Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 3]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

      Verse three: He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

      “He restoreth my soul.” Here, David continues expressing the refreshing experience the Lord gives us. The word “restore” means “to bring back to an original or former condition; to return to a state of health and vigor.” We will grow weary spiritually from time to time. As I have had only seventeen years of life, I may not have yet experience what it would be like to be spiritually weary. But I expect that I will, because we all will.

      When we start feeling unfulfilled in our careers, discouraged, depressed, low-spirited, and like we’re dragging our feet, the world will tells us things like, “Maybe this is not what you should be doing in life,” “It’s time for a change in direction,” and “Stop doing what you’re doing and look for something else that makes you happy.” However, there are two problems. First, it’s not always possible to drop our careers or other activities to start from scratch somewhere else. Second, God may not want us to leave our current paths, even with the struggles heading our way. But whether He wants us to stay or move elsewhere, He wants us to turn to Him for refreshment, because that’s the answer to the fundamental problem. There is no career or activity in this world that will keep us happy all the time. We will face periods of discouragement and pressure, and we will have times when we feel like we cannot go on, no matter how passionate we are of the work. Our souls will get weary, and no change of environment will keep us up for long. What we need is the Life-giver, the One Who restores our souls to a state of vigor and renewed passion. Isaiah 40:31 tells us that “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

      “…he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” The Lord leads me in righteousness. He guides me in righteousness. He instructs me in righteousness, because I can never properly walk in the way of righteousness on my own. I can try to, but I can never do it successfully. I need God to guide me on the right path.

      The implications in the phrase “for his name’s sake” in this particular verse can be perplexing to some. It was to me, for a while. So I was very excited when I figured it out! This phrase can be rephrased as, “for his reputation’s sake.” If that doesn’t ring a bell yet, look at it this way: When we pray, “Lord, please help this person, for Your name’s sake,” what we mean is that, should God answer your prayer, all the glory will go to Him. In other words, we are saying “For Your glory.” Now, we should be able to understand what the psalmist meant when he said, “he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” What I believe he was trying to say is that when I am able to walk in righteousness, I will point to God to give Him the glory, because I cannot do it on my own. When He guides us, we will succeed, and He will get the glory.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 2]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

      Verse two: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

      Let’s keep in mind what we’ve discussed in the previous post as we explore the second verse of this psalm.

      “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.” The Greek term for “lie down” is “Rabats” (raw-bats'), which means “to stretch oneself out; to lie stretched out.” Imagine relaxing in the afternoon stretched out under a tree or on a hammock. How would you feel? You might feel peaceful and lethargic, probably even slightly vulnerable. When sheep lie down in a pasture, they would become helpless, unable to respond quickly to danger. Therefore, their shepherd must make sure that the environment is safe. Likewise, our Lord, the Good Shepherd, leads us to rest, and we can have faith that we are safe. However, the struggle is in trusting God enough to be led to a vulnerable position. We do not like to feel weak. The question is: Are we willing and able to trust God in our weaknesses?

      One of a shepherd’s task is to lead his flock to a pasture with good vegetation. The word “green” in this verse means “grass; new grass; green herb.” Our Lord would not lead His sheep to a field with poor quality, dry, brown grass. Rather, He would bring them to pastures with grass that are new, fresh, and healthy. That’s the love of our Heavenly Father. We can be sure that, as we place our lives into His hands, He would take good care of us and give us the spiritual nourishment we need each day.

      “He leadeth me beside the still waters.” This continues the concept of God leading us to places of rest and refreshment when we need them. He leads us to “still waters.” The NIV uses the words “quiet waters.” I believe that the psalmist was trying to convey the wonderful peace and safety that can only come from God.

      Our LORD knows everything we need. This second verse of Psalm 23 addresses two of the main fundamental needs of man: nourishment (both physical and spiritual) and inner peace. And it encourages us to turn to the Person who can meet those needs in ways the world can’t. So my question for us all today is this: Will we turn to God for our daily bread and for the true peace that will sustain us amidst the world’s turmoil? I pray we will, each and every day.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 1]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

      Verse one: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

      So first, the LORD is our shepherd. One method of meditation that I find very effective is emphasizing different words as I repeat the phrase or sentence. Let’s try it out.

      “The LORD is my shepherd.” The word emphasized is “LORD.” God Himself is the one who is personally involved in our lives. Imagine the wonder of knowing that Jehovah, the King who created the heavens, cares about us enough to be our shepherd.

      “The LORD is MY shepherd.” Again, this reflects the personal character of our God. He doesn’t just look at the human race as a whole. He knows each one of us by name. David did not say “The LORD is OUR shepherd,” though it is true. He was specifically saying “The LORD is MY shepherd.” He recognized that God has His eyes on each individual’s life.

      “The LORD is my SHEPHERD.” Now, what does a shepherd do? A shepherd is one who guides, protects, and provides for his sheep. A shepherd watches over his flock, repeatedly counting them to make sure none were missing. Christ depicted his loving role as shepherd in the story of the 100 sheep. When just one of the fluffy animals was missing, the shepherd immediately left the other ninety-nine in the fold and went out to search for it. And he never stopped searching until that missing one was back safe with the flock. That’s our God. That’s our Shepherd.

