JUST SAYING ALOUD

The Shortest Path to Intimacy is Suffering

The dominant characteristic of an authentic spiritual life is the gratitude that flows from trust – not only for all the gifts that I receive from God but gratitude for all suffering. Because in that purifying experience, suffering has often been the shortest path to intimacy with God. (Brennan Manning)

I couldn’t agree more with Brennan Manning when he said that “suffering has often been the shortest path to intimacy with God.” Today, we have a lot of self-styled preachers/pastors who would avoid talking about suffering like it is akin to leprosy. Their theology does not include suffering, problems in life, crisis and sickness, etc. because it’s all about grace, about been positive, and about health and prosperity.

The term intimacy with God has been around for a long time now. There have been many who tried to expound on what it means to have intimacy. Again a lot of self-appointed spiritual sheriffs in God’s Kingdom who will not hesitate to declare that they have more intimacy with the Father than others. How they define it beats me. Sometimes I get the feeling that intimacy with the Father means some feelings, some sort of experience they felt that is tangible when they spend time soaking in prayers. My relationship with the Father is not dependant upon the amount of time I spend in the prayer room. To me, it depends more on my obedience to what the Lord has already revealed through his Word. It depends on my response to the circumstances around me or happens to me. When I go through suffering for the Lord I am put to the test of my faith, my love for Him and obedience. When I pass through those testing times and come out on the other side unscathed then I would have gone through the purifying effect of God’s love – I learned obedience – I experience intimacy with the Father.

Intimacy has a lot to do with experiencing the reality of his love in the midst of difficulty, experiencing the reality of his mercy and grace when things don’t go my way, and when my own strength fails me – there I reached out to find his hand – there I would feel the reality of God himself – the reality of true intimacy. So yes, suffering has a way of clearing the path for intimacy with God.

Code of Decorum

What if a community feels that the one who comes to minister to them should have a certain code of decorum, for example, his appearance? What if the community feels that part of the code of decorum is not to have any part of his / her body pierced, carved, or tattooed? And when approached to respect the community he/she, as a guest, instead said that God told him to do that to break the cultural tradition of man, to keep up with the time, and to break free from cultural mores, what should be the responds?

To insist that he removes the earring, the pierced nose or chin studs would be in danger of going against the Word of God. To back off and do nothing would cause some people to be confused, to be dissatisfied, or even upset with the head of the community. So how?

I was thinking about this scenario for a while now. Let me pose to you this picture and see whether you agree with me. If someone invited to your house just walk into your living room with his shoes on, you, as the owner of the house would have politely asked him to remove his shoes. “Sir, in my house, everyone removes his shoes before entering my house.” And the guest turn round and boldly declares to you that God has told him to wear shoes to any Asians home in order to express the heart of God in breaking this Asian culture and tradition. So how?

Cacophony of Warring Voices

Without the conviction that there exist objective truths and without the conviction that there exists an authority governing the rules of interpretation of God’s Word, discussions on any given pertinent issue [be it morals, doctrine, culture or trends] in the church disintegrates into a cacophony of warring voices.  

Sadly the church has morphed into a body “dominated by the philosophy of empiricism, the doctrine that all knowledge is derived from the senses – what we see, hear, touch, and feel. Even moral statements were reduced to feelings. According to empiricism, we call things good when they give us pleasure. We call them bad when they cause pain. Thus was born the fact/value split – the idea that humans can have genuine knowledge only in the realm of empirical facts. Morality was reduced to subjective preferences. The term values mean literally whatever the individual happens to value. When moral convictions are reduced to arbitrary preferences, then they can no longer be debated rationally. Persuasion gives way to propaganda. Finally, nothing left but sheer force.” [Nancy Pearcy, Saving Leonardo, p. 2].

This is what I have faced with not too long ago.

Just saying.

SOME THOUGHTS FROM IMMANUEL KANT

"Thoughts without content are empty, intuitions without concepts are blind."

