Prayer and Predestination

Been reading a John Piper's devotion book A Godward Life, since the start of the year. So far for me, Piper's devotionals are the best compared to many others. Actually, I've not use devotionals for umpteen years until I had Piper's electronic version. One day, I'll write about my digital reading habits.

Today I read an interesting one from Piper's:


Prayer and Predestination
A Conversation between Prayerful and Prayerless

Prayerless: I understand that you believe in the providence of God. Is that right?

Prayerful: Yes.

Prayerless: Does that mean you believe, like the Heidelberg Catechism says, that nothing comes about by chance, but only by God’s design and plan?

Prayerful: Yes, I believe that’s what the Bible teaches. Job prays, “No purpose of Yours can be thwarted” (42:2). There are lots of texts like that.

Prayerless: Then why do you pray?

Prayerful: I don’t see the problem. Why shouldn’t we pray?

Prayerless: Well, if God ordains and controls everything, then what he plans from of old will come to pass, right?

Prayerful: Yes.

Prayerless: So it’s going to come to pass whether you pray or not, right?

Prayerful: That depends on whether God ordained for it to come to pass in answer to prayer. If God predestined that something happen in answer to prayer, it won’t happen without prayer.

Prayerless: Wait a minute, this is confusing. Are you saying that every answer to prayer is predestined?

Prayerful: Yes it is. It’s predestined as an answer to prayer.

Prayerless: So if the prayer doesn’t happen, the answer doesn’t happen?

Prayerful: That’s right.

Prayerless: So the event is contingent on our praying for it to happen?

Prayerful: Yes. I take it that by contingent you mean prayer is a real reason that the event happens, and without the prayer the event would not happen.

Prayerless: Yes, that’s what I mean. But how can an event be contingent on my prayer and still be eternally fixed and predestined by God?

Prayerful: Because your prayer is as fixed as the predestined answer.

Prayerless: Explain.

Prayerful: It’s not complicated. God providentially ordains all events. God never ordains an event without a cause. The cause is also an event. Therefore the cause is also foreordained. So you cannot say that the event will happen if the cause doesn’t because God has ordained otherwise. The event will happen if the cause happens.

Prayerless: So what you are saying is that answers to prayer are always ordained as effects of prayer, which is one of the causes, and that God predestined the answer only as an effect of the cause.

Prayerful: That’s right. Since both the cause and the effect are ordained together, you can’t say that the effect will happen even if the cause doesn’t, because God doesn’t ordain effects without causes.

Prayerless: Can you give some examples?

Prayerful: Sure. If God predestines that I die of a bullet wound, then I will not die if no bullet is fired. If God predestines that I be healed by surgery, then if there is no surgery, I will not be healed. If God predestines heat to fill my home by a fire in the furnace, then if there is no fire, there will be no heat. Would you say, “Since God predestines that the sun be bright, it will be bright whether there is fire in the sun or not”?

Prayerless: No.

Prayerful: I agree. Why not?

Prayerless: Because the brightness of the sun comes from the fire.

Prayerful: Right. That’s the way I think about answers to prayer. They are the brightness and prayer is the fire. God has established the universe so that in large measure it runs by prayer, the same way he has established brightness so that in larger measure it happens by fire. Doesn’t that make sense?

Prayerless: I think it does.

Prayerful: Then let’s stop thinking up problems and go with what the Scriptures say: “Ask, and you will receive” (Jn 16:24), and “You do not have, because you do not ask” (Jas 4:2).


Yeah, if you don't understand everything, it's ok. Just remember the last line. Many times we do not have, simply because we DID NOT ASK.

Gonna Sink Into The Deep Blue Sea

Things just happened so fast!

Never thought I'll be going diving in the first half of the year. One thing led to another...to the super ridiculously cheap flight to Phuket (RM1 to fly there, and RM1 to fly back!! But include the tax and insurance, total is RM281). We'll be in Phuket from June 19-24.

Ps John gave us the Diver's Manual to read. I've been enjoying the process of relearning to swim. Wonderful feeling to glide in the water.