      Let’s move on to the next phrase: I shall not want. What does “want” mean? Does it mean I will not have any desire whatsoever? No, that doesn’t make sense. Let’s check the Greek translation, shall we? The Greek word for “want” is “khaw-sare',” which means “to lack, or be without.” So the phrase actually says, “I shall not lack”! Cool! How does that fit into the whole verse?

      “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” When we allow the Lord to be the guide of our life, we have nothing to fear. We will not lack anything. Sure, we can desire riches and possessions, but that’s just what we want. God promises that we will have everything we need, should we dedicate everything we are to Him, and to depend on Him as much as the sheep depend on the shepherd. This is something I’m trying to remember, too. I often fear the future, wondering if I’ll ever live in poverty. I need to learn to trust God more, and to have confidence in His faithfulness. We all need to grow in faith as we walk with the Lord.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

His Hand Over Us

      Last week, during a home school conference, the girls’ group had a day trip to a National Service training ground. They went through obstacle courses in which they climbed walls, walked on shaky planks, and swing across a muddy pit. I was browsing through the pictures taken that day, enjoying the various expressions on people’s faces. Then I came across this picture.

Photo by Eliza Tan; used with permission

      This obstacle involved crawling on one’s belly under a network of barbed wire. Now, look at this image closely. Notice that one of the guides there had his hand hovering over the little girl’s head, protecting her from the wires that hung suspended just a few centimetres above her.

      As I pondered on this image before my eyes, I realized how much it portrayed the Christian life. When we have Christ as our Guide and Lord, God has His mighty hand over us, protecting us from great harm and evil. However, that does not mean that we will not face hardships and challenges. We still need to crawl on the dirt. We still need to go through the difficulties that life throws at us. We still need to be aware of evil and avoid it. But what’s so wonderful is that we know we are not alone. We know that our Heavenly Father is watching over us, knowing our paths, and protecting us.

      Another illustration of this is a series of pictures I once saw a few years ago. The first picture portrayed a boy praying for God to protect him. The next image showed him walking along—and then getting hit by a small stone! He then got angry and asked God why, despite his earlier prayer, he was struck by the stone. Wouldn’t God answer his prayer? Finally, the last picture portrayed Jesus standing behind this boy, blocking the larger, enormous rocks and boulders that came crashing in his direction. Yes, God is big enough to prevent all trouble from occurring, but He knows we need to grow through the trials we face. The message this series of pictures was trying to get across was that our Lord, in His love and mercy, is protecting us from the worse dangers, physical or spiritual, in this world.

      Many verses in the Bible talk about God's hand. Psalm 20:6 says, "Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand." Psalm 144:7 states, "Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters . . ."

      But this is not so for the one who turns from God. If a person rejects the lordship of Christ and refuses to let God be personally involved in his life, God will remove His hand, allowing this person to be more vulnerable to the greater evils around him. It would be like the child who leaves the authority and protection of his parents. Such a child would be more likely to get involved in things like drinking, gambling, drug-taking, and many others. And such a lifestyle can be costly. In Jeremiah 15:6, the Lord says: "You have rejected me, declares the Lord; you keep going backward,
so I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you— I am weary of relenting." Lamentations 2:3 restates this aspect of God's hand: "He has cut down in fierce anger all the might of Israel; he has withdrawn from them his right hand in the face of the enemy . . ."

      As for me, I feel comforted knowing that God has His hand over my head, His eyes on my path, and His Spirit in my heart. I hope you will let Him be involved in your life in such a personal and amazing way.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Paris Attack: Our Faith In God

      Recently, the city of Paris suffered from a terrorist attack, for which the Islamic State claimed to be responsible. It was shocking and terrible. The world mourns with the people of France, especially with the family members of the many victims who died. In addition, there was another suicide bombing in Beirut just a day before the Paris attack. Silence was the only appropriate response to the attack on that fateful night.

      But the silence carried volumes. It carried the shock, the anguish, and the pain. But in the silence, the people also gave a message: “We are not afraid.” And our hearts stand with them.

      It is during times like these when God seems so far away. But we know He is not. We know He was right there when the tragedy occurred. We just don’t know why He allowed it. Sometimes there can be no comprehensible explanation. But will our faith shake, even when it seems like we are standing alone?

      I find it very interesting that, the day after the Paris attack, I heard the beautiful song “Trust His Heart.” It has been a number of years since I last listened to it. The first stanza of the song goes:

All things work for our good,
Though sometimes we don’t see how they could.
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blind us to the truth.

Our Father knows what’s best for us,
His ways are our own.
So when your pathway grows dim
And you just don’t see Him,
Remember you’re never alone.

The Chorus:

God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don’t understand,
When you don’t see His plan,
When you can’t trace His hand,
Trust His heart.

      I find that this is such a powerful song for times such as this. But it’s not just Paris or Beirut. It’s the whole world, and we need to pray for them. May our faith in the goodness of God never be shaken.

Prayer:

      Heavenly Father, we pray for the people of this world, and for the family members of the victims of terrorism. We pray that You will take these situations and turn it around for Your glory, from situations of loss to situations of gain. We ask that You will reveal Yourself to them in a very real way. Give them a peace of mind and a peace of heart. Though we do not understand everything, we trust that You do. Turn the hearts of the people to You, O Lord. Give them the strength and the grace that they need. Let them see You right in their midst, the never-failing hope.

