#Day 72: 12 March 2016

THE JOURNEY

It took approximately 5 hours to reach Terengganu from Puchong. That's the journey that my family and I were experiencing. Heading to Kuala Terengganu attending one of my colleague wedding.

Before we set off, I was worried that it will be tiring. The 5 hours distance may seems like a long drive. The thought of how painful my back will feel after 5 hours drive, how sore my butt will be sitting for 5 hours and how difficult it will be to go through the distance with two young kids!

Those thought came in strong, heavy, with a lightning speed. It sucks all the positive spirit out of your brain.

But the funny part is, sometimes, or most of the times, those thoughts are not true. Most of the time, it is not as bad as we think!

We arrived safely (Praise to God), no backpain, no sore bump, the kids are awesome and we had a lot of fun together.

Sometimes we worry so much and we tend to forget about what matters the most. We forgot about the Journey.

Challenges and problems will always accompany us in live. The only time challenge and problem stops, is when we are no longer living.

So let us stop worrying about them and start enjoying our journey. The view, the fun, the ups and downs, the journey.

Those are the key ingridient that makes us stronger, making us ready for the next problem and challenge, making us grow.

I believe that God knows the journey that we need to take so we can be stronger. Let us walk through the journey with Him.

Another day full of blessing. Oh ya, the wedding is very nice.

1 Peter 1:18-21The Message (MSG) - Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It’s because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #thejourney

#Day 71: 11 March 2016

THE STRONG FOUNDATION

Haggai 1:2-4 MSG -  A Message from God -of-the-Angel-Armies: “The people procrastinate. They say this isn’t the right time to rebuild my Temple, the Temple of God .”

God's message through Haggai is still  echoing in my mind. The temple of God need to be rebuild. Do not procrastinate, do it right away.

The temple of God, which is our body, which is ourselves. This is the time, this is the year, the year of uplifting, the year for us to rebuild ourselves, our faith, our service to God.

I am motivated by this message. This is the year where I want to be uplift, in family life, at work, in my service to God and others.

And God continue to remind me, 1 Corinthians 3:11 - For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ

Rebuild! In Jesus Christ. Uplift, with the strong foundation, Jesus Christ.

God continue to uplift everything surrounds me, my work, my church and people that I care about.

This is the time, do not procrastinate, let us rebuild the temple of God.

Another day full of blessing

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #strongfoundation

#Day 70: 10 March 2016

THINK IT OVER

Today I will just share the message from God delivered by prophet Haggai to Governor of Judah. Which I feel also as a message for me, and for all of us.

Haggai 1:2-4 MSG -  A Message from God -of-the-Angel-Armies: “The people procrastinate. They say this isn’t the right time to rebuild my Temple, the Temple of God .”

Shortly after that, God said more and Haggai spoke it: “How is it that it’s the ‘right time’ for you to live in your fine new homes while the Home, God ’s Temple, is in ruins?”

They say this isn't the right time to do something for God, not the right time to serve God, to serve others.

Hear again the reminder from God in Haggai 1:5-7 MSG

“Take a good, hard look at your life. Think it over. You have spent a lot of money, but you haven’t much to show for it. You keep filling your plates, but you never get filled up. You keep drinking and drinking and drinking, but you’re always thirsty. You put on layer after layer of clothes, but you can’t get warm. And the people who work for you, what are they getting out of it? Not much— a leaky, rusted-out bucket, that’s what.

That’s why God -of-the-Angel-Armies said: “Take a good, hard look at your life. Think it over.”

So true, a lot of time we are so worried about our earthly desire, we worried about our work, our financial, our children, our fashion, our looks, our bags, and even our shoes.

Sometimes we use our earthly needs and desire to delay the work that God puts in our heart.

Think it over!

Thank you God for the reminder. Another day full of blessing

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #thinkitover

#Day 69:  09 March 2016

BEING TOO BUSY

"Find me more time", 
"24 hours is not enough"
"I need it faster"

In this supersonic modern era that we are living in, above sentences have become a regular complains that we are hearing.

Using time as their excuses, everyone wants everything fast, fast internet bandwith, fast service at restaurant, fast internet banking, even the super speed expectation in reducing weight and maintaining health. Everyone expect an increase ability to deliver in supersonic speed. Any deviation from it means failure.

