Recap

It's been a while, much has happened since then. let's see if i can do a recap:

• Kristen's recovered from her fever rash. She's back to her cheerful self!
• We screened Indescribable last sunday. It was mind-blowing!
• We had someone song leading first time, playing guitar first time ... the church is made up of volunteers. God is looking for willing and available people.
• Postponed tennis for the nth time, due to the monsoon rain. Yesterday, finally got to the court ... and enjoyed 15 minutes of the game .. and then .... oh well, i guess only then the guys will talk.
• It's good to see someone who's been away from church a long time visited our service last sunday.
• Our church is turning 3 years old next week! wow!
• Such a joy to see someone less than 2 years in her faith helping someone who's just starting out her faith.
• Had Steamboat twice within a week ... it was good! especially on a cold rainy night.
• Kristen is turning 1 next week. wow.
• Eaglepoint Damansara is turning 3 next week. double wow.
• I'm tired ... not sure if it's the steamboat, the tennis ... or just age catching up.

Till then.

Sunday brain dump

Putting a Sunday night brain dump at half-time Arsenal 2-0 up against West Ham! :)

• What a weekend. Plesant drive up to Genting on Friday night. Starbucks on the mountaintop. Relaxing.
• Enjoyed Ps. Tim sessions at another church's Young Adults Camp. Always a joy listening to the wise man.
• Miss wife and Kristen in my 2 days at the camp.
• Encouraged to see new believers at the camp. Some were as young a 1 month old believer. The weather was chilly and nice.
• Spoke 2 sessions on Arise in our Purpose. Humbled that God will us me to minister.
• Back down in PJ, Discovery God session was powerful. It's always a joy to see someone giving their life to Christ. And even more joy seeing the fruit of labor and prayer of come of our campus students and leaders. We praise God for the salvation today!
• Preached about Daily Grace of God. We need God's grace.
• Grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them – St. Augustine
• Grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Grace is the enabling gift of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon - John Piper.
• Had Vichudda and my Tom Yum fix with some young adults after church.
• Spend some time with Kristen after dinner. She's growing by the DAY!
• Thank you God for a great weekend.

You don't want to miss this series!

The Tale of 2 Sales Men

Was doing groceries with my family today after dinner with a couple. While we were about our things, I was approached by 2 'sales' person - one was rallying me to give to an established worldwide humanitarian organisation and the second one was rallying me to sign up for a credit card.

The first one was an middle-age man who explained to me the cause with conviction and passion. The credit card guy on the other hand, was a young chap who also relentlessly tried to pursue me (or my signature rather).

I told my wife - i bet the first guy is a volunteer and is probably not getting paid (maybe just meal allowance). He sacrifice his Friday night and probably time with his family. He probably has a day job and decided to live his life for a greater cause. And he's doing it even though he's not getting paid. And i'm pretty sure the second guy will not be selling card if he's not getting paid ... hey, let's volunteer ourselves to help banks sell credit card. Very unlikely i would say. (Disclaimer, i'm not in anyway dis-crediting credit card sales man, in fact, i dedicated a post to them a while ago).

I believe that's how you know you are living for something. That you are willing to do it:

• Even if it means sacrificing your time, energy and resources
• Even if it means you are taking your own initiatives without being told to/ or forced to
• Even if it means you live beyond the norm
• Even if it no one else is doing it and you're doing it alone
• Even if you are dead tired from the day job but the fruits of your labor and seeing the difference that you made to eleviate suffering in this world makes it worth it ... and you'll be doing it all over again.
• Even if you have to go through tremendous obstacles to do it
• Even if you are not paid to do it (in fact, in most cases you actually give financially to the cause)

I think that's how you know you are living for a cause.

Donut Sunday praise

Last Sunday, we had Donut Sunday - Life without God is like a Donut. We served 100 J Co Donuts - Delicious! Thanks to the volunteers who went to buy the donuts, served them and made coffee/ tea and drinks for our guests.