      And we ask that You will strengthen Your children to be the support, encouragement, and light that we should be. Use us as a vessel for Your work for Your glory. We pray all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Mark 12:30

     Jesus said in Mark 12:30, “...and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength…” In short, Christ was saying that we are to love our God with our whole being. Love the Lord with our hearts and souls, the spirit, the will, and the emotion. Love Him with our minds, the intellect. And love Him with all our strength, the physical.

In the Greek language, the word for "love" that's used in this passage is agapao, which means: to wish well to; take pleasure in; long for. So this verse is telling us that we should long for God with all that we are. A good example would be the writer of Psalm 42, which started with, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God." This person felt that he couldn't live without God and is desperate for Him.

Before anything else, our love must come from our hearts. The Lord wants to commune with our spirits, abiding in us as we abide in Him. That's what He wants most: our hearts, the essence of our being. That is why longing for God with all our hearts and souls is very important.

     It is interesting to note that Jesus included our minds. Many people in the world, especially secularists, think that the Christian faith should not, and does not, involve the use of the intellect and reasoning, but merely blind faith. However, that is not so, because we see that Christ requires us to love Him with our minds as well. In the same way, the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Again, the Bible mentions the mind. In referring to this passage, Stuart McAllister commented, “We are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, not the removal of it.”

     When we love God wholly with all that we are, it naturally follows to love God with all that we have. Loving Him with our strength, we serve Him in the places He has called us to. And God asks that we serve Him faithfully, as a physical outflow of the love we have for Him.

     It is very important to love God with our inner being first before we serve Him on the outside. If we do it the other way around, we may easily fall into the trap of doing God’s work when the effort doesn’t come from the heart, or we could do the work with the wrong motives. The physical works we do for God should be an outward expression of our will to love God with our whole being.


Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Water On the Rock

      A few months ago, my family had a day trip, driving out of the city into the villages. It was a hot day, and we were glad we got to take a stop at a river. We cooled ourselves off with the cold water, and then we spent a few peaceful moments by the riverside.

      After a while, my mother, with her ever-present wisdom and insight, called me and drew my attention to the water running over and falling on the rocks. At this point, you may be confused as to why she would call my attention to the obvious fact that the water ran over the rocks, as it happened right before our eyes. But in reality, she was telling me to focus on that part of nature that was too often accepted at normal and overlooked. I can’t remember her exact words, but the concept of what she said to me next is as follows:

      Look at the rock blanketed by the tireless flow of the water. Unlike the surrounding dry, rough rocks, this one was smooth to the touch. Why? Because the running waters of the river eroded the surface and smoothed the rough edges, apparently. Now, notice that the force of the stream was not very strong. It was a considerably quiet river, in fact. Definitely nothing like the strength of a waterfall. So how did the river succeed in eroding the rock? One word: persistence. Continuous flowing changed the face of the rock significantly.

Photo taken by Nathanael Chong

      Do you want to impact the world? Do you want to effect a change in people’s lives? Your greatest weapon is not strength, power, or prestige. It is persistence, perseverance, and determination. You do not need to have all the knowledge in the world, the best persuasion techniques, or the best theology. You just need to be consistent in your work, and make sure that your life is not hypocritical. Persevere with the grace of God, and in due time, you will start to see the results. Let us continue to persist in our faith, like water on the rock.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

Shine Like a Lighthouse

      Two months ago, a group of friends and I visited a lighthouse in Malacca, Malaysia. One of the workers who was on shift at that time took us on a tour around the historical, and still operating, building, telling us various interesting facts about it and the surroundings. At one point, he led us to a small replica of the lighthouse’s lighting system. He showed us how the structure has many light bulbs that rotate, each taking its turn to shine for a moment, which is what gives the lighthouse its blinking characteristic. We later learned that, at night, the light could be seen about 42.6 kilometres away!

Photo by Eliza Tan; used with permission

      That fact reminded us how brightly we can shine in this dark world with the light of Christ, and how we are called to be such a light of the world. In the stormy seas of life, with the terrible waves of the oppression of evil, with the opaque night that renders us lost, how comforting is the light on the shore, the steady beam amongst the shifting waves, the beacon that radiates and reaches out.

      Also remember that the light is at its best when it does not conform to the darkness at all. Light and darkness stands in stark contrast to each other, and the light does not give way. We have to be careful that the Christian faith is not diluted with the influences of the world. The beams from the lighthouse does not give in to peer pressure. Will we be able to exhibit such strength? By God’s grace, we can—and we will.

      Let’s keep this challenge ever before us, and as a Christian community, let us continue to encourage one another and push one another on in the Christian walk.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

Children’s Institute Series PART 7: SUCCESS (Inspired by the IBLP Children’s Institute Curriculum)

      Today, I would like to share with you a personal struggle that I have been facing. Like many people, I am not sure what I would do when I grow up. But I somewhat know what I would like to do in the future. I know what I enjoy doing, and it would be great to be able to have them in a career.

