Ten Bibles and Seeking His Kingdom

Earlier this year, an email came into my inbox...

Greetings in Jesus name,

May this letter find you blessed in Christ. I am writing from West Africa and it is a blessing getting to you in the other part of the world. It is my prayer that you become a friend of me and the local church here.  I got your email when I surfed into the web site and I know that it is God’s arrangement......

It came from a pastor in Nigeria asking for Bibles.   To be honest, I am more skeptical than willing to help at the beginning.  I am busy. I have to settle down in Singapore. I am calling to do this role in OMF.  I have other ministries I am part of.  Plus, I am living off nothing.  Where do I find money to ship Bibles to Nigeria?  Isn't that expensive to ship there?

So a few weeks go by.  I put this email in the back burner.  Got to do this. Got to do that.....

And a few more weeks go by.  I check my Gmail and the email is always there. Sitting.  Waiting.

If you search 'Nigeria bible' in Google, you will find the following:

Scams.  What? What if he is trying to scam me?   I need to protect myself.

After some contemplation, I decided to try and see a way to send Bibles over.  I figure even if this is a scam, it is just Bibles.  Someone can put into a good use and others can be saved.  

And money,  it might be expensive to ship over.  Money can be saved for wedding or other use.  But here we are talking about investing in His Kingdom. 

Isn't that what Jesus said in Matthew 6:33?  First seek His Kingdom.  Don't worry about food, clothing, the daily living.  Don't even worry about money.  

I tried ChristianBook.com.  They have the Bibles but they don't ship to Nigeria.  Then I tried Amazon.  They have the Bibles and they do ship to Nigeria!  Great.

So with much enthusiasm and joy, I ordered ten KJV Giant Print Bibles.

Yesterday, I received a shipping confirmation from Amazon.

It costs about $6/Bible for shipping.

It comes out to about $200.  

Perhaps it is from Francis Chan recent sermons (this one and this one) on how we should be living out what the Bible says, I don't think what I done as anything great. I am merely just doing what the Bible teaches.  When someone asks for help, you give.  Those who have give to those who needs.

This post is a more sober reflection of my own heart, I should have just sent it much earlier.  

As I was reflecting my lack of response this morning, I sent a SMS to my girlfriend.

Remember the two hundred dollars for the Bible.....that cost me something....a faith without cost is no faith at all.  I hope that I learn to have more faith. ...the way to have more faith is to give more (or cost more)...money, things and ultimately life.    

Those who follow me will have to die n take up their cross.
For those who want to keep their lives will die...those who give up their lives for His sake shall live. (ala Matthew 16:25)

I am praying for my brother in Nigeria for the Bibles to get to him so he can share it with his church. 

Also need to learn to let go more.  Freely receive and freely give.

  27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 

   32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:27-36

Rest In Him

When I became a Christian...or at the point when I realized I was sinner, I realized it was all done by Him... 

As I grew to become a better Christian, I use my own strength and rely on myself to get close to Him... 

When I choose to follow Christ, one that I would give up my life to follow Him, I realized I can't do it on my own. I need His Strength.  It's all Him...

It's funny how things sometimes turn in full circle.  And in life, we often think we learn the lesson until our faults realize that we are off the course and have to relearn it again.  

I had the privilege of attending an African Service yesterday at Cornerstone Community Church.  I went there for a few reasons.  

One, the pastor and wife leading the congregation is also my relationship's mentor.  

Two, I spoke with the pastor to see where I can serve and he suggested I check the congregation out and see if I am interested.

Three, I never been to an African service before.  Since I am here in Singapore, outside of my comfort zone, I should discover and experience how worship is done in a different cultural context.

It was a great time.  There was a lot of singing and dancing. It was happy and it was joyful. I felt more like in a party than in a service.

The message of the service was on do not worry.

Stranger in a Strange Land

The theme was a stranger in a strange land.  Obviously, those attending the service was from Africa.  Thus, they are very far from home in Singapore.  I am far from my home.  The pastor is American and he's also far from his home.  So this message connects well to everyone.

The pastor was a missionary in Philippines. He married a Singaporean and shared how in the first four years, they moved six times.  There was one time when they were close to buying a house.  Then they realized they were con and they had two days left with the place they were staying.

