Asian Beacon Volume 46 Issue 1 (Feb&Mar 2014)

Y o u r

C o n t e m p o r a r y

C h r i s t i a n

M a g a z i n e

Established 1969

PP2007/10/2012(031036) MCI (P) 064/09/2013

Asian Beacon

Asian Beacon February-March 2014 Vol 46 No.1

Crime times

Gangst erism’ s Good V alues Five C rim Christ es ians Should Avoid From P rison to Pet ros Violen ce in t he Hom e Watchf ul in a Watchi ng Wor ld From C urse t o Blessi ng Don’t be a Sh ellfis h You an d You Househ r old

Art by Ernest Zacharevic

Asian Beacon

Editorial Editorial Board Ms Mok Shi-Lynn (Editor) Ms Jhong (Sub-editor) Dr Lim Poh Ann Dr Wong Lock Jam Ms Goldie Chong Advisors Pas Dr Chew Weng Chee Rev. Loh Soon Choy Mr Wong Young Soon Mr Eugene Yapp Pas Dr Daniel Ho Legal Advisor Mr Steven Fung Sales & Marketing Manager Mr Steven Teo Administration and Finance Ms Suet Cheng Lai E x ecu t i v e Commi t t ee Chairman Mr Goh Khoon Seng Vice-Chairman Dr Wong Lock Jam Hon Secretary Mr Lee Poay Keong Hon Treasurer Ms Loke Che Ching Committee Member Mr William Tan Ms Charmain Sim Mr Robert Mah Publisher Persaudaraan Asian Beacon Malaysia P O Box 240, Jalan Kelang Lama, 58700 Kuala Lumpur An inter-denominational Christian magazine, Asian Beacon is published six times a year by Persaudaraan Asian Beacon, a non-profit Christian society. http://www.facebook.com/AsianBeacon S A L E S & M A RK E TING OF F ICE Persaudaraan Asian Beacon Malaysia 19-C, Jalan SS 22/19, Damansara Jaya, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia Tel: (603) 7725 4109 Fax: (603) 7726 1740 Hp: 012-3931 453 Email: aboffice@asianbeacon.org asianbeacon@yahoo.com Website: www.asianbeacon.org Sabah Representative Jessie Chong- Email: jessiecly08@gmail.com Singapore Representative Adrian Ngooi- Email: ankb74@gmail.com Perth Representative Tek and Goldie Chong - Email: tekchong@iinet.net.au Melbourne Representative Ms Lucy Yap, P.O. Box 3113, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne, Vic 31 50 Email: asianbeacon@optusnet.com.au Design & Layout Twentyfivecents Creative Solutions Email: twentyfivecents@gmail.com Facebook: Twentyfivecents Creative Solutions Printer Thumbprints UTD SDN BHD Lot 24 Jalan RP 3, Rawang Perdana, Industrial Estate, 48000 Rawang, Selangor Tel: (603) 6092 9809 www.thumbprints.com.my Contributions The opinions and views expressed by writers and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher. Contributors are welcomed to contact us for editorial guidelines. However, we assume no responsibility to return unsolicited materials. Kindly include your email, postal address and telephone number when you send articles, photographs or letters to us.

Permission For Reprint Copyright Reserved © 2013. Please contact the editor for permission to reprint articles, photographs and illustrations.

MISSION zz zz zz zz

C

rime is never a pleasant topic. And

because February is the month of some major celebrations (Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day), the question I was frequently asked: “why talk about such a disheartening topic during these happy occasions?” was not at all unexpected.

The answer is simple: because crime has unfortunately become a part of our everyday lives. Most of us have been, or know people who have been, victims of crime. It may not be as bad for our readers in Singapore or Australia, but if you’re residing in any of the major cities in Malaysia, you probably live with the spectre of crime and violence every single day.

Surrounding ourselves with high walls, boom gates, CCTV and private security is one way to tackle the problem. But that’s just managing the symptoms of the problem. At the risk of sounding simplistic, real change – the kind that comes from the inside out, at a national level and for individuals – can only come from the Gospel and a relationship with Jesus Christ.

No, don’t take it from me. Hear from our featured personalities Philip Mok and Jonah Chan who had their lives turned around, in From Curse to Blessing and Gangsterism’s Good Values. Domestic violence is a serious crime not often talked about within Christian circles. Our regular columnist Dr William Wan sheds some light on the issue in Violence in the Home. With such sky-high crime rates, how are we supposed to live ‘victorious lives’? Our contributor ponders this question in How Not to be a Hermit.

Moving away from crime, we have a heart-warming testimony of salvation in You and Your Household; and the story of a man’s journey to understanding eternal truths when faced with his mortality in Facing Life’s Toughest Battle.

Finally, if you’re wondering why this issue of Asian Beacon is thinner than usual, it’s because we have done away with advertisements starting from this issue. This is also the first issue that is free of charge. Get the details on page 5: Asian Beacon Enters Bold New Phase. As always, we want to hear from you, so write to us at asianbeacon@yahoo.com.

Stay safe and enjoy the issue!

Shi-Lynn http://www.facebook.com/AsianBeacon Art

by

Ernest Zacharevic

To help readers understand contemporary issues in the light of God’s word and to apply it to life’s challenges.

To testify to God’s love and power in transforming lives, families and communities.

To contextualise biblical principles within the Asian culture.

To be an agent of change in making our world a better place.

VISION Your Beacon of Hope

contents

9 C O V E R S T ORI E S

F E A T UR E S

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The Emerald Promise

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Watchful in a Watching World

From Curse to Blessing

By Mok Shi-Lynn

How Not to be a Hermit

By Ngui Yuen Loong

Violence in the Home

By Rev Dr William Wan

By Dr Lim Poh Ann

26 Reflections... Facing Life’s

Toughest Battle

By Mee-Lok Teng

28 You and Your Household

By Rosalind Oh Leo

Gangsterism’s Good Values

By Jonah Chan

From Prison to Petros

30 A Christian’s Confession: I Suffer from Depression (Part 2)

By Mok Shi-Lynn

By Rev Pax Tan

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From Divine Grace to Criminal Law

Don’t Be a Shellfish

By Rev Dr William Wan

12 R E G U L A RS

By Charmain and Chester Fernandez

4 Letters 7 News 31 Dear Goldie

By Goldie Chong

32 m o n e y m a t t e r s

Five Crimes Christians Should Avoid

By Rajen Devadason

By Veronica Wee

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34 m a k i n g s e n s e o f s c r i p t u r e s

Do We Have a Choice?

From Project Barnabas

32 February-March 2014

Vol 46 No. 1

Letters

Letters have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Your issue on fitness and health is a timely reminder to me. I am encouraged by the write-up on Isaiah Kee and his partner that you can still have a kingdom mindset in doing something you love. Rev Dr William Wan’s Huff and Puff and Staying Strong in his ‘senior citizen’ age alerted me that if I want to live well into my senior years, I better shape up physically now.

Cheu KY Seremban, Negeri Sembilan

Write To Us We would like to hear from you. Please include your name and address. Letters will be edited.

Email: asianbeacon@yahoo.com / shilynnab@gmail.com Fax: (603) 7726 1740

I read the article about Your Incredible Mind and Dr Caroline Leaf. Shi-Lynn took a very complex topic and boiled it down to the most important parts. What a great two-page article! It’s practical, and I hope that other people are encouraged by it as much as I have been.

Ellen Elwell Illinois, USA Thank you very much for the article, Your Incredible Mind. More of such articles in the future, please.

Thank you also for the many useful and interesting articles in Vol 45 No 5 [Health issue], especially the testimonies of Dr Tan Chong Tin and Rev Dr William Wan. Chow Chan Yoke Bentong, Pahang

Lincoln Wee Kyoto, Japan Thanks for the wonderful work at AB. I especially enjoyed the Missions issue. The stories were captivating and inspiring. I’m sure they were not easy to come by. It would have been really helpful to those interested in missions if small asides could be added to inform of areas where they could be directly involved.

Thanks too for the honour of participating in AB sometimes with my stories.

Keep up the good work. AB is indeed a blessing to readers.

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You should…

• Be passionate about writing, reading and are widely read • Be creative and curious • Be persistent and determined to get a good story • Possess analytical skills and solid thought processes • Be aware of current issues that affect the Church in Malaysia Requirements • Must be a Christian • Actively involved in a local church • Excellent command of both written and spoken English • Willing to travel around Klang Valley (or beyond) on assignment • Willing to occasionally work beyond standard working hours (evenings and weekends) • Possess computer skills

A reference from your church pastor/elder or letter of recommendation from the church may be requested.

Fresh graduates with strong writing skills are encouraged to apply.

Please send in your resume and samples of your work to asianbeacon@yahoo.com and shilynnab@gmail.com or call 03-77254109 for enquiries.

Goh Bee Lee Batu Pahat, Johor

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WRITER { Full time position}

Thank you for the wonderful work you are doing through Asian Beacon. The magazine is really transformed and is so much more engaging than it ever was, particularly for this generation.

I popped into your Facebook page recently and was amazed by the number of likes, and also by all the comments and activities.

Good job!

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u’ve got the yo k in Th g. rin hi is ON AC BE N IA AS write stuff? Write in right now!

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Asian Beacon enters bold new phase.

Asian Beacon is a non-profit interdenominational Christian magazine, established in 1969, to encourage readers towards a deeper walk in their faith and to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

With the rapid advancement in digital technology over recent years, Asian Beacon responded accordingly in order to remain relevant. In September 2013, we kick-started our digital strategy with the launch of two digital initiatives – an electronic version of the magazine through an e-publication platform and a freshly revamped website.

Through the use of electronic media, Asian Beacon has been made more accessible via different platforms in order to reach a wider spectrum of readers, without the restraint of borders or logistical challenges. Readers can now search three years of articles in our online archives, and we aim to have all 45 years of Asian Beacon content available online in the future.

Commencing January 2014, our bi-monthly printed magazine will be distributed to all interested parties without any charge or subscription fee. In addition, there will be no advertisements in both the printed and digital versions of the magazine. This step was taken after much prayer and deliberation, and in consultation with church leaders and our advisers.

Asian Beacon remains committed in being a full-fledged literature ministry in support of churches and Christian-based organisations to reach out and testify to God’s love and power in transforming lives, families and communities. The magazine is currently serving a readership of 15,000 across Asia, and we aspire to raise this figure to 50,000 with the rollout of our digital strategy.

As Asian Beacon moves into the digital arena, our goals have also expanded – we seek to be more than just a magazine. Our revamped website aims to be a central hub for Christian resources.

