Thus Far the Lord Has Brought Me

Look How He Lifted Me

2015 and I finally accomplished my study in Malaysia

Why is this such a big deal for me?

Well, because every single year is always a fighting for me and my family in many aspects.

I won't be exaggerating if I say it takes faith to go through these 6 years.

Academically, I failed some subjects, underloaded to 3 subjects per semester in order to 'survive', and still struggled each semester. 

Especially the last semester, I really don't get why, but my sensor got burnt accidentally in week 11 which might cause my final year project to fail, 1 quiz + 2 last assignments in week 12, FYP presentation in week 13, and the finisher was done by final exams for two days straight in the first two days of week 14.

I wouldn't say that God was the One who did my last-and-the-hardest-paper on Tuesday, because if it was so, my paper would lead my examiner to repentance when he read it. But I truly believe, when I fell sick just the day before the first paper, it was God who strengthened me physically and morally to keep on studying and then finally finish em all.

It's funny though, how doubt came knocking on my door like a regular customer when I was waiting for my results to be released. There were many confirmations I received from my devotional time and even on the day of the result announcement, Elevation Worship posted something like this:
"God has already worked out what you're worried about." - Pastor Steven Furtick"

Yes, I felt nervous thinking of my results, but I believed when I've given my best, the next thing I ought to do is let God do the rest. So, I made my waiting time into working time.
I met with many people, served God by doing what I can do: Being the hospitality team for our church's guest speakers, helping my friends who moved out to another place, etc. Truly, I'm still grateful that I did so, I did not waste my time worrying what God has worked out.

"I don't worry, I worship" - Steven Furtick

Glad that I did the latter.

I Went After It

1 Sam 17:34-35 (ESV)

But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock,
I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.

Pastor Steven said: "That's what I hope people will say about me as a preacher, "that boy went after it, that boy preached till he couldn't preach anymore, that boy left it all out there in the pulpit, he went after it""

So here's my version:
I might get too hyped when worshipping God on-stage that I was off pitch many times, but I went after it.
I'm not the best singer people would've met in church, but, I still went after it. I keep on worshipping God no matter where I am.
I often thought too much until my goalkeeping was pretty clumsy sometimes, but I went after it.
I got too emotional when leading prayers that I have these slips of tongue every once in a while, but I went after it.

I want people not to see as a perfectly fine person because I'm not, but I really want that they see me as someone who "goes after it".
I'mma give my best shots each time my friends and I spend time together.
I'mma give my best to bring out the best in people around me.

What I do is not perfect, but I go after it.

I Have Nothing to Prove, Only One to Please

People asked me whether or not I'd finished my work in Malaysia.

I said "yes, absolutely"

Not only I finished my part, I'd prepared my friends to continue our works in FGCC Malaysia and even how to prepare their successors.

Back then, people often said my style of leading people is too harsh, some questioned my values, while some doubted my methods and the other assumed things- without really knowing what really happened between me and my friends or mentees.

I'm not saying that we don't have to improve and evaluate ourselves, it's mere arrogance, but beside having the right response in this kind of season, I also believe we ought to stay true to what God has called us to do, and I know that I have this holy discontent about young leaders.

I believe everyone is a leader in their own respective area. So that is why I devote myself into mentorship, learning more about it and being hated because of it.

While I had indeed made some wrong decisions previously, I'm also getting better at making right decisions. That is called growing and maturing, I believe.

Although some things I do will cause oppositions, I will not change my stand.

Even if I was given a chance to go back to the past, I would still choose and do the same things over and over again. 

Even if it means to be jeered at for doing it, I still will do the same thing.

Why?

Maybe because I know that my audience is not you, but God.

Through all these experiences, I learnt what they mean by giving up your right to be justified.

Real life situations, my friends heard things from other people about certain issues. I don't know which translation version they used, but I strongly believe if I was invited to their discussion, their stories would be a little bit different even if I did not speak any words. 

I hope you get what I mean.

Too often we try and even put our lives into justifying ourselves, to the extent that we don't have the chance to experience how God justifies us.

And too often we play the victim, and y'know, everybody can play the victim, it's easy.
I refused to have the victim mentality by explaining the real situations to just everybody.
Some people might not even be interested in the facts anyway.
It is less likely that people will clear up the misunderstandings they have caused and rarely people talk about others' strengths instead of weaknesses.

Let me put this in another way, if your gossipers won't bother clean up their mess, why should you, clean up their mess by trying to explain and prove everything you have done every single time? 