      But then comes the problem. Many of the occupations that involve the things I enjoy have certain setbacks that I do not wish to endure. For example, a part of my passion is in writing, but as a general rule, writers starve. Writing is a highly competitive field, and only a handful of authors can live on writing alone. As a male, one of my priorities is the assurance that my family, if I end up raising one, would be well provided for. Another thing I have an interest in is digital illustration. However, the art industry is highly demanding, involving tight deadlines and working around the clock. Such working conditions are things I may not easily thrive in, and it may often take time away from my family. Someone once suggested being a speaker. My hesitation to pursue that occupation is due to the fact that many speakers are called away from home many times.

      There you go. That is my struggle. I often end up feeling lost, as each door I look at is decorated by thorns that threatens to prick me should I decide to walk through. Sometimes I wonder why God would give me interests and passions that either may not be able to support me financially or requires a lifestyle I do not want. In addition, I don’t want to settle on average income. I want to be able to make more than the average, so that I can have a comfortable lifestyle and not have financial restrictions. I want all that, but the path my interests offer does not look promising, with differing setbacks I do not want.

      However, as I reflect on myself, I realize that I have been viewing life and the situation from one restricted point of view. In fact, I am looking from man’s point of view. It is ultimately a struggle between the spirit and the flesh, as God continued, time and time again, to invade my closed-up viewpoint and remind me of the larger view that He has. By nature, I’m an idealist, having personal visions of success for my life. But God is telling me that He is the greatest idealist, and His ways of getting to His goals are different from mine. He reminds me of what true success really is. He brings to remembrance the stories I’ve heard of how He has guided people’s paths to reach a life of true fulfilment. He wants me to trust Him with my life.

      Again, it is a war between spirit and flesh. Should wealth be the guiding force for my career choice, or the work that God has planned to be the best fit for me, regardless of income and financial status? Deep down, I know that I must choose the latter. I realize that I am not concerned about money primarily for my needs, but primarily for my wants. Of course, finance should not be left out of my consideration, but I must always remember that God has a way of providing for me. He may surprise me with a whole new possibility that I may not have been aware of before. What I must always keep in mind is that, if I want success, the answer does not lie in the pursuit of high income, but in the pursuit of the kingdom of God.

      Whether the Lord will bless me financially on this earth, I do not know. But I do know that peace, joy, and fulfilment will be mine should I choose to follow His leading all the way. I have to learn to say in every circumstance: “Thy will be done.”

Prayer:

      Heavenly Father, we just want to thank You and to praise You for the works You are doing in our lives. Teach us, O Lord, to trust You more and more. Guide us, O Lord, on the path You have for us. Help us, O Lord, to remember what true success is—the fulfilment of our purposes in accordance to Your plan. Help us to walk by faith. In all things, may Your will be done. We pray all this in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

      We have reached the end of the blog post series that was inspired by the Children’s Institute curriculum. I hope that the various topics have blessed you in a certain personal way. I am open to differing viewpoints, should anyone wish to express theirs. May God continue to walk with you and draw you closer to Him, as you learn to walk with Him.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Children’s Institute Series PART 6: FREEDOM (Inspired by the IBLP Children’s Institute Curriculum)

      Freedom has been the great search of civilizations throughout the centuries. National independence, personal rights, and liberty for all have been and are being fought for globally, especially in the western world. The desire for freedom drives a person to participate in civil rights movements, wars for independence, and street demonstrations. But I believe that we are fighting for freedom so much and in such a way that we are in danger of putting ourselves into bondage.

      What kind of freedom are people fighting for? Two types of freedom are external freedom and internal freedom. Most mentions of freedom refer to external freedom (i.e. liberation from confinements or rules). In fact, there are hardly any big talks about internal freedom (i.e. liberation from depression or guilt). Os Guinness, an English author, stated that there are also negative freedom and positive freedom. Negative freedom is freedom from: freedom from government, from laws, and from restrictions. Positive freedom is freedom for, and freedom to be. Os Guinness pointed out that we have focussed so much on freedom from that we have hardly thought about freedom for, and therein lies the problem, as will be explained in the remainder of the post.

      True freedom requires some form of restraint. It has a framework or a boundary. And what is the best kind of restraint? The best restraint is self-restraint. Self-restraint stems from obedience and, ultimately, faith. Faith in what? Faith in the most high God, who has originally given us the gift of freedom.

      Movements for freedom have been rampant. But we have primarily been fighting for external freedom, negative freedom, and total, boundless freedom. And that is how we, in our attempt to gain liberty, have placed ourselves in danger of falling into a bondage and captivity we have not thought of: internal bondage. Without restraints, we would fall into a destructive lifestyle of sin. Without restraints, civilizations would fall into disorder. Without restraints, and without determining what we are fighting for freedom for, we would lose our course in life, just as a car would drift off-course without a defined path. What we must remember is that the freedom Christ gives us involves walking with Him, surrendering to Him, and living in accordance to the guidelines He has set for us, because true freedom is not the right to do what you want, but the power to do what you ought.

Shouts for liberty fill the air,
Colourful flags in the wind flew;
Help me, Lord, to remember that
True freedom comes from You.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

A Prayer for Malaysia

Heavenly Father,

      We come before You with the country of Malaysia in our hearts. You see everything that is going on in the homes, in the schools, in the streets, and in the government. You see everything in the hearts of the people. We want to commit this nation into Your hands, for we believe that You are Almighty, and that You are sovereign.

