Floodgates Issue 112 (2022)

September to December 2022

Message From Senior Pastor

1-3 Chargers or Dischargers – A Reflection on Fruitfulness

4-5 Veggies.my – “Ethically Sourced and Sustainably Grown”

6-7 Advent, Thanksgiving and Reflection

8-13 Hearing God’s Voice – The Art of Spiritual Reading and Listening

14-15 God in Our Daily Routines (Book Review)

16-17 Welcoming 2023 (Book Review)

18 Jesus, My Hope and Provider

19 “Even Though I Left Him, He Never Left Me…”

20 Me Before…God in Me Now

FROM THE EDITORIAL TEAM

We are living in an era of constant change, and we witness something new every day, to the point that we may be numb to it. Nothing surprises us anymore. With instantaneous information available through social media, and the constant bombardment of “news”, today’s generation can be overwhelmed by what used to be considered “unusual” or “shocking” in times before, and begin to believe that this is “acceptable” and “normal”. But it should not be “acceptable” nor “normal”.

Romans 12:2 tells us “Do not conform to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is –His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Floodgates was created to be a vessel, a platform where we can publish articles and testimonies to bless and inspire God’s people towards Godly renewal of the mind mentioned by the apostle Paul, and which will stand out from the daily bombardment of confusing and possibly unhelpful “information”.

In Floodgates, we, as a Church, the Body of Christ, can share stories and bear witness to God’s amazing grace and give Him the glory. Also, we can remind ourselves that we are nothing without Jesus, that we would just be part of a dying world and hopeless.

On the cover, “G” is at the centre of the title, Floodgates, just as we need to place God at the centre of our all. Our name Floodgates originates from Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

Damansara Utama Methodist Church

Dream Centre, 2 Jalan 13/1, Seksyen 13, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

T +603 7498 8488 F +603 7958 3787

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The church office is closed on Mondays.

Father God, may we all, children of God, be blessed when the “floodgates of heaven pour out…” and be reminded that the presence of God in our lives is the blessed life.

By

We have heard this familiar phrase “The only constant is change.”

Nothing exemplifies this more than now: the turmoil and uncertainty of the pandemic, leading into the recent tight election race which ended up in a hung parliament. While it is an encouragement to many of us who have voted and prayed as the new prime minister was announced, we do not really know what to expect in the next many months. Let us keep praying for good governance and most of all for the fear of God for those in power. Let us uphold the new Prime Minister in prayer that he will do what is best for our beloved nation and to do so with truth, justice, and righteousness.

I am reminded that in the sea of change, there is only one constant, and that is Christ. We have acknowledged that Christ is more than enough. Not only is He that but Scripture declares that “Jesus Christ is

the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) We take comfort and hope that when our anchor is in Christ, we can find a firm and secure footing in life. (Hebrews 6:19).

As we come to the end of one year and enter another, how can we reflect in a way that will help us to be more intentional in moving forward, so that we are able to celebrate lasting fruits in our lives in increasing measure. It is the desire of our Master that we grow in fruitfulness. “ 1I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:1,2)

The desire of every gardener is to have a garden displaying the splendour of bountiful fruits. Here, Jesus is expressing the heart of the Father asking the question: “How fruitful are we?” Every gardener knows that the keys

Pastor Chris Kam, Senior Pastor

to fruitfulness are firstly deciding the kind of plants he wants to grow, the quality of the soil that the seeds or plants will grow in, and finally ensuring the right environment for the plants to grow. I believe the Holy Spirit wants us to ask the same questions as we reflect upon the year with regard to the garden of our soul.

First of all, what kind of fruits do we want to see in our garden? What areas of our lives do we need to keep doing, stop doing, or start doing? Are we even self-aware as we allow each day to pass without reflecting? “A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.” (Proverbs 20:4)

Secondly, what is the quality of the soil of our heart? This means the posture and attitude of our devotion to, and worship of God, and our humility, teachability and willing heart of repentance. Without this soil, we will not be able to grow the kind of fruits we desire to see in our lives.

Thirdly, are we providing the right environment for growth, the right kind of community to help keep us accountable about our daily living and spurring us to grow in the Lord? This includes the kind of church and cell group community we are in, and how we have true friends who will not only love us but correct us for our good.

These things may sound simple, but without them and the discipline that goes with them, no amount of good intentions as faithful followers of Christ will result in a bountiful harvest.

Why is fruitfulness important? Because the Lord said so. All the works of our life on earth will be judged one day. The following three verses affirm that truth:

• For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

• So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God (Romans 14:12)

• Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. (Revelation 22:12)

These are not good works for salvation but works resulting from salvation. We do them because these are the natural outcome of a Christ-centered life.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

We must be clear that we cannot earn God’s salvation by our good works. Apostle Paul argued that we are saved by grace through faith so that none of us can boast. (Ephesians 2:8,9). These good works or fruits are expressions of a genuine salvation experience. There must never be a disconnect between our professed faith and a transformed life. Even John the Baptist reminded us that we must show the fruit of our repentance! (Matthew 3:8)

It will be a sad day someday if we discover that we have been mostly useless for the kingdom of God, having been merely a consumer of spiritual goods, but not a producer adding value and hope to those within our sphere of influence. It is imperative for us to be examining our lives regularly.

