Please meet Jeremy Koh

Please meet Jeremy, my youngest son. I am very pleased and proud when I was told that he was chosen by his school SMK Taman Mutiara Rini 2, to receive the school's "Anugerah Tokoh Pelajar 2008" or the Outstanding Student of the Year Award for 2008. (Sept 17, 2008 correction - my apology. Jeremy told me he is Tokoh Pelajar 2008 for co-curriculum only)

The award was in recognition of his outstanding leadership and role model. It hasn't been smooth for Jeremy since joining this new school 5 years ago. Lots of up and down. Jeremy is by no means a Saint, rather he is really more of the average Joe, with his bad patches here and there.

But Jeremy stood tall, in face with adversities. He is humble enough to confess and admit his shortcoming. He seek to rectify especially when he knows he is wrong and seek forgiveness. Jeremy show otstanding passion and commitment in his responsibilities. He is the 110% guy or nothing. Either all or nothing. He doesn't do things half-hearted. Jeremy has his weaknesses like any one of us but I have chosen to be proud of him and to stand with him and to encourage him. Even without the Tokoh Pelajar, I have chosen to be proud of him. I have taken pride in being known as Jeremy's father. What about you? do you take pride to be your children's dad and mum?

I love Jeremy, as much as I love Joey and Jessalynn. I am very proud to be their father and I really pray that you will feel the same about your kids!

What the 40 Days of Purpose did for a Boy from Sibu and Childrens from Miri

When I read day 27th from the book of 40 Days Of Purpose. I learnt that you don’t defeat temptation by fighting the feeling of it. The more you fight a feeling, the more it consumes and controls you. So the quickest way to neutralize its allure is to turn your attention on something else.

I sometimes face the temptation of playing computer games (Maplestory). I kept on thinking about it, so I ended up playing. Now, since I have to face UPSR this year end, so I cannot play computer until after UPSR.

Next time when I face temptation, I will stop thinking about it and go to study or read a book.

Josiah Tie.
12 years old
15th of August, 2008.

Alvin Tan, age 7
I am happy that I came to join. I learned that God is the greatest creator of the earth and universe. I have learned to worship, to have fellowship, to play, to swim and to study. I believe more in God and I am more hardworking.

Tien Eu Ting, age 11
I have learned lots of things from 40 Days Of Purpose. One of them is fellowship and forgiving one another or just saying 'hi' to someone whom you haven’t seen for a long time. I also learned that little children like us can also be great help to God through spreading the Gospel with the wordless book that our teachers gave us.

Jeremy Lee, age 10
The most important lesson that I have learned is to know how much God loves me. I also learned to love the people surrounding me especially my brother Joshua and sister Elena. I used to make them angry but now I quarrel less with them. Now I stopped myself from saying not so nice things to them. I do all this because I want to please God.

Priscilla Wong, age 9
I am glad that I joined. Now I know how to share things with others and know how to care for others.

Michelle Hii, age 8 (Primary 2)
I am very happy that I come to join this programme. I want to read the bible to learn more about Jesus and imitate Him in every way. I want to be more obedient to my parents.

Martin Wong, age 7 (Primary 1)
After the 40 Days I will love and care for my friends.

This group of Sunday School students are from Grace Methodist Church in Miri.

Sharing from the PurposeDrivel Life Small Group Members

我们小组的分享


组长: 杨函英
从这个课程中，我被教导和提醒上帝为我所定的人生终极目标不是安逸享乐而是品格的塑造，因此我对自己的处境或顺或逆，心中更懂得感恩，就如在这课程期间我因服事而身体疲乏及感冒时，我被提醒时时刻刻倚靠圣灵，我感受到上帝的安慰，还有察验上帝的陪伴及惊喜圣灵在组员身上的感动和引导。我真的非常放心的活在上帝塑造我的生命目的里。

组员:

陈孟樟
在我作一些事情，讲一些话时会去想这个是不是神喜欢的。

李岩沄
我觉得这本书对我有蛮大的帮助。我从中领悟到以神观点处事待人及把焦点放在神身上，特别是学习去爱人，服事人及更清楚自己活着的目的。

方丽珠
感谢神，感谢教会给我学习到服事神，让我也懂得服事人。这本书‘标竿人生’让我学习到关怀，忍耐。包容等等。上帝拣选我，我也选择上帝，愿我尽心尽性尽意尽力爱主我的神。

