The Importance of the Family in God's Plan by Rev. Sterling Durgy

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Most of the 78th Psalm is devoted to a description of God's faithfulness to the people of Israel. God is portrayed as the Great Shepherd, lovingly guiding his people, remaining faithful to them even when they turn away from Him; a God whose discipline is designed to bring people back to Him. The psalmist, Asaph, also relates the continual tendency of the Israelites to turn away from God and wander into sin.

However, the beginning of the psalm is devoted to a challenge to each generation to pass on the knowledge of God to each succeeding generation,

For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should teach them to their children; that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, that they should put their confidence in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments, and not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart, and whose spirit was not faithful to God. Psalm 78:5-8

This challenge echoes God's words before the exodus and at Mount Sinai in which God commands His people to remember His deeds to their children (Exodus 12:26, Deuteronomy 11:18-19).

It is not a coincidence that the Last Supper was a celebration of the Passover. The deliverance of the nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt was the central salvation event of the Old Testament. The Gospel, the story of God's deliverance of His people from sin through Jesus Christ, is the corresponding event in the New Testament. Both ceremonies, Passover and Holy Communion, commemorate God's salvation by action, but have a strong commemorative component as well. In other words, the re-telling of the salvation event is inseparable from the celebration of the ceremony. In each case the purpose is not only to remember the event, not only to experience God's blessing by participating in the ceremony, but also to continue remembrance of the event by communicating the history to the next generation.

In Ephesians, Paul exhorts fathers to raise their children "in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (6:4). Neither the need to bring people into the church by evangelism nor the discipleship ministry of the church should not blind us to the fact that the family presents the best discipleship opportunity the church ever has. Indeed, the importance of raising children in the faith is as important in the church as it was to the nation of Israel. We have a good example in Timothy. Timothy, who received two letters from Paul preserved in the New Testament, was instructed in the Scriptures from the time of his childhood by his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice, and as an adult became a leader in the early church (II Timothy 1:5, 3:14-17).

The church has an important role in the life of every child that is a part of it. Every child brought into the church comes under the influence of the entire fellowship of faith. It is the task of the entire congregation to pray, work and live in such a manner that these children come to know the Lord and His ways. It is, therefore, proper for infants to be dedicated or baptized in the presence of the entire congregation whenever possible. The church's ministry to orphans is not just to provide for their material needs, but to try to "fill the gap" for spiritual training as well.

But experience shows that it is the parents who always have the major influence upon their children, so much so that if parents are not converted, children who profess faith often do not continue to follow the Lord. Further, if a child is abandoned to the world, it makes little difference to the child whether the parent was involved in sin or in good works, the child is still abandoned.

No less saintly individuals than Eli (who was given the task of raising the prophet Samuel to serve the Lord) and David (king of Israel) were guilty of failing to raise their children to love and serve God (I Samuel 3:12-13, I Kings 1:6). Because of this, Eli fell dead, and David's children were immoral and rebellious. Parents cannot force their children to follow the Lord, but parents should not do less than they are able to do to help their children understand and grow in faith.

The duties of Christian parenthood flow from the nature of their God. Just as God is love, the first duty of parents is to love their children (I John 4:8). Because all children are wanted by God and are important to God, Christian parents seek to bring their children into God's presence, and God's presence into their children's lives through prayer (Luke 18:15-16). Because God is holy, Christian parents model righteousness to their children (Matthew 18:6). Because they are the objects of God's grace through Christ, they model humility and gratefulness to God (Ephesians 2:8-9) and show their gratitude by serving God (Ephesians 2:10, II Corinthians 5:14-15). Since God makes us accountable, they not only teach their children their faith, they call upon their children to live by it, and lovingly provide guidance through careful, prayerful use of correction, approval, and rewards (Ephesians 6:4). As God seeks out the fellowship of people, Christian parents bring their children to the house of the Lord to seek fellowship with other Christian children (Hebrews 10:25, I Corinthians 15:33). Just as God finally gives us free will, Christian parents have as their goal the maturing of their children so that they, in turn, can be effective Christian parents to grandchildren (Matthew 19:4-5, Luke 15:11-12).

Sometimes in their zeal to promote evangelism and missions, Christians have belittled the importance of the ministry of parents in the home. The truth is that there is no better place to disciple future Christians. It is in the home that we have a chance to show how Christianity applies to every part of life. In addition, in times like ours when families are falling apart throughout our nation, there is no more important Christian duty than to model Christian homes to our culture.

Copyright 1999 Sterling M. Durgy. All Rights Reserved

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A portrait of Peter, Fuad and Darius 7 days before the tragic "666" blowup

FuPeDa

The sketch below was sketched from an actual photograph taken during a Kaamatan(Harvest) Festival at Penampang Tun Fuad Community Center 30th May 1976. (It was done by an Indonesian under the employment of one Thaddeus Manson who sold it to the author for a bargain price of RM500.00 -a great sum of money to me at that time) Kaamatan Festival was declared a public holiday, which originally took place from 11th - 13th May every year, for the Kadazan. The date is not coincidental but a reminder that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob fulfills His Promise for in this day in 1948, Israel as a Nation was re-established.

