Reach Community Church 2/177 Beavers Road Northcote VIC 3070
Tel: (03) 9481 6889 Email: info@reachcc.org
www.reachcc.org
Pastor: Victor Soo Church Administrator: Sharon Oen
CHURCH SERVICE Celebration Service REACH Kids
Chinese Service
Sunday Sunday
l 10am - 12pm l 11am - 12pm
Saturday l 7pm - 9pm
PRAYER MEETING
Monthly Ministry & Prayer Intercessory Prayer
1st Friday of the Month l 7.30pm - 9.30pm
Tuesday l 7.30pm - 9.30pm
BIBLE STUDY
Young Adults
University & Youth Groups
Family
Wednesday l 7.30pm - 9.30pm Friday l 7.30pm - 9.30pm Monday l 8pm - 10pm
Friday l 7.30pm - 9.30pm
OTHER ACTIVITIES Praise Dance
MOPS (Mothers of Pre-schoolers)
Ladies’ Meeting Men’s Breakfast
Thursday l 10am - 12pm Every 2nd & 4th Friday l 10am - 12pm Quarterly Quarterly
Welcome to the twelfth issue of REACH. In this issue, reflect on the role money plays in your life, how you can enter God’s rest, and how to practise patience. It also includes a testimony on God as our shepherd in life, book reviews, recipe and word search.
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Reach Message
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Reach Insight
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Reach Word Search
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Reach Character
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Reach Testimony
Money: your slave or your master? Enter His Rest through Believing The Fruit of the Spirit Practise Patience The Shepherd of My Life
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Reach Book Review
Raising the perfectly imperfect child 18
Reach Book Review
No God But One: Allah or Jesus? 19
Reach Recipe
No Bake Lattice Cheesecake
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welcome
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Reach Message
Money: Your Slave or Your Master Reach / Spring 2018
By Pastor Victor Soo
Money, money, money. There is a saying, “Money makes the world go around�. We need it from our birth until our death, and there seems to be never enough of money. Our generation is increasingly encountering the pressure of financial hardships with soaring house prices, exorbitant energy costs, rising living expenses, and having to maintain sophisticated lifestyles, all these reduce our spending power and savings. Adding to the pressure, opportunistic entrepreneurs offer what may be a lifeline: a spiel that you can maintain a great lifestyle and let your money work smarter for you. The banks promote bonds, the real estate agents assure you with property, and the financial gurus with superannuation or shares. Still others offer once in a lifetime opportunity to invest in a most lucrative investment or becoming a partner in selling products, which involves recruiting others to increase your portfolio. Such opportunities are not wrong. They may be good depending on your personal
situation. Although I am not a financial expert, I have experienced first-hand financial constraints upon my life. Prior to becoming a pastor of the church, I worked in a senior management role in the manufacturing industry. I left that to realise the call of God upon my life in serving the church. At that point, I knew my family and I had to be fairly disciplined as we embarked on a new course in life. During the transition, I was approached by friends who tried to assist me with additional income. Offers of business partnership were touted. Personally, the multi-levelled marketing of products created a conflict of interest: do I view my church friends as they are or do I use my visitation to sell them products? Do they sincerely wish to procure my merchandise or are they simply helping me when buying? How do I draw the line between business transactions and pastoral duties? What if I cause some to stumble? Hence, I refused the offer; my wife and I since then have been very resolute over this.