With the following services provided free of charge, we seek to be a collaborator among the Christian community: E-Magazine Publication Platform: E-newsletter (Churches and Christian-based organisations), magazines, books and other

Christian publications Events: Listing of Christian seminars, conferences, workshops, camps, concerts, etc Classified: Listing of services and needs Vacancy: Job listings from Christian-based organisations We are very grateful to all our supporters, such as donors, subscribers, churches, advertisers and distributors, for their contribution and support to the Asian Beacon ministry over the past many years. We are also thankful to our advisers for their godly counsel and encouragement in our new direction. From 2014 onwards, with our new direction for the ministry, we look forward to the continuing partnership of our supporters to bring this ministry to greater heights in serving the Christian community.

Once again, thank you for your support and prayers.

Executive Committee, Asian Beacon Online Articles and Archives: www.asianbeacon.org E-magazine and e-library: www.asianbeacon.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/AsianBeacon

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news Christmas Joy in Setapak The people of Setapak were treated

to a unique Christmas celebration when local Chinese churches came together for the Christmas Joy Setapak Jubilee Malaysia. Co-organised by a network of Chinese churches in Setapak (Muk En Methodist Church, Melawati Chinese Methodist Church, Praise Sanctuary AOG, Tabernacle of David, KL Christian Fellowship, Church of Living Streams, Logos Presbyterian Church) and Muk En Community Care Centre, the event which was held from December 20th to 22nd, attracted more than 2,000 people over three nights.

The purpose of the event was to

Church members joyfully walked the streets despite the wet weather.

proclaim that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ, the Saviour and King. It also highlighted that Christmas is a season of love, peace, joy and hope.

There was a lively Christmas Street Bazaar that had more than 30 stalls selling food, beverages and merchandise, and 13 game booths. The night of the 21st was particularly festive thanks to a Christmas float parade, where five beautifully decorated floats cruised the streets accompanied by cyclists and teams dressed in different costumes. There were also stage performances, carollers, even a performance by a local artiste.

In the spirit of Christmas, all proceeds

The float from Muk En Methodist Church with a reindeer sleigh theme.

The float from Tabernacle of David showcased the Wise Men bearing gifts.

Christmas carollers from Melawati Chinese Methodist Church.

P h o t o s b y J o s ep h H o n g .

Students from Eaglekids Education Centre gave an adorable performance.

from the Christmas Street Bazaar sales were donated to SJK (C) Wangsa Maju, a Chinese primary school that required funds to complete construction. The event raised RM20,000 for the school.

Dato’ Dr Tan Kee Kwong, Member of Parliament for Wangsa Maju, was present to flag off the float parade. In his speech, he said that it was good that churches could work together for the benefit of the community, and that all citizens ought to contribute toward better education in our country. He hoped that more such activities could be held in order to build a healthy and compassionate community.

The Christmas Float Parade flagged off by Dato Dr Tan Kee Kwong (right).

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All kinds of tasty and interesting foods were available at the street bazaar.

news

Congratulations To

Executive Committee member of Asian Beacon, Charmain Sim, and Chester Anthony Fernandez on your marriage. Wishing you a blessed, joyful and God-glorifying life together.

P h ot o s

by

Shafiq

and

Adrian Hoe

o f i S i m p l e z p h ot o g r a p h y .

Asian Beacon wishes you a blessed and joyous Chinese New Year. “True humility and respect for the Lord lead a man to riches, honour, and long life.�

Proverbs 22:4

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fea t u re

The Emerald Promise

By Charmain and Chester Fernandez

Asian Beacon’s very own Executive Committee member, Charmain Sim, recently wed her sweetheart Chester Fernandez.

Here is the story of Asian Beacon’s amusingly fortuitous role in Chester’s search for the perfect engagement ring.

Charmain: An you’ve got this perfect window e vergreen love before I leave. I really believe Chester and I had known each that God has a hand in this ring.” other for some eight years, were Awed, I could only concur with corresponding friends for six her at this divine favour. years, and had been a couple for almost a year. Marriage was Charmain: The in mind, so I knew a proposal emerald rainbow was due. What I didn’t expect That same week, Chester was Chester asking if I had a asked my father for my hand in preferred engagement ring. So marriage. Days after, he set up I said, “An emerald ring would a beautiful, quiet and intimate be nice.” proposal in my garden one I had my reasons: diamonds night that had him on one knee, are overrated; diamonds are holding the emerald ring, asking not exclusive to engagement me to be his wife. Of course, I rings; green is a unique color; said, “Yes.” emeralds are classic; and the After hearing about his long emerald happens to be my search, I felt guilty. But he turned A mysterious emerald rainbow arced in front Chester and Charmain birthstone. Last but not least, to me and said, “You’re worth it.” the stone was to be a reminder Chester went above and beyond custom make a ring. Weeks passed, and I to nurture an evergreen love. An utter grew despondent. my expectations. The effort that went into romantic, I hoped the ring would carry attaining the gem on my hand made it even Then, one day, while browsing a copy greater meaning than a mere status symbol. of Asian Beacon with Charmain, I spotted more valuable in my eyes.

I guessed that an emerald would be an advertisement by a store called Hong Upon our announcement, a friend slightly harder to find than diamonds, Kong Gem. I was so excited I almost wrote, “Did you know that in the book but my seemingly innocuous request sent shouted, “Hey, gems!” of Revelation, John saw a cloud around Chester on a whirlwind of a search. the throne of God and described it as But I wisely kept quiet. I later called an emerald rainbow?” He pointed to the store and reached the owner’s wife, Chester: My ring hunt Revelation 4:3: “And the one who sat Ms Choi, and set up an appointment.

I knew nothing about diamonds; I knew Cue another secret drive! At the store, Ms there had the appearance of jasper and less than nothing about emeralds. This one Choi showed me a particular emerald. All ruby. A rainbow that shone like an was definitely a bombshell. My adorably the ones I had previously viewed paled in emerald encircled the throne.” naïve plan to walk into a jewellery store, comparison to this gem: it was beautiful, This story is not just about an pretend like I knew what I was doing, and it was resplendent, it was perfect. She emerald ring. It is about the love of our walk out with something perfect was out promised to finish the ring in two weeks, Father in heaven who had watched over the window. our lives from time unknown up until our faster than any other jeweller I visited, but Because of my career as a marine she went the extra mile and finished it in season of courtship. And now, looking engineer, I sail often and have limited time a week. on hindsight at the circumstances of the on land. Friends were roped in to help; I ring hunt, we know that God has set an When I collected the ring, Ms. Choi took a trip to Singapore and secret drives said, “It’s amazing how this has panned out: emerald rainbow as a promise to continue to KL from Malacca. But my ring hunt I’m rarely at the store, but it so happened watching over us as we commit to each was fruitless. Even if there were emeralds, that I was here to answer your call. At the other and to Him on our new journey they weren’t ‘right’, and it took too long to end of this week, I’ll be in Hong Kong, so as one.

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Photos by Kevin Thomas

C OV E R S TO R Y

From Curse to

Blessing B y M o k S h i - L ynn

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C OV E R S TO R Y Philip Mok Se w Kwong is the

founder of Rumah Victory, which currently consists of 12 homes dedicated to helping drug addicts, orphans, delinquents and others. Looking at him, you may not guess that he was once deeply immersed in the violent and shadowy world of gangs and drugs. Now in his sixties, his passion is to help others who live the hopeless lifestyle that he once did.

“When I was young, I was frequently beaten by my father. I never knew why as neither my father nor mother ever gave a reason. I often wondered if I was their biological child; I even asked my mother once. She told me off and said that I was crazy,” he shared.

The mistreatment at the hands of his father planted a deep hatred in him.

“I promised myself that when I grew up, I would take revenge on my number one enemy. And that enemy was my father,” he revealed.

The absence of love and comfort at his home made Mok seek affection elsewhere.

He dropped out of primary school and sought the company of friends. By the time he was a teenager, they had started committing minor crimes.

However, the resentment that Mok felt for his father continued to grow. One day, he snapped and beat his father repeatedly with a bamboo pole, injuring him severely.

“The villagers were shouting at me to stop.

‘Don’t hit him, he’s your dad!’ they yelled.

I couldn’t hear them and I couldn’t stop beating my father. I unleashed all the hurt and anger that I had kept inside for more than a decade. I hit him so hard until the bamboo pole broke,” he revealed.

Mok then turned to his friends for shelter. “All my friends were gangsters and they supported me by providing food and a roof over my head. Eventually, I joined them and became a member of a gang called Hong Clan (Hong Men in Mandarin). Even in those early days, I was eyeing the position of gang leader.”

Being part of a gang provided Mok with a sense of security. “I had a Tai Kor (big brother or gang leader) to protect me.

I didn’t have to worry about making ends meet since food, accommodation and even living expenses were taken care of. I just followed the group and did what they did, which included getting into fights.”

When he was 19, the gang’s Tai Kor was hacked to death. Many gang members swore vengeance, but first, a new leader had

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From gang leader and drug addict to a leader in the drug rehabilitation ministry, Philip Mok’s story is a testament to the Gospel’s life-changing power. to be chosen. Senior members selected five candidates for the position, and Mok was one of them. He won the vote and became the next Tai Kor. Mok was elated and spread the word about his new position and the increased power he wielded. But the time soon came when he had to prove his mettle.

“One day, one of my subordinates was attacked and injured by a member of a rival gang,” he shared. “Of course, he couldn’t be admitted to a hospital for treatment. Our gang members were calling for blood. And in order to prove I was a strong leader, I had to act. But I also knew that wisdom and clever tactics were necessary for survival. I stopped my members from charging into a fight with the other gang and told them to wait for my instruction.”

A week later, Mok saw the culprit together with three members of the rival gang. He informed his subordinates of his plan, then took a machete, hid it in a rolledup newspaper and rode on his motorcycle toward the rival group. When he neared the group, he took out his machete and slashed the culprit across the torso. That was the sign to his subordinates: in the chaos, they charged in and attacked the four men while Mok rode away.

As an act of vengeance, it was deemed a success and Mok earned the respect of his gang members.

The slide into drug addiction “My father passed away in 1971,” Mok said. “Immediately after the funeral, the chief inspector of the police came and brought me in for questioning. They questioned me for more than 10 hours.

I was eventually released, but this made me worry more because I knew they were following me and monitoring my every move. The pressure began to wear on me and I started taking drugs and a lot of alcohol.”

When he was 22, Mok met a young lady and fell head over heels for her.

