The Life of Upgrading

My letterbox at home is always overflowing with catalogues. Every week it's stocked with fresh temptations, begging a new 'To Buy' or 'Must Have' list to be made.

We live in a world that encourages us to live unceasingly for our "wants." We want, but are never satisfied. That's because by the time we get whatever it is we want, something else is packaged and advertised to us as the latest desirable.

If there's one word I notice over and over on TV, it's "upgrade." Upgrade your PC! Upgrade your TV. Upgrade your wardrobe. Upgrade you sofa. Companies keep rapidly pumping out new styles, trends, designs, models and versions. What we bought last year, or even last week, is already out of date. Our 5 Megapixel digital camera seems so inadequate now that there are better ones out there. There is a new generation of Ipods, better GPS systems, new PlayStation, Wii, Xbox, LCD monitors, plasma TVs and DVD machines that play the latest Blue Ray discs... and the list goes on!

And ladies, how's your wardrobe holding up? If you don't want to be embarrassed by a fashion faux pas, you'd better upgrade before it's too late! Ditch everything with polka dots, because they're so hideously yesterday. Think mod prints, roll necks, Pinafore and opaque... and be quick, because they won't be around for much longer. Watch the trend-setters. What's Kate Moss wearing? Grey is the new black. Touch up your makeup!

What about your home? Is it "winter ready?" Upgrade your furniture to a winter range now! And no bright colours please, it's all about winter hues.

This is the kind of living the world wants us to buy into. This is the way "happiness" and "fulfillment" is packaged for us. And to keep us in its grip, it must always demand our attention, so it's constantly updating and changing. Desires are constantly being created, reinforced, and stirred up in us on a daily basis. In fact it's so prevalent, not only is it a part of our lives, but maybe even part of who we are. As though we'd feel incomplete without it.

In all this we're becoming shortsighted, losing sight of eternity and living only for the temporal, for now. Our time and finances are limited - why are we wasting them in this way?

Being kept busy with upgrading our lives only in a materialistic way, leaves us numb to the need to develop ourselves spiritually. Retail therapy, though it seems to help, is really just avoiding our deeper problems. The thrill of consumerism distracts us from taking care of our real needs, and from caring for the real needs of others. When material things become the centre of our focus, God fades into the background. Let's face it, spending time with God in prayer and reading His Word lacks the lights, sounds, bells and whistles of buzzing shopping malls. Developing a strong, biblically-based understanding and character seems like so much effort, especially when alternatives are much easier, like reading a fashion magazine or catalogue.

Does this mean we should become hermits and misers, living with an absolute bear minimum? Well, no. That's not what the Bible teaches. Are our desires so out of control that we are eagerly chasing after the latest upgrade? Do we just absolutely have to have whatever is the latest and newest trend, style or technology? Jesus said "only pagans run after those things," and warned us not to "store up for ourselves" treasures on earth. Are we pursuing these things, and always accumulating them? We need to just be content with enough, not always more.

And if you still feel the need to upgrade? Develop your character - the person you are. Study the Bible, instead of all the latest catalogues. Pursue God and His purposes, and accumulate spiritual treasure. Live a life of gratefulness, for the precious gifts God has given you!

8 Reasons why I don't Share My Faith

Watch this hilarious clip that exposes the reasons we don't share our faith. We showed this at the Worldview Evangelism event and it became an instant favourite!

Watch. Laugh. And reflect on all the reasons...

Worldview evangelism

A good night on Saturday. The "Why I don't share my faith" clip was really funny and someone just couldn't stop laughing after watching that. Tell you what, it's funny to see someone laughing like that too. ;-)

As promised, it was a very informative and fun night. People had to put on glasses to find out what 'worldview' they've got. Once people figured out, the speaker just wasn't going to let go, they had to experience how much fun (for the activity organiser) or how annoying (for the audience) 'relativism' could be.

Then we went on to explore the difference between 'ice-cream' and 'insulin'. Don't be surprised if people start telling you that you're talking ice-cream rather than insulin. You wonder how that relates to relativism or worldview? Ahh, they do and if you missed Sat night, you'll just have to find out from those who went or catch us next time we're doing it.

Best of all, we got to learn how to talk to people about Christianity without being on the defensive all the time. That's such an insightful clip that people wanted to keep watching. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to show the whole video. But some time in the future, we may show it again in full length.

We were going to put a clip up here, but the internet connection is too slow, so will leave it for now.

