31 May 2008

William Wilberforce

I am very inspired by this great saint as I reread his story from a book, part of the "Swans are not silent" series written by John Piper. Below is the collection of quotes from the book.

Wilberforce admitted that his conversion was hugely influenced after reading a book that his friend, Isaac Milner had introduced "The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul" by Phillip Doddridge. But, his intellectual assent was not transformed to profound conviction until his hours of conversation about Greek New Testament with Milner.

Simplicity and generosity were the mark of his life. Much later, after he was married, he wrote, "By careful management, I should be able to give away at least one quarter of my income to the poor." He wrote that riches were, "considering them as in themselves, acceptable, but, from the infirmity of [our] nature, as highly dangerous possessions; and [we are to value] them chiefly not as instruments of luxury or splendor, but as affording the means of honoring [our] heavenly Benefactor, and lessening the miseries of mankind." This was the way his mind worked: Everything in politics was for the alleviation of misery and the spread of happiness.

He was tormented about what his new Christianity meant for his public life. [He said,] "The first years I was in parliament I did nothing-nothing that is to any purpose. My own distinction was my darling object."

One year after his conversion, God's apparent calling on his life had become clear to him. On October 28, 1787, He wrote in his diary, "God Almighty has set before me two great objects, the suppression of the Slave Trade and the Reformation of Manners [morals]." In May 1789 he spoke to the House about how he came to his conviction: "I confess to you, so enormous, so dreadful, so irremediable did its wickedness appear that my own mind was completely made up for Abolition...Let the consequences be what they would, I from this time determined that I would never rest until I had effected its abolition."

When John Wesley was eighty seven years old (in 1790) he wrote to Wilberforce and said, "Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of man and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you." In 1800, on his forty-first birthday, as he rededicated his life, he prayed, "Oh Lord, purify my soul from all its stains. Warm my heart with the love of thee, animate my sluggish nature, and fix my inconstancy, and volatility, that I may not be weary in well doing." God answered that prayer, and the entire western world may be glad that Wilberforce was granted constancy and perseverance in his labors, especially his endurance in the cause of justice against the sin of slavery and racism.

Of course the opposition that raged for these twenty years was because of the financial benefits of slavery to the traders and to the British economy, because of what the plantation in the West Indies produced. They could not conceive of any way to produce without slave labor. This meant that Wilberforce's life was threatened more than once. When he criticized the credibility of slave ship captain, Robert Norris, the man was enraged, and Wilberforce feared for his life. Short of physical harm, the was the painful loss of friends. Some would no longer fight with him, and they were estranged. Then there was the huge political pressure to back down because of the international political ramifications. For example, if Britain really outlawed slavery, the West Indian colonial assemblies threatened to declare independence from Britain and to federate with United States. These kinds of financial and political arguments held Parliament captive for decades.

But the night - or should I say early morning - of victory came in 1807. the moral vision and the political momentum for abolition had finally become irresistible. At one point "the House rose almost to a man an dturned towards Wilberforce in a burst of Parliamentary cheers. Suddenly, above the roar of 'Hear, hear,' and quite out of order, three hurrahs echoed and echoed while he sat, head bowed, tears streaming down his face." At 4:00 A.M., February 24, 1807, the House divided-Ayes, 283, Noes, 16, Majority for the abolition 267. And on March 25, 1807, the royal assent was declared.

Of course, the battle wasn't over. And Wilberforce fought on until his death twenty-six years later in 1833. Not only the implementation of the abolition law controversial and difficult, but all it did was abolish the slave trade, not slavery itself.

The decisive vote of victory for that one came on July 26, 1833, only three days before Wilberforce died. Slavery itself was outlawed in the British colonies. Minor work on the legislation took several more days. "It is a singular fact," Buxton said, "that on the very night on which we were successfully engaged in the House of Commons, in passing the clause of the Act of Emancipation-one of the most important clauses ever enacted...the spirit of our friend left the world. The day which was the termination of his labors was the termination of his life."

