Food for thought:

Lee Kuan Yew: Rule of law important for investors and economic growth 

SINGAPORE, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) — Singapore founding father Lee Kuan Yew emphasized on Sunday the importance of the rule of law for investors and for economic growth.     
Speaking at the International Bar Association’s conference, Minister Mentor Lee said: “Important for investors and economic growth is the rule of law, implemented through an independent judiciary, an honest and efficient police force, and effective law enforcement agencies.”     
According to local television Channel News Asia report, he also listed some key attributes such as good governance and a sound judicial system that have resulted in stability and economic growth for Singapore.     
Addressing some 3,500 lawyers and participants from around the world, Lee also cited three factors which enabled the country to escape the poverty that had plagued the region. “First, clean and efficient government, second, the character and capabilities of the leadership in charge, third, an industrious people, eager and quick to learn to be productive and gainfully employed,” he said. 

Drawing parallels… 

Pastor Peter Tsukahira: Rule of law important for Kingdom-investors and Kingdom-growth 

3 factors which enabled a church to escape from spiritual poverty: 

a. Establishment of reliable government of 12
b. Character and skill-sets of G12 & cell leaders
c. Diligent and enthusiastic followers of God, staying free from sins to gain abundant and fruitful lives 

Incidentally, LKY was sharing on Sunday too.

Cheers.

My spiritual father was reading this book “The Case of Faith” by Lee Strobel (2000, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan) some time ago and he was sharing with us about the book. I saw the book on sale at Popular Toa Payoh on Sunday and bought it for $12.84. I am now halfway through the book as I write this entry; this book brings a much-needed refreshing and reinvigorating spirit to my soul. I’ll like to share this book not so much as a book review, but to share my enthusiasm why this book is a good collection to your library.

Strobel in this book writes about what he calls “The Big Eight”: 8 biggest emotional barriers to faith. Trained in law and journalism, his style of writing is direct and comprehensive. His questions are what hard-nosed atheist will ask (he being a strong atheist himself before knowing Jesus). He writes not out of his own qualifications, but he brings us through the questions using interviews with some of today’s most respected apologists. This book’s modern treatment of how the age-old barriers to faith can be knocked down one by one through systematic, critical and logical thinking combined with evidence inside and outside the Bible–and with the help of the Holy Spirit–is an exciting read to say the least. This book can certainly convince the little skeptic inside all of us. For the bigger skeptics, it serves as a springboard for further investigation of the truth.

For Christians, read this book to strengthen your faith. It certainly answered some of my own questions about God, Jesus, the Bible and Christianity. Recommend this book for your God-seeking friends if they are the kind who like intellectual debates. Having said that, I pray that whoever reads this book will read it in the right spirit–it is not meant as a weapon to knock down the critics of Christianity but to answer nagging questions some of us find it hard to answer without help.

It’s not a lack of evidence that turn people from God…love never works coercively. It only works persuasively. (p198, The Case for Faith)

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13, NIV)

PS: A journalist bringing glory to God…shouldn’t we aspire to glorify God through our own roles in this world too?

Hi all,
I would like to thank God for my SM2.

I saw changes and transformation in some of the SM2. It’s amazed me by their changes and growth.

After the camp, I can see the bonding within my group grow.  I was very surprised coz I felt hard to engage with them. Initially, I do think whether it’s the right platform for me. But to my surprise, they started to open and care for each other through time. They even initiated an outing (I found it rare to have initiated an outing) and it happened to be an upcoming of Pearlyn’s birthday so they planned and threw a party for her. They went extra miles to contact Kelvin (Pearlyn’s boyfriend) and plan for a surprise outing. They even went out to recee the place before the outing. We went for steamboat, we had so much fun.

Beside that, they made a video appreciation to our group’s befriender and also gifts. It touched my heart because when I served, I never think for return but God blessed me back through them.Initially I was quite discourage while serving them, I found it hard to engage with them (although still feel the same till now) but God is so good that He bless me back despite of my discouragement and He even encouraged me through them. I felt a little guilty whether I have served enough for Him and the SM2.

Through this experience, God once again taught me that while I served Him, He will bless me back much, much more and His blessing sometimes came in unexpected way and time. And I can always learn something out of it.

I hope that this will bless all of you who are discouraged when serving God. Press on because God surely will bless… in areas that you may not expected. =)

Hugs,

JD

(Juni Dewi)