Some thoughts

Thought 1

I was at a dinner last Saturday night and there were more females than males and someone made a statement about it. 

'Isn't that how it always is in Christian circles where there are more capable female leaders than male leaders?'

I spent the whole night trying to list out reasons as to why we see this trend not only Christian organizations but churches as well, or at least the ones that I have been exposed to.

Some of the reasons my mates and I came up with:

a. Guys take longer time to mature.

b. Guys are not given permission to be who they are. We feel insecure and sometimes require 'permission' or 'validation' of who we are.

c. We guys do not how to be intimate with God. Man to man? 

Haha. What do you think?

Thought 2

Chung En's leaving for DTS YWAM in Perth this Sunday (Singapore on Saturday first) to experience greater things that God has prepared for Him. That means I won't be able to hang with him till i dont know when. Haha. Some people that God brings into your life you know are God-sent. He's one of them for me. And i'm just feeling down coz did not have enough time together the last time i was home and now that I'll be back in mid-July, He won't be there.

Philippians 2:4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

You have indeed been watching my back this whole time and i just wanted to say thank you. You are meant for GREAT things.

Time to soar.

:) 

Thought 3

Random pictures from the weekend.

You will be surprised at how much stuffs was stuffed into the pants. Just shows how much space there was

I walked into a pole for the first time in my life without knowing. I was talking and looking away and did not see the pole. The picture was obviously taken after it happened. Just wanted something to remember it. Haha.

 just realised i better do as much silly things as i can before i get to old and will be to embarassed to do it anymore.

Haha 

You

I just found out that dad's troponin T test (a marker test for blockages in the heart) showed that there was a 95% chance his heart had blockages and of course that would mean severe implications and when the angiogram (heart scan) was conducted, it showed that the heart was clear.

I woke up crying on Thursday night crying for obvious reasons and now I'm sobbing again at the miracle that has happened.

Thank You.

The Watchman

The word of the Lord for today:

Isaiah 21:5-7

Prepare the table,

Set a watchman in the tower,

Eat and drink.

Arise, your princes, 

Anoint the shield!

For thus has the Lord said to me:

"Go, set a watchman, 

Let him declare what he sees."

And he saw a chariot with a pair of horsemen, 

A chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels, 

And he listened earnestly with great care.

God is coming soon. Are we listening to Him earnestly?

Are we being a watchman?

Dad complaint of chest pains on Wed and was admitted into ICU. He went for an angiogram yesterday and thankfully, there are no blockages in his heart. God-willing, discharged later today in the afternoon.

Praise the Lord, O my Soul.

I just wanted to say thank you to all the saints that have been praying with me.

Random gratefulness

Something that the Housemate and Joker came up with. Haha. See, i've got such lovely friends. 

Just completed the first week of a 4 weeks placement in Helping Hand, an aged care facility in Ingle Farm. It takes an hour and a half to get there and another hour and half to return. Nutss..

I'm doing a project for them whereby i'll be looking into all the residents kidney function and their meds list and highlight those who are on renally cleared drugs and come up with a list of things to watch out for the nurses. It dosen't sound too big a deal but oh well, at least i can contribute something back to the local community. I think i might have to go in depth a bit on the drugs too or something like that. 

Oh, did i mention, it's winter already. I absolutely love blowing out 'white smoke' from the mouth or nose but i get so annoyed by baju which are still wet even after a cycle in the dryer. Ish.

Woohoo, 3 more weeks and i'm back in dusty ol Klang. But wont be able to see the handsome fella whos Perth-bound. Sobs.

I'm horrible at remembering important dates; forgot her birthday. Sorry.

Yes, as you can see, these are just random fleeting thoughts that are currently running in my mind.

Someone shared with me this. 

Do you struggle with pride? How do we deal with it?  What's our attitude towards pride?

Phillipians 2

 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 
 6Who, being in very nature^[a] God, 
      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 
 7but made himself nothing, 
      taking the very nature^[b] of a servant, 
      being made in human likeness. 
 8And being found in appearance as a man, 
      he humbled himself 
      and became obedient to death— 
         even death on a cross! 
 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place 
      and gave him the name that is above every name, 
 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 
      in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 
 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, 
      to the glory of God the Father

A lifestyle of worship to Him would definitely help in keeping us humble.