There are two kinds of people in this world – the dischargers and the chargers. The dischargers are self-centered people who take and consume everything for themselves. They literally suck the energy and life out of the people around them. They are the complainers,

nothing is good enough for

and

“Every gardener knows that the keys to fruitfulness are firstly deciding the kind of plants he wants to grow, the quality of the soil that the seeds or plants will grow in, and finally ensuring the right environment for the plants to grow.”

them. They dwell on the personal problems they have and never commit to allowing God or others to help them through. We all know of people like that, and we stay far away from them if we can. If we need to see them, we do so not because we want to, but because we must. There is no joy from such people.

The chargers on the other hand are people we love to meet! Our faces naturally light up when we see them. Just a few minutes with such people leaves us wanting more. They charge you up, inspire you to be more than what you think you can be. They point you to Christ and help you to be more Christlike. They are the kind of people that take the initiative to think beyond a problem they face. They will not accept “cannot”, asking instead “Why not?” They always leave people far better than when they first met.

One of the greatest joys in my senior years now is to reflect upon the chargers in my life. They have set an example for what it means to inspire another person. Just this week, my wife and I visited the final resting

place of our beloved Australian pastor, Milton Lund. He was our campus pastor when we were students in Melbourne. He was stricken with cancer earlier, and we knew his time would be limited. He was already in his late 70s when we decided to pay him a visit in Melbourne in October 2019 in the nursing home where he was being cared for. We were so glad that we did because he passed on in May 2020 a few months later right in the middle of the pandemic. We could only attend his funeral through Zoom. We were sad but we celebrated his life as he was like a spiritual father to us in our early 20s. In humility we need to recognise that we all ride on the shoulders of spiritual giants to be where we are today, and he was one of them.

As we stood over his tombstone, I became emotional with tears. It struck me that there are friendships that we value and appreciate that will always be part of us. Milton was a charger. I am one of his fruits. I said a prayer of thanksgiving to God at his tombstone, and prayed that in the same way, I might be a charger to people. I pray that is your desire too in your missional impact to the people you meet every day. Leave them better than when you first found them.

“ ETHICALLY SOURCED

AND SUSTAINABLY ”

By Lynn Foo, Floodgates

Dennis Ngai is definitely no stranger to the agriculture and horticulture industry, having come from generations of farmers and vegetable wholesalers. He witnessed at first hand the struggles his parents and grandparents encountered as they laboured and toiled to support the family. He joined the corporate sector after graduation, but doing something in this area was always close to his heart.

In January 2020, Dennis took a leap of faith, left his corporate job and founded Veggies. my. Veggies.my is a social enterprise with a distinct social and ethical agenda that places equal emphasis on people, planet and profit.

Small farmers in Malaysia are generally not well taken care of by the government. Subsidies are scarce and many of them are unable to be self-sustaining. Addressing this pain point, Veggies.my empowers these small farmers by helping them improve their overall quality and harvest and gain better access to consumers so that they can be better

compensated for their labour, leading to a more sustainable living for the farmers.

Another issue that often occurs in the agriculture industry is the over-production of crops. Some of these over-produced crops may also be slightly below the desired standards of the market. These crops (Grade B crops) are still edible, but unfortunately, would not make it to the market. In this situation, Veggies.my helps to distribute this produce to communities in need. They have worked with various other NGOs such as What a Waste to effectively recycle this produce, which in turn helps the environment by reducing waste and carbon footprint.

For their customers, they are committed to promoting consumer health and wellness by providing safe and wholesome food at a reasonable price. They are passionate about making safe-to-eat nutritious food affordable and easily available to everyone.

To date, Veggies.my has achieved several major milestones that have impacted our

communities. These include providing free produce to urban poor families, refugees and old folks homes, partnering with different NGOs and social enterprises to reach out to the needy, and empowering local farmers to trade online and paying them fair prices.

Besides doing online sales, Veggies.my also has a retail space at TTDI market. To date, more than 1300 customers regularly enjoy fresh produce from the farms. As they expand, they are currently looking to have more full-timers join their team.

Although there may be challenges especially with funding and manpower, Dennis continues to trust God for His providence. “It has been an exciting time journeying with God in uncharted waters. Throughout these 2+ years, God has opened so many doors of opportunity for us. He has brought collaborators and supporters who have helped us to expand our work. I am also thankful for the community we have in Christ, that has supported us and provided much encouragement to us.”

By Sarah Lye, PJS2

What is Advent? According to Wikipedia, Advent is a season of the liturgical year observed in most Christian denominations as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the Nativity of Christ at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming.

The season of Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and is observed by some Christians as a time of prayer and fasting. It is the time we should be slowing down our pace in the midst of the hustle and bustle of city life. Simply put, it is an intentional time to unwind, give thanks and take time off to reflect in the midst of our busy schedule. Oh no! How do we do that? Well, we need to really slow down, come away from our busy schedule, sit down and carve out time to do it! We also need to carve out time to prepare our hearts to welcome the coming King! We need to pause and treasure God’s most precious gift – Christ Jesus. The Advent period for this year is from 27 November to 24 December.

Amid the holiday celebrations, Christmas shopping, Christmas lights, decorations and joyful carols, it is challenging to be mindful of Advent. Advent is intended to be a season of fasting, just like Lent.