However, when the girl’s family discovered that he was a gang leader, the girl’s father took her away in the night, putting an

end to their eight-month courtship. Mok was devastated as it was the first time he was in a romantic relationship, and had been getting ready to marry his girlfriend and start a new life. To deal with the disappointment, he took even more drugs.

Mok could still fight and lead the gang for a few years after taking drugs.

Soon, however, he started taking money from the gang’s coffers to support his drug habit. The senior members of the gang told him to quit, so he tried all means to rid himself of the addiction. He went to a temple in Thailand then a Hindu temple, had verses chanted over him, read the Quran, even had cow dung smeared on his body, to no avail.

“No matter what I did, I just could not stop craving drugs,” Mok shared. “Once, my mother locked me at home to prevent me from obtaining drugs. But when the craving started, I kicked the door down and left.”

Some years later, he was caught in possession of drugs and sentenced to a year in jail. While in jail, he started thinking about going to church. “I felt ashamed because I used to hit my sister and yell at her when she talked to me about Christianity. Our family had always been Taoist.” But his sister persisted. When he came out from prison, she suggested a Christian rehabilitation centre in Klang.

Mok agreed to go, but his goal was only to quit drugs; he wanted nothing to do with Jesus or the Christian faith.

On his third day of abstinence at the centre, Mok experienced the worst suffering he had ever felt in his life. “I cannot begin to describe how terrible it felt,” he said. In the midst of his withdrawal symptoms, seven men came into his room and told him that they wanted to pray for him. “When they started praying, I felt like I was being burnt by fire. I felt so very hot and starting shouting. I didn’t know what was going on, only that it felt like I was dying.”

The next morning, Mok awoke early and felt relaxed and refreshed, having awoke from the best sleep he had had in a long while. He discovered that the

seven men who had prayed for him had once suffered the same addiction and withdrawal symptoms as he, and that God had saved them.

A new beginning After some time had passed, the leader at the centre asked Mok if he would like to accept Jesus Christ. He repeated the sinner’s prayer after the leader, but about two-thirds of the way through, Mok began crying and could not stop. “Even when I was five years old and my father hit me, I never cried. But this time, I sobbed for two hours. I cried and pleaded my guilt before God. Later, I felt so relieved, like I had put down a heavy burden. I tasted what the Bible said, that God will give you rest. Jesus Christ is indeed the real God,” he shared.

June 1, 1979 marked the day when Mok was reborn.

The Bible was invaluable to him, but he had to first learn how to read. “I asked God for help. I also drew a lot of pictures to represent the words in the Bible. And I told myself that I must learn to read, write and memorise three words a day,” he said.

He was also placed in charge of the kitchen

at the rehabilitation centre. “They love me because I can cook, whereas they can’t.

And my cooking is good,” he laughed.

When he felt he was ready, Mok prayed to God for a wife. Three years after he quit drugs, he met his future wife and was soon married. Furthermore, his wife’s family was very accepting of him, despite knowing of his past.

When he was 37, God gave Mok his first child. “I kept praying when my wife was in labour that my wife would be well and the child healthy,” he said. “When I saw my firstborn smile at me for the first time, I started to cry. I told God ‘I made the right choice in believing in You’.” Mok has three happy, healthy children whom he described as “good kids”.

He now heads a Christian non-profit organisation called Rumah Victory, which runs 12 homes all over Malaysia with the chief aim of rehabilitating drug abusers.

In the 25 years of running Rumah Victory, Mok has seen many lives turned around from self-destruction and hopelessness to become wholesome, healthy, and Godfearing.

Ironically for someone who is a blessing

to many, Mok was once considered a cursed child who would bring bad luck and misfortune to his family. “Shortly after I was born, my grandfather passed away. My family consulted a fortune teller who said I was born under a ‘cursed star’. According to the charts, I would bring misfortune upon my family. My parents never told me. They went from temple to temple, praying and hoping to change my cursed status.”

“Only in 2004, when my mother was suffering from cancer, did she hold my hand and tell me in tears that she was sorry for the bad treatment I received. After more than 60 years, I finally found out why I was often beaten and scolded by my father, why I was treated with such hostility and animosity,” he shared.

From gang leader and drug addict to a leader in the drug rehabilitation ministry, Philip Mok’s story is a testament to the Gospel’s life-changing power – that a child once considered a curse can become a blessing to so many.

Interview by Liew Wai Li, translation by Sally Yeow.

To find out more about Rumah Victory, go to www.rumahvictory.org.my

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C OV E R S TO R Y

How Not To Be A Hermit Imagine – an eight-year-old

boy traveling all alone on an

hour-long ride to a city full of

people in a bus full of people.

B y N g u i Y u en L o o ng

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is poised to become a developed nation by 2020. Some say we are on track while others say otherwise. One thing most agree on is that tanah tumpahnya darahku (my land) has its fair share of challenges. Amidst all the allegations of corruption and cronyism is a high crime rate, which some perceive as a perception issue. Hardly a day goes by without a heinous act of crime being reported.

I remember when I was in Primary 2 (more than three decades ago). I stayed in Kepong Baru then and would walk a distance to take a mini-bus from home to Shanghai Book Shop in Kuala Lumpur to buy books. Imagine – an eight-year-old boy traveling all alone on an hour-long ride to a city full of people in a bus full of people. Then I would make my way back, alone again, in another hour-long ride in a bus full of people, followed by a 20-minute walk home. Was I brave? I didn’t have much to be afraid of. Today, we would worry about a son or daughter coming home from college.

I once heard that no matter what year it is, it’s always better 20 years ago. That was 33 years ago (ok, now you know my age.)

Surely, it’s much better than today? Does it work that way? If this rule is followed, I shudder to think of our society 10 years from now. Will we go to work in armoured cars? Will we tell the social status of a person by the number of bodyguards flanking him wherever he goes? You have only four? Look at that uncle, he has 16! And who is going to protect the bodyguards?

Hot topic In a nation where capital punishment is allowed, the criminals seem unfazed.

Snatch thefts, burglaries, kidnappings, murders and rapes have become commonplace. When we sit down to have a meal, we seem to want to one-up another with crime stories, in between our discussion of which Android phone is better or why Manchester United would not win the British Premier League this year.

I want to believe we don’t relish our crime stories. How do we face a society where fear is the order of the day? We read/hear about joggers being robbed or even killed. We hear of snatch theft victims dying in the hospital. We hear of robbers

Many friends now think it’s better safe than sorry, so, sorry hah, if you genuinely get hit by a car and no one stops to help. adopting a slash-first-rob-later mentality.

So, what do we do? We stay at home. That’s safer, isn’t it? No, it isn’t. I have heard of a dear old couple who never wear their Rolex watches outside their house. They only wear them when they go to bed. One night, robbers broke into their house and took away the precious Rolex watches on their wrists. They have since migrated.

We also hear of criminals getting more creative. They may cause accidents on the road just to create an opportunity to rob you. Many friends now think it’s better safe than sorry, so, sorry hah, if you genuinely get hit by a car and no one stops to help.

We see video clip after video clip that seem to suggest one central message – no one is safe and nowhere is safe. I have naively thought I should join RELA so I can carry a gun with me.

The high crime rate and all the scary stories have changed the way we live. We are less trusting, less helpful and we tend to keep to ourselves. That’s not the way to live a life, much less a life given by God. How now?

Do we arm ourselves and fight back? This is not advisable, unless your name is John McClane, James Bond or Ellen Ripley, i.e. you cannot die and you will not die. The 30% gun ownership and low crime rate in Iceland could be more of an exception than the rule. We mere mortals best don’t try to fight fire with fire. More importantly, God has said vengeance is His. Do we go out in groups? By all means, do that. Your chances of being picked will be lower. But do remember that an entire restaurant has been robbed before. And don’t think dashing into a 7-Eleven will save your skin (or the RM85 you have in your wallet). They rob 7-Eleven when ‘business is bad’. What makes you think you are safe in there? You probably carry more money than the shop till. We see security patrols in larger groups now. When will the criminals catch up? You have four people?

Look at them, there are 16 of them!

Don’t go out after dark. Makes sense. Most criminals come out to ‘work’ after dark, like some mythical creatures.

Except this isn’t quite true anymore. The robbers and thieves now believe in equal opportunity. They don’t want you early birds and daytime dwellers to feel left out.

You will get the privilege. And criminals need to sleep too, you know?

True securit y Do we share stories? By all means. Tell others so they can be careful. Tell them where, when, how to watch out for bad people. We care, we share. But don’t add unnecessary fear. The purpose is for the safety and wellbeing of our loved ones. It is not to make them lose sleep at night or encourage them to become hermits.

I genuinely feel safe when I am on the streets of a foreign country at night, even when alone. No one bothers me. It is so in Singapore, Bangkok and Shenzhen. In these foreign places, I don’t feel scared. In Malaysia, we probably scramble for home immediately after cell group meetings.

Fear not! Instead of being afraid, we can take courage in the Lord. We don’t go looking for trouble but we should not be afraid. If anything, those who break the law are the ones who should be afraid.

We do our part in educating our younger generation. We do our part by being good examples of honest and hardworking people who earn our keeps. Be an influence instead of being influenced.

Such is the land we live in. The police are there. (I can imagine the obvious oneliner you have in mind in response to this.)

The security people are there, in almost every residential area. The doors are locked. Most important of all, God is here.

He is our only source of peace and security.

So, please go to sleep. It’s late. Stop looking out the window to make sure your new car is still there.

Ngui Yuen Loong has served in the church in all three languages – Malay, English and Chinese.

A social media and technology enthusiast, he and his wife, Kathleen, and their son, Jesse, worship in DUMC. He works as the Senior MIS Manager in a local healthcare distributor. He is also a tutor with Project Barnabas.

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C OV E R S TO R Y

VIOLENCE IN THE HOME B y R e v . D r W i ll i am W an

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What is domestic violence?

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ne definition of spousal violence is ‘the

use of force to inflict injury, either emotional or physical, upon another person with whom he or she has a relationship.’ According to The Women’s Charter in 1996, domestic violence goes beyond physical violence to include sexual and psychological abuse. This may even include acts such as trying to control someone’s life by constant humiliation, or controlling someone’s money, time, car or contact with friends as a way of having power over that person.

The Christian faith acknowledges that humans are the only beings specifically said to be created in God’s image (Gen 1:2627). A person has intrinsic value regardless of his ability, wealth or contribution to society. It follows that people are responsible for their conduct towards their fellow human beings.