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Reach Message
Even until today, I have been approached to invest so that I can have a good lifestyle upon retirement. Again, I know how I can be blessed. The Good Lord has cared for me and my family the very day I knew Him as my Lord and my Saviour. This is my testimony. There has never been any lack. Instead, we have been empowered to bless others. Psalm 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. There is nothing wrong with being wealthy or being in business. Abraham was a rich man who owned much life stock. When the grazing ground became too small between his nephew Lot and his sheep, he gave Lot the choice to select the prime land. As the older relative, Abraham had precedence in the selection. Instead, he placed his trust upon God’s favour. He placed his relationship of greater importance over wealth. The Lord blessed him over his understanding of this divine principle in trusting God over his personal knowledge. Genesis 13:8-9 So Abram said to Lot,
“Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.” The Church needs rich people who can direct their wealth to the delivery of services or expanding the programs of the congregations. Our church building has been turned from being a mere vision into a reality through the generosity of people with business acumen. King David is another good example. When it came to building the Temple for worship in Israel, he donated his personal wealth. He understood his personal sacrifice was through giving. Each one of us is to give selflessly of what we have been endowed with. 2 Samuel 24: 24 Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
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Reach Message There is nothing wrong with money. The age-old principle as stated in The Word of God is that the problem is greed and not recognising what is enough. It is the lack of trust in God to care for us that tempts us with the get-rich schemes, and gets our focus off from Jehovah Jireh - God our Provider. 1 TIM 6:6-10 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Some say it is best not to do business at church based on the following Scripture: Mark 11:17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”
make attempts to legislate such a rule. It makes it impossible to ask a real estate agent in our midst for counsel at an opportune time or do the same with a medical doctor over health issues. The true problem Jesus had was the issue of exploitation. The setting was a time of worship where pilgrims from far and wide came to Jerusalem for the service. Foreign currencies from lands where they came from were exchanged for local money. The money changers gave an outrageous rate. The poor who came from afar for pragmatic reasons chose to buy birds locally as their sacrifice. But exorbitant prices were demanded. This is what enraged Jesus. God shall supply all our needs and not our wants. Desire can never be satisfied for the flesh is insatiable. Commercials tout holidays, new cars, bigger homes, and retirement in style. They are fuelled by a drive to evoke your emotions. You likely have experienced this at shopping centres or whilst on holidays. Current affairs and newspapers regularly report on people getting scammed. Yet, time and again, people fall for it. How then shall we handle money wisely?
However, we fall into legalism when we
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Reach Message
1. Balance- If the business or the money draws you away from God, it has gotten in the way. Never let money be the master over your life. Re-asses your position and your priority to get yourself back into devotion with The Lord. Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 2. Vigilance- When an opportunity is offered to you including from within the church or when part of its yield is stated to be directed in support of Christian ministries, research and prayers are still essential to ascertain the information. Your finance is from God and as a good steward, exercise due diligence and be certain before you commit. Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 3. Thankfulness- It is most likely that what you do not have, you do not need. Focus upon what you have been blessed with and count your blessings. Live within your means is a great start.
Proverbs 8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. 4. Contentment- Keep your life simple and free from unnecessary worries. Do not spend your health in search of wealth; for in the end, wealth can never restore your health. Invest in caring for your well-being first. Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 5. Generosity- You are blessed to become a blessing. Donate or give to those in need, as The Lord prompts. Cast your eyes upon The Kingdom of God, and consider how you may be a disciple through service with your finance. Luke 12:33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. Money is a necessity but should never become the master of your life. Set your priorities right, and exercise wisdom in managing your money and wealth.
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Reach Insight
Enter His Rest through Believing
Reach / Spring 2018
By Kemi Aibinu
“…Since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For…the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed [or the message did not mix with faith in them]. Now we who have believed enter that rest,… Therefore, since it still remains for some to enter that rest,… Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:1-3,6,11, NIV) Are you a believer in Jesus Christ? Your answer may be YES if you are a Christian. But read on to determine if you truly are a believer. Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe every word that Jesus said about Himself? Do you believe all the promises he promised the believers? The bible says, not a jot of HIS word is empty or void. None will go unfulfilled (see Luke 21:33). Everything God said is true and intended. He never says a word just to impress people or for the fun of it. When He said, “….I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5), He meant what He said. Do you believe it? Or do you interpret it as “I may forsake you depending on whether you have been good.” We often interpret Jesus’ word based on our experiences and circumstances. We believe in Jesus but our actions sometimes show that we don’t
believe in who He says He is, or what He says He will do. We often let our feelings and our circumstances determine if we believe Jesus’ word. Can we claim to truly believe Him when we don’t always believe His word? Hebrews 4 (quoted above) shows the importance of belief as it links unbelief to disobedience. As believers, it is possible to operate in three categories of belief system: Category 1: Read God’s word and accept it but do not necessarily believe. Category 2: Read, accept and believe but waver when situations are contrary. Category 3: Read, accept, believe and persevere through difficult times, knowing for sure that His word is true and He will do what He said He would do. It is the will of God for us to always operate in category 3 because it shows that we have truly entrusted our lives into His hand. The ability to operate in category 3 doesn’t depend on how long we have been a Christian. It depends on the extent to which we allow God’s word to “mix with faith” in our heart (see Hebrews 4). It is common for believers to shift between category 2 and 3. What we need to know is that true belief brings rest. God’s intention is for us to remain in that state of REST. “Believers” who are in category 1 in their faith need to yield unto God’s invitation to enter His REST through believing.
