My Thoughts, My World-View

    Thought Journal

    • A Review of Joss Whedon’s Justice League (2017) – Part 2 – A Scene by Scene Review

      A Review of Joss Whedon’s Justice League (2017) – Part 2 – A Scene by Scene Review

      Steppenwolf was incapable of being the Big Threat for the movie. At best, he was just another “Villain of the Week”.

      Objectively, imagine that you are called to modify the existing project of another director based on certain mandates given by the Studio funding it. Would you do it? I guess, this is at the heart of the whole issue of Joss Whedon’s Justice League’s existence. You cannot fully review it without framing it into the wider context of what happened behind-the-scenes. As a film (I watched it in cinema when it came out), I think it is a 5 out of 10. The storyline was “weak” and “imbalanced” – there was really no build up of anything, and the conclusion is similar to every superhero, super-sentai TV episode out there – lacklustre and predictable. Zack’s original vision for the movie was realised in 2021 and in my opinion, had the necessary makings of a solid 8 out of 10. But let us not kid ourselves (even though I was a Snyder fan and backed the Snyderverse for a very long time), there were intrinsic problems that existed because of Studio interventions after “Man of Steel” and “Batman V Superman”.

      Warner Bros. viewed Snyder’s original vision as fundamentally problematic rather than simply requiring minor adjustments. The studio had reportedly described Snyder’s original cut as “unwatchable,” necessitating what they perceived as a complete creative rescue mission. The extent of their concerns becomes clear when considering that they were willing to invest massive resources into reshaping the film rather than supporting the original director’s vision through completion. One of these differences can be seen in the rigid runtime constraint imposed by Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara, who mandated that Justice League’s runtime could not exceed two hours. This directive stemmed from the belief that Batman v Superman’s longer runtime had contributed to its perceived underperformance at the box office. The other difference is the film’s overall tone and aesthetic approach, Warner Bros. wanted to move away from Snyder’s mythological, serious style toward a brighter, more humorous sensibility that aligned with what worked from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially on the Avengers films.

      These were the constrains that Whedon was given at the start – change the script, and direct a film based on commercially-proven formula. I am very sure Joss Whedon did not disagree with the main demands of the Studio, as it jived with what he was preaching to Marvel Studios. However, this made for a challenging task – how do you make everything “work” given that most of the shooting has been done already?

      The result of his effort is the following scenes – from Start to Finish.