When we look at our current busy schedule, we tend to be swept away by our mundane activities, week in and week out. We have many appointments to keep and deadlines to be met. However, we need to make the choice to slow down to give thanks to God and to reflect.

How can we do that?

1) We need to take time to slow down. For example, we have to look at our calendar (Nov-Dec) and select pockets of time to do our reflection.

2) We need to be intentional to make time for reflection before the year closes so that we will not be caught by surprise when 2023 commences!

As we come to the closing of the year 2022, it is important that we have a heart of thanksgiving and gratitude. There are so many things to be thankful for! For example, we are thankful that we have God in our lives and we are thankful for our loved ones (spouse/children/siblings/friends/relatives). We are thankful that we have food on the table, a roof over our heads and clothes to wear. We are thankful that we have good health, we are thankful that we can walk, we are thankful that God is good and in control of all situations, we are thankful to God for the installation of the current 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia and the list goes on!

“In everything, give thanks to God for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”

(1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Do you know that a thankful heart can save you a lot of heartache? Yes! It is better to have a thankful heart than to have a complaining or grouchy heart. In fact, medical research has shown that when we adopt a heart of thanksgiving, we feel more joyful and happy, and our health will become better. So why not have a thankful heart?

Besides thanksgiving, it is also the time to unwind so that we can do our reflection. We reflect because we want to make sure our lives count and we are achieving God’s purposes in our lives. We are to evaluate which activities we should continue or which activities we should stop doing.

When we see or hear of the violence and evil that surrounds us, let us not be disheartened but instead we should adopt a prayerful heart where we can cry out to God for His mercy and help. We trust that God will make things right in His time.

At the same time, we ask God to forgive us of all our sins and help us to be made whole in Christ. We need the regeneration work of the Holy Spirit so that we are transformed into the image of Christlikeness.

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NLT)

In a nutshell, as we draw to the end of 2022, it is vital that we take time to pace ourselves, enjoy the beauty of God’s creation, reflect a little bit more, spend a little more time in prayer, listen to Him, converse with Him and be thankful to Almighty God for what He has done the past one year and also give thanks in faith for what is to come for 2023!

HEARING GOD’S VOICE –

THE ART OF SPIRITUAL READING AND LISTENING

By Lee Kha Loon, PJS1

1. CAN WE HEAR GOD’S VOICE?

In October, our Senior Pastor preached two sermons to encourage us to be more intentional in hearing God’s voice. My cell group (PJS1) responded by reading Psalm 104 (creation praise) for the week for our daily devotion: reading, meditating and journaling our thoughts to share and encourage one another. Then, on Friday night, we shared our reflections further on how the Spirit spoke to us during the week. As I reflected further on how to hear God’s voice, I was prompted to write an article on the art of spiritual reading (and listening), reading the Bible with the purpose of growing in holiness. As one develops a spiritual reading habit, it will lead to a conversational relationship with God, the ability to be honest with God through our pain and struggles, and joy and success in life. Those who practise and write on this topic include Eugene Peterson, Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, John Piper, Walter Brueggemann and CS Lewis.

2. SPIRITUAL READING 101

I was introduced to the art of spiritual reading when I participated in a study group this year studying the works of Eugene Peterson (author of the Message Bible) led by Dr. Alex Tang. I then read Eugene Peterson’s book on the art of spiritual reading entitled ‘Eat This Book’. Peterson was trained as a language teacher and taught Greek and Hebrew before he became the pastor of a local church. From there he recognised that the language of the Bible is not for theologians but for ordinary members living in today’s world. Hence, bible reading should be easy, without referring to threevolume commentaries, but spending time in meditation, reflection and deep thinking (The Message, Preface, page 7).

3.1 WHAT IS SPIRITUAL READING?

Peterson explains this as follows:

Scripture as text: learning what God reveals

Scripture is God’s word to us to enter into a relationship with Him. It is personal and relational. We are to participate in reading/ listening with the realisation that the Word is comprehensive and covers everything that is needed between author and reader. Through reading and listening we are in conversation with the Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, we have built barriers to our reading with the Replacement Trinity: our needs, wants and feelings - our sovereign self 1. We can easily deceive ourselves by focusing on our needs and feelings and being self-centred and we must guard against it.

Scripture as Form; Following the Way of Jesus

Scripture must also get into our inner-self for it to be manifested outwards; just like food provides nourishment to our body. We are to taste, chew, swallow and digest Scripture as St John was told to eat the scroll (Rev10). The Word comes in different forms, mainly through stories, stories that we can identify with in our daily routines; Jesus Himself was a master of story-telling.

Scripture as Script; Playing our part in the Spirit

The third aspect of spiritual reading is to cultivate practices that make us receptive listeners and better followers of Jesus. It means participatory reading that leads us to walk in obedience, to follow the Jesus way. Reading Scripture as liturgy is one way of helping Christians to first come to the sanctuary, the place of adoration and worship; then out of the sanctuary into places of the world to live out the obedient life 2 .