Biblical example of Category 1 belief – Judas Iscariot
Messiah. How close was he to salvation but eventually missed it?
When Jesus invited Judas to follow Him (see Matthew 10:1-5), Judas accepted the invitation, and without questioning Jesus, he followed. He also received the power to cast out demons and to heal like other disciples. But did he actually believe? He was with Jesus for many years but did not seem to believe that Jesus was God. Think about it, how could someone believe that he was with the all-knowing God and still be stealing? The bible says in John 12:6 that Judas was a thief, and he had been taking from the money that was kept with him. If Judas believed that Jesus was God who could meet all his needs, would he be stealing the money?
Although Judas listened to Jesus’ sermon personally, he did not believe that Jesus was who He claimed He was. Judas did not show faith at all. Similarly, many Christians operate in this category of belief (which in fact should be called “disbelief”), because they do not allow the word of God to “mix with their faith”.
Are you caught in this kind of carnal lifestyle like Judas? Allow the word of God to penetrate into your heart to change your attitude and your lifestyle. This is what Christ can do for you if you open your heart to Him.
Biblical example of a believer shifting between category two and three
Later, Judas betrayed Jesus for money. Did he believe that Jesus was God? If he believed that Jesus was the powerful God who judged all men, would he shun all consequences and betray Jesus? You may say that his belief was overtaken by his greed. But what about his action after he realised he had wronged Jesus? Would he have taken his own life if he truly believed that Jesus is a forgiving God? If Judas believed the word of Jesus in the parable of the prodigal son, he would return to God in repentance and believed in God’s power to forgive. But Judas didn’t do this. He lost hope completely and took his own life. What a tragedy and pity for someone who ate, dined and walked with JESUS the
As believers, EVERY word of God should be allowed to mix with faith in us. When we believe that Jesus can save us, and invited Him into our lives, our faith doesn’t stop there. The faith should be a continuous state in our mind about every word of God and who Jesus says He is.
The story of Peter is a good example to illustrate how believers shift between category 2 and 3 in their belief. Peter believed in Jesus, he believed Jesus was the Messiah (see Mark 8:29). He believed the words of Jesus but doubted from time to time depending on his circumstances and feelings. In Matthew 14:22-33, Peter jumped into the water believing that Jesus had the power to make him walk on water; but as soon as he saw the storm, he doubted and began to sink.
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Reach Insight
Reach / Spring 2018
Word Search – The Fruit of the Spirit
The Fruit of the Spirit Each of the listed words can be found in the grid: across, down, and diagonally, inclu
Each of the listed words can be found in the grid: across, down, and diagonally, Mark the letters of each word as you find it. Letters may be used more than once. E including backwards. Mark the letters of each word as you find it. Letters may be letter of the unused letters will spell out the solution. used more than once. Every fourth letter of the unused letters will spell out the solution.
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LOVE JOY LOVE PEACE JOY
LONGSUFFERING KINDNESS GOODNESS
SOLUTION: PEACE __ __ __ __ __ __ __
NINE __ __ __ __ __ HOLY Solution:
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FAITHFULNESS HOLY GENTLENESS SPIRIT LONGSUFFERING SELF CONTROL GALATIANS
KINDNESS GOODNESS __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __; FRUIT __ __ __ __. SPIRIT
NINE FRUIT
FAITHFULN GENTLENES SELF CONTR GALATIANS
Answer: The Lord s my shepherd, I shall not want.
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Reach Word Search
Practise Patience
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Reach Character
Practise Patience Patience is a great virtue. It is one of the nine fruits of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22‐23). The Bible tells us that it is “better to be patient than powerful” (Proverbs 16:32a, NLT). Make a decision today to practise patience in every situation. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage Praying the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all….. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:14, 16, ESV) Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer. (Romans 12:12)
Asking and accepting God’s timing
But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently. (Romans 8:25, NLT)
Thanksgiving
Being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Col 1:11‐12, ESV)
Imitating Jesus Christ
Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. (2 Thessalonians 3:5)
Enduring hardships and trials
In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. (2 Corinthians 6:4, NLT) God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12, NLT)
Never compare yourselves with others
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. (Psalm 37:7)
Cast your care on Christ
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6‐7)
Exchange comfort for character
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. (Romans 5:3‐ 4, NLT)
Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord (Psalms 27:14, NLT)
Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord (Psalms 27:14, NLT)
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Patience is a great virtue. It is one of the nine fruits of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:2223). The Bible tells us that it is “better to be patient than powerful” (Proverbs 16:32a, NLT). Make a decision today to practise patience in every situation.
