It’s a simple, proven program: You bring me five souls, and they each get five souls, and… pretty soon, you’ll have a halo, company wings, and a six-figure residual income for eternity.

God wants us to evangelize - if The Lord Jesus had 12 disciples and his 12 disciples had more than 80 other disciples on their own which spread on to create the entire church structure, then are we to say that Christianity is a pyramid scheme?

A 'Holy' pyramid perhaps :)

Haha - I guess MLM is biblical.

By Khai



Have you ever wondered whether it is wrong to pray that God will bless you with wealth and riches? Is there any problems with wanting to earn as much money as you can while you are living in the earthly realm?

My circle of friends are all entrepreneurs and to be able to associate within their circles, you have to be making a minimum of a 5 figure monthly income in order to qualify to interact with their level of expertise. So we talk about money and making money all the time.

However, many churches are reluctant to talk about money and wealth as they feel that money is a topic that is taboo and they avoid talk about it altogether within Christian circles.

In fact, Christians who bring up the topic of money are often frowned upon!

Let Scripture Be The Final Authority!

According to many of the reformers and puritans, they believed in the authenticity and the legitimacy of scripture (as we should, today) as evident in Sola Scriptura - in other words, by scripture alone to prove what is right, what is wrong, and what is true and what is false.

Therefore, we will let scripture decide what is the right viewpoint - especially after a careful exegesis to let us know if what we believe in is indeed biblical or not.

The Difference Between Money And Mammon

Let's establish these two points so that we do not get confused with the actual terms:

1. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
   
   
   Matthew 6:24 KJV
   
   

   Firstly, we must NOT confuse money and mammon - Money is NOT mammon! It is merely a MEDIUM of Exchange! Therefore money is NEUTRAL!
   
   On the other hand, mammon is the LOVE for money. Remember, money is neutral so there is nothing wrong with money, but if you obsess about something so much, even something good can turn into a venue for SIN.
   
   
   
2. Most people say that money is the root of all evil, but that statement is incorrect. The truth is that money is NOT the root of all evil but rather the LOVE OF MONEY is the root of all evil, hence the definition of mammon is personified in the love of money.
   
   So there is nothing wrong with money, in and of itself.
   

Money is a medium of EXCHANGE - nothing more!

Money is first and foremost a medium of exchange. As human society became increasingly more complex, it became inconvenient for humans to barter one commodity or service for another or to exchange a certain quantity of labor for a certain quantity of some commodity. No one invented money; it simply developed.

In this sense of a medium of exchange, money is both a social and an economic convenience. It makes complicated economic ex­changes more convenient and more efficient than if each person had to barter commodities and services directly with other people.

Imagine how silly it would be if you try barter trading.

It would be possible to trade a LIVE cow for 3 loaves of bread...
But how on earth are you going to get a cow if you have only ONE LOAF of bread?
Unless you are running a steak house like Tony Roma or The Ship, is it IMPOSSIBLE to try and divide a live cow.

And it get's worse... what if the cow guy wants something else like chicken, and the bread guy would have to find someone who wants his bread and is willing to give a chicken to him.

Basically, without an economic system, we would be running around wasting time and more monetary resources trying to find a common medium!

Money is also important for STORING WEALTH. It is impossible to save money if people only gave you bread all the time. Imagine getting a whole barnyard filled with bread? After a week, your 'money' will turn into this:


It is preposterous to imagine consuming all your 'assets' in the present. Therefore, not only is money important as a medium of exchange and a means of measurement, it is also a way to store your wealth!

Therefore, the conviction of Christians that money is evil is an erroneous heresy based on several economic misunderstandings.

Remember, the purpose of value exchange is that it has to leave BOTH parties in a better position than they were before the trade.

Common Misconceptions About Jesus' Parables

Claims that the Bible condemns wealth or that God hates all the rich are clearly incompatible with the teachings of Jesus, who saw noth­ing inherently evil in money, wealth, or private ownership. (Otherwise, Abraham, David and Solomon would be condemned in hell for being rich)

What the Lord certainly condemned is materialism and the compulsive desire to acquire wealth, but he never condemned wealth in and of itself!

Remember, Jesus has wealthy friends and followers (Luke 14:1); he stayed in the homes of wealthy people; he ate at their tables (Luke 11:37).

The parable of the talents outlined in Matthew 25:14-30 talks about stewardship and investing your money wisely.

Jesus blessed the 'rich' investor who was given 10 talents by giving him an additional 10 because of his proper stewardship of money. However, he condemned the foolish investor because he buried his one and only talent into the ground.

This lesson shows us Christians that when God gives you money, you should invest them wisely and grow your wealth rather than stash them away in the bank and let it rot there.

It shows that God clearly takes an interest in the economic cycle as an economic system CANNOT grow if money doesn't 'roll' if you know what I mean...

