Persecution

In light of the recent events that has befallen the Church, nearly anything that moves and breathes has been involved in this situation.

It is not so much of a concern who did this to the Church, but why. Be it politicians fault, be it vandals fault, be it George W Bush's fault, whose ever fault it is, they will answer to God in His presence when the day comes. But what reason sparks all of this? Jealousy, hatred, money, etc..... list can be very long though.

In the Bible, countless accounts of the Church being tarnished, persecuted, abused, threatened and nearly wiped out are recorded. Yet till today, the Church still lives on. No one has succeeded nor been able to wipe out the Church of God. Why? Simply because, God watches over His church. Church not the building, but His people. His beloved sons and daughters, heirs of His Kingdom.

Even God Himself was persecuted, when He Himself became as flesh to die for our sins. That alone being the ultimate form of persecution on any being, in this case, The Creator being persecuted by His own creation. Some may say that was a sad and dumb thing to be done. But it wasnt a dumb foolish act if you could resurrect and say "Im here again" right after being declared dead, mummified and burried for 3 days in a stone cave.

The devil hates the church. So much so he will do anything to stop it from progressing. He is after all the one who opposes God, the greatest enemy and accuser of the church. And he has never stopped doing that since he got kicked out of heaven for being too smart to overtake God's place.

So are all these persecutions and temptations part of his plans? Yes. Partially but for the most part his. Sometimes it is also out of human choice and human heart that is full of hatred that can trigger such actions and thoughts. Just that the devil is good at flaming the fire bigger. In this case, two negatives dont make a positive, it just makes double trouble.

So the whole of Malaysia goes hoo haa over this. But what has the Church been doing? Keeping quite? Being rock steady? Pray for the perpetrators to be arrested? Pray for peace? Cry over their losses?

Here are some encouraging, God assuring truths : -

But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior;
therefore my persecutors will stumble;
they will not overcome me.
They will be greatly shamed,
for they will not succeed.
Their eternal dishonor
will never be forgotten.

—Jeremiah 20:11

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

—Matthew 5:10-12

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

—John 15:18-20

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

—Romans 8:35-39

For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

—2 Corinthians 12:10

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

—2 Timothy 3:12

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

—1 Peter 4:12-14, 16

Christians have always been a prime target. Why?

Everyone targets something valuable, something big, something important. Something that they know has the potential, the power, the ability, the uniqueness, the difference, the goodness. That sums up all that makes up the Christian faith. And that also sums up the God, Yahweh, that we believe in.

Anyone can shake our church building. But no one can shake our faith.

For so as long God watches over His people, there is refuge and deliverance.

 ¹ He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
       will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. ^[a]
 2 I will say ^[b] of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
       my God, in whom I trust."
 ³ Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
       and from the deadly pestilence.
 ⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
       and under his wings you will find refuge;
       his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
 ⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
       nor the arrow that flies by day,
 ⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
       nor the plague that destroys at midday.
 ⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
       ten thousand at your right hand,
       but it will not come near you.
 ⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
       and see the punishment of the wicked.
 ⁹ If you make the Most High your dwelling—
       even the LORD, who is my refuge-
 ¹⁰ then no harm will befall you,
       no disaster will come near your tent.
 ¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
       to guard you in all your ways;
 ¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
       so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
 ¹³ You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
       you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
 ¹⁴ "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
       I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
 ¹⁵ He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
       I will be with him in trouble,
       I will deliver him and honor him.
 ¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him
       and show him my salvation."

-Psalm 91-

Drive Damn It!

I have been driving around for quite a while now in KL. Im just 23 and most of u may think im inexperienced in steering behind the wheel of a 4 wheeled moving automobile. You can say my driving skills isnt that fantastic or my road knowledge isnt that good, moreover in the Big City with all the big fancy cars everywhere trying to kill the small fry.

But lets remember what we have learned back in the driving school. What happen to all that  we have learned there? Where did it go to? From our angelic and behaved manners in the driving test or scoring 50/50 in the road code test, to utter ignorance and sheer dumbness on the open road.

I have observed for as long as im behind the wheel. My eyes dont just look at the front of my hood you know. I look at the whole road scene. Whats going on my left, right, front, back........even below and above. A competent driver should and MUST know whats going on all around the vehicle. And not just 3 feet around the bloody box..........but up to 300 - 500 meters ahead, 100 meters behind and 50 meters left right. Why some accidents happen? Drivers dont notice whats going on. Blind, oblivious, inattentive.

Road manners especially...where have they gone to? Remember the etiquette of giving way? Especially at exit ramps. The book does state we should give way alternately to exiting cars. But no, most drivers just barge on and not give a darn. Thats 1 car........if 10? 20? Thats why some jams are 10 minutes standstill. Mentality. Gone. People put signal lights is akin to asking "Please may i pass" on the roads. If you dont intend to let him pass at least dont till you are just a whisker away from scratching his side.

And what happened to KEEPING TO YOUR LANES? KEEP TO THE CORRECT LANE! You want to exit to the left ramp.......yet there they are on the far right lane trying to cut over 3 lanes. For one, you should know where you are headed. And if you know where you are heading you should have a clear track or plan of route. And if you know the route, then you should know which direction you are going. If thats the case, there should be no excuse for you to be Cutting Lanes like cutting meat with a blunt knife! You make things ugly.