The Bible even forbids verbal violence of cursing others: “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” ( James 3:9-10) For the Lord Jesus, the thought is as bad as the act, internal attitude as important as external action. He said, “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” (Matthew 5:22) Of Submission and Abuse In a dated study on spousal abuse in the United States, it was found that husbands who batter their wives more often claim to be Protestant or Catholic. The frightening inference that could be drawn from this study is that coming from religious homes is certainly no guarantee of freedom from spousal abuse!

The natural question we need to ask is: Why is this so? Has it anything to do with the way we teach the doctrine of marriage, specifically the relationship between husband and wife? Is there a problem in our pre-marital counselling with the strong emphasis on “Wives, submit to your husband as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife…”?

Perhaps a brief look at the history of spousal abuse would be instructive. Both in ancient Greece and Rome, the place of women in the marital household was always in the subordinate position. The man was not only the head of the household, he was the household! In Greece, for example, the order of hierarchy of values was father, cattle, mother, and children. It is not difficult to see how when a wife is of lesser value than a cow, violence towards wives was tolerated.

Among the Jews, a common prayer of a Jewish man was: “I thank God that He did not make me a Gentile, a slave or a woman.”

Jewish divorce law was heavily weighed in favour of the man.

In Europe, in spite of Christian influence (or perhaps because of Christian influence), women were subjugated for centuries. The so-called “law of chastisement” allowed women to be physically punished by their husbands without question since the women were considered to be of inferior status in the divine order of things.

Sin of violence Violence is the effect of rebellion against God. It is the price of rejecting God. The Apostle Paul affirmed this basic understanding in Romans 1:21, 29: “For although they knew God, they neither

glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened… They have become filled with every kind of wickedness… They are full of envy, murder, strife…” James seconds Paul in his view of violence: “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.” ( James 4:1-2) In the context of domestic violence, the desired end of the dominant party is the exercise of power. Violence is the means to get to that desired end, namely the submission of the wife to the husband by all means.

The text “and he will rule over you” (Gen 3:16) in the context of man-woman/husband-wife relationship is descriptive and not prescriptive. God is not commanding man to rule over woman. He is simply stating the result of sin.

Christians cannot afford to condone or take violence lightly.

The human is a divine image-bearer and his personhood (physical, intellectual, psychological, emotional, spiritual) ought not to be violated. To violate God’s image bearer is to insult the Creator God himself. It is an affront to human dignity and denies the value and integrity of the victim. It is a total contradiction to the Christian message of “loving God and loving our fellow human being”. (Matt 22:37-40) My wife , my body Husbands are admonished to love their wives just as Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25-33). In becoming “one flesh”, the man must treat his wife as if she is part of him. As he treats himself well, therefore he must treat her well; as he would not abuse himself, so he should not abuse her.

More significantly, Paul uses the analogy of Christ and the Church to describe the relationship between the man and his wife. And as we reflect on the way Christ came for his Church and prepared his Church, there is no doubt that domestic violence is a complete contradiction to this teaching. A physically bruised, psychologically damaged, mentally intimidated and emotionally scarred wife cannot possibly be “a radiant wife without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish”.

Even more significantly, Christ died for the Church. Violence was done to him in order that the Church may be “holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.” Christ allowed violence to be done to him in order to protect the Church. And if one of the ultimate goals of every Christian is to have “Christ formed in us” (Gal 4:19), then there is no way the abusive Christian husband can claim to be Christ-like.

Conclusion I have no doubt that spousal violence of any form is not to be tolerated in the Christian Church. To some extent, if violence is a function of the need to maintain control over another human being, then we as a Church may be guilty of contributing to spousal abuse by perpetuating a doctrine of domination over woman. Even if this is taught in the limited confines of the hierarchy of roles and not inherent inequality, the fact of dominant role is still about control and power. It is about time that we as the male Christian species start to revisit our doctrine of man-woman relationship. It is time to rethink and repent.

This article has been edited from the original work, entitled “Toward a Theology of Domestic Violence”, published in Church & Society in Asia Today, Vol. 3, No. 1 (April 2000), a theological magazine of Trinity Theological College, Singapore. Reprinted with permission. a

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C OV E R S TO R Y These two stories were first published in Care Contact, a publication of Malaysian Care which is published four times a year. Reprinted with permission.

GANGSTERISM’S

GOOD VALUES

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stopped schooling and left my family when I was 12 years old as I couldn’t bear seeing my parents struggle daily for money to put food on the table and to bring up my four siblings and me. I decided to ‘help’ them reduce their burden by leaving home.

At this tender age, I got involved in a Chinese triad, “Loong Foo Tong” (The Dragon Tiger Gang). I believed that this triad was honourable and would protect and care for me. Eventually, I learnt the truth that the gang was involved in criminal activities in the Jalan Raja Laut and Jalan Chow Kit areas.

I have since left the gang and am “transformed”. However, I learned some positive values from gangsterism which I think that God would want us to apply in our lives. These attributes include courage, faithfulness and sacrifice to the point of being willing to lay down our lives for other gang members and their families.

Family bond We valued “family” and when any of our friends were imprisoned or had to go into hiding, we would do whatever was necessary to care for their families. We were filial and respectful to the families of the gang, especially the wives or girlfriends of gang members. We would make sure that they were not disturbed or bothered.

Our gang believed and held on to an old Cantonese saying: “Only in times of difficulty and suffering that we see true love and friendship”. We believed that courage was evident only in times of trouble. We were faithful to our oaths and beliefs. We were faithful to our gang. We held on to the principles of protecting our community from the scourge of drugs or the evil influences of the world, which may sound surprising to some.

Unfortunately, drugs got into the gang from prison, and that was the beginning of the end of the gang and its principles.

New family Released from prison in 1991, Malaysian Care, through their Crisis Centre in Klang, took me in with unconditional love and took care of my needs. I started to learn to read the Bible and sought to know this God who sacrificed his life for me, and loved me when I was a sinner. These things rang true to me for I understood sacrifice and faithfulness in the midst of difficulties.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8 “Greater love has no one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 Through the unconditional yet practical love that I experienced during my times of

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difficulty, I learnt about the God of the Bible and His love for me. Just like what I had learned from gangsterism, true love is an action, and faith is about acting according to God’s principles.

I am now a community worker of Malaysian Care – Prison, Drugs & AIDS services. My desire and prayer is to be willing to sacrifice for the love of God through serving the people who come from all walks of life, including those of my background.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”

1 John 3:16 P u b l i s h e d i n C a r e C o n tac t J u n e – August 2013

FROM PRISON TO

“G

ive each 20 years, they need grace not judgment.”

With that, we submitted to the fact that rehabilitation and restoration will take a long time for people who have been incarcerated, both in prisons and in government drug rehabilitation centres – drug dependants, street people, sex workers and the very marginalised. Of course, we meant that it may take as long as 20 years; hopefully it would take a shorter time. Nonetheless, we are realistic that it is a process which will involve a number of people and parties who are for the transformation and betterment of those who ask for and need the help.

Grace is sometimes defined as ‘getting something you do not deserve’ or ‘unmerited favour’ – something which God specialises in. And that’s what Malaysian Care’s Petros Residential (PR or Rumah Petros) is all about. This halfway home is dedicated to helping discharged prisoners and hard core ex-drug dependants, a homely place offering a chance (for many, additional chances) of rest, hope, a process for change and new life.

The process of change and rehabilitation can begin in prison or a rehab centre or in the street, but it does not stop there. Sharing the gospel or believing in God happens continuously. Thank God for the faithful and persevering volunteers and staff who are there week after week, rain or shine, preaching and teaching, and promising the love of God. The aftercare and follow-up of discharged prisoners and ex-drug dependants must be available and accessible.

Channelling His love When we celebrated the 20th anniversary of Petros (‘rock’ in Greek) Residential on Sept.

10, 2011, we announced and proclaimed “good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, liberty for the oppressed; this is

PETROS living witnesses to the grace and mercy of this loving, forgiving and powerful God. Twenty years is not a long time but it is not short either. God has not finished the work yet. He is patient and full of grace.

Thousands have been saved, hundreds are struggling, scores have relapsed, dozens are lost. But praise the Lord, there will be 20 more years and beyond to serve the old and the new, of open doors and willing hearts, of multiple chances and hope. It was great, yet humbling, to recall the many lives transformed by the Gospel through a lighted home built upon the Rock.

P u b l i s h e d i n C a r e C o n t a c t Dec 2 0 1 1 – Feb 2012

by R e v . P a x Tan

the Lord’s favour upon the people” (Luke 4:18-19) clearly, authentically, practically and faithfully. Over the past 20 years, we have served the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, the stranger, the naked (Matt. 25), all personified in the prisoners and drug users who walked through the door of PR, giving us opportunities to be neighbours unto others, to be salt and light, and a lamp on a stand.

There were numerous testimonies on that day as the many who had stayed in PR over the years recalled their experiences with gratitude, giving thanks to God, the staff and the volunteers.

Grace and mercy were first shown to us by Jesus, who came and lived among us.

He had compassion for the “sinners” of His day. He welcomed, ate with and befriended the condemned and the outcasts. We decided to follow Him, to serve those Jesus served. PR’s 20-year record of clientele/ resident files totals 1,767 people. (Actually, the overall Drug and Prison work dates back 30 years.)

Many have come and gone – some unaccounted for, others had relapsed, a number have passed on. Many more remain in contact, accounted for, alive and well as

INTRODUCTION TO MALAYSIAN CARE Malaysian Care is a non-profit Christian social work organisation, committed to being the visible expression of the holistic mission of Christ to the poor and needy. It focuses on empowering communities, aims for long-term development and sees itself as partners to the local church and people it is serving.

Started in 1979 with a children’s home, its services today are in three core areas: 1. Prison, Drugs & AIDS 2. Rural & Urban Community Development 3. People with Special Needs With a team of 60 staff supported by some 200 volunteers, Malaysian Care touches over 4,000 lives annually through its direct services, partnership projects, awareness campaigns and trainings.

For more information, visit www.malaysiancare.org or call tel: 03-90582102.

