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.”