I find it strange that many people just want to live their life without the hassle to think too much – so they say. I find it hard to believe that people want to remain shallow in their thinking. But like what Kant said, “thoughts without content is empty.” Thoughts that are flippant, frivolous, superficial and facetious without content, without substance to it are really empty, shallow, and makes one look idiotic, senseless, and ignorant! I am not talking about “content” in terms of showing off some philosophical lingo or doing some intellectual hula-hoop with words to impress, but “content” as in the ability to present our thoughts with a certain depth to it, thoughts that has substance, has quality to it that the respondents can identify, understand, and appreciate.

In the Christian circle, we are so attuned to the senses (feelings) and the experiential that we give thoughts not even a second thought at all. We brush it aside to assure ourselves that our thinking would only be on a need to know basis - only utilitarian. There are others who would rather live on instinct or gut feelings! In a more spiritual term – to be led by the Spirit! Yet some others just want to get on with their job, their family, and making enough money to buy a house, a car, and going on regular holidays. There are very few in between who would spend significant time to think, to exercise their thought life. Their thinking is not about their next meal or how to earn more money and so forth but quality thinking about eternal issues, life issues, and so forth – with the ultimate purpose of knowing all about life, love, and beauty through the providence of the creation of God. They have the innate drive to want to know more about the world that God has placed them in. The healthy development of our mind is very important. An unexamined life is not worth living. We can’t just think without content because it would be a waste of oxygen!

Likewise, intuitions without concepts are blind. Intuition is not a blind leap of faith. The other words used for intuitions are perceptions, instinct, insight, awareness, and sensitivity. Every perception, every insight or awareness of what is around us has a kennel of idea or impression lock in it. We need to unlock the impression, the thought or idea so that our intuitions would not be aimless or blind. We need to conceptualize our perceptions, insight or awareness. Paint a picture of what we see in our mind’s eye. Translate it into simple ideas or thoughts that anyone who desires to know can understand it, who desire to feel with experience it, and who desire the transcendence will find its immanence! Let our thoughts and our insights be like a vast canvas where we can paint on it the substance of what we hope for and the concepts of eternity and the divine.

On that note, we will not be empty-headed and blind! I don’t know whether I am making any sense at all.

Just saying…..

IF NOT US, WHO? IF NOT NOW, WHEN?

I remembered the seventies and the eighties when I was in my twenties,

God showed up in powerful ways, in those days;

Dry bones in the valley were rattling, old traditions were crumbling,

God visited our generation, with deliverance and transformation.

God is challenging this generation TODAY! Are you willing in the day of God’s visitation? Will you offer yourselves freely on the day of His power? Calling the millennials believers – IF NOT US, WHO? IF NOT NOW, WHEN?

I am not asking you to join CONVERSE-LIFE to fulfill your religious duties, to mark your spiritual attendance or even to assure a place in heaven in the hereafter. I am challenging you to enlist in God’s army, a band of youthful, idealistic, ambitious, and creative (even odd to those of other generation) with willing hearts to offer themselves sacrificially – for a greater good, for a greater purpose. There is a call from the Lord to those who would trust in the Lord and partner with Him in a cause greater and bigger than themselves.

Look around us. Look at humanity lost in a sea of hopelessness, aimlessness, and despair. There are many people out there who are lost, who are desperately trying to make a little meaning here and a little meaning there out of their lives. A relationship is fragile. Not even tight friendship can be assured to last a lifetime anymore. Individuality, independence, and self-preservation have taken over.

My challenge to you is to lock arms together to form a new community (a new breed) that is relevant, transparent and honest. A new community that holds on to Truth with a capital “T”, love God with everything, love one another without partiality, not ashamed to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to all who are willing to hear, care for the environment, the poor, the needy and the outcast of society, and not forgetting to walk in the supernatural life that God has given (empowered by the Holy Spirit and endowed with spiritual gifts).

We don’t believe in hype, events, and new methodologies. We believe in the power of God to change lives. We believe in honest relationships. We believe in prayer. We believe in the power of God’s Word. We care. We love. We challenge. We communicate. We dialogue. We converse. We engage. 

