The 2 Weeks that was 15th - 28th September

It is now Sunday 28th September, it's 1.09pm. The weather is sultry and the music in the background is country gospel. If you prefer country gospel music, let me introduce you to 'King Country' Daingerfield Texas. Click on http://www.kingcountry.org/ and enjoy non-stop country gospel music. At 5pm I will be speaking at the Martoma Church in USJ, so in the midst of preparing for that this posting can be considered a diversion of sorts.
Yesterday, the 27th, was quite relaxing for me. There was just one lunch meeting on the cards, but a very important one. 5 men got together to discuss unity in the body of Christ . Who were these men? Bishop Hwa Yung, KJ John, KJ Abraham, Alex Matthews. KJ tells me two others, Wong Hon Meng and Kong Beng could not make it due to prior engagements. Lunch was at the Overseas Restaurant, Asia Jaya. So in the midst of food and heavy rain, the very spirited conversations on unity flowed.
Tuesday 23rd September began with some sombre news; Simon was not able to join us for the launching of the EFC Leadership Training in Sungei Petani. The morning proceeded with us picking PK Ang from the PJ Hilton at 12 noon. Who is PK Ang? He is the chairman of the pastor's fellowship Sungei Petani. He is the man we have been connecting with for the work in Sungei Petani. PK happened to be in KL on the 23rd, so we drove back together to Sungei Petani. By the way the journey to Sungei Petani takes about 4 hours. During the 4-hour drive, we got to hear PK's journey with Christ. We got to hear his vision and heartbeat regarding the community of Sungei Petani. (For full report of launch in Sungei Petani, please check out http://efccmalaysia.org/)

A tip for food lovers: We stopped at Bidor for the very famous herbal soup duck mee. The very same restaurant also sells the chicken biscuit - the most famous in South East Asia, so they claim. I thought the chicken biscuit, fresh from the oven just a few shops away was much better.
I received very distressing news on the 15th September, Ps Sunther (42) the Chairman of the Pastor's Fellowship Kluang had passed away due to a severe asthma attack while in Malacca. We were told that he had gone to Malacca with some missionary friends from New Zealand. On the morning of the 16th Piek See, Simon and I took the drive down to Kluang for the wake service at 7.30pm and also for the funeral service the next day. I remembered Ps Sunther as a very caring pastor. He was always very concerned for the people. Just a couple days earlier at a meeting with the Eden Community he prayed for me. At the funeral service we heard many moving eulogies from friends and relatives. The tears came a rolling when his wife and his mother came up to give their farewell. Sitting through this very emotional scene it is just impossible without tears and recollections. So with tears I recollected the words of Jordan the Chairman of the Agape Presbyterian Church Kluang, "Kluang has lost 2 senior pastors in just a couple of months." "What is God saying?"

Gracelife Message - 20th Sept 2008

LIFE OWES US NOTHING ( Video )

THE GRATITUDE ATTITUDE
It starts with getting rid of the ‘entitlement attitude’ which puts one’s “rights” ahead of everything else. This is an area full of expectation.

- What do you think your spouse owes you? Financial support? Emotional support?

- Is your spouse the one who is supposed to make you happy for the rest of your life?

- Your spouse owes you nothing. “When demands begin, love departs"

We live in a society that feeds an entitlement attitude. The entitlement attitude says, “life owes me a living,” or “people owes me something,” or “God owes me something.”

- Truth is; the entitlement attitude leaves you constantly feeling angry, resentful, or frustrated.

- Truth is; “Entitlement” is a lie it’s a perversion of reality.

- Truth is; there is nothing in the universe that states, “you deserve to live a long, happy and successful life.”

- Truth is; everything good we do get must be looked at as a gift.

UNDERSTANDING THAT EVERYTHING WE HAVE IS A GIFT FORMS THE BASIS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

- Neither God, nor anyone else owes us anything.

- Do you believe this is true?

- Truth is; any kindness we receive from others is always a gift.

- Eliminating entitlement from your life and embracing gratitude is spiritually and psychologically liberating. Gratitude is the recognition that life owes me nothing and all the good I have is a gift.

- My eyes are gifts, my wife is a gift, my job is a gift, so is my breath.

- Recognizing that everything good in life is a gift is a fundamental truth of reality.

- Seeing everything good we have as gifts, leads us to confront the reality of a Giver and Source of all this good. GOD.

Gratitude is when we begin to experience God in a powerfully personal way.

- "Thank you" is the simplest, most powerful prayer a person can say. Everything we have is on loan. Everything is a loan that is given as a gift.

- My ears are on loan, my health is on loan, and my children is on loan. What have we done that we could claim we earned – life, health, financial success, or children?

How freeing to live with a sense that everything good is on loan. Once we understand that everything is a gift, we can begin to feel gratitude towards God and grow closer to Him in an authentic and joyful way.

