Short Term Mission From Hong Kong

On Saturday our Church's Mandarin and English congregations hosted a home-cooked dinner for a group of fellow Christians from Hong Kong who are here for a short term mission. They came here through the connection of Pastor Ben Wong from Shepherd Community Church, Hong Kong. This group of 11 young students led by Pastor Edwin and Pastor Michael Lau. They are from four different churches in Hong Kong who gathered purposely to come here to visit long house near Sri Aman area, about 200 Km from Kuching city. During the week, they have already visited the long houses and spent a night at a long house.

We thank God for their visit because they also blessed our church with their testimonies. On Saturday evening after worship, a few of their members share the testimonies of their visit here. We are very encouraged to see these young people pouring their love for strangers because they have God's love in them. The main theme of all their testimonies was love for our neighbors.

On Sunday morning, a few more members shared in all three congregations, Mandarin, English, and Bahasa (Malay). Again our members were touched by their stories.

Pastor Michael Lau followed with s sermon on hospitality referring to Luke 14: 16-24.

Our brothers and sisters from Hong kong will be going back on Tuesday.

In Memory of John Stott

John Stott a great Servant of our Lord has just gone to the Lord. Christianity Today called him an Architect of 20th Century Evangelism. You can read a detail account of his life and work by Christianity Today by clicking the title of this post.

Good-bye to Uncle John.

Breivik Claimed He Is A Christian

The question is whether terrorist Anders Behring Breivik is a Christian as he claimed to be one. This question is of concern to all true Christians because the press has been calling him a "Christian Terrorist", and as such has negative implications on all Christians. People are associating his actions and motives with the Christian beliefs and this will give Christianity a bad name.

In his 1,500 pages manifesto he said about being a Christian “If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and God then you are a religious Christian. Myself and many more like me do not necessarily have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and God. We do however believe in Christianity as a cultural, social, identity and moral platform. This makes us Christian.”

From his own admission, you can discern that he is just a nominal Christian or a cultural Christian. The teaching in the Bible commands us to have a personal relationship with God, like each individual can communicate with God and follow His commands and instructions. But Breivik said he does not have such relationship with God.

There are four Biblical means to confirm one's claim to be a Christian:

1. Do I believe the gospel?

2. Am I a member of a doctrinally sound local church where this gospel is preached and members strive to confirm only professions of faith that are credible?

3. Do I submit to church discipline, lovingly, graciously, and faithfully administered?

4. Am I making continual progress toward inward godliness, fueled by the indwelling Holy Spirit, not legalism?

From the news that have been reported about Breivik's actions and claims, he does not seem to comply with any of the four "standards".

This question of whether one is a Christian is a lesson to all of us. We have to examine ourselves and take sock of whether we are really Christians and true disciples of Jesus.

To read an article of this subject click on the title of this post.

Norway Turning to God

Again, the world is numbed by the evil killing of about 92 innocent lives in Norway recently. One resident said it reminded him of 9/11 in the US. It is real sad that so many innocent people died needlessly in the hand of just one person. This murderer even called himself a fundamental Christian.

Why such evil exist we do not know. Many will ask why God does not prevent such evil from happening. It appears that this is a very old question that has been asked whenever evil events happened. No one has the answer.

Like the story of Job in the Bible. Job suffered so much he lost everything, yet he did not curse God as he was instructed by his wife. Instead he stayed close to God. We do not know why evil is allowed to exist, but one thing for sure, we know God is with His people.

"Even though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me,"(Psalm 23:4)

People of Norway are nominal Christians and in this time of needs people are turning to God as many are attending churches. The churches there are also opened in shifts to cater to the spiritual needs of this wounded people.

As long as we live in this world, we are going to face evil of one kind of another. However, we can be comforted to know that our loving God will always be with us no matter what evil is being imposed on people.

God said "I will never leave you nor forsake you". Hebrews 13:5

To read an article of the tragedy in Norway click on the title of this post.

Internet The Greatest Threat To Christianity

Apologist Josh McDowell said the internet is the greatest threat to Christianity. What meant to be a great tool, may become a great threat to not only Christians but the morality of people all over the world. Nowadays, many people even in the third world has access to the internet. He said the internet has given non believing people and ideas access to our children who are vulnerable to negative influences.

