Paul Long's Ramblings

Most of my major projects for the week are done. So I have no excuse not to tidy up my desk (a bit) and catch up on some paper work and quadrant 2 activities (ala Covey). And naturally, I have to face the fact that I have a  lot of reading to catch up on - and this includes a stack of  books to read among other things. But not much motivation - mostly overwhelming sense of it being a hopeless task.  Anyway it was nice to catch on what is discussed on "Out of Ur" and to read this article by Skye Jethani: "I read dead people" I particularly like the paragraph I have highlighted below. Makes good sense and I find it to be true. Just last week I was having a conversation with a church member (who has been with us less than a year). A really amazing mother of three who among other things is doing her Masters in Theology (part time). As we discussed books, I felt almost embarrassed (just for a moment) that I was so far behind on my reading. And it was just as embarra...

This is funny!! Glad that I am currently under the bottom left quadrant! And I am having a mini celebration now as I have just completed this week's Sunday sermon  preparation ... and without the help of caffeine!

It's Thursday already and I am feeling a bit under pressure.  So that's always a reminder to pause and try and "re-center". So it was nice to read this e-mail from Breakfast with Fred.  Pastoral ministry inevitably is connected with some form of mentoring, whether one likes it or not :-) One thing that struck me afresh in general is that mentoring and ethics go hand in hand. After all mentoring (Christian spirituality perspective) is about character development. On his questions. I love them - down to earth indeed. Will let you read his article first, then my comments (if you decide to carry on reading!) "Down to earth mentoring" What is the strength of your ethics?  Let’s find out by asking four questions. 1. Are you using a scriptural or a secular base?   In other words, are you using God’s law or man’s thinking  J.C. Penney, the respected merchant, said “I shall not be judged by the heavenly Father according to what I do nor by the material ...

Inside Jihad (Book) by Dr. Tawfik Hamid is now freely available on the Internet  As a contribution to the field of fighting Radical Islam, Dr. Hamid decided to offer the PDF file of his book Inside Jihad: Understanding and Confronting Radical Islam to be available freely on the Internet.   The PDF file of Inside Jihad is now available on the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies web site: http://www.potomacinstitute. org/index.php?option=com_ content&view=article&id=862: qinside-jihadq-book-now- available-on-the-web&catid=40: books&Itemid=62   Please feel free to circulate the above link to Inside Jihad (PDF file). Dr. Hamid will also make the book available soon for free download on hand-held devices.

Got this is my mail today ...  great food for thought and a big challenge. When we rely upon strategy, we get what strategy can do.  When we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do.  When we rely upon goals, we get what goals can do.  When we rely upon brilliant communications, we get what brilliant communications can do.  When we rely upon networking, we get what networking can do.  When we rely upon teaching and preaching, we get what teaching and preaching can do.  When we rely upon prayer, we get what God can do. - E.M Bounds

Welcome to "1 Malaysia" ... :-( http://www.islam.gov.my/en/guidelines-muslims-celebrating-religious-festivals-non-muslims Guidelines For Muslims Celebrating Religious Festivals Of Non-Muslims The 68th  muzakarah  of the National Fatwa Committee for Islamic Religious Affairs on April 12, 2005  discussed the Guidelines For Muslims Celebrating Religious Festivals Of Non-Muslims. The  muzakarah  has decided that: In determining the non-Muslim celebrations that can be attended by Muslims, several main criteria should serve as guidelines so as not to contradict the teachings of Islam. The criteria are as follows: 1. The event is not accompanied by ceremonies that are against the Islamic faith ( aqidah ). The meaning of “ against the Islamic faith ( aqidah ) ” is a thing, act, word or situation which if conducted will lead to tarnishing the faith ( aqidah ) of Muslims.  For example: to include religious symbols such as the cross, installing lights, candl...

The best insight on prayer in my life that comes from Henri Nouwen that I first discovered almost 20 years ago now that for me has been life changing and liberating! From Unceasing Thinking to Unceasing Prayer Our minds are always active. We analyze, reflect, daydream, or dream. There is not a moment during the day or night when we are not thinking. You might say our thinking is "unceasing." Sometimes we wish that we could stop thinking for a while; that would save us from many worries, guilt feelings, and fears. Our ability to think is our greatest gift, but it is also the source of our greatest pain. Do we have to become victims of our unceasing thoughts? No, we can convert our unceasing thinking into unceasing prayer by making our inner monologue into a continuing dialogue with our God, who is the source of all love. Let's break out of our isolation and realize that Someone who dwells in the center of our beings wants to listen with love to all that occupies and p...