Jesus didn't condemn the rich man and blessed the beggar Lazarus (Luke 16:20) because of the size of their bank account - it was based on Lazarus' FAITH and not because it is a sin to be rich. The rich man was unregenerate - therefore he had no faith in God and descended to hell. If Lazarus never placed his faith in the living God, he wouldn't even be anywhere near Abraham's bosom. So it has nothing to do with wealth as outlined in this parable.

Likewise, Jesus didn't require that all Christians give away all their wealth and possessions to the poor to follow him just as he told off the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-23). He was merely TESTING his commitment by revealing where the ruler's heart lay, his trust in riches rather than the faith and providence of God.

God's Plan For Man

Let's examine what God really wants us to do with the pursuit of wealth!

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."


God created us in his images, so traces of his character is evident in humans who display the characteristics of God in a way.

The first instance of the bible, the task given to man is to RULE the earth manage it's resources!

God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."


Shortly afterwards, God told man to be fruitful and multiply, once again, by subduing every other living thing on earth - man is to RULE and PROGRESS, not sit at home earning just 'enough money'. God wants us to GO OUT THERE and CREATE VALUE for society.

Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.


God also placed man in charge of tending the garden of Eden.

Do you know that God created the world by using the spoken word?

The spoken word is a powerful thing as the bible describes the tongue as a little object that can set fire to things.

Likewise, there is life and death in the power of the tongue.

You can give life and you can cause death with the tongue.

Growing up in a typical Chinese family has taught me a lot about this principle.

I call it the POWER OF POSITIVE SELF-TALK.

I've experienced this mind set transformation quite vividly due to my childhood experiences.

My parents, bless them, are my role models when it comes to good parenting and they provided me with every single jump start for my life (my education and some of my failed business ventures - but NOT my Internet marketing business which I started from scratch with no money down.)

My dad being the sole bread winner and a star-studded employee practices a philosophy in life which is to work hard with impeccable integrity and honesty.

My mom is one of the most articulate and intelligent housewives/mothers that I've ever seen (most other mothers I've met are sooooo 'Aunty', if you know what I mean).

However, being a typical Chinese (or 'China man') family, they usually express their 'encouragement' in the forms of negative criticisms that I strongly disagree with their approach even until today.

Words they use like:

"Boooooy, you are so FAAAATTTT... go and lose weight before you DIE of a heart attack!"

"Don't Eat so much! You will block your arteries to DEATH!"

Now, please, do not get the impression that my parents are so evil to the point that they will curse me with a fatal disease. They are LOVING parents with good intentions, but I will never use these words on others if I want to encourage someone else.

Other words like: (warning: extremely butchered Malaysian English ahead)

- "Sooooon, work/study hard if not you will be poor and useless like and stay in a small, small house"

- "Do la! Go and do, later you die then you know!"

- "AIYOH, why you so STOOOPID ONE? Good for nothing!!!"

- "Why your stomach so BIG one, quick, go jogging or else no girl will want you one day."

- "Make sure you Don't FAIL your exams or else you cannot get in to 'science-stream' and you will be a useless person"

Subconsciously, the words seeped in and for years before my Internet marketing ventures, I grew up believing that I was too fat, too stupid, too poor and somehow too inferior compared to the rest of the world.

Yet, in spite of the negative criticisms, I still saw the love and the underlying encouragement that my parents have for me (with much filtering through the criticisms). I vow never to use negative, derogatory statements in order to encourage someone else to succeed.

They even encouraged me by sending me this forwarded mail, and I believe it is worth your time to read this line by line.

Article by Abdul Kalam:

I remember my dad teaching me the power of language at a very young age. Not only did my dad understand that specific words affect our mental pictures, but he understood words are a powerful programming factor in lifelong success.

One particularly interesting event occurred when I was eight. As a kid, I was always climbing trees, poles, and literally hanging around upside down from the rafters of our lake house. So, it came to no surprise for my dad to find me at the top of a 30-foot tree swinging back and forth. My little eight-year-old brain didn't realize the tree could break or I could get hurt. I just thought it was fun to be up so high.

My older cousin, Tammy, was also in the same tree. She was hanging on the first big limb, about ten feet below me. Tammy's mother also noticed us at the exact time my dad did. About that time a huge gust of wind came over the tree. I could hear the leaves start to rattle and the tree begin to sway. I remember my dad's voice over the wind yell, 'Bart, Hold on tightly.' So I did. The next thing I know, I heard Tammy screaming at the top of her lungs, laying flat on the ground. She had fallen out of the tree.

I scampered down the tree to safety. My dad later told me why she fell and I did not. Apparently, when Tammy's mother felt the gust of wind, she yelled out, 'Tammy, don't fall!' And Tammy did... fall.