Alex did a great job leading the band through a story describing how great is our Creator.

I preached from the verse :

He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to the end." Ecclesiastes 3:11

The truth is, at the very core of man - there's eternity set in our hearts. Why else does the temporal world promises so much, but fail to deliver? Because temporal things (however good and useful and pleasurable they are ) could never fill an eternal void that only an eternal God can fill.

"There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus."- Blaise Pascal

We were created by God to have a relationship with Him for eternity. There's only 1 response - to invite God into our hearts to start the relationship and live our life in light of eternity.

We saw 2 people gave their lives to Jesus. The whole heaven rejoices! And another 2 whom indicated they really want to know God. Life without God is like a Donut - it's empty in the middle.

I'm excited about what God is going to do in our midst the remaining of this year! C80!

This Sunday, 5pm starting a series - Rich God, Poor God (what kind of God do you have?)

An expensive lesson

0 - 80 in 8 seconds. Unfortunately, that's not my RPM but the temperature of my car.

The slight rattling in my car has evolved to a monterous noise just overnight. Desperately, i was trying to make it from Cyberjaya (the middle of nowhere) to my mechanic (or at least to Puchong) to check out the problem.

The temperature rise and fall erratically and i had to stop by a petrol station to cool down. But at alas, my car gave up on me in the middle of highway. Smoke and all.

Upon towing my car and checking, the mechanic said the source of the problem was the water pump, which causing the water to cool the engine not being distribute to the rest of them car. Changing that part would only cost RM 200. However, due to the long drive and the heat ... it destroyed most of the interior part of my engine - pistons, gasket etc ... and my car needed a major overhaul (i learnt there's a difference between just overhaul or major overhaul). And it potentially cost me ten times the price, had i fix the initial problem.

An expensive lesson, but i guess that's the same in life. When we fail to fix a minor issue, it'll grow to a major issue and will cost us even more:

• A personality difference issue in a marriage not dealt with will grow into a huge marriage problem, causing pains and hurts to both parties and the children
• A small offense among friends if not resolved by talking will end friendship and causes bitterness
• A small flirt and lust in the heart may grow into a full blown affair or addiction in pornography if not dealt at the root.
• An initial character problem - insecurity, anger, dishonestly, if not fixed will mould and set the path of what kind of person we will be in 2, 5 and 10 years time. By then, a MAJOR Overhaul in life needs to take place ... and will cost so much more.
• A miss-communication in the office or church will lead to mis-trust and silo mentality - affecting the atmosphere, joy and the productivity of the team.

Is there any part of your life that you know that needs fixing? Better do it before it needs a major overhaul.

Ps : Thanks for the birthday sms/ wishes! :) The 30s is the new 20s ...

Hello ...

Hello. It's been a long time since i posted anything.

Since we are maid-less for a short time, it's been 'interesting' to see how much extra stuff we have to do around the house. Nevertheless, things are going on ok.

After our amazing church camp, I sensed a greater ownership and bonding among the people. As we journey on our Campaign 80 (a faith journey that we are taking as a church), we see many new friends joined us for various activities - from LifeGroups to Fireproof Movie screening and Sunday Service. I'm so excited about the 60 over friends that we have this month. It just means that our church is in touch with the lives of many outside.

I read once a pastor said - a 'mature' church should be 'immature' because they have a lot of people who were recently pulled out from the 'gutter' of the world and still smell like it. I pray that our church will continue to smell like 'gutter'. People who were hopeless, purposeless, lack of joy, full of anger, broken-hearted, depressed, lonely, going through marriage issues, spiritual dryness etc ... will be pulled out from their gutter and discipled and in turn reaches out to others.

This Sunday, we are taking a break (Hari Raya) as some of the leaders/ team will be going for our Leadership Retreat with the rest of the Eaglepoint churches in Malaysia. Pray for us.

See you next sunday in our Donut Sunday - Life without God is like a donut. Donuts will be served from 4-5pm