REEVALUATING MY LIFE BEFORE GOD

Yet again I am reevaluating my life before God. How do I fare? Have I grown? Have I truly made progress in my spiritual life? These are important questions that we need to ask from time to time. We need to check our spiritual barometer. So what do you think should be the criteria that we use to evaluate our spiritual vitality?

Some people would use daily devotion and quiet time, others would use prayer time with the Lord, and maybe others still would use their involvement in ministry and service for the Lord. Much as I want to think they are all right but the gnawing feeling is that only few could prove that their spiritual vitality is due in large part to such spiritual exercise if taken in isolation. What I mean is that there are people who “boost” of their unequivocal devotional and quiet time each day but shows no sign of healthy spirituality in everyday theology – self-doubt, dissatisfaction, anger issue, fear of losing, hoarders, selfishness, and other attitudes that are not so spiritual. And they have absolutely no clue about it – not even an iota!

I have also seen people going from one prayer meeting to another, “boost” of their many hours of prayer for people, nation, and the spiritual visions that they see frequently but are so spiritually immature when they actually open their mouth. There are many who have spent a lot of time in the prayer room but no firm knowledge of God and His Word. And of course, many serve in the ministry thinking they are trying to fulfill their Christian duty. Serving is no indicator of spiritual vitality either.

I still firmly believe that we need to come to a clear understanding of who God is and what is required of us through His Word. The knowledge of the Holy One brings understanding – but an understanding of who, yes, but to what? I believe that when we intentionally develop biblical knowledge as revealed through the Written Word we come to know the Living Word. Knowing the Living Word would bring an understanding of the plan and purpose of God for mankind in general and for you in particular. It is in this posture that prayer (worship, intimacy, petition, supplication, and intercession) make sense, have depth, and would be in alignment with God’s perfect and acceptable will. I believe it is in this posture that our devotional life becomes meaningful because through it we receive revelation, exercise faith, and see the working of God in and through our lives. Devotion and quiet time no longer is the yardstick to measure our spiritual vitality or discipline but it is because of our relationship with the Father that comes through knowledge of the Holy One and understanding of His ways, that we develop the desire to spend time alone with Him. Actually set time and place are no longer the issues though it is commendable!

Conversely, this can also be said of those who serve the Lord in ministry. It is not how much time we give in serving or what we do in ministry but who we are (our being) in Him. Out of the relationship with the Father, ministry becomes a privilege – we serve because He first served us by becoming a perfect sacrifice for each of us!

Just saying… 

THE LIGHTER SIDE OF FRIENDSHIP

From Left - Chong Leang, Thean Khee, Heok Hee, Heok Cheow, Andy Thum

Once upon a time, long long time ago, back in the good old days, these "five wise guys" spent a lot of their waking hours together. Significant time was spent eating, talking, singing the blues BUT actively serving the Lord too. Back in our bachelor days, our blues were mainly about our girlfriends. It has been said that, of all God's creation, women were the hardest to understand and to comprehend. Therefore, many times our little "congregational conversations" were about the near impossibility of knowing what our girlfriends want and why the "dark cloud"! (If you cannot understand what "dark cloud" means in our context please talk to Yeoh Thean Khee. Search for him on the facebook.)

Actually, our regular meeting up for supper after tucking our girlfriends to bed was very therapeutic indeed. These sessions helped Andy through his bout of gastritis due to self-inflicted hunger because he could not eat and sleep over girlfriend issue! 

It was also very helpful to Thean Khee because his girlfriend has been pursued by some unabashed suitor! He needed the encouragement, a listening ear, a broad shoulder, and whatever hope we can give to him! 

Heok Hee had a long distance relationship. His girlfriend was hundreds of miles away from home, somewhere in the down-under state of Johor, studying to be a teacher. He needed some company to ward off his loneliness. We often caught him in his room reading love letters from her! On the side note (because he would not let us read the letter) we suspected that she might have returned his letter with the scribble of a red ink pen and a bold-letter note at the end of the letter "PLEASE SEE ME!" Of course, it's just our speculation!

