How to Live (Christian Perspective)

Mother Teresa said, ‘… the poor come to all of us in many forms. Let us be sure that we never turn our backs on them, wherever we may find them. For when we turn our backs on the poor, we turn them on Jesus Christ.’

Your love is shown especially in what you do for the poor (James 2:v.2–7), the hungry (v.15) and the needy (v.16)

Your faith must be evidenced by your deeds. All the way through the New Testament, these two go together. As do words and actions; proclamation and demonstration; the conversion of individuals and the transformation of society.

In other words, if your faith does not change how you live, it is not real faith at all.

‘You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove’ (James: 2:18, MSG).

Genuine faith will be evidenced by how you live.

This is how a Christian should live:
(by Nicky Gumbel)
Strengthen the weak
We do this through good teaching, encouragement, prayer and building community.

Heal the sick
Honour all those in the medical profession and all those involved in the healing of the sick. You can lay hands on the sick and pray for them in Jesus’ name.

Bind up the injured
There are so many broken people in our society – in the prisons, homeless on the streets and even in the boardrooms of companies. The Spirit of the Lord enables you to bind up the broken-hearted as you pray for them, embrace them, listen to them and care for them in your community.

Go after the strays
There are many prodigal sons and daughters who have strayed from the Father, like lost sheep. Help them come back to the Father’s arms.

Search for the lost
At times, you may have to leave the other sheep to search for the one who is lost, to bring them back to repentance and cause more joy in heaven. (Luke 15:1–7).

Shepherd with justice
Seek justice on behalf of the oppressed, the needy and the poor. We should rescue children, women and men from slavery, bring the perpetrators to justice, set the captives free and care for them.

Worship

What is worship? 1. Praise God for who he is. 2. Honor Good for what he does. 3. Thank God for his help.

A Healthy Small Group

The continual must do's for a healthy small group.  The SCORE Principles:

SERVE - what you do with one another
CARE - people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care
OTHERS - look at the interest of others
RELATE - improve relationship
ENTHRONE - place God first.

Small Group Growth

Small group growth correlate clearly with:

1. Amount of time the leader spent with the Lord each day.
2. Amount of prayer for members. Those leaders who prayed for their members everyday had groups that grew on the average twice as fast as those who only prayed for the members once or twice a week.
3. Hospitality, social activity and ministry.  The more time a leader and members spent together outside meetings, the faster the groups grew.
4. Number of visitiors.
5. Visitor follow up.  It is not surprising to discover that the more visitors a group had, the faster it grew.  However, the research revealed more importantly than the number of visitors a group had, was whether the visitors were followed on.
6. Raising up leaders.
7. Clear goals.
8. Preparation for the meeting.

MEETINGS MUST BE FUN AND ALIVE.

Healing invitation

Come and be healed.

A connection between the tongue and heart

When you get angry, your mouth just reveals what’s inside your heart. A harsh tongue reveals an angry heart. A negative tongue reveals a fearful heart. A boasting tongue reveals an insecure heart. An overactive tongue reveals an unsettled heart. A judgmental tongue reveals a guilty heart. A critical tongue reveals a bitter heart. A filthy tongue reveals an impure heart. On the other hand, an encouraging tongue reveals a happy heart, a gentle tongue reveals a loving heart, and a controlled tongue reveals a peaceful heart. - Rick Warren.

When and why I became a believer of Jesus Christ

     In the beginning, my parents and I were non-believers.  We accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior when my paternal grandmother, who was a staunch Taoist, passed away.  Both my father and mother had basic Christian knowledge from missionary schools during their childhood education.  My father studied at ACS Ipoh and my mother studied at the Convent Girls School Penang.

All of us in the family were baptized in Dec 1968.  That was some 47 years ago.  As a young Christian I attended church on and off, listened to some difficult to understand sermons and mixed around with the kids after service.  Life was carefree and I just had to concentrate on my studies and do well in school exams.  While In secondary school, Friday chapel service was about singing some familiar songs. There was hardly any bible teaching at all.  We had moral lessons instead and it was a terrific time to relax and waste. 