My dad then explained to me that the mind has a very difficult time processing a negative image. In fact, people who rely on internal pictures cannot see a negative at all. In order for Tammy to process the command of not falling, her nine-year-old brain had to first imagine falling, then try to tell the brain not to do what it just imagined. Whereas, my eight-year-old brain instantly had an internal image of me hanging on tightly.

This concept is especially useful when you are attempting to break a habit or set a goal. You can't visualize not doing something. The only way to properly visualize not doing something is to actually find a word for what you want to do and visualize that. For example, when I was thirteen years old, I played for my junior high school football team. I tried so hard to be good, but I just couldn't get it together at that age. I remember hearing the words run through my head as I was running out for a pass, 'Don't drop it!' Naturally, I dropped the ball.

My coaches were not skilled enough to teach us proper 'self-talk.' They just thought some kids could catch and others couldn't. I'll never make it pro, but I'm now a pretty good Sunday afternoon football player, because all my internal dialogue is positive and encourages me to win. I wish my dad had coached me playing football instead of just climbing trees. I might have had a longer football career.

Here is a very easy demonstration to teach your kids and your friends the power of a toxic vocabulary. Ask them to hold a pen or pencil. Hand it to them. Now, follow my instructions carefully. Say to them, 'Okay, try to drop the pencil.' Observe what they do.

Most people release their hands and watch the pencil hit the floor. You respond, 'You weren't paying attention. I said TRY to drop the pencil. Now please do it again.' Most people then pick up the pencil and pretend to be in excruciating pain while their hand tries but fails to drop the pencil.

The point is made.

If you tell your brain you will 'give it a try,' you are actually telling your brain to fail. I have a 'no try' rule in my house and with everyone I interact with. Either people will do it or they won't. Either they will be at the party or they won't. I'm brutal when people attempt to lie to me by using the word try. Do they think I don't know they are really telegraphing to the world they have no intention of doing it but they want me to give them brownie points for pretended effort? You will never hear the words 'I'll try' come out of my mouth unless I'm teaching this concept in a seminar.

If you 'try' and do something, your unconscious mind has permission not to succeed. If I truly can't make a decision I will tell the truth. 'Sorry John. I'm not sure if I will be at your party or not. I've got an outstanding commitment. If that falls through, I will be here. Otherwise, I will not. Thanks for the invite.'

People respect honesty. So remove the word 'try' from your vocabulary.

My dad also told me that psychologists claim it takes seventeen positive statements to offset one negative statement. I have no idea if it is true, but the logic holds true. It might take up to seventeen compliments to offset the emotional damage of one harsh criticism.

These are concepts that are especially useful when raising children.

Ask yourself how many compliments you give yourself daily versus how many criticisms. Heck, I know you are talking to yourself all day long. We all have internal voices that give us direction.

So, are you giving yourself the 17:1 ratio or are you shortchanging yourself with toxic self-talk like, ' I'm fat. Nobody will like me. I'll try this diet. I'm not good enough. I'm so stupid. I'm broke, etc. etc.'

If our parents can set a lifetime of programming with one wrong statement, imagine the kind of programming you are doing on a daily basis with your own internal dialogue. Here is a list of Toxic Vocabulary words.

Notice when you or other people use them.

But: Negates any words that are stated before it.
Try: Presupposes failure.
If: Presupposes that you may not.
Might: It does nothing definite. It leaves options for your listener.
Would Have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't actually happen.
Should Have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't actually happen (and implies guilt.)ؠCould Have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't actually happen but the person tries to take credit as if it did happen.
Can't/Don't: These words force the listener to focus on exactly the opposite of what you want. This is a classic mistake that parents and coaches make without knowing the damage of this linguistic error.

Examples:
Toxic phrase: 'Don't drop the ball!'
Likely result: Drops the ball
Better language: 'Catch the ball!'

Toxic phrase: 'You shouldn't watch so much television.'
Likely result: Watches more television.
Better language: 'I read too much television makes people stupid. You might find yourself turning that TV off and picking up one of those books more often!'

Exercise: Take a moment to write down all the phrases you use on a daily basis or any Toxic self-talk that you have noticed yourself using. Write these phrases down so you will begin to catch yourself as they occur and change them.

God bless my parents. Their 'constructive criticisms' and their funny antics really gives me a good laugh as I look back.

Thankfully, this self talk method has helped me to triple my income, lose more weight, increase my confidence and spend more time praying and reading the Bible.

I hope this article encourages you. Please leave your comments about your experiences as well.

Today is supposed to be a scary day for me because I've never participated in a basketball tournament before, much less, play proper basketball.

Posted By: Khai

Today as we just had CG at Yam & Erica's house. After the CG, I was reminded by Kee Hang (己汉) that the church basketball tournament is going to start next Saturday.