3.2 SPIRITUAL READING – PERSONAL EXAMPLES

How did I develop this further? Let me share with you two examples. We can distinguish between traditional and spiritual reading as follows:

Traditional Reading

Genesis 1-2 Creation vs Science Problem of existence of evil

Spiritual Reading

Genesis 1-2

• Creation story as a poem, not a scientific explanation • Rhythm and movement expressing God’s joy that creation was good

Rev 6 - The seven seals

The four horses are symbols of war and destruction. Images are linked to the visions of Zechariah.

Interpretation - War, famine and inflation will be global and widespread.

Genesis 1 -2

Rev 6 - The Lamb is in control; he alone can open the seals and let events happen. How long? And who can bear it?

The saints who have the seal of the Lamb. What is our response?

Ch7. Interlude; worship and sing to the Lamb.

A traditional reading (how I used to read the passage) of Genesis 1-2 would focus on the creation story, on whether God created the world ex-nihilo (out of nothing) or there was pre-existing substance. Theologians have tried to explain the existence of evil and when evil came into the world. There is much debate on the meaning of the seven days and whether the Creation account was in chronological order. Theologians try to find answers to skeptics who doubt the accuracy and logic of the Creation account.

A spiritual reading of Gen1-2 would focus on the language rather than try to give a scientific explanation of Creation. Is it a poem

1. Eugene Peterson, Eat this Book, The Art of Spiritual Reading, (Hodder and Stoughton, London, 2006) 33

2. Eugene Peterson, Eat this Book, 73

or a narrative of the Creation? There is a pattern and rhythm in Genesis 1 that justifies reading it as a poem on Creation. There is a certain tempo… and God said, and God made, and God blessed… There is also repetition… And there was evening, and there was morning…

There is also a process, step by step, day by day… light and darkness, sky and sea, earth and vegetation. There was also a response from God… and God saw that it was good. Spiritual reading helps us to recover the rhythm of Genesis 1; the gift of time (seven days), and we sing to the glory of God and his creation 3

Revelation 6, 8:1-5

The traditional reading would focus on the symbols: the four coloured horses, their relation to Zechariah’s vision, and the interpretation in relation to current world events and the end-times - war, famine and pestilence.

A spiritual reading would focus on St John as a pastor to the seven churches, rather than John as a theologian. The first century was chaotic. There was rest, and conflicts (persecution); good, and evil in everyday life; blessing, and curses. John had visions of the end-days. How should a pastor reflect and encourage the congregation to respond to the events following the opening of the seals? 4The answer is in Revelation 7. The church was called to pray and worship in response to the calamities and events of their time. John saw visions of multitudes of angels and saints singing, praising and worshipping the Lamb on the throne.

4. PRACTICAL METHODS OF SPIRITUAL READING

4.1 LECTIO DIVINA

The most common form of spiritual reading is Lectio Divina, a way of reading the Scriptures that was developed through the centuries by devout monks and saints to help us in formative ways, not just to make an impression on our minds and feelings. It has four elements; lectio (we read the text), meditatio (meditate), oratio (pray) and contemplatio (live) 5. The last part, contemplatio means living what we read, finding a way to let the passage of scripture speak to us afresh its relevance to our immediate circumstances.

4.2 STORY-TELLING – JESUS’ TEACHING METHOD

As I grew in my journey with spiritual reading, I followed some of Jesus’ teaching methods. Jesus was a master story-teller. The four Gospels report the preaching and teachings of Jesus - sometimes in a formal setting like the Sermon on the Mount, but mostly in casual encounters while eating meals in a home, strolling in fields or responding to questions from disciples, seekers, friend or foes. Luke records Jesus’ journey from Galilee to Jerusalem (Travel Narratives, Lk 9:51-19:44), where Jesus encountered many individuals along the way. Some He healed, others He had a conversation with that revealed who they were or what they were looking for in life. As Jesus held conversations, He also told many parables on the way to Jerusalem and the cross.

3. Eugene Peterson, Christ Play in Ten Thousand Places, (Hodder and Stoughton, London 2005) 69

4. Eugene Peterson, Reverse Thunder, The Revelation of John and the Praying Imagination, (HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 1988) 9

5. Eugene Peterson, Eat this Book, The Art of Spiritual Reading (Hodder and Stoughton, London 2006), 91

The parable has a unique language and it always involves the hearer. Sometimes the hearer has to use some imagination to listen to and comprehend what is said. Surprisingly, the meaning or lesson from the parable is often not something new, but rather gets us to notice something in our life that we have overlooked for a long time 6

Parables are stories that deal with everyday life: farming, weddings, planting trees and looking for lost coins. They are spoken in places outside the temple, and the language is not so religious as the usual “God talk” we Christians love to use. The results of our spiritual reading should help us connect with our friends, colleagues and family, the way Jesus used parables in everyday conversations with the Pharisees, tax collectors, the blind, the lepers and the harlots.

4.3 THE PSALMS – PRAYER AND WORSHIP

A third method of applying spiritual reading is prayer. The gospels tell us much about Jesus’ prayer life. Luke records nine instances of Jesus’ prayers. He prays in the wilderness, up in the mountains, and often withdraws to pray alone. He prays for his disciples; He also prays with them. Jesus has not stopped praying. Today, He is praying and interceding for us. Prayer is the language of the Trinity, intimate and personal.

