Charity Begins at Home

When I was growing up, my mum used to repeat that line to us time and time again. I thought it was a pretty good line. However when I got born again I used to hear many people make fun of that line because of the fact that it was not found in the Bible but is used as though it was. Let me say firstly that I am a firm believer in the Bible and that as Christians we should not form doctrines apart from it. However lately I have come to ponder on its ties with the Scripture. Is it in the Bible or at least is it a principle derived from Scriptural mandate?

I would like to offer some references from Scripture in support of this phrase. In Exodus 20:12 God gives us the command to honor your father and mother that you may live long in the land. The word honor used here signified a monetary support or kind. Believe it or not, the commitment to financially support our parents is found in the Ten Commandments. And we thought it was about respect and obedience alone.

Secondly in the gospels Jesus rebukes the Scribes and Pharisees with this argument.
"Matt 15:4-6 "For God said, 'Honor your father and mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'5 "But you say, 'Whoever shall say to {his} father or mother, "Anything of mine you might have been helped by has been given {to God,} 6 he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And {thus} you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition."


Jesus seems to make the point here that honoring your parents is more important than giving to the temple or (church) because honoring your parents is honoring God who gave us the commandment to do so.



I think the most obvious instruction and rebuke given to this effect is found in Paul's letter to Timothy the bishop of Ephesus.
"1 Tim 5:4 but if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family, and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God."

"1 Tim 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever."

Here Paul calls the one who does not practice charity at home, among his household first an unbeliever and one who has denied the faith.

Let's learn that the first community God has brought us into is our family and that they are the testing ground for relationship, commitment, charity and piety for which future relationships be it church, workplace etc. will be based on. If we fail in this area we are bound to repeat the mistakes in the others.

This Christmas make it your commitment to bless the socks off your family. Make a New Year resolution to get to know your family more, spend more time with them and heal wounds for it is true as we have seen even in the Scriptures, "Charity begins at home".

Merry Christmas and a Happy and Blessed New Year

A Christmas Story

Once upon a time there lived a boy named Noel. Noel was raised a Catholic and celebrated Christmas with his family every year. On Christmas Eve the family would sit down and have a Christmas dinner. This time was specifically for the family and no one else. There would be a turkey, and chicken, salads and breads. The family would celebrate one another's presence and remember those who were not at the table. Dad or mum would say a prayer of thanksgiving for the wonder of Christmas and the providence given to us throughout the year.

When dinner was over, the house would turn into a centre of busy traffic as family members rushed to the showers and ironing boards to prepare themselves for Midnight Mass. Noel and his brother Melchior were also given the task of polishing their dad's shoes. By 10:30 pm, the house would be emptied as the family made their way to church. Between 11:30 pm to 11:50 pm the choir would be up in the loft singing Christmas carols. Their voices were so sweet as they sang in four part harmony some of the most loved carols. Mass would begin five minutes before twelve so that the bells could ring at the stroke of twelve. The priest would start the "Gloria in excelsis Deo" followed by all the bells then the choir singing the entire song. The church ( well at least the kids) will be filled with joy. Christmas Day was here.

Mass would end at about 1:30 and the family would return home for another festive moment. Dad would open a bottle of wine and mum would cut her Christmas fruitcake. Everyone would receive a piece of cake and a glass of wine. Dad would raise his glass and wish his family a merry Christmas and they would all drink a toast and eat a piece of cake. Everyone would then be ordered to bed so they could be ready for the next day.

At daybreak Noel and his brothers and sisters would rise early and celebrate the whole of Christmas day. Mum and Dad would sometimes go for the Christmas morning Mass as well but they would be home by 10:00 am. Then Mum and Dad would both be busy preparing food for the people who would come to visit. Though very few Catholics visited, the family had a lot of non-Catholic friends who would come to share the day with them. It was a festive time. Dad's and Mum's friends from the office would visit. Noel's and Melchior's classmates would visit. There was fellowship, laughter and joy as they shared the day.