Without realizing it, we find ourselves hurried much more than ever. Without realizing it, we become like robots! Moving from one task to the other. We are overworked, overstressed, and spiritually stuck.

The world culture promotes “the faster the better” and the environment we created challenges us to keep up. Gosh!!

What would Jesus do?

Luke 5:16 mentioned "But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer"

Even on important day when He is about to choose His disciples:  One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night - Luke 6:12

Jesus know his priority and manage his time wisely. He leads by example. He also teach Martha when he stops at their house.

Luke 10:38-42 - Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.

Most of the time we are like Martha. Busy with our work, our hobbies, our friends, trying to be faster and faster. We rush around doing “what needs to be done,” and forgot to see glimpses of Jesus all around us. We often we forget that we need to be Mary, we need to choose the good portion.

Choosing requires action. It requires a clear intentional act. We need to act! We need to make decision of not being too busy!! And choose the good portion. Silent the phone, the work can wait, so does the social media.

Let us make the effort to sit at His feet and enjoy His companion rather than miss Him like Martha did because she was being too busy.

Another day full of blessing

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #beingtoobusy

#Day 68: 08 March 2016

THE GREAT DELIVERER

From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people - Psalm 3:8

Our God is the great deliverer!

I visited Andri and family today. He is in much better shape comparing to few days ago when I saw him laying helpless at the emergency room.

We speak, we chat and we pray. I am glad to see the great improvement, our God indeed a great deliverer, and i believe He will again show His greatness by delivering a success operation tomorrow for Andri.

In today's world, sometimes we forgot that our God is the great deliverer!

The problem that we have now days is we focus a lot on the details of the problems, instead of focusing on the deliverer, the source of solution.

Let us remind ourselves tonight that our God is The Great Deliverer! Whether it was delivering the Israelites through the Red Sea from Pharaoh's army ages ago, or it is rescuing a sinner from sin and death through Christ today, our God is The Great Deliverer!

Psalm 34:4 - I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears

Another day full of blessing.

Oh ya, thanks to Ricky, Franklin, Cris, Chintia and Sandy, today we start our journey in uplifting our FGCC Care tools. With the great deliverer on our site, I pray we can give our best and uplift the tool for our sustainable usage.

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #Godofdeliverance

#Day 67: 07 March 2016

THINKING STRAIGHT

Let me start with praising the Lord in His highest place, Andri's condition is progressing nicely and he is resting at Sunway Medical Center now.

There is an interesting situation at my housing security guards tonight. Because of unability to think straight, one of the resident reported the guards (which apparently accused to be illegal foreigners who trying the luck in Malaysia) to the police.

The person made the report because of his unsatisfaction to the resident committee in managing the overall areas. It is because of anger and personal fued with the new committee member (he was part of former committee)

Because of this, the whole residency is now without security guards. Because of his anger and bitterness, he made a silly decision which not only impacting himself but others.

Ephesians 4:31-32 reminds us to Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

If only he knows this verse, he might be able to calm himself and think straight.

Thinking straight also means "to think clearly", it also means "to use your mind effectively"

I guess that is why Ephesians 4:26-27 NLT strongly reminded us: And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

To let us alert that bitterness and anger are causing us not to think straight, making us not able to think effectively, making us unproductive, making us unable to uplift ourselves, our talents, our service. Anger making us down.

Philippians 4:8 -- Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Are you thinking straight? Remember: Fellowship, Relevant and Humility

Oh btw, the committee have managed to get a backup guard for the night. Hope we can solve the problem soonest.

Another day full of blessing.

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #thinkingstraight

#Day 66: 06 March 2016

WATCHING OVER ME

I am a bit agitated and anxious today. It feels everything seems not at their right places and a lot of things seems not supposed to happened as they are today.

Not to focus on the details, in short, I realized that my heart is full of anxiety on what happened surrounding me today. And it took me a while during my devotion to realized it.

It is indeed quite disturbing and annoying when things seems not going your way; when you seems to be ignored; when it seems you are unable to give any added value.

I also realized there are too many "Me" inside the sentence above.

While the feeling increasingly disturbed my day, then we heard about the worrying news about Andri (Ci Linda's son) being attacked by unresponsible people and need to be hospitalized.