Anyone at the forum wants to share with us your thoughts on the night?

Riches in God's eyes

There was an attractive flyer in the junk mail yesterday. With the words Millionaire success conference going across the top of the flyer and the image of a person looking up the yardstick measured in $$$, I immediately dismiss it as yet another one of those get rich seminars to be chucked. Having another look however, I found that it's from a local church and was a bit surprised.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not opposed to wealth or riches, but I've a problem with Christians focusing on getting rich in monetary terms. And the flyer truly conveys and encourages the idea of being successful when you've got lots of money. I've seen my Christian friends fallen away because of their focus on getting more wealth. And God clearly says that we can't serve 2 masters, because the love of money is the root of all evil.

There are many wealthy people in the Bible, like Abraham, Job and Solomon. Interestingly, the Bible focuses on their love for and obedience to God rather than the wealth they have. And it's not the level of our obedience or the strength of our faith that determines how wealthy we become. This is evident in Job's case where God gives and takes away according to his plans and purposes. So I believe people are mistaken and undermining God's authority if they think that their money reflects their faith in God or their success as Christians.

Paul was strong in his faith and achieved much for God, but he wasn't rich. Peter was influential in the founding of the early church and he was but a fisherman. Jesus is the King of all kings and he was a carpenter. The rich young man in Matthew 19 was asked to give away his wealth rather than accumulating it. Jesus said that it's hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. James described a rich man as a wild flower, fades and passes away.

Are we not supposed to have money then? I don't believe so. But I do think that like in the parable of the talents, we are to be managers of God's resources whether it'd be money, possession, skills, gifts, talents or time. So, it's more than just money. And it's up to God to decide what and how he'll give us. We're responsible in looking after them and making good use of them. And that's where the difference lies: stewardship versus ownership.

Our goal should be putting to good use what God has given us for his purposes rather than accumulating to make our lives more comfortable or successful in the world's terms. After all, is having a million more satisfying than touching a few people's lives? I'll let you decide.

Death

"Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55)

This came up my mind a few times in the past few weeks. I guess it's because I've been hearing about deaths lately - death of a cousin in late March, death of my grandmother couple weeks ago, and hearing the news of the possibility of a life threatening illness of my mother last week.

The death of my cousin made me think about death. But it was that Sunday when Pastor Russell described a young person's funeral he conducted the previous day that puts my train of thoughts on the roll...What will happen in my funeral? Who will be present? Will my friends be too busy to come? Will they find it too expensive to come? (thinking about all my overseas friends) How will they remember me? Will my life mean anything to anyone? and so it goes.

I was sharing this with my small group that week and people were just laughing at my premature thoughts of death. Ironically, 2 weeks later we were all forced to think about death in light of our Christianity as we progressed in our bible study series of Psalms to Psalm 90.

When I was in my early 20s, I thought living life to 40 is enough for me. I hate to see myself getting old and weak and unable to do anything. There were times in my life that I wish for God to take me. I remembered one day when I was driving home after Uni. On that long and quiet road to home looking at the setting sun, I quietly whispered to God to take me home. But I'm still here! So obviously God's saying, "I'm not done with you yet."

I was joking with a girlfriend the other day saying that I can die now. And in response to that, my husband was telling people that I'm too lazy to live. Come to think of it, that's a good way of putting it. I mean, there's so much to do here on earth and I'm never going to finish it. Why labour so intensely when I could enjoy the comfort of heaven watching people work down here? This, of course, as I come to realise has nothing wrong if I'm living for myself. But if my life has a greater purpose as God intended, then retreating from God's team is saying that "I" and not "God" is in control of my destiny.

I've also learnt that genuinely wanting Jesus to come again because of our desire to see God's kingdom come is a worthy call. But if the motive for wanting to be with Jesus is to escape from this world, then it is selfishness.

Understanding my role in God's creation and his kingdom helps me to enjoy life according to his design. For me, my focus and my priority now is to live for and in the will of God. It'd be a great privilege to be used by Him for his glory and be a blessing to others.

This reminds me of an afternoon a year or two ago when I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from a long lost friend. We met in our church in Japan. The church has a welcoming corner where most of us hang out after the service to meet new people and chat with others. I remembered him, a very quiet American working on the base there, sometimes stand there looking a bit lonely. I used to go up and befriend him whenever I see him. Soon after, I left Japan and lost contact.

