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Wednesday, March 3, 2010
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The Road To Riches
by Rev. James WongThe Chinese New Year is intertwined with wealth or riches. Most people I met during the New Year greeted me with Gong Xi Fa Cai which means ‘Congratulation and be rich’ or ‘Congratulation and be prosperous.’
There are many Chinese New Year songs in IFM Channel 5 containing lyrics like Gods of fortune coming to your house, Great prosperity coming your way, Becoming rich in the New Year and etc. I went to an open house during the second day of Chinese New Year and was greeted by a gentleman dressed in the customary costume of the God of fortune giving out Ang Pao to augur in good luck. Isn’t it surprising that only the Chinese has the culture of exceptional emphasis on wealth and prosperity in the New Year? Here are a few thoughts on money.
Many people think that ‘if I have more money I will be rich’. The reality is that money will not make you rich. It is financial education that will make you rich.
Others think that ‘if I have more income I will be rich’. This is not true. It is what you do with the money you make that will make you poor or rich.
Others claim that ‘if I have a few more buildings I will be rich’. There are many people who have many buildings yet remain very poor in terms of cash flow. Those buildings will not make you rich. It is the management of those buildings that will make you poor or rich.
The key to riches is not having more money or trying your luck over the gambling tables during the Chinese New Year. It is neither trying your luck on the slot machine in the club house. What is the key to riches?
When Solomon became king, God appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” and Solomon asked for this: “Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours.” (1 Kings 3:5-9). This was what God answered him:
“So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for — both riches and honor — so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings” (1 Kings 3:11-14).
The key to true riches lies in wisdom. Solomon asked for wisdom and not wealth and he became the wisest man in his time. With wisdom on his side, God blessed him with riches and honor beyond the imagination of his contemporaries. Ask for wisdom to manage what God has given you.
There are many Chinese New Year songs in IFM Channel 5 containing lyrics like Gods of fortune coming to your house, Great prosperity coming your way, Becoming rich in the New Year and etc. I went to an open house during the second day of Chinese New Year and was greeted by a gentleman dressed in the customary costume of the God of fortune giving out Ang Pao to augur in good luck. Isn’t it surprising that only the Chinese has the culture of exceptional emphasis on wealth and prosperity in the New Year? Here are a few thoughts on money.
Many people think that ‘if I have more money I will be rich’. The reality is that money will not make you rich. It is financial education that will make you rich.
Others think that ‘if I have more income I will be rich’. This is not true. It is what you do with the money you make that will make you poor or rich.
Others claim that ‘if I have a few more buildings I will be rich’. There are many people who have many buildings yet remain very poor in terms of cash flow. Those buildings will not make you rich. It is the management of those buildings that will make you poor or rich.
The key to riches is not having more money or trying your luck over the gambling tables during the Chinese New Year. It is neither trying your luck on the slot machine in the club house. What is the key to riches?
When Solomon became king, God appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” and Solomon asked for this: “Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours.” (1 Kings 3:5-9). This was what God answered him:
“So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for — both riches and honor — so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings” (1 Kings 3:11-14).
The key to true riches lies in wisdom. Solomon asked for wisdom and not wealth and he became the wisest man in his time. With wisdom on his side, God blessed him with riches and honor beyond the imagination of his contemporaries. Ask for wisdom to manage what God has given you.
Two Requests For The New Year
Proverbs 30:7-9
1. No Falsehood and Lies
7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD ; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; ~Proverbs 30:7-8a (NIV)
For the Scriptures say, "If you want a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others.” ~1 Pet 3:10-11 (NLT)
Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. ~Eph 4:29 (NLT)
2. Neither Poverty Nor Riches
“… but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” ~Proverbs 30:8b-9
“A poor man is shunned by all his relatives-- how much more do his friends avoid him! Though he pursues them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found.” ~Proverbs 19:7 (NIV)
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.“ ~Mark 10:25 (NIV)
Jesus said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
~Luke 12:15 (NIV)
1. No Falsehood and Lies
7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD ; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; ~Proverbs 30:7-8a (NIV)
For the Scriptures say, "If you want a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others.” ~1 Pet 3:10-11 (NLT)
Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. ~Eph 4:29 (NLT)
2. Neither Poverty Nor Riches
“… but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” ~Proverbs 30:8b-9
“A poor man is shunned by all his relatives-- how much more do his friends avoid him! Though he pursues them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found.” ~Proverbs 19:7 (NIV)
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.“ ~Mark 10:25 (NIV)
Jesus said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
~Luke 12:15 (NIV)
Power To get Wealth
by Dr. Kong Hee, Founder of City Harvest Church, Singapore.And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
Deuteronomy 8:18
We all know that money can’t buy us happiness, a good name, a happy marriage or lasting friendships. Money certainly can’t buy us eternal salvation or the anointing of the Holy Spirit. But nevertheless, God still wants us to have money—the more the better!