Rushing to hospital, I saw a lot of FGCC members giving their best to be there for ci Linda (She is still there as I wrote this devotion - let us continue to pray for Andri and their family)

What a day! Glory to God in highest place. His love endures forever.

As I start my devotion tonight, God guided me to read Psalms 121 and it really soothen my heart tonight.

I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord , who made heaven and earth!

He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.

The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.

The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever - Psalms 121:1-8 NLT

I was told to obey. I was told that it is not my way but His way. And I have to obey. Answering my anxiety He told me He watches over me, He never sleeps and He keeps me away from all harm.

I want to surrender my all to Him. I want to follow and continue to give my best to serve Him. I will give my best to FGCC, the place He have put me and my family.

Lord, guide me and teach me to obey and humble myself. Not by might, not by power but by the Spirit of God.

(And I continue to pray for Andri and Ci Linda and their family. May the blood of Jesus covers Andri and Ci Linda and their family members. He will takes care of Andri and wash away all the pain and heal him)

Another day full of blessing...

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #watchesoverme

#Day 65: 05 March 2016

FRESHTOPIA

It was a family night and I am glad that we finally made it for the movie, for Zootopia.It was fun, full of laughter (who doesn't when the meet Flash the sloth!), and at the same time, full of positive values of life.

The story that can be easily a reflection of our life.

About a dream in making a better place, about fighting the odds in making a different, about labelling the people surrounding, judging people by appearance, about believe and hope where all of us can live in a peaceful way and be whoever we want to be.

We call it an Utopia, Disney named it Zootopia, I call it Freshtopia.

FRESHTOPIA is a place in which everyone within the society are so naturally filled with fellowship spirit, speaks about what relevant to their needs, excellence in everything they do, having simplicity as their mindset and humility as their guiding principle that creates a complete contentment (Kwang's New Dictionary)

Many of us have been blessed by the existence of FGCC. I also believe many of us put their hopes and love into FGCC where each individual living in this community really apply and live its value of F.R.E.S.H.

All we need to do is to really plant these valus into our, everything! Our service, our practice, our day to day life. Only by doing it, only by taking the step forward then we can really draw near to what we dream of.

Like Judy Hopps said: Life's a little bit messy. We all make mistakes. No matter what type of animal you are, change starts with you.

It starts with ourselves, let's create our own FRESHTOPIA

It is another day full of blessing. How F.R.E.S.H are you?

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #freshtopia

#Day 64: 04 March 2016

FUTURE GLORY

It was a very uplifting cell group meeting tonight. A great atmosphere during worship and a magnificent energy on sharing God's love as well as each individual uplifting experiences.

Each individual is very focus and full of energy in supporting the uplifting project for FGCC new home. From waiting for one agreement in promise of faith, till the sharing about support provided by those that have made their promise of faith. Our journey reaching 103 seats today.

It is indeed an uplifting year for all of us in FGCC. We strive to reach the next level of F.R.E.S.H.

Before the closing prayer, there's one thing that excites me; it is the verse that was given by one of our sister to Ko ed, it is from Isaiah 60:5 which said 

"Your eyes will shine, and your heart will thrill with joy, for merchants from around the world will come to you. They will bring you the wealth of many lands"

Wow! It is like an affirmation of all the sharing tonight.

That nothing is impossible with God. That everything will be added unto us when we first seek His kingdom. That He promised we will do even bigger thing that what Jesus have done.

As long as we enlarge, stretch, lengthen and strengthen our life, our spiritual life; and God is good, he will make our eyes shine, our heart thrill with joy, for merchants from around the world will come to us and they will bring you the wealth of many lands, for our new home! Our new FGCC home.

What more that I need to walk through this journey. That message (for me) is the promise for the future glory for God, for FGCC.

“Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance. - Isaiah 60:1-3

I am blessed and it was a night full of blessing.
I can't wait to see the glory of the Lord rises and appears over us, in FGCC new home.

Another day full of blessing.

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #futureglory

#Day 63: 03 March 2016

CHOOSE HEALTH

3 John 1:2 ESV - Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul

Good health is something we take for granted—until we start to lose it.

Today I had the opportunity to hear detail of the saddening event on how one of my late friend whom passed away due to heart attack earlier this month.

