Chapter 44: God, this must be a Joke, right?

On 2 April 2009, on the way back home, Vun Hui said, “Oh! I have not finished my New Testament essay.”

I remained silent, thinking in my mind, “You only need to hand up the research report every Tuesday. You have plenty of time. Why do you worry so much?”

“I hope I can hand up the essay on this coming Saturday.” He, worriedly, murmured.

“Why do you need to hand up on this Saturday?” I, in an unclear view, asked.

He was shocked when I said that.
“What? Do you not know that the due date is on 4 April? It means this Saturday.” He replied.

I still wondered what he was trying to say.
“What essay?”

Once again, he was againshocked This time, he screamed “Wah~! Jack! Do you not know that we have a major assignment which contains 20% of this subject score?”

WHAT?!

When I reached home, I immediately searched the syllabus of New Testament. That it is written right at the bottom of the paper:

“Write a 3000 words essay related to an aspect of the course-work not treated in lectures, to be submitted by the end of the second week after Reading Week (i.e. by 4th April 2009).”



WHAT THE…?
I even highlighted the date “4th April 2009”.

Oh God! I am so stuck in ministry and study. I totally forgot about this MAJOR assignment. (Ok, I admit this is my own fault. No one is to be blamed except me.)

Now what? 2 days left?! You must be kidding! This must be a JOKE, right? In 2 days time, I need to do super rapid reading, and do much research. After that, I need to write out a 3000 words (roughly 10 pages with Bibliography and Table of Content) in less than 24 hours?!

In school, I have to study for Hebrew exam, prepare a preaching sermon for my Homiletics exam, and hand up two weekly reports on Field Education and New Testament. All of these are to be handed up next week!!

In ministry, I have to prepare my Saturday sermon for ASC youth. And I have to shoot a Youth Easter video for Easter Day. And I need to prepare for the Youth Alpha sermon. I am SO BUSY during this weekend.

I am once again stuck in ministry and study with this GREAT 20% major assignment.

God, I need Your strength!

Lord, I am totally tired but I am not giving up!!
Doing rapid research!! I must finish the assignment!!


The Assignment is DUE TODAY!

Psalms 13:2
“How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?”

To be Continued...

Chapter 42: Please God or Men?

Continued from Chapter 41: Unacceptable Attitude

Readers, if you were me, can you stand those arrogant boys’ attitude? Do you feel disappointed when those people disrespect our God and show no reverence to our God?

On the same night, while I was helping out the Adult Alpha Course, there was an aunt asking me curiously, “Jack, why are you so fierce and strict to ASAA students? Are you scared actually?”

WHAT THE...? I'm scared?

Adult Alpha Course
Normally, when a person speaks loudly in public, it is because he wants to overcome his fear towards the people. However, this aunt got it all wrong. Am I scared?

Absolutely NO!!

Those, who are close to me, should know that I am not welcomed by many. I do not even care about my reputation especially when it comes to a stage where I have to stand firm in the presence of God. Am I here to please God or please men?

Galatians 1:10
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

That aunt, acting like a teacher, continued to said, “Jack, you should not speak so loudly. You should speak gently to those students. You will scare them away. These students are different. You need to deal them with love, gentleness and softness.”

I forgave her for she did not know the whole situation. Deal with gentleness and softness? Come on, man!
Are they still babies? Need me to spoon-feed them? It is because they are different, so I should rebuke them seriously. Even the Junior students are better than them.

ASAA Junior Students
Did she know that the senior students were sleeping while I was mobilizing Youth Alpha? Am I supposed to say gently, "Hello, everyone. Please wake up. Listen to me, please."

This is NOT CHILDREN CELL.

When I spoke loudly to them, does it mean I don’t love them? Indeed, it will not affect my emotion even if there are only 2 persons who attend the Youth Alpha. My task is to share the gospel. Even if there are only 2 persons, I will still share the gospel wholeheartedly.

Do you think I will feel very down and upset because the attendance is only 2 persons?

Of course not!

