Theme: Doing Biz/Things Christ Way
6th - NGC Family Camp @ Harvest Haven
13th - Lessons from the Rich Young Ruler @ Matt 19:16-22
20th - Lessons from Zacchaeus @ Lk 19:1-10
27th - The meaning of "Give Unto Caesar" @ Mark 12:17
Friday, May 21, 2010
Scriptures For Parents
John 16:21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
Psalm 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Proverbs 1:8-9 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Psalm 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Proverbs 1:8-9 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Courage: Stepping into something frightening
They will reply, "Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?" And he will answer, "I assure you , when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me." And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.
Matthew 25:44-46
All sorts of things get in the way of doing what we're called to do. Sometimes it's sloth; sometimes we simply get distracted. But often it's fear that stands in the way. And sometimes the only way to conquer fear is, as the commercial says, to "just do it."
In the early 1800s English prisons were pits of indecency and brutality. In the the women's division at Newgate Prison in London, for example, women awaiting trial for stealing apples were crammed into the same cell as women who had been convicted of murder or forgery (which was also a capital crime).
Eating, sleeping, and defecating all took place in the same confined area. Women begged or stole to get clothes, alcohol, and food. Many became despondent in such conditions and sat around in a drunken stupor, stark naked. Some even starved to death.
In short, it was no place for a lady, especially a seemingly delicate woman such as Elizabeth Fry.
Fry, the daughter of an English banker, married at age twenty into another wealthy family. Children came quickly, one on top of another, and eventually numbered eleven in all. Fry spent her days caring for her children and entertaining people of high society. Yet years earlier she had sensed a call to work on behalf of the downtrodden. While still a young bride and mother, she gave medicine and clothes to the homeless and helped establish a school for nurses. And at age thirty-three she found the courage to step inside London's Newgate Prison and begin visiting female prisoners. Friends and prison officials warned her about the risk of both the disease and the violence to which she was exposing herself, but she waved aside the warnings and kept visiting.
Soon visiting wasn't enough. She taught female prisoners basic hygiene, as well as sewing and quilting. She read the Bible to inmates and intervened for women on death row.
To nineteenth-century observers, Fry's efforts produced a miracle: Many of the reportedly wild and shifty inmates became, under her care, orderly, disciplined, and devout. Mayors and sheriffs from the surrounding regions (and later from other European countries) visited Newgate and began initiating reforms in their own jails and prisons.
Today Elizabeth Fry is remembered as a pioneer in prison reform. And yet the only thing that separated her from many others of her day was her willingness to step into a frightening environment to see what she could do.
—Mark Galli
Reflection
Am I not doing something that God is calling me to do mainly because I'm afraid?
Prayer
Lord, fill me with a sense of your presence and power so that I might do what you've called me to do, even when I'm afraid.
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."
—Mark Twain, American author
Matthew 25:44-46
All sorts of things get in the way of doing what we're called to do. Sometimes it's sloth; sometimes we simply get distracted. But often it's fear that stands in the way. And sometimes the only way to conquer fear is, as the commercial says, to "just do it."
In the early 1800s English prisons were pits of indecency and brutality. In the the women's division at Newgate Prison in London, for example, women awaiting trial for stealing apples were crammed into the same cell as women who had been convicted of murder or forgery (which was also a capital crime).
Eating, sleeping, and defecating all took place in the same confined area. Women begged or stole to get clothes, alcohol, and food. Many became despondent in such conditions and sat around in a drunken stupor, stark naked. Some even starved to death.
In short, it was no place for a lady, especially a seemingly delicate woman such as Elizabeth Fry.
Fry, the daughter of an English banker, married at age twenty into another wealthy family. Children came quickly, one on top of another, and eventually numbered eleven in all. Fry spent her days caring for her children and entertaining people of high society. Yet years earlier she had sensed a call to work on behalf of the downtrodden. While still a young bride and mother, she gave medicine and clothes to the homeless and helped establish a school for nurses. And at age thirty-three she found the courage to step inside London's Newgate Prison and begin visiting female prisoners. Friends and prison officials warned her about the risk of both the disease and the violence to which she was exposing herself, but she waved aside the warnings and kept visiting.
Soon visiting wasn't enough. She taught female prisoners basic hygiene, as well as sewing and quilting. She read the Bible to inmates and intervened for women on death row.
To nineteenth-century observers, Fry's efforts produced a miracle: Many of the reportedly wild and shifty inmates became, under her care, orderly, disciplined, and devout. Mayors and sheriffs from the surrounding regions (and later from other European countries) visited Newgate and began initiating reforms in their own jails and prisons.
Today Elizabeth Fry is remembered as a pioneer in prison reform. And yet the only thing that separated her from many others of her day was her willingness to step into a frightening environment to see what she could do.
—Mark Galli
Reflection
Am I not doing something that God is calling me to do mainly because I'm afraid?
Prayer
Lord, fill me with a sense of your presence and power so that I might do what you've called me to do, even when I'm afraid.
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."
—Mark Twain, American author
My Father's Business
Recently I received an email that proclaim the new arrival of what they call it "ALLURE of the Seas". See pix of the vessel named Oasis of the Seas and visit their website at http://www.oasisoftheseas.com/ if you want to find out more at their image gallery.
