Sunday, June 28, 2009
Moving on
As I sit here reflecting on the past 6 months that has been, I realize I have moved on from certain friends and partners.
There are those that wanted to make it in business, but are just not carved out for it. They do not have the aptitude to make it big, or even just to survive. One friend for instance is good technically, but is not there in terms of business networking. He is just not in the zone. Another is reasonable in network marketing conceptually, but is not there as a businessman. He is just not in the game. A lot of of his ideas is just wishful thinking.
To be successful one really has to be able to multitask, requiring multiple skills sets. We need to have knowledge to act. Hosea 4:6 says that "people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge". To be more sublime, I will pin it as "knowledge to act" when crises, opportunities, issues etc arises. That is why the Lord has to lay deep foundations into us before we can succeed. One really has to have gone through a lot first before he can succeed. The deeper the foundation, the higher the structure, the greater the blessings. In truth, most people are just making a living doing their own business.
As I reflect further, there are those that had a mini windfall that could have been used to start a next project, but they blew the money on all the wrong things. A person may be earning 100k a year, but sudden windfall may earn them a several hundreds of thousand, which if kept properly will not only see them though rainy days, but be seeding capital for a business to bring them to the next level (i.e $1 million per year). But I have seen several friends blow away the sudden windfall in a very short time frame. In light of the bigger picture, they only have themselves to blame, not others.
The bible says "the prosperity of fools will destroy them" Proverbs 1:32 (KJV). Prosperity or money does not destroy people. It those who are foolish that let money destroy them. Money is just a medium of exchange. They are those that once they have some money, buy non-income generating assets like a Mercedes, live lavishly, till disaster strikes and be broke when things take a bad turn. Opportunities don't come everyday. We need to catch it and capitalize on it when it comes. Then only we go can go to a higher level in the next cycle of opportunity.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Language
The world only had one language and a common speech (Genesis 11:1) till....the Lord scattered men all over the earth (Genesis 11:8) and confused the language of the world (verse 9).
There are thousands of different languages and dialects in the world. Yes in the end times, the world is becoming one again. The internet has made the world small even though we are scattered all over.
English became the international language, while Latin was the common speech in South America. Some had predicted there will be 3 main languages eventually.
1. English - USA, Europe etc
2. Latin - South America etc
3. Chinese - China, Taiwan, HK, Korea, Japan, Vietnam etc
I have enrolled myself in Shanghai University to learn Chinese for a month starting September. Hopefully I can learn it up fast especially the scientific and business terms.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Fathers' Day
This Sunday is fathers' day. I am very blessed that dad is still healthy and on the go. We are very close to this date. In fact he is like a buddy and a friend to me. Having a strong father to guide me since childhood has given me a head start in all aspects of life.
The strength of a nation is only as strong as the strength its family units. Most broken families are a result of fatherlessness. Children from broken homes never seem to come out the same. I have friends who are now divorced or suffer many repercussions as a result of divorced parents at an early age. Fathers, who were not good role models and never giving security to their daughters, often see their daughters seeking that assurance from preying men. In any society, it is not solely the development of various industries or advancement of cutting-edge technologies that will make a nation strong. It is the people that make a nation great. Family units must be strong for nation building. It is the values that the people have that transform a country. The values of fairness, hard work, fair play, honesty and hunger for continual improvement are the building stones, and those that must transgress a society for it to excellent.
A committee set up by Al Gore investigating into the cause for the increasing crime in America concludes that ‘Fatherlessness’ is the main reason for family breakdown, which inevitably was the main cause for crime and social ills.
Fatherlessness is the lack of concern for the family and is pandemic around the world. Fathering is not just providing for the financial needs of the family, but also counseling, mentoring, encouraging, communicating, loving and leading. Fathering is a comprehensive task. That is why it takes man to do it. Dad did all that was needed of him as my father.
The strength of a nation is only as strong as the strength its family units. Most broken families are a result of fatherlessness. Children from broken homes never seem to come out the same. I have friends who are now divorced or suffer many repercussions as a result of divorced parents at an early age. Fathers, who were not good role models and never giving security to their daughters, often see their daughters seeking that assurance from preying men. In any society, it is not solely the development of various industries or advancement of cutting-edge technologies that will make a nation strong. It is the people that make a nation great. Family units must be strong for nation building. It is the values that the people have that transform a country. The values of fairness, hard work, fair play, honesty and hunger for continual improvement are the building stones, and those that must transgress a society for it to excellent.