How shall we fight for joy?

  1. Realize that authentic joy in God is a gift
  2. Realize that Joy must be fought for relentlessly
  3. Resolve to attack all known sin in your life
  4. Learn the secret of gutsy guilt: how to fight like a justified sinner
  5. Realize that the battle is primarily a fight to see God for who He is
  6. Meditate on the Word of God day and night
  7. Pray earnestly and continually for open heart-eyes and an inclination for God
  8. Learn to preach to yourself rather than listen to yourself
  9. Spend time with God-saturated people who help you see God and fight the fight
  10. Be patient in the night of God seeming absence
  11. Get the rest, exercise, and proper diet that your body was designed by God to have
  12. Make a proper use of God's revelation in nature
  13. Read great books about God and biographies of great saints
  14. Do the hard loving thing for the sake of others- witness and mercy
  15. Get a global vision for the cause of christ and pour yourself out for the unreached

by John Piper

30 May 2008

It is just too much :S

I am not sure why but I don't seem to be able to handle things very well these days. I just think too much, I can't take small responsibility. All things seem to be very overwhelming and I can't rest. I worry about everything and anything under heavens. I have given it all to God but things are just the same. I am way tired and frustrated. Some things are just not genuine worries. I felt I have just been worrying too much and I can't help myself. Tried to calm myself and relax but it just won't work. May be this is just a sudden change of lifestyle but the worry is taking its toll on me.

29 May 2008

Unfailing Love

You have my heart
And I am Yours forever
You are my strength
God of grace and power
And everything
You hold in your hand
Still you make time for me
I can't understand

Praise You God of earth and sky
How beautiful is Your unfailing love
Unfailing love
You never change, God, You remain
The Holy One and my unfailing love
Unfailing love

You are my rock
The One I hold on to
You are my song
And I sing for you

written by Chris Tomlin, Gary Pierce and Ed Cash

I really like this song :). Lilis xxx

Messiah's Slaves

A poem written by a friend of mine:

Rejoice rejoice, O slaves of Messiah, rejoice rejoice
Rejoice rejoice, O slaves of Messiah, rejoice rejoice
For you cannot be any higher, rejoice rejoice
For you cannot be any higher, rejoice rejoice.

Rejoice rejoice, kiss the feet of your Master, rejoice rejoice
Rejoice rejoice, kiss the feet of your Master, rejoice rejoice
Hasten His coming, faster faster, rejoice rejoice
Hasten His coming, faster faster, rejoice rejoice.

Rejoice rejoice, all dwelling in Jesus, rejoice rejoice
Rejoice rejoice, all dwelling in Jesus, rejoice rejoice
Tremble in fear, for He does all He pleases, rejoice rejoice
Tremble in fear, for He does all He pleases, rejoice rejoice.

Rejoice rejoice, of His flesh and blood we partake, rejoice rejoice
Rejoice rejoice, of His flesh and blood we partake, rejoice rejoice
From the curse on our sin, the only way to escape, rejoice rejoice
From the curse on our sin, the only way to escape, rejoice rejoice.

Rejoice rejoice, tell the nations He's King, rejoice rejoice
Rejoice rejoice, tell the nations He's King, rejoice rejoice
Some of each nation will sing to Him, rejoice rejoice
Some of each nation will sing to Him, rejoice rejoice.

Rejoice rejoice, march on, do not tire, rejoice rejoice
Rejoice rejoice, march on, do not tire, rejoice rejoice
Blessed are you, O slaves of Messiah, rejoice rejoice
Blessed are you, O slaves of Messiah, rejoice rejoice.

by Mike Butcher

How a Roman Catholic Anti-Calvinist can serve today's Poet-Calvinists

May 28, 2008
By John Piper

May 29 is G. K. Chesterton’s 134th birthday. He was a British journalist and brilliant writer. Nobody exploits the power of paradox like Chesterton.

I celebrate his birthday by recommending his book Orthodoxy.