Speed. Please people keep reasonable speed. I mean i drive an old Datsun Sunny 120Y ( One of the oldest of its kind). I keep most of the time to the middle lane which is mostly where 80-100kmh speeds are at. The far lane or fast lane on the outer right is 110 - 130 for fast drivers and the far left for slow drivers or lorries. But u know what i see always. Some drivers hogging the fast lane. 80kmh. And they wont MOVE aside. How ignorant is that? Cars are already overtaking on the left. And on the highways by right overtaking is supposed to be on the RIGHT. Well, "tidak apa la". Yeah.........RIGHT. Come on la.......sensible abit la. This is another stupid reason why jams happen. You got a slow lorry on the left. A slow car on the middle lane, and and equally slow car on the right lane. Jam la for sure! I drive along the Federal Highway and always when there is a jam its only two things : Slow driver or accident. And 99% its the former's case. Once i pass a certain point, there isnt any significant reason why a jam should happen. Its not a bottle neck (come one 3-4 lanes). Its not a construction site. Its not peak hours. Its not even raining. Silly. Please la use your mirrors and see whats going on behind. If u see a long line of cars behind yet no car at all infront it simply means you are SLOW and PLEASE MOVE OVER IMMEDIATELY. I even give way alot of times because i know im not that fast. But sometimes i get so frustrated at drivers who dont want to move away...... i will just flash or honk their eyes and ears off. Or give them stares when i overtake on the LEFT. I do that coz i have no choice and they wont move. Idiots.

Another annoying thing.........why so many take so darn long to move when the light goes green?! I mean NO other cars are crossing. Yet 90% of the time the light turns green the front car hasnt moved even after 3-5 secs. Which is darn precious for us at the back!!!! I mean realize la that when 3 other sides have moved, surely the next us. Just prepare 1st gear and move la. Most KLites use auto gearbox cars now, still that slow? Im not boasting im faster off the line at the lights with my old manual, but the faster i move off the faster ppl behind get to move as well, right or not? No one wants to be stuck at a light for more than 2 rounds. It gets plain ANNOYING after that. Seriously. I think im speaking truth and sense. Considerate please.

One dangerous thing : Sudden braking when there is absolutely no reason or harm to brake in the first place. I mean come one the road in front is clear. Roads are smooth, no cars.....travelling nicely at 90-100kmh. Yet suddenly driver in front brakes. FOR WHAT?! Avoid flies and mosquitoes? Theres an art of coasting/braking using gear. Which is less abrupt than pressing the brakes if u want to just rub off speed. You move yet you slow down a little, not a sudden brake and startle the drivers behind. That can cause accidents.

I dont know what else to say. Probably i have said all the major stuff that most Malaysian drivers need to adhere to. I honestly think that scoring 50/50 or having 30 years driving experience doesnt necessarily make you a good driver. A good driver goes by etiquette, reasoning and consideration. Its not your own road, its our road. So think about others too.

The question is not if you CAN drive, but do you know HOW to drive. Not as in operating the vehicle. But as in being responsible and thoughtful on the road.

2.0.1.0.

Okay fine some folks wanted me to update my blog.......

First of all Happy 2010 New Year to everyone reading. I know i have been super low lying quiet for the most part. Ever since my job started i have been lazy to dish out a full fledged blog......and even a short post.

I dont know where to begin honestly in blogging for 2010.

Seeing back 2009, the end of the single digits for the 21st century, 10 years to Jan 1st 2000, it has been (im assuming for most people) a roller coaster ride. Twist n turns, ups and downs, fears and joys, screams and weeps, love and hates. Seeing where we have all come from and what we have been doing so far, there has always been a sense of passage, transition and leaving a mark in history. 2009 was well filled with all sorts of things from top to toe, A-Z and 1 to infinity, for me at least.

So what do i see, look forward, predict, plan, aim, target, dream, aspire, run for in 2010? Resolutions were never really what i do for every new year. Doesnt mean i dont have one, but instead of being tied down through out the whole one year on 1 resolution or 10 for that matter, i prefer to make a resolution that i enjoy more of the process, the journey, the involvement, the essence of it all, as compared to completing by the end of the time frame which most others do. And if one doesnt fulfill his/her resolution they consider it a failure. The finish line is there always, how we get there in what manner and what speed are the other variables dependent on ourselves. My finish line is at the end of my life time here. So ive got long long way to go.

Up till now ive considered myself a slow poke when it comes to doing certain things (albeit eating), but at other things i can be lightning fast. So whats next? Well in this year, i hope to take my time to find out more of my purposes in life, and find out more about what does it take to be an impact to others. This year will be my 23rd year walking the crust of the earth........i say that coz ive never breached beyond the 60km thick skin of our earth to the mantle. =P

I guess i gotta be more sensitive to others and be less of an @$$ sometimes. But removing my sarcasm and sense of humour and lameness might be a tall order. Not only that, it takes away ME.

Last year was a bad year for sports for me, with that nagging knee (which i will find out the cause soon the coming Thursday). Cycling was only brief. Badminton picked up however. But i do miss my old active life. And i think i want it back. Lifes a bore without action.

My work. Hmm. I aim to be the best at what i enjoy doing the most (hints).


This year also (somewhere along the way), i do hope to be able to put my guitaring skills to some Good Use. (hints).

TGFGBGMG - To God For God By God My God.

With hearts as one.
Darren