PAPA, I HATE YOU!

The below entry is quite disturbing. Readers, especially teenagers, please read with caution.

A teenager in Italy was playing PlayStation II FIFA 2009 that day. And as claimed in a news report, the father always gave him instructions and tactics in order to win. On that day, as usual, the father chipped in and advised the son. The young man was upset at this and scolded the father with some annoying words. This made his daddy angry and he decided to do something he might have regretted for the rest of his life. He switched off the console in anger. The boy jumped up and shouted some really bad words at his dad.

Next came the eerie part. He went into the kitchen and took a knife, went out into the living room and cut the throat of his father. He then cooly (YES, COOLY) washed the knife in the kitchen sink and put it back. The boy then went back to his room and slammed the door. All these he done in front of his mom who still did not realise what was going on. Until the bleeding husband staggered in with hands cupping his throat, blood flowing out profusely.

Thank God the man did not die and was hospitalised in critical condition. The police came and took the boy who did not resist arrest. The Play Station console was brought as gift for his birthday by his dad.

What went wrong? Series of questions need to be asked.

1. Where did he get the (evil) courage to hurt a person with a knife?

2. What makes him so violent?

3. When was the thought of hurting someone with a knife came to him?

4. Did he ever have any respect for his parents, especially the father?

5. Does Play Station II or FIFA 2009 have anything to do with the violence?

First of all I can only speculate on the issue because I do not know all the facts. Looking at the incident, I am shocked at the random violence of a teenager who was just playing a non-violent game. All I can say is that the anger that was bottled inside him was not properly dealt with for a long time. I cannot say that he didn't know what he was doing or losing control. Remember, he cooly walked back with the knife and even took time to clean the blood. If it was a spur of the moment, when he attacked his own father, he would have been frozen in fear after that. He didn't!

I also think he hated his father so much so that he didn't want him to be around. This means he had a bad relationship with his father or both parents. FIFA 2009 is completely okay but I also believe he played some violent games on it too. Perhaps he was exposed to some violent moments in his own life, either on the tube or real life.

We are living in troubling times with so many dysfunctional families all over the world. These families produce more trouble youth that fill our society to the brim. Their thinking is simply this, "If it's not cool anymore, I'm out!"

This makes the Gospel even more urgent in our society! The Bible tells us to turn the children's hearts back to the fathers and vice versa. The time is now! Or else....

NO JOKE!

I love to laugh at good jokes and I love to tell jokes that make people laugh, I mean make people genuinely laugh. In this world of pain and stress, humor works like medicine. That's why when I preach, I always add humor to my sermon, not for the sake of telling people I know a lot of jokes but to offer genuine laughters to stress-filled people. I believe many people are not laughing enough to live a healthy life.

But there are jokes that are funny to many people but hurting to some whom the jokes were intended in the first place. David Letterman (Talk show host) and some DJs had cracked jokes that had offended others just to make some laugh.

And there are jokes which are dangerous to begin with. In Great Britain, a man was charged for a joke posted on his Twitter that he would blow up an airport sky high if his flight was delayed. You said, "Come on, get a life!" They say, "Get a lawyer!"

And in Malaysia, a youth was charged for inciting violence on a facebook. Maybe he was just joking, or maybe not, the case is in the court now.

Either in Facebook or Twitter, one can get a little bolder in what we express because we thought only my friends can view our comments. And it has become dangerous today. You can get jail for bold statements that border violence.

I remember once I was boarding a plane and jokingly said to a friend that I must dispose all my "weapons", I got a rude stare from a fellow passenger. There and then I found out it was a crime to joke about these things either on an airport or up on the air.

Young people, please be warned about the jokes you post on the Internet. You may find yourself in serious trouble and don't tell the authority, "Come on, get a life!" You may find them telling you, "Get a Lawyer!"

HAITI DEVASTATED!

The earthquake in Haiti has caused untold suffering something that I could never imagine. The report I heard from there reminds me of HELL! Dead bodies everywhere, screaming of pain coming out everwhere on the streets and inside the collapse rubble. Just a few minutes of that terrible quake, everything crumbled. It speaks about the fragility of life itself. The Bible tells us...

(James 4:13-14) Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

I am lost of words when I saw CNN yesterday about a young girl who got caught in between the rubble screaming for help and in pain. Her brothers and some people desperately using bare hands to remove the debris in order to save her. When she was finally saved, CNN Anderson Cooper was there at the scene spoke with her. What astounded me was she said she was not afraid at all and she looked so calm. I was like, "OMG! What a girl!"

One positive thing to me that came out of this extreme human devastation was the compassionate nature of so many countries that got together to help. I was especially taken to heart of President Obama where he not only approved USD 100 million to Haiti but also to mobilise the biggest search rescue plan in the history of the USA.