Think carefully!! If only 2 persons came to Youth Alpha, this shows that the Favor of God falls on these 2 persons.

How blessed are
those who hear and receive the gospels sincerely.

When you met this kind of situation and you know you will waste your time explaining the whole program (because you know they will not listen), is it wrong to speak loudly to get their attention?
I teach you!! If you face this in future, you should give them a strong and powerful rebuke.

To me, I have done my part sincerely. I, as a servant of God, represent God to promote His word (Youth Alpha) to people. Now who’s not listening? Can I control their mind? Even in the Old Testament, the prophets scolded and rebuked the people, do you think they will be welcomed by the people? Do you think they are loved by people? Do you think the people listen? When the prophets scolded and rebuked the people, does it mean they did not love the people?


Readers, Who likes to be scolded and rebuked by me? No one likes it! In fact, this is my true love to them. I tell you the truth. If I do not even rebuke those senior students, it means I do not care about their salvation. If they come to Youth Alpha, I will surely take it seriously to share the gospel to them.

Chapter 40: Earth Hour

"Earth Hour is a global event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and is held on the last Saturday of March annually, asking households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and other electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change. Earth hour was conceived by WWF and the Sydney Morning Herald in 2007, when 2.2 million residents of Sydney participated by turning off all non-essential lights."

Written in Wikipedia



WWF sincerely has the heart to remind all the world about turning off all non-essential lights. It is indeed a good event. God indeed wants us to take care of the earth nicely.

Genesis 1:26
"Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." "

However, I believe not all people participate this event. We were having a youth cell from 7:30PM to 9:30PM on last Saturday. We did not switch off the light and PA system. Indeed, I felt a bit moved by the Earth Hour, when many youths came to me and ask, "Jack, why can't we participate this Earth Hour?"

I have no answer for that. In my mind, I was thinking about their spiritual growth. Frankly speaking, I did not know how to answer them.
I remained silent. I knew that they felt disappointed and discouraged.

God, at least there is one thing I feel encouraged. Some people still care for the earth. However, Some people might say that those, who just participate for fun, are hypocrites.

Listen. Even though they participate for fun, at least they had saved that one hour energy to do good to the earth. In fact, they are better than those who say, "Don't be hypocrite." and didn't participate it at all. I prefer them to keep quiet and say nothing about it, since they didn't participate either.

God, You created this wonderful world, yet we human destroyed this creation and disobeyed Your word.

Please forgive us
for we do not know what we are doing.

Related topic >>>Chapter 13: Creativity

Chapter 38: Names (Part I)

“Hey! Mok Jia Jun!”

Michael called me on 26 March 2009. He told me that he hates people calling his full name in a mocking way. I believe that if they just call “Jia Jun” in a sincere way, Michael will accept it.

Jack and Michael
Everyone has a name. A name is given for that person’s identity. A name is never given to make fun of. I do hate people dishonor my name “Jack” by calling me “Jackass”. Fellows, you do not even know that you disgrace the name of God. Do you not know that “Jack” means “God is gracious”? Such a simple yet a wonderful name, my mother has given to me. Hallelujah!

Proverbs 22:1
"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."

“Names” are powerful. It can influence your emotional, physical, and spiritual.

If we respect and honor others’ names,
we gain people’s love, respect and trust.
If we disrespect and dishonor others’ names,
we gain people’s hatred, anger and vengeance.
If some names are famous,
people will feel envious and jealous.
If some names are unpopular,
people will feel disgusting and sick.

Why do people hate others to make fun of their names? As I had mentioned in Chapter 29: Human Beings (Part I), human beings are weird. When people make fun of others’ name, they think it is very fun, but when their names are made fun by others, they will be angry. Do they not know others will hate it too when they make fun of others’?

I have a youth named John PSD. PSD means “Prabakaran Solomon Dhanaraj”. “Prabakaran” means Morning Sun, “Dhanaraj” means King of wealth. But, some fools make fun of his surname by calling his surname “Play Station”.
You think it is funny? How rude it is. Do you think he will not be angry?

