Developing a New Devotional Method

Right now i am working on my other blog for devotional. This work is for my personal devotional time but i post it as a blog for other to learn and probably gain some inspiration as well in their life. the blog is at this site

The Warrior Is A Child

I just received a wonderful story of how people are happy with things that happen in our small congregation. Few others came to me to say their appreciation for all the things that happens in their life.


However, this is the moment when i realize how vulnerable i am. That despite all the good things that happens in life i am still weak and afraid when trouble comes. The only reminder that i can always put is God's Promise to Joshua and that's what i will do Joshua 1:9

For The Gospel

Thing song by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir reminds me of His purpose for me on taking this path of life. The statement was taken from 2 Timothy 1:8-14

Reflecting on Apostle Paul and what he had been through for the gospel, it is remarkable to contemplate with his statement there. He is one of those who can really testify the true meaning of grace and the beauty of Salvation in Jesus Christ. This is the man who was on the other side of the Gospel, persecuting those who believed in Jesus, and suddenly was called to serve Him despite all the things he had done. Grace means for him, a true second chance that some of us who lived and breathe Christianity our entire life will never understand if our "holier than thou" never change.

That's why i like the saying, "unless you know what sin is, then you will never know what grace is all about", i have seen in my own experience, that those who were "out there", once they realized the grace that was freely given to them they become a solid, faithful, and very real in their faith to God.

Paul's conviction of this Gospel was so tremendous that he was willing to go through all things for Him. Thrown in Jail, Flogged, Mocked, Stoned, and unimaginable emotional and physical pain.

And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

To be honest, it is never been easy for me to serve Him in this capacity. Dealing with people, and with all their tendency of mistake and fault, often time i found myself giving up and just want to walk away. There are times, many times, when i started to asked myself, for what LORD, for what? Why do i have to serve this people whom i dont even know and has nothing to do with who i am? I can easily just go back to my dream, to live up the life that i am dreaming of. But then that statement of Paul struck me.

And of this gospel i was Appointed - i went back to check it, and find that the word was derived from the Greek word Ethethen, the Aorist passive form of tisthemi, in which means that it was completed task on the moment of the statement. Paul was completely appointed as the Apostle and teacher. He was appointed; it was not His own choice but yet he was willing to suffer for he knows whom he can believe. Ellen White state that statement as well before she passes away. "I know whom that i believed"

Yes Lord, who am i that you entrusted me with this calling? But who am i that you are willing to send your son for me? After reading this epistle to the young Pastor Timothy, i realize that i might can do many things. But that is not what God appoints me to do. While walking back from Chinese New Year Celebration today, my wife gave me the encouraging statement that "i can be a doctor, but i am not a doctor, i can be a psychologist, but i am not a psychologist. I am the Jack of all trades, but God has given me a calling that He knows the best." and that is the truth i can hold for myself. I can be what i want to be, but i am appointed by Him to do what He wants me to do. Sounds like God is a forceful person but then i realized the statement that Paul left in the same epistle - because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day

Well, hopefully all of you who listen to the song will find the same true calling for yourself or at least some new light on serving Him.

The Link to the Song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97ccESDbQ9g&feature=related

A Little Prayer for You

We just received a sad news that one of our friend has to undergo surgery for cancer, on the same time one of our own member just went for her knee surgery and recuperating at home with a lot of pain from the surgery, few minutes later my wife received an sms regarding the condition of one of our young member who is struggling with distress and the condition of his loved one who is not well abroad.

In one side, the help of technology has given us a leap stone of information. In a short moment, we have heard all the pain and suffering of our beloved one all over the world. However, it is also the ironic part of it that despite all the technology and advancement in science, pain and suffering still become part of human's life.

Looking on all this matter, it is great to understand and to believe that somehow the ancient communication method does still works its wonder. Prayer.

In a world where benefits and result often justify the means and effort, prayers has changed its function from a relationship based conversation to a business deal, marketing effort of Christianity, and sadly to say an ATM Machine. Prayer somehow has led many to think that God's answer is more important than the flow of the communication with Him.

I do believe in miracle, and truly belief that God does the wonder and magic in a supernatural way. But i dont believe in the conversation that is purely BASED on that PURPOSE alone. That God is our Genie in a Bottle, or that Fairy Godmother who come when we have a wish to fulfil and went back to the Bottle and Fairyland when we can have achieved all the things on our own method.