      You said in Your Word, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14)." Father, we cling to this promise, and we believe that You are able to work this miracle for our country. We ask that You will help us and teach us to live in a manner that is worthy of Your gospel, that You will teach us to humble ourselves and seek Your face, and that You will give us the strength and the grace to turn from our sins.

      We lift up our prayers for the governmental authorities to You. But even as we pray that You will establish a strong government in this land, we also pray for something more important, which is that You will work in the hearts of the people of Malaysia. For You did not come into this world to remove the government that oppressed Your people; You came to change hearts and touch lives.

      As we celebrate Malaysia's 58th Independence Day, we pray that You will instill in us a heart of unity and peace.

      We want to give You praise and thanksgiving for all that You have done, all that You are doing, and all that You are going to do. This is our prayer, and in all things, may Your will be done.

We pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour,

Amen

Children’s Institute Series PART 5: OWNERSHIP (Inspired by the IBLP Children’s Institute Curriculum)

      Everyone likes owning things, from houses and cars to mobile phones and the latest gadgets. Ownership gives us the pleasant feeling of being in control and having authority, and that is natural. God also gave us the responsibility of stewardship over the earth. But as Christians, we know that everything in this world belongs ultimately to God, and we know that we should surrender everything to Him, even our whole lives, which were bought at a great price. But here comes the huge struggle: how do we go about surrendering and dedicating everything we have and everything we are to the Lord, especially when it’s so difficult?

      In past years, I have often heard preachers give the challenge to surrender every aspect of my life to God, which means that everything I do and have must be pleasing to God. I was hesitant for some time, because I wasn’t sure that I could live up to the commitment. I hate failing in commitments, and I don’t easily make one. I felt God calling me to do it, but I didn’t because I felt I wasn’t ready.

      But my Heavenly Father continued to work in my heart. It was not sudden. It was not dramatic. But slowly and gradually, through the things and opportunities He put into my path, He made my desire to dedicate my life to Him grow more and more. And today I am in the process of dedicating everything to God, as I continue to learn more about Him and to learn to walk closer with Him.

      Now as I think about it, I find a particular method that I think is useful in helping us to learn to eventually surrender everything to God. The possible reason why the prospect of giving everything to God is so overwhelming is because we use the word “everything.” That’s a huge leap, and many of us find it too challenging to get from A to Z with just a single declaration of commitment. At least, that’s how we perceive it to be in our minds.

      But what I find is that, as we work to draw closer to God, we can eventually reach our goal by working step-by-step through the process of specific commitments. For example, I have specifically dedicated this blog to the Lord for His purposes and glory. That is what I want to be the driving force behind the posts on this blog, and it’s what I want to be the focus of my heart when people respond to them. I am also currently researching on potential colleges as I work to finish my grades and plan to further my studies. In this area, I have surrendered to the Lord my future. I have asked Him to open doors that correlate with His will, and to close doors that do not. The next area may be music, or homework, or sports. As situations come up, God will prompt me to commit a specific area to Him, and through this process, I will eventually have my whole life given to Him. It’s easier to aim for point Z when we walk through points B, C, D through Y.

      I would like to close with this thought: If everything belongs ultimately to God, what should our mindset concerning our possessions be? How would we use the things we have, the things in our lives, with that in mind? A common answer would be “to share with others,” which is correct, plus “To be good stewards by caring for those things,” “to use them wisely,” and most of all, “to not use them for things that displeases the Lord.” When we keep in mind that the things we have is God’s, we will use them differently, we will not place them in higher value than people, and we will be grateful and appreciative.

      May we continue to grow in Christ.

Prayer:

      Heavenly Father, we thank You for everything You have given us and all You have done for us. Give us a growing desire to surrender everything in our lives to You as we learn to walk with You more and more. Help us to remember that everything we have belongs to You. Teach us the way to live. We praise You and give thanks. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.


Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Children’s Institute Series PART 4: SUFFERING (Inspired by the IBLP Children’s Institute Curriculum)

      “Why, God?”

      That is the question every person will ask at some point in his or her life. Terrible things happen all the time, and when we face situations that seem unbearable, we will wonder about what God has in mind.

      An African American preacher and lecturer by the name of Charles once gave his testimony at a meeting in the Moody Bible Institute. He told the audience that he had been very successful in his ministry and contented with his work, and later on he had gotten married to the girl of his dreams. He said that he had waited so long to find a person like her, and he loved her.
      Four months after they were married, his wife was coming back from a business trip, and he and his mother-in-law were waiting at the airport to meet her. As her plane was pulling up in the jet way, he looked out the window and saw hurried activity, with police cars and ambulances. Then he saw a stretcher being carried down the back steps, with a cloth laid over what was obviously a body. Someone must have died, he thought.

      Then he saw his wife’s purse dangling from the stretcher.

      Charles and his mother-in-law were told that his wife had a massive heart attack and died on board before the plane had even touched down. As he related this story to the audience before him, Charles said that the sorrow he felt was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He said that there was only one thing that kept him going: it was an undoubting confidence in the character of God.
      Listen to that! An undoubting confidence in the character of God. Confidence that in Him there are no lies. Confidence that in Him there is no manipulation. Confidence that He Himself, in essence, is love.

