THE TALE OF TWO 'BOAMS'

There is an interesting story in the Bible of the days when king Solomon died and left his empire in ruins. His son, Rehoboam was geared to take over his father's throne. When he went to Shechem to be crowned king, he met an influential man, Jeroboam (not related to Rehoboam) who was his father's hated official. Jeroboam told Rehoboam that he would tell all the Israelites to support and serve him as the legitimate king if only Rehoboam could relieve his people of all the hardships of heavy taxes when his father placed on them. Rehoboam asked for three days to think.

In these three days, Rehoboam thought it is the best thing to ask for advice. So he turned first to the old, spiritual wise men of his father's time. They told him to give in to Jeroboam and he would be a king over all. And Rehoboam made the greatest mistake of his life that even affected the whole nation. He went to ask advice from his unspiritual young friends who grew up with him. These bunch had been very playful, couldn't be bothered about the things of God. They told him that he should add extra misery to Jeroboam and the people of Israel which Rehoboam agreed to do.

And the Bible tells us that Jeroboam and the people were angry and they became bitter enemies of king Rehoboam. Thus the kingdom of Israel was divided! (Read 2 Chronicles 10) Later, the Bible recorded thousands of lives lost because of these fightings (Chapter 13).

THINGS TO LEARN:

1. It's good to ask advice when there are difficult decisions.
2. It's bad to ask advice from unspiritual people about important decisions in life.
3. It's ugly to follow advice to suit your own pleasures which you already decided that you want.
4. There are consequences to bad ungodly decisions.

MID-LIFE LIFE!

Mid-life is when:

You know all the answers—but nobody asks you the questions.
You are too tired to work—but too broke to quit.
Your work is less fun—and your fun is more work.
Your narrow waist and your broad mind change places.
You have more hair growing in your ears than on your head.

Someone has said that youth looks forward, old age looks backward, and middle age looks worried.

CHURCH AND PUBS

It is reported that the Church of England (Anglican churches) is thinking of setting up 'pubs' in the church premises to get more people to come. The congregations in these churches are dwindling and is a cause for alarm. What a terrific (or terrible) idea!

How far (or low) must Christians go to win back Christians and non-Christians to the churches of Jesus Christ?? Should we also sing their songs, talk their (foul) language, dress their dresses, login their logins in the Internet sites, play their (immoral) games??? Jesus was with the sinners but never once acted like them!! He was Someone different so that they could look up to as a model.

There must be a limit to Christians going into the world and win souls. We are in the world and not of the world. We must set the standard for the world and not vice versa. We must be the light so that their darkness can be exposed. If Christians are drunk in the church, what is the difference of going to pubs and to the church. Would they still be listening to sermons when they are drunk? No! They might think Hillsongs are just loud music in pubs and ladies in the church as those flirty ones in the pubs.

TURNING 45

That's me (in the orange shirt??); How I wish!

It's more than half-way mark of my earthly life! Someone says when you get older, time is so precious to you that it just goes faster. Not only time is precious, every task you put your hand to do must be of worth. If I wasted my time doing unnecessary things, I could get easily annoyed. Speaking of annoyance, the older you get, the more sensitive you become. God, help old people like me! But, I thank God for having the youth in The Vineyard Church being the greatest supporters of my life. You guys have greatly blessed me and lessened my annoyance level! Clap! Clap! Clap! The rest my wife took care of it! (Awesome baby of mine!)

Looking back, I had lived a happy life with no regrets! This is ONLY possible because of the amazing grace of our awesome GOD! What is the best thing I have learned all these 45 years? God has never once looked down on me and said, "You are out of the game!" Yup! He never looked away when I was down, dry and dirty!

So, I am looking forward for something MASSIVE to come as I flow in God's river of grace! Praying God will guide me into His next plan for me as I keep flowing in this river.

PS: Thanks for the 'Surprise Party' sunday! I was so thankful to God that I have you guys celebrating with me. Although it was not a total surprised success, I was surprisingly swept away by the gestures. TERIMA KASIH!

THE DAY ROCK MUSIC DIED IN KEDAH

There will be no more live perfomances of Pop (what?), Rock, Reggae (what? what?) and dangdut music in the open in Kedah. This is announced by the PAS government in Kedah. Maybe it is out of sincerity of their religious zeal that they banned them so that young people would not rot through these kind of music. Are they sincerely wrong?

I strongly believe that those kinds of music above are just genres of God's creativity. Music is amoral, no right or wrong. But it is always the people behind the music. Get a few strong spiritual Christians to play Rock music, the whole scenario changes. God is glorified! But get some rascals to play and you may have bad influence. I wonder how many young people would spend their time (in today's context) in a opera concert. Imagine United Live singing the 70s spiritual tunes like those of the seventies.

So, instead of banning (this is an easy way out but never really works), teach the young people to know what's right and what's wrong. To help them grow into maturity faster, adults sometimes have to learn to let go. There are so many young Malaysians that went overseas came back wiser and stronger after they graduated. Were they exposed to Rock Music? Definitely! Are they rotting? Surely Not!

For me, I say to Christians, Rock on for Jesus!

KICK OF ANGER

What an art! A superb kick in Taekwondo towards an opponent. Surely this would score big! BUT, the man who was kicked was not involved in the bout. He was just the referee lah. It is just a sore loser who loses his mind in the thick of the action. "For four long years I have trained hard, I cannot even come back with a bronze medal, boohhoooo AND it's all because of you, ref...boohhooooo" Poor man. To this referee, right is right, wrong is wrong which is right thing to do. But to do the right thing is hard sometimes. It comes with a lot of pressures from sore losers. They kick, shove, push and punch their own ways into the ring not caring a single bit who get hit to get their way. I am not judging that kicking guy because sometimes in my mind, I do behave like him. Who knows, one day, I may kick someone to get my way? May God help all of us!

(The fellow who kicked the ref did not get his medal, instead he got himself and his coach banned for life from the sports; no 2012 London Olympics for him and no getting into the ring at all)

PERMATANG PAUH; DAVID vs GOLIATH

LATEST: ANWAR IBRAHIM HAS WON WITH A LANDSLIDE!

The whole nation holds its breath tonight. Not because the Merdeka Day is coming. But the Permatang Pauh by-election is today and the results will be known tonight. Can Anwar win big and then make a comeback to Parliament? This political fight has been named "the mother of all by-elections!" Barisan Nasional (the current government party) has been called David and Anwar (one person) as Goliath. What can one person do? Wooo, the sight of Goliath recorded in the Bible has frightened the entire army of Israel's fighting men!

As Christians, we should not fix our eyes on humans but God! In this case, not Anwar or Barisan but God! The Bible declared that God is the One who would raise up or tear down leaders of nations! Human leaders can say or lie whatever they wish but God would one day expose their weaknesses. Watch out, they may frighten ungodly people but to those who stand upon the ROCK (Jesus), we shall stand firm! No one and nothing shall prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ. If we continue to be humble before God, then our light will certainly overwhelm the darkness all around.

Ps: Whoever wins tonight, God is still on His throne!