A committee set up by Al Gore investigating into the cause for the increasing crime in America concludes that ‘Fatherlessness’ is the main reason for family breakdown, which inevitably was the main cause for crime and social ills.
Fatherlessness is the lack of concern for the family and is pandemic around the world. Fathering is not just providing for the financial needs of the family, but also counseling, mentoring, encouraging, communicating, loving and leading. Fathering is a comprehensive task. That is why it takes man to do it. Dad did all that was needed of him as my father.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Writing moods
It has been a long time since I had the mood to really write. But yet I wish not to write for writing sake, but rather penning articles of substance and words that can pierce the bones and marrow of a man. This is only possible it those words are carved out by the sword of the Spirit.
Stress kills! I have been under much stress the past 12 months or so especially the last 8 months. It killed off a lot of my moods. It killed off my mood to exercise, to write, to read and even to meet up with friends. It is never easy to start businesses and venture abroad. Do it only if the Lord is with you and really wanting you to venture out.
I sense that the second half of 2009 all will finally fall into place nicely. Yes I made some mistakes and blunders but the Lord will not allow our efforts to be unfruitful. Jesus is my CEO, heavenly Father is my Chairman and the Holy Spirit is my COO. All the efforts and investments we made in Hong Kong and China will bear fruit second half of 2009 onwards and starting July. Meanwhile in Malaysia, my CEO entrusted me a new business which we will start in August. I won't say what it is now, but it is something if done well will bring us world-wide recognition, fame and fortune. Maybe a bit of a hint! I am able to do 3-D pop animation (stereographics) in-house, in my own office. I didn't planned it. The Lord just put it in front of me on a plate. But must thank Him, be grateful, and not complain :-).
Likewise, I had never planned to come out and start my current business. A series of company takeovers unsettled me, then I left to do my own consulting business, though struggling at first. Then a client I was doing registration work for in Malaysia invited me to visit his health supplement factory in Auckland. I landed back in Malaysia on a Wednesday from Auckland with some documents to register a few products including a sheep placenta product. On Thursday (next day) a friend asked me if I could source and supply sheep placenta to their MLM company in Hong Kong and Malaysia. One thing leads to another and now I have my own company in Hong Kong. From Hong Kong, the Lord lead me to China.
Let us never ever lose the things money cannot buy - love, health, close friends, family bond, our integrity and name. My first love is exercising heaps, reading and writing. These have all taken a very very very long detour. O Lord, how I yearn to go back to these simple things in life. But I know, the Lord wants me to experience certain things, in order to sublimely pen them in my future writings.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Watchman Nee
When I was a young Christian, I was given a book on the life of Watchman Nee (Heros of Faith series). I read the book in 1-2 nights and cried tears of admiration through out my reading of the book. This was really someone who stood for God till the end. When the communist came in power, they rampantly came to crush the Christian movement. His disciples and wife all fled abroad, but he refused to leave. He was then the most eminent preacher in the whole of China. After his arrest, he was jailed and died in prison after 20 years of imprisonment.
From www.watchmannee.org
Watchman Nee became a Christian in mainland China in 1920 at the age of seventeen and began writing in the same year. Throughout the nearly thirty years of his ministry, Watchman Nee was clearly manifested as a unique gift from the Lord to His Body for His move in this age. In 1952 he was imprisoned for his faith; he remained in prison until his death in 1972. His words remain an abundant source of spiritual revelation and supply to Christians throughout the world.
I have read a few of his books and really they are real solid meat. They are some of the best books I have ever read. e.g The Spiritual Man.
To date I have never been to a church in China or met a Christian there as thus far all my acquaintance are rather cordial. There are supposedly 150 million Christians in China. The government is worried as there are only 70 million people in the Communist party.
I cannot but admire how the Christians there went through all the persecutions and endured, even till death. I recently met a young and very pretty girl whose parents were separated when she was 4 months old. Her grandma had to look after her in Chongqing, while her mum had to work hard labour in Dongguan to raise the family. Her late grandma used to bring her to an underground church and prayed for her everyday. They were very poor and barely got by.
Jsut before her final upper high school exams the grandma passed away (cancer) and though she passed but didn't do well enough to enter university. She then was whisked away by her cousin sister to Shanghai to study Japanese. But after a year she lost focus and quit, supposedly after an argument with the cousin. The lack of a father figure also left vacuums in her life.
