I know who holds tomorrow

Thursday, November 19, 2009

I don't know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from it's sunshine,
For it's skies may turn to gray.
I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said,
And today I'll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.

Refrain
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;
But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.

Ev'ry step is getting brighter,
As the golden stairs I climb;
Ev'ry burden's getting lighter;
Ev'ry cloud is silver lined.
There the sun is always shining,
There no tear will dim the eyes,
At the ending of the rainbow,
Where the mountains touch the sky.

Refrain
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;
But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.

I don't know about tomorrow,
It may bring me poverty;
But the One Who feeds the sparrow,
Is the One Who stands by me.
And the path that be my portion,
May be through the flame or flood,
But His presence goes before me,
And I'm covered with His blood.

Refrain
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;
But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.

God's blessings

Saturday, November 14, 2009

I have been here for 2 weeks. One thing that God is teaching me is simplicity, the basic needs in life. Yesterday I went out to have lunch with the youth workers. On our journey, they shared how they struggle in their finance and looking for free food (left over food from the kindergarten). Then I asked a question, "Why God's servant has to struggle with all these and eat "inferior" foods? Where is God's blessing?" Then one of the youth workers said, "God's blessing is not the type of food that we eat, but is how God make our stomach full." This simple words really spoke to me and really understand that God bless to our priority needs first before what we want.

Blessings,

Isaac

The Past

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Few days ago, I've been thinking of my past, especially the mistakes that I've done. One question came to my mind, what's went wrong? Sometime I feel very innocent. People can reject you just because you are good, you have the zeal for God and etc. I think my biggest pain in my life is when someone used you as a transition for their life to get their comfort. Once they are sure with their current situation, they reject you. As I think back, the scar was there and I still can feel the hurt. I will think am I a "water bag"? Every past has a lesson to be learned. Probably I am naive that time. Everything is perfect. Failure in the past should shaped our life. Failure only truly becomes a failure when do not learn from it. I thank God that all these failures in the past has drawn me close to God, shaped my life, character and my attitude.

As we go on with our life, we should bring what we have learned from our past, not the past itself. I am writing this blog not because I am emo-ing or what, but sometime we just can avoid that the past will come into your mind. I just want to find a place to express.

Isaac

Sandakan Day 3

Monday, November 2, 2009

I'm now in Sandakan for the third day. I reached here on Saturday at 1pm. One day before I came here, I felt a bit stressfull and felt that this place is a foreign place. There was uncertainties. But God is amazing in His own way. Sandakan people make you feel at home. They are welcoming.

I am exposed mostly in Chinese ministry. It is a funny feeling when I saw the culture here. Hakka and Cantonese are their main dialect. So I have to improve my Hakka and Cantonese to "cari makan" here. Though I am Hakka, but I can't really speak in a formal way. I feel odd. I really need wisdom in this area. One funny things came in my mind was, how can Cantonese and Hakka are together if we know their history. They are rivals. But God is awesome. We can never think what He is doing.

I hope I won't gain my weight more here since the food here are cheap! Imagine pork ribs rice at RM4.50? hahaha.

I'm also will be going to Kudat for a Children Camp there. I wish to go Kudat for long time because I wanted to go to the Tip of Borneo.

That's all for updates.
Isaac

Year 1 Ended

Sunday, October 18, 2009

I've finished my first year in STM. I went through a lot of struggles such as assignments, character building, communication skills and etc. I thank God that each difficulties I went through with Him. My life here has helped me especially in building up my character. Things that I've learned in lecture is very dry, spiritually dry, because it is just knowledge. But how to make it not dry is using the knowledge and apply it in our daily life.

Sometimes I struggle with the things I've learned. I realized when I understood something, it doesn't makes my relationship with God become more intimate. The only thing I know is "wow!" or " I see!". Though cognitively I know that God is great, but my heart does not have that conviction.

