Imagine how you would feel if a mob broke into your home, raped your wife and daughters, tried to kill you and then burned your house down—all because you are a Christian. That's exactly what is happening to our brothers and sisters in Orissa, India, right now. Read the latest update on the continuing volatile situation here.
Dear friend, I have seen a lot of violence against Christians in my more than 30 years of sharing the Gospel with the people of Asia. I have even been on the receiving end of some of those attacks. But the events in Orissa are by far the most orchestrated and horrifying atrocities I have ever witnessed. Please join me in praying for these persecuted brothers and sisters in their time of great suffering.
Yours for the unreached,
K.P. Yohannan
Founder & President
Learning to Walk on Water
Sea of Galilee, Israel
Friday, August 29, 2008
Yellow Ribbon
I was selling flags for Yellow Ribbon yesterday.
It's been sometime since I last sold flags, and things haven't changed much.
Weird stares, looks of horror, siaming techniques, etc.
Of course there were those who gave - some grudgingly, some generously and sincerely. I think the least people could do is to acknowledge the person's presence and to give a polite 'no'.
Singaporeans are too busy rushing from place to place, self-absorbed in themselves or whoever they are with, adverse to meeting strangers.... I must confess that sometimes I'm like that too, but we must fight against that... To be able to stop, step out of our own problems & lives, and to see and meet the needs of those around us.
Anyway, i'm here to tell you more about the Yellow Ribbon Project, if you haven't already heard about it. It first started in America in the 1970s, but was brought to Singapore only in 2004. It's based on a true story of a man who was imprisoned, and his fears of being released and going back home to his wife and child - whether they will accept him back. He wrote a letter to her to tell her to tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree along the way back his house, which indicated that she had forgiven him and was willing to accept him back. Thankfully, this story has a happy ending. But not many people are as fortunate.
It's easy to label/ stereotype/ stigmatise offenders & ex-offenders, and to elevate ourselves to a higher level than them, but we often fail to realise that we are all sinners saved by grace. Yes, they have made a mistake or many mistakes, but like all of us, they may not deserve but they definitely need a second/ third/ forth... chance. They need the acceptance of their family, friends and society for them to get back on their feet.
Would you help to unlock the second prison?
It's been sometime since I last sold flags, and things haven't changed much.
Weird stares, looks of horror, siaming techniques, etc.
Of course there were those who gave - some grudgingly, some generously and sincerely. I think the least people could do is to acknowledge the person's presence and to give a polite 'no'.
Singaporeans are too busy rushing from place to place, self-absorbed in themselves or whoever they are with, adverse to meeting strangers.... I must confess that sometimes I'm like that too, but we must fight against that... To be able to stop, step out of our own problems & lives, and to see and meet the needs of those around us.
Anyway, i'm here to tell you more about the Yellow Ribbon Project, if you haven't already heard about it. It first started in America in the 1970s, but was brought to Singapore only in 2004. It's based on a true story of a man who was imprisoned, and his fears of being released and going back home to his wife and child - whether they will accept him back. He wrote a letter to her to tell her to tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree along the way back his house, which indicated that she had forgiven him and was willing to accept him back. Thankfully, this story has a happy ending. But not many people are as fortunate.
It's easy to label/ stereotype/ stigmatise offenders & ex-offenders, and to elevate ourselves to a higher level than them, but we often fail to realise that we are all sinners saved by grace. Yes, they have made a mistake or many mistakes, but like all of us, they may not deserve but they definitely need a second/ third/ forth... chance. They need the acceptance of their family, friends and society for them to get back on their feet.
Would you help to unlock the second prison?
Friday, August 22, 2008
Mission Before Mate
Dear friends, Thanks for all your encouragement & prayers. Made it through another tough week at tactical training, hopefully i'm a stronger & tougher person after this :)
Came across this article recently. Hope it sheds some light for all out there who are still waiting for that special someone, as well as those who have already found that special someone:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Those of us of a certain vintage will remember that in our college years, we were told that in the matter of choosing a life partner, we must follow this rule: mission before mate.
In other words we had to be first clear as to what God wanted us to do with our lives. Then we had some handle in choosing a life partner because the right life partner would be one who would be committed to a similar vocation and thereby able to assist us in pursuing that mission.
In those days, if you were a guy you assumed that the lady would be taking care of the house and raising the kids, to free you to do your thing. And then you discovered that not all the ladies interpreted the life partner rule quite in the same way.