The title gives no clue as to what you will find inside. It had a huge influence on me forty years ago in ways that would have exasperated Chesterton. He did all he could to keep me from becoming a Calvinist, and instead made me a romantic one—a happy one.

If I thought his broadsides against predestination really hit home and undid true biblical doctrine, I would keep my mouth shut or change my worldview. But his celebration of poetry and paradox undermines his own abomination of the greatest truth-and-mystery-lovers around today, the happy Calvinists.

Nothing in this Calvinism-abominating book came close to keeping me from embracing the glorious sovereignty of God. On the contrary, the poetic brightness of the book awakened in me, along with the works of C. S. Lewis, an exuberance about the strangeness of all things—which in the end made me able to embrace the imponderable paradoxes of God’s decisive control of all things and the total justice of his holding us accountable.

One of the reasons that Calvinism is stirring today is that it takes both truth and mystery seriously. It’s a singing, poetry-writing, run-through-the-fields Calvinism.

It’s the Arminians that are the rationalists. Arminianism trumps biblical sentences with metaphysics: God can’t control all things and hold us responsible. God can’t choose some and love all.” Why? Metaphysics. Out with mystery! It just can’t be!

So Chesterton’s anti-Calvinist shotgun sprays all around today’s poet-Calvinist and misses the mark.

Read Orthodoxy.

A few of you may be swept away into the folly of Roman Catholic sacramentalism. A few others may be confirmed in your tiff with joyless Calvinists. But for many readers, especially the Bible-saturated ones, this book will awaken such a sense of wonder in you that you will not feel at home again until you enter the new world of the wide-eyed children called the happy-Reformed.

Here is a flavor of what to expect in Orthodoxy1:

  • “[This book] recounts my elephantine adventures in pursuit of the obvious.” (12)
  • “It is one thing to describe an interview with a... creature that does not exist. It is another thing to discover that the rhinoceros does exist and then take pleasure in the fact that he looks as if he didn’t.” (11)
  • “Exactly what does breed insanity is reason. Poets do not go mad; but chess-players do. Mathematicians go mad, and cashiers; but creative artists very seldom.” (17)
  • “Only one great English poet went mad, Cowper. And he was definitely driven mad by logic, by the ugly and alien logic of predestination. Poetry was not the disease but the medicine.... He was damned by John Calvin.” (17)
  • “The poet only desires exaltation and expansion, a world to stretch himself in. The poet only asks to get his head into the heavens. It is the logician who seeks to get the heavens in to his head. And it is his head that splits.” (17)
  • “The madman is not the man who has lost his reason. The madman is the man who has lost everything but his reason.” (19)
  • “Mysticism keeps men sane. As long as you have mystery you have health. When you destroy mystery you create morbidity.” (28)
  • “The ordinary man... has always cared more for truth than for consistency. If he saw two truths that seemed to contradict each other, he would take the two truths and the contradictions along with them.” (28)
  • “When we are very young children we do not need fairy tales: we only need tales. Mere life is interesting enough. A child of seven is excited by being told that Tommy opened the door and saw a dragon. But a child of three is excited by being told that Tommy opened a door.” (54)
  • “Man is more himself, man is more manlike, when joy is the fundamental thing in him, and grief the superficial. Melancholy should be an innocent interlude, a tender and fugitive frame of mind; praise should be the permanent pulsation of the soul. Pessimism is at best an emotional half-holiday; joy is the uproarious labor by which all things live.” (159)
  • “Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about.” (48)

1 Page numbers from Orthodoxy (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1959).


I must try to find this book :). Lilis xxx.


27 May 2008

Quote of the day

The carnal person fears man, not God;
the strong Christian fears God, not man;
the weak Christian fears man too much,
and God too little.

John Flavel - The great puritan preacher

Grow in grace

Vivi lend me another excellent book called "Grow in grace" by Sinclair B. Peterson. I am very excited to finish this book because I've already gained a lot of insights on my way to the finishing line.