      When Jesus visited Lazarus’ grave and met the mourning Mary and Martha, he wept. Jesus, our Lord, the God and Creator of the universe, wept. When we cry at the loss of a loved one, we cry because of what death has taken from us, and because we are not able to restore that life. When Jesus wept, he did not cry because he was unable to restore the life that death had claimed. He cried because he was relating to the pains of His creation, of which He had become a part. Professor John Lennox, a Christian mathematician and scientist, reflected on Christ’s crucifixion and said that if Jesus Christ was God, the next logical question would be “What was God doing on a cross?” Then he said, “At the very least, that shows me that God has not remained distant from human suffering but has become part of it.”

     Whatever pains we face in life, we can rest assured that our Lord knows and understands what we go through. When we suffer hunger and thirst, we can remember that He suffered hunger and thirst in the desert. When we feel lonely, we can remember that He felt alone in the Garden of Gethsemane. When we feel betrayed, we can remember that Jesus felt betrayed by a man whom He had called to follow Him. When we suffer physical pain, we can remember that His pain on the cross was indescribable. When we are heartbroken because of the loss of a relationship with a loved one, we can remember that He was heartbroken when the Father turned away from Him because of the sin He was bearing. Whatever pain we go through, Christ had been there.

      I heard a speaker give a short talk on suffering, and he told us about how our responses to suffering can be compared to a tea bag in hot water. The hot water will bring out the true flavour of the tea leaves in the bag. In the same way, suffering brings out our true selves, revealing our character, foundation, and faith. The tea leaves are known by their flavour in hot water; our character is known by our responses in suffering.

      Recently, a group of friends and I were fellowshipping in a cafeteria when an accident happened and two of us were scalded by hot water. Everyone was shocked to see the suffering that ensued as parents came to administer first aid, as a number of us are still very young. Our hurt friends were taken to the hospital, and we were all in emotional turmoil.

      I’m sure every one of us was asking questions, mainly, “Why, God?” We couldn’t comprehend how something so disastrous could occur when everything was so happy and fine just a moment before. I couldn’t understand what God had in mind then either, but now as I think back, I see something beautiful.

      As the scalded victims were rushed to the hospital, the girls grouped together and cried in each other’s arms, and the boys huddled in a tight circle to pray. Later, with the parents joining us, we came together to just pray and pour out our hearts before God. Shedding tears together, praying together, and just being together pulled us closer than we’ve ever been before. Laughing together does not bring us as close as crying together. That is what I see in the midst of this tragedy. We may also have learned some important lessons as a result of the event.

      We cannot be certain why God did the things He did, and allowed the things He allowed.  We can only speculate. However, we can see, throughout history, how God has worked through suffering, causing all things to work together for good for those who love Him and for His glory. And so I urge you, my brothers and sisters: do not doubt the character of God in your suffering.


Blessings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Nathanael Chong

Children’s Institute Series PART 3: RESPONSIBILITY (Inspired by the IBLP Children’s Institute Curriculum)

      We all have responsibilities. But not all of us take them seriously. In fact, we sometimes do not take responsibility for the things we should be responsible for. When something undesirable happens, we’re quick to point a finger or say “It’s not my fault.” I am often guilty of that. Of course, sometimes it’s true that it’s not our fault. But would we be willing to take responsibility when it is? Going even further, would we be willing to take responsibility for something, even when it’s not our fault, when not doing so would cause further damage?

      I am reminded of a particular scene in the TV show “Horatio Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil,” in which Captain Hornblower of the English navy and his crew were imprisoned by the French. Some of his crew members were anxious to escape, and so, without Horatio’s permission, they tricked the French guards into opening the prison door and attempted to escape, with their captain forced to join them. It was a brash attempt, and it ultimately ended in failure. They were recaptured, and the French commander interrogated the crew, asking who was responsible for the attempted escape. Horatio Hornblower immediately said, “I am, sir.” The commander was not willing to believe him, knowing that Horatio was too smart for such a brash undertaking that was bound to fail. He asked again, “Who is responsible?” And one of Horatio’s trusted crewmates whispered, “Tell him, Horatio.” And yet, the Captain gave the same answer: “I am, sir.” As a result, he was put into a dark hole in the ground that served as a worse prison than before. Horatio Hornblower, because he was the captain of his crew, took the responsibility for their actions. I am inspired by the leadership and character he displayed.

      Most of us have heard the famous phrase “With great power comes great responsibility.” Though this is true, what we often see in reality is: “With great power comes great IRRESPONSIBILITY.” We may not want to accept the blame for faults because it might negatively affect our position or reputation. Do you think Captain Hornblower would have given the same reply if his officers were the interrogators? Judging by his noble character, I should think so, and that suggests that he was willing to risk a possible demotion for such reckless actions. He was taking on the blame because he was the face of his crew. And so it comes back to us. What answer would we give if we find ourselves in that situation?

      A possible question to bring up at this point would be: wasn’t Horatio lying in the act of taking the blame upon himself unjustly, and aren’t we supposed to tell the truth? Well, if we look at the situation at face value, yes, it would be lying. But looking at Horatio’s position from another perspective, he may actually have a small part in the fault. He was the Captain. The crew reflects the Captain. If you have a good crew, point to the Captain. If you have a bad crew, again point to the Captain. True, Horatio didn’t have control over this particular action of his men, but his position as Captain demands a responsibility that he recognizes.

