B L O G P A S T O R

Christmas prayer and wishes

May the joy of the angels,
the eagerness of the shepherds,
the perseverance of the wise men,
the obedience of Joseph and Mary,
and the peace of the Christ child
be yours this Chirstmas.
And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you always.

The Promise of His Glory

My family and I wishes everyone a wonderful and meaningful Christmas
and a blessed new year!

Add comment December 23rd, 2006

football clubs formed by churches

I just made an interesting discovery about the English Premier League: quite a few of the clubs were started by churches for the sake of the poor and deprived. Believe it or not, it is true! Unfortunately my favourite team Arsenal is not amongst them. Take a look at the list.

Clubs formed with faith at their roots:
Aston Villa
Founded 1874 by members of the Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel’s bible class.
Barnsley
Formed 1887 by Tiverton Preedy, assistant curate at St Peter’s Church.
Birmingham City
Formed 1875 by choirboys at Holy Trinity Church.
Bolton Wanderers
Formed 1874 for boys at the Christ Church Sunday School.
Everton
Formed 1878 by boys from the bible class at St Domingo’s Chapel.
Fulham
Inspired 1879 by John Henry Cardwell, curate of St Andrew’s Church.
Manchester City
Formed by working men’s group at St Mark’s Church, West Gorton, 1879.
Queen’s Park Rangers
Dates back to St Jude’s Institute FC, formed in 1885.
Southampton
Formed by the Young Men’s Association at St Mary’s Church, 1885.
Swindon Town
Proposed 1879 by William Pitt, curate of Christ Church.
Tottenham Hotspur
Formed 1882 by members of the bible class at All Hallows Church.

Add comment December 22nd, 2006

Christmas myths

Here is a link that clarifies through a careful reading of scriptures, some of the most popular and common misconceptions, even amongst Christians, about the birth of Christ and its surrounding events:

http://www.christiananswers.net/christmas/mythsaboutchristmas.html

Despite this, the wonder of Christmas, and the significance of the Incarnation, of the Word made flesh, of the Son sent to save us from our sins remains shining as ever, like a star in a cold dark night.

Add comment December 21st, 2006

casinos: government impartiality

Just had a lunch discussion with Shaun Goh over the casino bidding process. Though I hate casinos, I must admit the government deserved full marks for the way they awarded the two licences to Sands and Genting even though neither of them had a Singapore government-linked company as partner. In most other countries, politics and vested interests both local and international would come into play, but the rigorous evaluations and objectivity with which the successful bidders were chosen by the Singapore government just deserves praise and commendation. Indeed this is probably the greatest legacy the senior Lee will leave behind……I do not mean the casinos but the incorruptible institutions.

Add comment December 17th, 2006

relatives in our home

This is the part of the year when my wife’s sister Baby(her real name!) and her two lovely, well mannered children Wen Por and Wen Mun, visit us from Bangkok and stay with us for about ten days or so. Our famiy look forward to their delightful annual visits. My wife will have long breakfast and night chats with her younger sister. And my children just love playing or just having the children, now 13 and 11, around. They were cuter when they were young but now good looking Wen Por, has shot up like bamboo over the last year, by 6 inches I think. His parents and grandparents are not tall, so they bribe him with a ‘baby’ gold bar (literally) every time he crosses a certain benchmark. He has two under his belt already!! The parents are in the leather business and the kids get to study in an international school in Bangkok. But when Wen Por reaches 18 he will be returning to serve his national service stint.

I also heard from Baby that for 800,000 baht in fixed deposit in a Thai bank and a successful application those over 50 who want to retire in Thailand may do so, with a visa that is renewable every year. If you want to really stretch your retirement dollar don’t take my word for it, check it out yourself with the Thai embassy.

Yesterday we brought them to the new IKEA at Tampines. It’s huge but what is there to praise except for free parking? The food there was a disappointment! As for me, I prefer the store at Alexandra Rd !