There is a reason why Jesus, for your sakes, became poor that you, through His poverty, might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9). Deuteronomy 8:18 says that He gives you the power to get wealth for the purpose that His covenant with all mankind can be established. So, the reason why God wants you to have money is so that you can use it to bring the gospel to the whole world. No wonder the psalmist says, “Let the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant” (Ps. 35:27).
Because the more we prosper financially, the more we can preach the good news and magnify our Lord. There are two contrasting covenants in the Old Testament. One is God’s covenant with Abraham which is eternal, and the other is God’s covenant with Moses which is temporal. Under the Abrahamic covenant, God blesses you to be a blessing to others. God told Abraham, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3).
But under the Mosaic covenant, there is another set of promises found in Deuteronomy 28. It is about God’s favor and blessing for our individual lives. Now, you have to be very careful which covenant you lock your mind onto. If you focus exclusively on the temporal Mosaic covenant, you could become self-serving and greedy, and end up destroying your life. But if you mature to focus on the eternal Abrahamic covenant, then the more prosperous you are, the more you can be effective for the cause of the kingdom.
The truth is this: you can’t be a blessing if you haven’t been blessed. If you can’t even feed yourself, how are you going to feed the hungry? If you can’t even clothe yourself, how are you going to clothe the naked? If you have no money for your church projects and world missions, how are you going to take the good news to the world? Meditate on this thought right now: “God has given me the power to get wealth, that I can use it to bring the gospel to the world!”
(http://www.konghee.com/www/2010/02/power-to-get-wealth/)
Malaysia National Prayer Network (MNPN)
MNPN is a network of prayer networks with the united purpose to pray for the revival of the Church and for transformation of Malaysia. MNPN had its official launch on 19th March 2008.Pray @ 12 noon In one voice for the Revival of the Church and the Transformation of the Nation. Malaysia National Prayer Network (MNPN) is calling for all believers to pray for Malaysia. We suggest that everyday at noon, we pause in whatever we are doing and either personally or gathering in groups, call upon God for revival of the Church and transformation of our nation.
Prayer Vision: The Church in Malaysia - united, prayerful and disciple-making; and Malaysia- a land of liberty, justice, love and Godly rest.
God’s Eye on Sarawak
Sarawak is the largest State in Malaysia and has the most number of Christians. Some of the churches have in the past 20 years gathered to pray and celebrate together. They do this four times a year – during Easter, August 31st, Christmas and to honor Pastors and Fulltime Workers. The Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) holds these gatherings in 6 towns. The Holy Spirit first visited the people of Borneo in the 1930s as a spillover of His work in Kalimantan, across the border. In the 1970s, He visited them again, through secondary school children and then spreading to the adults. There were miracles, signs and wonders and these were even reported in the papers. The Prayer Mountain on Mount Murut today is testimony to this visitation.
1st Malaysian Prayer Convocation, 15-16 Sept 2010 in Sibu, Sarawak
Sibu was one of the towns in Malaysia settled by the Foochow Christians fleeing the new Communist regime in China after Communists took over in 1949. God gave the churches much land around the area. Today, there are many churches in Sibu district. Ibans, SIB & Chinese churches together make up a great number of believers. MNPN has called for a ‘Prayer Convocation’ in Sibu this year on Sept 15-16 to meet the Lord and pray. The call is to all Malaysian Christians to gather and pray for revival and transformation of our beloved nation. Pray for the MNPN committee and the local organizing committee as they meet on March 24 to finalize arrangements. 110 rooms have been booked for September.
Sibu was one of the towns in Malaysia settled by the Foochow Christians fleeing the new Communist regime in China after Communists took over in 1949. God gave the churches much land around the area. Today, there are many churches in Sibu district. Ibans, SIB & Chinese churches together make up a great number of believers. MNPN has called for a ‘Prayer Convocation’ in Sibu this year on Sept 15-16 to meet the Lord and pray. The call is to all Malaysian Christians to gather and pray for revival and transformation of our beloved nation. Pray for the MNPN committee and the local organizing committee as they meet on March 24 to finalize arrangements. 110 rooms have been booked for September.
Prayer Focus
1. The Church
* continues to walk in righteousness, rejoice in the Lord and ever sing for joy, for God blesses the righteous, and covers him with favor as with a shield.
* continues to intercede for the nation's wellbeing and wait expectantly.
to be role model of good-governance.
2. The Government
* Pray for the political leaders, federal government and the state governments: men and women with integrity, love the nation, humble and willing to serve the rakyat and place national interests above their own.
* Those who habitually sow discord and create chaos: their minds and hearts be transformed that they will discard selfish ambition, cease all shameful political bickering, and abandon racism, they will no longer exploit racial or religious issues for personal political mileage.
3. National, State Leaders and Judges
* Pray that national/state leaders and judges will be wise, just and courageous; they will not bow down to religious extremists but seek to protect the rights of the minorities.
* All Bahasa speaking Christians can freely worship Allah in praises, prayer and writing.
4. The Growth of Our Church
* More members to participate in the morning prayer meeting on Thursday morning from 6:45am-7:30am so that we will be strong in the area of prayer. 