Hmmm....Thailand has somehow become our (wife agreed) frequent escape spot. The last two great escapes (foreign) were in Samui (honeymoon 2005) and Krabi (2007). Both were fantastic trips, filled with mixture of adventures and relaxation. And took great pictures. Now Phuket. Wonder where's next? Pattaya? Ha!

Anyone else wanna come along?

Born to Die, for Our Freedom

Something I shared during the prayer meeting last night in church.

Hebrews 2:14,15
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death that is, the devil and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Children - God had His children in mind since the beginning. All these and heaven too.
Flesh and blood, humanity - God cannot die. He had to be incarnated, take the form of a man, to die. To be the fore-runner, the second Adam. He was born to die. The intention was clear. Wasn't a last minute plan, or a plan B.
Free - Galations 5:1a says "It was for freedom that Christ has set us free."
Fear of death - in v15, it mentioned slavery, a bondage. And many who fear death all their lives. Ancient literatures of the Greeks, Egyptians, even the Chinese showed that people then were obsessed with the search for immortality. To live forever. Why?

Maybe it's not just physical death, but the 'sting' of death, mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:55, 56. The sting of death is sin. And the wages of sin is death. Eternal death.

In the greatest event ever occured many Fridays ago...Christ has taken away the power of eternal death. And Satan's No.1 weapon against humanity is their sin, the condemnation. But,"there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." according to Romans 8:1. And therefore, "Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery." Galations 5:1b.

The fear of death has been overcomed. What other fears do we have? Fear of the future? Fear of the unknown? Fear of height? Of water? Of the dark? Cockcroaches?! What fear can be greater than the fear of death? (A certain survey showed that the fear of public speaking is greater than the fear of death! I can see why).

We need not be crippled by fear anymore. This is the reality of the message of Good Friday. This is the effect of Christ's death.

Christ was born to die, for our freedom. From the power of sin and death.

Blessed Good Friday!

My Space

"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom." - Viktor E. Frankl

I first read the concept of this quote two years ago, in regard to how I think and move (the Alexander Technique). Over time, I begin to understand more and more how crucial this truth is to everything I do and everything I am. And now I need to master it more than ever. I'm seeing my space diminishing, getting squashed.

No doubt this has become a famous quote, used by many experts in teaching to embrace conflicts, choose decisions, overcome adversities. This quote was made popular again by Dr. Covey in recent years. He said this single quote had changed his whole life.

We're all creatures of habits. We sleepwalk our lives treading on familiar paths. Reacting to how we've responded in the past. Cruising with less consciousness simply because it "feels right". Making familiar decisions and inevitably arriving at the same destination. Same consequences, same results. Same destiny. Histories repeating themselves over and over again.

What DIRECTION?


Yes, back to the title of my blog. So far, I've hardly begun to write what I intended to write when I started this blog.

I'm a seeker, finding my directions and truths. Truths.

11 months ago, I experienced this space and zone when I was all alone in the dark (with just a small head lamp), in a certain mountain in Kota Kinabalu. Using the Alexander Technique (credits to Roy Palmer, an English AT teacher and author who provided some personal advice to me), I was able to scale great heights quite effortlessly. The feelings of being in the 'zone' is indescribable. Totally aware of my breathing and movement, aware of the ground supporting and pushing me upwards with my every step (Newton's Law), not hindered by gravity, not bothered by the distance to the destination, not held back by disappointment of losing my handphone just hours before the final ascend, and not limited by time. I don't know but I really felt as if time was still, a non-existing factor. And it was like my brain was awakened after a very very long time. And this verse popped up: "Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path"....

It's impossible to convey in words. That brief but valuable journey's lesson will stay with me for the rest of my life.

I've learnt to use this space to overcome some small adversities but I need it more. More than ever before.

YAF Retreat 2008

Yes! Our retreat this year is confirmed. So looking forward to it! The planning team members are all excited. Details are provided in the YAF Blog. Go see it.

One of the highlights will be the 'Relationship Enrichment' sessions. Recently, one of the young adults asked me some very good, genuine questions on relationships. If you have such questions, whether personal, out of curiosity, or simply wanna learn more and prepare for your future, please write them down. Soon we'll prepare a section in the YAF blog for you to throw the questions. To help us anticipate what's coming for the retreat.