      Justice League (2017) – Joss Whedon’s Theatrical Cut: Chronological Scene List

      1. Cell-phone video: kids interview Superman in a shaky, vertical phone recording before the main titles.
      2. Gotham rooftop: Batman uses a robber’s fear to draw out a Parademon, nets it, and sees the burnt three-box symbol after it self-destructs.
      3. Title and global mourning montage set to “Everybody Knows,” showing a world without Superman.
      4. Metropolis grief: Lois mourns, visits the memorial, and Martha struggles after losing the farm, reflecting the world’s despair.
      5. London bank: Wonder Woman stops a terror bombing, deflects bullets, and neutralizes the leader by blasting him back with her gauntlets.
      6. Iceland recruitment: Bruce reaches the fishing village, confronts Arthur about the coming threat, and is rejected.
      7. Bruce and Alfred discuss Arthur’s rejection, the Parademon sign, Barry, Diana, Victor and the need to recruit a team in the wake of Superman’s death.
      8. Central City prison: Barry Allen visits his father Henry and later returns to his apartment, underscoring his stalled life.
      9. Victor in hiding: Silas tries to reach his son, who tests his evolving cybernetic abilities and fears being seen as a monster. S.T.A.R. labs infiltrated by Parademons.
      10. Themyscira awakens: the Amazon Mother Box pulses, Steppenwolf boom-tubes in, and an Amazon chase ensues as he captures the Box.
      11. Hippolyta’s warning: the Queen fires the ancient warning arrow to light the shrine and alert Diana in Man’s World.
      12. Martha visits Lois in her office, reflecting on their concerns.
      13. Victor discovers Bruce’s secret identity. Diana briefs Bruce: the “history lesson” recounts Steppenwolf’s ancient invasion and the alliance that hid the three Mother Boxes. Victor tracks them.
      14. “I’m in”: Bruce recruits Barry at his apartment when he admits he needs friends and accepts immediately.
      15. Victor meets with Diana. Diana persuades Victor to join them.
      16. Atlantis outpost: Steppenwolf attacks, Mera intervenes, and the Atlantean Mother Box is taken after a brief underwater battle. Arthur meets Mera.
      17. Russia set-up: Parademons invade a remote nuclear site – family in terror. Steppenwolf plans to get the last Mother Box.
      18. Silas abducted by Parademon, implied others abducted as well. Bruce, Barry meets up with Diana, sees Bat-signal. Victor discover his father’s abduction and sees the signal as well.
      19. GCPD rooftop: Gordon shares winged-creature reports; Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Victor respond as the team starts to coalesce.
      20. Gotham Harbor tunnels: Nightcrawler fight against Parademons begins as the League attempts a hostage rescue.
      21. Flood escape: Steppenwolf redirects a missile to breach the walls; Aquaman arrives and holds back the tidal surge so the team can flee. Gordon debriefs.
      22. Russia set-up: Family preparing to hold up in their house. League gathers in the Batcave.
      23. Cyborg reveals the human Box. Resurrection debate: the League debates using the Box and Kryptonian ship to revive Superman as Bruce prepares a Lois contingency.
      24. Smallville grave: Barry and Victor exhume Clark’s body by night in a quiet, somber sequence of shared purpose.
      25. Kryptonian scout ship: Flash energizes the Mother Box at the precise moment to trigger resurrection as the Box hits the amniotic fluid.
      26. Heroes Park fight: disoriented Superman battles the League and turns on Batman with the “Do you bleed?” callback line.
      27. Lois contingency: Alfred brings Lois, who calms Clark, and they depart for Smallville as the League regroups in shock.
      28. Box stolen: with the team distracted by the resurrection, Steppenwolf raids the Kryptonian ship and steals the last Box.
      29. Smallville recovery: Clark reconnects with Lois at the farm and gradually regains his memories and purpose.
      30. League argues among themselves. Clark reconnects with Martha.
      31. Russia set-up: at the remote nuclear site, Steppenwolf unites the Boxes and alien growths begin terraforming the surrounding area.
      32. League finds Steppenwolf’s base, prepares for assault.
      33. Assault begins: Batman draws Parademons with the Batmobile while the others push toward Steppenwolf’s stronghold. Fight against Steppenwolf begins while Victor begins separating the Mother Boxes.
      34. Superman arrives: Clark joins the battle and counters Steppenwolf’s attacks on the team.
      35. Civilian rescue: Flash evacuates a Russian family and League begins broader evacuation amid spreading tendrils and chaos.
      36. Separating the Unity: Superman and Cyborg pull the Mother Boxes apart, stopping the catastrophic synchronization.
      37. Final Battle: League attacks Steppenwolf. Superman freezes Steppenwolf’s axe and Wonder Woman shatters it.
      38. Fear and retreat: sensing Steppenwolf’s fear, Parademons turn on him as he falls back through a Boom Tube.
      39. Nuclear site recovers from the terraforming activity.
      40. Epilogue vignettes: Bruce bought the bank, Martha returns to the farm. Barry gets a CCPD job. Lois resumes writing for the Daily. Bruce, Diana and Alfred plan to rebuild Wayne Manor as the team’s headquarters with room for future allies. Victor continues work with Silas, Arthur heads toward Atlantis, Diana returns to public heroism, and Clark resumes life in Metropolis.
      41. Mid‑credits race: Superman and Flash agree to a friendly race with a brunch bet on the line.
      42. Post‑credits stinger: Lex Luthor escapes Arkham and recruits Deathstroke to form a “league of our own.”

