2010 Reflections #dumc

Pastor Dr. Daniel Ho, Boxing Day

HOLY – humility, obedience, love and yield. Pastor Moy How’s life motto.

“Life is lived forward but can only be understood backward.” ~Søren Kierkegaard.

In life we always live forward. Some people live in anger and bitterness because of the past. These people are living the past, not in the present and certainly no in the future. They are bound and useless for God.

2010 has been a good year for the Dream Centre and it can be even better in 2011 because of God. We as God’s people will end up willing. That’s what the book of Revelation is all about. We may not understand the book. It can be summarized in two words – we win.

We need to look back to learn lessons of our lives. What was God saying to us? What did we learn from it? How are we growing and improving on it? It is not enough to receive good teaching but also what are we doing about it. There are people full of knowledge and yet they are not doing anything about the knowledge.
Henri Nouwen wrote that a life not reflected upon is not worth living. People who claim to feel bored are people who don’t know how to live their lives.

Always bring a writing instruments. Sometimes something significant happens in our lives. Jot that down so we can read it later and reflect whether we have become better since then, e.g. more patient, wiser, etc.

Psa 84:1-12  To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!  (2)  My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.  (3)  Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.  (4)  Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah  (5)  Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.  (6)  As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.  (7)  They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.  (8)  O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah  (9)  Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!  (10)  For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.  (11)  For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.  (12)  O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Reflection #1

2010 started with a bang! The authority banned the use of certain words. Seven churches were torched. This became the 2nd top news with BBC.
Sermon topic on 16/17 Jan – “Called for such a time as this”

• How did you respond?
• What was changed in your life?

I was indignant. I got text and email messages. Some felt the situation were becoming too intense. I didn’t believe they would get away with it. How can our country be the only one in the world to impose such a ban? It was a blatant violation of the Constitution. We also had 2 reporters carrying out covert operations against a church.

I realized the world will only get more and more unfriendly. Our brothers from the East Malaysia initiated a lawsuit. One year later, the issue is still not resolved.

Reflection #2

The Ten Commandments Preaching Series

Pastor Daniel said God allowed him to preached on the 10 Commandments only this year. If he had done it earlier, it would just be teaching of personal ethics. But he realized it is not just a guideline for personal living but also God’s blueprint for a community.

1. Commandment #1: No other gods (Ex 20:3) Genuine worship of the true living God will give us true fulfillment in life.
2. Commandment #2: No graven image (Ex 20:4) When we are concerned about status and image, we are bound by idols. Graven image is not just those we make with our hands – it includes anything we create in our lives like career, money, etc.
3. Commandment #3: Not misusing God’s name (Ex 20:7) This is meant for the while community, not just Christians. You don’t have to be Christians to have the fear of God. This will create a great society.
4. Commandment #4: Keeping the Sabbath rest (Ex 20:8) God has who made us knows that our body needs rest. It applied across the board whether Christians or non-Christians.
5. Commandment #5: Honour your father and mother (Ex 20:12) Respect, uphold and value our parents. It is important for us to love and care our parents, grandparents and elder people.
6. Commandment #6: No taking life (Ex 20:13) Every life has to be treated with respect and value.
7. Commandment #7: No adultery (Ex 20:14) It rips the most intimate of relationship and this can collapse the society.
8. Commandment #8: No stealing (Ex 29:15)  Nobody will take anything that is not theirs. That’s a great society.
9. Commandment #9: No bearing false testimony (Ex 20:16) Our word is our bond.
10. Commandment #10: No coveting (Ex 20:17) Be contented in life. Unfortunately, we buy things we don’t need to impress others.

• Which commandment has the most impact in your life? Why?
• What did you do about it and the results you have seen?

I thought hard about commandment #6. They have taken care of me and my siblings – all 8 of us - very well. I don’t think I am doing enough. I make a conscience effort to spend more time with them.

Reflection #3

Prayer Conference, Prayer & Revival Series

Prayer is critically important for every Christian.

• What did you learn?
• How has it enriched you?
• What has changed in your life? Why?

Even though I am praying almost constantly, I feel that I am not deliberate enough. I certainly am not spending enough time to wait and listen.

Questions for reflection at home

In line with out church theme “The leap forward: Transformation of society”, how has your life been transformed this year? How have you been involved in transforming your environment and the people around you. Do journal it and share.