The Prodigal Son: Advanced Edition - 1

Here's the answer of March 24's discussions:

1. Father, younger son, and the father's servant.
2. Everyone in heaven rejoices (or, heavenly party).
3. Jealous/ felt unfair/ the father is favoritism/ he don't deserve to get this.
4. New believers (who have sinned and turned back to God), backslidden Christian coming back to church, believers who have sinned against God, and Non-Christian (if we looking at the context of Jesus as the Redeemer that redeemed us back to God, means that we are all belongs to God).
5. Elders and leaders, matured believers.
6. Yes, as long as we are in this world, we will be tempted (1COR10:13).
7. He will still embrace him, kiss him, bring the best rope to him, put a ring back onto him, and put a big feast for him.
8. Perhaps felt betrayed; but if he realized what he had done was wrong after the father explained to him (verse 31 and 32), he would stand along with the father and embrace him back again with love and great rejoicing.
9. He is still my son and I will still love him and pray for him.
10. God will still forgive (Matthew 18:21-22).
11. Yes, definitely, because he is crazy.
12. Use whatever authorities, promises, and gifting that I have to help him (pray, taking spiritual authority, encourage, etc).
13. In a typicall family, brothers are supposed to care for one another and bearing one another's burden. In this parable, the older brother did not fulfill the family role as a brother (verse 29) and he let his younger brother idled for himself and allow him be led astray into thinking of wild living. Both of them should have labored together in the field for their father's house, but in this case, it was not so. The older brother should have realized the suffering of the younger brother was party due to his failure in fulfilling the family role. Therefore, God balances it in 1Thessalonians 5:9-18 that we have a ministry, that is to encourage and care for one another, and even to the extend of bearing one another'sburden. These two verses clearly defines the role for older and younger brother in the House of God.

Answer is on the way

We pressed in heavily on the Prodigal Son story for the last two Saturdays (3/24 and 3/31). Managed to dig out many goal nuggets out of that simple and common story that we always have learned.

Those group discussions sessions were great. Since I only gave the question sheet and not the answer sheet, I will post the answers on this blog so that you can copy them down and most importantly, understand them and apply them in your daily lives. You guys will be able to shine forth God's light and be a channel of blessings. So, stay tuned. More updates are coming.

Add on to this, if you look at 3/24 question sheets, I have made an error. I could have just further add on to the Prodigal Son's story by just putting a few IF-THEN-ELSE statement; but rather, I had put in additional bible verses into it and make an extension out of Luke 15. I was wrong and I shouldn't modify the bible, please forgive me and I would not do that again.

Anyway, you guys were quick to correct me on the spot. That was really a smart move. You guys are great! I thank God for you all

YAFL Sun: 1st Meeting

Yes, we had our first meeting of the year on the third Sunday and third month of 2007.

New YAFL members from CH were: Rachel Ann Boey, Yuin Chian Cheah, and Stephen Ng.
New YAFL members from YA were: Angelina

William Ching was back from UK and was with us. He shared a great testimony. Good to hear his exciting moment in depending fully on God in the foreign land. God is good to him and to everyone of us. He will never leave us or forsake us.

The Sunday YAFL meeting will be held once a month while the rest of the weekly YF/YA meeting would be on Saturday at 4 PM.

Stay tuned for YA meeting, we are planning something and we are praying about it.

NS: Ni and Jee

Second batch of NS Camp is ON! Starting March 18, Jun Ni and Ann Jee will be on their way to for a 3-month training.

Let's continue to uphold them in prayers. They will be the light house for God in the camp. They will be a changed person when they come back. It is done!

Love 1 Another - Revision from what we learned in Camp2006

We have Mei Wan today sharing with us on Love One Another. It was an extension and a refresher for what we had learned in the camp. We had some case study discussions and it was very good.

Paper discussion is always easier than real life situation, we can always said we will help the person in need; but when the actual thing appear in front of us, many will rather stick on to their own agendas rather than spending time helping him or her. Let's look at the other angle, if God awares even one hair had detached from our head, we can always ask why God putting a person in front of us while we are just about to enjoy our live telecast FA Cup Final - surely He has something for us to learn.

His grace is sufficient enough for us and His strength is always made perfect in our weaknesses. If He put you in that situation, you can be sure you will have His grace to move forward and lend a helping hand.

During my university years, I remembered at one time my dad's money hasn't reached me yet while the deadline to pay the school fee is due in 1 day time. I was in great need and I started to borrow money from my Malaysian friends, I promised to return them the money once my dad's resources arrived. But for some reasons, no one was willing to help me. I was completely helpless and I prayed to God. I then recalled an event whereby I refused to lend a small amount of money to one of my friends who need to take a bus home during the secondary school years. I sensed the feeling of rejection and helplessness of my secondary school friend during that day.

Always remember, helping a person is sowing a seed. Refuse to help is also sowing a seed. Whatever you give (sowing), it shall be given back to you in great measure (reaping). Whatever you refuse to give, it shall also be given back to you the "refuses" in great measure (reaping).

Your action determines a blessing or a consequence. Do you want good fruits or bad fruits? Do you want the "Well done, faithful servant" or do you want the "Depart from Me, I don't know you"? It is your choice.