Add comment December 17th, 2006

just trust

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt.Matthew 1:20; 2:13

I don’t understand Lord, it was all arranged. Good family, brought up well. How could this happen? All I ever wanted was happy marriage, happy children. How did it turn out like this? The dream, the angel so clear: I had to take Mary. Lay aside consternation, doubt. I loved her - her large eyes like running water, her heart so meek and gentle. Now she is with Child from the Spirit. “God with us.” Baby’s name: Jesus- save us, save us. This is too much to take in. She told me stories on the road to Bethlehem. I don’t understand Lord. Gatecrashing shepherds, respectful magi with gifts. More dreams, angels. Thank God for the gold. Egypt a foreign land, strangers, how long do I stay from Mary, how long must we stay here …like refugees?

Till its safe for My Son.

Patiently I wait, while my life is upside down.
Father I don’t understand….
but I trust you.

Add comment December 16th, 2006

so what happened in Chiangmai?

When people ask, So how was the prayer retreat in Chiengmai? I just sort of blurt out some general statements like Oh very good, or Great. I guess it is because it does take some time to talk about what the Lord said and did, and some are personal stuff and the outworking is in process. So maybe I give a psalm and a sketch that’s supposed to be worth a thousand words….and you make an intelligent guess about what happened.

Psalm 131
My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.

But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forever.

Add comment December 13th, 2006

Myanmar missions

Last night we managed to call our daughter Elaine in Yangon. She’s on a three and a half weeks mission trip with the church youth team helping out orphanages and churches. On Sunday we heard she, Mary and John had been vomitting. The culprit was probably the local food. Singaporean stomachs are just too sensitive. They became unwell and vomitted. She said she is now fine and was just feeling a slight nausea. Two more teams from the church are heading there, one mostly families and another all youths. I am encouraged by the people’s commitment. Pastor Thomas and Mary will have their hands full for those several weeks. We want to plant churches and help these churches plant other churches that plant more churches….Pray for the work of the Lord in Myanmar.

Add comment December 11th, 2006

the emerging church - chp 4,5

Dan Kimball begins to give some descriptions of the differences between modernism and still evolving postmodernism. Take a look at it. Which box are Singaporeans of different age groups in? Which box are folks of my generation in? What about my children?

MODERNISM

A worldview and culture emphasizing science, technology, the belief that all knowledge is good and certain, a single moral standard truth as absolute, the value of individualism, and that thinking, learning and beliefs should be determined systematically and logically. Key words: monotheism; rational; religion; propositional; systematic; local; individualistic; truth.

POSTMODERNISM

An emerging and developing worldview and culture pursuing beyond what is modernity. It holds there is no single universal worldview. Therefore truth is not absolute and many of the qualities embraced by modernism no longer hold the value or influence they once did. It can still be defined as we like, since it is still forming and developing. Key words: pluralism; experiential; mystical; narrative; fluid; global; communal / tribal; preference.

Add comment December 9th, 2006

two pregnant women

When Elisabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” (Luke1:41-45)

How would she know that I carry a child
Unmarried and yet blessed, not disgraced
Honored, not shamed.
She said she’s inspired,
the words just tunbled out of her mouth
Felt the heat of His power, the power of the Lord.
And I tell her in excitement what the angel told me
Of the Child in me.
And she rejoiced with tears streaming
for she longed for the coming of the One.
I’m just a simple teenager wondering what life would hold for me.
I was bethrothed but little did I know my world would become
Like a dried leaf in swirling waters
With that one angel-visit.
O Elizabeth, pray for me.
“You are so blessed, so blessed
What is there to fear
for He is with us.”
Or so she says in the dark, damp kitchen.
But what will Joseph make of this?
What will mum and dad say when they see my swell?
And oh dear my friends?
Yet I believe
I will believe
I am blessed
for the Lord has chosen a peasant girl
to usher in the kingdom of our Lord
a child-like one
to bear the Savior of the world.

The Lord be glorified!
The Lord be praised!

Add comment December 7th, 2006