In any case, mission before mate was a tough rule to follow because few of us at 19 knew what our life mission was. (Unless you were in the Navigators in which case you knew your mission was to make disciples. And you also had help because the senior Navs were probably trying to pair you off with potential life partners of the same spiritual calibre.)
But the rest of us had no clue as to what God wanted us to do with our lives. Meanwhile our hormones were raging. And then there were those hunks/babes?
Well, with the hindsight of age fifty, more marital adventures than I had ever counted on, and a fresh reading of Genesis 1 and 2, I have to say, what do you know, those speakers at our College fellowships were right. It is mission before mate.
In the Genesis Chapter 2 account of the creation of man for example, we see that three things define Adam's life:
1. Vocation --- He is to work the garden and care for it. (V.15)
2. Provision --- God generously provides for all Adam's needs. He can eat from all the trees of the garden except one. (V.16)
3. Prohibition --- God gives Adam a clear warning. There is one tree from which Adam must not eat. (V.17)
It is in this context of Vocation, Provision and Prohibition that God announces that it is not good for man to be alone. (V.18)
You may ask why does God wait until this point to point out that Adam needs a Eve. Why didn't He just make them man and woman from the word go. I like Bruce Waltke's explanation. He believes that Adam must discover for himself his incompleteness:
"Adam must realize that it is not good to be alone. Rather than squandering his most precious gift on one who is unappreciative, God waits until Adam is prepared to appreciate the gift of the woman." (GENESIS, 89)
However it is also clear that the woman is to be an equal partner that enters into the man's experience of vocation, provision, and prohibition. Together, the man-woman partnership is to carry out God's task of caring for creation, enjoying God's generosity, and resisting sin.
"? the 'helper' is an indispensable 'partner' (REB) required to achieve the divine commission." (Kenneth A. Matthews, GENESIS 1 - 11:26, 214)
I have heard many sermons on marriage from Genesis Chapters 1 and 2. Most focus on the companionship dimension of marriage, on the 'wow" of Chapter 2 v.23. I believe that the book of The Song of Songs shows that God endorses romantic and sexual love.
But still, the "wow" has a context, the context of vocation, provision, and prohibition.
Therefore when one is considering a potential life partner, it would make sense to ask:
1. Is this person committed to God and His purposes? Can I forge a partnership with him/her to do God's work, however that is defined for us?
2. Does this person understand the faithful provision of God? Can we go through life in faith and trust, pointing out to each other the generous care of God? Can we go through life with hearts of gratitude?
3. Is this person committed to a life of holiness? Can we be used by God to help one another resist the assaults of Satan, the world and the flesh?
Of course the prior thing to do is to check if we ourselves are people like that. Am I committed to God and His purposes? Am I aware of God's faithful care and have a grateful heart? Am I actively resisting sin in my life?
You may say, boy it is tough enough to find a potential life partner. If you throw in all these qualifications, I'll never find a warm body to share my life!
What to do? This is God's Word. Do you trust Him enough to supply a life partner if it is His will?
Besides what are the alternatives? The many unhappy marriages you see around you? The ever-increasing number of broken marriages? I often wonder how many of those marriages could have been saved if there had been greater sensitivity to the issues of vocation, provision and prohibition.
Some of us are married already and like many, entered into marriage with little spiritual education. Nobody told us the biblical teaching on marriage. What should we do now?
Start building the marriage according to God's purposes! Start structuring your marriage around vocation, provision, and prohibition. You may discover a real revival in your marriage and even a return of the "wow"!
What about those who are single? We must believe that God loves us more than we love ourselves and that if it is in His will for us to be married He will bring the right person at the right time.
In the meantime, we can continue to build our lives around the themes of vocation, provision, and prohibition. We do need significant others in our lives. We seek out good friends, soul mates, brothers and sisters who are also committed to walking the path of vocation, gratitude, and holiness.
We live in a fallen world. Even marriages entered into with the best of intentions, may fall apart. When such tragedies happen we need to come alongside people to help them rebuild their lives.
But we should also seek out ways to help people experience marriage as it was meant to be. And I do believe the manufacturer's instructions talks about marriage as a partnership for doing God's work, enjoying God's blessings, and obeying God's Word. So yes, boys and girls, it is mission before mate.
Came across this article recently. Hope it sheds some light for all out there who are still waiting for that special someone, as well as those who have already found that special someone:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Those of us of a certain vintage will remember that in our college years, we were told that in the matter of choosing a life partner, we must follow this rule: mission before mate.