Donal Stephens @ Tun Fuad, at the recommendation of the Tuavon elders, was made the Huguan Siou (the Fearless Leader) in recognition of his tireless effort in getting progress for the community. Peter Mojuntin and Darius Binion were the golden sons of the Kadazan who perished with him in the triple six blowup and God is telling us WHY!

The following open letter, which had been circulated widely in cyberspace, should give us the answers! 

Barisan, you told me before and you keep telling me again and again that you are the best party to rule this country. You have always coaxed the electorate to give you a two-thirds majority in Parliament. You keep telling us that you will transform Malaysia into “negara cemerlang”. The electorate has believed you and trusted you.

You promised ...

* to defend the Federal Constitution but it has proved to be an empty promise. The Barisan has treated the Constitution as a mere piece of paper to be trampled upon. Just imagine, in the last fifty years the Constitution has been amended six hundred times, resulting in the loss of many precious provisions safeguarding the country’s secular democratic status, civil rights and liberties, religious freedom, rule of law, independence of the judiciary etc. You have converted a secular democracy into an “Islamic” state though the Constitution does not mention the word “Muslim” even once! You trampled upon the 20-point Sabah Agreement. Frankly, would Sabah and Sarawak have joined Malaysia if it was an “Islamic” state?

* to build a participatory democracy and yet local council elections remain suspended — the main reason being the fear that non-Malays will gain control of town and city councils. This in actual fact means that non-Malays are seen fit to vote in the general elections but not in local government elections. The lopsided rural/urban weightage in terms of voter strength ensures your unfair grip on paper. The Election Commission’s method of delineating constituencies ensures your political survival. Just ask what happened to the many Kadazan-majority constituencies in Sabah?

* to wipe out corruption - but corruption at all levels of the civil service and government is forever galloping. The ACA, under the control of the government, is a joke! Just imagine the ACA cleared Muhammad Taib, the currency smuggler, Judge Eusoff Chin and Zakaria of Klang of any wrong-doing. And now it is alleged that the ACA indulged in a serious corrupt practice by buying the silence of a clerk to close a criminal case because political bigwigs were involved. The Auditor-General’s Report contains many examples of corrupt practices like the set of RM40 screwdrivers supplied at RM224! Negotiated contracts at absurdly inflated prices — to ensure lucrative kickbacks — have enriched contract-awarding authorities at all levels of government. In 2007, our Transparency Index (TI) stood at 44; Corruption Perception Index (CPI) stood at 30. You are not serious about fighting corruption. You have refused to appoint an Ombudsman. Why? Neither have you set up a public register for civil servants and politicians to declare their income and assets.

* to ensure national unity but your actions go contrary to what is required to build a united nation. Islamic-fascism has permeated every level of government — only one ethnic group and one religion is important. Every objection, however trivial, by Muslims holds sway. The Kuan Yim statue in Ayer Itam, Penang, was shortened. The Catholic Church in Shah Alam, though approved by the Council, was given a stop-work order. Hindu temples and churches for Orang Asli have been destroyed on the grounds that they were illegal constructions. (What about Zakaria’s mansion in Klang?). The Hindu temple in Kg. Rawa, Penang, was relocated. You talk of respecting the sensitivities of various ethnic groups. You allow the slaughter of cows in the compound of Parliament House. You talk of give-and-take but who is giving and who is taking?

* to be fair to all ethnic groups in your recruitment policies for the civil service but Islamic-fascism has ensured mono-ethnic control of the civil service — education, police, the army, navy and air force, town and city councils etc. You give the reason that the non-Malays are not interested to join the civil service, army etc. Letters in the media of unsuccessful applicants speak otherwise.

* For a start, to recruit people based on merit — the mere mention of this word is bound to drive recruiters into a paroxysm of fear and epilepsy! Constitute interview boards which comprise 50 per cent non-Malays. If the criteria for selection for the police and armed forces are rotten, the country is in danger of having low caliber men with high caliber weapons. A non-Malay applicant for a civil service job was asked to name the first Agong together with his full awards! It has not occurred to both the MCA and MIC to set up a database and encourage every applicant for a government job, scholarships, and promotion posts to punch in so that they will have correct statistics of applicants, the success rate, the failure rate etc. The MCA and MIC claim to look after the interests of the community they represent but their failure is patent to all.

* To ensure that our education system is dynamic, liberal and progressive. The quality of education provided at all levels — primary, secondary and university is very low. Policies colored by Islamic-fascism has ensured literally, total mono-ethnic control of education. The non-Malays have all been wiped out in important jobs — no non-Malay directors in the various divisions of the Ministry of Education, no non-Malay Vice-Chancellors in any of the 23 public universities, out of 92 deputy Vice-Chancellors only one is a non-Malay, no non-Malay is a State Director of Education, the same of District Education Officers. Zaid Ibrahim, UMNO MP for Kota Baru, in a recent interview said that “education is an absolute disaster” in Malaysia. He further commented that racism runs deep in our country and this is clearly the case with the Ministry of Education. The UN Report on education clearly expresses a serious concern of the poor quality of education in Malaysia, which is bound to be sidelined in a highly competitive globalize world. The public universities keep crowing that they are centers of education excellence and demand better grants. Kris-kisser Hishamuddin believes that more money pumped into education at all levels will improve quality. A Malay academic at the public university where I worked exclaimed in bitter frustration that one cannot turn donkeys into race horses. The THES-QS World University Rankings tell the truth: UM stands at 246, UKM at 309, UPM at 364 and USM at 307.

