Just came back from OMF Discover Asia Night. Very encouraging to see a good turnout of OCFers to it as well.
Sharing by various missionaries opened up eyes & minds to see what God was doing in the nations, something that we can so easily forget & end up being myopic by focusing on just OUR problems or OUR church/fellowship. Good reminder for me that God is way bigger than all I imagine or make him out to be.
Led the singing tonight, & was reminded by something John Piper said:
"Missions exists because worship does not".
The reason for evangelising the nations is because NOT all peoples on earth are giving God the worship that He rightfully deserves. A change of perspective of evangelism/missions from an "individual-focused" effort to a God-focused enterprise. The issue here is not so much the prevention of a person from going to hell, though true as it is; but the issue concerns God receiving all the worship that He truly deserves.
We are to bring the gospel to the nations because God deserves to be worshipped by them as well. "... at the name of Jesus EVERY knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth..."
When we cease to be "world"/mission-minded Christians, our hearts cease to resonate with God's heartbeat. His heart is for the nations.
Is my heartbeat resonating with His?
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Accepted :)
Yay! I got accepted into the one-month Teaching English course I wanted to do.
So January 2010 will be busy learning how to be a teacher! *Gasp*
Time to brush up on my English grammar...
So January 2010 will be busy learning how to be a teacher! *Gasp*
Time to brush up on my English grammar...
Saturday, October 03, 2009
The 3 Ps...
Recently read an article that struck a chord in my heart. Like the author, I too find that I suffer from these 3 temptations in ministry:
"I think that's a rather good Bible study! I wonder if they'll notice" (PRIDE).
---> Definitely have felt that temptation, in the context of preparing a sermon!
"I know my kids need my attention, but I'll just read over that article one more time" (PERFECTIONISM).
---> Probably the most common one I succumb to. In this case while I don't have kids, I sure fall in the same category of "over-doing" my assignments, sermons, Bible study preparations etc.
"I know people will disagree with me, but if I play down the differences, perhaps I'll keep their respect" (PEOPLE-PLEASING).
---> Oh how many times I've found myself unwilling to take a firm stand on some issue precisely because of that!
"Perhaps the 3 Ps are revealed in workaholism, subtle boasting or envy of more successful ministries."
---> Point 3 (envy of more successful ministries) have crossed my mind multiple times!
There's no quick cure to this, and like the author states, I'd probably be battling them until the end of my days. But I know that God has been addressing these issues over & over again during these past 2 years in my traineeship. In his wisdom, he has withheld opportunities for ministry & success in order that I may not feed my pride, but in despair, to cry out to him in helplessness. While the process can be painful, only God knows how deceitful my heart can be and the measures needed to crucify these inner desires. Praise God for his wisdom!
(Source Acknowledgement: "The temptations of the 3 Ps", The Briefing Issue #372, Sept 2009, Author: Jean Williams)
- Pride
- Perfectionism
- People-pleasing
"I think that's a rather good Bible study! I wonder if they'll notice" (PRIDE).
---> Definitely have felt that temptation, in the context of preparing a sermon!
"I know my kids need my attention, but I'll just read over that article one more time" (PERFECTIONISM).
---> Probably the most common one I succumb to. In this case while I don't have kids, I sure fall in the same category of "over-doing" my assignments, sermons, Bible study preparations etc.
"I know people will disagree with me, but if I play down the differences, perhaps I'll keep their respect" (PEOPLE-PLEASING).
---> Oh how many times I've found myself unwilling to take a firm stand on some issue precisely because of that!
"Perhaps the 3 Ps are revealed in workaholism, subtle boasting or envy of more successful ministries."
---> Point 3 (envy of more successful ministries) have crossed my mind multiple times!
There's no quick cure to this, and like the author states, I'd probably be battling them until the end of my days. But I know that God has been addressing these issues over & over again during these past 2 years in my traineeship. In his wisdom, he has withheld opportunities for ministry & success in order that I may not feed my pride, but in despair, to cry out to him in helplessness. While the process can be painful, only God knows how deceitful my heart can be and the measures needed to crucify these inner desires. Praise God for his wisdom!
(Source Acknowledgement: "The temptations of the 3 Ps", The Briefing Issue #372, Sept 2009, Author: Jean Williams)
distracted...
Learning Greek has been fun, but it's starting to get really arduous translating a whole book like Philippians. Possibly because there are still a million and one grammatical constructions that we've yet to learn! So having to keep flipping through grammar books & commentaries to translate just one verse can get under one's skin after a while.
Having said that, reading Philippians in Greek is definitely a very rewarding experience as there are certain nuances that just aren't as easily translatable into English. I'm still far from being able to spot them though & am heavily relying on the commentaries at the moment.
Ah... just have to keep pressing on...
Would much rather like to be assembling a WASGIJ at the moment... ooOo... WASGIJ...
Having said that, reading Philippians in Greek is definitely a very rewarding experience as there are certain nuances that just aren't as easily translatable into English. I'm still far from being able to spot them though & am heavily relying on the commentaries at the moment.
Ah... just have to keep pressing on...
Would much rather like to be assembling a WASGIJ at the moment... ooOo... WASGIJ...
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