The Word 20/05/07: 300

We need to know our calling. Just see the soldier in the movie "300". These man knew their calling... To fight. To be soldiers! They are not ordinary soldiers... they are Spartans! Trained since the age of 7, the men set their mind and soul to fight for their country. Xerxes brought 2 million soldiers when he invaded the land. With just 300 elite man and 700 volunteers, it was impossible for the Spartan army to defeat them. Still they KNEW their calling... to defend Sparta! In the few days that they fight, they killed apprx. 20,000 of Xerxes soldiers. When they died, they have fulfilled their calling.

There is "300" story in the Bible too! 300 Israelites soldiers against the Midian army as vast as the sand in the seashore! With just torches on their left hand, trumpets on their right and a shout of victory in their mouth, the LORD delivered them. To the glory of HIS name! (Judges 6-7)

We are God's elite soldiers. We need to know our calling. Our general calling is to declare His name. Specifically? Not everyone is called to be a pastor. Not everyone is to be a businessman. Nothing against that. But some are called to be doctors. Some to be photographers. Some teachers. Some house wives. Still others as environmentalists. Scientists. Blacksmiths. Bankers. Politicians. And the list goes on :)


1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, SO THAT YOU MAY DECLARE the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

News 18/05/07: The podBible

Yo, friends! Do you know that you can now have your Bible in your iPod? Yes! Your Bible in your iPod! If you have iPod nano or iPod video, simply go to www.podbible.org. This site provides you with The New Testament of The English Standard Version of the Bible. Created by Brendan Ross with the permission and generosity of Good News Publishers, this free download has received several thousand requests in the first month of its release! If you don’t have a Nano or Video, don’t worry – podBible will work on just about every iPod that has a screen (it may just look a little funny). You may upload the Bible to your iPod through either Mac or Windows computer.

Testimony 14/02/07: I Am Adopted!

Will he grow up to be a good man of God? Will he be a blessing the community? Will he live a long life? Work in a high position? Be an inspiration? Or will he be a rebel? A nobody that no one notices? Or will he die young? In short… is it worth sponsoring this child?*

Those are some of the questions I ask when I consider sponsoring a child. And no one has the answer for sure. Even though I see his photos and read his background, nothing could guarantee me that sponsoring this child is worth doing.

When we have our own kids, we would love them no matter what. They are our own flesh and blood. Even if they are disabled, if they rebel, we would love them anyway. But with a sponsor child, we could choose not to love them. And with that choice, it is hard to decide whether to sponsor a child or not, because no one could guarantee me anything. If it is so hard deciding whether to sponsor or not, all the more deciding whether to adopt a child or not!

And I think the same applies to God. He has a choice to love us… or not. God already knows that we are sinners by nature. He knew our sins, even the ones we have not yet committed. He even knows the exact time and places where they will take place! Yet 2000 years ago, while we were still sinners, He died for us. And He didn’t just sponsor us, but he adopts us to become His sons and daughters! We all know full well what God’s choice is… He chooses to love us anyway. What a sacrifice!

“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:7-8

***

It was a tough decision. But I’ve made my stand. I have chosen to sponsor a boy. And guess what? Once I decided to take this child in, a rush of love for him overflows my heart. What a joy to give!



* Child sponsoring is one of World Vision program, a Christian humanitarian organisation, to help battle poverty and injustice. If you want to find out more about the program, please visit www.worldvision.com

Testimony 26/03/07: Not With Gold or Silver

One of my turtles went into a fight and came out with a broken jaw. She got a few shots of antibiotics due to the degree of her injuries, yet still infections set in. She is currently unable to eat. So I buy an oral needle. My heart breaks whenever I force feed her… how she struggled… how she vomited what I had put into her tummy…

When I bought my turtle, the price was only IDR 3,000. That was over 10 years ago. She was very cute, barely over two centimeters long. Ten years on, she doesn’t look that cute anymore. But I love her still. I love her so much that I am willing to spend a considerable amount of time and money to get her fixed. But even after a month, she is not getting better. I am desperate. I thought to myself… how much more am I willing to spend for my turtle?

Many people just take it easy: get a new turtle! It’s so cheap! It’s so easy! To date, I’ve spent IDR 200,000 for vet and medications. That is almost 70 times the price when I got her! How much more will I be willing to spend?

It is the same when it comes to Jesus Christ. We are sinners. Unrighteous. Worthless. God could simply get rid of us and created new super humans… the ones that can’t sin. The ones that can’t break his heart. It’s so easy: just a Word away. Yet while we were still sinners, he died for us.

I have to think many times to spend that much money on my so-called “cheap” turtle. But how much is God willing to pay to redeem us? No… not with gold or silver. Not with precious stones or things that will perish. He redeemed us with the precious blood of Jesus! That is how much God is willing to spend for you and me! We’ll never truly know how much it cost to see our sins upon that cross. Oh, how precious we are in His sight!