I don't know why it happened to the country already amongst the poorest nation of the world but I know earthquakes are part and parcel of this fallen earth. It can happen anywhere!

I only could long for the return of Jesus to do the ultimate rescue of this world filled with tears. sorrows and pain!

PROM NIGHTS IN KUALA LUMPUR!

I read an interesting article on Star the other day about prom nights. Prom nights start to get popular in Kuala Lumpur not so long ago but in the United States, it was like ancient! It is normally organised by students themselves usually involving colleges when their graduates get together for one last time. It has since caught on by secondary schools especially those who just completed fifth form.

Prom nights are usually held in expensive hotels for the ambience and the environment. The organising students get sponsors from people so that the attendees don't have to pay so much for the entrance fees. But I read some spend hundreds of dollars for their dresses and coats. Some rented sports cars to pick up their dates.

My Observation....

Few good things about prom nights...

1. It gives the students a last rara get together before they are thrusted into the working world.

2. New friends are made and particpants may get their potential girl or guy as their partner in life.

3. Participants learn social skills and the grooming thingy sometimes from their chic parents and older friends. (Bah...In my time, where got Prom nite?)

4. It gives participants a sense of pride of freedom, ushering in a new beginning.

Some not so good things about prom nights...

1. There is a lot of booze and some being challenged to drink to be considered cool.

2. Many rented rooms at hotel the next day and have sex!

3. Some couldn't afford to buy new dress or coat, ending up being discouraged.

4. Some don't have dates and simply pluck one from who knows where, ending up like a sore loser.

5. Some didn't get to go because they were shy, ending up with brokenness like a monkey on their backs in their life.

6. The secondary school students are simply too young indulge in this activity, usually styled exactly like clubbing.

7. Thank God in my time, we don't have Prom Nights, cause I would be ended up with problems of 3 and 4 and 5 - OMG!

Anyway, for Christians youth, please be careful that you will not fall into the trap of having a good time, without thinking of consequences!

BYE BYE TWO O O NINE!

Another year whizzed past, in fact, another decade rolled by on this earth. It is fearful to think that I could have wasted my God-gifted life away if I do not sieze whatever God given opportunity for His glory!

Here are some of the highlights of the year 2009

MINISTRY

1. Teaching Youth Enrichment School (YES) evangelism - I love evangelism!
2. Vineyard Church Youth Camp - Enjoyed it throroughly.
3. Cambodia mission trip - Annual Affair, simply loved it.
4. Started afresh Youth Ministry with new core leaders, meeting every month.
5. Launched Young Adult Ministry
6. Asia Pacific Youth Alive Conference - Refreshing to the max!
7. Taking Teens to Old Folk's Home - simply awesome to see the young communicate with the not so young.
8. Christmas and Watchnight Retreat.

PERSONAL

1. Taken Pastoral Counselling Course, the penultimate before completing my Masters in ministry, probably next year.
2. Started PS BIBLE MINISTRY blog to keep a file on all my writings and also to bless others.
3. Travelling to Scotland and Ireland - awesome countries!

THE BEST MOMENTS

1. Seeing my dad accepted the Lord as His personal Lord and Saviour.
2. Seeing three soul saved in the Youth Camp.
3. Baptizing new members of the Church to greater commitment to the Lord.
4. Watching more youth serving God fervently.

THE NOT SO BEST MOMENTS

1. Procrastination and being idle.
2. Did not put much emphasis on prayer.

THE MOST INSPIRING PERSON/S I MET THIS YEAR

1. PASTOR JULIE KHOO, YOUTH PASTOR GTPJ
2. SHER-MAYNE

THE MOST INSPIRING PERSON I HAVEN'T MET THIS YEAR

JOHN MAXWELL

THE BEST MESSAGE

PASTOR LESLIE'S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

THE MOST POWERFUL MESSAGE

PASTOR CLEMENT'S NIGHT SESSION AT APYAC

THE MOST AWESOME TURNAROUND

HATS OFF TO JARYL CHONG

THE MOST INSPIRING YOUTH

LIXUAN
KARLYN
JARYL ...and all who tirelessly and joyfully serve God!

All in all, it was a good year for me personally. It started slowly but ends with a BANG! I think it was the busiest December as far as I can remember! Last words (should be the first words) - I give God all glory for all the fruitful stuffs and not so fruitful stuffs, I ask the LORD for forgiveness!

Have a wonderful 2010, everyone! Sieze the opportunities to serve God!

THE BABY MUST BE BORN

CHRISTMAS is just two days away and the shopping malls are being filled with Christmas decorations and shoppers, busy buying gifts for family and friends. Mostly last minute shopping. And the malls and most shoppers have one thing in common - they know not what Christmas means. Even Christians, planning parties, singing carollings just to add to the festive cheer and exchanging of gifts have also lost the true spirit of Christmas!