In other words we had to be first clear as to what God wanted us to do with our lives. Then we had some handle in choosing a life partner because the right life partner would be one who would be committed to a similar vocation and thereby able to assist us in pursuing that mission.
In those days, if you were a guy you assumed that the lady would be taking care of the house and raising the kids, to free you to do your thing. And then you discovered that not all the ladies interpreted the life partner rule quite in the same way.
In any case, mission before mate was a tough rule to follow because few of us at 19 knew what our life mission was. (Unless you were in the Navigators in which case you knew your mission was to make disciples. And you also had help because the senior Navs were probably trying to pair you off with potential life partners of the same spiritual calibre.)
But the rest of us had no clue as to what God wanted us to do with our lives. Meanwhile our hormones were raging. And then there were those hunks/babes?
Well, with the hindsight of age fifty, more marital adventures than I had ever counted on, and a fresh reading of Genesis 1 and 2, I have to say, what do you know, those speakers at our College fellowships were right. It is mission before mate.
In the Genesis Chapter 2 account of the creation of man for example, we see that three things define Adam's life:
1. Vocation --- He is to work the garden and care for it. (V.15)
2. Provision --- God generously provides for all Adam's needs. He can eat from all the trees of the garden except one. (V.16)
3. Prohibition --- God gives Adam a clear warning. There is one tree from which Adam must not eat. (V.17)
It is in this context of Vocation, Provision and Prohibition that God announces that it is not good for man to be alone. (V.18)
You may ask why does God wait until this point to point out that Adam needs a Eve. Why didn't He just make them man and woman from the word go. I like Bruce Waltke's explanation. He believes that Adam must discover for himself his incompleteness:
"Adam must realize that it is not good to be alone. Rather than squandering his most precious gift on one who is unappreciative, God waits until Adam is prepared to appreciate the gift of the woman." (GENESIS, 89)
However it is also clear that the woman is to be an equal partner that enters into the man's experience of vocation, provision, and prohibition. Together, the man-woman partnership is to carry out God's task of caring for creation, enjoying God's generosity, and resisting sin.
"? the 'helper' is an indispensable 'partner' (REB) required to achieve the divine commission." (Kenneth A. Matthews, GENESIS 1 - 11:26, 214)
I have heard many sermons on marriage from Genesis Chapters 1 and 2. Most focus on the companionship dimension of marriage, on the 'wow" of Chapter 2 v.23. I believe that the book of The Song of Songs shows that God endorses romantic and sexual love.
But still, the "wow" has a context, the context of vocation, provision, and prohibition.
Therefore when one is considering a potential life partner, it would make sense to ask:
1. Is this person committed to God and His purposes? Can I forge a partnership with him/her to do God's work, however that is defined for us?
2. Does this person understand the faithful provision of God? Can we go through life in faith and trust, pointing out to each other the generous care of God? Can we go through life with hearts of gratitude?
3. Is this person committed to a life of holiness? Can we be used by God to help one another resist the assaults of Satan, the world and the flesh?
Of course the prior thing to do is to check if we ourselves are people like that. Am I committed to God and His purposes? Am I aware of God's faithful care and have a grateful heart? Am I actively resisting sin in my life?
You may say, boy it is tough enough to find a potential life partner. If you throw in all these qualifications, I'll never find a warm body to share my life!
What to do? This is God's Word. Do you trust Him enough to supply a life partner if it is His will?
Besides what are the alternatives? The many unhappy marriages you see around you? The ever-increasing number of broken marriages? I often wonder how many of those marriages could have been saved if there had been greater sensitivity to the issues of vocation, provision and prohibition.
Some of us are married already and like many, entered into marriage with little spiritual education. Nobody told us the biblical teaching on marriage. What should we do now?
Start building the marriage according to God's purposes! Start structuring your marriage around vocation, provision, and prohibition. You may discover a real revival in your marriage and even a return of the "wow"!
What about those who are single? We must believe that God loves us more than we love ourselves and that if it is in His will for us to be married He will bring the right person at the right time.
In the meantime, we can continue to build our lives around the themes of vocation, provision, and prohibition. We do need significant others in our lives. We seek out good friends, soul mates, brothers and sisters who are also committed to walking the path of vocation, gratitude, and holiness.
We live in a fallen world. Even marriages entered into with the best of intentions, may fall apart. When such tragedies happen we need to come alongside people to help them rebuild their lives.