10 years later, he found me on the internet and emailed me. He recounted his stay in Japan and how I was a friend to him during a difficult period of his life. That was a revelation to me because I never had any inkling that he was going through a hard time, I was just trying to be friendly. But it really moved me to know that I've made a difference as small as it is to someone, that God has seen me fit to use me for his purpose, that I could be a blessing to others.

And that is how I see my life in light of death. I'm here for a reason, and as God's vessel to contribute and be a channel of blessing to the people that he has placed in my life. At the end, the only reward that I wish is to hear my Father saying, "Well done, my child."

Sharing the truth of Christianity in everyday conversation

We've all tried, and probably felt like we failed. It just doesn't come easily – feels a bit forced, and not natural. And if we do give it our best, it often doesn't end well.

Yes, I'm talking about evangelism! Trying to share our beliefs with our friends. Trying to overcome shyness and fear. Shooting “arrow prayers” to God asking for a chance to share. Awkwardly blurting out our statement of faith into an existing conversation. Even being hit by a barrage of questions, like being attacked with a machine gun and left barely alive!

It's not a pretty picture, but it can be that way, can't it? Sharing the truth of Christianity isn't exactly a walk in the park. And it shouldn't be. Even a hostile reaction is to be expected, since we live in a world that is hostile towards to Truth.

Most of my experience trying to evangelise goes something like this:

Me: Yes, I believe in God.
Anonymous: How can you believe in God when he's not even real? People have made him up.
Me: He is real. (I then go on talking about Creation being proof of His existence, and about Jesus who has made God known to us.)
Anonymous: Jesus? I don't think he's real either. And if he was a real person, he was just a man.
Me: No, Jesus wasn't just a man, though he was a man. See, Jesus was... (then I go on talking about the evidence for the historical Jesus, the fact that he was who he claimed to be.)
Anonymous: Wow, you really believe in this stuff. Good for you! I'm so happy for you. I think it's a good thing. People should believe in something as long as they are passionate about it and sincere, especially if your belief teaches you to be a good person. I think that's what counts.
Me: ...

If you've ever found yourself in a similar position, you will know how tiring it can be. It's always us who have to answer a string of questions. And let's face it, some questions are hard to answer. Sometimes, the questions are hostile attacks. We're never really in the driving seat of the conversation. No wonder we lose control! Sadly, that can make us feel inadequate to do our Saviour Jesus any real justice.

Well, these days I've discovered there is a smarter and easier way to evangelise. It completely upholds the truth of Christianity, and doesn't water down the gospel message. This method doesn't make people we talk to feel like we're trying to convert them, or preach to them. It's just about normal conversation, and the best part is, you can remain in control! You can steer the conversation so that people start to think through their own beliefs, and begin to find inconsistencies and flaws.

That's what we mean by “Worldview Evangelism.” If you think sharing your faith is important, but sometimes struggle like I did, then this event is definitely for you! Sharing the truth of Christianity is perhaps the most important thing we can do, this side of eternity.

So here are the details of what will go down on the night.

Event: Exploring Worldview Evangelism
Where: Gold Coast Christian Family
When: Saturday May 26th, 7pm
What: A short and interactive presentation, giving the gist of what “worldview” is all about and why it's important. Then we'll watch a couple of really interesting video clips. After a break for food and drink, we'll get to practice what we've learned together so far. Afterwards we'll hear a testimony, showing how worldview evangelism really does work. We'll finish with an open discussion/forum/chat.

We hope to see you guys there!

King Herod's Tomb Found!

Read the news story, with some photos from the excavation site here.

Israeli Archaeologist May Have Found Tomb of King Herod

King Herod the Great was appointed by the Romans to rule in Judea around 37 B.C. When Christ was born, Herod ordered the execution of boys in and near Bethlehem, who were two years old and under (Matthew 2:16). It has been debated whether or not this event actually occurred, since at present the only mention of it in ancient literature is in the gospel of Matthew. Even the Jewish historian Josephus, who recorded the life of Herod, made no mention of the event.

But there are is a simple explanation for why this event wouldn't have been noteworthy in the ancient world, except within Christianity.

Firstly, Bethlehem was a quite a small town of around 300-1000 people. Experts estimate that its population indicate that the number of baby boys two years old and under, at any given time, would have been around. Also, many accounts of King Herod's ruthlessness are recorded. He had a reputation for being willing to do anything to protect his throne and authority. While the infanticide described in the Bible is shocking in our modern context, it is entirely consistent with the types of things Herod did.