The Psalms are a wonderful collection of prayers; many are David’s prayers in good and bad times. The Psalms express David’s heart to listen to God. Listening is the first step to effective prayer. Prayer is giving attention to God. Prayer is also engaging and emotional. The psalmist often cries and complains to God; then in silence waits and listens to God’s voice 7

Prayer and worship are what we all do, but not enough of. There is corporate prayer during Sunday celebration and cell group meetings every week. Personal prayer is perhaps the most lacking of our spiritual disciplines. We can incorporate “pray with the Psalms” sessions by reading, meditating and sharing on Psalms in our annual calendar. Here are some suggested Psalms and themes.

Spiritual Reading Response

Adoration and worship psalm Hear God’s voice.

Song of Creation

David fled from Saul into the cave

Praise God for His royal splendour in creation of the world.

Cry to God for deliverance 57:4 - I lie in the midst of lions...whose teeth are spears and arrows.

Nature subject to God’s will Israel’s deliverance from Egypt God of miracles

Praise God as Redeemer.

I have always struggled to pray with the Psalms. The language of Psalms and the cultural gap add to the impediments in appreciating, reading and understanding them, notably the ‘complaint’ psalms. Psalm 57 uses poignant language to describe David’s period of distress as he escaped from the pursuit of Saul. In expressing anger and frustration, the psalmists often cry to God, and the use of metaphors and hyperbole (often ambiguous) is to evoke feelings in us to feel and identify with the psalmist8.

6. Eugene Peterson, Tell it Slant (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 2008), 19

7. Eugene Peterson, As Kingfishers Catch Fire, A conversation on the ways of God formed by the words of God (Waterbrook, Penguin, Colorado, 2017), 61

8. Walter Brueggemann, Praying with the Psalms, (Cascade books, Oregon, 2007) 18

4.4

PSALM 29 – LANGUAGE, POETRY

AND IMAGINATION

In February our cell group discussion centered on Psalm 29. I was doing my lectio on this psalm earlier that week, and my reflection from my journal is below;

• Presumptuous prayer – I have a tendency to pray/talk to God without listening to him. Then I read and meditated on Psalm 29 for three days. As I read, read and read again many times, paused and meditated, I could see patterns and rhythms in the psalm. The voice of the Lord or thunder requires a response, and the first response is to hear the thunder. God is speaking, so I must listen.

• Pattern, Rhythm and Metaphors in Psalm 29 - As I meditated further, I noticed the use of rhythm and metaphors. There is movement in verses 3-9; the psalm is not static. The voice of the Lord is over the waters, breaks the cedars, shakes the desert of Kadesh and strikes with flashes of lightning. These are high-intensity activities that signify that the God of Creation is in control of the forces of nature.

• Imagination – This psalm encourages us to read with imagination the metaphors, hyperbole and poetic language. There is joy in the psalm as a calf and wild young ox skip and dance to the voice of the Lord.

• Worship and Adore – Psalm 29 calls us to worship and adore, and give God the glory as we approach His Presence. There is no laundry list of prayer requests, which is usually how I pray. To pray with Psalm 29 is to cry “Glory” in His temple, and to recognise that the Lord is sovereign and eternal. He sits enthroned in heaven and he is Olam (Eternal God).

My prayer life was transformed further as I read, prayed and meditated further on Psalms 57, 60, 108 and 116. It takes time to read slowly, and practice silence and solitude to feel the rhythm and movement in the prayers. Listen and God will answer in His time. Then we will enter into His Holy presence and converse with Him.

CONCLUSION

The cell group meeting in early November reflecting on Psalm 104 culminated from a week of reading, meditation and journaling (a new practice for some). In 2022, my cell group also read and discussed Psalm 29, Psalm 42 and 2 Samuel 1 (a lament song) at our Friday meetings. The regular ‘word sharing’ part tends towards doctrine, church practices and moral living, with emphasis on interpretation and application of truth. We can add to this by studying the same passage with the eyes of our heart, seeking the heart of God in our time of fellowship 9 The goal of spiritual reading is to develop a conversational relationship with God and allow the Spirit to lead and guide us in reading the Scriptures.

9. Richard Foster, Life with God, A life transforming new approach to Bible reading (Hodder &Stoughton, London, 2009) 73

“... spiritual reading is to cultivate practices that make us receptive listeners and better followers of Jesus. It means participatory reading that leads us to walk in obedience, to follow the Jesus way. Reading Scripture as liturgy is one way of helping Christians to first come to the sanctuary, the place of adoration and worship; then out of the sanctuary into places of the world to live out the obedient life”

Book Review By Woon Lee Lee, PJN7

liturgy of the ordinary

BY TISH HARRISON WARREN

When we think about holy habits, we often associate them with praying, reading the Bible, and worship.

Here is a question: would you consider placing brushing your teeth in the same category? Chances are probably not.

This is not explicitly found in the Bible, but do you know we can (and should) honour God even in the simpler, ordinary, and even monotonous habits of our daily lives?

Liturgy of the Ordinary sets out to reframe our perspective on our daily routines. In this book, the author Tish, by bringing us through the daily routines of her life from making the bed, losing her keys, all the way to sleeping, reminds us that God not only cares about the little things, He intends us to be sanctified through the daily grind.