I went back to the time of David, and read all the songs and plea that he wrote or dedicated to him. I found the sense of intimate expression between the person who wrote that song. Somehow i got the feeling of how deep and tense this relationship between David and His God. It doesnt only limited to David. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and other Old Testament prophet had reached that intimacy of relationship that has been long gone from the culture of the 21st centuries.

This is somehow ironic, that God of the Old Testament often pictured as the angry God, who easily angered with the action of His subject. Yet in the eyes of His true people, there is a sense that they saw Him as a person who are so close, so able, and willing to listen until all things that works around their life are driven and centered at this amazing God. When they cry they pour the heart out as a person who has nothing to keep and hide, yet when good things come to their life, their praise was so grand as if it was they are praising someone so dear to them.

Prayer never meant for fulfilling human desire to the fullest, but rather bringing the two realm of world the Sinful world and the Throne of Mercy closer than ever. That the Creator put all His attention and care to this small tiny planet called earth.

Deep Thinking

I Believe Bangkok is really the place where my mind can naturally think and asking question about life. In the place where freedom is relative you cant help to start questioning several ideas about things...i will start to write it down....

Memories is a great wake up call, it helps you to see that in the past there are happy moments no matter how small they might look like. We grow each and every day and that's part of us being a human. We must grow.

Pornography Chapter 1

This one of the most toughest topic i ever can write. I affect me, and i know it affect thousands2 of man and woman out there. People talk and discuss regarding this topic. Politician, Theologian, Sociologist, Psychologist, to McDonald Cashier, Students, and all strata of people at least once heard the name or exposed to pornography.
What so amazing about it?
However personally speaking, i want to make my own reflection. Its not trying to define or giving a new insight about what it is and how it affect people. Its just a simple honesty on how pornography has affected my own life.

Pornography is simply fantasy, half truth - half reality. To begin with, Sex is a gift of the Divine for us to be joined in an intimate relationship with our most beloved one. It was always secured in the barrier called Marriage.
Pornography basically take away the sacred band and release the ultimate power of sex in total "freedom" and allow people to fantasize and explore the ultimate pleasure of sex without boundary. However, the trick of pornography its only stimulate certain aspect of the senses. Its never perfect and that is where the "half" part comes in. Pornography never fulfilling the satisfaction of sex ever. Whether by audio-visual stimulation such as porn movie, simple visual stimulation such as porn picture, to more advance form of pornography such as - virtual sex or interactive girl. There is never a complete fulfillment of pornography. The person who consume this material need to find their own way to compensate with the stimulation that they receive. Not like in husband - wife sexual relationship where the stimuli is their partner, and the channel of fulfillment is sexual intercourse, pornography left the consumer without any partner and person to satisfy their personal excitement.

Pornography also about power, where you can exercise your entire freedom of fantasy and control of your sexual urges. Often pictured in the movie, the girl is always submitting and seems to enjoy sex even into the extreme. Sex is the only aspect that seems to matter in the life of a woman.

You wont find any porn movie that will depict that the woman refuse to having the intercourse with the man because she is just so tired from working the whole day in the office. You wont find any porn movie that will depict an interrupted intercourse because of the crying baby in the other room, you wont find any porn movie that will depict that sometimes sex doesn't happen simply because of the morning fight between the couple due to the burnt pants on the top of the ironing board or the unthrown garbage bin. Absolutely no!
In pornography sex seems to show the unrealistic view of life and the fantasy that will never have any end. People will feel satisfied and somehow relieve by watching porn movie because its release them for their own personal tension and expectation that might no be fulfilled in real life. After all, every human need channel to release. Some by eating, some by smoking, some by using drugs, and some other by watching pornography.

The woman will always be pretty and good looking in which not every man will ever get that kind of woman in their life. Another fantasy that often lure many man and also woman into the unrealistic world.

Now there is one bad side of unrealistic things in life, it is simply addictive. Fantasy is boundless and as you notice the growth of modern pornography into more "hardcore" its worrying since it seems we will never win against the power of fantasy. I am just hoping that rape, unwanted pregnancy, and other criminal sex offenses will not also grow into more "hardcore" way.

This is the sad fact yet this is the truth. However there is always hope when we look for an answer not from within but from the Divine once again. He who has give sex to begin with knows the right and true solution for all of us who are struggling with it.