陈玉琴
感谢主，藉着标竿人生课程，让我知道人生的目的是什么，我已经做了长不大的基督徒好久了。什么是灵命也不知道，常常被情欲控制，总觉得自己是罪恶的，甚至已经很多年没有去领圣餐。透过华理克牧师的教导，使我的灵命成长。

感谢主赐我勇气和力量，不再惧怕，主曾说：我绝不撇下你，也不丢弃你。感谢主，与我同在。阿们。

陈玉容参加标杆人生40天，让我认识到人生活着的目的。凡事无论大小上帝都在意，所以我要努力的学习活出基督的样式，做一个神所喜爱的女儿。

郑秀仙
标竿人生拉近了我与神的距离，我看见了自己眼中的梁木。

许莉风
标竿人生是一个非常好的课程。我参加了此课程后，我知道我的人生目的，也让我活的更有方向。

陈洛云
Before I lived in uncertainty as I don’t understand what is worth living for. Now I know I am God’s workmanship, created to be part of his master plan for all of us. What is more worthy to live for than living for God.

Members of Sibu Wesley Methodist Church

Amazing Grace, truly amazing!

Praise the Lord!
Both Agnes and I celebrate God's goodness in enabling us to journey with Him the past 28 years in full-time ministry. We have completed 28 years as staff with Malaysia Campus Crusade for Christ and have just began our 29th year.

We wish to thank all of you for standing with us all these while. Especially you who trusted us and have expressed so through your prayers and support. We acknowledge that without you and others standing with us, we wouldn't have been able to make it this far.

One key decision for Agnes and I will be to trust God to even do greater things in and through our lives. For us, getting older will not mean slowing down. For us, it will be like Caleb, the dear partner of Joshua, who would go to Joshua after they have crossed into the promised land, to ask, "Give me this mountain." We both will ask God for "This Mountain" - a generation of people God have entrusted us to reach. We will take on "This Mountain" with all our lives in full surrender unto God because only Him can do it in and through us. We will not only faithfully and earnestly seek to fullfill God's calling, but we will feverishly (if there is such description), even liken to being out of our mind, pursuing to do what God has entrusted.

Acts 20:24 fully expresses our heart's intention,"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

We sincerely invite you to join us in this journey of our lives by faith to fulfill God's purposes for our lives and we thank you in advance. We covet your prayers, support, encouragement and friendship.

Knowing what and why you believe!

Seven Reasons Why Truth Matters

Truth Matters Because the Heart of What We Believe is at Stake

Without Truth, the Gospel is Perverted

Rejection of Truth Results in Biblical Illiteracy

Rejection of Truth Leads to Ethical Confusion

The Rejection of Truth Undermines Cultural Development

Rejecting Truth Leads to False Gods

If Christianity is Not the Truth, it is

Read all at; http://www.sermoncentral.com/articleb.asp?article=Charles-Colson-Why-Truth-Matters&ac=true

Suggested by a friend!

Wacky Definitions!!!

Father:A banker provided by nature.
Boss: Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early.
Life Insurance: A contract that keeps you poor all your life so that you can die Rich.
School: A place where Papa pays and Son plays.
Doctor: A person who kills your ills by pills, and kills you by bills. Nurse:A person who wakes u up to give you sleeping pills.
Marriage: It's an agreement in which a man loses his bachelor degree and a woman gains her masters.
Tears: The hydraulic force by which masculine willpower is defeated by feminine water-power.
Lecture: An art of transferring information from the notes of the Lecturer to the notes of the students without passing through 'the minds of either'
Conference: The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present.
Compromise: The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he got the biggest piece.
Dictionary: A place where success comes before work.
Conference Room: A place where everybody talks, nobody listens and everybody disagrees later on.
Politician: One who shakes your hand before elections and your Confidence after.
Classic: Books, which people praise, but do not read. Smile: A curve that can set a lot of things straight.
Office: A place where you can relax after your strenuous home life.
Yawn: The only time some married men ever get to open their mouth.
Etc.: A sign to make others believe that you know more than you actually do.
Committee: Individuals who can do nothing individually and sit to decide that nothing can be done together.
Experience: The name men give to their mistakes.
Atom Bomb: An invention to end all inventions.
Philosopher: A fool who torments himself during life, to be wise after death