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Thank You! Acts Church Aenon Agrifert Malaysia Sdn Bhd Alpha Malaysia Alpha Omega International College Archipelago Insurance Limited Arrow Resource Center Asbury Theological Seminary Asia Pacific Consultation on Discipleship Bayu Beach Resort, Port Dickson Bethel Church AG Melaka Bookways Borneo Eco Tours Sdn Bhd Burning Bush Calvary Memorial Sdn Bhd Canaanland Bookstore Sdn Bhd Capernwray (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. Chosen Treasure Christian Education Network Christian Life Centre ChristianityMalaysia.com Cziplee Dommal Food Services Sdn Bhd Dr Chong Kwong-Tek & Goldie Chong English Edge Sdn Bhd Europcar Malaysia Evangelical Free Church of Malaysia Focus on the Family Fook Yee Casket & Funeral Services Further Advance Sdn Bhd Glad Sounds Bookstore GlucosCare International Pte Ltd Gospel Keyboard Music Studio Grand Saisaki Sdn Bhd His Sanctuary of Glory Kuala Lumpur Healing Rooms Ministries Holy Light Church (E) JB Hong Kong Gem Sdn bhd Kelab Pidato Perdana Khmer Homestay Kingdom Women Conference Kuala Lumpur Baptist Church L’Abri Music Academy

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Asian Beacon wishes to thank our generous advertisers, distributors and supporters of the past three years. The publication of this magazine would have been extremely difficult without your partnership. Listed below are the advertisers and bookstores that have supported Asian Beacon from 2011 to 2013.

Malaysia Bible Seminary Meditama Healthcare (M) Sdn Bhd Meditama Lifecare Sdn Bhd Messiah College Methodist College Kuala Lumpur MPH Distribution Sdn Bhd Mr and Mrs BH Tan My Lamb National Association of Christian Counsellors, Malaysia Nehemiah Reinforced Soil Sdn Bhd Network J International Nilai Academy Sdn Bhd Odmal Services Berhad OM Malaysia Oops Asia Sdn Bhd Outbac Broga Phillip Securities Pte Ltd Reapfield Properties Sdn Bhd Sabah Institute of Art Salvation Bookstore Scripture Union Skincode Demacare Wellness Centre Sonic Owl Sdn Bhd Specs Services Berhad Square Art St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Switched-on Resources Sdn Bhd Taman Midah Lutheran Church (Tadika Mighty Kidz) Tangs Department Store (Trading) Sdn Bhd Taska Luther Terus Maju Industrial Hardware Sdn Bhd The Oasis SIB The School of Acts Thumbprint Utd Sdn Bhd Tung Ling Seminary Tupperware Brands Maaysia Sdn Bhd Wesley Methodist Church Johor Bahru Wesley Methodist Church Kuala Lumpur Wesley Methodist School Whitworth University Wisdom Books Xiao En Group YMCA Ipoh

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C OV E R S TO R Y

From Divine Grace To Criminal Law

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vocational chapters as the Lord leads. In the early ’70s, I practised law. I returned to practice in the ’90s and retired in 2007.

When I was studying law, I was fascinated by the principles of criminal law. The idea that we are moral beings, having a sense of right and wrong yet often tempted or led to do the wrong, intrigued me. It confirmed my understanding of the theology of creation found in the first three chapters of Genesis – we are created in God’s image and are aware of what is good and right. Yet, at the same time, we are fallen creatures – sinful and depraved. My Christian perspective naturally led me to see the close link between law and morality and question to what extent morality can be legislated.

Two books at that time informed my understanding. On one side was Lord Devlin’s work, The Enforcement of Morals (1959), and on the other side was H.L.A. Hart’s The Concept of Law (1961). The famous Hart-Devlin Debate is precisely about the extent to which morality can be embodied in the law. And that debate continues today, especially on the issue of the criminalisation of homosexual acts.

As a student, I was also influenced

by Professor Tommy Koh’s humanitarian perspective in the Administration of Criminal Justice. At the same time, I was also influenced by the late David Marshall, the dean of criminal lawyers.

In 1973, New Nation interviewed us about our views on capital punishment.

Prof. Tommy Koh represented the

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academia; David Marshall, the senior members of the bar; and I, the junior members. Not surprisingly, I shared the same aversion to capital punishment. At that time many conservative Christians thought that I had become “liberal” in my theological orientation.

Purpose of punishment My interest in law and morality also led me to reflect on law and punishment. In this regard, I was profoundly influenced

by C.S. Lewis’ essay on The Humanitarian Theory of Punishment in God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics (1979). In it, Lewis critiques the humanitarian theory of punishment where to punish a person because he deserves it and as much as he deserves it is mere revenge and therefore immoral and barbarous. The only humanitarian justification for punishment according to this theory is for the purpose of deterrence or rehabilitation.

Lewis’ contention, which I subscribe to, is that desert (something that is deserved, especially a punishment) is the only link to justice. While we may properly ask whether a specific punishment is likely to deter or reform, these questions have nothing to do with justice. The only question linked to justice is whether the person punished deserves it.

My interest in criminal law and justice led me to contribute an essay on Criminal Law, Punishment and the Christian in Issues of Law and Justice in Singapore: Some Christian Reflections (2007). In it, I affirmed with Christian jurist Lord Denning on “the emphatic denunciation

by the community of a crime.”

Punishment is therefore a form of moral retribution. It is my view that the retributivist’s position, especially when the emphasis is on desert, is the most aligned with the biblical idea of a just God who created man in His own image (imago dei).

A just and righteous God requires wrongs to be righted, and a crime is essentially a wrong against a fellow human being that has to be righted. Criminal laws are human legislation governing human conduct requiring such wrongful conduct to be righted by some form of punishment.

Following Lewis, the convicted should be treated with respect and dignity as the bearer of God’s image, and therefore should be punished primarily for his own sake and not as a means to an end. Therefore deterrent and rehabilitation are not the primary reasons for punishment, whereas desert is.

Righting the wrong In my view, compensation is probably most in line with the notion that man in the image of God should take responsibility for his action. One way to take responsibility is to own the wrong by personally righting it. Restitution, in cases of robbery or other property offences, is a direct way of righting a wrong. Compensation may not be adequate to pay back what is taken because some of that, like a sense of safety and security, may never be fully restored.

But it is a physical and tangible way to taking ownership and paying something back. It is a way of giving the offender his self-respect back (part of His imago dei)

A just and righteous God requires wrongs to be righted, and a crime is essentially a wrong against a fellow human being that has to be righted. and in so doing, enabling him to restore to his victims their imago dei.

From the Christian perspective, to punish because the offender deserves to be punished is to respect him as a bearer of God’s image. Better still, if he is also required to make restitution for his wrongdoing, he will be taking personal responsibility for the consequences of his wrong and in so doing, he will be true to his personhood as one created in the image of God. Of course, as a Christian, I am very much committed to practising the ethos of Micah 6:8. The Old Testament prophet indicted the people of Israel for their sins declaring, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” In 2004, I spoke on “Acting Justly”, based on this text, at the Annual Dedication Service of the Lawyers Christian Fellowship during the opening of the legal year. I reminded them that, as

Christians who are also lawyers, we are called to uphold justice not only in the courts of law but also in the way we live our lives before the watching world.

Defending the accused I am often asked how it is just for a Christian to defend someone who is guilty of a crime.

The question belies a misunderstanding of the role of a criminal lawyer.

In the first place, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty. It is not for the defence counsel to act as a judge. That is the job of the courts. It is the job of the prosecutor to prove his crime to the court.

The defence lawyer, as David Marshall often told his students, is to fight for his client’s best interest, no matter how odious he is, because justice demands that he is given his day in court and gets the benefit of the best counsel available to speak on his behalf.

As a lawyer, I am an officer of the court and it is my job to take my client’s instruction to defend him to the best of

my ability. If he tells me that he did the criminal act, it will be my duty to advise him to plead guilty and my duty will be to mitigate for him.

Some believe that lawyers defend criminals at all cost, including lying to court. On the contrary, I am duty-bound as an officer of the court to assist the court in arriving at the truth. The challenge is to do your utmost for your client and for the court in my dual capacity as defence counsel and officer of the court at the same time.

To be a Christian lawyer is truly to “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Matt. 22:21).

Dr William Wan, a retired lawyer and pastor, is a pioneer member of the Asian Beacon Editorial Board (in the late 1960s). He is currently the General Secretary of the Singapore Kindness Movement and Chairman of Prison Fellowship Singapore. A grand-dad of three teenagers, he is an ambassador for active aging and is on the board of several non-profit organisations. He is a published author and speaks and preaches regularly.

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speak

Special Pages to Exercise Adolescent Kung-fu

Don’t Be A

By Veronica Wee In 2008, a remake of an old TV movie, Watashi wa kai ni naritai (I Want to be a Shellfish), was released. The movie is about an unassuming Japanese barber who is drafted into the army during World War II. During the war, he was ordered to kill an American prisoner of war. However, as the barber was too weak, the prisoner was only wounded.

After the war, the barber returns home, only to get arrested and tried as a war criminal.

During the trial, he is told that even if he were merely following orders and obeying his emperor, he has to make his own decision based on his morals and values. Eventually, he is sentenced to death and he reveals his frustration in a final letter to his family, “When I am reborn, I don’t want to be a human... I want to be a shellfish at the bottom of the ocean that doesn’t need to think.”

The barber in the movie is caught in a conflict between two countries and two vastly different ways of thinking – individual responsibility versus obedience to his superiors.

In the end, he refuses to choose either. He neither takes responsibility nor stands by his emperor. He just wants to be a shellfish which doesn’t need to think nor decide. This man is not alone.

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Shellfish Sitting on the fence A few days ago, I asked two Japanese friends what they thought of pachinko parlours (Japanese pinball gambling). One girl responded immediately with a loud “They’re awful! They should just disappear!”, but the other friend wasn’t so sure.

She carefully considered the question for a while, before answering, “Well... I guess it c

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depends.” Even after further questioning, she responded with little more than “hmm” or “maybe”.

Apathy is a huge problem my family faces with the Japanese. Their refusal to take a definite stand and defend their position on issues has often been frustrating. In an English conversation class, my parents asked the university students where they would like

to travel. These students were from one of the top universities in Japan. One student had absolutely no interest in ever leaving Japan. To him, deciding where to go was “mendokusai” (troublesome), even if the trip were completely free.

Another example – a veterinarian who attends our church to practise English.

When the topic of pre-marital sex came up, he said it was

One of many pachinko parlours across Japan.

Often, the stand we must take on these issues is not popular.

It would be so easy to just follow the crowd or refuse to talk about it. whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).

There is no sitting on the fence.

We, especially Christians, must choose our side.

The veterinarian then decided that when he’s out in society, he would agree with society’s view on pre-marital sex, but when he’s with the “Jesus-man” (my father), he would follow the Bible’s view on the matter. totally fine. Why? Because society said so. My father pointed out that according to the Bible, pre-marital sex (sexual immorality) was a sin.

