Author andrewong2024

All for His glory

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Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families.

Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”?

That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ.

That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.”

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (The message)

We need His power

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I’ve started driving recently and learnt something from this new experience.

It is instinctive for drivers to search for a petrol kiosk for a fill-up when the car indicates that it is running low on fuel.

Naturally, drivers do so because cars rely on petrol for power and to operate.

Without power, cars are almost useless.

Holy Spirit is our source of power

Similarly, we humans need power. And as Christians, we’ve acknowledged and embraced the Holy Spirit as that source.

We draw power being in His presence; renewing our visions, purposes in life and reviving our souls as we basked in the love of God.

But how many of us can truthfully say that we instinctly approach the Holy Spirit when we feel dry or low in our ‘fuel tank’?

And unlike, a car which has an fuel indicator to precisely alert us, we do not have such a mechanism in place.

Hence, many burn out and crash spiritually before even  realising that they are low in power.

Drawing power from the Holy Spirit

Today, make it a habit to plug into the presence of the Holy Spirit on a regular basis to draw power and to avoid any case of a burn out.

Equally important is for us to recognise our personal tell-tale signs of a low ‘fuel tank’ in our lives. So when the signs appear, instinctively we will look to Him for a fill-up.

Jesus said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 

All of us, regardless if we believe in Him or not, need His power for a successful and purposeful life. Without Him, we are almost useless.

And the amazing truth is that His power is ever readily available and accessible anytime and anywhere.

So what are you waiting for? Get your power up today.

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My Read of the Month:

Title: A Nation Cheated
Author: Chee Soon Juan
Published: 2008
Genre: Singapore Politics
Ratings: 3.7 out of 5 stars

Without a doubt Dr Chee Soon Juan cuts a very controversial figure in Singapore politics. Some respect him while some or most loathe him, especially for his confrontational antics with civil disobedience.

However, we cannot deny that this man’s fortitude in standing for his democratic beliefs in spite of the constant hammering dished out by our PAP leaders baffles many of us. And it did provoke me to consider about this man’s intentions and aspirations for Singapore and to read this book.

This book surmises Singapore’s political history (based on historical records) and how the PAP came into absolute power that it is today. And unlike what we were mostly told by the media and in schools, Dr Chee attempts to present the untold version of the PAP’s unscrupulous mannerism in usurping power using the ISA to detain political opponents.

Many of these political opponents were imprisoned without trial as long as 25 years. One notable character whom should have been Singapore’s first prime minister was the late Lim Chin Siong. He was a respected leader of the masses who valiantly fought for the rights of Singaporeans and their desire for independence from the British rule.

Interestingly, he was against the meager with Malaysia. That allegedly led him to be detained by the ISA on grounds that he was a communist. He was locked up twice on accusations for his communist links but was never trialed and convicted. He was subsequently banished to London in 1969 and only allowed to return 10 years later.

With Lim and an opposition out of the way, Lee Kuan Yew and the PAP took control of the independent press and active trade union movement. And they say the rest is history. In 1996, Lim passed away unceremoniously.

Not everything in this book is about the late Lim, but his story and his fate is pivotal in how the tide turned in favour for the PAP to reign. The rest of the book recounts the history of the degenerating of our labour laws; the dependency of MNCs and use of GLCs; and the transparency of our sovereign wealth funds with Temasek Holdings and GIC.

Overall, this book appeals even to the average man on the street. It shares the other side of history which has been blacked out. So one ought to read with an open and discerning mind, and conclude for yourself the true Singapore story.

And the truth is important,  for history defines who we are as a people, and don’t we wonder why there is no true identity or true sense of belonging as a Singaporean?

Who should read it: All Singaporeans and anyone who’s interested in the making of Singapore’s success.

Saluting a true champion

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After his team was defeated by a sensational Barcelona team during the recent European final, many expected Alex Ferguson to throw in the towel and retire.

But he did not.

Instead, this 70-year old manager has been busy getting his team ready to mount another challenge in the new season.

“You shouldn’t be afraid of a challenge. We’ve got better and better. We want to improve. Of course, next season, we must improve even more,” said Alex Ferguson after the defeat.

Indeed, champions are not those who do not fail but they’re those who do not quit.

It is safe to say that Manchester United are the champions they are today because of their manager’s winning mentality.

Alex, is one person that readily admits that he does not enjoy being second best and his team not only understands that but adopts his winning mentality.

If his 24 years at the same club and winning 12 championship titles is not convincing proof of his insatiable appetite for winning, I do not know what is.

I truly take my hat off and salute this true champion of a man.

Top 5 regrets of the dying

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A lady who worked with the dying for years posted a list of the top 5 regrets she has heard from people on their deathbeds. I’m reproducing parts of the post here and hope it encourages you just as it has for me; to take action in living a life without regrets.

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives.

Read the full article here>>>.

Emerging stronger thru trials

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“What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord,
    who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,
    it will become a place of refreshing springs.
    The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.

They will continue to grow stronger,
    and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.”

Psalm 84:5-7 (New Living Translation)

My state of “crossover”

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It’s been almost 3 years since my personal “crossover” in heeding the call of the cultural mandate.

As expected, it has not been an easy ride. In fact, it has been tough to the point of frustration.

However, I must acknowledge that most of the frustration stems from me being impatient in wanting to see results.

At these moments, I have to constantly remind myself that I’m following God’s timetable, not mine.

I’m His beloved

I’m also tempted many of a times to just settle for less and be ‘contented’ at where I am. From a humanistic viewpoint, I know I’m doing reasonably okay, especially taking in consideration of my past.

So why even bother to press so hard and make my life so difficult?

Everyone’s just cruising through life, why must I be different?  

But in the face of such derailing thoughts, I’m reminded that I’m His beloved. If He only desires the best for me, then why should I short-change myself by forfeiting my rightful inheritence?

I’m His follower

Another reminder or factor that has anchored in holding me steadfast is His vision given to me.

I’m truly convinced that God has launched an all-out mission to reclaim what has been lost- territories in the marketplace.

And I don’t wish to be a spectator. I want to be in the thick of the action!

But with all that has been said, I’m learning that obedience to a call or fulfilling His vision is not just about accomplishing a task, in this case the Great Commission.

It is also becoming the person God has destined us to become. Therefore, I’m hanging on and pressing onwards.

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My Read of the Month:

Title: Church Planter: The Man, the Message, the Mission
Author: Darrin Patrick
Published: 2010
Genre: Church Growth/Discipleship
Ratings: 2.0 out of 5 stars

I was mostly expecting this book to be one sharing of a church planter’s experience and insights especially with such a title. However, it was not.

Patrick Darrin, who is the founding pastor of the Journey Church in St. Louis, provides what he believes are the essentials for any church planter. These are divided in three aspects: The man; the message; and the mission.

The aspect I found most useful was about “The Man”. Here, Patrick describes the qualities God is looking for in a man to use: A rescued man; a called man; a qualified man; a dependent man; a skilled man; a shepherding man and; a determined man

The other two aspects are mainly reminders to what the gospel is about and what the church is all about. Sadly, the book became weaker rather than stronger towards the end.

Personally,  I felt the book with such a title could have been more compelling. It was disappointing that it was filled with a great deal of theology. This book could have been more convincing if more personal stories were used to illustrate his key points.

Overall, this is still a useful book to read especially for a person who’s exploring on God’s leading as a church planter. But don’t read it if you’re looking for advice or a how-to manual for planting a church.

Who should read it: Aspiring church planters, missionaries, pastors, or anyone serving in ministry.