"The Internet is weakening Christian witness and “we better wake up to it because it’s just beginning.” McDowell added that his greatest asset, value-wise, used to be his time until a year and a half ago. “My greatest asset now is my focus. There is so much out there just one click away, what am I going to focus on?”

McDowell, who considered himself an agnostic before accepting Christ, warned that the sexual immorality through the Internet was “marginalizing the maturity of the witness of Christ…all over the world.” It’s an “invasive, intruding immorality… that is all just one click away.” He said the majority of questions young people ask him are about sex, mainly “oral sex.”

Just the other day I was watching Oprah Winfrey show and the topic of discussion was how pedophiles used the internet social network sites to befriend young children. Although the show was taped in 2008, I believe the problem is now more extensive than before.

This news is a warning message to us here and if we want our children to be brought up as Christians we have to instil in our children God's Words and His commands. I believe it is not too late because God has promised His people He will not leave nor forsake us if we are willing to follow Him.

To read the full article click on the title of this page.

How To Empower Your Future

On Sunday, our church had the privilege of Dr.Paul Ang from SIB, KL to speak to our combined congregation (Englist, Madarin and Bahasa). Dr.Ang has spoken at our church last year when we went through a season of difficulties.

His sermon is as above. Basically he asked how we see our future. It is in God's hands or in our hands? He referred to Deu 30:15 - 20 the Israelites were instructed to follow God otherwise they will be destroyed. Dr.Ang shared a story of a young man asking a wise man what will happen to a butterfly he holds in his hand if he releases it. This young man thought he got this wise old man, because if he says it will live, the young man will squeeze it to death, if he says
it will die, he will release it unharm. But the wise man answered, it depends on you, what you will do to this butterfly. Our live is in God's hand as well as in our hands.

Dr.Ang shared 4 points where we can empower our future:

1. Need to release your past

We cannot do anything about our past, it is like a cancelled cheque. Do not waste time living in the past but move on.

2. Maximize your presence

What do you have now? In the story of Naomi in Ruth chapter 1, she got Ruth although her husband and sons died. Is there something God has given us that we can use? Count your blessings, and do not complaint. If you have a Proton car (cheaper car) do not crave for a BMW ( expensive ) because you will cry when you have to pay for servicing it!

3. Trust God for your future

You life is in whose hands ? It is God as well as your hands. If you evil man can give good gifts to your children, how much more our heavenly Father will give us his children. Trust the Lord for your future. He is the author and finisher.

4. Dream your dreams

What do you see yourself when you are 85 years old ? Old and waiting to die? Dr. Ang shared when he was about 10 years old he dreamed of seeing snow and autumn scenery. God answered when he had the chance to visit Scotland during winter. He saw autumn scenery when he was on his way from Washingston state, US traveling to Vancouver on a preaching assignment. This story may not seem dramatic, but you must realize that Dr.Ang had never been oversea before.

Dr.Ang advice :

A) Be young, energetic, and strong
B) Hopeful and purposeful
C) Helpful and stay focus
D) Dreams maximize your threshold
E) Maximize faith muscle for the impossible

His message is encouraging to the individual as well as our congregations.

Glory to God for Dr. Ang's message.

You can read his website from the blog and link on the left hand side bar.

The Marriage Course

Yesterday evening, 17th July 2011, our church FBC started the fourth session of The Marriage Course (TMC). Bro. Howe Tung & Sis. Chuei Lian have graciously opened their home to enable this course to be ran. They are leading this course together with Bro.Arthur, Sis.Ah Moi, Bro.Chin Luke, Sis. Stella,Bro.Chew, Sis Leena, Bro Malcolm & Sis.Irene with helpers from Hope church. Bro. Chai Say, lend his musical equipments as well as helping to set up them up.

There were 17 couples attending. Although more would like to join but due to space constraint only 17 couples can be accommodated. It was encouraging to see quite a number of young couples attending (in the 30s ). Participants were from FBC, Hope church, and Trinity Methodist Church.

We have a senior couple who have been married for 31 years attending this course. Praise God that despite the years they have been married they decided to attend !

Glory to God, that the first session went well.