The veterinarian then decided that when he’s out in society, he would agree with society’s view on pre-marital sex, but when he’s with the “Jesusman” (my father), he would follow the Bible’s view on the matter.

In a way, not taking a stand is good. It keeps the peace. If you don’t care or have any views on a topic, you won’t get into arguments over differences in opinion. Like the veterinarian who comes to our church or the barber from the movie, it is so much easier to just not take a stand. But is it the right thing to do?

Jesus said, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and

Courage to stand The Bible is pretty clear about most issues, especially with regard to controversial issues like abortion or homosexuality.

Often, the stand we must take on these issues is not popular.

It would be so easy to just follow the crowd or refuse to talk about it.

But you can’t run forever.

The author of Hebrews rebukes the believers, saying, “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:12-14).

We need to be able to know

which side to take on an issue, and then, we must stand up for our side.

It’s hard to pull ourselves away from the crowd to take a stand. It’s terrifying. That made this article particularly hard to write because taking a stand has, and still is, something I’m trying to figure out as well. Even now, I have no idea what to do. How bold can I be? Should I purposely bring up these issues to make my position clear, or should I just add in my opinion when asked?

What if I offend someone?

For now, I will just try to be like Jesus. I will try to be gentle as a dove, and wise as a serpent. To hate sin but love the sinner. To just keep praying for God to give me wisdom each day. I will take a stand for my faith and I invite you to join me.

Maybe being a shellfish would be nice. But we aren’t shellfish, we are children of God. If for nothing else, let’s stand for Him. Veronica Wee is a 15-year-old missionary kid (MK) serving with her family in Kyoto prefecture, Japan.

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WATCHFUL IN A WATCHING WORLD When we spend a lot of time watching, we tend to forge t to be watchful . What does it mean to be watchful?

I

love to watch movies that

have a delightful mix of drama, love, action and history such as Gladiator and The Last of the Mohicans.

Millions all over the world love to watch a ball being dribbled and kicked around in a stadium. Some are bird watchers while others watch the latest fashion trends.

We all like to watch sensational and exciting videos on YouTube. The latest images our friends share on Facebook captivate us. At times, we love to watch

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the world go by as we enjoy a cuppa with our friends.

It is not that these habits in themselves are wrong (1 Cor. 6:12). “What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?” wrote William Henry Davies. But don’t you think we spend too much time watching – much of which is trivia – in a highly spectator-oriented world?

But there is a different kind of ‘keeping

watch’. Jesus reminds us to be watchful on several occasions. We have to be prepared for Christ’s second coming: • “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36) • The parable of the ten virgins (Matt.

25:1-13) warns us to be numbered among the wise virgins who, ever watchful of the bridegroom’s return, had oil in their lamps.

WA T C H F UL IN A WA T C HING WORL D

•

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt.

26:41).

Watching doesn’t mean we just twiddle our thumbs as we gaze towards heaven. It implies a God-consciousness in our lives; not just doing our own thing.

The ones who were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage in the days of Noah before the flood had clearly excluded God in their lives. They were swept away when the great deluge came. And Jesus warns us not to have that same spirit of reckless abandon so that we won’t be caught off guard when He returns.

All these words have a similar connotation: be watchful; be alert; be vigilant; wake up. They remind us to be on our toes, spiritually-speaking.

Spiritual Blindness Tragedy strikes when we think we’re in tip-top shape spiritually when we’re actually not. Such was the case of the church in Sardis. The warning to this church was: “Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.”

(Rev. 3:2-3) Similarly, the church in Laodicea was warned: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.” (Rev. 3:15-17, 19) Don’t you think that being spiritually bankrupt, without realising it, is the ultimate tragedy?

Jesus warns of the danger of spiritual blindness and arrogance in the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee (Luke 18:10-14). The Pharisee was confident in his own righteousness and despised the tax collector who had humbled himself before God, asking for mercy.

Self- E x amination And that brings us to the topic of selfexamination. We need to watch out for sins such as pride, self-sufficiency, immorality as well as love of money, fame and power.

Unless we’re aware of our true spiritual state, we cannot change. “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine.

Test yourselves.” (2 Cor. 13:5a)

Don’t you think that being spiritually bankrupt, without realising it, is the ultimate tragedy?

As Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Are we watchful concerning what we view (Psalm 101:3) and think about (Philippians 4:8)? Have we examined the purity of our affections? “Above all else, guard your affections, for they influence everything else in your life.” (Proverbs 4:23) “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24) Here the psalmist asks God to examine him for anything offensive, knowing well the corruption of his own heart ( Jer. 17:9).

He asks God to scrutinise not only his outward conduct but innermost thoughts.

What are his motives and goals? What occupies the forefront of his thoughts and imagination? What is the focus of his affections?

Elsewhere in Psalm 19:12, he acknowledges his hidden faults and seeks forgiveness. When we come into God’s presence, the Holy Spirit convicts us as to where we have gone wrong. Often this comes about when a particular verse or passage speaks to us directly (2 Tim. 3:16).

be complete without alluding to the role of conscience, a God-given faculty that tells us whether our thoughts, feelings or actions are morally right or not. It has no executive powers; it does not cause a person to do the right thing or cease doing the wrong thing.

Yet conscience has a place in our lives for it triggers alarm bells when something is morally amiss. “If our hearts (conscience) do not condemn us, we have confidence before God” (1 John 3:21). If we reject the voice of our conscience, our faith will be shipwrecked (1 Tim. 1:19).

But conscience has to be continually sharpened by Scripture so that its standards remain consistently high. A clear conscience is reliable only if the heart is feeding on truth. “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” ( John 17:17) If we continually suppress the voice of conscience though it tells us we’re heading the wrong way, a seared conscience will result. It is then no longer effective as a moral plumb line.

Be Watchful and Vigil ant Like Ezekiel, we are called to be watchmen who warn others of danger and the need to repent (Ezek. 33:7-9). But, to be credible, we too need to be watchful as to how we live. Those who oversee the flock need to ask, “Have we loved and fed the sheep placed under our care?” (Ezek.

34:3-4) Satan accomplishes his purposes through false teaching and counterfeit signs and wonders. We need to be aware that deception is one of the favourite tools in his armamentarium. “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8).

As we begin a new year, may we discover afresh what it means to be watchful. “Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

(1Tim. 4:16) Dr Lim Poh Ann is a medical practitioner. He was the former editor of Asian Beacon magazine (December 2008 – October 2011). He can be reached at his blog, Porridge for the Soul.

The Role of Conscience No discussion on self-examination will a

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Reflections…

Facing Life’s Toughest Battle In February 2013, MEE-LOK TENG learned that he was suffering from stage 4 cancer, and the disease had spread. He was only 62 years of age. Conventional treatments had failed, so he travelled from his home in Melbourne for a last-ditch experimental treatment in Singapore. During these trying times, he penned his feelings, thoughts and hopes and relayed them to his family and close relatives. Following are excerpts from his writings.

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omeone

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recently that I looked 10 years older now with all the chemotherapy and radiation. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are likened to terrorist bombs, killing everyone within range, whether good or bad. This is in stark contrast to God’s grace: “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

(Matthew 5:45) But God’s salvation invitation is not forever, and time is running out. I am reminded of 2 Cor. 6:2, “For he says, “In the time of my favour I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.”

And again in Hebrews 4:7: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

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I am learning to have a deeper understanding of what it means by “our life is not our own, our life is in God’s hand”.

We are chosen for His purpose and by His will. We are the means by which the Lord Jesus is going to do His work on this earth. In Ephesians 1:11-12, it says “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.”

Our life on this earth can be likened to being tourists or temporary residents in a country; our desire is to go home to where we truly belong. As I waited in the departure lounge to return home to Melbourne, I am reminded of our final days on this earth.

As Paul said, “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 5:1-5) A be t ter future Despite knowing this, we seem to be more focused on this earthly life instead of the heavenly realm; we set our sights

R E FL E C T I ONS … F A C I NG L I F E ’ S TOUGH E ST B A TTL E

on temporal things rather than things that are eternal. I recall my grand plans for retirement – to travel, extend and renovate my house, turn my backyard into a selfsufficient vegetable garden and orchard, etc. Alas, all these are no longer important.

Why channel all your energy and time on things that will perish and fade? Why are our visions so near sighted?

Since events unfolded in February 2013, I can now say that I am coming to understand and appreciate what Apostle Paul said in Philipipians12: “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation”. I had read this passage many times in the past and thought I knew and appreciated Paul’s situations when I actually didn’t.

Humanly speaking, 2013 has been a locust year for me. It was a 180 degreeturn in my life. While 2012 ended on a high note with three wedding dinners in three different cities and a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime family reunion at Pangkor Laut Resort, 2013 began and ended with frequent visits to hospitals from Melbourne to Singapore. In the midst of all this, I finally called it a day as a chartered professional engineer and closed the chapter on my working life.

May 2014 be a new beginning for many of us – a new year of peace, joy, hope and thanksgiving. If 2013 is likened to how the Old Testament ended (some 400 years

of darkness with no words from God), may 2014 represent the last words of the New Testament: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” (Rev. 22:21) Or Isaiah 43:19: “See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Looking ahe ad God’s love and faithfulness are unfailing, even though we can neither see nor understand, and at times we may even question. But we see only the underside of the tapestry, while God looks from the front side. I am reminded of what God told Job, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!

Who stretched a measuring line across it?” ( Job 38:4-5) Therefore shouldn’t the name of the Lord be praised? Like Habakkuk said, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19) In this new year of 2014, may we too be like Paul, “forgetting what is behind

and straining toward what is ahead” (Phil.

3:13). Let’s look more to Christ and less to ourselves, place our hope not on things of this earth but things that are eternal, seek not happiness that lasts a moment but joy that is everlasting, to give, rather than receive (even though I have received much), and ask God to give us a renewed desire for a closer relationship with Him. I would like to end with a song: When It’s All Been Said And Done When it’s all been said and done There is just one thing that matters Did I do my best to live for truth?

Did I live my life for you?

When it’s all been said and done All my treasures will mean nothing Only what I have done For love’s rewards Will stand the test of time Lord, your mercy is so great That you look beyond our weakness That you found purest gold in miry clay Turning sinners into saints I will always sing your praise Here on earth and in heaven after For you’ve joined me at my true home When it’s all been said and done You’re my life when life is gone. a

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You and Your

Household

Will God’s promises really come true in the face of stubborn opposition?