In the introduction by Andy Crouch, he shared the purpose of the book by stating, ”Tish dismantles that most stubborn of Christian heresies: the idea that there is any part of our lives that is secular, untouched by and disconnected from the real sacred work of worship and prayer.”

As I read through the book, Tish’s remarkable linking of the small things that happen in our daily lives to biblical concepts such as grace, fellowship, and sabbath, reminded me of the importance of taking care of the smallest things in life, because God cares about them too. “The crucible of our formation is in the anonymous monotony of our daily routines”.

For ease of reference, here is a list of daily occurrences that she creatively linked to biblical concepts and lifestyle, with a total of 11 chapters:

1. Waking - baptism and learning to be beloved. 2. Making the bed - liturgy, ritual, and what forms a life. 3. Brushing teeth - standing, kneeling, bowing, and living in a body. 4. Losing keys - confession and the truth about ourselves. 5. Eating leftovers - word, sacrament, and overlooked nourishment. 6. Fighting with my husband - passing the peace and the everyday work of shalom. 7. Checking email - blessing and sending. 8. Sitting in traffic - liturgical time and an unhurried God. 9. Calling a friend - congregation and community. 10. Drinking tea - sanctuary and savouring. 11. Sleeping - sabbath, rest, and the work of God

Towards the end of the book, there are discussion questions and exercises for a deeper engagement with the concepts presented, on which one can reflect and journal on his or her own or discuss with a group.

Although the theme was consistent throughout the book, I personally found it refreshing for the author to break down what goes on in a usual day, and flesh out different concepts that together highlight the significance of the main theme. It is a simple yet powerful reminder that we do not only experience God in the highs and lows of life, but also everything in between.

If you are interested in exploring this paradigm shift of viewing your daily life as a holy sacrifice, this book is now available to be borrowed from DUMC Library. Enjoy the read!

Liturgy of the Ordinary is available for sale at a special price on bit.ly/DUMCLibraryBooks. Preview one chapter of the book on dumc.my/e-library. The book is also available for borrowing at the DUMC Library at the opening hours below:

Saturdays 1.30pm - 4.45pm

Sundays 10.00am - 12.00pm

Book Review By Hoong May Ann, PJN7

The Good and Beautiful LIFE

BY JAMES BRYAN SMITH

Iwas reading the last few chapters of The Good and Beautiful Life when I received the invitation to write what I felt about this book. I chuckled to myself and responded with a resounding “Yes” in my heart.

I have been greatly blessed by this series.

The Good and Beautiful Life is the second book in the Apprentice Series by James Bryan Smith. It is a sequel to The Good and Beautiful God. But if you have not read the first one, rest assured. Although this may be a sequel, it holds its own weight.

Right at the beginning, James blew my mind with this statement (paraphrased):

“We all want to be happy. When we find that we aren’t, have you stopped to consider if what we think will make us happy is a false narrative (a lie) by which we have been living?”

“We all want to be happy. When we find that we aren’t, have you stopped to consider if what we think will make us happy is a false narrative (a lie) by which we have been living?”

Chapter after chapter, James unpacks some false narratives we could be operating under. And then he counters them with Jesus’ narratives, truths based on the Sermon on the Mount.

Narratives dealing with anger, lust, deception, worrying, judging, to name a few.

There are questions to consider within each chapter. The questions are not too hard, but you may end up tearing your hair out! Take your time with this book – consider and reflect on each question honestly.

There are also suggested applications after every chapter that are not difficult at all to begin doing. And begin we must. Not only to just begin but to engage in the discipline of doing it every day, every time.

Journaling helps and is recommended, in fact. Journal your wins and your no-wins.

As I read, I began to see the Sermon on the Mount from a whole new perspective. I found myself nodding and tearing at some parts. I found my spirit being overwhelmed with such a shift I had to put the book down and be still before God. I found my soul so filled to the brim with His love I just lifted my arms, book still in hand.

Let me give you another excerpt from the book (rephrased in my own words) that touched my heart, taken from Chapter 10: Learning to Live Without Worry.

“God is working with me, and his kingdom pace is one day at a time. He has wisely ordered and measured what I can handle (today). Adding tomorrow’s problems to today’s is (futile). (Why do I still do so?)”

“God is working with me, and his kingdom pace is one day at a time. He has wisely ordered and measured what I can handle (today). Adding tomorrow’s problems to today’s is (futile). (Why do I still do so?)”

When I read this, something about it just made sense in me. Now, I discipline myself to focus on my present moment and experience

more of God in the now when I find my mind wandering anxiously and aimlessly. I know He has made this day and that even at this moment, He holds me in the palm of His loving hands. And He will be with me too when my tomorrow becomes my now. I can surrender my worries.

It is a book you will want to read – savour slowly and digest well. May you be richly blessed with all the nutrients packed within. It may be the start of a great journey towards a good and beautiful life.

It begins now…

Jenny Wong accepted Christ in year 2000 when DUMC was still located at Sea Park. In 2001, together with her husband, they were baptised. Jenny is now 74, and in recent years, she has experienced God’s tangible presence in her life and would like to testify of His goodness.

