Carolers @ Work

The Christmas week had kept our young carolers busy singing for two consecutive nights before performing again on Sunday! Now that it is over, here are some pictures of where they sang for their supper! We really appreciate their contributions!

Hark the Herald Angels Sing!

The caroling has started for 2011! Our first stop at Sam and Madelyn's new home. We like to thank the couple for opening their homes for a home blessing as well as to celebrate their 10th Wedding Anniversary. We rejoice with them and the family!

The Lord Has Come!

It's the time of the year when we remember our Lord's coming. This year our main event will be on Dec 25 (Sunday) @ 10.30 am. We have invited Mr. Jason Fong from SU to share the message. In addition we have our own in-house performances and food to feed our physical bodies! All are welcome to rejoice with us and commemorate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed it is "Joy to the World"

This year we have our caroling team going to a few houses that have opened up in Shah Alam and USJ2. If you are interested to attend just contact us for the details.

Wishing everyone a Blessed Christmas!
Pr Ben

Congratulations!

The church would like to congratulate our brother Foo Seong on his completion of the Master of Ministry programme from MBS. We rejoice together with him at the recent graduation dinner in Taman Maluri, Kepong. He is great example of someone who believes in life-long education. May the Lord bless him with greater wisdom and knowledge for His glory!

Life Questions

In an interview with the renowned evangelist, Rev. Billy Graham, by Parade magazine, he was asked some questions about the meaning of his life. I find these questions are worth asking ourselves especially if we are to live a life of significance and one that matters. Look at the answers given.

Q1. If you had your life to live over, what would you do differently?
BG: "Three things: I'd study more, travel less and spend more time with my family."

Q2. How do you want to be remembered?
BG: "I want to be remembered as one who practiced what I preach."

If you were interviewed, what would your answer be like? Try it. It may well determine how you would want to live your life from today.

Ps. Ben

Distant Voices

We have heard about them and sometimes even see them. But have you heard their voices and dreams? I am talking about the refugee children in our country? Like our children they too have dreams which are legitimate except their future seems more bleak. Over the past year I have had the privilege of meeting and helping some of them. A few have gone on to third countries and hopefully their dreams will be realised and God will be glorified.
 
Here is a radio interview from BFM where you can hear their voices.

Logos Hope is Here

The largest floating library ship in the world is here in Malaysia! Now it is docked at Port Klang till Oct 23rd. If you visit the ship during the weekends you will face a long queue! But if you are privileged in joining one of the guided tours then it's express all the way. Here are some pictures of what to expect.

Six Months to Live

I read a reflection by a Christian brother on the question of “If you only had six months to live, how would you spend your time?” This may just be a hypothetical question where one may find no conclusive answers. But one’s answer may well reflect what is of great importance and value to one’s life. The real truth of the matter is that we do not know how long we will live. We can desire to live long and happy lives but even this is not in our control. The only thing for certain is that there is a time limit that only God knows.

This brother remembers sharing with a dear sister this question before they bade farewell. She took this question to heart. Two or three months later, after this conversation, the doctor actually told her that she had six months to live! The morning before she went home to glory, she called this brother and talked with him one last time, to enjoy a moment of fellowship on earth. This brother then realized the preciousness and significance of not just six months but each day of life given.

What would you do, if you had six months to live? Who will you spend your time with? Where will you spend it? What will you do during that time? This is not a death wish. But if one dares to ask honestly it would help us to clarify our calling from God and the purpose of our life – why we were born and why we were given life.

David the psalmist had this to say, “Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.” (Ps. 39:4 - NIV)

Our 'life's end' may just be six months or more. But may our reflection help us sharpen our life focus so that it is lived out with greater urgency and purposefulness with each day that is given.  

Pr. Ben

Something New

There have been some changes made to this Blog. I hope you notice the changes and use it to inspire and learn. You are most free to comment if the changes help you in any way!