But we should also seek out ways to help people experience marriage as it was meant to be. And I do believe the manufacturer's instructions talks about marriage as a partnership for doing God's work, enjoying God's blessings, and obeying God's Word. So yes, boys and girls, it is mission before mate.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
1st week at Tactical Training
Just finished 1 week of tactical training. Was quite an experience indeed.
We were trained by officers from SPEAR (Singapore Prisons Emergency Action Response) which is equivalent to the Commandos in Army and the STAR force in Police.
The first day was a culture shock for me - it was more 'BMT' style and we had to "push the ground" (i.e. do push ups) for any mistake which we made. I thought that i was quite fit till last week. It came to the point that i was so tired that i couldn't carry on and i broke down... i thought i was stronger than that but i surprised myself. It was rather embarrassing and humbling... i think i tried to push myself too hard and i couldn't accept the fact that i couldn't do it. It's been sometime since i pushed myself so hard physically and mentally.
We learnt breakfall techniques (i.e. learning how to break a fall when pushed from the back/ front/ side) and various defence techniques. My body was bruised and aching so bad i couldn't get up the morning after the 1st day, and i had to pop painkillers for the rest of the week.
Had an assessment at the end of the week and thank God i passed it!
Another 1 more week at SPEAR learning baton techniques, before i'm back at the Home Team Academy. One good thing is that I get to stay out of camp these 2 weeks...
We were trained by officers from SPEAR (Singapore Prisons Emergency Action Response) which is equivalent to the Commandos in Army and the STAR force in Police.
The first day was a culture shock for me - it was more 'BMT' style and we had to "push the ground" (i.e. do push ups) for any mistake which we made. I thought that i was quite fit till last week. It came to the point that i was so tired that i couldn't carry on and i broke down... i thought i was stronger than that but i surprised myself. It was rather embarrassing and humbling... i think i tried to push myself too hard and i couldn't accept the fact that i couldn't do it. It's been sometime since i pushed myself so hard physically and mentally.
We learnt breakfall techniques (i.e. learning how to break a fall when pushed from the back/ front/ side) and various defence techniques. My body was bruised and aching so bad i couldn't get up the morning after the 1st day, and i had to pop painkillers for the rest of the week.
Had an assessment at the end of the week and thank God i passed it!
Another 1 more week at SPEAR learning baton techniques, before i'm back at the Home Team Academy. One good thing is that I get to stay out of camp these 2 weeks...
Friday, August 08, 2008
1 Year On...
It's exactly a year since I got back for good from my studies in England. Feeling nostalgic. I still remember the day I landed in Singapore, i just managed to catch a glimpse of the National Day fireworks from the plane - i was flying alone and no one was picking me up from the airport - i took it as God's way of welcoming me back home :)
A year has passed... Many many things have happened and changed since then. The friends I once shared my life with are now all over the globe doing different things - newly married, pharmacists, lawyers, doctors, etc. I'm one who likes to reminiscise about the past - but i know that doing too much of that is unhealthy cos it makes me live in the past. There is a time for everything. God puts different people in different phases of our lives to go through it with us - some may stay longer, some perhaps just for that moment or period of life. But each one is precious and treasured. I look forward to the day i'll be reunited again with them.
Some thoughts on our Nation's 43rd year of Independance...
"Ultimately a great nation is a compassionate nation. No individual or nation can be great if it does not have a concern for the "least of these". Deeply etched in the fibre of our religious tradition is the conviction that men are made in the image of God and that they are souls of infinite value, the heirs of a legacy of dignity and worth. If we feel this as a profound moral fact, we cannot be content to see men hungry, to see men victimized with starvation and ill health when we have the means to help them. The wealthy nations must go all out to bridge the gulf beween the rich minority and the poor majority." - Martin Luther King Jr, at his Nobel Lecture
I attended the yearly national day prayer gathering at Expo together with a few thousand other christians. It's been a number of years since the last one i attended. This year's focus was on Migrant Workers in Singapore. There were representatives from the major migrant groups in Singapore - Chinese, Indian, Bangladesh, Indonesian, Filipino, Myanmarese, Thai, Sri Lankan. We asked for forgiveness from them - for our attitude of superiority, for discriminating them, for not caring for them as we should, even ill-treating them... It was a solemn and humbling moment - kneeling on our feet and repenting. It's been a while since i've been touched to the point of tears.