Similar age with me, a smoker, a social drinker and a happy fellow. But I was told he is not really taking care of his body, his stress and his health. Which one way lead to another was told to became the root cause of the attack.

His death remain as a saddening reality. But at the same time a reminder for all of us. A strong reminder on how important for us to manage our body, our health, body and mind.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 reminds us "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body"

And 1 Corinthians 3:17 says "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple"

We heard a lot about mental health when come to these verses. But today I want to think about physical health, which I believe carrying the same important weight as the mental health.

After all , what's the use of talking about mental health if we are a death body.

Nelson Mandela used to say "Exercise is the key not only to physical health but to peace of mind"

I echoed his view on this. Physical and Mental health, body and soul have to go hand in hand.

I agree that I should not take things for granted before it is too late. Whatever excuse that I used to wear, too busy, no time, lazy, no partner, no mood and so on, I need to stop taking health for granted!!

I believe I have heard and seen enough reminders. I choose to put more attention on my physical health, my body, the temple of the Holy Spirit.

I pray that I continue to be committed with my Muay Thai . I want to glorify Him with a healthy body. I choose health.

Another day full of blessing. I choose health, what about you?

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #ChooseHealth

#Day 62: 02 March 2016

UPGRADED

The Muay Thai Gym is upgraded! It has more sandbag, more toilet, more windows (which means more air ventilation), more space (which means accomodating more students) and even with new sparing corner with a proper ring!


I am excited, I am motivated. I was with around 20 people today. I was energize.

That's what I called being upgraded. Being increased in the capacity to accommodate others, to help others.

2 Peter 1:5-8 NIV - For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, doing my devotion, I am thinking, how the spiritual life should be when our faith is being upgraded.

Do we response better? Like an upgraded laptop, Like the paralyzed man healed by Jesus, immediately stood up in front of everyone, went home and praise God - Luke 5:25

Does our capacity to help others increased?
Like Aaron and Hur when they held up Moses's hands until the going down of the sun? No complains, no grumble - Exodus 17:12

Do we forgive faster, bigger heart, a servant heart? Like the great Samaritan helping others even a Jews? No racist, No excuse, just being pure love and serve? - Luke 10:30-37

Do we give more? Or we still expect to accept more? as a Cheerful giver as written in  2 Corinthians 9:7 - Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Have I? Am I on the journey to be upgraded. I believe I am, supported by F.R.E.S.H values, I believe I am on the path to be upgraded.

And by the way, I am excited and full of hope to see our community, our FGCC to be upgraded. 

Having a bigger space for freshkids, proper place for family with babies, more rooms for meeting and equipping, more toilets! And bigger store room. Which in the end, accommodate a bigger community, growing disciples to be ready for the market place. Disciples that are UPGRADED

Upgrade ourselves, with our promise of faith.

Another day full of blessing.

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #Upgraded

#Day 61: 01 March 2016

DEVELOPMENT REVIEW

For those living a professional life, development review is not something new, it is part of the employee life cycle, the same as performance review.

Development review is focusing on the potential, the growth of an employee, which normally translates into a career enhancement.

2 Timothy 3:14 ESV - But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it

Similar to our spiritual life, we also need a kind of development review. We need to continuously improve ourselves knowing that we are learning from the God of all Knowledge.

For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load. Gal 6:3-5 (NKJV)

There are 4 pillars that I learned from this verse, that Development (Improvement, Change) covers:

• Humility, though we might think that we have tons of experience, that we know stuff, that we are something. We are reminded that we might be deceiving ourselves.
• Excellence, we need to continue to examine, review, to continuously improve our work, our service, our,... everything. There should never  be such thing as comfort zone. We need to always strive for improvement towards excellence.
• Rejoice, in everything. Starts with small things, start with ourselves. Rejoice because of ourselves. Respect, appreciate ourselves. Because only when we can accepts and appreciates our very self, then only we can trully rejoice.
• Responsible, of our own load. Starts with small responsibility (take care of ourselves) and then we may be trusted eith bigger responsibility (take care of others)

These are key points that we can use for our reflection, for our spiritual development review or even our professional or personal development review.

Only then, we may deserve our promotion, bigger responsibility, bigger service.