I started thinking about basketball training again.


The first thing that came to my mind was Chong Kim (重锦).

I am really grateful to him for helping me out in basketball during our last 2 training sessions.

You see, Chong Kim is a tall and big guy. And I mean REALLY big.

Standing next to him, you can feel how small you really are. I think the air he breathes up there is quite different as well ;)

Anyway, Chong Kim is so big and tall, whenever you try to fight for the position under the rim, for shots or rebounds, it is like going up against a truck.

Does he remind you of a famous 'Slam Dunk' comic character?

Well, it does remind me of him. Hehe!

Even though he is so tall and he grabs the ball easily from 'shorties' like me all the time, one thing that I'm really grateful is that during the last few sessions of training, going up against him under the rim really pushed me to my limits.

I had to jump higher, push harder and stand stronger otherwise, I would be crushed by his awesome size :P

After my sessions of playing with him, I realized something...

Playing against other people on the court seem SO MUCH EASIER!

Really, when you are used to wrestling with a huge guy like him, suddenly everyone else seem shorter and weaker. And when he is not on the court, even my friends thought that I've improved a LOT! They didn't know that I went through a 'secret training' with Chong Kim.

这个星期五的小组，我们来到了方平和宝美的家！
嘿嘿，不要看方平静静的，其实他是“福州面线料理达人”呢！！

Jac+Jerry, Erica+李炎，恩年+怡岑，辉文+诗宇，你们走宝了! 嘻嘻！

当你遇到以下情况，这些号码比起999更有效

当你忧伤时，请拨 * 约翰福音 14
当你犯了罪，请拨 * 诗篇 51
当你面对危难，请拨 * 诗篇 91
当所有人都令你失望，请拨 * 诗篇 139
当你的信心需要鼓励时，请拨 * 希伯来书 11
当你又孤单又惧怕时，请拨 * 诗篇 23
当你担忧时，请拨 * 马太福音 8:19-34
当你受伤害,心怀不平时，请拨 * 哥林多前书 13
当你怀疑基督信仰时，请拨 * 哥林多后书 5:15-18
当你觉得被遗弃被隔绝时，请拨 * 罗马书 8:31-39
当你寻找平安时，请拨 * 马太福音11:25-30
当你觉得世界比上帝更大时，请拨 * 诗篇 90
当你需要基督就像需要保险时，请拨 * 罗马书8:1-30
当你出门远行时，请拨 * 诗篇 121
当你为自己祷告时，请拨 * 诗篇 87
当你需要勇气去完成一项工作时，请拨 * 约书亚书 1
当你为投资与通涨昼夜思虑时，请拨 * 马可福音 10:17-31
当你心情低落时，请拨 * 诗篇 27
当你的银行户口结余是零时，请拨 * 诗篇 37
当你对所有人失去信心时，请拨 * 哥林多前书13
当你觉得周围的人不友善时，请拨 * 约翰福音15
当你失去盼望时，请拨 * 诗篇 126
当你觉得世界比你小时，请拨 * 诗篇 19
当你希望结出果子时，请拨 * 约翰福音15
当你碰到很好的机遇或洞察先机时，请拨 * 以赛亚书 55
当你想与其他人和睦相处时，请拨 * 罗马书12
使徒保罗拥有喜乐的秘诀，请拨 * 歌罗西书 3:12-17

辅助号码
面对惊恐，请拨 诗篇3:47
寻求保护，请拨 诗篇121:3
寻求保障，请拨 马可福音 8:35
寻求双重保障，请拨 诗篇145:18

*以上所有号码都是直线电话，不需接线生；所有专线都直通天堂，全日开放.

打铁要趁热！马上就来上第2个post! heehee!!

虽然coming星期二才是重锦的生日，但是今天在主日崇拜后，我们就到教会附近，远近驰名的超级鸡饭店为重锦庆祝生日。

用心的己汉和佩芳也准备了蛋糕和卡片。
大家一起来为重锦和淑娇12月的婚礼来祷告吧！HAPPY BIRTHDAY 重锦！好好珍惜这仅乘的几个月黄老五日子哦！

大家好！隆重介绍我们小组的部落格！

我们的部落格可以联系大家的关系，把我们小组所发生的事情统统记录下来 （可以是大事，小事，八卦，老公老婆的坏话。。。。。。哈哈）不过最重要的是上帝的话！

希望大家踊跃地把你们想说的话记在部落格上。本人（芝昀)在家太得空, 所以我会post的比较多一点!! paise la!!!

我们第一次的相聚！

刚好是佩芳的生日！

虽然第一次有部分组员无法出席，但是我们还是蛮enjoy ourselves 的！因为佩芳的手艺还不错，她准备了好多好吃的东西哦！嘻嘻！