      I’m learning to take my responsibilities seriously and be true to them, and I believe that God will help me do so. And may God do the same for all of you.

Blessings,
Nathanael

Children’s Institute Series PART 2: AUTHORITY (Inspired by the IBLP Children’s Institute Curriculum)

      Who guides your life? Who decides your path? To whom does your life belong? The obvious answer to these questions that every Christian would give is “God.” But the question that follows would be: Are you living your life as though God were in supreme authority? It is very easy to start living for ourselves and be mostly concerned about our interests and benefits. Is God merely an object of our religion that we just worship every Sunday, or is He the focus of our lifestyles Whose purposes and plans we conform our lives to?

      Matthew 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” From this verse, we can draw the implication that everyone has a master. Everyone has something or someone they live their lives for. So the question is, who or what is your master? Who or what is the focus of your life? This is an important question to answer because it affects the way we live. If we live for money, that is our master, and the result would be materialism and, possibly, greed. If our master is popularity, then the result would be selfishness and a likely inauthenticity in our lifestyles as we try to project an image that people are attracted to. If we place ourselves as the master of our own lives, then every decision and every action will be done with our best interest in mind, and we may end up elevating man to the level of supremacy over everything. Indeed, this is the first temptation in the history of mankind, that man can take the place of God and determine his own life. And that is when humankind began its moral deterioration. But if we make God the master of our lives, then we will seek His kingdom, His Word, and His will, and He, being the best master we could place ourselves under, would care for us for He knows our needs and would provide for them (Philippians 4:19).

      Brother Yun once said, “If you want to be a person whom God uses, it is vital for you to have a deep revelation of God’s sovereignty and authority.” You see, in order for God to use us, we would have to give Him the control over our lives. Most of us want to be used by God, but not as many are willing to surrender every single part of their lives to Him. Is our faith based on the truth about God, or on our feelings about God?

      So what does it mean to make God our master and to give our whole life to Him? If God is our master, we are His servants. And just as servants do the work and will of their master, so do we do the work and will of our Lord. We will seek His approval and His will for us. To give our whole life to Him would be to make Him the ultimate authority in every aspect of life. From our decisions concerning money to entertainment and music and friends, everything we do would have to be pleasing to God. The Bible even uses the word “slave,” which takes it to another level, where we are actually humble workers and everything we have belongs to the Master. But the great thing is that, unlike what many people think about the life of a servant, we would be joyful in our servanthood, because of the grace and peace of God and our trust in His goodness. And though trials will come our way, we will stand in our faith because of our confidence in the character of God.

      So let this be a continuous challenge for us: to make God the highest authority and ruler of our lives.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Children’s Institute Series PART 1: DESIGN (Inspired by the IBLP Children’s Institute Curriculum)

      When it comes to identity and purpose, we are sometimes confused by popular culture without being aware of it. On the one hand, we are taught to believe that we are special and unique, while at the same time, we are told to fit in with the crowd.

      So we often wonder exactly who we are, and what our purpose in life is. But as Christians, we can turn to the Word of God and learn that, simply put, our purpose is to know God and to make Him known. God has created us differently, and He uses us and the skills and talents He has given us differently. Some will be called to the mission field. Others will be called to government. Whether in tropical forests or in Congress, God designed each of us specifically for the mission He has for us. From personality types to the specific families we were born into, every aspect of our lives is a thread among many others that are woven together beautifully, if only we allow God to be the weaver.

      Now, most of us have heard common statements like “God created you specially” and “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” While all that is true, the hardest part is not in understanding the theoretical aspect of this truth. The hardest part is experiencing the comfort, encouragement, and challenge this truth is offering.

      Self-acceptance is a continuous struggle for me personally. I know God accepts and loves me. I accept others as who they are. But the most difficult process is accepting myself. I often consider myself as below par, unimportant, and replaceable. I should, however, keep God’s bigger picture in view. As I share this post with you, I’m also speaking to myself.

      Taking from the IBLP curriculum, I would like to share with you the concept: The Rejected Can Be Chosen. What the world considers useless, what it believes to be below par, can be picked up and used greatly by God, if it is surrendered to Him.

      A great example from the Scriptures would be David. He was sent to the pastures with the sheep and belittled by his brothers. Even his own father did not think much of him. When the prophet Samuel called for Jesse’s sons, the father did not include David in the line of brothers. Yet, because David dedicated his life to and depended on the Lord, he was used mightily for the nation of Israel.

      A more recent example would be the life of Ravi Zacharias. Raised in India, he was faced with the tremendous social pressure present in that culture. His father was a powerful and influential man, and his siblings were doing well in school. But not Ravi, and in that culture, to not do well in school would be considered shameful in the eyes of society. His father even told him that he was going to be the embarrassment of the family. In Ravi’s own words, his early life would be described as a failure.

      It was on the bed of suicide when he accepted Christ as his Saviour. He almost died, but God spared his life, and he wanted to live for this Saviour who had given him a second chance at life. Today, Mr. Zacharias is one of the leading Christian apologists in the world, challenging individuals intellectually and spiritually to let God rule their lives.