Ain't it tiring, peeps?

Romans 8:37 (ESV)
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

How can we become 'more than conquerors' if we let other people's voice define our reality?
Shouldn't we let God's Word define our reality?
Do not be a slave of people's opinions.
You have one true Master, it is God, not you yourself and certainly not the gossip.
Whether or not you read your Bible will determine your life.

This is necessary, however, to surround yourself with people who will get you closer to God, even if it means sometimes they need to support your decisions and the other time they rebuke you for your (pre or post) bad decisions, yet they still accept you just as you are.
Be transparent with them.

You can only grow in community, make sure your community is healthy not only for your happiness, but your inner man.

"You cannot grow in isolation. You can only grow in community." - A. R. Bernard

If something you have done is right, I believe God will make it right and clear the misunderstanding in front of people.
Otherwise, He won't (and then sends people to remind or rebuke you).
He might justify it later in this world or maybe in the later world, because everyone would be responsible for everything they have done and said.
However, even if He doesn't, it means the misunderstanding itself is not a big deal.
Simple!

Phil 3:15 (ESV)
Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

I believe what Phil 3:15 says and you know what? 

Your actions reflect your beliefs.
That's why I act this way, because it reflects what I believe or especially Whom I have believed.

I have nothing to prove and only One to please

So Long, Malaysia

I thank God for my community, FGCC Malaysia.

I am a product of community, it doesn't take miraculous event to help me be an Indra Tan, it doesn't take a wonderful activity, or complicated strategy. 

God works on me tremendously through my community.

and especially my mentors: Ko Eddy Chang, Kak Tama Pakpahan and Kak Dicky for your impacts in my life, your relentless supports, prayers, and constructive rebukes. 

Your lives influence me to be the person I am right now.

  

  

Thank you Malaysia for this 6-year experience.
It has been a great journey.

I am moving on to the next stage.

Soredewa mata!

Intercessor

Intercessor: Entreaty in favor of another, especially a prayer or petition to God in behalf of another.

Topik ini sedang sangat me-rhema dalam hidup saya 2-3 minggu belakangan.

Yang pertama adalah ketika saya diingatkan kembali tentang alasan saya untuk join di FGCC pada tahun 2009.

Saya mengenal Tuhan sejak kecil (meskipun bukan sejak lahir) dan Tuhan sudah memimpin keluarga saya dalam berbagai macam pengalaman2 ajaib yang membawa kami kepada pengenalan yang semakin dalam tentang pribadiNya.

Ketika saya lulus SMA tahun 2009 dan berencana untuk kuliah di Malaysia, sudah banyak orang yang mengingatkan saya tentang pentingnya memilih gereja yang benar. Dunia ini semakin jahat, untuk itu penting sekali untuk mencari kebenaran yang sejati, atau yang sejak dulu saya sebut dengan 'Real Truth'

Efesus 5:15-17

15Karena itu, perhatikanlah dengan saksama, bagaimana kamu hidup, janganlah seperti orang bebal, tetapi seperti orang arif, 16dan pergunakanlah waktu yang ada, karena hari-hari ini adalah jahat. 17Sebab itu janganlah kamu bodoh, tetapi usahakanlah supaya kamu mengerti kehendak Tuhan.


Dan dulu, ketika kami masih tinggal di pulau Jawa, banyak orang2 yang menawarkan kepada kami penafsiran2 yang salah mengenai Alkitab. Apalagi di negara lain, di mana filsafat2 yang salah semakin banyak ditemukan di mana2.

Setelah saya sampai di Malaysia, dan dikenalkan oleh senior saya, ko Bryan Leong dan ce Luciana kepada FGCC.

Saya melihat bahwa FGCC mempunyai atmosfir yang luar biasa untuk 'melayani Tuhan dalam segala bidang kehidupan kita'.


Ketika saya mendengar Ps. Eddy Chang berkhotbah dan kemudian mengenal beliau lebih dalam, saya merasakan adanya keselarasan antara apa yang dia khotbahkan dan apa yang dia (dan juga anak2nya) hidupi. Kalau saja (maaf kata), seorang pemimpin hanya omdo atau omong doang, maka anak2nya pun akan melakukan hal yang sama.

Begitu banyak orang2 di luar sana mengalami kepahitan terhadap orang2 Kristen, karena mereka begitu gencar mengabarkan ttg keselamatan dan kasih, tanpa mempraktekkannya.

So, buat saya sendiri, nilai R (Relevant) dari FRESH value FGCC benar2 merupakan daya tarik FGCC yang harus terus dipertahankan. Banyak orang2 yang berpendapat bahwa Alkitab itu kuno, ketinggalan zaman dan ga relevan lagi dengan zaman sekarang ini.

Tapi, itulah tugas kita sebagai Intercessor, kita adalah orang2 yang stand up untuk membuktikan bahwa Alkitab sebagai Firman Tuhan relevan sampai sekarang. Saya bersyukur di FGCC, saya bisa bertemu dengan orang2 luar biasa yang dengan rendah hati mau terus belajar Firman Tuhan terutama: Ps. Eddy (yang jujur akan kelemahan beliau, mengajar dan memuji setiap orang sesuai dengan kelebihan dan kekurangan mereka), Ko Harry Janto Leo, Kak Tama Eka Ko Adrian Samuel, Ce Renny Limanhadi, Ce Devi Sagita dan teman2.

Minggu kemarin, saya juga diingatkan tentang pentingnya untuk memiliki pemahaman yang mendalam tentang Alkitab. Karena tidak sedikit orang2 Kristen tidak bisa menjawab ketika diminta untuk membuktikan keaslian dari Alkitab ataupun iman kita.

1 Petrus 3:15

Tetapi kuduskanlah Kristus di dalam hatimu sebagai Tuhan! Dan siap sedialah pada segala waktu untuk memberi pertanggungan jawab kepada tiap-tiap orang yang meminta pertanggungan jawab dari kamu tentang pengharapan yang ada padamu, tetapi haruslah dengan lemah lembut dan hormat


Saya bersyukur pula kalau teman2 ikut menghadiri seminar Answers in Genesis yang diadakan minggu lalu (meskipun saya tidak bisa hadir). Kita benar2 membutuhkan dasar yang benar2 kuat untuk bisa stand still tanpa digoncangkan oleh kebenaran2 yang palsu, entah itu bernama science, philosophy atau hal2 lainnya.

Karena, sebenarnya science itu sendiri dibagi menjadi 2 jenis: Historical dan Observational. (http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2011/06/10/feedback-historical-observational-science) dan lain2

Banyak orang yang sudah menerima kebenaran2 palsu, bahkan mereka yang mengaku sebagai 'Kristen' itu sendiri.


Tanggal 22 Nov 2011, ketika saya menginap di B-05-01, Suriamas. Siang hari, ada 3 orang yang datang dan mengatakan ingin mengambil survey tentang kristiani.
Ternyata, apa yang mereka bagikan adalah kebenaran 'baru' mengenai adanya 'God the Mother' which is against kepercayaan kita mengenai Allah Tritunggal (Allah Bapa, Anak dan Roh Kudus).

Tentunya, mereka sudah mempersiapkan ayat2 yang mereka butuhkan untuk mendukung pernyataan mereka ini. Meskipun bagi saya dan Natal Tria Wirawan, yang waktu itu diajak mereka untuk berdiskusi, ayat2 yang mereka tunjukkan itu sangat lemah untuk membuktikan adanya 'God the Mother' ini.

Atau bahkan kata lainnya, menurut saya, orang2 ini salah tafsir tentang apa yang dimaksudkan Rasul Paulus dan Yohanes dalam surat mereka.
Semoga melalui pesan saya ini, semua jemaat FGCC bisa semakin maju dan menguatkan diri kita semua dengan dasar fondasi iman yang benar.

Jangan sampai kita salah menginterpretasikan Firman Tuhan ataupun menggunakannya untuk kepentingan kita sendiri, apalagi ketika kita berperan sebagai leader2 muda. Saya harap, kita terus dengan rendah hati lebih mempelajari Firman Tuhan dan apa yang Tuhan inginkan dalam hidup kita, bukan dengan akal manusia. Tidak ada manusia sempurna, maka dari itu, jangan merasa puas diri untuk terus belajar kebenaranNya

1 Petrus 5:2-3

5:2 Gembalakanlah kawanan domba Allah yang ada padamu, jangan dengan paksa, tetapi dengan sukarela sesuai dengan kehendak Allah, dan jangan karena mau mencari keuntungan , tetapi dengan pengabdian diri. 5:3Janganlah kamu berbuat seolah-olah kamu mau memerintah atas mereka yang dipercayakan kepadamu, tetapi hendaklah kamu menjadi teladan bagi kawanan domba itu.

Let's stand up for our generation

Terima kasih