M

y fat her was an

executive for a large multinational company, was on the prestigious board of trustees of a large, well known temple in Melaka, and a respected elder among the many worshippers there. He had received awards from the Governor of Melaka and even from the King in recognition of his contributions to school boards and the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA).

My parents were staunch, devout Taoists.

When I became a Christian at a youth camp, I repeatedly claimed the promise the Lord gave in Acts 16:31: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.” Coupled with this were assurances from Jer. 24:7: “I will give Oh Bah Chee and Chua Geok Bee (I substituted with the names of my dad and mum) a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” And 2 Cor. 10:5: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought of Oh Bah Chee and Chua Geok Bee to make it obedient to Christ.”

I had no idea how much my patience would be tested.

Resistance from all sides In December 1999, my father who was diabetic and due for a bypass, was diagnosed with liver cancer. He was 79 years of age.

Four years later, as the growth in his liver became bigger, he was admitted to

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Rosalind (left), her husband Michael, and their daughter.

B y R o sal i nd Oh L e o

hospital with severe back pain. He lost his appetite and had difficulty swallowing food even in liquid form. I urged my church to pray with me for his salvation.

Opposition abounded in my family, mainly from Mum who was very unhappy about me being a Christian and trying to share my faith with Dad. He said, “I want to believe but I don’t want to offend Mum. She has been a good mother and wife.” I assured him, “God understands. You just go ahead and make your peace with God and ask Him for strength to stand firm.” He

accepted Jesus when my pastor led him in prayer in the hospital.

After that he prayed a few times, always repeating after us. One day, he prayed aloud by himself for the first time.

That night, he went to heaven. We did not have a Christian funeral because of strong opposition from my mother and the rest of the family, but I had assured Dad that it did not matter what they did with his body as long as he was reconciled to God. One week after Dad’s death, Mum underwent a gastroscopy and was given the sad news that she had a cancerous growth in her stomach. That caused me to

You and Your Household

increase my efforts in prayer. Knowing her hostile attitude toward Dad’s conversion, I knew we had to demolish the stronghold of anti-Christian mindsets built up through the many years of following her family’s religious traditions.

Mom was a diabetic and her cancer caused blood loss so that she became very anaemic. The cancer caused fluid to collect in her lungs. She became breathless and could not swallow solid food. Even morphine could not relieve her pain.

My Aunt Alice talked to her and led her in the prayer of salvation. Mum told her that a doctor in her palliative ward had also suggested she call on Jesus. In this way, God sent different people to sow the seed of salvation.

However, when my pastor visited, Mum told her, “I want to remain a Buddhist. I pray to my Goddess of Mercy twice a month and she helps me. I don’t want to be a Christian.” When she reported the pastor’s visit to my brother he flared up, “You Christians are taking advantage of sick people!” Though terribly upset, I managed to keep my mouth shut.

Our prayers for Mum intensified. The brethren in my church waged spiritual warfare to demolish the strongholds surrounding her. One night, I heard Mum pleading agitatedly to her deities, “Go away, don’t disturb me!” She asked me, “What are you doing? Are you praying for me?” I told her that I was. Unlike before, she did not resist. Unprepared and inexperienced, I could only pray to calm her.

By the next morning, she was very quiet, tired and did not say much. At 3am the following day, my husband, Michael, and I prayed for her and shared verses of assurance with her. We told her, “Don’t worry about where you’ll be buried and what they’ll do with your body. Dad has gone to be with Jesus and will be waiting for you. We will all meet again in Heaven one day.” She did not resist.

By 5am, she experienced difficulty breathing and went into a coma. I summoned all the family members.

Hearing how people prayed for those on their deathbed even when they were in a coma taught me that hearing is the last faculty to go. So I told Mum the story of the thief on the cross; how at the last moment of his life, Jesus received him when he cried out to Him. Michael and I continued to speak assurance into her ears:

The only time Rosalind’s parents went to church was at Rosalind’s wedding.

I see now that Mum wanted to believe in Jesus, but because of fear, she dared not admit it publicly.

“Do not fear men. Don’t worry about my brother. We will be reconciled. Everything will be all right.”

I was desperate to know if Mum was truly saved so I asked the Lord for a sign.

At 8pm that same night, Mum suddenly gripped my hand tightly, pulled off her oxygen mask and tried to speak. Even though no words came, I believed this was the confirmation I had asked for. Half an hour later she passed away peacefully, fulfilling her wish that she be surrounded by her children, their spouses and her loved ones. She was 81.

Reconciled The next morning, I told my pastor that I needed confirmation about Mum’s salvation. God gave me more than I requested. During her family devotion time a few days earlier, my aunt saw Mum

on her back, her hands reaching up to Jesus’ hands. Another sign was given when my uncle was in a prayer meeting. He saw a vision of Mum smiling, surrounded by angels. A third confirmation came when another aunt who was not at the hospital kept praying, “Lord, receive her soul” at the exact moment Mum breathed her last.

I see now that Mum wanted to believe in Jesus but because of the fear of men, she dared not admit it publicly. God, who knew her spirit was willing even though her flesh was weak, mercifully received her.

Not only was Mum reconciled with her Creator, my brother was also reconciled with me. On the day of the funeral he called me to Mum’s coffin, hugged me and apologised. I assured him, “You are my brother and I love you very much.

I’ve already forgiven you.” I added, “I told Mum that we will be reconciled. She will be very happy to know we are.” Our family has promised to meet at least two to three times a year even though our parents are no longer here. I am assured that God’s promise that the whole Oh clan will come to know the Lord will come to pass one day.

Epilogue Since then, two of Rosalind’s brothers and a sister-in-law accepted Jesus Christ and were baptized.

Rosalind Oh Leo was a London-trained secretary who held various administrative posts in the marketplace and church organisations. She is now retired.

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A CHRISTIAN’S CONFESSION: I SUFFER FROM DEPRESSION Part 2 In Part 1 of this story, we learn that Janey (not her real name) has had depression and panic attacks since she was 11 years of age. Now in her 30s, she has learned to manage her condition better, thanks to her faith in God and acceptance of herself. In this final part of her story, she shares how her difficult experiences honed her character B y M o k S h i - L ynn and sharpened her faith.

“H

ealing is an

ongoing process,” Janey says. “My depression is not gone. It’s still my temperament: I’m anxious and prone to stress and worry. But I’ve come to realise that acceptance is very important. I used to blame myself and tell myself ‘you should’ or ‘you shouldn’t’, or compare myself with others and wonder why I couldn’t be like them. But when I accept it, I’m acknowledging that this is me.

“I read a book in which the author asked, ‘Who are you to belittle yourself – someone whom God loves so much?

Who are you to say that you’re not good enough when God provided so much for you?’ That’s when I truly saw God’s love.

So I accepted all my flaws and weaknesses – that I am a worrier, anxious, panicky, fearful, depressed – and I thought, ok, now I’ll deal with it.”

Naturally, Janey used to pray for God to get rid of her condition. However, with self-discovery, knowledge and acceptance, she has arrived at a remarkable conclusion that speaks of confidence and faith in God. “Asking God to get rid of the problem is the

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easy way out. If God makes my problems simply disappear without me working through them and dealing with them, then what will I have learned? As I work through my depression, I realise that it has made me stronger. God will get rid of my depression when He sees fit, and I am ok with that.”

Drawing strength and reassurance

from God, Janey has a perspective on faith and suffering that has been refined by her personal experiences. “Whatever happens, there’s a reason for it. I might hate what I’m going through, but God has a better purpose.

At the end of the day, our moods, emotions or circumstances should not dictate our faith. A mature Christian does not base his faith on his feelings. After all, we know that our God has already conquered death, defeated Satan and won the victory. Real joy and hope is readily available to us, and these are not based on external factors.

“Strong, experienced Christians are not happy-go-lucky all the time. They have their bad moments too. But how do they handle it and still feel joy? It’s because they know who God is, where God stands and where they stand with God. This is their assurance and security. And for me, this is the difference between having God and not knowing Him. When I battle depression and panic attacks, I know I have one true God who cares for me and I am in safe hands.”

How to support people with mental conditions 1. Don’t be judgmental. “Get to know the person. Some people earn good salaries, have great friends, a loving family and a generally rosy life, yet suffer depression. Most people will say, ‘That’s so silly. You have everything. Are you not content with life? You probably brought it on yourself.’ That is really demeaning. Understand that a ‘normal person’, such as myself with a close-knit, happy family, friends and a regular job, can have depression. I didn’t ask for it.

And please don’t say that Christians should not have depression.”

2. Listen without giving advice.“People always think they need to say something when it’s really more important to just listen. And as Christians, we somehow think that if we put God into our advice, then everything will be fine. They tend to say ‘God knows what you’re going through’ or ‘your depression will be lifted because God is good!’ It doesn’t work that way and I really don’t need to hear that. I just need you to sit down, listen to what I have to say, allow me to pour out my feelings, cry with me, then pat me on the back and say, ‘Things might not get better, but I am here for you. Whenever you need help, just call me.’ I just need the assurance that you are available, you care and I can count on you.”

Dear Goldie

Dear Goldie, I’m a doctor in my 50s. Of late, God has been impressing on me to serve Him more. I’m not sure whether I should go to Bible School, become a fulltime pastor, continue to practise medicine and take up more responsibilities in the church, or what? How much should my circumstances, e.g. finances and family, affect my decision?

Contemplating

Is it Time to Go Full-Time?

Dear Contemplating, It’s wonderful you’re obedient in responding to God’s call to serve Him more. I will share some principles gleaned from our own experience on how to be sure of your decision.

1 | Your calling What is your gifting? Is He calling you to be a pastor, an evangelist, a teacher, an administrator, give hospitality, provide help…? (See the gifts listed in Eph. 4:11, 1 Cor.12:4-11, Rom. 12:6-8.) How effective are you? Are your giftings recognised by others? A friend of ours gave up medicine to be an itinerant evangelist after his call was confirmed through leading 80 people to salvation in that one year he was praying about going fulltime. He also knew he was a teacher when he received many invitations to teach in China.

2 | Inside or outside church wall s Some people think that God loves fulltime church workers more than marketplace workers. All can serve God in whatever job they do and all work is equally important to God. We once advised a successful real estate agent who wanted to join our church as a pastor to remain in his job of selling houses to new migrants. Being hospitable and caring, he went out of his way to help them settle in, became their friend and was able to bring them to church. We pointed out to him that he could reach more nonbelievers in his work than in the church.