There are about 1 million foreigners in Singapore - that's about 1 in every 4 Singaporeans. Living abroad for 3 years, I kinda understand what it feels like to be a foreigner in a foreign land, and it's not easy. My dear friends, let's be good hosts to our friends, and to welcome and embrace them here.
Happy National Day to all my Singaporean friends out there - wherever you may be and whatever you may be doing.
Remember: Home is where the heart is :)
A year has passed... Many many things have happened and changed since then. The friends I once shared my life with are now all over the globe doing different things - newly married, pharmacists, lawyers, doctors, etc. I'm one who likes to reminiscise about the past - but i know that doing too much of that is unhealthy cos it makes me live in the past. There is a time for everything. God puts different people in different phases of our lives to go through it with us - some may stay longer, some perhaps just for that moment or period of life. But each one is precious and treasured. I look forward to the day i'll be reunited again with them.
Some thoughts on our Nation's 43rd year of Independance...
"Ultimately a great nation is a compassionate nation. No individual or nation can be great if it does not have a concern for the "least of these". Deeply etched in the fibre of our religious tradition is the conviction that men are made in the image of God and that they are souls of infinite value, the heirs of a legacy of dignity and worth. If we feel this as a profound moral fact, we cannot be content to see men hungry, to see men victimized with starvation and ill health when we have the means to help them. The wealthy nations must go all out to bridge the gulf beween the rich minority and the poor majority." - Martin Luther King Jr, at his Nobel Lecture
I attended the yearly national day prayer gathering at Expo together with a few thousand other christians. It's been a number of years since the last one i attended. This year's focus was on Migrant Workers in Singapore. There were representatives from the major migrant groups in Singapore - Chinese, Indian, Bangladesh, Indonesian, Filipino, Myanmarese, Thai, Sri Lankan. We asked for forgiveness from them - for our attitude of superiority, for discriminating them, for not caring for them as we should, even ill-treating them... It was a solemn and humbling moment - kneeling on our feet and repenting. It's been a while since i've been touched to the point of tears.
There are about 1 million foreigners in Singapore - that's about 1 in every 4 Singaporeans. Living abroad for 3 years, I kinda understand what it feels like to be a foreigner in a foreign land, and it's not easy. My dear friends, let's be good hosts to our friends, and to welcome and embrace them here.
Happy National Day to all my Singaporean friends out there - wherever you may be and whatever you may be doing.
Remember: Home is where the heart is :)
Friday, August 01, 2008
Book-out Day
I've never looked forward to Friday so much - it's what the NS guys call BOOK-OUT DAY. To be able to come out again to the 'real world', and see 'civilian' heartlanders. I was quite taken aback when I came out this weekend to find burning joysticks all around - to the realization that the hungry ghost festival is near. My heart sinks every time i walk past people burning 'hell money'...
We've started our Legislation lectures - i.e. learning about criminal law. e.g. the right of self-defence, powers/restrictions of a prison officer, punishments for various crimes, etc. Some of it is very interesting, whilst other parts are quite dry & boring (you can try reading the government statues and you'll know what i mean!)
The more I study about the law, the more i realize that all of us (including myself) are guilty of breaking the law in more ways than one - whether we realize it or not. Technically, doesn't make all of us criminals? The law teaches us what is right & wrong, but it doesn't ensure/ help us to do what is right.
This parallels the christian faith - All men have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. The letter of the law (i.e. the 'ten commandments') only serves to show us that we cannot live up to all the requirements of the law.
The Law Condemns, but Faith Through Grace Saves.
Paul sums it up very well in his letter to the church of Galatia:
"Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham.
Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.
Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.
Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian."
Galatians 8:19-24
We've started our Legislation lectures - i.e. learning about criminal law. e.g. the right of self-defence, powers/restrictions of a prison officer, punishments for various crimes, etc. Some of it is very interesting, whilst other parts are quite dry & boring (you can try reading the government statues and you'll know what i mean!)
The more I study about the law, the more i realize that all of us (including myself) are guilty of breaking the law in more ways than one - whether we realize it or not. Technically, doesn't make all of us criminals? The law teaches us what is right & wrong, but it doesn't ensure/ help us to do what is right.
This parallels the christian faith - All men have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. The letter of the law (i.e. the 'ten commandments') only serves to show us that we cannot live up to all the requirements of the law.
The Law Condemns, but Faith Through Grace Saves.
Paul sums it up very well in his letter to the church of Galatia:
"Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham.
Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.
Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.
Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian."
Galatians 8:19-24
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