She then went to work in another city in the sleazy entertainment industry. This was so until one day she met a good hearted person who sent her back to complete her studies. I believe it was the fervent prayers of her grandma that kept her within God's grace. All the prayers that her grandma had not been in vain , even though she had gone home to be with the Lord.
From www.watchmannee.org
Watchman Nee became a Christian in mainland China in 1920 at the age of seventeen and began writing in the same year. Throughout the nearly thirty years of his ministry, Watchman Nee was clearly manifested as a unique gift from the Lord to His Body for His move in this age. In 1952 he was imprisoned for his faith; he remained in prison until his death in 1972. His words remain an abundant source of spiritual revelation and supply to Christians throughout the world.
I have read a few of his books and really they are real solid meat. They are some of the best books I have ever read. e.g The Spiritual Man.
To date I have never been to a church in China or met a Christian there as thus far all my acquaintance are rather cordial. There are supposedly 150 million Christians in China. The government is worried as there are only 70 million people in the Communist party.
I cannot but admire how the Christians there went through all the persecutions and endured, even till death. I recently met a young and very pretty girl whose parents were separated when she was 4 months old. Her grandma had to look after her in Chongqing, while her mum had to work hard labour in Dongguan to raise the family. Her late grandma used to bring her to an underground church and prayed for her everyday. They were very poor and barely got by.
Jsut before her final upper high school exams the grandma passed away (cancer) and though she passed but didn't do well enough to enter university. She then was whisked away by her cousin sister to Shanghai to study Japanese. But after a year she lost focus and quit, supposedly after an argument with the cousin. The lack of a father figure also left vacuums in her life.
She then went to work in another city in the sleazy entertainment industry. This was so until one day she met a good hearted person who sent her back to complete her studies. I believe it was the fervent prayers of her grandma that kept her within God's grace. All the prayers that her grandma had not been in vain , even though she had gone home to be with the Lord.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Seminars and wealth
I see some people on my Facebook attending the Millionaire Mind Intensive seminar last weekend. The seminar is germinated from a No.1 Best Seller book. Now the same group are talking about "Never Work Again" seminar in Singapore.
On the advertisement of the Millionaire Mind Intensive it claimed that it will change your financial life forever. This to me is wishful thinking! There are organizers who organize them as a business to make money, but then there are professional seminar goers attending for the sake of attending. If it is so easy, there will be no poor people anymore. Just attend these expensive seminars and we will all be laughing to the bank!
I have not really been attending a church of late for some years now, but do go to prayer centre on Monday nights when I am back in KL. I use to attend a church that preached a lot of prosperity and subscribed to it deeply then. 16 year old to 80 year olds will attend the Entrepreneur For Christ meetings. There was the constant messages that God will grant you that breakthrough, your big deal is around the corner and God has a jubilee year for you. Then they ask you to sow money into the church fund, the building fund and more funds. (by the way, nearly every church in town has a building project and not small projects). But the truth is most of them never made it big in business or their careers. Some had a sense of invincibility that they cannot fail and ventured out into business (without the necessary skills) and flopped. In fact, my non-Christian friends are more financially successful in comparison.
I have nothing against prosperity and believe God does bless. Some of these prosperity churches I feel are inward focus. You can feel the "bless me" syndrome. All focus is on God blessing you which I am sure He does, but too much preoccupation with His blessings can be dangerous. A lot of people are left disappointed. There is no skin off the pastors nose, as surely by sheer percentages, a few will make it and then give their testimony (maybe 5%) for whatever it is worth. Those that are still struggling are told that you must keep believing and not give up or your time will come soon. I have seen friends sell their house etc to put food on the table as they have not gotten any breakthroughs after 5-10 years.
Even though the building funds which can go into dozens of millions are raised, then there will still be another building fund for another project that the Lord is supposedly planning. Then the pastors will speak to the congregation on sowing and reaping to raise funds. They may have big buildings but I never felt cared for when I had problems or needed someone to hear me out and pray for me.
Yet I am encouraged to see God pulling out some church leaders to start prayer centers and outreach centers to reach the masses and attend to peoples' needs. I am convinced that this is where my funds will go in the future. The current churches are too locked into their ways, while some are contended with big building projects or to upgrade their sound system to compete for members. They are not preparing the church for the bridegroom's (Christ) return.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapter 5-7)
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Am I an Angel or a Devil?
Maybe I may not look like arch-angel Gabriel or Michael, but take your pick what I look like he!he! One moment you may see a halo above my head, but then devilish horns and fangs may pop out of later :-0.