He took our advice and continues to this day to reach out to those who would never think of going to church. So his service to God is evangelism using his gift of helping and meeting needs to connect people with God. So ask yourself: will I be more effective inside the church or outside. You can serve God in your field of profession and be the salt and light there.

3 | Full time or part-time Tek was co-pastoring a church while working as a government doctor. A time came when he felt uneasy that the office telephone receptionist was passing on calls, not from patients, but from church members. He felt it was not fair for him to take the government’s salary while spending so much time working for the church. So he resigned to serve fulltime in the church. You may want to remain bivocational and transit gradually.

4 | Sal aried or voluntary Tek told the real estate agent, “Not only are you are more effective in the business world than in the church, the church will have to pay you if you become a pastor.

But if you are a businessman, you will pay tithes to the church.” On resigning from doctoring, Tek told the church that we had savings and would not need a salary as yet.

That was 20 years ago and till today, we’ve not received a salary from anyone except God who is the best employer and whose salary package included abundant finances (investments, unsolicited love gifts from

relatives and friends), robust health, family harmony, ministries in different countries, etc. Truly God is no man’s debtor.

5 | Confirmation Discuss your decision with your spouse and children. You need their support. You should also have confirmation from your Christian brethren and church leaders.

Find out if your church requires Bible School qualifications. You will be assured of hearing clearly from God when you see evidence of people attracted to God through your ministry. God will also give you unmistakably clear supernatural signs of confirmation, so ask Him for them.

Your service starts now, not when you go fulltime. As you strengthen your stakes in what you are already doing, God will extend your tent. As you are faithful in little so He will add more and bigger assignments. Remember, “Bloom where you are planted”.

Goldie Do you have an issue you need advice on?

Write to Asian Beacon’s Goldie Chong at aboffice@asianbeacon.org for her godly counsel.

Selected questions may be featured in this column. If you leave an email address, you will have your question answered, whether it’s published or not.

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m o ney ma t t ers

FIVE CRIMES

CHRISTIANS SHOULD

AVOID

by R ajen D e v adas o n

A

of the lack of official initiative to act on the information she provided.

Many reading this have either experienced such crimes or know those who have. As I write this, I am also reminded of what happened to the late mother of the pastor of a church situated across the road from my home. Several years ago during the Chinese New Year public holidays, the pastor’s mother was slashed to death by snatch thieves. She had been dropped off by her husband at the side of the road as he drove forward a short distance to park the car. He had wanted to save her the walk from the car. The barbarism of those vile thieves-turned-murderers still makes me sick to my stomach. friend The rage within the hearts recently joined of Christians and noncountless Malaysian victims of snatch thieves.

Christians alike at the It happened in Seremban near a bank. She was rampant evil on attacked in daylight and shoved to the ground. The our streets is force of her fall cracked five teeth and tore her lower lip. intensifying.

Soon after that, a Good Samaritan found her handbag However, and scattered business cards. My injured friend then took the while trouble to follow up on her police report and suggested to them which CCTV cameras might have picked up the robbery.

When she recounted the ordeal, she was livid because of her perception

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F I V E C RI M E S C HRIS T IANS SHOUL D A V OI D

Ultimate security lies only in Jesus Christ, and that isn’t merely a Christian platitude but an eternal truth! righteous indignation has its place amidst worsening crime rates that fly in the face of laughably doctored statistics that crime rates are falling, I want to radically shift focus to personal crimes Christians are guilty of harbouring and nurturing in our hearts.

Consider these offences: 1. Looking to our money for security 2. Looking to our profession for our identity 3. Looking to our leaders for promotion and favour 4. Robbing God of our tithe 5. Discontentment I am not simply pointing an accusatory finger at you; I have been guilty of all five crimes!

Looking to our money for security Anyone who says money isn’t important is either deluded or lying.

Money is important. Just ask a single mother who has to decide between buying higher quality milk powder for her toddler or a pair of work shoes to replace her current one with holes but no discernible soles; or the ageing retiree of modest means who has to choose between paying for his own knee replacement or for his grey-haired wife’s melanoma removal; or the outwardly successful businessman who inwardly contemplates suicide because he is suffocating under a mountain of debt.

We all need some money to function in this world. But ultimate security lies only in Jesus Christ, and that isn’t merely a Christian platitude but an eternal truth!

All the money in the world cannot insulate us from all the problems in the world. So we mustn’t look to our bank balance or investment portfolio for ultimate protection. We should instead rely on Jesus for… everything always, while acting on wisdom from His Word.

Looking to our profession for our identity I think more men than women are guilty of this crime.

Speaking personally, a large part of my self-worth and internal identity is fused to

my profession as a financial planner. And right up to his death on April 4, 2008, my father was a lawyer to his core. Are you guilty of equating your personal identity with what you do for a living?

I sometimes wonder if there are pastors who fall into this same trap, looking to their job title within a church or ministry for their personal identity.

Whether we function economically within the secular sphere or the religious realm, our core identity should be – yes, once again – centred on Jesus and hinged upon our recollection of how He lifted us from the miry clay. Paul’s words in 1Timothy 1:15 remind us of the attitude God deems appropriate: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst.”

Vocationally, Paul was a tentmaker.

He used his work skills to earn a living that allowed him to focus on the bigger mission of ensuring that in and through his life, Christ increased and he decreased.

Looking to our leaders for promotion and favour Regardless of which country in Asia – or outside it – you reside, it is likely your newspapers and portals are filled with the shortcomings of elected officials or, worse yet, unelected despots. While Christians aren’t called to be hermits who ignore the realities of living in a (hopefully) civil society, we should remember that on this side of eternity, political leaders are more apt to disappoint than inspire us.

Psalm 75:7 says, “It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.” In other words, God chooses to promote us or to humble us. A close examination of the life of Joseph shows the best we can do is to work diligently and trust God to raise us up in His time.

Focus on verses 9 and 10: “You are under a curse – your whole nation – because you are robbing me. 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.”

God honours His Word.

I urge you to bring your full tithe (10% off the top of any income) into God’s storehouse (the local church where you receive your primary spiritual sustenance) to meet its internal and external funding needs.

Discontentment It is difficult to strike a healthy balance between ‘honouring God by turning our backs on laziness by working hard and smart to better our circumstances’ and ‘living happily and contentedly’. So I won’t try to give you a framework for doing so in case I cause you to veer too much to one direction. Instead, I will end with two familiar Scripture references for you to work through concerning the crucial issue of balancing diligence and contentment: Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters…”

1Timothy 6:6, 10-11, “But godliness with contentment is great gain… For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” © 2014 Rajen Devadason

Robbing God of our tithe To the best of my knowledge the only time God says it is OK to test Him is in Malachi 3, the most pertinent portion of Scripture concerning the ancient practice of tithing. I suggest you read its still relevant words slowly, repeatedly, prayerfully.

Rajen Devadason, CFP, is a Securities Commissionlicensed financial planner, professional speaker and author. Read his free articles at www.FreeCoolArticles. com; he may be contacted at rajen@RajenDevadason.com.

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MAKING SENSE OF SCRIPTURES

DO WE HAVE A

CHOICE? B y P r o jec t B arnabas

French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre said, “Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.”

In Romans 8, Paul proclaims Christian liberty in a world of sin.

Christians are not obliged to live a life of the flesh (v12) but are free to live a life of the Spirit (v9). Yet, all of creation groans with the imperfection of nature (v22) until its anticipated renewal. Then, Paul further compares nature with no choice (v20) to Christians with the freedom to choose to live beyond the conditioning of our circumstances. What exactly did Paul mean by that and how can we apply this to our lives today?

T

he church in Rome was a mix

of Jews and Gentile Christians who sometimes disagreed about what made a person acceptable to God and how the followers of Christ should live. With this in mind, Paul wrote a letter which encompassed most aspects of Christian living, ranging from theology to practical application.

The apostle showed that the Law was incapable of producing sanctification or peace of mind but teaches that it was faith which made a person acceptable to God. This did not mean the Law was useless or that the people who followed it were no longer part of God’s people. Paul wanted to stress that only faith in Christ and the gift of the Spirit, rather than the Law, can cope with human sinfulness.

To the cultural Jews, Paul was trying to explain that the gospel of Christ effected what the Law was incapable of doing in giving life (Christ came to fulfill the requirements of the Law!) and delivering from condemnation (8:1-13). The Law emphasised the soul’s captivity to sin.

Christ’s sacrifice changed that and they now had a choice of living according to the sinful nature or according to the Spirit (8:4). Whatever they chose would have consequences of either death or life (8:13).

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We are sl aves Basically, we get to choose whom we want to control us (8:6-8), whether to be a slave to sin or slave to righteousness. And that’s about as much freedom as we’re ever going to get in this life. But according to Paul, that’s not bad because it also means we get to taste what it is to live beyond the conditioning of our circumstances that is a life NOT under the control of the law of sin and death.

Nature (either Jews who still live by the Law, or unbelievers who have God’s law written in their hearts) does not know the work of Christ and does not know there is an option to choose from. No matter how hard he tries, he will still fail and feel condemned by the Law. The condition of all creation is one of bondage and servitude – associated with imperfection, pain, sorrow, and death.

It is just the way things are and we should not be surprised, therefore, if it is

the condition of us Christians as well (8:2223). But Christians have hope. Practical reality shows us that the Christian is not immediately delivered from this but it is a working through which takes a lifetime of willful doggedness and daily dying to self through the renewal of our mind (12:2).

No excuse Christians have no excuse to say “I can’t help it” because they have the availability of the Spirit who helps them in their weakness by interceding for them according to God’s will (8:26−27). Christian liberty comes from the knowledge and acceptance of the work of Christ on the cross, that is, Christ fulfilling the requirements of the Law. A Christian who lives by the Spirit chooses not to fulfill the desires of the flesh because he knows that it leads to life, versus living by the flesh that leads to death. The knowledge of this and the power to choose is the liberty that Christians have.

According to Paul, the Spirit dwells in us and His indwelling is designed to help us live as sons and heirs of God and coheirs with Christ (8:17). We can therefore choose not to indulge in the desires of the flesh’s corrupt propensities and passions.

Although the believer has present sufferings (8:18), he can experience joy and peace that transcends all understanding AND he has hope of complete deliverance from sin and death also known as the anticipated renewal. The Law no longer has power over a Christian who accepts the grace of Christ.

Project Barnabas is a global online programme to study every book of the Bible in the context of its genres, intended messages and applications for our lives today. It is divided into two 20-week semesters a year and is suitable for individual quiet time or cell group studies. For more information, go to http:// www.actministry.org/project-barnabas/

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