* Take time to pray for the people you have listed down on the 2010 bookmark. Pray for their wellbeing and also opportunity to reach out to them in love and concern.
* Pray for the Numerical Goals of 2010 (See page 10). Pray that the Lord will add to our church those who are being saved.
Gong Xi Fa Cai & Xin Nian Meng En
by Rev. James Wong
The traditional Chinese greeting for Chinese New Year is “Gong Xi Fa Cai.” Kadazandusun, Muruts, Malays, Indians, Westerners, you name it, they all learn to greet us Chinese with these words.
Gong Xi Fa Cai can be translated to “Congratulations and be rich” or "Congratulations and be prosperous". Wikipedia.org says: “its usage dates back several centuries. While the first two words of this phrase had a much longer historical significance (legend has it that the congratulatory messages were traded for surviving the ravaging beast of Nian, although in practical terms it may also involve surviving the harsh winter conditions), the last two words were added later as ideas of capitalism and consumerism became more significant in Chinese societies around the world.”
Our society is driven by capitalism, which means, the economic system we have today is based on private ownership of capital and our economy is survived by consumerism. When there is no consumer a business dies. Our challenge today is over consumerism and we should not be too materialistic.
“Fa Cai” literary means “be rich.” Being rich is not a sin unless it is ill gotten wealth. Deuteronomy 8:18 (TEV) says: “Remember that it is the Lord your God who gives you the power to become rich. …”
Through the years our church has coined a better greetings for the New year. It is Xin Nian Meng En which literary means, ‘New Year receive grace’, can be translated as ‘May you receive grace in the New Year’. Since the word ‘Meng En’ in the Chinese Bible is a translation of the word ’favor’, Xin Nian Meng En can comprehensively mean ’May you receive grace and favor of God in the New Year.’ Nothing is comparable to the grace and the favor given to us by God.
In our pluralistic society today, Gong Xi Fa Cai has become a unique auspicious phrase of greetings for the Chinese community in the Chinese New Year. Let us add another more meaningful greeting: Xin Nian Meng En.
While New Year is a gambling season for many to bet their luck to get rich quick, a better way is to spend time renewing our friendship and family relationships. Here is a prayer to keep our lives in perspective as far as wealth is concerned.
7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD ; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:7-9 NIV)
Gong Xi Fa Cai can be translated to “Congratulations and be rich” or "Congratulations and be prosperous". Wikipedia.org says: “its usage dates back several centuries. While the first two words of this phrase had a much longer historical significance (legend has it that the congratulatory messages were traded for surviving the ravaging beast of Nian, although in practical terms it may also involve surviving the harsh winter conditions), the last two words were added later as ideas of capitalism and consumerism became more significant in Chinese societies around the world.”
Our society is driven by capitalism, which means, the economic system we have today is based on private ownership of capital and our economy is survived by consumerism. When there is no consumer a business dies. Our challenge today is over consumerism and we should not be too materialistic.
“Fa Cai” literary means “be rich.” Being rich is not a sin unless it is ill gotten wealth. Deuteronomy 8:18 (TEV) says: “Remember that it is the Lord your God who gives you the power to become rich. …”
Through the years our church has coined a better greetings for the New year. It is Xin Nian Meng En which literary means, ‘New Year receive grace’, can be translated as ‘May you receive grace in the New Year’. Since the word ‘Meng En’ in the Chinese Bible is a translation of the word ’favor’, Xin Nian Meng En can comprehensively mean ’May you receive grace and favor of God in the New Year.’ Nothing is comparable to the grace and the favor given to us by God.
In our pluralistic society today, Gong Xi Fa Cai has become a unique auspicious phrase of greetings for the Chinese community in the Chinese New Year. Let us add another more meaningful greeting: Xin Nian Meng En.
While New Year is a gambling season for many to bet their luck to get rich quick, a better way is to spend time renewing our friendship and family relationships. Here is a prayer to keep our lives in perspective as far as wealth is concerned.
7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD ; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:7-9 NIV)
God's Blessing
Psalm 37: 1-7, 23-29, 39
Rev. Ngui Au Sze
Introduction - the traditions of the Chinese New Year
- Pr 10:22“The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.”
- What sort of wealt is this?
1. God’s blessing of material wealth.
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed. ~Ps 37: 25-26
And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' ~ Luke 12: 16-20
Rev. Ngui Au Sze
Introduction - the traditions of the Chinese New Year
- Pr 10:22“The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.”
- What sort of wealt is this?
1. God’s blessing of material wealth.
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed. ~Ps 37: 25-26
And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' ~ Luke 12: 16-20
2. God’s blessing of social wealth.
I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men: God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil. A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. ~ Ecc. 6:1-3
3. God’s blessing of spiritual wealth.
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ~ John 10:10b
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell. He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it. Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. ~ Pr. 11:24-28
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ~ John 10:10b
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell. He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it. Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. ~ Pr. 11:24-28
Conclusion
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