But thanks be to God, repentance is the key to bring you back on track for restoration and abundance. Therefore, today, purpose yourself to do it right and follow God's greatest commandments.

"Love one another as I have love You, by this, all men will know that you are My disciple" saith the Lord.

"If you love Me, feed My lamb and tender My Sheep" saith the Lord.

STPM - it's like crossing a big ocean

After years of hard work and tuitions. The results are finally out. God is good all the time and He will never leave us nor forsake us.

A well done to both Grace Kupusamy and Roy Ernest Lim.

God always have good plans for all of us, it is the same to Grace and Roy. His plan will never fail, and His plan is always perfect and His plan is the best.

So, look forward and stay focus on HIM all the time. God Bless!

Well Done! The "ee's" and the "ni"

SPM Results were out on the 12th of March, congratulations to Jun Ni, Poh Nee, and Ann Jee. They all did very well. Praise be to God. Let's rejoice together with them. Jubilee!

Next, STPM is on the way: Thursday, 15th March 2007. It will be Grace Kupu's and Roy's turn.

Outing 300

Thanks be to God.

It was the largest turn out that I ever seen in YAFL-weekend-outing. There were 18 of us in the field, 17 of us in the cinema, 18 of us again in the lunch session (Abraham joined us for lunch while Roy went home earlier). All together was 19! Record breaking!

Our coordinator (E Hun) made so many calls just to get everybody around until his HP totally run out of steam (no more credits). Good job, E Hun!

Bad news was Youth Park was totally occupied, but thanks to Roy being the agent to first spying out the land before the convoy arrives. We made a detour and changed our destination to Minden Heights Padang. That was a pretty quiet and cool place there. We had a great game.

"This was my best Captain Ball game that I ever played," saith Daniel Boey.

First Game was YF vs YA (in terms of men's side). DanielB-JoshuaR-EHun-Oliver vs DanielC-Kheong-Roy-ChinHun (the gals are separated evenly). At first, the boys were downed 1-4. The big boyz really gave them hard time; but later, there was an Ultimate Comeback! The boyz led by 5-4; but when the game was finally over, the score was 5-5.

YF: DanielB, JoshuaR, EHun, Oliver, AnnJee, SamuelC, JunMay, Melissa
YA: DanielC, Kheong, Roy, ChinHun, PohNee, JunNi, Zoe, Ranuga
Referee with 'CCTV': Lyndsey

Second Game, no more YF vs YA, everybody spread evenly. Some Brazilian-passing-style was observed between Daniel Boey and Kheong; they made quite a good teamwork, leading the group by 7-2. At the final 10 minutes, Mei Wan came and joined the loosing team and there the husband-and-wife teamed up and made some good come back, 8-5. But the Brazilians were still very good, leading 9-5 (I think). Uncle Sam cannot tahan liao, came and join the loosing team at the final minutes. Man! They were still very strong; anyhow; final scores: 10-6.

Group 1 (winner): DanielB, Kheong, ChinHun, Poh Nee, Zoe, JoshuaR
Group 2: DanielC, Mei Wan, SamuelC, EHun, JunNi, Oliver, AnnJee, Roy
Resting: Melissa, JunMay, Ranuga
Referee with 'CCTV': Lyndsey

We went back to the church office to change our clothes before going to BJ for the movie, 300. Thank God again, the early show was half price, RM5 only; great savings there.

The show was reated 18PL, but 60% of the gang were < 18. Lord have mercy. Generally, the show was quite nice except a bit violent, seeing heads flew off every now and then; but most of them enjoyed it.. !!??!!

Lunch at Unity Cafe with Abraham joining and we had some wonderful fellowship and feilowship there. The 'kopi' guy lost count of all the drinks that we had ordered; I think he under-charged us. Again, great savings there.

We went home around 2:35 PM. Thank God for the strenght given to Lyndsey and Sam, they continued on their journey for the CH session at 4 PM. But I guess only Lyndsey was still active in the CH session; Uncle Sam was dozing downstairs... haha..

REVIVED! Happy CNY 2007!

First of all, Happy New Year to all of you guys and gals, in-PENANG's and out-PENANG's. Secondly, appologize for not getting the page updated for a long long time. Yes, ever since Seet Yuan's Farewell until now. Thirdly, you guys are great. Your frequent visit to this blog had encouraged me to move on and keep the page updated. Finally, i purpose myself to keep this page updated at all time. If not, I will assign one or two of you to help me keep up with the update. Yes, one of you will be the appointed one. Haha.

On the 24th of February, we had a wonderful CNY House Visitation. Visited 6 homes. All these families received and fed us well. Thank God to all of the families there. All homes had their unique feature:

1. Pastor: The LUNCH House - Chinese Style.
2. David Ng: Environmental-friendly house - no need AC also very cool.
3. Kean Tiong: Yummy! House with the most number of snack varieties.
4. Gim Leng: The highest above sea level with a very nice mountain view.
5. Yeoh: House with comfortable sofa; also, the largest AC horse power.
6. Jimmy: The DINNER House - Italian Style.

We have lots of fun there! It's a blessing day for the families as well as the boyz and gals.