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