My ACTUAL intention when I saw this set of coffee cups was this.... the cup on my right hand is for myself while the cup on my left would be used to serve drinks to my guest visiting me in my office! ha ha!
Friday, June 05, 2009
Nazareth, hometown of Jesus
This is Nazareth the hometown of Jesus.
A church has been built on top of Mary's house.
See at the top part of the picture below that the angel visited Mary to tell her that she will have a virgin birth and to name the child"Jesus".
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Korazim
Korazim is an archaeological site mentioned in the New Testament as a city condemned by Jesus (together with Bethsaida and Capernaum) for rejecting him.
Korazim was a Jewish town renowned for its good wheat in Talmudic times. In the 16th century, Jewish fishermen used to reside here. The town's ruins are spread over an area of 25 acres, subdivided into five separate quarters, with a synagogue in the centre. The ruins at the site include a large, impressive synagogue which was built with black basalt stones and decorated with Jewish motifs. Close by is a ritual bath, surrounded by public and residential buildings.
Matthew Chapter 11
20 Then he began to upbraid the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Beth-saida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Caperna-um, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
An archaeological synagogue in Korazim.
Korazim was a Jewish town renowned for its good wheat in Talmudic times. In the 16th century, Jewish fishermen used to reside here. The town's ruins are spread over an area of 25 acres, subdivided into five separate quarters, with a synagogue in the centre. The ruins at the site include a large, impressive synagogue which was built with black basalt stones and decorated with Jewish motifs. Close by is a ritual bath, surrounded by public and residential buildings.
Matthew Chapter 11
20 Then he began to upbraid the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Beth-saida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Caperna-um, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
An archaeological synagogue in Korazim.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Preface for Refresh II - Psalms for Business Victory
I write as an entrepreneur for Christ not as an expert, but as a pilgrim. I write not as the most successful businessman around, but as one that has received the grace from God to overcome my challenges and difficulties.
In my business journey as a Christian the messages from many pastors on (1) prosperity and (2) grace, has spurred me on.
I discovered that the 21st century is not a period of prosperity that God is showering on His entrepreneurs, but rather He had always been a God who is wealthy and looking for co-workers in His kingdom.
Moreover, which parent, be it our heavenly Father or our earthly father would want their children to be poor? To be successful we must have an image of a Father (even with our earthly parents) who is loving, forgiving and full of grace (Eph 6:4). If we harbor an image of our Father as a harsh, judgmental and one that will bring brimstone and fire for failing to toe-the-line, we will never succeed in life.
When we were young and in our early adulthood, we indeed need discipline. We needed messages like 10 commandments and the consequences of following or not following God’s laws. But as you get older and having made some mistakes in life -business, relationship, family – we really need grace messages to get us out of our mess. Having made many blunders in life, it was the constant grace messages that kept me going. It was always grace that was going to see us through. It was always God’s grace and the indwelling Holy Spirit that guides us to success, not laws or ‘being good’, though it is still important that we abide by His commandments.
This book:
Part 1
My journey through the tough and trying times
Part 2
The breakthroughs
The living God is a God of grace. We don’t have to earn our salvation. Jesus has done it all for us on the cross. The danger when we stop believing in who is our real Father (Creator), is not that we will believe in nothing. The danger is that we will believe in absolutely anything – fortune telling, mediums, feng shui, and other gods. [An orphan will go around looking for all sorts of adopted parents till he finds his true parents]. Some claim that feng shui is harmless as it is about ‘nature’. But God created nature, and He can change and direct ‘nature’ as he did for Joshua by holding the course of the sun for a while and by holding back the raging storms. If you have God in your business, your feng shui is always good without having to shift pieces of furniture or the changing the direction the main door is facing.
Yes sometimes life sucks!
I have a friend whose marriage is in tatters. Do she hold on for the sake of the kids or just let go? "Why not go for counseling" I suggested. "He is not willing?" was the reply.
I don't think any of the 2 are in Christ. When Christ is not in the picture, there is no central thing that binds them together. When one does not submit to Godly counsel then there is also no hope.
God made marriage to last. Yes people drift apart, but they have to work at it to stay together as marriage is only an extension of courtship as they say. Without God in the family, there is nothing common to develop when interests changes, peers changes and career takes a different turn.
Studies in the US show that the divorce rate of practicing Christians are one couple in 2,500 while that of non-believers is approaching 50%.