1 Samuel 16:7 ESV - But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart

This verse completes my devotion about development review. That God's measurement is different from our human measurements. What human see as humble, excellent, joyful and responsible, is different from how He sees it. God looks on the heart.

FGCC FRESH values, completes the guidelines
It should be our standard development review guidelines should we are to continuosly improve our service :)

How's your review so far? Before you close your eyes to sleep, ask yourself, have you developed the 4 pillars? Have you live the life of FRESH?

Develop our faith and enlarge our capabilities in giving. Let us continue to pray for our new journey in finding a new and develop a new home for FGCC


Another day full of blessing

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #DevelopmentReview

#Day 60: 29 February 2016

ABOUT GRATITUDE

1 Thessalonians 5:18 - Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

It is always easy to find fault in everything, to complain. From how bad our office is, how incompetent our boss is, how negative our community is, how small our house, how low our salary, how unattractive ourself is, how bad is the idea of fund raising, how this and how that.

It is the easy way, to let negativity comes first.

For me, personally, it is merely a simple form of unwillingness to take up responsibility. It is pushing away our responsibility to others, and expect others to solve it for us.

But I am not going to share about being responsible, that would be sharing for other time.

Today, I want to share about appreciation, about gratitude.

Sometimes I find it amusing that everyone is in agreement that: "nothing is perfect". But yet, we complain when things is not going according to our expectation rather than appreciate the imperfection.

Meister Eckhart once said "If the only prayer you said in your life was ... Thank You ... that would suffice.

How true and wise is that.

I am reminded about this today, about how we need to focus on gratitude along our new journey in finding new home for our church, our community.

Focus on His grace with the heart full of thankfulness, and always remember His promise that He will lead us to His green pastures.

Acts 24:3 - In every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude.

I pray and hope that all of us reading this, can always be filled with a heart full of gratitude in every seconds of our lives.

After all, negative does not always need to comes first. Again, I am grateful that I am able to participate on a new journey. The journey of finding new home for FGCC. 

I am also grateful that we are progressing with numbers of people touched by God for the promise of faith. Greatful to have the project team and many volunteers that joining this journey of faith.

Grateful for my job, my family, my community, my well being. 

Another day full of blessing.

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #aboutgratitude

#Day 59: 28 February 2016

NEW JOURNEY

Today we are starting our new journey. The new journey in finding a new home for us for FGCC. It is the Fund Raising kick off day. A fund raising for the new FGCC home, for all of us and all the new members of God's family in the future.

I really learned a lot during the preparation for the kick off. I learned about being humble, about listening to others, also about not calculative about work, about time management, and most of all, I learn about doing things for God (not by might, not by power, but by the spirit of God)

We are starting a new journey, I personally starting a new journey as well. With the promise of faith together with my fellow FGCC members.

I guess the feeling is kinda similar with how the Israelites felt during exodus time. The feeling of uncertainty of the future, feeling unsure, though at least they have the cloud and fire to guide them.

Exodus 40:36 “Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out.” 

For us, we might not have those cloud and fire to guide us through this journey. But we have God's Word! We have God Himself leading us through this.

I guess there is a reason why I was reminded "about giving" yesterday. That "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you." Deuteronomy 16:17

We have Jesus, to guide us. Holy Spirit to help us:  “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” Psalm 91:11

I believe, my part is to take that step in faith. That God will make clear the path, as long as our journey is not merely for our comfort but for His glory.

• It's like when I took that step to leave my hometown to Jakarta, where I found and accepts Jesus.
• It's like when I took that step to leave Indonesia to Singapore, where after that to visit several other places in the world (until now I am still amaze how blessed I am, remembering how we even struggle to pay our high school fee at time)
• It's like when I took the step and moving out from my comfort zone at work and pursue my dreams, where I jump from a role to another and enjoy all the growth.
• Like when I decided to return to Asia, where God put me back to FGCC.

In all those, I know one thing, God always make the path straight in the end, for our good, for those who set their eyes on Him.

All glory to God. I am now able to participate on a new journey. The journey of finding new home for FGCC.

I pray and hope, everyone of us reading this, is touched and strengthen by God to participate, in any form that God wants you to help. Amen.

Another day full of blessing.

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #newjourney