Pengkalan Hulu Report

During our short time at the Lutheran Church, PH, we ministered to at least five groups of people, ranging from the adults to children. Here are some pictures that show the various activities and people involved. May the bring glory to His Name through it all. We like to express our thanks to Rev. Loh and Rev. Eddy for their assistance in facilitating this visit.

 

 

First Mission Trip

This weekend (June 3-5) the Church will be going to Pengkalan Hulu for our first local mission trip. Instead of having our usual annual retreat, we decided to go out this year and help out a local congregation there. It's not all work only as there is a time to visit Betong across the border. We hope that this visit will inspire us to visit other places and give us all a real passion for missions. Let's pray that the Lord will enable us to glorify Him with our words and actions during our entire trip. May the name of the Lord be praised!

Can the Dead Rise Again?

In recent news there was a man who was pronounced dead by doctors was "resurrected" to life. But he remained in coma and eventually died. He experienced what is called the "Lazarus effect". Another story is of a spiritual leader from India who could perform miracles and worshiped by his followers including the rich and powerful. He became ill and on Resurrection Sunday passed away. Some expect him to return in a future reincarnation just as he believed he was a reincarnation of another holy man. None of these men will rise again to tell us their stories. Sin has condemned us all to death.

But can the dead rise again? Yes! Jesus proved it by resurrecting from the dead and showed proof to His disciples. The one who is the Resurrection and the Life has now promised to all who believe in Him that death need not be the end. There is life eternal awaiting us all who put their hope in Jesus Christ.

Christ is risen and Christ will come again!

Pr. Ben

What Would Jesus Drive?

On Palm Sunday, our guest speaker made a comparison about Jesus riding on a young donkey into Jerusalem to be like driving in a Kancil car instead of something more grand or luxurious befitting His status as King. This set me thinking of a question: "What then would Jesus drive if He was living today in Malaysia?" Will it be a Mywi or Saga versus a BMW or Ferrari? Your answer could very well be affected about your understanding of Jesus and your theological persuasion. So what do you think?

Travel the World

I read today of a couple who has been traveling the world for the past 11 years! The Zapp family started their travels in 2000 in their 83 year old car, driving at a maximum speed of 40 mph. They have so far covered four continents and 142,000 miles. Along the way they also became parents to three children, who have followed their parents and getting a world life education. The family is currently traveling around South-East Asia.

Obviously this is not a normal family! What do you think? If you had such an opportunity would you follow their example? Maybe you should try taking your family on a much shorter trip to see if you can survive!

Easter Weekend

We are just about two weeks before the Easter weekend. What have we got planned for this year's celebration? For starters we will be having our Easter Dinner on Apr 23 (Sat) at the Church starting from 7.00 pm. We will start off the evening with some good food and followed later with joyous singing, testimonies and then hear the Easter message of hope. This year's guest speaker is Rev. Fred David, an experience Anglican pastor who has served for many years in Sabah with a wealth of both local and overseas experience as a pastor and teacher. He currently pastors two churches in the Klang Valley. The service will be bilingual (English with translation to Mandarin) This meeting is open to everyone interested. So come with your friends to hear the powerful message of the resurrection hope and get inspired.

On Sunday (Apr 24), we will have our regular Easter Service to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The guest speaker is Rev. Eddy Ho. Service starts as usual at 10.30 am.

May this year's Easter be a time of renewal and reawakening of our souls!

Pr. Ben

Batteries Not Sufficient

I had some problems with the car this week. Right in front of a friend's house, the car 'cried out' and refused to be pacified until the battery was disconnected! In a way I am thankful that this did not take place in some unknown place or right in the middle of traffic! The cause of the problem was the alternator. It was not doing its work to charge up the batteries. There was just not enough power for the car to function fully as it should. Also I had not noticed the symptoms over the last few days. I thought with a new set of battery I would not have any problems. But I was wrong!