As Noel grew up, he joined another church called the "Complete Word Gathering"(CWG). Here he felt the call of God on his life. He grew in the knowledge of the word of God. His life centred around the church. There were three services on a Sunday, a prayer meeting on Wednesday and a home group meeting on Friday. Since Noel was a musician and could play the Sackbutt, he attended rehearsals with the worship team on Thursdays. Since corporate prayer was an integral part of the Christian experience, Noel would attend the intercessory meeting on Saturday afternoons. He had no more time to hang out with his friends doing "sweet nothings". He believed in what the psalmist said so he "numbered his days and applied his heart to wisdom". Since his family did not approve of his new found zeal for spiritual things, he spent less time with them as well. After all, they might have influenced him back to complacency and carnality.

In all this, his love for Christmas never diminished. However, when it came to Christmas Eve, he could only spend one hour with his famiy and grab a quick dinner with them before he rushed off to the Christmas Evangelistic programme in his church. On Christmas day CWG would have two Christmas services which would end at 1:30pm. By the time he left the premises it would be 2:30 pm and he would reach home by 3:45 pm to spend whatever was left of Christmas day with his family. Mum and Dad would be furious because he was not around to do his part. Not many of Noel's friends would turn up for Christmas as most of them were from his church. He had parted company with his pre-Christian friends during the year without even knowing it.

Though Noel wanted to share the true message of Christmas with his family and friends, both groups felt that they did not need what he had. It was too individualistic with no regard for family or community. Noel could not understand why they felt that way. How could he make his schedule fit church and family and friends especially at Christmas? One day he met his old friend San T. Claws who told him that his church also had a Christmas programme but that they held it for five nights on the week before Christmas Day. They would also have singing groups go to the local malls hotels, restaurants and homes to sing carols and share the Christmas message from the 1st of December till the week before Christmas. During the programme at the church, pre -Christian friends would be invited and the Christmas message would be presented in drama and song. When asked if they had anything on Christmas day, his friend would reply that they had none but that they entertained guests at their homes and spent time with heir families.

Wow! What a concept. Imagine actually spending time on Christmas day with our families and friends, especially those who need to hear the message of Christmas.

Merry Christmas all

Where and What is Christmas?

When I was growing up we were clear about the meaning of Christmas. It was the birth of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. It was depicted with Shepherds, Angels, Wisemen, ( usually three) a baby in a manger with Joseph and Mary. Santa Claus, the Snowman and the Christmas tree were never meant to take away its original meaning. It was part of a celebration commemorating the greatest event in history, much like a cake which has nothing to do with a birthday commemorates the passing of years. Oh those years of blissful innocence.

Growing up and being saved by the Lord I found myself loving this sacred commemoration more and more. However it didn't take too long before I saw this sacred feast reduced to a cheap commercial sales pitch. Malls would get ready to deck it's halls with boughs of Folly(switch intended). Sometimes its decorations would even appear sacrilegious. Many years ago I walked up to the manager of an establisment and demanded he take down an offensive sign which pictured a Santa Rina on a toilet bowl with the slogan "O s*** its Christmas". After a few more Christians showed their disgust at the sign, it was removed but even then quite late in the season. This sort of practice has grown more and more through the years with even more blatant disregard for what Christmas represents.

This in turn has given rise to many Christians not wanting any part of the festive(worldly) side of Christmas because of its aggressive attempt to crowd Christ out of Christmas. In some countries you are not allowed to sing carols that depict the birth of Christ on television or radio. Only songs about Reeindeer, Snowmen, Santa etc. are allowed. Is it any surprise why these other additions to Christmas are regarded as offensive or even demonic?

For me, I still stick to the same sort of celebration in my home. There is a Christmas tree, manger scene, snowman, holly etc. When I put up these decorations they remind me once again of the birth of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and how He was born in the midst of lowliness. They don't shift my focus. But even with one's focus strong on the originally meaning of Christmas, is there a need to aggresively display that meaning? Definitely!

Just this afternoon I was walking through the mall to try and do some gift shopping for Christmas. As is my regular practice, I try to find a new Christmas carol CD for the current year. When I browsed through the shops, I found to my horror that there were not many CDs that had songs depicting the birth of Christ. Most of them were commercial, pop, romantic, festive etc. To top it off, the mall was decorated with winter characters, Santas, evergreens, elves, nutcrackers etc. Jesus is just not good business, especially on His birthday. How do we have a birthday party and exclude the birthday boy?