Few quotes from the book which are eloquently written and I shall be grateful for them because they are answers to my current spiritual condition:

Doubting His grace

"God has accepted us for Christ's sake. But he wants to go further. He intends to persuade us that he does accept us for Christ's sake. So he demonstrates, by adequate proof, his love to us. When I look at the cross, I learn to say 'The Son of God loved me, and gave himself for me' (Gal 2:20). I begin to believe with Paul that if God did not spare His own Son, but gave him up to the cross for me, then he loves me so much he will always give me only what will bring me blessing (Rom 8:32).

Such conviction is a key point in Christian growth. If we have deep-seated fears that God does not really love us (as many Christian have), we can only go so far in growing nearer to God. There will come a point at which we will fear to trust Him any further because we cannot be sure of His love. When we look at ourselves, or at our own faith, or our own circumstances we will never be free from those lurking fears. Satan will see to that. But when we lift up our eyes and look on the cross we find the final persuasion that God is gracious to us. How can he be against us when all his wrath against us fell upon Christ? How can he fail to care for us when he gave the only Son he had for our sake? How can we doubt him when he has given us evidence of his love sufficient to banish all doubts?

The reason we lack assurance of his grace is because we fail to focus on that spot where he has revealed it. But if we fail to focus our understanding there, we will fail to grow in grace."

Isolation

"But we do not need to go overseas to experience isolation. Any major readjustment to our lifestyle can have this effect of making us feel distanced, disorientated, no longer fulfilling a strategic, purposeful role in our Christian lives. A change of job, or house, of neighbourhood, can do this. Bereavement, children leaving home, retirement can do all the same.

What did God wants to teach the psalmist? (refer to Psalm 42-43). What does he want to teach us in similar situations? God wants to teach us lessons in isolation which he does not teach us or which we can not learn, in fellowship. In our loneliness and separation from God's people we may learn to look to God, trust in God, desire God's presence. We discovered that in the past we have relied too much on the encouragement of others and insufficiently on the Lord Himself. While before we knew God (quite legitimately) through the help of our fellow Christians, now we must learn to know him in isolation from them. This is why the psalm is called Maskil, that is a song of instruction. The writer is saying to us: this is what God taught me through my experience; it is what he may want to teach you too."

22 May 2008

Goodbye New Zealand









I had just closed a life chapter in New Zealand :'((. I was capped on the 12th of May 2008 for a Bachelor of Technology (Hons) in Food Technology. Yeah, finally. I have decided to return home for good because it was really the best for me and my family. My four years and eight months in New Zealand were spent doing foundation studies and the four years degree. I am really grateful to have spent 21.22% of my whole life in NZ, and to have great companies along my journey of faith. The Whius, PNOCFers, TSCF brethrens, Massey friends, Grace City Church and many more people that have shared the love and joy with me.

I am going to miss you all so much. We really had fun together, didnt we guys? They have kept me sane throughout the years. I have never felt as young and vibrant as before. Haha, thank you all. I am glad I had the privilege to have their company in this life journey. Love you all heaps. Hope that our paths cross again someday. I pray that God will be pleased with my time in NZ. Wherever He leads me, pray that I will serve Him there. Only one life to live, live it for Christ!

10 May 2008

Myanmar: Immense suffering

Our hearts go to friends especially brothers and sisters in Myanmar. Hearing about their faith, hope, and joy in the midst of suffering is truly encouraging. It sobers us with time and peace in our hands to advance the cause of the gospel.

Here is a recent news from IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students):

The cyclone in Myanmar has killed tens of thousands of people and left up to one million homeless. The suffering is immense and follows many years of political turmoil and civil war endured by the people of this country.

There is no IFES-affiliated work in Myanmar, but we do know of Christian students there. Last year, one friend of the Fellowship reflected: 'We see the resolve of these students and no amount of hardship can prevent them from meeting together. We see the determination in their eyes; we can feel the resolve of what serving God means to them. We realize that persecution can make people come close together to derive strength from one another and the joy of serving God is much more pronounced.'