On the bus the other day, I saw a mother who was struggling to keep her 2 young ones in check. They were literally crawling all over her and running around the place and she had so much trouble to get them on the bus and just to get them seated. She wasn't angry with them or shouting at them, but instead she was laughing and smiling all the way and joking with them. It was like the 3 of them were in their own world and they were contented. I was just brought to the past and had an image of Mum having me and doing her Masters at the same time. I must have been such a pain in the a#@$. Haha. Yet, i can also imagine her laughing and smiling and well, raising me up to be a man after His own heart. I still do crawl all over her at times and be a pain in the a#$%. Not to mention Pop who push me up and down in the sarong. I just hope to make Pop and Her proud. Someone told me that we Wong's are blessed to have such a heritage from our parents and I'm beginning to see that and understand that.

I am grateful for the amazing opportunities that i have been presented to mix with other cultures.

I spent almost the whole of last Thursday with an Australian and a Vietnamese.

I kicked the ball around the field with a Madagascan and a Korean.

I made friends with a Phillipino father of 2 young kids who has a heart for university students.

I had a free consultation with a Singaporean Physiotherapy student.

Not to forget, ALL THE BEAUTIFUL LOOKING MALAYSIANS. hehe. yes, we are a beautiful group of people.

It's not natural for me to open up just like that to new people. If you know me, I'm more of a shy person and my defence mechanism always comes into place when meeting new people. I go all reserved and into my own world. Trying to bypass that first mechanism too and slowly working through it.

I just told one of them, good friends = people who you absolutely love and adore and at the same time, you want to strangle them and kick their backside because they can become such a pain in the a#$%. haha

Forgive me for referring to the other end of the human body but i have been having problems there but thank God, its getting better. Haha.

God has been slowly directing me to things He wants me to do. Right now, it's be patient and wait upon Him.

I'm grateful to be Yours.

PIctures and such

I discovered a new way to wear my scarf to protect my ears from the blistering wing. haha

Uber- attractive socks.

Campus Prayer outing by the River Torrens. 

He moved mightily. 

Thank You.

Lunch at Aunty Lai Wah's with some leaders and friends. There were more aunties and uncles, just that i only remembered to take a picture when most of them left.

On the way home to good ol' North Adelaide

I dropped my guitar with the capo clipped on the top. Heart stopped beating for that moment. Sigh. The strap wasn't hooked properly and it just slipped off. My capo's slightly twisted now.

:(

I was frantically searching the whole house a couple of days ago for my house keys before going out. 

Lo and behold, it was in my pocket. Ish

I remember days when mum would be looking around for the house keys or car keys and asking us all to help look and we would later then find it in her hand bag or pocket.

I am my mother's son. Haha.

Just finished Wild at Heart by John Eldredge and finishing The Way of the Wild heart ( A Map for the masculine journey) soon.

Learning Lots. 

:)

Aquaman

I just have to make a mention of this.

 I got this t-shirt from Nad as a birthday gift. 

Everyone's saying, 'Ah-Kua Man!!!!' 

Ah-Kua = sissy in Cantonese or Hokkien i think, or something along those lines.

haha. :)

Loving the t-shirt tho'

Thanks again, Nad nad 

Just found out that petrol price back home has gone up. Rm2.70 per litre. 

Interesting times we're living in.

Psalm 46

Psalm 46

 

v10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

 

Why does the psalmist tell the reader that God is God? I believe because when in doubt and in turmoil, we as humans tend to forget that God is God. We think we are god and that’s why we blame ourselves for ‘losing control’ when things don’t work in our favour, hence, the unnecessary worrying and frustration. I’m not saying don’t worry but we have to see things from His perspective.

 

It’s interesting that in verse 2, the author uses ‘earth’ and ‘mountains’, two symbols of stability.

 

…..Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; …..

 

We all have something that we perceive to be our ‘earth’ and ‘mountains’. It could be our position/status, acceptance by the people around us, the ability to be wanted, our parents, our ability to do well in exams and such. When they are ‘removed’ or ‘carried into the midst of the sea’, what happens to us?

 

It’s interesting to note that the author uses negative words in the following verses: v3 mountains shake, v6 nations raged, kingdoms were moved, earth melted, v8 desolations in the earth, v9 wars cease to the end of the earth;..breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; . .  burns the chariots in the fire.

 

And suddenly,

 

‘v11 Be still . . …

 

Psalms was written in a poetic way, like a song.