Again, Dr. Tawfik raises some pertinent concerns The Torture of an Indonesian maid in Saudi Arabia raises several concerns By Tawfik Hamid www.tawfikhamid.com   Last week an Islamic Sharia court in the Saudi city of Medina has sentenced a Saudi woman to three years in jail[i] for the severe physical abuse of her Indonesian maid. Sumiati Binti Salan Mustapa, 23, was admitted to hospital in November with broken bones and burns to her face and body. The Saudi woman for whom she found work as a maid was arrested after allegedly beating Ms Sumiati so severely she had broken bones and internal bleeding. She was accused of putting a hot iron to Ms Sumiati's head and stabbing and mutilating her with scissors. The case received worldwide attention, and prompted the Indonesian president to demand justice for her "torture". This "Sharia" punishment raises several concerns about the so called "justice of Sharia" Law as demonstrated two years ago wh...

After my morning visitation cum brunch with a "former church member", I passed by a $1 book sale run by the Lions club of New Lynn (which is a suburb in West Auckland). So I made a detour and went to check out the books. Last time I went to this sale I bought a couple of books - nothing much of interest to me as the bulk of the books are fiction novels.But this time I found a few interesting books amongst the pile of books and magazines. Ended up with ten books. Is it worth spending the money on? I think so as if I do gain one thing out of each book, I think it's a great investment. I saw a few Star Trek novels and Part 2 of the Fellowship of the Rings! But did not buy them as I already have the Lord of the Rings trilogy and it won't be a priority for me to read Star Trek novels - would rather borrow graphic novels from he local library :-) But here's what I bought ... 3 cook books :-) 2 books on mirco wave cooking. As this year I want to work on learning ...

Another gem from the late Fred Smith ------ From the Breakfast With Fred vault here is a vintage Weekly Thought on understanding and measuring our character. It would be helpful if we could have a load-limit sign on our character, like that on a bridge. One of my preacher friends was coming under the influence of a man of extensive wealth. As the man plied my friend with benefits, this wealthy person began to ask questionable favors. My friend broke the relation, saying to him, "I am afraid I have a price, and you're getting too close to it." Character is a set of values we have chosen to live by, and hopefully ones that will work under pressure. It reminds me of the professional golfers who speak of a golf swing "that will work on Sunday" because it operates when the pressure is on. Personality has an effect on character, for it fosters different pressures and desires. I know a talented, wealthy young executive who is exceptionally introverted. Occasio...

Article speaks for itself. Ok - back to work ... it's calling me :-) Guard Your Calling, Frodo Every worthy task can wear you down. John Ortberg  |  posted 1/10/2011  1 of 2  Of course, lots of folks who didn't start in local church ministry will end up there. And we live in a day when job change is a way of life; "40 years and a gold watch" stopped a long time ago. I  ran across a striking statistic recently—90 percent of people who enter vocational ministry will end up in another field. (I wish I could remember the source. I'm pretty sure it was reliable, though I know our subculture is filled with what Christian Smith calls "evangelicals using statistics badly." And 80 percent of all statistics are just made up. You can quote me.) But it got me thinking about the notion of calling. There is something sacred about being called. And a sense of calling needs desperately to be guarded. My daughter and I were re-watching  Lord of the Rings before...

For the past couple of months now I have been praying for Pakistan and Egypt in particular for the Christians who live there. The church has lately been undergoing even more suffering than usual - and this in turn has affected the whole country(ies). Religious extremism and terrorism affects everyone. So it is good news for me to see how God is answering my prayers and that of countless others in unexpected ways.  It is to me really good news to see many Muslims standing up for justice and willing to put their lives on the line for their oppressed Christian minority Christian fellow citizens. See the two news articles below ... Monday, January 10, 2011 Pakistani Christians hold memorial services for slain Punjab governor, Shaheed Salman Taseer  Benazir Bhutto son hits out over Pakistan governor killing By Dan Wooding Founder of ASSIST Ministries ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN  (ANS)  --  Christians across Pakistan on Sunday, January 9, 2011, held memorial servic...

You decide! View the video that comes with this report too... COMMUNIQUE:  11 January 2011 Tear Gas Or Palestinian Smokescreen? New York Times Takes Sides Against IDF Why does the media not show the same skepticism towards Palestinian libels as it does towards official Israeli statements? Following reports that a Palestinian woman was killed by tear gas fired by the IDF at a Palestinian demonstration,  we asked why  the mainstream media had reported this as fact even though there were more than enough question marks surrounding the circumstances of the death. Considering that there are no recorded instances of anyone in the world dying as a result of tear gas inhalation in an open space and the fact that out of all of the Palestinians present at the demonstration, only one person was allegedly fatally affected, shouldn’t the media approach the Palestinian “eyewitnesses” with a certain degree of skepticism? In light of the ever-increasing holes in the Palestinian s...