      My Analysis:

      Josh Whedon is obviously a brilliant man and skilled at what he does. To be able to compress what was a 4 hours film into a 2 hours film is nothing short of amazing. In reducing the runtime, it is inevitable that the roles of each League member had to be downsized as well. The main character that got the most cuts was Cyborg’s, followed by the Flash. Cyborg’s original theme had a start, middle and end – from resentment, progressing to acceptance and vindication of the ‘accident’ that left him ‘not human’ in his own eyes. It took a long time to do it justice, as was shown in Zack’s version. The payoff was great – as we see that sacrifices, both of his father and his own ‘pain’ and ‘self-pity’, enabled him to see that he is “not broken” and moves on with his “new” life. This is impossible to set up in a shorter film. And to share screen time with another hero that had similar issues with his abilities (Barry Allen) – it is not possible to do them justice. The next best thing was to turn them into ‘comic relief’ – not unlike the hugely popular cartoon versions! Characterisation needs screen time to flesh out. There is just no way around it. It takes a lot of creativity and techniques to provide familiarity of a character with the audience (what more with nearly dozen characters!).

      I think the main problem with the whole movie is not what was presented, but what actually took place behind the scenes. We can only speculate since we were not there. Trying to be objective is not easy – there were many reports that were consistent about Whedon’s ‘style’ of directing. And in some sense I think we can understand where it stems from – he was seen as the ‘saviour’ of a ‘doomed project’ (at least in the eyes of the corporate financiers). I am sure that gave him the type of confidence and authority that is similarly found in a new corporate consultant that has been brought in to ‘turn around’ a failing company. Put this into context – Whedon did not have months to ‘gel’ with the cast as Zack had. It was either ‘his way’ or a ‘certain flop’ – and we all have seen how Ben Affleck reacted when he and Cavill received bad reviews of the previous team-up film; no one wanted a repeat of it. I am sure to some extent the actors (and actresses) knew that they had to play ‘nice’ in order to complete the film – that is the reason why ‘complaints’ were not brought up at that time. Everyone wanted this to be over with – as the momentum that they built with “Man of Steel” had an effective time period that is short (people are not that patient – they easily shift allegiance, what more with the massive success of the MCU). Besides, it takes time for people to stop and consider issues – and what better time than during the start of pandemic when everyone had to take a pause and reflect. Thus, Ray Fisher’s complaint only came up nearly 3 years after the film was released, in 2020. I am not denying the authenticity, but giving a possible reason why there was this gap before any negativity came up about Whedon’s directing of the film.

      Anyway, back to the main part of this post – I really think Whedon did an excellent job given the circumstances. Focus on a tight, short narrative that could be fun. Instead of character-centric, we focus on how the team could come together in the first place. Give a clear enemy (even though the origins may be murky and ambigious). Give clear heroes (let them struggle with coming together – have them struggle to appoint a leader – have them lose round 1, and round 2 and then win round 3). Give them a clear theme (more or less – united is better than divided). Give them humour and brightness (whether we like it or not, reversal of doom and gloom takes time to work). At the end… a simple arc that conforms to your weekly episodic drama series works best. Pepper the ending with future directions – and hope for the best! Was Whedon’s Justice League really terrible? Not by a long shot. It appeased the top people in Warner Bros who wanted a more MCU-ish vibe. It made money, but not Batman V Superman level – final gross is USD 661 million, but made a loss when factored in the expenses that were very high, USD 750 million. The reshoots certainly affected the cost, but the initial costs were undoubtedly high because of Snyder’s initial large vision (which we saw in the 4 hour epic, 3 hours plus was from the initial USD 300 million spent). It was not bad at all. But there will always be people in management that only measure things strictly by money terms without any need to account for circumstances and context.

      Lessons to learn:
      1) Taking over another person’s project is ALWAYS difficult. This has always been the ‘consultants’ dillemma’. One will always face resistance, differing visions clashing, budgeting stress, and a hundred more day-to-day on the floor issues that you must troubleshoot while keeping a schedule.

      2) Measure success on tasks set out; never on ambigious wants made by those who are disconnected from the project. This is an issue everywhere. A person on the top wants a net profit of 50% while conforming to limits that the person sets on the team. Ignorance is often concealed by passion – and ‘followers’ will blindly follow! These are the same people who will come out with conclusions that break the team, or worse… set a new direction that was never in the books to begin with!