Celebrating Christmas is alright but losing the opportunity to tell the true story of the birth Jesus is losing the point of it all. In fact, 25th December is not really the actual birth of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. But when the world somehow adopts 25th December as the birth of Christ, we have a wonderful opportunity to share the truth of God's love to mankind.

Although the cross is the centre of Christianity, the virgin birth of Christ started it all. The devil knew a little of the plan of God of sending a Messiah and that's why he wanted to destroy the baby before the King could be born. But God protected Joseph and Mary until the birth of baby Jesus, fulfilling age old prophecy of Emmanuel in prophet Isaiah. Emmanuel means “God with us” says it all. At last, God became flesh, visited the earth He created. He needed to come, the baby Jesus must be born.

The world needs a Saviour not Superman or Obama. It’s absolutely out of pure love that God sends His only Son to the world. Sin separates God with mankind but His love reconciles sinners to Him. Love gives God no choice but to bridge the gap of brokenness between God and man by a great price. The cute baby Jesus was born to be that price. Would any mothers or fathers understand the feeling of knowing that their only baby born would only result in a terrible death? What a price God paid to set us free! And sometimes we take for granted the birth of Jesus on Christmas day!

It is NOT about parties, Christmas trees, gifts and even carolling for fun that God intends Christmas to be but to explain with passion, the virgin birth of Christ, a Saviour born to set mankind free.

Truly good tidings to you, wherever you are! Merry Christmas!

GOD IS AWESOME IN APYAC!

Awesome God and awesome happenings at APYAC!

It was an awesome experience for me as I witnessed how God moved so powerfully in the conference. I was always at the back corner of the church during the sessions because of the bag(gage) I was carrying as I was the mobile central bank for YAM. It was a vantage point to see all the amazing things that were happening.

1. WORD OF GOD

The speakers were superb, especially Pastor Mike Pilavachi (although I heard the sermon before) and just like those participants, I wanted more of the Word of God! And there was our very own Youth Alive Director, Rev. Clement Wong who spoke Word of God boldly (sometimes aggresively) but it was timely! Nations need to hear and that's what the theme of this conference was all about, "Speak to the nations". The main anchor for the event, Rev. Julie Khoo was absolutely fantastic, hit all the right godly buttons everytime!

2. NATIONS

Twenty nine nations involved in APYAC and I dare say all came out of this conference touched and inspired! Although in the last days, where breakdown of religions were shown in each country and Christianity is often the minority, and much work needed to be done, there was a big HOPE that with our God, we are always the majority. Personally, I don't trust statistics because only God knows how many are truly His!

Different nationalities have come to me and said some great comments about the conference and I can see in their faces that they will be going back and do great things for their respective nation! One of the most memorable moments in APYAC was the unity shown in the Asia Pacific nations! With God, nothing is impossible!

3. WORKERS

The YAM committee have prepared this event for the last one year and on the last few weeks before the conference, it was a little bit messy with so many nations coming from everywhere, sometimes different flights and time. Furthermore, we have to arrange transportation and accomodations for some delegates as they just saved enough money for airfares and fees. Yes, YAM has prepared the groundwork but it was the GTPJ members (including parents support team) that implemented everything on the grounds during the conference. The huge responsibilities of actual running of this event were rested on their shoulders and they came out with top marks! Whenever I went around, I see smiling faces! I cannot describe what kind of people are you guys! I salute you all! (I also salute my church volunteers too who also serve with smiles on their faces and I am so proud of them)

4. THE HAPPENINGS!

The presentations from different nations were one of the highlights of APYAC to me. I see a glimpse of heaven where different tribes, tongues, nationality coming together for one purpose: to glorify the NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME - JESUS CHRIST! At the end of everything, Jesus deserves all praise and glory and honour!

The worship was fantastic! The bands from Indonesia and the Philippines were awesome! Brad, Rebecah and the team's songs were absolutely timely and somehow I believed God gave them inspiration for those songs to be written for such a conference as this! Last but not least, the YAM band, from various churches with some African flavour really brought out the best from the youth in worship! Especially the last night, it was simply magnificent just to sense the awesome presence of God!

The last night symbolic carrying of the cross across nations was something extraordinary! The cross of Jesus started it all! Then men and women who sacrificed their lives for the gospel, bringing it to nations not their own. And with their examples of sacrifices, so too, the next generation must dare take the challenge to step out and not only to take their nations for Jesus but also nations beyond their borders!

CONCLUSION

Until the whole world hears, we will serve and pray and give sacrificially!

See you at APYAC 2012