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Reach Insight
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Let us allow HIS WORD to build up our faith in HIM.
In Mark 8, Peter confessed through faith that Jesus was the Messiah, but treated Jesus’ words as “silly words” when Jesus said He would die and rise up on the third day (see Mark 8:30-33). The bible says that Peter pulled Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him. Peter said something like, “Why are you saying such things about yourself? You will not die, stop confessing negatively, you don’t say such thing next time okay!” Peter forgot that Jesus is the Messiah. He forgot that Jesus is the Son of the living God. He forgot that Jesus is God. Jesus doesn’t say what he doesn’t mean. When he said he must die and rise-up the third day, he meant every word of it. No wonder Jesus rebuked the devil in Peter, because Peter’s action at that time was a lack of belief in His word. Maybe Peter did not want to put up with the loss of Jesus, or he did not understand what Jesus meant. The point is that he treated Jesus’ words as childish, nonsense words that should not have been spoken, forgetting that Jesus is God and no jot of His word will go unfulfilled. Do we treat Jesus’ word like that sometimes?
Peter’s Faith
After the death of Jesus, Peter lost all hope and went back fishing (see John 21:3). Did he forget that Jesus said He would not leave them as orphans? (John 14:1618). Did he forget that Jesus promised to send them a comforter the Holy Spirit? Or maybe he did not allow these words to mix with faith in him. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12, NIV)
Did Peter remain in this category of belief? No, Peter demonstrated category 3 belief in many instances: for example, he repented immediately after denying Jesus at the time of Jesus’ arrest. Peter’s acceptance of Jesus’ forgiveness, and readiness to follow Him during crucifixion showed his persistence through difficult time, his belief in the forgiveness and the love of the Father. Many Christians carry past guilt as if the forgiveness of God is not real. Isn’t that a demonstration of unbelief? We need to free ourselves from anything that affects our relationship with God. Jesus paid the price to help us maintain that relationship with God, the relationship that was lost in the Garden of Eden. The guilt of sin separated Adam and Eve from having a relationship with God. Jesus came to pay for that sin and to restore us to the Father. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1, NIV) Therefore, let nothing separate you from the relationship that Christ had paid for. Make it right immediately like Peter and move on. Learn from your mistakes and trust in His promises to keep you to the very end. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:8-9, NIV)
However, as God intervened in each of these situations, shedding light unto Peter’s thoughts, he quickly moved to category 3 of belief and persevered through trials with Jesus at the crucifixion. As Peter allowed more of God’s word to penetrate his heart, he became one of the greatest Apostle of Jesus who stood for Him in times of persecution. Peter showed us examples of hanging onto Jesus in faith
even when we don’t understand. This kind of faith is a healthy faith for believers. As believers, although we may find ourselves acting like Peter from time to time due to various reasons, we should not remain in the category of unbelief like Judas. It is important to allow God’s word to shed light unto our thoughts so that we quickly move to category 3 of belief. This is what the Bible means when it says: Make every effort to enter God’s rest (Hebrews 4:11). Hebrews 4:1-12 is a great passage on BELIEVING and REST, read it carefully and let the word of God penetrate your heart.
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Peter’s unbelief was due to fear (when he saw the storm), selfish thought (when he didn’t want Jesus to die), and ignorance of God’s plan (when he wanted to go back to fishing after Jesus’ resurrection). These reasons are common with believers today.
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Reach Insight
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Reach Testimony
The Shepherd of my Life Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve felt uneasy, but unable to turn back or change direction because too much was at stake? Is your pride prodding you to push forward when you should be staying put? Or is your fear forcing you to remain status quo when you should be taking a leap of faith? Are you committing your way to the Almighty God, who wants to direct you on the right path? Here, Edward Yuan shared with us his testimony of how God steered the sail of his life boat when he drifted to the wrong dock. This experience gave him a sense of awe for God, and his determination to make God the shepherd of his life.