Election Jokes

Just can't help it, just have to blog this. I heard this from my mom:

What do the BN letters stand for?

Barang Naik
Bila Naik?
Baru Naik
Berapa Naik?
BANYAK Naik!

Heard another one from Benny yesterday....a real story, happened last Saturday.

Two aunties went to cast their vote, Aunty A and B. Aunty B is voting for the first time. Aunty A casted her vote and came out, and waited a long time for Aunty B to come out, and she finally did.

Aunty A: Wah! Why so long? What were you doing inside?
Aunty B: The rocket hor....very hard to draw lar!

Lol!

Exceeding Joy for the Women in My Life

Last Saturday was International Women's Day. It was also my sis' wedding. No doubt happy for her.

I was also delighted for my mom. Now all her children are married. My relatives were talking about how she sacrified and raised us up so exceptionally well. There is truly no one like her. Those who know her will know what that means. About 9-something during the wedding dinner, my bro called her over to our table. To tell her that Penang has been captured by her "Rocket". She was overjoyed. Later we found out many other places were captured as well. Her "Rocket" is finally flying high after so many years.

It sure was one unique wedding dinner. For the first time, guys were talking about results bigger than football. Much later back home, I found out my beloved Devils was kicked out of the FA Cup. :(

The United Voice has Spoken

Yes, it's not a racial thing anymore. The people of our rainbow nation of all races have united to be the voice against the strongmen in the land...for change.

My malay colleagues had a satisfied look in their faces this morning. Mind you, they're civil servants, one of them is a police. He said he didn't have a choice of who to vote for, because they had double envelopes of which one of them had a serial number which determined their identity. But they're so happy today. Even now, they're still talking about it.

Did you smell the fresh air all over the Klang Valley after the heavy downpour last Saturday evening? My wife said the downpour was a sign of cleansing for our land. And we saw some strongmen fallen...

Big Day Tomorrow

In all my life, I've not come across a bigger 8th March day than tomorrow's.

Let's see, it's the general election which is gonna be very interesting. Everyone I talked to seems to be voting for change. You can sense the upheaval and the shakings going on. God have mercy on our nation.

It's also my sis' wedding day. Another milestone for my family. Relatives from Australia had been down staying with us, eagerly anticipating the event. I'm praying for a smooth and happy one.

It's also the Final of KL Open 2008. Ever since CIMB sponsored this event which has held in Berjaya Times Square two years ago, I've not missed going to the final. But this time I have to. Sigh. Last year's final between our very own Nicol David and Natalie Grinham (World No. 1 & 2 respectively) was thrilling. Went down to the wire in five gruelling sets. The atmosphere was electrifying, with hundreds of fans all around the shopping complex cheering for her, though I doubt not half of them even understood the game of squash. I sense that Nicol is up to it again this year. She's simply quite untouchable.

So many important things going on....gonna be a huge day.

Online At Last!

Finally, I can access the Internet from home! It's about time. After many unsuccessful attempts of getting a telephone line & Streamyx. I don't wanna waste blogspace talking about TMNut's incompetency here.

Right now, I'm using Celcom's wireless broadband for RM68 per month. Taking advantage of the current Celcom sale by buying the USB modem, I get six months of free access. I can now go online anywhere I want. The modem is really small and portable. Suits my laptop perfectly. And I can remove the 3G simcard from the modem and insert it into my mobile phone. And I'm a walking Internet, can blog wherever I go, if I want to.

I don't have to pay for a phone line at home...don't have to deal with Telekom anymore. And the thing with this Celcom 3G thingy is, there is no contract. So at the end of this six months of free access (or whenever after that), I can choose to upgrade to 3.5G (if the coverage expands to where I live), or switch to Izzi Net, another promising wireless alternative. My company has been testing out Izzi Net, and I must say it's fast and stable so far. The coverage is spreading rapidly in the Klang Valley.

Living without broadband at home for over two years of my married life was a good discipline for me. Cured my addiction and dependence on the Internet....and spend more time with my darling. Ok, she is calling now....time to do more house chores...but I shall leave my downloading program on..... ;)