I have to admit that my faith level has gone down so much. Each day I worry more. Things that helped me to see that God is great or brings assurance that God will provide doesn't helped me in my faith in God. It is all just cognitive. I do not mean to talk negative about the knowledge that I've gain, but indeed it gave me some enlightenement. What I want to share through out the year is that I am spiritually dry.

How I overcome? I think, constant relating with God helps me not to get myself into spiritual dryness. Constant praying, reading the word(sometime I feel guilty that I read more history book than the Bible) and fellowship and serving with one another. Indeed, through out the year, God has never failed me in the difficulties that I've met. I might not be the best student in my GPA, that is not my aim. My aim is to continue glorify his name through my study. God spoke one thing clearly to me, "How can I not take seriously in studying God's word?" One question leads me to a lot of changes. I really thank God for this.

One last thing is keeping touch with the Spirit of God. When I read 1John, I was captured by the word, dwell or abide. That the Spirit of God abides in us. And in 1John also says that who can know what God wants to do unless God's Spirit himself. Therefore, if God's Spirit did not abide in us, how can we know we are doing His will? I noticed the importance of keep in touch with the Spirit.

One thing I always keep in my mind during my studies. I always remembered what Bishop said to me or advice me, "Study with Passion." This has help me to focus through out the year.

Isaac

when imperfect meets the perfect.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

I was reflecting on what John Piper wrote in his book.

Anytime some weakness or bad habit in our lives is exposed by contrast to someone else's goodness, instead of dealing with the weakness or the bad habit, we keep away from those whose lives make us feel defective. We don't kill them. We avoid them. Or worse, we find ways to criticize them so as to neutralize the part of their lives that was making us convicted. We feel like the best to nullify someone's good point is to draw attention to his bad point. And so we protect ourselves from whatever good he might be for us. - John Piper

I find this sound so chinese.:D

Isaac

Exegesis vs. Eisegesis

Friday, October 9, 2009

I am still doing my Exegesis on my 1Corinthians. Many things to write, but still struggling with the flow. Put this article to remind myself not to do Eisegesis.

Question: "What is the difference between exegesis and eisegesis?"

Answer: Exegesis and eisegesis are two conflicting approaches in Bible study. Exegesis is the exposition or explanation of a text based on a careful, objective analysis. The word exegesis literally means “to lead out of.” That means that the interpreter is led to his conclusions by following the text.

The opposite approach to Scripture is eisegesis, which is the interpretation of a passage based on a subjective, non-analytical reading. The word eisegesis literally means “to lead into,” which means the interpreter injects his own ideas into the text, making it mean whatever he wants.

Obviously, only exegesis does justice to the text. Eisegesis is a mishandling of the text and often leads to a misinterpretation. Exegesis is concerned with discovering the true meaning of the text, respecting its grammar, syntax, and setting. Eisegesis is concerned only with making a point, even at the expense of the meaning of words.

Second Timothy 2:15 commands us to use exegetical methods: “Present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” An honest student of the Bible will be an exegete, allowing the text to speak for itself. Eisegesis easily lends itself to error, as the would-be interpreter attempts to align the text with his own preconceived notions. Exegesis allows us to agree with the Bible; eisegesis seeks to force the Bible to agree with us.

The process of exegesis involves 1) observation: what does the passage say? 2) interpretation: what does the passage mean? 3) correlation: how does the passage relate to the rest of the Bible? and 4) application: how should this passage affect my life?

Eisegesis, on the other hand, involves 1) imagination: what idea do I want to present? 2) exploration: what Scripture passage seems to fit with my idea? and 3) application: what does my idea mean? Notice that, in eisegesis, there is no examination of the words of the text or their relationship to each other, no cross-referencing with related passages, and no real desire to understand the actual meaning. Scripture serves only as a prop to the interpreter’s idea.

To illustrate, let’s use both approaches in the treatment of one passage:

2 Chronicles 27:1-2
“Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. . . . He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the LORD.”

