever before in your walk with God and I implore you to search your heart and find out where you truly put your security in. I'll be spending some time brainstorming for content for my next installment so if you've any suggestions, just let me know :) 

God Bless.

"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Jesus Christ" - Philippians 4:19

Matt

New Life: A Life Worth Living; A Life in Jesus Christ

Hello!

And welcome to my special sharing place! For those of you who may not know, I had this blog made 2 years ago but I eventually could not keep up with the posts (unsurprisingly) and I suppose this blog died awhile back. But I'm now back and ready to write again!

I have the intention now to give new life to this blog by removing all my old posts (there weren't many of them, 7 to be exact) but more importantly, I am committing this blog to sharing my thoughts and experience on mainly spiritual and social issues. To some extent, you could consider this as 'spiritual food'. Yes, I'm intending for people to read my content, perhaps to gain insights to various issues and life questions, but also for them to become spiritually rejuvenated after doing so. Here's a little about myself and my purpose:

About Me:

I'm a Christian, evangelistic and relatively new - I came to Christ only about 5 months ago. I won't go into the fine details about how I came to be a Christian - at least not for now (Let's save that for another juicy post, shall we?) At the moment, I am currently in my first year of National Service and serving as a finance clerk. That's probably the reason why I have more free time relative to my combat-fit buddies. As such, I have time be out of camp and serve in my Church Ministry.

Before I move on, however, I'd have to thank a special friend of mine, Charlene. Without her and her gracious and warm invitations to join her church, I would never have come to know the Lord and be part of such a wonderful community so here's to you Charlene: Thank you for loving me like a true friend. 

I'll share more about myself in the future but for now, I guess you could just know me as Matt (since most of my friends call me that). Oh and yes, I tend to get really punny depending on the occasion - by the way, anyone got the pun in my blog's title? Heh..

My Purpose:

Like every good piece of work, there should be a meaningful and fulfilling purpose to it. For me, that's essentially to share with my readers not only my opinions, but the opinions of others in the online community and of course, what scripture says, towards many things: social issues, spiritual questions, healthy and meaningful relationships and so on.

I want to share with people the joy of being able to have new life - A life that is truly worth living and that is a life in Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. For Christians, you might understand what I mean when i refer to this new life: confessing and overcoming sin, gaining the forgiveness from the Father and people around you, sharing the good news of the gospel to others, enjoying fellowship, praying for one another and facing trials and difficulty together. Yes, these are indeed moments when we are blessed to have a life in Jesus. For those of you who have yet to know the Lord(Yes, I intentionally said 'yet' because I truly believe that you will one day come to know the extent of God's love for you and accept it :D), it's completely fine if you may not understand what I'm saying or have yet to experience God working in your life. It takes time. But what I aim to do here is to simply provide some comfort and motivation to everyone, perhaps even some answers to what some people are interested in finding out.

As a relatively young Christian, I'd say that there are definitely infinitely many things that I have yet to learn and experience but I really want to provide some hope and happiness to people out there who are spiritually or emotionally discouraged. If you're concerned about how I'm going to share on the things I mentioned, I'd say I give responses from multiple sources: my own opinions, what the online community says (perhaps expert advice and research) and most importantly, what the Bible tells us (so as to provide a Christian perspective for our spiritual enlightenment).

Last Words...

For now, I shall take time to pray and prepare what I'd like to start off this blog with. At the same time, I pray for each one of you that the Lord will keep you safe and continue to work in your lives. If you have any questions or topics that you'd like me to talk about, feel free to drop me a private message on Facebook (Link's on the left column of my blog) or simply comment on one of my posts (If you wish to stay anonymous). If you've read to the end of this post, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your patience and perusal - it means a lot to me that someone enjoys what I write or maybe even benefit from it. Lastly, to you reading this, I hope you'll have a great week ahead of you! See you soon and God Bless.

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" - Philippians 1:21

Matt