“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:7-8

Testimony 23/03/07: He Was Blessed

“It hurts like hell!” my friend SMS me. Murdock just spent an extended amount time in the pool. And now his shoulders hurt. He thought he has caught a bad cold.

When I read his message, somehow it was as if I could feel the pain shot through his shoulders. I knew, then, I should pray. All I asked God was to help him to sleep and to heal him as he rest.

The next morning, I checked up on him. “It’s better,” he said, “ I am lucky I can sleep, the pain was almost unbearable.”

I smiled ear to ear…
I knew my prayers were answered…
I knew that he was not lucky…
I knew he was blessed…
I knew God has healed him…

***

This happened a week ago. Today, I found out that he actually took two medications and a painkiller to sooth the ache. He also regulated his breathing to help ease the pain. But nothing did the job. Yet God healed Him. I am simply amazed on how God works… He works in miraculous ways. Amen!

Testimony 23/03/07: I Have A Brand New Life!

I have a brand new life!

Yes, you heard me right. I do have a brand new life. I go to work five days a week. I have Chinese lessons and Dale Carnegie’s Fundamental Leadership Training after work. I join cell group consistently. I go to church every week. I even exercise at least twice a week!

Well… this may sound ordinary. But looking back, my life was very different then. A year ago, I was trapped with a persistent cough. I had difficulty breathing throughout the day and at night. Sometimes I coughed so hard my spine hurt. Taking a few rounds of antibiotics at one time was not uncommon for me. I spent my days laying down in bed… recovering. I had no energy to do almost anything. I went to different doctors. I also tried Chinese medications. Nothing worked. I was in despair.

It took me almost eight months to discover that I’ve got an allergic reaction. It made me hard to breath. Since then, I try to manage my allergy and things got better! So, doing what I am doing now was simply impossible just a year ago. Now I have lots of friends all around! And after all… life is beautiful! Praise God!

Testimony 13/02/07: A Letter for Linda

Hi Linda!

Can I share a little bit about myself? I've been wanting to go out in the wild since I was very young. At a tender age of 5, my dad introduced me to nature. And I fell in love with it. When I was about to go to Uni, my parents didn't allow me to enter Science. The reason being that I would not be able to earn a living out of it in Indonesia.

True enough. And so I entered business. But after I graduated, my heart still longs to be out there. Even after I came back from Australia, I still want to be out there. Now, long after I graduated, all the more I want to be out in the nature. It has been many years since I first have my dreams.

I don't know exactly what I would do if I am out there. I don't exactly know what sacrifices I have to make while out there. I don't know for sure what I will face! But I long to share the beauty of nature and conserve it. Sometimes I want to be like Steve Irwin. But more than that, I want to take photos of the beautiful nature and tell people that it is worth taking care of!

Linda, I don't know what I should do to fulfil my dream. Yes, I have taken steps toward it but I don't know when things will happen. If I have taken advantage of all the opportunities given to me. And if I have taken the right steps. Or if I can do more. Or if my dream will come true at all.

But one thing for sure. Our success is God's idea first, not ours. Our passion is His first, not ours. And so with our desires. He undestands all of them well. Success is not having a lot of money, having traveled the world, having many certificates... Success is doing the will of God. God puts dreams in our hearts for a reason. And "The LORD will fulfil the purpose He has for me. Your love, O LORD, endures forever." Psalm 138:8

Linda, you are not alone. We all have dreams. And we all want to see our dreams come to pass. And God takes pleasure in seeing our dreams fulfilled. And He will help you. For He is the One who puts them there.




With love

The Word 13/02/07: I Have A Destiny …Part 3

He was loved by his father. He was sold as a slave. He was jailed for injustice. He was forgotten by his friends. He was raised as a leader.

Do you remember who he is? He is Joseph, a man whose naivety had caused him to be sold as a slave. He worked at Potiphar’s house, serving just like any other slave would. But his quality soon made him the right hand of Potiphar himself.

Joseph was handsome. And many times, Potiphar’s wife asked him to go to bed with her. Joseph could have easily answered yes to Potiphar’s wife. And that would bring him promotion. Wealth. Comfort. Pleasure. And after all, Potiphar was not at home.

But Joseph refused to even be close to her. And even when Joseph had to go to jail because he declined her request, he didn’t regret it. What a man of integrity!

At a very tender age, Joseph received visions of what was to come: becoming a ruler of his people. He might have thought becoming a great leader was one glamorous road. But even when things didn’t work out the way he expected it to be, he still chose to do the right thing.

Why? Because he has a destiny. Can you imagine what would happen if Joseph had given in to lust? His story would have turned out much different than what we know now. But because of his integrity, he could say to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20)

What a destiny! The saving of many lives… the saving of a nation….

Testimony 12/02/07: What Would You Make Out Of Me?

Yesterday I met two new friends: Billy and Caleb. They are young missionaries from America who have been living in Thailand. The amazing thing about them is that they are ministering others through their hobby: soccer! I’ve never heard about such thing before! I thought soccer got nothing to do with Jesus. Not that it is sinful to play soccer, but because I cannot make any connection out of it.