      3) Whedon’s behaviour on set cannot be justified – but his enablers and those who set him in that path should share in the guilt and wrongdoing. This is something that those on top seem to think they can get away with. A good example: Do everything you can, just get it done by this date! And they throw an unreasonable date. How can you expect the person who is burdened with this unreasonable timeline to cope with the stress without affecting his behaviour and judgment? Those who are able to do so are rare… but for most people, they crumble under that weight. They become snappy, short-tempered, paranoid, etc. This is not to excuse the behaviour of course, but to point the finger to those who started the whole thing – the goal setter! So many industries are afflicted by such top-down stress-givers who will just give these ridiculous limitations for their own selfish advancement without caring about those who are tasked to carry out the work and those who would supervise these workers.

      I think it is good that the industry seems to have changed slightly ever since Whedon’s Justice League was released nearly a decade ago. Awareness is a good thing, but let us not swing to the other side that we do not appreciate what Whedon did wonderfully on this project. As usual, this is my own opinion and thoughts – feel free to disagree. It’s a free world.

    • “Reflecting on the Past” in 40 minutes

      I think the usual practice for most people is to reflect on the whole year and then put some kind of highlights for close friends and those who would read their thoughts. I was thinking of that too, but unfortunately, some of the things will be taken wrongly by those who are currently around me or those who have known me these past few years. I think it is more prudent and more appropriate to reflect on the past – past is a long period if you do not put any limit. I think this is the interesting challenge for me. For those who know me well enough, I have a very good long-term memory but am very horrible with things that are present or recent. This is a family gene thing – at least I would like you to think that is the case. It is a helpful excuse that I often fall back on when my family members question my memory. But… anyway, I digress.

      Thirty minutes. I set the time for that amount so that it aims at only the most ‘powerful’ or ‘vivid’ lessons that I have in my frontal cortex. Okay, I may not fully know that part of the brain, but if memory serves (hah), it has something to do with the ability for humans to think and remember. If I’m wrong… forgive me. Anyway, 30 minutes has already started with the introduction. I will be writing in my own style, and since it is within a set time, it will definitely retain my style (no AI usage here).

      My first vivid lesson comes from not too long ago – and it relates to spiritual matters. We are spirit – strip away the matter, the body, and what we have in this material world, and you come face to face with the unknown and the personality of the individual. It is something that is starting to gain traction in this 9 billion-populated world – probably as we start to see some unprecedented acts from humanity – and we question ourselves – are we truly just made up of the grey matter that resides in our head? No, we have spirit – and it is this component or element that we must come face to face with. The lesson that comes to mind relates to the whole passage of time and how that actually affects the spiritual development of a person. I can still remember in the teenage years – the sense of ignorance and of ‘invincibility’ – that we have time to do all there is to be done in this world. That there is time to consider our soul/spirit – but at the moment, the things that are important are our immediate future – studies, family, and career (potential). Friends became something important, but for me, it was just a group of people that I was stuck with when I went to school. Spiritual things seemed so ridiculous – let that be for those who do not have hope, do not have a future, for those who really are ‘sick’. But then when one matures in college and university, there is a profound change from within. This often comes about by the confrontation with life – the difficulty of life. The things that we try to avoid, we have to confront – because we just have no choice. We could not avoid it. For me, it was dealing with independence and loneliness. The spiritual habit and routine that I grew up with was challenged by freedom. Freedom to choose – and this is just so important to me, because it allowed me to consider other things – other friends, other religions, other beliefs, other personalities… I could just change “clothes” if I found myself stuck or in a situation that was uncomfortable. One such occasion was when I was thrown into a fellowship where there was really no one that I knew – I was the stranger – a situation that I have always detested. This feeling was something that I could tolerate when I was younger since I was way younger and did not know much about ‘face’ or ‘shame’. I was just a kid that people could conveniently just throw into uncomfortable situations. But now I was a late teen – and being stuck in a place where I am the youngest, and the others in the group are working adults – forced me to do something that I had not done before – I actually talked to others, using the substance of my reading (a pastime for the bored). And it worked – it helped me survive, but more importantly, it made me question more: why do I even want to be in this setting? I would prefer spending time with my own classmates and college mates rather than with a group of people who supposedly share religious/mindset affiliation with me. But I survived – and that skill gave me a lifelong skill that I still use today.