While in varsity I learnt a bit more about Christ while attending Varsity Christian Fellowship and began to notice the exemplary lives of some of the deeper rooted Christians who took care of my needs during the initial years in campus.  They organised gatherings and I was very comfortable with them.  I remembered attending bible studies with some of them.

After graduating from medical school, life was rather busy and there was not much time for church activities nor meetings with other believers.  I attended church on and off and declined to be fully committed to any cell group.  A cell leader kept on calling me to attend cell meetings and I always declined.  I would only join cell meetings in my house which my sister was hosting. 

All being said I considered myself as a nominal Christian then.

While at work in hospital and as a chest specialist later I managed some very difficult cases.  Despite my extensive training at home and abroad some patients would die without me and my team being able to do anything to save them.  In the bible, I read about Christ being the healer and he would actually perform miracles to bring the dead to life. 

Life is certainly short and in life only one thing is certain and that is death.  Over time, I began to ask questions like what would happen when a person dies and is there life after death.  To find out more about life after death, II began to read autobiographies of people who had near death experiences.  To my surprise, many would narrate very similar experiences like seeing a tunnel of light and leaving their bodies.  Some described how they were floating around their dead bodies and heard what the doctors were doing and saying during resuscitation.  Some described the feeling of joy and serenity when they saw a person dressed in brilliant white in the distance.

During my varsity days I witnessed a middle aged person living opposite to me who frequently went into trance.  While in trance he would jump, dance, somersault and behave like a monkey. I was told he had the monkey God spirit in him whenever he went into trance.

From my many readings and observations, I strongly believe that there is a spiritual world in existence which I cannot explain.  If it is so, the existence of God must also be more real, I concluded.

My believe and faith in Jesus Christ became very much stronger when my father fell ill with a sudden massive heart attack in 1991, about a month after I began private practice.  I stayed with him in ICU and prayed to God for his speedy recovery.  I asked God for more years with him. 

God was very graceful and merciful.  I often marveled how my father’s big weak heart with a function of less than 20% never bothered him with symptoms of heart failure like shortness of breath, leg swelling etc.  God’s healing power was truly manifest for many years.  I strongly believed God’s healing power was made manifest through my doctor friends and myself who treated him.  God works in many wondrous ways and I experienced it all.

My father was called home to the Lord at age 82 years in 2003 some 12 years after the heart attack.  He died suddenly at home while being treated for an unrelated infection of his gallbladder stone. Because of all the blessings God has bestowed upon me and my family, my faith in him has steadily grown from strength to strength over the years.

I am thankful to God for being so merciful and faithful.  He has blessed me and my family tremendously.  I consider my career in medicine as a gift from God.  God cares for me daily.  Every day, I experience a peace of mind which cannot be explained simply. I have unburdened myself and let him carry all my worries. I know God is in control of every situation and he is in charge of my life. I understand how he has brought salvation for everyone who believes in his son Jesus Christ.  He has promised eternal life for me the very moment I was baptized and accepted him as my Lord and Savior.  I know my purpose in life and where I am heading.

In Christ,

Leong Oon Keong

Ministry Possibilities for CEOs

Ministry Possibilities for Christian CEOs
(adapted from The 9 - 5 Window by Os Hillman)