Billy and Caleb travel South East Asia heavily. They look different from the locals and they talk different language too. May be they even walk differently! They have no friends when they first arrive in a certain country. But once they take out a ball, suddenly everything changes. Starting from playing soccer together, ultimately the locals want to become their friends. It is through the friendship that Billy and Caleb share their faith.

During the church service yesterday, Caleb shared with us, “All I told God were two things: I love Jesus… and I love soccer. What would you make out of me?” And now he travels the world, playing and teaching soccer, the game that unites the world. And he is sharing about Jesus through the game! He calls it soccer evangelism.

The person that can reach out to your generation is you! I learn that we can all serve God through our hobbies, not by just being a pastor or being busy at church.

If you like sports… tell Jesus
If you like languages… tell Jesus
If you like computer… tell Jesus
If you like nature… tell Jesus
If you like photography… tell Jesus

Tell Jesus: “I love You… and I love this hobby. What would you make out of me?”

The Word 05/02/07: I Have a Destiny …Part 2

Lazarus was dead. Mary’s beloved brother had passed away. We all know that Mary loved Lazarus. And now he lay there… Motionless. Lifeless. Earlier, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” But Jesus did not come and Lazarus died.

In those days, it was commonly believed that a person could be raised from the dead within three days. It was the fourth day now and Jesus had not come. Mary lost all hope. She washed her brother’s dead body. She covered him with grave clothes. She watched him being laid down behind that large stone… and she grieved.

We all know full well that in the end, Jesus came. And we all know that Lazarus was raised from the dead. We also know that, a few days later, the same Mary that buried his brother Lazarus came and “took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume. She poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (John 12:3)

But do you realise that Mary could have easily poured the perfume on Lazarus’ burial and not on Jesus’ feet? She loved Lazarus, her brother. And she must have been very disappointed with Jesus. Everyday she looked out of the window in expectations that Jesus would come to their cry for help. But Jesus did not show up upon request. She might have bitterness towards Jesus. Or resentment. Or anger. She must have a lot of questions. She might feel loss too. And in her pain, she could have easily lavished the perfume she has saved for her brother’s burial instead.

But she did not. Do you know why? Because she knows that she has a destiny. You too, can easily give up your best when you face your darkest moment. You can give up your virginity when you get disappointed with some man or woman. You can easily compromise your standard when disappointed. But please remember… you too, just like Mary, have a destiny. Don’t give up! You do have a destiny! And keep your best for Jesus!

John 12:7
Jesus replied “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.”

The Word 27/01/07: I Have a Destiny …Part 1

Remember Hagar? She is the maidservant of Sarai, Abram’s wife. When Hagar became pregnant with the boy Ishmael, she despised her barren mistress. In return, Sarai mistreated Hagar to the point that Hagar decided to run away.

Genesis 16:8-9
8(The angel of the Lord) said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.
9Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.”

Did you ever notice that God ignored Hagar’s objections? “I am running away from my mistress,” she complained. “She mistreats me!” she grumbled. “She abuses me!” she protested.

And what did God do? Did He agree with Hagar that Sarai was a bad person? No. Did He help Hagar to find a new place to stay? No. So what did God do? God gave her a command. “Go back,” He said, “and submit.”

God didn’t want Hagar to be paralysed by her pain. And the same with you, God doesn’t want you to stay with your hurts. He doesn’t want you to nurture your wounds. He doesn’t want you to live with the past. He wants you to move on. Why? Because, just like Hagar, there is a boy on the inside of you … there is a life… there is a great nation… there is a destiny.

Genesis 21:18
“Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

Testimony 07/01/07: My Million-Dollar Dog

“Would you sell Nino for $ 20,000?” my dad asked me. I don’t need much thinking to answer that. My answer is definitely no!

“What about $ 1,000,000?”

“NO!” I said once again.

Nino is a dog. She is 12 years old and I have had her since she was just two months old! We went through many adventures together. We explored the garden together, ran after the birds, swam after the fish and lay down on the grass under the tree. Her loyalty no one can doubt. She’s been there when I was happy and she’s been there when I was sad.

Well… Nino starts losing her hearing now. Her eyesight is getting worse by the day. For other people, Nino might be just an old dog whose beautiful black coat is turning grey. For me, she is my best friend. She is loved. And she is mine.

You might feel like a wretch. No body seems to like you. Nobody seems to appreciate what you do. Nothing you have could impress anyone.

But He watched over you when you were born. He was there when you took that first step. He was there when you were bullied by your school friends. He was there for your graduation. He was there on your wedding. He was there when you laughed and when you cried. Even if no one cares, you are dearly loved. You are His. And He is yours. Nothing could ever change that. And God is looking forward to have more and more adventures with you as you walk this earth.

***

I strolled towards Nino’s playpen this morning. She sat there expectantly. I looked into her eyes… the eyes that were once so bright but now clouded from aging. Still, I could see the glow from within them. There I told her, “You are my Million-Dollar Dog”.