You can feel the buildup leading to verse 11 and suddenly,

 

‘Be still…..

 

And it ends with a ‘!’

 

He is exalted indeed.

 

When all seems lost and you do not know what is going around or what is happening,

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

It’s all about Him, all for His glory.

 Psalm 46

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth.

 1 God is our refuge and strength,

         A very present help in trouble.

 2 Therefore we will not fear,

         Even though the earth be removed, 

         And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,

         Though the mountains shake with its swelling.  Selah  

         

 4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,

         The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

 5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;

         God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

 6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;

         He uttered His voice, the earth melted. 

         

 7 The LORD of hosts is with us;

         The God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah  

         

 8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,

         Who has made desolations in the earth.

 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

         He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; 

         He burns the chariot in the fire. 

         

 10 Be still, and know that I am God;

         I will be exalted among the nations, 

         I will be exalted in the earth! 

         

 11 The LORD of hosts is with us;

         The God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah   

 

 

 

Thank You

It's been a week since i turned 21. 

haha.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank every SINGLE ONE of you that made this day EXTRA SPECIAL and MEMORABLE for me.  It really was a blast!!!!!!!! All the sms', emails, e-cards, calls, sabo'SSS (plural!!!!hahahahhahaha...i had fun tho'), birthday cards, PRESENTS!!!!!, hugs, wishes, simple gestures, efforts put into thinking of what to buy for MEEEE or what to do and so much more.

Thank You.

It really made this whole-turning-21-thing more special and memorable for me. 

Most of all, i thank You, My Heavenly Father for seeing me through the past 20 years of my life and i look forward to the next 20 years with much anticipation and excitement for all that You have in store for me.

Time to be a man.

haha

:)

Food for thought

Lessons for Youth Ministries

Why youth ministry workers

drop out

 

By AJITH FERNANDO

ONE of the sad facts that any youth ministry faces is the number of people who were active in God's work in their youth who are now not active in service or completely backslidden. Youth for Christ (YFC) has had to face this fact and admit with sorrow that many who were active with us in their youth are no longer walking with the Lord.

I have several things to say about this sad phenomenon.

1. When we are so busy with our programmes in YFC it is easy to let the major aspects of discipling be related almost exclusively to the youth programme so that we do not prepare the young people adequately for life in society. In theory YFC leaders are always supposed to keep this balance, but we do not always succeed as the urgent demands of programmes keep detracting us from some other important aspects of discipling. We must labour for real, comprehensive balance. And those of us who are leaders have to really push our staff to ensure that this happens.

2. While the disciplines of community life are a very important aspect of Christian nurture we have to have as equally or even more important the developing of a Christian mind. I think often our teaching is more exhortational and devotional rather than doctrinal. I do not mean doctrinal in a dry sense, but doctrinal in that we teach our people to approach everything theologically – using the categories of the biblical worldview. It is very easy for youth groups to be deficient here.

3. Many young people are attracted to YFC because it meets some of their felt needs. It gives them a community where they are warmly affirmed and accepted. They like to have fun with a group of peers that regards them as equals. They want to be involved in an ideological cause which helps them to give expression to the rebellion they have against the hypocrisy they see in the adult generation.

Most people, whatever their age may be, come to Christ to meet a need. But they stay on with Christ when they are convinced that He is the truth. This is why Peter said the disciples will not leave Christ after they saw many of those who followed Him leaving Him. They knew that He had "the words of eternal life" (John 6:68).

Many youths will mimic the Christian rituals that form a part of the YFC programme without making the transition from being need seekers to truth discoverers. Such have little resources to combat the challenges they will face from the world outside once they leave the security of the YFC community. This is why we must never be content only because we have large numbers in our youth groups. We must labour to find the most effective ways of giving them "the whole counsel of God"; ways that will enable the truth of the Gospel to penetrate their innermost beings.

4. While I cannot prove this statistically, I can say from observation during my 31 years in youth ministry that those young people who were led by a person who honestly believed that the YFC phase was a transitory stage in their lives had a better chance of going on with Christ after their youth years. Then the great aim of the leader would be to ensure that the youth under their care are happily settled and living for God in family, church and society – not just in the youth group. While the YFC programme does take a lot of time, this kind of leader would ensure that YFC prepares the youth they disciple for a healthy life in church, family and society.