1. Establish written Biblical values as a priority for your firm.
2. Make Christian books, tapes, and videos available on current topics
3. Send children of employees to Christian camps. Offer scholarships to community.
4. Use Christian motivational speakers at sales and company meetings.
5. Have prayer at company meetings.
6. Send employees and spouses to Family Life Seminars.
7. Use special seasons such as Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, New Years to send cards with Christ-centered message.
8. Give away one-year Bibles or other modern translations, paraphrased versions, etc.
9. Share personal challenges and views on current events from a biblical, Christ-centered perspective in a newsletter or other format. Biblical but not "preachy."
10. Give Children's Bibles, Devotionals, or storybooks to employees for their children and grandchildren.
11. Join a Christian accountability group of peers.
12. Release some of your profits to support local ministries that are Christ-centered.
13. Send your key people to seminars and conferences where they can relate to other Christian business and professional leaders.
14. Lead a small group study on Christian values for your employees.
15. Do a seekers class.
16. Provide educational scholarships for employee's children.
17. Provide seminars from a Christian world-view, (For employees, suppliers, etc.)
18. Make financial planning from a biblical perspective available to employees.
19. Have a supplier appreciation banquet, show you value them as persons. Pay them on time.
20. Model application of scripture in business situations. Look for teachable moments to use to illustrate applications.
21. Have a Christ-centered Christmas party.
22. Recognize biblical fruitfulness in employees.
23. Release employees to do ministry on company time.
24. Sponsor a Christian radio program.
25. Pray daily for employees, customers, suppliers, and competitors and let them know it.
26. Send "We are praying for you" cards to customers, suppliers, etc.
27. Display tasteful Christian paintings, pictures, scriptures as office decorations
28. Have Christian magazines and literature in your reception area.
29. Have Christian music on your "hold" button.
30. Fly a Christian flag.
31. Include testimony and other tracts with invoices and other mailing pieces.
32. Create a personal testimony tract and send it to business associates.
33. Have a company picnic and share your testimony or have another do so.
34. Have a corporate chaplain.
35. Purchase a company retreat center and make it available to employees and families.
36. Purchase seats at local Christian events. Seminars, concert, etc. and give them to employees, suppliers, customers.
37. Provide scholarship to married couples to Marriage Enrichment weekend. 
38. Give away copies of the Jesus film video.
39. Underwrite 2 hours a week of an employee's time that is given to visit local nursing home residents. 
40. Start a Wednesday (noon) Bible Study
41. Start a Weekly Prayer Group(s)
42. Men's breakfast Bible study
43. Christian music listening and sharing time
44. "Experiencing God" classes or TGIF Bible Study on calling
45. ''The Mind of Christ" class
46. "Raising Boys" class
47. Contemplative Prayer study
48. "Divorce and Remarriage" class
49. Seeker small groups
50. Provide TGIF subscription to employees or associates
51. Host a Faith and Work E3 program (see marketplace leaders.org) to equip employees to integrate their faith in their work
52. Provide day care for your employees.
53. Send a note to your mayor and tell him you are praying for him.
54. Financially support an inner city ministry.
55. Prayer walk around the outside and halls of your workplace
56. Host a workplace lunch event. Show a work life ministry video. Provide discussion time.

Alpha Parenting Children Course 2015

Course ended last Sunday 31 May 2015 with a graduation lunch.  There were about 16 participants and 6 facilitators. I definitely learnt a lot from the programme and certainly hope the participants learnt just as much. Hope our input in raising kids helped during the sharing.  We may run the Parenting Teenage Course next year.  See you then.

No.	Date	SESSIONS
1	15-Mar	Session 1: Building Strong Foundations (Part 1)
2	22-Mar	Session 1: Building Strong Foundations (Part 2)
3	29-Mar	Session 2: Meeting Our Children's Needs (Part 1)
	5-Apr	BREAK
4	12-Apr	Session 2: Meeting Our Children's Needs (Part 2)
5	19-Apr	Session 3: Setting Boundaries (Part 1)
6	26-Apr	Session 3: Setting Boundaries (Part 2)
	3-May	BREAK
7	10-May	Session 4: Teaching Healthy Relationships (Part 1)
8	17-May	Session 4: Teaching Healthy Relationships (Part 2)
9	24-May	Session 5: Our Long Term Aim (Part 1)
10	31-May	Session 5: Our Long Term Aim (Part 2)

Link to Alpha Parenting Children Course

The CGMC Website has evolved

The Canning Garden Methodist Church website project was started in 2007 with the blessings of the church leadership.  The pastor then was Ps. Ashok.  We engaged Exabyte to host the webpages on 6th April 2007 and chose www.cgmcipoh.org as our web address.  

I was introduced to a content management system (CMS) using the Joomla engine by Bro. Michael Khor. We both worked at it for a few weeks and presto the church website was born.  

This banner, with the church theme then, was created with Corel Painter.  

