27/1/11 Exodus 7-20; Acts 3
S: Exodus 20:12 “Honour your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
O: This was part of the 10 Commandments, the most central part of the Law of Moses. While there is some dispute among Christians as to whether the laws still apply in the New Testament, there is usually no dispute as to whether the principles apply.
Ephesians 6:2 points out that this is the first commandment with a promise.
A: I find this commandment very hard to apply because of competing commandments. When I was single, it was already hard to apply because my parents are not believers and sometimes wanted me to do things which I felt were wrong from a Biblical perspective.
But things got even more complicated after marriage – scripture also teaches that I must leave my parents and cleave to my wife, that the two of us become one. (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:7).
With Chinese New Year coming up next week, I was faced with this again last week, as incompatible desires from different parts of my family competed. My first entry in the Life Journal’s prayer section was in fact regarding this matter. Praise God, I think we have a compromise worked out for now.
P: Father, please give me wisdom how to honour my parents, especially when there are competing requirements and I am unclear what the right thing to do is. Please send your Holy Spirit before us this upcoming Chinese New Year gatherings and help me to be able to honour them and be winsome and good witnesses for you while balancing the needs of others.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Exuberant worship, fast forgetfulness
26/1/11
Exodus 14-16; Acts 2
S: Exodus 15:20-24 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them: “Sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!” So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur.
And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”
O: Miriam was at least 5 years older than Moses as she could follow the reed basket when Moses was a baby. And according to Exodus 7:7, Moses was 80 when they confronted Pharoah. So Miriam must have been at least 85 years old when she took the timbrel in her hand and led the women in a dance!
Three days after this dance, the people complained against Moses again! And even after God made the waters of Marah sweet, the complained again and again in the chapters we read today.
A: I am only 45 years old... I remember uncle Beng Keat dancing before the Lord in his 60s. We can dance and worship and celebrate before the Lord no matter what our age... dancing is not just for the young J.
We’re such short-sighted people. It’s easy to forget what God has done for us when we’re facing the current problem. God came through for the Israelites again and again yet at every crisis, they had no faith and only focused on the current negative, until the Lord got exasperated with them in Exodus 16:28 “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?”
P: Father, please keep me in celebrating worshiping you till the day I die! Let me not forget your faithfulness when I’m in a middle of a crisis.
Exodus 14-16; Acts 2
S: Exodus 15:20-24 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them: “Sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!” So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur.
And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”
O: Miriam was at least 5 years older than Moses as she could follow the reed basket when Moses was a baby. And according to Exodus 7:7, Moses was 80 when they confronted Pharoah. So Miriam must have been at least 85 years old when she took the timbrel in her hand and led the women in a dance!
Three days after this dance, the people complained against Moses again! And even after God made the waters of Marah sweet, the complained again and again in the chapters we read today.
A: I am only 45 years old... I remember uncle Beng Keat dancing before the Lord in his 60s. We can dance and worship and celebrate before the Lord no matter what our age... dancing is not just for the young J.
We’re such short-sighted people. It’s easy to forget what God has done for us when we’re facing the current problem. God came through for the Israelites again and again yet at every crisis, they had no faith and only focused on the current negative, until the Lord got exasperated with them in Exodus 16:28 “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?”
P: Father, please keep me in celebrating worshiping you till the day I die! Let me not forget your faithfulness when I’m in a middle of a crisis.
Treat everyone with human dignity & respect.
Written on 25/1/11
Exodus 12-13; Psalm 21; Acts 1
S: Exodus 12:49 "This instruction applies to everyone, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner living among you.”
O: There are many injunctions in the Old Testament law to treat foreigners fairly. Oppression of foreigners and others who are in disadvantaged positions is a sin.
A: It is really terrible how we Malaysians treat the foreign workers. I fear God’s wrath and judgment on us as a nation!
On a personal level, I have a responsibility to treat the foreign workers, and even our own Malaysian ‘servants’ e.g. the cleaning women at MMU, with the dignity and respect of human beings.
Even slaves get their Sabbath rest in the Law of Moses.
Some people might say that this is why our former Cambodian maid was so problematic – because we gave her too much respect. I disagree. That she abused and took advantage of Juliane’s personality being unable to reprimand her for her irresponsibility is no excuse for treating someone as subhuman.
P: Help me to keep treating people who are normally disrespected in our society with respect and dignity. May they also be drawn towards You and saved.
Exodus 12-13; Psalm 21; Acts 1
S: Exodus 12:49 "This instruction applies to everyone, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner living among you.”
O: There are many injunctions in the Old Testament law to treat foreigners fairly. Oppression of foreigners and others who are in disadvantaged positions is a sin.
A: It is really terrible how we Malaysians treat the foreign workers. I fear God’s wrath and judgment on us as a nation!
On a personal level, I have a responsibility to treat the foreign workers, and even our own Malaysian ‘servants’ e.g. the cleaning women at MMU, with the dignity and respect of human beings.