A Very Exciting 40 DOP at GMC

Celebration Sunday, the grand finale of the 40 Days of Purpose programme was held during the morning service yesterday. The highlight of the event was when participants shared how their lives were being transformed during the 40 days. During the launch of the new song "Heart of a Servant", a number of participants came forward when Pastor Law called upon those who wished to re-dedicate their lives to Jesus. The presence of the Holy Spirit was felt during the call.

Read more at http://grace40dop.blogspot.com/

Saddleback Civil Forum Today

What is the Saddleback Civil Forum?
The Saddleback Civil Forum is a monthly forum for Southern California intended to promote personal responsibility, social civility, and spiritual maturity, held on the 120 acre campus of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. World leaders in science, business, education, the arts, entertainment, government, health, and religion are invited to speak on subjects of community interest. Sometimes speakers are ordinary people with extraordinary stories, such as a recent forum when five Jewish holocaust survivors shared how they survived the World War II death camps.

How did the Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency come about?
On July 2nd, after efforts by another organization failed to get the two candidates together, Dr. Rick Warren personally contacted the candidates out of his relationship with both men, and invited them to Saddleback's Civil Forum for August. Both agreed to participate on two conditions: 1) that Dr. Warren ask all the questions -- instead of a panel, or from the audience -- and 2) that it be open for all national media to cover as news or carry via live video feed from Saddleback, as opposed to co-sponsorship by any one network or outlet, as was done during the primary campaigns.

After so many debates among candidates throughout the primaries, what makes this event unique?
This will be the first joint appearance of the two presumptive nominees of both parties for President, and one of only four joint appearances of the campaigns, including three debates planned for later this fall. It is also the final general appearance by either candidate before they go into hiatus prior to their respective conventions. And, as far as we know, it is the first time that a church pastor has ever moderated an event, in a local church, featuring the two major candidates for President.

Read more at http://saddlebackcivilforum.com/index.html

Finding My Purposes in Life

What would be your reaction if you learned from a pediatrician that your child had serious medical problem and required immediate attention? About 3 years ago, when my little daughter was just about 50 days from birth, it was like a lightning striking me when my wife and I heard that our daughter was suffering a life-threatening symptom that required immediate medical attention.

When I was driving home after bringing her seeing a doctor, my wife and I didn’t talk a single word, besides tears running over our face. My mind was blank; my purpose on earth was lost. I could not accept a baby looked completely normal and was born at full pregnancy term and normal weight, yet her liver function was not fully developed. Even the doctors could not explain why. And there is no solution with advanced medical technology today. I didn’t understand why God gave me such a trial? Read the entire story at http://wmc40dop.wordpress.com/

Fishers of Man

Our Team, the Coverage Guys, went to kukup, a fishing village recently. Not to fish but it was part of our team-time during our recent coverage consultation, which we held once a year to further explore what else we can do or need to do in order that ALL will be given an opportunity to hear who Jesus is!

I ask the Lord how else I can motivate my team, veterans of the ministry, almost all have been with Campus Crusade for at least 15-25 years. Most of the time it will surely take more than just words to get the team going. People who had "spend all night and not caught a fish" needs special motivation that only God can do. Then something happened. God's doing!

I went out to buy some fishing line and hook to try our luck on fishing. But when we came back, the tide has subsided and we have to wait for the next high tide in order to fish. And it was a long wait. The tide didn't come in until it was pass 12 midnight. By about 11pm everyone was ready for bed and no one will stay up to try to fish. It was liken to a fail battle. No more interest.

But Timothy wasn't about to give up. He let his line fly and started where no one else would do. He patiently threw his line, waited, pull it a little, waited and drew his line back to check if the bait was still there. Threw it back in and waited patiently again and I join him to try my hands on fishing without a fishing rod.

