Natural Tendency

Last few days, I am a group of BCM students went to Ipoh for mission purpose. Indeed, we have a wonderful time there. I always enjoy going Ipoh for mission because of the people there. Sometime i think why they need people like us to go, they have such a powerful community testimony. Perhaps, it is more like to bless us than needing our help.

As we reach Ipoh, the Christian community receive us so warmly. I could feel the love of Christ among their midst. Although this is not the first time serving in Ipoh community, I am still amazed at their hospitality and love. They respect and honor the pastors. We as so called "future" pastor were being treated the same way.

Then we continued our tasks there in Ipoh. We serve the children, youth, adult and senior adult. As we preach and teach, I found a common theme within our content. It is the natural tendency for Christian to love. Our lecturer preach that mission is a natural outflow of the Church. I preach on mission is built into humanity using different gifts, Our team leader preach on mission as our natural reaction to share life.

In our sharing, we need not to condemn the people that if they don't share the gospel, the people will be thrown to hell. The people knew this truth. What we share is to encourage them to press on in showing love and care to those around them. That itself is a natural reaction of Christian Lifestyle. As you become a Christian, there will be a sudden change in your life, if not, at least it will slowly take place. Somehow, your capacity to love will increase, you will become more compasion, and justice is absolute in your life.

People around us actually aware of all the changes that happened in our life. Whether good or bad, people can see. Even more amazing, God will actually add colours to all the changes. This is what I called, "Gifts" from God. After accepted the Lord, most of us will experience certain changes in life. Either we felt relieved that we are set free from the bondage of sins, or we will become more active in life because we know our purpose on earth.

However, our life become more difficul to live compare to the past. The reason is that our capacity of love increase. We started to acknowledge absolute truth. We understand that our lives have moral consequences. So, naturally, our life will change. This change is called "Sanctification."

Throughout the process of sanctification, God will put gifts into our life. God will allow us to go through certain experiences, could be good or bad. God will be at the background, colouring our life. Mission in some way, is to portray this portrait that God has paint in our life, to people surrounding us. We share our life story to our friends, neighbours and relatives. Therefore, it will be as natural as we chit chat over the coffee shop.

Our natural tendency to love and care is one of our main witness to the world. Let us continue to do the very little things, love more, care more and fight for justice more. God will be at the back, drawing the best out of us. Let our life be a natural outflow of God's love. Then, people will see us and praise our Father in heaven.

Spiritual Disciplines: Door to Liberation

Currently I am teaching "Spiritual Discipline" in my church. Those who are interested, our class start at 11.30am, Education Block Level 5, every Sunday. This book, "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster was one of my reference book. Let me share a little bit of my study in this post.

A Study base on "Celebration of Discipline" (Richard Foster)

The intention of spiritual discipline is to invite us to explore the spiritual realm. In today world, spirituality is becoming superficial. Spiritual discipline is to call us to move from surface living into the depths.Spiritual discipline is not for spiritual giants, but for ordinary human beings.

Spiritual discipline is to help ordinary people experiencing God transforming power which liberate themselves from the bondage of worldly desire.

Spiritual disciplines are not hard to practices but require time and effort. As you practice spiritual discipline, you will face two struggles:

1. The philosophic mind of human. We tend to doubt our ability of reaching beyond the physical world. We try to use intellectual and rationality to limit our understanding of the unseen spiritual realm.
2. Practical of spiritual disciplines. We don’t really know how to practice spiritual disciplines. There are not much practical steps that stated in the Bible to lead us in practicing spiritual disciplines.

Spiritual habits set us free from the ingrained habits of sin. When we were sinners, our lives were live under the condition of sin. The natural motions of our lives are sinful. Sin is part of the internal structure of our lives. We are being trapped by sin.

We try to use will power and determination to overcome sin. However, such power will only result in temporal success. The Bible teaches us to deal with our mind and our inner self rather than just physical victory.

Spiritual discipline is to help us re-direct our focus to God, relying on His power and grace to transform us. God has given us the disciplines of the spiritual life as a means of receiving His grace. However, take note that the spiritual discipline by itself can do nothing. They are only a means, a channel for God’s grace. The practices do not produce transformation, but it will put us in the place where we can receive God’s grace for transformation.

However, there is a danger to put the spiritual disciplines higher than God. This becomes legalism. The spiritual disciplines are not laws; they are only God given means for us to break out from our sinful condition and into a new condition where we can receive God’s abundance grace. Our heart and attitude towards the spiritual disciplines will affect our spiritual life.

Dealing with People who are hurt in the Church

Recently I was bombarded with this question, how to help those who are in hurt? When you face certain situation, sometimes you might act in certain way out of the norm. People who are hurt will do things beyond our expectations. So, as a church, how should we respond to these people. At one hand, we do not want to condone the wrong things they are doing. Perhaps during their hurtful time, they sin excessively. On the other hand, we know that they are suffering with the pain in their heart, and if we come straight to them, it might not able to help them at all.

As a Christian, if you see your brother/sister, facing difficulties in life, and he/she make certain decision or conclusion that you think is wrong, what will you do? If after you have try persuading yet it doesn't seems to help, what will you do next? On top of that, you find that people in the church started spreading rumours about what this brother/sister did, how do suggest to manage the situtation?

I welcome discussion from anyone who are reading this post. Put your comment in.