Your Self-concept Determines Your Destiny

Most recently, I had the wonderful privilege to meet Dr. Rev. A R Bernard during a face-to-face interview. Personally, I owe a lot to this man for shaping my Christian worldview and clarifying my destiny as a Christ-follower. I’ve reproduced the article from City News here.

According to Bernard, a healthy (or biblical) self-concept will largely affect and influence how a Christian acts or behaves. Ultimately, said Bernard, choices will create life and determine destiny.

To illustrate the power of self-concept, Bernard presented astounding findings about the people of Israel or Jews, whose national identity and self-concept are greatly influenced by their covenant with God as descendents of Abraham.

Notably, there are 13 million Jews out of a global population of approximately six billion people, constituting a mere one-fifth of a percent of the global population.

In America, the Jewish community makes up two percent of the country’s total population. In spite of the Jewish community’s seemingly insignificant size, it is found that out of the top 40 percent of the richest Americans, 45 percent are Jewish.

Bernard attributed the Jews’ distinctive ability to prosper wherever they are placed in the world, and when they are confronted in any given situation, to their deeply entrenched self-concept as a people of God who are destined “to be the head and not the tail, above and not beneath, and to be the lender and not the borrower.”

Read the full article with interview here>>>

The Weekly Tuesday Group

Yesterday I attended a fellowship session which was called Tuesday Group.

I heard about this weekly informal fellowship session from a friend who is a regular attendee.

Fellowship with a difference

I was intrigued that there was actually a group of fellow believers from different churches in Singapore whom were gathering as a Body of Christ on a regular basis.

That was the story in how I decided to pay a visit. And I wasn’t disappointed.

That evening which I visited, there were about 80 people and were mostly young adults aged between 25 to 35 years old. We worshiped, listened to a guest speaker and finally broke up in smaller groups to pray and prophesy over one another.

It was definitely a good session of building up the inner man and the Church. And I would visit again.

Joining the fellowship

One of the fascinating and appealing things that I like about such a fellowship is being able to learn from different people and churches. My concept of God and His Kingdom expands.

And if like me, you’re drawn to such a fellowship with a difference and with a ‘no strings attached’ approach, you can make your way down to basement level of High Street Centre along North Bridge Road at 8pm on a Tuesday, of cos.

The Tuesday Group was initiated in 2004 by a handful of believers that desired to forged authentic covenant relationships among the Christian community in Singapore; uniting the Body of Christ.

For those who might be cautious or suspicious, this group operates under the covering of the Petra Church.

My Read of the Month:

Title: Changing Church: How God Is Leading His Church Into the Future
Author: C. Peter Wagner
Published: 2004
Genre: Church Growth/Spiritual Leadership
Ratings: 4.6 out of 5 stars

There’s no denying that God is doing a new thing in His Church in this 21st century. But what exactly is He doing? This is what this book attempts to uncover.

Peter Wagner, of whom I had the privileged to watch preached, does a fantastic job in succinctly presenting the changing trends of the Church. I really wish someone had recommended me this book earlier before.

According to Wagner, we are now in an era termed the Second Apostolic Age. This describes the age of the 21st century in which the Holy Spirit is strongly speaking to the churches of our generation to initiate a paradigm shift from being church-centred to being kingdom-centred.

In other words, the concept of the Kingdom of God has begun to expand significantly. And this has led to a radical shift in understanding  what being the Church means and as God destined.

For instance, he explains that “no longer is it adequate to suppose that our ultimate task here on Earth is the growth of the Church. Church growth remains crucial, but the Kingdom goes beyond that”.

In the old wineskin as he coins, the Church emphasizes on evangelism and church planting as activities central to the mission. But with the new wineskin, territorial domination with quantifiable terms is not the main goal. The goal then, is service to God which translates to nothing less than the transformation of society.

Another reason why this book is a pleasure to read in spite of it being written in a scholarly manner is because Wagner shares his personal experiences and opinions. This provides not only credibility but a good depth into this subject.

As mentioned, I wish I had read this book earlier with its insights that would have served me well to make sense of my past situation. Nonetheless, reading it now has affirmed and confirmed the revelations and deductions I received.

This is a must-read for every Christian as Wagner covers a number of compelling arguments such as the corporate spirit of religion and religious covenant. With better understanding where we are and where we’re heading, would serve us well to evaluate our values and priorities towards aligning with God and His Kingdom.

Who should read it: For Christians especially church leaders or pastors, that are hungry for God and His will for the Church.

Seeking the True Source

Jesus answered, “If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water.”