In 2019, Jenny’s husband had a stroke, and her daughters decided that it would be best for him to be cared for at a nursing home. In late 2020, her eldest daughter mentioned that they would be renovating their house, and decided that it would also be best for Jenny to be sent to the nursing home. However, she was not comfortable with the idea as she felt she was still very much independent.

In February 2021, she felt she was being pushed aside and ended up having to rent a room to live in. This rented room was in a unit that had gambling activities going on. It was a very troubling environment and within 2 months, she moved to a new location. At the new place, she soon found out that there were drug activities going on. The landlady was unkind and demanding making her feel even more alone and cornered. Jenny tried to be tolerant of all that was happening as she felt that it wasn’t easy to find another unit. As time passed, all this accumulated

By Lynn Foo, Floodgates

and became so stressful, and she often found herself crying out to God for help. She felt abandoned and hopeless.

In January 2022, the landlady told her that she was no longer welcomed in the house anymore and made false accusations about her. She even threatened to involve the police if Jenny refused to move out. It was during this time that Jenny shared her plight with her CG (cell group) members. A CG member soon connected Jenny with an agent who shared some photos of the rooms they had. Jenny was able to sign the necessary contract and agreement the next day. Within just one week, she was able to shift all her belongings and was settled in the new room.

“I truly thank God for His provision and blessing. Everything just went so smoothly and in such a short period of time. God is truly amazing and I really consider this a miracle. The new place is so much better and I feel so much more at peace. My CG members constantly pray for me and I am blessed to have them journeying with me”

Jenny’s testimony today is of a loving, personal God who never forsakes us. He cares for our needs deeply and is a prayeranswering God. She knows that no matter what, He is there for her.

By Chow Hoe Tong, PJN5

My name is Chow Hoe Tong. My Cell Group Leader is Ng Kong Soon. We are in PJN5 under Pastor Adrian Chong and Zone Leader Ding Ying.

I first came to know Christ when my family sent me to a Methodist school in a neighbouring country 30 years ago. I was the youngest in the boarding school at that time, but God sent some older Christian brothers to take care of me and be good role models for me.

However, after leaving the school, I gradually drifted away from Christ and became agnostic. I did not know for sure whether God existed or not. I was often locked in abstract thoughts which only ended in spiritual paralysis by analysis. My health also started to deteriorate. In later years, I developed pre-diabetes, a chronic sinus condition, acid reflux and gout. At the age of 35, I had to undergo cataract surgery. My weight also grew to 100kg. I would fall seriously sick and shiver under my blanket every one or two years. I became easily impatient and annoyed with other people, and was quite unlikeable.

Four years ago in 2018, I felt an inexplicable calling to walk into DUMC on my own. In prior years, my ex-accounting firm bosses had invited me to go to DUMC but I declined. Shortly after coming to DUMC, I experienced a miraculous healing. During a cell group meeting, some passing words took root in my heart and the Lord then led me to research into something that reversed all my physical illnesses naturally. My weight also dropped by 31kg in six months and I have not fallen sick in the last four years.

But despite God’s grace upon me, I remained unmoved. Yes, I continued to attend church every Sunday for the next three years but I did not sing during worship and my mind would drift during sermons. During cell group meetings, my paralysis by analysis would often catch up with me and I would sometimes say weird things like “Joy is fine. But peace and love are overrated.”

Earlier this year, as in-person celebrations in DUMC resumed and volunteers were needed, I felt compassion to help some friends. In my ministry work role now, unexpectedly, I must learn every song by heart before worship and pay absolute and undivided attention during pastors’ sermons. As my share in this DUMC community continues to grow now, and I settle into a more fulfilling rhythm of church life, the Lord has laid it upon my heart to be baptised.

Since my decision, I have felt better and less unlikeable. I also help and provide consultation to people with dietary questions now. I am grateful to God for all His grace upon me. Even though I left Him, He never left me. I am sorry for hurting God, other people and myself along the way. Agnosticism is needless and I make peace with everything that I do not, need not and will never be smart enough to fully comprehend. Because Jesus is more than enough. And yet not I but through Christ in me.

God bless you! Thank you.

“EVEN THOUGH I LEFT HIM, HE NEVER LEFT ME…”

By John Teng, PJN1

Hello! My name is John Teng, and my Cell Group Leader is Yvonne Chan, I grew up in Melaka and now live in Mont Kiara. I am in PJN1 Zone under Pastor Adrian Chong.

“Life is so good”, I used to think to myselfmy professional life, my personal life, and my social life were going great. I was keeping busy, and single-mindedly going through a checklist of milestones and accomplishments that I had made for my life and ticking off each item one by one - the world seemed to be my oyster, I believed that I could accomplish anything, and I could have everything that I wanted.

However, this was not meant to be - for tragedy has an uncanny way of revealing itself when it is least expected. Almost three years ago, the pandemic struck. The initial shock from the onset of the pandemic triggered the unravelling of my personal life. In addition, the accompanying economic crisis introduced an unprecedented degree of pressure on my professional life. Perhaps the most significant event in my life during the pandemic was a painful tragedy that befell my family at the start of the pandemic that lasted a year. Amidst the trying times, my health had also begun to suffer as a result of a shattered heart. I felt as though I was haplessly free-falling into a dark abyss whilst being enveloped by groaning sobs of a mournful sorrow.