He talked about relying on money.  Relying on PR (Permanent Resident is a pass you need to apply in order to stay in Singapore). 

In one point he said, 'if you think a bigger bank account will solve your problem, you are wrong. The problem is not a bigger bank account. The problem is internal.'  

How true, how true.  For the past few weeks, I've been watching my bank account very closely.  At OMF (Overseas Missionary Fellowship), they give me a monthly allowance.  I have to be careful to not overspend or I won't have money period.  He too shared about how as a missionary, those who give to pledge in the future, by the time they suppose to give, only 50% comes through.  Very scary.

It seems life is so insecure.  

Inconvenience

And we don't need to be a missionary to know that.  People, even Christians, worry whether they are saving enough to ______ (car, house, kids education, retirement etc.) In return, what often do we do, get more education or get a higher pay job.  It is almost an endless cycle.  Once we think a job with a higher pay will solve our problem and we toil ourselves for it.  That we MADE it!  We forget about it and the next problem comes.  Maybe more bills. Maybe this or that.  Then we pray and pray and wonder why God is not helping us.  And we work harder and harder.  

And so yesterday, I thought about going back to where can our security comes from?  In Christ.  

It is not a matter of just saying it, go to worship on Sun, tithe a bit and spend the rest of lives figuring out how our strengths can get the dream or lifestyle we deem right.  And I know sometimes I have such expectations in life.  Like if something is not met, I cannot survive.

For me, it is simply having internet at home.  I purchased an Internet stick in Singapore.  The irony is that I can use the Internet stick anywhere except at home.  There's no reception.  Even at now, it is quite inconvenient to type this post as I was in a park and it was raining. So I walked over to a mall to finish this post.

Expectations

What the pastor preached yesterday hit home in a number of fronts.  I think sometimes the worst is our own expectation we have to ourselves in what we need to live.  And just as I think I need Internet at home to live.  

One thing I learn from missionaries is that living in a cross culture, we need to stay flexible.  What we think is the 'right' way might not be the norm of things done.   And I am learning too. I am learning to let go all those expectations I had once thought I need in order for me to live. Internet, haha, such a simple thing.  But yes, need to stay flexible.  It is an inconvenience, it is not life and death.

I think a sign of a truly mature Christian is to rest in Him not in the good times and in the bad times.  In times when we feel we are inadequate, we keep moving.  In another words, can I rest in His security when I have no money? Or not knowing when the next meal will come? or no home?  

**Side note, if you are reading this and I know myself too, sometimes I think we worry we don't have money, more so than the eternal standing we have in the Kingdom.  Perhaps Salvation is become just a cliche in Christian circles that we think our next paycheck is more important than it.....*** 

And so yesterday, I leaned back in Him.  

Yes, I do not know what tomorrow will be like.  

Yes, I do not know where I will be after two years in Singapore with OMF. 

Yes, I do not know where my career or my retirement will be (haha, I really haven't given these much thoughts). 

And yes, I really have no clue how I will provide for my family when I get married.  

But I rest everything in Him.  His Grace has been good to me.  He gave me a liver transplant.  He freed me from the endless cycle of drunken-ness.  He gave me life.  

Surely, if Jesus died on the Cross for me, the highest price a Father can give, He will no doubt take care of me.....in all the days...

AMEN!

Though OMF gave me a budget, I am working even hard to live simpler. I realize that I have a lot more, compare to the rest of the world.  For every dollar I save up, I am giving  to those who need it.  And yes, sometimes I feel like I need it too. And yes, sometimes I do feel like I should splurge on myself because it was a hard day at work.  And yes, some days I do ask God why do I have to skimming on life.  

One of the things I can do with the money I saved up is to sponsor a child in Uganda.  Surely, $180/year is what...3-4 meals in a fancy restaurant? Maybe a good date? (Heck, I rather I don't take my date to a fancy place and give it to those in need)? Or maybe a new mp3 player or a good gadget?

But those things feel good and won't save a life....let's spend it where it makes a difference in the Kingdom!!   

    25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 

28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

- Matthew 6:25-34

More side note:  Yup, still sitting in the mall.  Actually in front of a bus station, surfing the net.  What I experience is not something new. I am sure all missionaries gone through this. Many gone through even more so than what i am going through.  And it is their examples, their faith and how God provided for them that give me hope and solidify what I am leaning on.