The woman said, “Sir, you don’t even have a bucket to draw with, and this well is deep. So how are you going to get this ‘living water’?

Are you a better man than our ancestor Jacob, who dug this well and drank from it, he and his sons and livestock, and passed it down to us?”

Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever.

The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.”

The woman said, “Sir, give me this water so I won’t ever get thirsty, won’t ever have to come back to this well again!”

John 4:10-15 (The Message)

Sync-ing with God

I’m a user of the remarkable and revolutionary iPhone.

I absolutely love the Apps and iTunes that are available to make daily life more convenient and enriching which distinctively sets it apart from an average phone.

However, I discovered that the iPhone becomes an average phone when under utilised. And this happens when it has never or is not regularly synchronised for updates.

Apparently, the iPhone needs to be updated with newer versions or entirely fresh ones to serve new needs and be constantly relevant.

Likewise, the same can be said of ourselves. We are like iPhones- His remarkable creations that were destined to lead revolutionary lives.

Unfortunately, many of us either ignore or forget to synchronise our lives with God regularly. That usually leads us to living a life of discontentment and  mediocrity.

Being in sync with God, allows Him to meet our needs as bio-psychosocial and spiritual beings.

This enables us to grow holistically; not living life under ‘utilised’ or a life of mediocrity. But one enriched with distinct fullness.

So have you sync with God today?

If you have not, don’t wait any longer. Plug in and sync with Him and receive new downloads of visions and dreams for a new life of relevance and purpose!

Goodbye Uncle Danny

Over the weekend, one of my uncles, Danny passed away. He was 58.

His sudden death caught most of us off guard as he had a heart attack that took his life in the next hour.

None of us had the chance to see and talk to him for the last time. And that was sad.

If anything, it served as a good reminder to cherish every moment with my loved ones when they’re around me.

At least I can take some comfort that my last memories with him were over a few laughs that we briefly exchanged early this year.

Since young, my late uncle Danny had been my favourite uncle. I guess I liked him because he was fun-loving and had this ‘bad boy’ image.

Now he’s gone. He’ll be missed.

“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years” ~ Abraham Lincoln.

Kristos Kai Kosmos

With the godly man himself who brought us “Kristos Kai Kosmos” or Christ in Culture- Dr. Rev. A. R. Bernard on 22 August 2010. Picture taken during his upclose and personal interview with City News.

My Doodling:

Make a date this weekend with AR Bernard at City Harvest Church. In my opinion, he’s one of the greatest spiritual leaders today and a major influence in the paradigm shift from church-centred to kingdom-centred of the extended Church. He will change the way you view and live your Christian life. That’s what he did for me.

Walking in His Grace & Favour

“For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand [anywhere else]; I would rather be a doorkeeper and stand at the threshold in the house of my God than to dwell [at ease] in the tents of wickedness.

For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows [present] grace and favor and [future] glory (honor, splendor, and heavenly bliss)! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

O Lord of hosts, blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts in You [leaning and believing on You, committing all and confidently looking to You, and that without fear or misgiving]!”

Psalm 84: 10-12 (Amplified Bible)

At 32 and thankful too

Early this month, I had turned 32!

Yes… I may be another year older, but I’ve also arrived to another level of happiness as well =p

This year’s birthday, I’m thankful for 3 things in my life and I’m look forward to 2 exciting next steps or prayers to be answered.

The three thanksgivings points are:

1. My wife. She’s a gift from above and has been a divine support in this transitional phase in my walk with God. I’m the most blessed man on earth!

2. My family. Regardless of what we’ve being through, without my family I would not be who and where I am today. I’m learning to express my love and appreciation for them in more creative ways.

3. My job. I enjoy what I do despite being busy and confronted with a steep learning curve. I relish a noble challenge that develops my potential and enjoy learning what I believe will be pivotal in the near future.

My two prayer requests for the road ahead

The spiritual health of my marriage tops the list. With us less than a year as husband and wife, I’m praying that we will flow as one in His vision and purpose.

I’m believing that as we seek His kingdom and righteousness, He will build and prosper our marriage in every way.

Secondly and lastly, I’m praying for His promotion by leading me to the role where He has prepared for me where I can be of further influence in transforming our society.

And this may not necessary be confined to my job, but in a broader view of fulfilling His kingdom purpose in the marketplace through doors that He has opened for me.

Now at 32, I’m ever more thankful for His grace and goodness in my life. And I cannot resist not shouting His fame in all that I do and become.

“God…. here I am, use me.”