Even slaves get their Sabbath rest in the Law of Moses.
Some people might say that this is why our former Cambodian maid was so problematic – because we gave her too much respect. I disagree. That she abused and took advantage of Juliane’s personality being unable to reprimand her for her irresponsibility is no excuse for treating someone as subhuman.
P: Help me to keep treating people who are normally disrespected in our society with respect and dignity. May they also be drawn towards You and saved.
Ambassadors for Christ
Written on 24/1/11
Exodus 9-11; Luke 24
S: Exodus 9:20 Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside.
O: This was in the midst of the 10 plagues God brought upon Egypt to make them let the Israelites go. This was just after Moses and Aaron announced the 7th plague – the plague of hail. Clearly, some Egyptians already believed at this point, so those who believed and took action saved their property. Those who did not believe suffered the loss.
Many Egyptians, in fact, became believers and went with the Israelites when they left Egypt.
A: There are two lessons I take from this: one is that when non-believers follow God’s principles, they will benefit as well. The other is that in all our “fighting” with the world, we must remember that we are ultimately here to be ambassadors for Christ, to shine the light of Christ so that others may, too, come to Him.
P: Lord, help me to be a better witness for you. You know my frustration that I have never had the opportunity to lead someone to Christ except when the person has already gone up for an altar call and I just happened to be the helper. Please keep me from discouragement. Help me to see what I can change in the way I interact with my non-Christian friends to do better in evangelism. I do thank you that I have had a small number of people who emailed me years later that they’ve come to faith and that I had contributed to their journey. I would like to hear from more such people as well.
Exodus 9-11; Luke 24
S: Exodus 9:20 Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside.
O: This was in the midst of the 10 plagues God brought upon Egypt to make them let the Israelites go. This was just after Moses and Aaron announced the 7th plague – the plague of hail. Clearly, some Egyptians already believed at this point, so those who believed and took action saved their property. Those who did not believe suffered the loss.
Many Egyptians, in fact, became believers and went with the Israelites when they left Egypt.
A: There are two lessons I take from this: one is that when non-believers follow God’s principles, they will benefit as well. The other is that in all our “fighting” with the world, we must remember that we are ultimately here to be ambassadors for Christ, to shine the light of Christ so that others may, too, come to Him.
P: Lord, help me to be a better witness for you. You know my frustration that I have never had the opportunity to lead someone to Christ except when the person has already gone up for an altar call and I just happened to be the helper. Please keep me from discouragement. Help me to see what I can change in the way I interact with my non-Christian friends to do better in evangelism. I do thank you that I have had a small number of people who emailed me years later that they’ve come to faith and that I had contributed to their journey. I would like to hear from more such people as well.
Carpe Diem
Written on 23/1/11
Exodus 6-8, Luke 23
SOAP model - Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
S: Luke 23:28,31 But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children... For if they do these things in a green wood, what will be done in the dry?"
O: The situation is Jesus being led to the crucifixion. The Jewish leaders had rejected the Messiah, so terrible things will befall Jerusalem in the future -- the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. This is the traditional understanding of this passage, but since WW2, Christians have shied away from this interpretation for fear of being accused of antisemitism. However, it's not necessarily antisemitic -- after all, all the "good guys" in the story are Jews, too. All the early Christian apologists took this interpretation, and yes, in the middle ages people did take this to an antisemitic extreme, but we can return to a balanced historical understanding and not throw out the baby with the bathwater.
A: We mustn't reject the direction of God when the opportunity comes, like the Jewish leaders who in their selfish rejection of Jesus as the Messiah in order to preserve their own power brought upon themselves the destruction of Jerusalem. Though, if we mess up, repentance and forgiveness is still possible. Very soon after this passage, Jesus prays, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" and one of the two thieves on the crosses next to him repented and was saved. When I get an opportunity to obey or reject God's direction, I must choose to obey. My biggest daily struggle is my innate selfishness often asserts itself during those spur-of-the-moment decisions. Those decisions I have time to think about and consider and pray, I tend to make the right decision, but those split-second decisions, I often choose the selfish thing to do instead of God's way.
P: Lord, I know I often choose the selfish thing instead of the godly thing in those split-second decisions. Mold me so that I will react in the godly way instead of the selfish way. Please remind me in those split-second decisions to follow You instead of my own selfish heart.
Exodus 6-8, Luke 23
SOAP model - Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
S: Luke 23:28,31 But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children... For if they do these things in a green wood, what will be done in the dry?"
O: The situation is Jesus being led to the crucifixion. The Jewish leaders had rejected the Messiah, so terrible things will befall Jerusalem in the future -- the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. This is the traditional understanding of this passage, but since WW2, Christians have shied away from this interpretation for fear of being accused of antisemitism. However, it's not necessarily antisemitic -- after all, all the "good guys" in the story are Jews, too. All the early Christian apologists took this interpretation, and yes, in the middle ages people did take this to an antisemitic extreme, but we can return to a balanced historical understanding and not throw out the baby with the bathwater.