      In conclusion, let us keep God’s ultimate plan for our lives in sight, focusing on our walk with Him and His will for us. Let us remember that though we may be rejected by the world, God can use us mightily in His own way for His glory. And He will, if we surrender our lives and plans to Him.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

Problems With the Church

      The vast majority of the contemporary church has made drastic changes over the years, and unfortunately, many of these changes are for the worse. The church has gradually adapted, and often even conformed, to the declining society of the world. Ravi Zacharias said that in the process of making the church seeker-friendly, we have made it user-unfriendly. While trying to bring people into the church, we have often forgotten to help those already in it to grow. We have often made the church something like a rally spot, rather than a place where spiritually hungry and thirsty people could be filled. We have focused on making the services “fun” and have often not given the people something solid for their minds to chew on.

      We have been parroting phrases that we know are right but have not given them much thought and have not pondered on what they really mean. We have often not thought our faith through carefully. We often do not know why we believe what we believe. Our answers to the hungry questions of others have often been shallow. We have often sacrificed solid, spiritual food on the altar of entertainment.

      We need to continually wake ourselves up to the fact that the church is partly responsible for the state of the nations. We have ceased to make an impact on the world because we have become so much like it. A light conforming to darkness will not change the darkness. We need to start hungering and thirsting for the depths of God’s Word. We need to remember Romans 12:2, which tells us that we should not conform to the patterns of this world. We need to be serious about our faith and to think our faith through, and know why we believe what we believe. And as 1 Peter 3:15 says, let us always be ready to effectively answer anyone who asks about the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

      But praise the Lord that there are still many people, especially young students, who desire to come into the church to think seriously. There are those who want to receive the solid food of the Word of God, and to burrow into its depths. Let us pray that God would raise up a generation of strong, firmly-rooted people who will revive the church and cause it to shine once again like a city on a hill.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Pray for America

      With the rise of militant atheism, many practices pertaining to religion, or more specifically the Christian faith, in the public arena are facing the prospect of eradication. Secular society is trying its best to stamp out all traces of Christianity, whether in government, schools, or even out on the streets.

      Children are discouraged by their teachers to read the Bible and to mention God in school assignments. Why is that so? If we really want to hold on to the First Amendment of the American Constitution, we cannot discriminate as to which group of people the freedom of expression does and does not apply to.

      When non-theists gather to proclaim their beliefs in public, they expect to be treated with respect because the Constitution grants them freedom of speech. But when Christians display messages on signboards out on the sidewalk, they are shouted at, mocked, and bullied. If we claim the freedom that was given to all Americans, we have no right to prevent others from claiming the same freedom.

      Critics have argued that the opening prayers in Congress meetings and prayers in schools are not constitutional because they often promote a specific religion and therefore should be stopped. Many invoke the statement concerning the “separation of church and state,” that religion should not be allowed to be involved in the affairs of government. My response is as follows: such interpretation of the separation of church and state is on the surface level, and has possibly resulted in misuse. Looking deeper, the statement is based on the First Amendment, which clearly places the restrictions solely on the actions of the state. Thus, the concept could be rightly stated as the “separation of state FROM church.”

      Now, they may be right concerning prayer in Congress meetings and schools. If we are to follow the First Amendment strictly, perhaps such prayers are too close to endorsing a particular faith and are on the verge of violating the law. But the question I want to put forth here is: Can you think of any worldview, other than the Judeo-Christian worldview, that could have brought about a nation like America? Think about it. I’m not asking about whether we should have prayer in Congress and schools. I’m asking if there is any other worldview that you know of that could have inscribed the very words in the founding documents of America?

      Quoting Christian apologist Dr. Ravi Zacharias, Judaism and Christianity combined birthed this nation. Hinduism would never have brought America into being because not all men are created equal in this pantheistic framework, nor in Buddhism. Nor in Islam are we created to have liberty in the pursuit of happiness. Neither in naturalism are we endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights. Dr. Zacharias observed that this nation is severing its roots, the very foundations that built it.

      On June 28, 1787, Benjamin Franklin, who was a self-proclaimed deist, once said this in a speech:

      “In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, . . . we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor . . . and have we now forgotten this powerful friend? Or do we no longer need His assistance?

      “I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: ‘that God governs the affairs of man.’ And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?

      “We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel; we shall be divided by our little, partial local interests; our projects will be confounded; and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a byword down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing government by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war or conquest.

      “I therefore beg leave to move that, henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven and its blessings on our deliberation be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed with our business . . .”

      This was a deist speaking. Although the motion was met with great resistance, the questions he had put forth are very important. Do we actually believe that we can now forget about the “superintending Providence” who had acted in our favour?

      Who determined that America should be an independent nation? Who gave the Founding Fathers the wisdom and principles on which they based the Constitution? Who founded the principle that men are created equal? Who gave humankind intrinsic worth?

      I am not arguing for the presence of prayer in government meetings and schools. I am pressing for the presence of thanksgiving to the God who “governs the affairs of men.” This National Day of Prayer, let us acknowledge, reflect on, and give thanks for, the person of our Heavenly Father and His hand on our lives. And let us pray for the nation of America, that her eyes would be opened and “that every knee should bow, . . . and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong