One of the men that God has used mightily is John Wesley, who along with his brother, Charles, started a movement that became the Methodist Church. While John was known to be a prolific preacher, Charles was known to be a prolific hymn writer. Some of his hymns have become the church’s beloved such as Jesus, Lover of My Soul and And Can It Be That I Should Gain. John and his brother Charles were the two youngest children of Susanna Wesley, who gave birth to nineteen children, nine of whom died in infancy. By God’s grace she managed to raise ten children in the 18th century England, and by the grace of God, two of her children made a huge impact in Christendom. John and Charles always attributed their faith to their mother’s faith, who raised them in fear of the Lord.
So deep was her relationship to God that before her death in 1742, she told her sons and daughters, “Children, as soon as I am released sing a psalm of praise to God.” Susanna never became a preacher or a hymn writer but through her sons she became a blessing to the world. A home maker, who cooked and cleaned for her family, a simple woman who devoted all her life to raising a godly family, in the hand of God, made a huge impact on not only England, but the world. Faithfulness and fear of the Lord are what God asks of us.
Over time I have met a number of men who aspired to do great things for God. They had plans, lofty plans, but in the end, they stopped for various reasons. To me, it’s God who stopped them. On the contrary I have also met men who did not set out to do great things for the Lord but in the end, accomplished great things. God gave them the opportunity and blessed them. Many are ready to do great things for God, but few are ready, much less, eager to do little things. The Bible bears witness to the fact that God uses men and women, like Susanna, who are faithful in little, not great things.
Pastor Paul
A long time ago, when I was still actively involved in giving family seminars, from time to time I got questions from participants about the role of wife and mother, whether wife and mother should be full-time homemakers. You can perhaps guess that it’s the women who asked this question, and sadly many asked this question out of guilt, because they happened to work outside of home. Some did it out of necessity; they had no choice. They preferred staying home and being full-time wife and mother but due to financial need, they were forced to work outside of home. But some did it because they wanted to; they could not stay home 24/7, doing the same chores day in and day out. So, for the sake of sanity, they chose to work. It doesn’t matter which group they belonged to, many felt guilty. They felt bad for abdicating their responsibilities at home, so they asked.
What I usually said in response to those who did not have to work but chose to work outside of home was, “Out of the two choices— working outside and staying home—which can make you a better wife and mother? Choose the one that will make you a better wife and mother.” I hope this answer liberated them from guilt and put matters into perspective, that what’s more important and needed by our family is not our physical but rather our emotional presence. What good is our full physical presence if we are mostly unhappy, tired, and irritable? Twelve hours of warmth and love is better than twenty-four hours of snappy comments and cold shoulders, isn’t it?
In his book, Family Ministry, Charles M. Sell reminds us that family’s foundation is commitment. It’s commitment between husband and wife, between parents to children and children to parents. Without it, there will be no marriage and family. The basis for commitment is not the promise we make, but the covenant that binds God and us. Under the roof of covenant, we rest. No guilt, no question asked.
Pastor Paul
In their book, They Call Me Pastor, seasoned pastors, H. B. London, Jr and Neil B. Wiseman share their observation that at some points, every church ministry experiences “obstacles.” Be that as it may, “Turning obstacles into opportunities, with God’s help, is something Christians do well,” they conclude. But before we can do that, we must first introspect, look within, us. Perhaps, these obstacles do not originate from outside factors, but rather from inside factors.
One of those internal factors they mention in their book is from none other but the pastors themselves. Sometimes pastors “expect people to invest more energy in Christian service than their spiritual life generates.” Simply put, sometimes pastors expect people to do and give more to the church ministry, but they do not nourish them adequately, spiritually speaking. It’s like expecting people to work harder but depriving them of the nutrients they need to do the job.
So, what happens to the church members when they are expected to do and give more but without sufficient spiritual nourishment? Pastors London and Wiseman’s answer is apathy or lack of interest. Instead of feeling encouraged, people become discouraged; instead of feeling excited, people become indifferent; instead of taking part, people dissociate themselves. In one word, they become apathetic.
So, before we can turn obstacles into opportunities, we must find the problem and if we happen to be the problem, we had better do something about it. There is one more insight I can share with you: We do not turn obstacles into opportunities for us, but for God, for Him to accomplish His work. A siege by the Ammonites turned out to be an opportunity for Saul to rally support from all of Israel. God uses obstacles to draw us to Him and to draw us out of our box so, we can see more of God and of us, what we both can do together.
Pastor Paul
Last Monday, Our Lord Jesus came and took Pei Pei home. She was the niece of our sisters Jenny, Enge, and Citra; so, she was one of Tante Lydia’s grandchildren. Most of you did not know her because she did not come to church regularly. From the very first time I met her, she was already unhealthy; over time her condition worsened that rendered her too sick and too weak to go anywhere. But from time to time when she was healthy, she would come and worship. Today she is already home with Christ Our Lord, where there is “no more sickness, no more pain, no more parting over there.” Amen.
There are several reasons why we look forward to going to heaven. Next to meeting Jesus Our Savior is, I believe, the desire to be with our loved ones, not temporarily, but forever. No more parting over there! Death brings with it a lot of pain; the most intense is perhaps the parting part, where we must say goodbye, where we can’t talk or touch our loved ones. Even though we know we will be reunited, the loss and the loneliness can be unbearable. Knowing that we will be with our loved ones forever brings much comfort, not only now but also later when we are facing our own death. We’ll be together.
But there is one more fact that should bring comfort to our grieving souls: Knowing that not only does God understand our pain, but He also feels it. In his book, All The teachings of Jesus, Herbert Lockyer writes, “There is no place where earth’s sorrows are more felt than up in heaven.” Jesus’ tears before Lazarus’ tomb reminds us, not only does He understand our grief, but He also feels it. In this we take comfort: God shares our sadness; so, we never grieve alone.
About a month ago Pei-Pei asked to be baptized. So, there on her hospital bed, surrounded by her family, she was baptized into the saving grace of God. She re-dedicated her life to Christ Our Lord.
Pastor Paul
If God’s willing, we will have our Thanksgiving Retreat again. The topic that I have prayerfully prepared is “I am but a pilgrim,” taken from Psalm 119:19. The messages will center on preparation for the day of our departure. We’re pilgrims, we’re walking home; so, let’s be prepared for the day when Our Lord Jesus will come and take us home. I will base the messages on the lives of Hezekiah, Stephen, and Jesus Our Lord, and how they faced their deaths. Pastor Joshua will tie everything up and conclude with the theology of death.
I know death is not a topic we’d like to hear, much less talk about, especially in a retreat. Perhaps to some of us, death is a depressing topic; we had rather hear about topics that are more uplifting. Well, there is time for everything. There is time for lighter and uplifting topics but there is also time for weightier topics. Death is certainly a topic that does not invite laughter; it is a topic that requires us to ponder and be pensive. It is a terminus we all must face. Hence, we should be prepared to face our own death, not only someone else’s.
Occasionally Santy and I and our children talk about death. We tell them what we want and don’t want when the time comes for them to decide what is best for us. Death becomes a topic as easily talked about as going to Indonesia and the preparation we must make. We do not shun them from talking about it, because the more informed they are, the easier and the smoother the decision-making will be.
God has given us a great honor to send off many members of our church to heaven. We embrace death, but more importantly we embrace the sick. We include them as a part of our prayers and cares, not as items, but as people. Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord the death of His saints.” If the death of His saints is precious to Him, their sickness must be even more so.
Pastor Paul
For months we prayed for Oom Gie Vong and for months God heard our prayers by restoring him to relatively good health until three weeks ago. Due to difficulty breathing, he was taken to the hospital where he remained till Jesus Our Lord came and took him home on Friday, August 21. Surrounded by his family he slipped into eternity.
Last Wednesday, our sister Herwi also finished the race and went to her eternal dwelling. For seven years she fought a good fight, never giving up hope and will to live. Even in my last meeting with her in Jakarta, she remained full of hope and joy for the life that she was about to enter, the glorious life in the heavenly realms with God.
Heaven is bright and glorious but the road to heaven is often not so. It is usually dark, bumpy, full of potholes. Every time I stood by one who was about to depart this world, I was reminded of the words of St. Paul about this earthly body, “It has no greatness when it is put in a grave, but it is raised with shining-greatness. It is weak when it is put in a grave, but it is raised with power” (1 Corinthians 15:43). That is the road that we all must travel one day, the road that is marked with weakness, the road that has no greatness and glory. But thank God, it does not end in grave; it will lead us to and end in heaven. The ruined body will be raised and transformed into glory.
Before I left, Herwi told me that she did not want a funeral service. She wanted a celebration, not to celebrate her life on earth but to celebrate her life in heaven. “After I died, I won’t be here anymore; I will be in heaven, so I want you all to be happy for me!” she said. On the road to heaven, with no greatness and in utter weakness, she already looked forward to her new life. Heaven got her excited! Heaven also got Tante Sophia, Pauline, Ping Kie and Ping En excited for Oom Gie Vong, too! Heaven should get us excited! Hallelujah!
Pastor Paul
Men propose, God disposes. At the end of the day, we can only make plans and try to realize them; there is no guarantee! Hence, the wisdom of Marcus Aurelius, the second century Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, that says, “What any man can do, you can do” is not always true. There are times we must come to terms with the fact that we can’t do or go on anymore. We must stop!
Sometimes we stop because we plan to, but there are times when we stop because we have to. God stops us! And the Bible is replete with the stories of men and women whose lives were stopped by God. Recently I heard a testimony of a singer and actor who was stopped by God so she could hear God and respond to His call. She was not brought up in a Christian home, in fact, she was taught to be a devout follower of her religion. At a relatively young age she became a singer followed by acting in multiple films. Despite all the glamor she always felt empty inside. But more than empty, she also felt pain that came from being raised in an abusive home.