We have been trying to get in touch with our friends in Myanmar, but have not been successful. We urge you to continue to pray for the people of Myanmar, the government, the Church, and all the rescue and relief operations that are in progress. May the Lord use this heart-rending suffering to bring mercy, and give us all a greater sense of urgency for the gospel.

Published: Thursday 08 May 2008

09 May 2008

Berpantun ria

Air sungai berhenti mengalir
Dimana-mana banyak air
Yuk, cepat-cepat ngacir
Udah, jangan banyak pikir!

Pikir-pikir tak ada akhir
Mendingan banyakan nyengir
Jatuh ke kali saya hampir
Gara-gara bikin syair

Bikin syair tentang ghetto
Rehat dulu makan soto
Lihat-lihat baju koko
Aneh banget warna ijo

Pedes banget cabe ijo
belinya jauh di sidoarjo
kalo kuat kayak mbah roso
Bantuin dong daripada ngaso!

08 May 2008

Biar susah sekalipun

Maju terus...
Biar susah sekalipun
Lari terus...
Biar dipanah sekalipun

Singsingkan lengan baju
Tegakkan kepalamu
Jangan gentar
Tuhan disamping selalu

Air dalam botol telah kering
Roti pun habis
Tetapi didalamku ada sumur senantiasa penuh air
Dan firmanNya adalah roti

Terpujilah Allah Bapa
Bersoraklah mendengar namaNya
Sebab Dia itu baik
KasihNya meredam ketakutan

Lelah

Lelahnya aku menapakkan kaki
oh mengapa aku dibiarkan sendiri
Jalan tujuan tak diketahui
entah kapan layak berhenti

Bunga-bunga mawar bermekaran
Harum semerbak sepanjang jalan
Tapi hati tak terhiburkan
terlalu sibuk berangan-angan

Aku ingin menikmati indahnya bunga
Aku ingin disejukkan air telaga
Aku ingin berbagi suka dengan sesama
Semua karya-karya Tuhan didepan mata

Tuhan, Engkau yang menuntunku ke air tenang
Engkau yang membuat hatiku senang
Engkau yang menyinari kegelapan dengan t'rang
Engkau yang memenangkan perang

Berikanlah aku damai sejahtera
melampaui segala akal
Berikanlah aku nyala lentera
dalam gelap ku tak terjungkal

04 May 2008

Aku dipanggil untuk saat ini

Bukan kebetulan kalau aku dilahirkan di tengah bangsa ini
Bukan kebetulan kalau aku hidup di tanah ini, pada era ini...
dimana bangsaku tengah terpuruk
dimana melodi cinta tanah air bak omongan kosong
dimana jeritan rakyat, sumbang menantikan datangnya keadilan

Bukan kebetulan kalau aku hidup di tengah moral yang bobrok
Bukan kebetulan kalau aku hidup di tengah bangsa dimana...
sepertinya tidak ada yang bisa diharapkan lagi
Juga bukan kebetulan kalau aku hidup di tahun ini
dimana bangsaku tengah melaksanakan pesta demokrasikah?

Bukan kebetulan aku dilahirkan ditanah Indonesia ini
Bukan kebetulan kalau Tuhan menempatkan aku di Persada Pertiwi ini
Bukan kebetulan Tuhan menempatkan aku di jaman globalisasi ini
Aku dipangggil untuk "saat ini"
Adakah aku berdiri disana pada saat itu???
Ataukah aku terlalu apatis dan tidak peduli???