Isn't this true sometimes in our life when we ignore the signs that show our lack? We live our lives as if we are on our own. The truth is that we are designed not to operate on our own. We need fellowship with God more than we realise. To live our lives independent of Him would be like the car that only operates on its own batteries. Be careful and watch out for the symptoms of living such a life. The 'I' problem can be fatal. It is no wonder then that we are commanded by Scripture to be filled with the Spirit of God. Not just once but be continually filled. Only He can give us life.

Pr. Ben

It's Only Words

There's an old Bee Gees song that has these lyrics: "It's only words, and words are all I have to take your heart away" Can words have a way to move people, even their hearts? Most certainly! Just take a look at all the songs that people listen to. One must be careful of one's words, even casual remarks. Once it leaves our lips, it cannot be taken back no matter how we offer a thousand apologies and regrets. The Bible tells us to "Let our conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know to answer everyone." (Col. 4:6)

I was reminded recently of how one's words can affect a person's decision in the future. I had once made some remarks on being 'unequally yoked' in our relationships. It was just a casual conversation. Words that I have now virtually forgotten. But more than three years later these words were remembered by someone who had faced an important decision in her life. Wow! God can use our ordinary conversations to affect lives! I wonder how many more such words that I have said that may have affected other lives? Yes, I am fully conscious also of the times when I had said things that I did not really mean to say. Worse still the unconscious ones.

My wish and prayer is that my speech may be full of grace and flavour. Not filled with loose and empty words that will do more damage than good especially for eternity. May this be true in your life too as you celebrate this New Year with your family and friends.

Pr. Ben

Welcome to 2011

We are into the New Year. What the year 2011 is going to be like, only God knows. I started the year by talking about the new heaven and earth and what a beautiful and wondrous place it is, waiting for the people of God (as described for us in Rev. 21-22). I had also mentioned the kind of people that will be there and those that will not. The people found in the new heaven are those who thirst for God and those that overcome. They will be satisfied and rewarded. But the list of those who did not make it was a whole lot longer. There is a book of life (Rev. 20:15) in heaven that contains the names of those redeemed by the Lamb, which will certainly include the thirsty and the overcomers.

There are two things I would like to see more in my life for the coming year, that is to have a thirst and hunger for God and to be an overcomer in relation to sin and trials in life. What does it mean to thirst for God? The psalmist likens his spiritual thirst for God to that of a deer panting for 'streams of water' (Ps. 42:1-2). In his season of dryness, he longs to meet with the living God to satisfy him, as he remembers during a time of joyous celebration and worship in God's house. Jesus says in the Beatitudes: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matt. 5:6) To thirst and hunger for God and His righteousness is to have a desire for a relationship of obedience and trust with God. The water of life is freely given by God (Rev. 21:6; Isa. 55:1) There is blessing and happiness when our spiritual needs are met. We feel satisfied and contented. Are you feeling dry in your soul? Do you thirst for God to satisfy you? There's a hymn that says, "Fill me till I want no more" May this be your prayer as it is mine.

The seven churches in Revelation (ch.2-3) faced great trials and persecution. One had lost their first love. Another was neither hot nor cold. There were many threats within and without that endangered their existence. Yet Jesus challenged them to overcome and be a conqueror. How did they conquer? By the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony (Rev. 12:11) Ironically whilst the enemy wants to conquer them by taking their lives, they overcame by giving away theirs! All this is not in vain. To each of the church were given a promise of reward if they overcome their trials (2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:26; 3:5; 3:12; 3:21). There is a price and cost to pay to be victorious. It can come in many forms and varying degrees including being threatened, marginalised, imprisoned, loss of job or business and to some even death. This is certainly not for the fainthearted and cowardly. It is no wonder that Jesus warns us to count the cost before following Him and to take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23). Is there anything that will keep us from the love of God? No! For we are more than conquerors in Christ! (Rom. 8:37-39)

May this year be one that finds your thirst for God satisfied and your life lived victoriously, not ashamed of the gospel of the Lord Jesus.

Blessings for the New Year.
Pr. Ben