One day she got sick in her throat requiring surgery and while there in the hospital, she cried out to God for healing not so much from physical ailment but more from mental anguish. After crying out, she turned the tv set on and what showed up was this Christian evangelist preaching the Gospel, so she stopped and listened. Out of the blue the preacher stopped preaching and said something like, “There is someone watching the program from a hospital bed who has problem with her throat. I want to pray for you.” She was so shocked because she knew the preacher was talking about her. So, she prayed along and asked Jesus to come into her life. God stopped her so He could talk to her and heal her, but more importantly, so He could give her His gift of salvation, which she has kept decades later. Perhaps God is stopping us now; if He is, then stop and listen.
Pastor Paul
I have learned a lot from you who must weather the storms of life. I marvel at you for being strong in the face of adversity and for not giving up. I honor you for not only surviving but also thriving, for not letting life’s hardship bog you down. Week after week you still come to church and worship the Lord and fellowship with brothers and sisters with smiles on your faces. I know you do not pretend; I know that’s your authentic joy and peace. I know that it’s not you but God who has given you strength to ride on the waves of life. As Friedrich Nietzche, the nineteenth-century German philosopher insightfully noted, “He whose life has a why can bear almost any how.” We, who know the reason why we are here on earth and the purpose for our existence, can deal with almost any situation.
It’s easier to find meaning and purpose while we are still young and productive than when we are past retirement age. When we were young, we had a lot to think about and do, but not so after we got to be older. We have little to think about and do; consequently, every day becomes the same day. No wonder, we sometimes forget what day is today because yesterday was like today and tomorrow will be like today. Hence, I applaud you who congregate after our Bible Study for yogurt and fill your week with various activities and visit our fellow life’s travelers who’re in need of prayer and support.
In his book, 12 Rules for Life, Jordan B. Peterson advises us that we must determine where we are going in life because we cannot get there unless we move in that direction. I believe you’ve done that! You have made up your mind that you want to grow in knowing the Bible and grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus. You do not want to let life pass before you; instead, you want to row your boat and fill your days with joy. As Proverbs 15:24 says, “The way of life winds upward for the wise, that he may turn away from hell below.”
Pastor Paul
The Bible tells us that it was in Antioch, now located in the southern part of Turkey bordering with Syria, that the disciples of Jesus were first called “Christians” (Acts 11:26), followers of Christ. It was not a name chosen by the disciples but rather a name given by others. Jesus did not start a new religion called Christianity; instead, He offered us a relationship with God, His Heavenly Father. Rightly that J. I. Packer, in his book, Knowing God, defines Christian as “one who has God for his Father.” And, Packer adds, “the gift of sonship to God becomes ours, not through being born, but through being born again.” As aptly put forth by John (1:12-13), “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” Amen!
Packer’s concise definition of what a Christian is puts matters into perspective, doesn’t it? Christianity is not a religion even though it is called so, but a relationship between us and God. More than an acquaintance, God becomes our Father, not because we claim so, but because God says so. It’s His will, not ours, and it’s His work, not ours, that has brought us into this relationship. Being children is not a title we earn but a gift we receive. This relationship is simply a gift, awarded to us who receive it. God becomes our Father.
The other day Santy and I talked about some of our friends’ children who were brought up in the loving care of Christian parents who are not even clear where they are spiritually now. Having gone through it ourselves with our children, our hearts go out to them who ache and pray for their children. All this reminds us that we are not born into Christian family, but rather we are born into Christian home. To be born into Christian family where God becomes our Father, we must be born again; we must be in a Father-children’s relationship.
Pastor Paul
In his book, The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan tells the journey of a man, namely Christian, from a place called the City of Destruction, referring to the world, to the Celestial City, referring to the heavens. Along the way Christian must face various obstacles that try to stop him from reaching his destination. Out of all, the hardest he must face is the refusal of his wife and his four children to follow along; they had rather stay in the City of Destruction. But to make the long story short, one day Christiana, his wife, repents and decides to go.
It’s then while she’s contemplating going that someone knocks on the door. A man by the name of Secret is sent by the Merciful One to let her know that her sins have been forgiven and that she’s now invited to join her husband in the Celestial City. Upon receiving the good news, she pleads, “Oh sir, won’t you carry me and the boys with you, so that we may worship the King?” Secret replies, “The bitter comes before the sweet. You must go through troubles, as he did who went before you, before you enter the Celestial City.”
There is one verse in Psalms 56 that caught my eye, “You number my wanderings; You put my tears into Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?” (Verse 8). Not long after he was anointed to be the next king of Israel, David had to be a fugitive from Saul. On top of it he had to deal with the Philistines, the nation that Israel was at war with. Psalm 56 was written out of his experience of being captured by the Philistines. We can understand how distressed he must be; trouble never stopped coming from left and right. But as always, he went to God and in prayer, he expressed his trust in God’s care.
God knows what happens and cares for him so much that He even keeps the tears that David sheds in His bottle. God is still in control, so he need not worry; all are in God’s book. We are in God’s book!
Pastor Paul