These youth will have learned to think Christianly about church, home and society long before they get bored with youth programmes. Most young people will get bored with youth programmes and move on to another place of activity. Only some will sense a call to serve youth and remain within the YFC programme as volunteers and staff. We must fashion our organisational culture in such a way as to view as a great victory the departure of a person away from active involvement in YFC to church involvement.

5. For a para-church youth evangelistic organisation like ours, sending people we reach into a local church is a basic aspect of our call. But this principle applies to church youth groups too. Young people will get involved in the youth group for some years and then they will lose their interest in the programme because it is geared to people of a younger age. By then the truth that this person's permanent home is in the wider church should have been drilled into his or her soul. They should have been prepared to go into the outside world after some cosy years in the warm protection of the caring peer group in the youth programme.

Yet often church youth workers are guilty of fostering an exclusivistic attitude within their youth group. Often we encounter attitudes like the following: "We are more spiritual than these dead adults"; "Our worship and music is not boring like theirs"; "We are more committed, more geared to mission." When such youth pass the age of involvement in the youth group, they probably will not have a positive attitude towards the church. With the numerous challenges of young adulthood, such as establishing oneself in one's career and adjusting to married life, they could end up neglecting church attendance.

Leaders must get sense of importance from God …

Not from the people they lead

6. Most of us leaders are insecure people. We must be aware of this and strive to get our security and sense of importance from God and not from the people we lead. An insecure youth leader could foster an environment in which the youth adore him or her to the exclusion of other authority figures like parents and adult church leaders. A good leader would use his or her influence with the youth to encourage them to respect and love their parents and adult leaders.

An insecure leader could thrive on being hero-worshipped. This could be a very dangerous attitude. If those who adore the leader are from the opposite sex, a very unhealthy relationship could develop. Without knowing it the relationship could turn sexual. The relationship turns physical only much later. But the early stages of an affair could be developing when the adoration of the young person unconsciously becomes – to the youth worker – a personal conquest of the heart of the young person. Often the youth worker is viewed as a father or mother, which makes the relationship look very harmless. Psychologists are calling such relationships "emotional affairs" and there is a growing body of literature about this. Gradually the desire for conquest is extended to the body also, and the result is a physically sexual relationship.

All of us leaders must always be on guard that we never get from others the kind of affirmation we should get only from God and our spouses.

7. One of the best ways to avoid the youth work developing an exclusivistic attitude vis-à-vis the rest of the church is for a senior church worker like the senior pastor to have a warm and friendly attitude towards the youth worker and his or her ministry. The leader could become the father or mother whom this insecure youth worker never really had. And in that way the youth worker could develop the confidence and security which reduce the risk of thriving unhealthily on the adoration of the youth. If the senior pastor shows up at several youth programmes; if the youth know that he really enjoys seeing the young people having fun and laughs heartily at their jokes; if he is known to be the advocate of the youth before the leadership of the church, then there is a much greater chance of the youth developing a positive attitude towards the church.

8. I have seen many people who dropped out of YFC coming back to Christ and to heavy involvement in churches much later, sometimes after a decade or more in the wilderness. I often discover these people when I go to preach in churches. Their warmth towards YFC and what they say about their YFC days shows that what they learned in YFC had not been completely obliterated. Something made them seek involvement in a church or Christian group. That triggered a return to active Christian involvement. What seems to have happened was that the truths that were hidden in their hearts but suppressed during the rebellious years had resurfaced and come to life. Of course, it is the Holy Spirit who revitalises these dormant truths.

So let me tell younger youth workers not to be overly discouraged when youth fall away. We must grapple with the failure and ask where we went wrong, and what we should do to minimise the chances of youth dropping out. But if we have faithfully given them "the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27), we can keep hoping and praying for the day when these lapsed Christians return to Christ.

Dr Ajith Fernando is a Bible teacher, author, Methodist Local Preacher and National Director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka.

QUOTE:

'Most people, whatever their age may be, come to Christ to meet a need. But they stay on with Christ when they are convinced that He is the truth. This is why Peter said the disciples will not leave Christ after they saw many of those who followed Him leaving Him. They knew that He had "the words of eternal life" (John 6:68).'

DR AJITH FERNANDO

QUOTE:

INSECURE LEADERS

'An insecure youth leader could foster an environment in which the youth adore him or her to the exclusion of other authority figures like parents and adult church leaders. An insecure leader could thrive on being hero-worshipped.'