Satu kesadaran membuatku tertegun:
Tuhanku tidak sedang tidur
Dia sanggup memakai "seseorang" untuk satu perbedaan
Merupakan kehormatan besar kalau Tuhan menetapkan kita
Untuk memberi satu perbedaan bagi bangsa ini...bagi era ini...
Dan aku menyadari arti air mata untuk bangsaku
yang menetes di hadapan Allahku siang dan malam
dalam permohonan...
Tuhan, kasihanilah bangsaku...
Biarlah hidupku, memberi satu perbedaan yang berarti...
untuk "saat ini"
untuk Indonesiaku tercinta!

diambil dari "Refleksi", warta GKBHJ minggu 04/05/08

Minggu ini saya dan jemaat GKBHJ diingatkan untuk menjadi lilin ditengah kegelapan bangsa ini, memberi segenggam harapan bagi orang-orang disekitar kami. Kita sebagai orang kristen telah memiliki alternatif hidup lain yaitu hidup yang penuh harapan dari Allah Bapa. Saya merasa tergerak untuk mengikuti contoh Charles Dickens yang bergumul melihat lingkungan london dimana banyak perbudakan anak-anak di masa revolusi industri. Charles memberikan harapan lewat karya tulisnya. Saya belum bisa menulis novel seperti yang dia buat tetapi mudah-mudahan lewat blog ini, saya dapat menjangkau orang-orang yang ingin turut serta berdoa, memberikan bantuan, atau yang bahkan membutuhkan segenggam harapan ini.

Tuhan, aku tahu ada banyak langkah konkret yang dapat saya lakukan untuk bangsa ini. Inilah Bapa salah satu yang dapat saya lakukan untuk membagi harapan yang saya punya dalam Engkau. Tuhan, ada kebakaran di sebuah pasar di Garut dan salah satu pedagang telur kehilangan stok telur ayam sebanyak tiga ton belum lagi kiosnya yang juga hancur. Sungguh tragis nasib pedagang telur itu. Saya pun mendengar kisah seorang tukang gorengan yang mengakhiri hidupnya karena menderita rugi akibat naiknya harga bahan-bahan pokok. Padahal impiannya adalah menjadi ayah yang bertanggung jawab dengan menafkahi keluarganya.

Kawan, tetaplah berusaha dan jangan putus asa walaupun sulit. Yesus berjanji akan menemani anda pada masa-masa sulit seperti ini. Serahkanlah persoalanmu pada Yesus sebab Ia peduli. Jangan putus harapan melihat masa ini, tetaplah melangkah bersama Yesus, Dia akan memenuhi semua yang anda butuhkan. Dia mendandani rumput-rumput di padang yang besok pun dicampakkan kedalam api, bahkan pakaian salomo pun tidak ada yang seindah rerumputan itu, apalagi kasihNya pada kita.

Dia peduli terhadap masa depan kita dengan mengirimkan anaknya Yesus ke dunia. Supaya mereka yang percaya kepadaNya tidak binasa melainkan beroleh hidup kekal. Nanti-nantikanlah Dia dan berharaplah kepadaNya. Biarlah Tuhan yang menjadi sumber kekuatanmu untuk tetap bertahan. Sungguh Ia Allah yang adil dan penuh anugerah. Tuhan, kami berdoa untuk pemimpin-pemimpin kami supaya mereka menjunjung tinggi hukum dan menegakkan keadilan. Biarlah mereka tidak lupa akan tanggung jawab mereka dan bukan memuaskan kepentingan pribadi. Tuhan, jangan biarkan rakyat menjadi terlalu miskin sehingga mereka mencuri dan menghina kekudusanMu. Jangan biarkan kami terlalu kaya sehingga kami melupakan Engkau yang Maha Tinggi. Doa kami untukmu kawan-kawan sebangsa.

03 May 2008

The seemingly impossible is possible



A great presentation by Hans Roslings about the change in world health/economy since the 60s. Hans Roslings is the winner of jubilee prize 2007 awarded by The Swedish Society of Medicine for "his national and international achievements in clinical sciences and his impressive work to make global health understandable". Thanks Johnny for the post. It was indeed an excellent effort to show improvements in the area.

The cool software

01 May 2008

The Lord reigns

Unless the Lord builds the house
those who build it labors in vain

Unless the Lord watches over the city
the watchmen stay awake in vain

It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest
eating the bread of anxious toil
for He gives to His beloved sleep

Psalm 127:1-2