Chong Leang and his girlfriend were the perfect couple! You see them you see music all over. They were like hand-in-glove OR should I say like the black and white keys of a piano - flow in and flow out! If there was any dissonant sound in their partnership we didn't hear about it - a very well kept secret! Anyway, for most of us, we were tone deaf, to begin with. 

It won't be fair if I didn't say something about the man with an "all round" ministry. His girlfriend issue was like our Malaysian four seasons - hot, very hot, terribly hot, and stinking hot. Most of the explosions were the result of his stubbornness. Hokkien said, "ka kee cho kwei lai" (loosely translated - he creates the mess all by himself). Thank God it was only the initial stages of their relationship. I was told that he had to work very hard to regain her trust. He prevailed in the end. They got married after 6 long years!

So you see, these five wise guys have a lot in common and a lot to sing the blues about. So it says - birds of the same feathers flock together. All of us, after close to 40 years of friendship, we took this photo at Heok Hee's 60th birthday dinner. We were all married to the love of our lives. We raised wonderful children who called us blessed. Some of us are grandpas now or going to be soon!

We stick together like brothers. We serve God together until today. We see our children serving God. Praise the Lord.

CHRISTIAN INSIDER LINGO

Language is a very powerful thing. In the Christian world, we have a set of words and vocabulary that only those on the inside can understand. If you are on the outside peeping in you will get confused. That was what I thought is happening when unbelievers that attend church finds it hard to understand our lingo. No wonder they find us strange people sometimes. It is already tough to help unbelievers to grasp the abstract truth about God, the fall, sin, incarnation, and justification, and to add words that only the initiated in the faith, the inner-circle, or born-again people uses among themselves can identify is really out of wag! Well, I thought we can change that by being relevant in our usage of language or to contextualize our vocabulary to modern secular terms so that they can hear in understandable sentences all about the precious gospel message. I thought that was a simple task. All would be fine.

But to my "surprise, surprise!" I discovered that within the faith community we have also developed different sets of words and catch-phrases. And they are linked strongly to different streams of theological persuasion within the church! So we no longer have to contend with helping the unbelievers to understand us but we struggle to try to understand each other because we have morphed into a tribal culture based on our pet beliefs. For example, we have a "father heart tribal culture" which uses a lot of "Papa said this, Papa said that" and ideas like love, father’s embrace, intimacy and hearing God seems like an exclusive culture to them - whatever that means is anyone guess. If you are not in the inner circle you'll be lost. Then there are those who have a "super-spiritual tribal culture" and they throw out lots of terms about the Holy Spirit, prophetic pronouncements, and sensing in the spirit stuff. How about the latest one who uses a set of lingo that makes you feel you are a "spiritual leper" and outcast with catch-phrases like - "fore-runners eschatology", "eschatology revolution", "intercessory missionaries", and a large glossary of insider terms and phrases, such as wilderness lifestyle, friend of the Bridegroom, Daniel anointing, eating the scroll, fasted lifestyle, burning and shining lamps, wholehearted lovers, zones of glory, corridor of glory, and many more that could be added.

I am not saying that these people are deceived in their faith but rather cult-like because only those in the inner-circle can understand! I hope I am making sense. I haven’t gone into the glossary of the “hyper-grace tribal culture,” the “prosperity gospel tribal guru”, and a whole lot of other sub-groups!

The gospel is simple. Our faith is simple. It’s NOT being simplistic but simple trust and faith. We create our own language and build a large glossary but we may be in danger of being cult-like. Worse, we think we are very impressive in our propagation, teachings, and proclamation of the gospel but in reality, many people go away more confused or decode it wrongly and fall into error. 

SWING TO THE LEFT, SWING TO THE RIGHT

SLOW OR FAST

Some things are slow moving and some are fast moving - how is that possible? Like for example, the change I desire or wish to see happen in Malaysia is so slow in coming that it frustrates me. Yet again, there are so much to accomplish and so little time because the day passes by so fast that I wish I had 48 hours in a day.