* To create a safe environment but the crime rates — murder, rape, kidnap, robbery, snatch-thefts, burglary etc. — are frighteningly high. The government statistics are just the tip of the iceberg as people do not bother to report crimes because of the “tidak apa”and “macam biasa” attitude of the police. A correspondent to a local newspaper made an impassioned plea not to deny her a normal life. Women are frightened to walk on our streets. They dare not carry handbags or even wear ear-rings, let alone chains and bangles.

The price of food has risen dramatically and petrol price hikes and increased tolls have further burdened the people and damaged the quality of life.

* to protect the environment but the Mentris Besar/Chief Ministers together with their Excos have destroyed the environment in the name of so-called progress and development. They in actual fact have severely harmed our survival. Under the slightest excuse of a threat to national security, people have been locked up under the ISA. National survival is more important than national security because if you do not survive there would be no need for national security. Out of 141 countries surveyed, Malaysia’s position with regard to the following is thus: Air quality 79, water 47, and environmental health 40. Overall 54.

* To build a caring society. Look at the problems experienced by senior citizens with health problems. They are denied the drugs they need to survive and the indignity and suffering they go through are pitiable. In Australia, a senior citizen gets a month’s supply of Zocor at $A3.70 cents (about RM11). That is a caring society.

* The youth who commence work are in an unenviable position. A rotten public transport system and malfunctioning public telephones force them to buy a car and a hand phone. Prices of cars in Malaysia are the second highest in the world! In addition to this they need a credit card. Board and lodging costs are high. So they fall into the credit card trap. Many young people have been declared bankrupt. When will these people be able to save enough to buy a flat, get married and start a family? Does anybody care for them?

Dear Barisan, I am thinking whether any other political party could have done worse. The people of Malaysia I hope will be thinking too.

Enough.

And surely, the Kadazans are saying, "Enough is Enough: we are looking towards the East to our returning Lord of lords, King of kings, " ih Boos do Kinoingan nadadi do Kadazan", the End time Judge and the Eternal President of Barisan Nur-Isa-Al-Masih, the Word and Spirit of God.

Malaysia (if translated into one of the Chinese dialect, malay siaa,) means malay doomsday so every person who calls "malaysia" is cursing the malays to extension because they have asked for it! I did not say it, the WORD OF GOD says ""For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever trusts in him should not perish, but have eternal life. He who trusts in him is not condemned, but he who does not trust has already been condemned, because he has not put his trust in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:16,18)

But this does not mean that there is no hope for the Malays, for even their Koran says that Allah is compassionate but it was Jesus who went to the Cross to die for the Kadazan (mankind) and that includes the Malays who recognized Jesus (Isa Al-Masih) not just as a Prophet but God because He is the Word of God(Firman Allah)and, based on the Koran, He is also the Spirit of God (Roh Allah)

Jesus loves the Malays and He wants them to have an intimate relationship, just like any of His children, sons and daughters, with Him but they must allow themselves to break away from the bonds of deception that held many fooled and became tools of the devil.

Romans 6:23 (GW) The payment for sin is death, but the gift that God freely gives is everlasting life found in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Vision of a Kadazan Rungus Parent

We met Steven, a Kadazan of the Rungus sub-tribe, on one of our trips to the Northern tip of Borneo and had developed a closed relationship not only because he belongs to our Kadazan Community, who had been purposely neglected for 45 years by the muslim dominated BN government as a tactical move to block the advance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ but more importantly of the Vision that God had placed on his heart.

Most of the Kadazan Christian Political leaders, especially those who are members of Churches from the traditional background, are frozen down by the fear of the enemies but God the Holy Spirit, who is the real HUGUAN SIOU of the Kadazan,is moving mightily in this Land below the wind, because He is imparting courage, truth and wisdom to so many indigeneous believers so that they can boldly and truly say, "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

Heb 13:6 (KJV)

"Teach them to your children ......"

"and talk about them when you're at home or away, when you lie down or get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Then you and your children will live for a long time in this land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors—as long as there's a sky above the earth.

Faithfully obey all these commands I'm giving you. Love the Lord your God, follow all his directions, and be loyal to him. Then the Lord will force all these people out of your way. Then you will take possession of {the land belonging to} people taller and stronger than you. I will give you every place on which you set foot. Your borders will be from the desert to Lebanon, from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea. No one will be able to stop you. As the Lord your God promised, he will make people terrified of you wherever you go in this land.

Deut 11:19-25 (GW)