This year let us determine, that no matter how we celebrate Christmas, with or without Christmas trees, Snowmen, Santas etc. it will never ever be without Jesus Christ. I think its time again we stopped focusing on the events within our churches and started focusing on bringing Christmas to the masses. Organize carolling groups again and bring them to your neighbourhoods. Prepare Cantatas and bring them to the malls and hotels. Let Christmas happen where they need it most. Organize Christmas parties, hampers and gifts for the needy. We need to let the Word become Flesh again and He has to dwell among men.

Song

Christmas isn't Christmas till it happens in your heart
Somewhere deep inside you is where Christmas really starts
So give your heart to Jesus, you'll discover when you do
That its Christmas, really Christmas for you.

Merry Christmas everyone

A Shout Of Faith

Hab 3:17-19 "Though the fig tree should not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vines, {though} the yield of the olive should fail, and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there be no cattle in the stalls, 18. Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. 19. The Lord GOD is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds' {feet,} and makes me walk on my high places. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments."

I will lift up my voice to you O Lord because I know You are. Each day that passes gives me assurance of Your existence and sovereignty over all that is. Though man tries in his vanity to prove You are not, Your presence embraces my heart in ways nothing else can. For now, that is sufficient for me, and when it is not, I will inquire of You that I might know.(Isa. 55:8-9) For I know that You are a God who is not opposed to Your children's uncertainty. As glorious and wonderful that You are, You understand our insufficiency and lack of understanding.(Mark 9:23-24) Who is like You O Lord?

"Lord teach me to know my own frailty that I might daily depend on Your sufficiency" GR

Trumpets in Jazz

The trumpet remains for me the best instrument in the world. Couple it together with the best genre in music, jazz, and you have yourself a winner. I have to say that I have been blessed in my life to pick up this wonderful instrument. I dare say that there is no other instrument that is so satisfying to play or even listen to. Jazz trumpets have always been my favourite. My childhood friend introduced me to a recording featuring Freddie Hubbard and Stanley Turrentine in concert. When I heard Hubbard play Gibraltar, I was shocked thinking, "I didn't know anyone could play the trumpet like that." It didn't take me long to scan the record market to discover new trumpeters and horn sections. My first exposure to a good horn section was Chicago X. I heard the horns on this album and was hooked. Later I was introduced to Tower of Power. I have been hooked on the brass styles of these two bands for as long as I can remember. When I was in Porland Oregon, Tower of Power had a live show at the zoo. Needless to say I went but only to find out that it was packed and they were not letting anyone in. Chicago used to visit Salem but on my student budget, I couldn't afford to go. DRAT !!!. However, in 1999 I had the priviledge of watching one of my jazz trumpet favourites, Chuck Mangione in Portland's Crystal Ballroom. When my friend and fellow trumpet player Ramli introduced me to Chuck Mangione in the 70s, I went out and bought a flugelhorn. So to watch him live was a treat for me. What was great was that I managed to get a picture with him, and also his autograph on my CDs.

This concert was great as it featured his original band as well. James Bradley Jr. on drums, Grant Geisman on guitar, Charles Meeks on bass and Gary Niewood on woodwinds(instead of Chris Vadalla). That's me and the 'Hat' in the picture. What can I say? It Feels so Good.

I followed Chuck's career quite closely for many years listening to many of his recordings. I have to say that his live album at Hollywood Bowl, "An Evening of Magic" is one of the best instrumental live albums I have ever heard. Lately I have not heard much of his music. I do hope and pray that God will give him inspiration again to compose as he did before. In my relentless search for new trumpet players, I stumbled upon one trumpeter whose sound and technique I have come to love. He is none other than Eddie Henderson. I first heard him on the Lee Morgan tribute album. I then went out and bought two of his other CDs, Inspiration and Dark Shadows. Eddie Henderson has one of the smoothest tones. He exhibits this when he plays as a sideman on Herbie Hancock's "Live at Jazz Central" concert. When the Mingus bigband came to Kuala Lumpur, I was pleasently surprised to see him in the trumpet section.