EISEGESIS
First, the interpreter decides on a topic. Today, it’s “The Importance of Church Attendance.” The interpreter reads 2 Chronicles 27:1-2 and sees that King Jotham was a good king, just like his father Uzziah had been, except for one thing: he didn’t go to the temple! This passage seems to fit his idea, so he uses it. The resulting sermon deals with the need for passing on godly values from one generation to the next. Just because King Uzziah went to the temple every week didn’t mean that his son would continue the practice. In the same way, many young people today tragically turn from their parents’ training, and church attendance drops off. The sermon ends with a question: “How many blessings did Jotham fail to receive, simply because he neglected church?”

Certainly, there is nothing wrong with preaching about church attendance or the transmission of values. And a cursory reading of 2 Chronicles 27:1-2 seems to support that passage as an apt illustration. However, the above interpretation is totally wrong. For Jotham not to go to the temple was not wrong; in fact, it was very good, as the proper approach to the passage will show.

EXEGESIS
First, the interpreter reads the passage and, to fully understand the context, he reads the histories of both Uzziah and Jotham (2 Chronicles 26-27; 2 Kings 15:1-6, 32-38). In his observation, he discovers that King Uzziah was a good king who nevertheless disobeyed the Lord when he went to the temple and offered incense on the altar—something only a priest had the right to do (2 Chronicles 26:16-20). Uzziah’s pride and his contamination of the temple resulted in his having “leprosy until the day he died” (2 Chronicles 26:21).

Needing to know why Uzziah spent the rest of his life in isolation, the interpreter studies Leviticus 13:46 and does some research on leprosy. Then he compares the use of illness as a punishment in other passages, such as 2 Kings 5:27; 2 Chronicles 16:12; and 21:12-15.

By this time, the exegete understands something important: when the passage says Jotham “did not enter the temple of the LORD,” it means he did not did not repeat his father’s mistake. Uzziah had proudly usurped the priest’s office; Jotham was more obedient.

The resulting sermon might deal with the Lord’s discipline of His children, with the blessing of total obedience, or with our need to learn from the mistakes of the past rather than repeat them.

Of course, exegesis takes more time than eisegesis. But if we are to be those unashamed workmen “who correctly handle the word of truth,” then we must take the time to truly understand the text. Exegesis is the only way.

Source:http://www.gotquestions.org/exegesis-eisegesis.html

Don't Read into the context

Isaac

Year end placement

Monday, October 5, 2009

I've received my official letter for my year end practical. So, here I am Sandakan! I've only been to Sandakan twice. I'll be posted to Church of Good Sheperd, COGS, not COHS anymore..haha..

I am anxious about it. I have the feeling that I will be posted to Sandakan, either St. Michael or COGS.. So, I can only pray that God will prepare my heart to serve him in bigger capacity.

All I can say as a GOOD ANGLICAN is, SO HELP ME GOD

Isaac

Are we following the pattern of the world?

Friday, September 25, 2009

Had a good talk with my friend in australia. We were talking about how much starbucks coffee actually cost. Fyi, we found out that it only cost only AUD0.05 and they charged us at AUD 3-4. imagine the profit that they earned.

In our talk, one thing came to my mind, are we as church or christian following the pattern of the world? I observed that most of our approach is using the modified world ads. I believe you all have seen the ads on "I'm a Christian vs I'm Christ's follower" using the Mac vs Windows theme video, the t-shirt on coca-cola modified to Jesus Christ and etc. Thing that in my mind is, are we not creative enough?

In term of church management, why we must follow toyota management. We know they have the best management. Six Sigma, price of a product should be determined by the market and etc.

Can we as Christian come out with our own "product"?

Forest Gump

Monday, September 21, 2009

One of my favorites movie is Forest Gump. After watching this videos explaining the visual graphic, I was amazed with the technology during 1994. And when I re-watch this movie again, I can see clearly the effects in this movie. Some part are fake. Amazing!

Isaac