Partnering Up

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I  always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

Apostle Paul, Philippians 1:3-5

I've been thinking about partnership recently. Have you, like me, ever wondered about the relationship between the work of God and the work of a man of God? Is there a line between these two, and is it drawn? Are we, by using our effort and intelligence, trying to do God's work on our own? Perhaps we should just confine ourselves to a room all the time and pray that God will act directly in the world. Wouldn't that be great faith? 

I think the key here is the idea of partnership, where the work of God and the work of Man has a symbiotic and harmonious relationship, under the good graces of God. 

The truth that we are made partners and fellow co-workers (1 Corinthians 3:9) is a staggering one that may be hard to take at first. How can we do the work of God when we are such silly little beings?  The Almighty God, creator of the universe, being in partnership with us?

But when we understand that God is working through us and Christ is living in us, then a lot of things make sense, and the tension disappears. What we thought was a boundary line is in fact overlapping circles, having been reconciled to God through Christ. This partnership paradigm is crucial for a Christian, and it has a great bearing on how we treat things.

We are partners with God in the Gospel. That is amazing, that we have some part in spreading the news about Christ's salvation for all. 

We are partners with God in our friendships, too. As a friend, I must seek to strengthen and build up my friends in a way that is in line with God's will. In other words, great reliance on God and alignment with the teachings of Jesus. God can do this on His own, but He lets us be partners and take part in it too. God is never out of the picture in true friendships- indeed, He is in the very center of it.

We are partners with God in our Relationships (with a capital 'R'), too. With God's express permission, we enter into an exclusive and special relationship with another person, and we take upon ourselves a shared responsibility - over the other person's welfare: emotional, spiritual, physical or otherwise. And the other person does the same for us. Truthfully, these things are God's "territory", but He lets us to take part in it too. It is a great honour and should not be treated lightly. 

God is never out of the picture in a Christian relationship - indeed, He is in the very center of it. As a couple's relationship is strengthened, so is their relationship with Christ, because they know that they are partners with God in this. They understand very well that they do not replace God in their partner's hearts. Even as they look to each other's needs, they recognize that God is the ultimate supplier and enabler of all things. 

Whatever things work out for good will be lifted up in thanks.

I think it's crucial to remember that we partners in God in the things we do and the relationships we have. If we remember this, then we'll save ourselves from making many of the irresponsible and silly things that we do. God is in the business of redeeming and building up His children - as partners with Him, we should not be tearing others down through our actions and words, as many are unwittingly doing. God alone deserves all worship - as partners with Him, we should not be eliciting 'worship' from others (few will admit to this crime).

Repent. 

Just a few of my other partners 

Do you want to partner up with God? Let me know if you do - lots of steps to take first before you can do so.. and my blogposts are too long as it is hehe.

The "Central" Question.

Last week, Uncle Yam talked about putting Christ at the center of the church, and today Uncle Cheah shared about obedience to God’s calling – doing what God wants you to do, rather than doing “something” for God. I feel very much convicted through God’s Word as expounded by these two brothers.

The words from these two brothers still resonate in my echoic memory. Uncle Yam pointed out that if people come to church and CF consistently yet go away knowing more about you (the leaders) and about how interesting, kind, attractive or whatever that you are, rather than knowing more about Jesus then something must be wrong, and we need to reexamine our focus. Are we really giving glory to God, and pointing people to the only One who can save them: Jesus? In short, are we a Christ-centered ministry?

In practice, do we do as Joseph and Daniel did (Genesis 41, Daniel 2), who when credited with the ability to correctly interpret prophetic dreams, answered that it is the work of God, and not of man?

In the course of our service, we’ll be bound to pull off lots of really cool stuff. We’ll succeed from time to time. That’s for sure. In the rain of applause that always seem to come after every victory (it’s in our culture, it seems), might we, even for a moment, fall into the temptation of indulging in a moment of self pride and accomplishment?

More thought has to be put into how, through every detail in our walk with God, the people we come into contact with (either personally or collectively) can be pointed firmly to our Lord Jesus who saves.

After all, who are we serving? Who?

Prayer Meeting: Is There a Point?

In life, we ask a lot of questions:

Q:What's this smelly cat doing in my house? :(

In a completely unrelated matter, I've been waking up at 6:15 am on every some Thursday mornings to go for the 7am prayer meeting these past three semesters - always asking the same thing:

Q:"Huh? I'm awake? What for? Want sleep la.., Can I don't go?"

Of course, after the questions come the answers:

"Aiya, whaffor? I got assignments, tests, bla bla, blu blu.. I already go for CF, Sunday service, Bible Study and church punya prayer meeting what"

It can be hard to think when you're zonked out in the mornings when it's still dark, but I think the real question we should ask is:

Q:"God, is there a point?"

I think I've been going simply out of devotion - meaning that I think it pleases God that I set aside this time for Him and so I do it. After all, He instructs us to pray. I think He's happy with that, and by His grace, my reasons don't end there.

As always (at least, within the sphere of my experience) when we devote and commit something that He wants us to do, He gives fresh reasons to pursue these things - reasons that you wouldn't (or at least I didn't) expect.

So let me tell you about myself now: I really look forward to our prayer meets. I can't really condense my whole experience into this post, but I think the (sadly small number of) people who attend the meetings regularly know how I see it.

I feel that it's something really exciting and really fun! I've learnt a lot of things through prayer walk in particular, and I've made very specific and important decisions out of some stuff that happens.

Therefore, the point is, there IS a point in coming together for prayer - but its' details are for God to show.

So I'd really like to ask all of you people out there to come. I think the only really sad part is that there are so few of us there to listen to God together. I think it's a shame because so many of us are missing out! (So, if you have friends who keep bugging you to go for prayer meets, don't get annoyed! They're just trying to share the joy with you :P)

"The devoted are patient and persevering."

• Prayer Meeting

Venue: Westlake Gardens (between Beijing and Lake)

Time: 7am every Thursday.

• Prayer Walk

Venue: Block D/E Cafeteria

Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm every Thursday (until further notice)