In September 2007, during the global financial crisis, Edward was retrenched from his company, where he had worked as a quality control manager for thirteen years. Unable to find a job in his line of profession, he came to an impasse in his career, and was forced to work part time in aged care. When the prospect of a career in Melbourne was deemed improbable, he resolved to opportunity overseas, through his younger brother, who held a high position in Malaysia.
In January 2008, Edward set out to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to join his brother for preparation and planning, before the palm oil estate in Kota Kinabalu was ready for operation. His journey to Kuala Lumpur signified separation from his wife and two young children, then 11 and 8 years old. During his stay in Kuala Lumpur, Edward had cold feet about the decision, “Was I making the right decision to leave my family in Melbourne, especially my two young children, at the age when they needed me the most?” Despite cognizant of his responsibility as a husband and a father, he did not feel that he could renege on his promise to his brother. A blessing in disguise Three months later, the day before he was due to fly to Kota Kinabalu, Edward suffered from a severe headache and dizziness. He was brought to a local hospital. After multiple tests including a MRI of the brain, he was diagnosed with haemorrhagic stroke secondary to high blood pressure. He had difficulty walking and was hospitalised for two weeks and underwent intense rehabilitation. When he was discharged from the hospital, he was only able to walk slowly and unsteadily. His brother was apprehensive about his health, and decided that it was unsafe for him to assume a new role, in a new company, in a new town, so soon after his stroke, “He was worried that I might not get good medical care in Kota Kinabalu.” It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Edward reflected, “I really had second thought about leaving my family in Melbourne, but didn’t know how to tell my brother.” He rejoiced and thanked God that he was released from his promise without affecting his relationship with his brother. He knew then that God had a different plan for him. A prayer answered The decision to fly back to Melbourne posed another problem: his safety to fly back alone. While Edward was cogitating and praying for a solution, he received a phone call from his then cell group leaders, Jonathan and Lumee, who happened to visit Kuala Lumpur. They agreed with alacrity to accompany Edward back to Melbourne. He was rapt with awe, “God sent two angels for me, at the perfect time.”
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It seemed a logical option at the time, so he proceeded without seeking the Lord. He was soon offered a senior position, by his brother, in a new palm oil estate in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, in East Malaysia.
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Reach Testimony
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Reach Testimony A provision beyond measure Back in Melbourne, Edward resolved to the option of disability pension as the source of his income. However, God had a better plan for him. Soon after returning to Melbourne, Edward was contacted by his previous boss, and was offered a part time consultant position in the Research and Development department of the company. This new position was a perfect fit for him - it only required him to work a few hours every morning, yet providing him with enough income, as well as integrating him back to the workforce after his stroke. He learnt the big lesson of committing his life to God, asking for God’s wisdom and His will in his life. Since then, God has not stopped providing for Edward and his family, “Even now at the age of seventy, God still blesses me with works.” Through the years, he has the assurance of God’s sovereignty, His faithfulness and His provision, which is far above his own wisdom and understanding. He is glad to still be able to use his skills to provide for his family, contribute to the society, and bless others. In January 2013, he was even given the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Myanmar, to bless people beyond Australia. When asked about his favourite Bible verses, he replied ardently, “Psalm 23, it sums up my experience with God.” .......................................................... The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. ~ Psalm 23
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Reach Book Review
Raising the perfectly imperfect child
Author: Boris Vujicic
Boris Vujicic is the father of the well-known inspiring Christian evangelist, Nick Vujicic. In this book, he shared his journey of bringing up Nick – the initial struggles he and his wife Dushka faced in accepting the unexpected disability of their first child, the challenges they had to overcome, and how their faith in God became the anchor of their life. He also offered advice to parents bringing up children with physical and mental challenges. What touched me about this book are the honesty, humility, sincerity, wisdom and faith weaving throughout his writings and testimonies. At the beginning of the book, Boris described the shock he and his wife had when they first saw Nick. Their grief was unimaginable. They were offered the option of putting Nick up for adoption. After much contemplation, in anguish and agony, they decided to take him home. Once they accepted the reality, they