Listen to the entire message audio offline,
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Gracelife Message 13 Sept 2008

WHOSE LIFE IS IT ANYWAY?

Proverbs 23:7
For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.

Q1. What are you thinking in your heart?

Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

You are in a war both spiritually and physically.

Q2. Are you feeling tired, confused, depressed, used and kicked around?

Q3. Do you despise your spiritual calling?

1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the prides of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing away and the lust of it, but he who does the will of the God abides forever.

Lust of the flesh – ‘passions’ wanting only your feel good lifestyle
Seek instead to influence with integrity.

Lust of the eyes – ‘possessions’ what I see I want
Seek instead to be generous with compassion.

Pride of life – ‘position’ wanting always power and to control
Seek instead to be humble and contrite.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5
For the weapons of our warfare are not physical, but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, refute arguments, and theories and reasoning and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of God.

Q4. Do you recognize the words of God or the voice of God?

ARE YOU READY TO MAKE A STAND?

Download/Listen to the complete audio
of Saturday's message, by clicking HERE

10th September - Birthday Party at Jakes

It's the eve of my birthday and I have been invited by the Discipling Life Team that comes to my home, for dinner at Jakes. I arrive at 7.30pm at Jakes to find DJ walking in at the same time. We were directed upstairs where the rest of the group were already enjoying the fellowship of one another. For a Wednesday night we were quite surprise to find Jakes fully patronized.Felicia who had just come back from Hong Kong the night before joined us as well, together with her mom. So the evening proceeded with the four mothers and their daughters, Pamela and Felicia, Josephine and Wini, Eileen and Sonya and Serena and Beatrice.

There was no father and son... Paul tells me that Jakes belongs to his uncle and aunt. Paul and Jessica soon to be married looked the perfect couple already.
Jessica ordered the lamb shank. Wow! And she's not the only one. Sharon and Chris also had lamb. What's the big deal you may ask? Well its because most Chinese don't eat lamb because of the smell. The highlight of the evening was not the cake cutting ceremony but when each one present took turns to testify how their lives have changed.

7th September - Kuala Lumpur

While in KL, Brad and Glen were treated to stay at the Trader's Hotel. Their room faced the Twin Towers, and Brad slept facing the Towers. The next seminar was scheduled for Sunday, so Saturday gave them a day to soak in the sights and do some shopping. Glen conducted communion at GraceLife Church and met the folks there. Spaghetti and Domino pizzas was served. We then headed for Petaling Street as they wanted to buy some gifts for their wives. So what did they get for their wives ......it was the latest Prada handbag. With the shopping done, we decided to call it a night.
The next day lunch was at "Saisaki," Brad and Glen enjoyed the vast array of food. Simon and Ratna joined us and met them for the first time.
The seminar began with worship by the GraceLife team. Two songs later, Brad was away with his final presentation. About 100 people sat through the seminar. By 10pm most of them that were at the seminar looked tired and ready to go. Pastor Malcolm closed the seminar in prayer and the crowd quickly dispersed. Pastor Thomas Fann very kindly offered to drive them all the way to Singapore directly after the seminar. They arrived safely at Changi Airport, Singapore at 4.50am.

5th September - Alor Star

It's the morning after the seminar in Kuantan. Our next seminar is on the 5th September in Alor Star. We assembled at the coffee house to have breakfast at the Hyatt Kuantan. The coffee house has a splendid view of the beach. Glen says he must find a way to bring his wife Julie here, as she loves the seaside. Having conducted the seminar in three locations, we conversed on how we could do it better at the remaining two locations, Alor Star and KL. Lunch was Glen and Brad scheduled with the Pastor's Fellowship Kuantan. Interacted with them on a wide variety of issues, the first being "What do you think about Barrack Obama?" With that question the conversations just flowed...........there was no stopping. Alas it was 2.30pm and it was time to continue on our journey to KL to catch the 7.55pm flight to Alor Star. All and any goodbyes being difficult, we proceeded on the 3-hour drive to the KL International Airport in Sepang.
Was it raining? Yes it was and really heavy too, all the way to Sepang. Arriving promptly at 6pm at the LCT Sepang, it seems our "GPS" made a mistake as to the flight. We were at the wrong airport! Men being men, we immediately swung into action to rectify the situation without much fuss. We sped off to the right airport, with just 40 minutes to flight time. Did we make the flight? Fortunately for us we did.
Pastor Kuilan Chairman of the Pastor's Fellowship Alor Star met us at the Alor Star Airport. After all the introductions we went to Jitra for the very famous Thai food, for dinner. Glen and Brad loved the food immensely. Funny, just as we finished dinner we all began to feel really tired. It has indeed been a long long day. It was just a 20 minute drive to our hotel and we retired early for the night.
We were given a very warm Alor Star welcome at the Trinity Baptist Church, the venue for the seminar. TBC is located at the well known "Holy Street" where the three other churches are also located. The worship team set the mood for the seminar with their very lively songs. Everyone was singing and clapping! I must say that Brad and Glen gave their best delivery here in TBC. Did the lively worship have anything to do with it? You tell me. Pastor Kuilan invited us to supper as we were kind of hungry, and he also wanted to show off the local cuisine. The team proceeded to Deejays, an Indian restaurant. The food was excellent. Brad and Glen had a taste of "Naans, tandoori chicken, roti bomb and beef curry." Many friendships were sealed at the dinner table.
The next morning Piek See tells me that there was drama at the airport. All their bookings for the flight were cancelled. Who was it that cancelled the bookings? No one knows! I had stayed behind to attend the dedication of the Wesley Church by the Bishop Hwa Yung. An sms sent later, by Piek See, informed me that they managed to get on the flight nonetheless.