It was a great blessing that I met an amazing person in Charis. It was Charis who invited me to attend the fellowship meetings of the cell group she was a part of. I attended my first fellowship gathering in March 2021. There, I found a place where I was surrounded by caring people, who loved Jesus, and offered their friendship to Him with open arms. I felt that I had found my second family in the group.

Through my participation at cell group meetings, Equip classes organised by DUMC, and from numerous pastors’ sermons during church celebrations, I began to see that ultimately God is in control, that I cannot walk the journey of life alone without God, and most importantly that I cannot save myself, but only by the grace of God. I made the conscious decision to surrender to God, to accept the Holy Spirit into my life, and to love Jesus with all my heart.

Since becoming a practising Christian, I have learned to love myself better - I treat myself more fairly and with gentleness, and with each passing day the love of Jesus brings a greater warmth to me, and in turn, I am able to love others more deeply, unconditionally, and more confidently. I now have a more balanced view of the emphasis on materialism, the pursuit of status, and accumulation of power. Today, I place greater value on living a Godly life, on my relationships with my family and friends, and on the appreciation of life’s little joys. As a result, I am decidedly a more positive, contented, and happy person today than before.

Today, I am blessed with a beautiful fiancée, a loving family and friends, and many opportunities to utilise my talents to benefit others. I am by no means a finished work; there is still much room for God to work in and through me. I have been able to make genuine progress towards being salt and the light in my community, my family, and to God’s kingdom on Earth. God bless you. Thank you!

DUMC CONGREGATIONS & MINISTRIES

CONGREGATIONS & FELLOWSHIPS

ENGLISH

Pr Chris Kam english@dumc.my

BAHASA

Pr Eddy Marson bahasa@dumc.my

CHINESE

Pr Dr Ling Shui Nyuk chinese@dumc.my

NEPALI

Adrin Sant nepalese@dumc.my

MYANMAR

Pr Sarah Aye myanmar@dumc.my

TAMIL Sarah Krishnan tamil@dumc.my

FILIPINO (Fellowship) Marilou Retrato filipino@dumc.my

PERSIAN (Fellowship)

Pr Kelvin Yong persian@dumc.my

YOUTH

CHILDREN’S CHURCH

Pr Mike Ngui children@dumc.my

NEXTGEN

Pr Terry Yeow (Teens) nextgen@dumc.my

Pr Sara Leong (Campus) nextgen@dumc.my

ADULTS

MEN ALIVE!

John E men.alive@dumc.my

WOMEN2WOMEN

Stella Hoh w2w@dumc.my

MISSIONS

CROSSFIELDS

Pr Kelvin Yong missions@dumc.my

COMMUNITY

BREAKTHROUGH DRUG REHABILITATION CENTRE Titus Wong bdrc@ces.org.my

CITIZENS NETWORK FOR A BETTER MALAYSIA sccd@dumc.my

EXCEL TUITION CLUB

Yuen Ting Ai sccd@dumc.my

GOLDEN CLUB Rupert Ling sccd@dumc.my

FOODBANK

Tan Hong Looi foodbank@dumc.my

S.T.A.R YOUTH (Ministry for IntellectuallyChallenged Youth) Tracey Chan micy@ces.org.my

STREET MINISTRY (Ministry to the Homeless) Jerry Teo sccd@dumc.my

URBAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Sophy Lim sccd@dumc.my

HELP DESK

Josond Lee & Elizabeth Lee helpdesk@dumc.my

BOYS’ BRIGADE sccd@dumc.my

SPECIAL SERVICES (Let’s Chat & Legal Services) sccd@dumc.my

FIRST TOUCH

CONNECTORS

Pr Mike Ngui connectors@dumc.my

SECURITY

Pr Adrian Chong security@dumc.my

USHERS

Pr Mike Ngui ushers@dumc.my

FAMILY FAMILY LIFE MINISTRY Kay Yeow & Rachael Ling family.life@dumc.my

PREMARITAL COUNSELLING Bob & Ruby Chee pmc@dumc.my

MARRIAGE

Adrian Chen & Susan marriage.course@dumc.my

PARENTING (Children)

Ronnie & Ivy Khoo Dennis Ngai & Joo Wei parenting.children@dumc.my

PARENTING (Teens)

Vincent & Lily Wong parenting.teens@dumc.my

WEDDING PLANNING weddings@dumc.my

CREATIVE & MEDIA

DEW CREW Pr Gilbert Tan dew.crew@dumc.my

FLOODGATES (Church Magazine) Petulia Lun floodgates@dumc.my

CREATIVE ARTS Darren Ong creative.arts@dumc.my

RESONATE (Worship Ministry) Gabriel Ngui resonate@dumc.my

OTHERS

FORERUNNERS

(Intercessory Prayer Ministry) Pr Chris Manivannan forerunners@dumc.my

TADIKA JUARA CERDIK

Rachael Chan general@dreamacademy.edu.my

LIBRARY library@dumc.my

LOVE GOD. SERVE PEOPLE. MAKE DISCIPLES.

We are DUMC. A church for all generations —an exciting community of families, senior citizens, young adults, teenagers, and young children, doing life together.

Our primary purpose is not to make nice religious Christians. Our purpose is to build passionate disciples of Jesus Christ.