Allurement or attractiveness is also pertinent in our life. After all Jesus did promised an abundant life in John 10:10. However he did warn against greed, citing that a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions in Luke 12:15.
Do not get me wrong. I am not against the Oasis but rather wish to highlight that the abundant life Jesus says is one filled with meaning or purpose and fulfilment. If He choose to financially bless you that is an added bonus. But like someone did say we cannot insist or treat Him like the genie of Aladdin's lamp for He is not our servant but our Sovereign Almighty God. Context of Habakkuk 3:17-18
Our purpose and aim in life should be
1. INTIMACY with God
2. INTERCESSION and connection especially with believers at NGC
3. INFLUENCE with people far from God
Let us continue to build upon the foundation of this year theme DOING MY FATHER'S BUSINESS - Luke 2:49
The journey is just important as the destination.
And...its a lifelong commitment
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Kellie's Castle
Kellie's Castle (sometimes also called Kellie's Folly) is located near Batu Gajah, and is about 20 minutes' drive from Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. The unfinished, ruined mansion, was built by a Scottish planter named William Kellie Smith. According to differing accounts, it was either a gift for his wife or a home for his son.
Kellie's Castle is now a popular local tourist attraction and was used as a setting in the 1999 film Anna and the King
God willing, we shall visit this spot on our way to Harvest Haven, Gopeng for this year NGC Family Camp
Saturday, May 1, 2010
BEING FILLED – FOR THE FATHER’S BUSINESS
Napoleon once said, “The army marches on its stomach.” As Christians, we can fill ourselves with many needs but the Lord Jesus has this to say – “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work.” (John 4:34) For us, Paul encourages us – “to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19)
Very often, we have different and varied needs. Are those really needs? Doesn’t it say that is God cares for the sparrows and knows our needs and the very number of hairs on our heads which amounts to Him caring for us? Of prime importance to Jesus is to fulfill His Father’s will and that He did on the cross where He said, “It is finished!”
We can build ourselves up in the most holy faith if other distractions do not cloud our lives. It is no wonder why many children of God have lost their sense of being filled. Physically, we know what hunger is and we know where to find the most satisfying food for our tummies. It is hoped that as you read this, if you ever read, you are challenged to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God and to loyally do so whatever the cost.
May God’s blessings be on you as you finish reading this bit of healthy spiritual food!
Fred Tan
Very often, we have different and varied needs. Are those really needs? Doesn’t it say that is God cares for the sparrows and knows our needs and the very number of hairs on our heads which amounts to Him caring for us? Of prime importance to Jesus is to fulfill His Father’s will and that He did on the cross where He said, “It is finished!”
We can build ourselves up in the most holy faith if other distractions do not cloud our lives. It is no wonder why many children of God have lost their sense of being filled. Physically, we know what hunger is and we know where to find the most satisfying food for our tummies. It is hoped that as you read this, if you ever read, you are challenged to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God and to loyally do so whatever the cost.
May God’s blessings be on you as you finish reading this bit of healthy spiritual food!
Fred Tan
A MOTHER’S LOVE
A Mother's love is something
that no on can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendoured miracle man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand.
by Helen Steiner Rice
Fathers Are Wonderful People
Fathers are wonderful people
Too little understood,
And we do not sing their praises
As often as we should...
For, somehow, Father seems to be
The man who pays the bills,
While Mother binds up little hurts
And nurses all our ills...
And Father struggles daily
To live up to "his image"
As protector and provider
And "hero of the scrimmage"...
And perhaps that is the reason
We sometimes get the notion,
That Fathers are not subject
To the thing we call emotion,
But if you look inside Dad's heart,
Where no one else can see
You'll find he's sentimental
And as "soft" as he can be...
But he's so busy every day
In the grueling race of life,
He leaves the sentimental stuff
To his partner and his wife...
But Fathers are just wonderful
In a million different ways,
And they merit loving compliments
And accolades of praise,
For the only reason Dad aspires
To fortune and success Is to make the family proud of him
And to bring them happiness...
And like Our Heavenly Father,
He's a guardian and a guide,
Someone that we can count on
To be always on our side.
by Helen Steiner Rice
Keep Believing God!
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)
Are you praying yet nothing seems to be happening? Real faith knows God's promises and stands on them regardless.
Have you looked in the Scriptures? Have you found the promises that deal with your particular situation? Are you standing on them? When you pray do you conclude that if you don't feel something your prayers didn't work? If the circumstances don't change immediately, do you say, "I guess God isn't going to answer me?" Never speak words that contradict God. Satan can't read your mind, but he can hear your words!
For 20 years Abraham kept repeating God's promise. Now when you're childless and a hundred years old, telling people you're going to become the "father of nations" can raise a few eyebrows! Circumstances mocked him.
Reason defied him. Even his wife laughed. But he believed the God, "who calls those things which are not as though they are" (See Ro 4:17).
This is not mind-over-matter, or flaky theology, it's just doubting your doubts and believing the God who cannot lie!
When Jesus touched the blind man and asked him what he could see, he replied, "I see men as trees, walking" (Mk 8:23-25). Did the man give up? Did Jesus quit in discouragement? No. He laid hands on him again, and this time he was completely healed.
Keep going back to the source. Some answers come quickly and some slowly.
Your fixed position must be - keep believing God
Author Unknown
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