This logo was plucked off from a church bulletin. 

Sometime in April 2011 a decision was made to handover the website to the church administration for better control and efficiency. I was greatly relieved because I could not keep up with the very many church events and developments which needed to be posted.  Sis Lee Chui Chong helped to manage the website from the church office.

The website is now under the administration of Bro. Abel How our church youth leader.  I strongly believe it will be more attractive and relevant as he will be able to post the latest church news as soon as they arrive.  I had the opportunity to review the new webpages recently and find them very tastefully done using the WordPress engine.  Well done Bro. Abel!  Keep it up for Him.

Kairos course

I am so glad that I signed up for this course.  Initially I was hesitant because of time commitment of some 30 hours.  Learnt a lot and hope to put knowledge into practice soon.  You may wish to check out the content of the course at the Kairos official website.

Come Malaysia Day and we shall be completing the course. I wish to thank the organisers for bringing the course to CGMC.

CGMC Cell Group Event 2013 - Immanuel



Event held on Friday 20th December 2013.  A perfect evening to remind ourselves of the birth of Christ.  The weather was lovely after light rain earlier. 

The first video highlighted the birth of Christ (God with Us) and the second video highlighted the purpose of his coming (the Salvation Story).    A total of 37 people attended (12 members from Cell Group 16). 

Programme:

6.00 pm      Welcome by Dr Leong Oon Keong

6.30 pm      Ice breaker lead by Mr Abel How

                   Video - "Immanuel" God with Us by Rev Charles Spurgeon (3 minutes)

                   Opening carols lead by Mr Ong Tit Hin and piano by Mr Joshua Leong Wen Tze

                   Video - "The Cross" by Rev Billy Graham (28 minutes)

                   Closing carols lead by Mr Ong Tit Hin

                   Prayer and Grace by Dr Su Too Kiat

7.45 pm      Christmas Dinner cum BBQ.         

                  



Cupboard Day

CGMC Kids lining up to exchange their attendance coupons for gifts.  They are thrilled.  Many happy faces.

The Marriage Conference @ CGMC

Dr Greg Smalley presented great ideas from his new book on how to "Fight Your Way To A Better Marriage".  He works with Focus on the Family, USA.

His 4 Steps to a Win/Win outcome in any marriage conflict:

1. Think Win/Win - reaffirm this to each other.
2. Take time to understand what the win is for each person.
3. Brainstorm possible solutions.
4. Select a course of action that both feel good about and implement it. 

Festival Mood @ CGMC

Great fun for the kids and parents at Canning Garden Methodist Church tonight.  I enjoyed it too.  Never too old to join in the fun.  Worship.  Moon cakes .... yummy, lanterns and all.



The children getting ready to play games

"Make a Big Circle" as big as the Moon!

1,2,3,4,5 ...6 .....

The roller lantern

The Healing Connection

God created us as mind, body and spirit and each of these connected aspects needs the redemption Jesus died to give. It is a very practical construction, and those who ignore the connection may try dividing us into spiritual, physical and emotional components for healing.  The Bible gives us a different perspective because it portrays God as the ultimate source of all healing. He may use
doctors, counselors or other health specialists, but He alone is the Author of healing, regardless of how or through whom He chooses to work.  We read in James 1: l7 that "every good and perfect gift
is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights." Medicine is God's gift, so seeking help from a physician does not necessarily mean a lack of faith. We need to be careful, however, about trusting medical science only.  That thinking discounts the miracle-working power of Jesus to go beyond what medicine can accomplish.  - Jan McCray.

Your Redemptive Healing by Jan McCray

Excellent reading for building strong faith in the healing power of God. Jan has a master's degree in religious education with emphasis in Judaic studies and a doctorate in biblical studies.

A Beautiful Day

Where is that pot of gold?
Bible: I've set my rainbow in the sky to symbolise the covenant between me and the earth. ....... so that water will never again become a flood to destroy all living things" Gen 9:13-15.

Parenting Teenagers Course 2013

Hello Teddy the cutie bear

Isn't he cute.  The child who won this first prize for the Christmas Art Competition must be very happy.