After a short while Timothy caught a 10 inches fish and we were very excited, but we had to sleep so that we could continue with the meeting the next day. I went to bed by 1 am and Timothy lasted till 2 am.

We got up early the next morning and guess what? The line we left in the sea had fish on it and there was a big 16 inches salt water cat fish and a smaller one. Except that the line was stuck to some rocks due to low tide and we were not able to pull the fish out. Then even at breakfast, Timothy was very quick to finish and walk off, carrying a pole with him as he attempted to try to get the stuck line off and to pull the fish out. He failed, but he didn't give up. He came back and took with him now a long rubber hose. Not only that, his keen interest drew the attention of the rest and soon, a few other fellows went to assist him. They actually lower Timothy down to the muddy shore and Timothy pull out the stuck line and the other staff pull it up...Nice.. 2 fishes... then they started pulling Timothy back up. Now this is most challenging. 1 guy and 4 girls trying to pull Timothy up on a rubber hose. They manage to, but not without causing much injuries on Timothy's leg. Deep cuts, bleeding..painful, I supposed, but everyone was excited.We caught the fish.

That determination was exactly what the team needed as motivation to faithfully continue toiling till all have heard! The excitement of finally catching the fishes is truly a hope we can all look forward to. Jesus promised He will make us fishers of man. We must keep going even through the dark night, when we hardly sees result. He promise we will be fishers of man! The incident was God's way to motivate my team and it was powerful.

Why we need One another?

I've always wanted to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger.



Not as governor of California, but as Arnold the bodybuilder, from the neck down.
My quick solution to become an Arnie look-alike rests in a fantasy where another guy does all the gym work then transfers his six-pack abs and 30-inch waist to my sagging frame through a miraculous invention akin to the teleporter on Star Trek.
Poof! I've got 21-inch biceps.

When I hit 40, blood sugar rising and staring at a future in 38W Levi's, I was working at a seminary in Africa. One of my co-workers was a 24-year-old graphic artist named Innocent who looked like he camped on a weight bench.

Innocent would pat my pot belly and say, "Old man, when are you going to do something about that gut?"
Believe me, I had tried. Exercise. Diet. Failure.

But Innocent challenged me to meet at the gym every morning before work to reverse 4 decades of North American metabolic disorder.
He designed a program "to get results" and breathed down my neck to make sure I lifted with proper technique, completing every repetition. I developed pains that made me wonder if I had pectoral cancer.
Innocent just kept pushing and I lost 20 pounds. He helped me do something that I failed to do alone. Innocent also desired that I help him grow spiritually, and that motivated me to do breakfast at the gym.
We basically told each other, "I need you and you need me."
We developed an accountability relationship.

Read More at http://www.ccci.org/growth/accountability-with-friends.aspx

Plug in will you?

Why The Christian Life is IMPOSSIBLE!

After six hours of hand-numbing labor in the blistering sun, I'd gotten about 5 feet done. My despair had just about reached its zenith when I heard a chugging noise in the distance. Crawling out of my hardpan rut, I squinted my eyes to see what was coming.

Before long, I could make out the distinct scorpion tail of a backhoe heading my way.

Within minutes, the shiny, yellow machine drew up next to me. "Howdy, young feller!" the grizzled driver shouted down at me. He looked at the separator, the ditch, my shovel and me. "Got yourself a bit of a job, ain't ya?"

"You've got that right," I said, trying not to sound as tired and defeated as I felt. I'd never seen this guy before, but I noticed that his backhoe sported the logo of a competing company.

He glanced up at the blazing sun, then at his watch, and chuckled. "Don't suppose you'd want a little help, would ya?"

My heart leapt. "You mean it? I don't work for your outfit, you know..."
"Don't matter. I can see you're out-gunned. It'll only take me a minute."
He motioned me up onto the machine. I swung up and stood next to him as he positioned it at the end of my six-hour ditch. In the space of about six minutes, I'd finished the job -- I, the stranger and the backhoe, that is!
It's the same in the Christian life -- we can accomplish far more when we become a partner with the overcoming power of the Holy Spirit than when we try to do things in our own strength. Read more at http://www.ccci.org/growth/spirit-filled-life/why-christian-life-is-impossible.aspx