3 Sept 2008 : EFCC Kuantan

Finishing breakfast at Kuantan Railway Cafe (KRC) we now have a four-hour drive to Kuantan via the Mersing way. Looking at the time it was 9am which means we will be in Kuantan by 1pm.

An earlier discussion of how we were going to get to Kuantan was really funny. We had never been to Kuantan using this road. Up to now our GPS (Global Positioning System) is Mdm Ooi Piek See, so we turn to her for directions to go there. She brings out a scrap of paper with a map of sorts drawn out. With that map on a scrap of paper we set off to Kuantan. Our GPS did quite well as we made only one wrong turn throughout the journey.

We stopped at Mersing because Kok Hwee recommended us this coffee shop which is a "must try if in Mersing." First impressions being really important we thought the coffee, nasi lemak and half-boiled eggs were much better at KRC, except of course our "GPS" who thought the coffee was good.
The drive was very scenic, we passed through virgin jungle, the seaside, rivers, God's country is awesome. I highly recommend this trip as a family outing. Finally we made our way into Kuantan at approximately 1.30pm, about half-an-hour off schedule. A quick lunch at Sherwood, and we headed for the Kuantan Baptist Church.
Brad and Glen had about adjusted to the time difference and the jet lag. The long drive was great for me as I had a chance to talk to both of them. I learned a lot about "house churches" from Brad, and many of the inside stories from Glen on their transition from being internally-focused to externally-focused. The seminar started at 3.30pm after a time of worship. Pastor Richard Ong welcomed the speakers. The seminar was very well participated with about 10 pastors and many other church leaders. In total we had about 70 people. Pastor Richard Ong (Chairman of the Pastor's Fellowship Kuantan) and his team did a great job of putting together this seminar.

2 Sept 2008 : EFCC - Kluang

We had breakfast with Josephine together with Glen and Brad the next morning. We talked about the seminar the day before at City Community Church, and reflected on how the seminar could be done better in Kluang, the place we are headed for next. Josephine runs the Agape Center, a non-profit organization offering services to the aged, single mothers and abused women.

After breakfast, we took some time to visit some famous sights in Malacca.

Brad wanted to see the Christchurch as he had heard about its history from Phillip and Carol. We took some photos and we were off to Kluang, arriving about 12.45pm. Lunch was at Barney's, together with the key leaders. Again it was raining as we arrived at Agape Presbyterian Church for the seminar. People were coming in about 2.50pm and we started the seminar at about 3.15pm. Brad was now more confident of his presentation. Glen also seemed more relaxed and gave a very warm report.
Was it raining when the seminar ended? Yes it was, so we skipped supper as all were tired as it was quite a hectic day.

The next morning, before going on to Kuantan,
we had breakfast at the Kluang Rail Cafe.

Jit Tong (in blue t-shirt), one of the owners, tells me that the cafe's history goes back 50 years. Eric Swanson had requested for the coffee from this place. A must try if you do come to Kluang!

1 Sept 2008 : EFCC Melaka

The Ladies, led by Josephine, invited us to have lunch at a Chinese restaurant. We had a wonderful lunch. Brad was amazed (I would say "shocked") to see me eating the fish head. We were pleasantly surprised when Pastor Richard Toh and wife Pat joined us for lunch. The conversation soon became very spirited when Phillip and Carol began to talk on the "mission schools." Brad and Glen were able to hear, the conversations of the passions of those present, for themselves.

After lunch we proceeded to the City Community Church for the Seminar. Brad began by talking about the definition of church.
But his revelations about home churches left the people in sort of a shock. Glen came on after dinner. Glen spoke about the transition of his church Chase Oaks Church, in Dallas Texas, from being internally-focused to being externally-focused.

The Seminar ended promptly at 10.30pm.

For more happenings on the conference, check out the website http://efccmalaysia.org/