A: We mustn't reject the direction of God when the opportunity comes, like the Jewish leaders who in their selfish rejection of Jesus as the Messiah in order to preserve their own power brought upon themselves the destruction of Jerusalem. Though, if we mess up, repentance and forgiveness is still possible. Very soon after this passage, Jesus prays, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" and one of the two thieves on the crosses next to him repented and was saved. When I get an opportunity to obey or reject God's direction, I must choose to obey. My biggest daily struggle is my innate selfishness often asserts itself during those spur-of-the-moment decisions. Those decisions I have time to think about and consider and pray, I tend to make the right decision, but those split-second decisions, I often choose the selfish thing to do instead of God's way.
P: Lord, I know I often choose the selfish thing instead of the godly thing in those split-second decisions. Mold me so that I will react in the godly way instead of the selfish way. Please remind me in those split-second decisions to follow You instead of my own selfish heart.
The Purpose of this Blog
For several months now, I have been following the Life Journal Bible reading plan on YouVersion.
I like how the Android app helps me keep up with the readings every day -- even reading them out loud for me.
I also like how I can share my thoughts about what I'm reading through the notes on YouVersion, and that other people can "like" my notes.
However, YouVersion doesn't provide any way for people to respond to my notes, other than to "like" them.
So this blog is here to remedy that problem. You can comment on my notes here in the comment section.
I plan to slowly go back through my old YouVersion notes and repost them here, and modify my notes to link to the blog post here, so that people can leave their comments if they so desire.
I like how the Android app helps me keep up with the readings every day -- even reading them out loud for me.
I also like how I can share my thoughts about what I'm reading through the notes on YouVersion, and that other people can "like" my notes.
However, YouVersion doesn't provide any way for people to respond to my notes, other than to "like" them.
So this blog is here to remedy that problem. You can comment on my notes here in the comment section.
I plan to slowly go back through my old YouVersion notes and repost them here, and modify my notes to link to the blog post here, so that people can leave their comments if they so desire.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Prejudice
12/3/11 Deuteronomy 10-21; Galatians 3
S: Galatians 3:28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
O: Racism has been a feature of human life since the Tower of Babel, and the Jews were no exception.
However, the Gospel is different – the Gospel teaches us that all of us are created in the image of God, and that everyone can be saved, regardless of race.
That is why there is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, for we are all one in Christ.
A: In 1989-1990, I worked in Germany and attended an “independent dispensationalist Baptist church” that ministered to the American arny base in the area.
The church was led by people who were very committed to Jesus, but they came out of the Bob Jones University environment of Southern Baptist racism. (Bob Jones University even prohibited interracial dating!)
I was in a Bible study once when someone remarked, “Did you see that disgusting sight on Sunday? That couple where the husband was black and the wife was white?”
In my youthful zeal, I blew up at them and quoted this verse and had a huge argument with them. They tried to placate me by saying that they “didn’t mean Asians” (“Asians” being the stereotypical “model minority” since they were the overachievers among the American minorities, even outperforming the Whites on average.)
But even back in Malaysia, I found racism in the church. I was in a car going somewhere with a bunch of other people from DUMC and one of them made racist remarks against Indians. (Yes, everyone in the car was Chinese.)
Even in myself, I find nascent racist attitudes, not helped by the evil racist policies of the corrupt BN government which does all these anti-non-Malay things.
P: Father, help us to see other people as You see them – people for whom Christ died – and to love everyone of all races.
S: Galatians 3:28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
O: Racism has been a feature of human life since the Tower of Babel, and the Jews were no exception.
However, the Gospel is different – the Gospel teaches us that all of us are created in the image of God, and that everyone can be saved, regardless of race.
That is why there is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, for we are all one in Christ.
A: In 1989-1990, I worked in Germany and attended an “independent dispensationalist Baptist church” that ministered to the American arny base in the area.
The church was led by people who were very committed to Jesus, but they came out of the Bob Jones University environment of Southern Baptist racism. (Bob Jones University even prohibited interracial dating!)
I was in a Bible study once when someone remarked, “Did you see that disgusting sight on Sunday? That couple where the husband was black and the wife was white?”
In my youthful zeal, I blew up at them and quoted this verse and had a huge argument with them. They tried to placate me by saying that they “didn’t mean Asians” (“Asians” being the stereotypical “model minority” since they were the overachievers among the American minorities, even outperforming the Whites on average.)
But even back in Malaysia, I found racism in the church. I was in a car going somewhere with a bunch of other people from DUMC and one of them made racist remarks against Indians. (Yes, everyone in the car was Chinese.)
Even in myself, I find nascent racist attitudes, not helped by the evil racist policies of the corrupt BN government which does all these anti-non-Malay things.
P: Father, help us to see other people as You see them – people for whom Christ died – and to love everyone of all races.
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