So while the Bible mentions historical events that have some relevance to the life of Jesus, other historical records, such as Josephus, give a more general account. For Josephus, whether or not he'd heard of the infanticide at Bethlehem, it wouldn't have been something out of the ordinary in the life of Herod, and there were plenty of other events to record, with more significance for Rome and the region as a whole. Even from the general Jewish perspective, events related to Jesus were not really noteworthy, because they didn't consider him significant. Jews were expecting their messiah to be an earthly king, like King David. A cruel but seemingly isolated event in Bethlehem would be soon forgotten.

Are you driving with God today?

What do you normally do while you are driving? Listen to your favorite music or radio station? Or maybe you might talk with someone in the car. As for me, sometimes I'm driving with God. It was about four years ago when I started to know Him. I used to drive to work alone. My work usually finished late at night and the car that I drove had no radio or CD player (actually it had but it was broken). So in the quietness of my car, with nothing elseto do, I started to talk with God. I told Him about my day and asked Him for his help. It made me feel like He sat in my car beside me. Since then, I've moved on to a new (2nd hand) car. It has a sound system which means I can listen to my favorite songs while I'm driving. But sometimes I choose to turn it off and talk or listen to God instead.

Living a full life

What does it mean to live life to the full? This was brought up at different occasions recently. We hear a lot about this. A life is considered well lived if it's lived to the full. But what is full? It seems that if you're always doing things and active, then you've a full life. In that case, my life is overflowing at the moment. Having a full life as such is often admirable and equate to a successful life. To many people, a successful life is about achievements may it be sport or other academic, business or personal pursuits.

Everyone has become so busy nowadays that we hardly have time to spend with people, do things for others or simply have some quiet moments alone. We are all caught up in our busy little schedule evolving more or less around us. You see, there's this notion that if my week is filled with things, that means I'm busy and that shows how important, significant or popular I am. We feel good when we're busy and the busier we get, the more we think we're a better individual. But how many of those activities are necessary? Does our busyness get us into heaven or draw us closer to God? Is our busyness self generated or God motivated?

I've been thinking about this lately and wonder how my life will look like under God's perfect will. Does God intend us to be busy like bees? Definitely not. Does he want us to have a fulfilling life? Definitely yes, but not in the way that the world portrays it. As Christians, we are to live for God and not ourselves. So, living a full life means living a life that is filled with God's purposes. In other words, we can do as much as we can in life; but if they aren't in line with God's will or serve God's purposes, then they are but self serving and pointless.

New song jukebox

The following new songs now on worship together's song jukebox. For those who play an instrument, you can get the music sheet of the first 3 songs for free at their site.

Holy Is The Lord - Chris Tomlin
Almighty God - Tim Hughes
How Can I Keep From Singing - Chris Tomlin
Beautiful One - Ocean's Above
Suddenly - Vicky Beeching

Tweed river boating photos

We all had a great day out on the Tweed river. It was cloudy and a threat of rain, but it only drizzled for about 10 mins and at the end, it was just the right weather to be on the waters. It was the first time for everyone to be on that stretch of the Tweed river.

Tumbulgum is a beautiful place as you can see in the photos. The tributary from there is so picturesque and so serene. There wasn't anyone there when we were there enjoying our lunch. We could only see the birds flying, the magnificent Mt Warning from afar, the greens all around us and the fish jumping out of the water.

People loved the food, the chat, the fishing, the company and of course God's beautiful creation. We forgot to get proper bait, but managed to catch a fish using some bread. Everyone enjoyed the day and wanting to go on it again. If you missed this one, join us for the next event.

Replica of Noah's Ark in the Netherlands

A Dutch Creationist, Johan Huibers, built a one-fifth scale model "replica" of Noah's Ark as a testament to his faith in the literal truth of the Bible.

Read the actual news here:

New Noah's Ark Ready to Sail
Johan's Ark draws curious crowd

Hopefully this replica will help people relate to the ark as something more than a flimsy little boat, as it's often portrayed in Children's books. The bible records real historical events, not legends or Aesop's fables!

If you are interested to learn more about Noah's ark and the evidence for a global flood, Answers in Genesis and Creation Ministries International have great resources on this topic. They also have lots of public ministry events that are always worthwhile, so check out their websites for tour dates.