Thats me and Doc Henderson after the concert at the Malaysian Philharmonic. He obliged me with a picture and also his autograph on my CDs. I thank God that I have had the opportunity of seeing these men play live. I do regret that I never had a chance to see Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis or Chet Baker in concert.

For those of you aspiring jazz trumpet players, my advise to you is to apply yourself daily to good practice of your instrument and also to listen to a lot of trumpet music played by the greats. If Wynton Marsalis or Eddie Henderson or other great trumpet players visit your town, pay the cost and go watch them. It builds your interest and motivates you to excel.

If I could list three great trumpet Cds I think you should listen to, they would be,

Dizzy Gillespie

Compact Jazz

Chet Baker

in Milan

Dream Sessions

The All Stars play

Miles Davis

Listen and learn. "He who walks with wise men will be wise................" Proverbs 13:20 GR.

Joy of Our Desire

Phil 3:8. " What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ"

Paul in this verse was contrasting his former life as a Pharisee and a scholar with the present advantage of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ. He states that he had suffered the loss of all things that he might gain Christ. In this day and age of our's we have forgotten what it means to pursue after Christ. We tend to think that He is there for us and so we cling to Him for the purpose of gaining all things we desire or think we deserve in our relationship with Him. In reality, Jesus did suffer the loss of all things for us (Phil. 2:5-8). So isn't it time for us to humble ourselves as He did so that we might gain nothing but Christ? Human nature is such that we gripe and complain for the one thing that we don't have. It does not matter if we have a whole lot of other things. It does not matter if we have been blessed in so many other ways. We struggle with God when we don't have the one thing that we can't seem to get. Perhaps its a love relationship, a child, financial freedom, a better job or position in life, recognition, privacy. Don't get me wrong . God is not opposed to blessing us with our needs and desires ( Matt 6:32). The question is this. Are we in it for the blessing or would we love and serve and revere Him as God even if we don't receive certain blessings that we long for? Are we willing to suffer the loss of relationships, wealth, recognition, comfort, financial freedom and position, if that is what He wants? It's going to be really difficult because we as human beings have feelings and needs but most of all we don't see God's full purpose. This is where we rely on the grace of God. When we look in faith to His grace, we need to know first who He is. Is He dependable? Will He give us things that we don't like or will He bless us with our heart's desire? It is His desire to bless us, but we must be willing to lose everything to find Him because in Him are all things, (Col. 1:17) and He is the joy of our desire.

" I am Thine O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, and it told Thy love to me. But I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to Thee. Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to the cross where Thou has died. Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to Thy precious bleeding side" Fanny J. Crosby.

What we do matters

Phil 1:27-30 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.(KJV)


This is a loving yet firm piece of advise given to the church at Philippi by the beloved Apostle Paul. As Philippians is often reffered to as the epistle of joy, it is evident that that joy is made manifest only through the radical lifestyle that is lived by those who bear the name of Christ. The word conversation used here is appropriate as it is in our conversation that our life is made manifest. We are reminded in the gospels how the Lord said "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."Matt 12:34. Then He went on to say in Matt 12:37 "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."

In our day and age we are faced with persecution of a different sort. Technology, fossil evidence and humanism have continued to bombard the world with doubts in regards to faith in Christ, creation and God's order for man. It has, as in the French Revolution, replaced the Cross with the goddess of reason on the altar of worship. The faithful are constantly pressed in with insults and mockery for our belief in morality(good conversation) and holiness. Movies that once tested the waters with soft vulgarity like Clark Gable's statement on the movie Gone with the Wind, "frankly my dear, I don't give a damn", now come out fully in the open with all manners of vulgarity both verbal and physical. The difference today (which I find more dangerous) is that these liberties are not liberties but accepted norms. Needless to say, its easy with such bombardment for some of us (if not all of us) to cave in and find a middle ground to accept the lesser evils and reject the greater. However like the frog in the boiling pot, eventually the greater evils become lesser and continue to do so until we find our entire being (esp. spiritual) altered where we look and converse no different from the world.

God give us a love so deep for You that our conversation will be ordered because of that and not because of some religious rule. Burn a fire deep in our heart and open our eyes to the needs of a dying world that our conversation before them would give them the hope that comes from the Cross and Ressurection of our Lord, the hope and peace of the world. For what You say is truth. GR