John PSD
Readers, who likes to let people making fun of their names? Only the fools will make fun of people’s name. When the fools make fun of others, do they not know that their reputation will be destroyed by their own stupid words? When they make fun of others, do they not know they create enemies? Do they not know that their names will be very irritating and disgusting when others hear their “bad reputation” names? And it is even more pathetic for the fools to say,

“Hey! Why is he so petty? We are just playing with him only. Why is he so serious? He cannot take jokes.”

Proverbs 18:6
“A fool's lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.”

These people are really fools.
Don’t you think so? Respect people’s name for every name is unique for their own identity.


To be continued Chapter 39: Names (Part II)

Chapter 35: Unspeakable Joy

Who can actually explain what joy is all about? We can only say, “We have joy in Christ.” However, people always asked, “Why do Christians still feel sad and sorrowful even though they have Jesus Christ?” Sometimes we really misunderstand the meaning of “joy”.

I was very nervous about my “History of Christianity” assignment. I earnestly prayed for a good result. You may not understand why I felt it that way. Here is my bad past. I admit that I used to be a bad student who never studied at all. I wasted my parents’ hard-earned money. Even till a stage, where I even failed my Degree in New Zealand. I always despised myself and I thought that Study is never the thing for me.

I hate study,; I hate books. After failing the degree, I actually had a phobia in studying. Whenever I heard about test or exam which needs to use my intellectual thoughts, I will feel totally scared. I will always escape from intellectual test and exam. I hate reading books.

Running away from books for 7 years
In STS, I felt nervous about my study. I spent more hours than others on my research. I spent more hours to gain my understanding in studies. I am not smart and intelligent. I am usually slower than others. However, I cherish this opportunity to study in STS. I wanted to overcome my fear. I am passionate for the Word of God. I prayed so hard for every assignment. I have to study very hard but I have so many ministries on my hands. To cope with my study and ministry at the same time, how can it be? God, have mercy on me.

On 11 March 2009, I saw the “History of Christianity” assignment in my box when I walked into the student lodge. Fearfully I grabbed the paper; I did not dare to look at it. I prayed hard, “God, please… I do not want to be the Jack in New Zealand. I really hope to pass.”



95 marks!! Serious?!

I was staring at the paper for a few seconds of silence. I put the paper into my chest. Body seemed to bend down and place my head on the wall. Tears almost fell out of my eyes. At that time, I really understand the meaning of “joy”. I closed my eyes, saying in mind, “Thank You, God! Thank You, God!”

Though that moment was just a short glimpse, yet that was what I called “unspeakable joy”. That’s amazing, God.

Deuteronomy 16:15
“For the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.”

Ephesians 5:20
“always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Chapter 34: F2 Telematch

We had a F2 telematch for the youth last Saturday (21 March 2009). It was the first time which the English and the Chinese youth combined together in ASC.


That was really an enjoyable time together. Fellowship is always a good thing for all the people especially Christians. If we were to discuss about healthy fellowship, that is always to do with our God, Jesus Christ. When normally great fellowship happens, we will only find happiness, joy and peace. I love to see the youths’ face expressions. I found the word “joy” is applied on that day. On that day, we had 5 games altogether: Tug-of-War, WWE, One legged catcher, Dodge ball and Water War.

You may enlarge the pictures below if you wanna see clearly.

Tug-of-War
WWE ASC Youth (Boys only)
One Legged Catcher (Girls only)
Dodge Balls
Water War

As you all know from Chapter 24: Reading Week, I was one of them who set up the games for the F2 Telematch. Even though I was very tired, I actually enjoyed the whole event. As long as I can see their real smile, it is worth it after all. As long as I could see the youths were enjoying the games, it filled my whole heart with joy. I really hope they can enjoy as much as possible because I really love them.

After the Water War, the youths chased me!!
They splashed the water on me!! What is this?!
This is my reward (All drenched)

Romans 8:28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”