grew to love him, beyond his disability, “Nick seemed incomplete at birth, but it was our perception that was flawed.” “Gradually our focus shifted away from what Nick could not do to what he could do. That simple shift in focus made a big difference in our feelings and our daily approach to parenting.” Boris and Dushka were both devoted Christians before Nick was born. His birth tested their faith enormously. Slowly, they came to accept God’s wisdom, beyond their understanding. However their faith did not stop there, “Acceptance of God’s wisdom and love is one step. The next step is to put your faith into action and provide your child with a strong foundation of unconditional love, an unwavering sense of self-worth, and the knowledge that God does not make mistakes. He loves all His children equally.” These, they instilled in Nick. In the book, Boris described the challenges they faced, how they overcame the obstacles, how God changed their perspective, and how their faith grew through the trials. “…place no limits on our children. We should not burden them with our expectations, because our vision is no match for that of our Creator.” “More than ever we understand that what is impossible to men is possible to God.” When life got tough, they simply leaned on God, “When our imperfect lives bring us pain beyond our comprehension, all we can do is remain faithful and surrender to His mercy and love.” He summed up their experiences, “Our experiences in raising Nick taught us that if you put your trust in God’s way, He will provide you with all the strength you need.” This is indeed a book for anyone who wants to grow stronger in their faith. Although the advice he gives is directed to parents with physically and mentally challenged children, the gems and the wisdom in the book are for all parents who want to raise their children in a Godly and healthy way.
No God But One: Allah or Jesus?
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Reach Book Review
Nabeel Qureshi is the same author who wrote Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus (for the review of this book, see REACH Issue 7). Nabeel stated that his first book Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus is “the heart” of his story, whereas No God But One: Allah or Jesus? is “the mind” of his story. In this book he takes us on his discovery of the facts and evidence of the two major world religions, with the aims to illustrate that “the differences between Islam and Christianity have great implications, and that the evidence of history strongly supports the Christian claims.” Nabeel posed himself three questions when he was searching for the truth: 1) What are the differences between Islam and Christianity? 2) Can we know whether Islam or Christianity is true? 3) Is the truth worth dying for? These questions were explored in the three sections of the book. It gives a thorough and systematic review of the evidence for both Christianity and Islam. His in-depth analysis of the evidence is very informative and will broaden the readers’ knowledge of both Christianity and Islam. There is so much in this book that it doesn’t do it justification by trying to summarise it here. In searching for the evidence of Islamic belief, he stated that to be a Muslim means confessing the shahada i.e. “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger”. However after many years of investigations, he concluded that “There was no argument I could use to defend Muhammad’s prophetic status, and there was no compelling reason to think the Quran was from God.” What he discovered completely contradicted with what he was taught as a child, “The traditional Islamic narratives of Muhammad and the Quran are fundamentally incompatible with the historical records” and “To believe the truth of Islam is to ignore the historical evidence”. On the other hand, when he investigated the evidence for Christianity, and the claims in the Bible regarding Jesus, he concluded, “Even though Islam denies these points, I concluded that the historical evidence for Jesus’ death on the cross was as strong as anything historical could be, that his resurrection from the dead was by far the best explanation of the facts surrounding his crucifixion, and that his claiming to be God was the best way to account for the proclamation of the early church”. This is a book for anyone who is searching for the truth, and who wants to be well-informed of the claims of Christianity and Islam, and their evidence.
Reach / Spring 2018
Author: Nabeel Qureshi
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Reach Recipe
No-bake Lattice Cheese Cake
Reach / Spring 2018
By Crystal Soo
Ingredients:
125g Cream cheese (softened) 125g Caster sugar 125g Butter (softened) 1 tablespoon Gelatine powder 5 tablespoons Boiling water 1 1/2 tablespoons Lemon juice 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence 18 pieces Arnott’s lattice biscuits Cake tin `18cm x 18cm
Method:
1. Dissolve gelatine powder in boiling water, and allow to cool. 2. Cream the cream cheese, butter and sugar together. 3. Add the cooled gelatine, lemon juice and vanilla essence to the cream cheese mixture, mix well. 4. Arrange nine lattice biscuits on the cake tin, with the glazed side down. 5. Pour in the mixture and level. 6. Layer the remaining nine lattice biscuits on top, with the glazed side facing upwards. 7. Chill until set (about 2 hours). 8. Cut into 9 squares and serve. For crispiness of the biscuit, it is best consumed on the same day.