I believe there are exciting days ahead, but the only issue is that of the definition of the word "exciting." Exciting days ahead could mean different things to different people. Explosive political and economic events that shake the nation to its core - that's exciting for some! Ministry or career opportunities even in the midst of economic meltdown, now that's exciting too! How about persecution for our faith, our skin color, and our gender? They are all very exciting possibilities - though negative.

I tell you what I personally think what exciting days are ahead. I think God is about to do a powerful work - to shake this nation and every other nation. What can be shaken will be shaken, and what cannot be shaken will remain. I think there will be an increase both in righteousness and evil - in light and in darkness! I think many will be driven to look up for a Saviour while others will be driven further into themselves and their selfishness. I am excited because it drives me to want to see people come into the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ will establish His Kingdom and the gates of hell will not prevail against it!

So, what is "exciting days ahead" means to you?

POSITIVE OR ALARMIST

There are two types of people - one who is positive about everything and finds it a curse to be negative, and the other is an alarmist (the gloom and doom people).

As our country faces a very trying time - an economic meltdown, a political circus, and a racial drama in the coming days, I, on the other hand, am really "confused." I am confused because I am trying to understand God in the whole situation. I am confused because there are many theories about the country's woes. I am confused because there are so many stories being told to us through the media. I am confused because I am confused!

So the question is: should I be the positive guy? I need to stay positive, be positive, and in the end, it will work out! Or should I listen to the alarmist among us and be prepared for the worse - pack provision, keep lots of cash, and hide? Or maybe consider migrating to Melbourne, after all, it's the number one most livable place in the world!

I am confused.

OUTRAGEOUS OR REASONABLE

Nowadays, I don’t seem to have anything to write about or to comment. I mean, the positive things! Everything seems to be dark and gloomy. I really don’t want to comment on our country, our economy, and the things that are happening in the world. It’s too depressing. On top of that, I keep hearing from preachers who have the habit of dishing out statements that sent chills up my spine. I don’t pretend to know it all about theology or the Word of God, but I certainly can discern and differentiate between an outrageous statement and a reasonable one from the pulpit.

But I did have a good time last weekend with a group of medic students. I was speaking at their camp on building the altar of consecration, the temple of communion, the wall of character, and the Word, Christ our Lord! It’s great to spend time with the young adults because it makes me feel young again, and it gives me great hope in Christ.

At the same time, there was the Convergence-Crossroad Retreat, a young adult’s camp jointly organized by FG Plus and Crossroad network of churches. I was busy but delighted in hosting three youths from FGA Miri who were here for the Camp. There’s so much fun been with the young people. Thank God for their passion for the Lord. So, yes, last weekend was hectic but really fulfilling and enjoyable! At least it takes away the loneliness that sometimes engulfed me without any notice or warning.

LOOKING FORWARD TO A NEW ADVENTURE WITH THE LORD. It doesn’t matter how dark the days ahead can get because I know deep within me that His light will shine the brightest. Looking forward to a brand new path to forge ahead for the Lord.

OPPORTUNITY OR DESPONDENCY

The flatulent of the disgusting putrefying political quotes of “supposed” honorable leaders of our country have become classics - should archive it for the future generations so that they would be able to sit back, relax, read the historical account, and laugh while drinking their tea. But for the present? Ah – Oo – Ouch!

Times of despair, depression, and despondency can actually present an opportunity for God to act. We can believe that God is still in control. When the enemy comes in like a flood God would raise a standard against it. We can rise and do exploits for the Lord. We could resign to frustration and anger or we can push back the tide of negativity, trusting God to see us through. I think, besides praying, we need to have God’s perspective, we need to have a clearer understanding of his love and forgiveness, and not to lose sight of our purpose and meaning in life in Christ.

We need to be in anticipation of the coming of the Bridegroom for His bride, the church, YET at the same time we need to get cracking – love Him with everything that is within us, and to love one another, to care for the poor and needy, and to reach out to those who are spiritually destitute! Christ will come and He will reign over all the earth, and we shall reign with Him. But there’s so much still to be done in our city, in our land, and in our homes! LET’S BE ADVENTUROUS. LET’S BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS!