Kingdom Modeling

Kingdom Modeling

A child learns through modeling. If he sees the parents model the way of living, the child learns likewise.

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. - John 5:19

Some charismatics take this verse to the extreme and say that Jesus always followed exactly what the Father was saying and doing. In other words, if the Father says, "Walk three steps", Jesus walked ONLY three steps. If the Father is drinking a cup of water, Jesus followed EXACTLY and drank a cup of water.

Nothing is further from the truth, because God did not create robots. He created beings who are alive and have the FREE will to choose and a heart to desire and respond.

This is the same for Jesus. For John 5:19, what Jesus was showing is simply modeling. He saw the Father's model in everything. In modeling, you catch the heartbeat, not just the action. Because many things are caught, rather than taught. Teaching requires only the head, but imparting requires the heart, which comes through modeling.

Moses knew God's ways; Israel knew His works, but Jesus knew His heart. This is why Jesus is the Way to the Father. If we know The Way, we know the heart of the Father.

In John 5:19, Jesus knew the heart of the Father. In providing to those in need, He didn't need to wait and pray, "Father, what are You doing? Are You giving now?" In healing the sick, He didn't need to wait and pray "Father, is it the right time NOW to heal this person?" In living out His life, He didn't need to wait and pray, "Father, what shall I eat today? Rice or noodles?" For His food is to do the will of Him who sent Him.

Jesus moved and did according to the heart of the Father. When you know His heart, you don't have to keep waiting upon the Lord. God is not waiting for you to wait on Him. He is waiting for you to move like Him. The church is still waiting for the move of God, when God is waiting for the church to get up and be the move of God.

Jesus learnt through modeling. A child also learns through modeling. In the Kingdom, we too, learn through modeling.

This is why we need more Christian models in the marketplace. We need businessmen who walk in integrity and live out the kingdom values. The church institution has its place to do equipping, but a pastor, evangelist, prophet, etc. cannot model to the marketplace how to live out Lifestyle Christianity in the marketplace. 

Preaching about it and living from it are completely different. A parent can teach the child how to live right, but if the parent doesn't model and live out for the child to see what he has taught, the child will not be empowered.

Similarly, the pulpit can teach what is right, but it won't empower believers to live out what is right. So many Christians (and I have encountered alot in my industry) in the marketplace are living as though they have never been to church. This is why we need models to model to them what the pulpit cannot do. For we all learn through modeling.

By His grace, may we arise and grow to become the models, and represent Christ in the marketplace. "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few..." Someone said, "Missions is about the state of the heart." You don't need to drop everything and become a missionary in another country. You are already a missionary. You just need to step out and influence your present culture. Jesus!

Child Author

Child Author⁣

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J saw the book that I have authored and he suddenly said, “I want to write a book like Papa. Like an author.”⁣

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Then he proceeded to spend some time writing on his own. I didn’t know what he was doing as I was busy with my work.⁣

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When it was bedtime, after our usual prayer & bible verses, he said, “Papa, let me show you my book.”⁣

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Man... I was blown away. He actually came out with his own story, ‘authored’ this mini-book and drew his own stuff. That completely shocked me.⁣

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Maybe he’s also gifted in writing —— an untapped area that I didn’t know. Yay God! This is the power of homeschooling. Thanks to my wife. #homeschooljourney

P.S: He even left a memory quote like bible memory verse 😆😆😆

Homeschooling Journey Part 8

Homeschooling Journey Part 8

Two months of homeschooling have passed. There were definitely ups and downs in the process. To be precise, there were more ups than downs.

We have yummy home-cooked food made by my gifted wife. It’s a real blessing to have your wife cook great food for you and your son. What’s more? She’s passionate about cooking. I can’t imagine if I have a SAHM who can’t cook. Thank God for her!

We have flexibility. This is a big part for homeschooling. We take J off from “school” for unschooling what school is. He doesn’t get bound by the four walls and rigid classroom environment. We want him to be street smart and grow in wisdom, not studious.

He gets to grow in loving learning instead of forced learning. On some days, he stops earlier than planned when his mind could no longer absorb or when he has a lack of attention. Forcing information down a child when he can’t learn further academically is simply a waste of time. It’s not going to go into his head anyway.

Kudos to my wife.... for some subjects like Math, he is way in advance. Homeschooling allows your child to learn faster in the area where he can go faster, and slower in the area where he can’t catch up. It’s a customised and child-directed learning to boost up his confidence and identity. Why are children suffering from mild depression and stress nowadays? It’s often the parents and the school that induce these on the little ones. We almost forget that they are still growing cognitively and emotionally.

There are many other ups to talk about but it won’t be truthful without the downside.

1) Homeschooling is actually much easier if you have more than one child. When there are two or more kids, they get to motivate one another. They get to play with one another. They don’t need as much attention from the parents because they have their own playmates right at home.

It is in fact, harder to homeschool when you have only one child. Ask me how I know 😂 On some days, he needs so much of our attention that we can’t focus on doing other things.

2) Whether you are tired or not, esp for my wife, she has to stick with extended parenting, which means that you can’t have a long break (unless I am free and  step in to help on that day). Your child will BE with you forever and ever more. If you put him in school, you have a few hours’ break daily. If you put him at home, there is endless work 🤣 This is why I respect all homeschooling mums. It’s an amazing job that requires full dedication. A homeschooling mum cannot just decide what she wants to do. Not all wives can take it, hence many won’t choose homeschooling, not because they can’t, but because they prefer not. I’m so proud of my wife!

3) It takes a different approach when you are teaching your own child. In school, your kids will listen to the teachers either because the teachers shouted and screamed, or because the peers are doing so. Therefore, it’s about monkey-see-monkey-do. In a classroom setting, any child also can appear listening but is actually daydreaming. Well, no one knows.

But when the parent is the one teaching the child, he will interrupt, voice out his opinions, together with scores of questions. My son happens to like to talk a lot (unlike the father who is a man of few words 😂). This makes going through a lesson long and sometimes draining. This requires lots of patience and understanding.

On side note, asking questions is a good thing, because the child gets to process his thoughts. It’s about learning to manage the questions and help the child stay focused. It’s a journey of learning for all of us. #homeschoolingjourney

Fathering Through Trust & Obedience

In the last few days, J had been refusing to listen and obey to us immediately. He had his own thinking concerning some stuff. Thus, he would try to reason (argue) with us.

There is a place for reasoning, but there is a place for obedience. Not everything requires a clear understanding before obedience. Obedience must supersede understanding, for this is the way when it comes to the kingdom. We must not parent in a way that contradicts the kingdom values. There will be times when he doesn't understand why God wants him to do some stuff, but he has to act on obedience above understanding.

After disciplining him, we spoke to him while lying on the bed. He was pretty upset. We gave him a hug and said, "Papa and Mama love you."

Then we continued, "Is being disrespectful something Jesus would like?"

J: No. That's what satan wants.

Us: Is being disobedience something Jesus would like?

J: No. That's what satan wants.

Us: To refuse to listen... is it something Jesus would like?

J No. That's what satan wants.

Us: If you know that is the case, why do you still keep doing that?

J: But I'm trying... I'm trying not to.

Us: J, it's not about trying. You can't try to become better. It's not about using your own effort. You can try and keep trying, but you will not be able to change by trying.

Us: Do Papa & Mama love you?

J: Yes.

Us: Do we love you more than teachers and friends?

J: Yes.

Us: Then trust us. We love you and we want what is good for you. You can't try to obey... you can't try to listen to us by yourself. You cannot change by trying. You have to trust our love for you.

Us: Don't look to your ability to change. Look to Papa and Mama. Remember how much we love you. When you realise that, you will trust us naturally. And when you trust us, you will obey. You can only obey us IF you trust us and our love for you.

J nodded before he was put at ease to go to bed.

We are fathered by the Father through His love. We learn to trust Him because of His love. Obedience is born out of that trust. In the same way, we teach our child to trust us (his earthly father/mother) and our love for him. We need to break that self-effort and 'try-try-try' to change. It's impossible for a child to change by trying. It will get him exasperated or frustrated in the long run. #fathering101