      The sense of the spiritual became very important when I went to university, because there, I was stripped of my comfort – I was not even in Malaysia. That forced me to really think long and hard – who am I? And it is at that point that the natural questions of human beings arise – where are we from? Who made us? What is our purpose? What should we do with our lives? These questions were slowly asked and answered from my learning from the Bible. The words and the answers were always presented to me throughout my childhood – but at that moment, I was made ready to hear and to understand. The other “answers” given just did not satisfy me – and yet whenever I had a question, I could find that God answers. Many times, not according to my own wants – but in a way that proves to me that I am but a small creature in a large world. In time, we grow passionate about this newfound purpose, answer, direction – and I ran with it. It was liberating to have ‘answers’ behind my mind – and to know the ‘big picture’ of how the world is, and where I am in the midst of the vastness and also what I am doing and will be doing. But then, whenever we seem to be comfortable with all that, life throws a curveball – marriage and children. This really tested all the answers – against “reality” and I have to say – it revealed more about myself which I thought was already known. No, we keep growing, and we do keep changing. It is the only expected thing in life – change, growth. The reason is simple – the imperfect will need change – is not perfection incremental improvements over time? But of course, with human beings, the external cannot hope to incrementally get better over time. This is something that is really hard for us to grasp, but the world is changing; imperfection afflicts the world. And even when we are stable, the instability of the world will confront and smash our ‘stability’ and throw us into havoc once again. This is exactly what happened growing up in the twenties and thirties. All manner of distractions, temptations, tasks, treasures, and burdens will be thrown — and you are expected to keep afloat; if not, you drown – metaphorically, but an apt description methinks.

      What is this first lesson? The spiritual life of a person is a journey, and like any journey, the path is almost always never straight and easy. It is just full of unpredictability and throughout the journey, a person may not be aware of the spiritual dimension – at times it is just so vivid, at other times it ‘feels like it is not there’. But it is there. We are spirit – and this part of us will need growth – through the pain, tears, sweat, blood… joy and sadness. Until that journey ends. So be mindful of the spirit – do not be taken in by too many things that are tangible and seem materially significant. We cannot bring these things with us. But the memories, the lessons, the encouragements, the warnings – these we can pass on to others who will hear or see us.

      Another thing that is clear in my mind is the need to be wary of our affiliations. Although we may not become those whom we mix with or interact with – we cannot go unscathed when we remain with them for long periods of time. This is totally personal – but I think we need to be very careful with the people we commit ourselves to. It is never good to be too long with a group of people who hold a particular affiliation or ‘branding’ or ‘method’ or ‘system’. This is truly devastating – why? Let me take church affiliations. Every affiliation or denomination or grouping serves its purpose at the point where they were founded or formed. A wise man taught and warned that a movement easily starts with the initial founders – but quickly loses conviction after the first two generations and relies on systems left by the initial group. This is totally true. Rejoice that God has seen fit to raise up so many powerful and necessary churches and denominations throughout the history of the church; from the time of the Early Church, to the Anglican church, to the Presbyterians, the Baptists, Methodists, etc. all these came about in response to a particular need in that place (geographically) and time. However, to be faithful to just one church affiliation insists on holding on to a system that may not be appropriate for all ages. It is very arrogant to claim that a church group will remain relevant for all ages – because that insists that the world will not change – and that the challenges will always be the same. This is just not true – and this can be clearly evidenced from the word of God. The differences that churches have among themselves often stem from obscure passages, verses, or the scant verses that do not put a perpetual command. Most Christians would never argue that the often repeated command by God is to ‘love’ – as God is love. This is a non-negotiable truth since there are so many references to the command to love, whether it is in the Old Testament or the New Testament. But when it comes to other things – like baptism, service for the Lord, worship services, things that God does not explicitly state – there are many who will break fellowship and go up in arms over them. The point is that God does not repeat many things – and that should humble us to understand that God wants the church to emphasize different things as the age demands and the challenges change. The church cannot be static – except in the non-negotiables of the Gospel. The church really needs to ‘move with the times’ as long as it allows us to do the essentials of the Word. A good example of this is the printing press and the introduction of the Bible. Do you know that for many centuries, Christian believers did not have the privilege of having their own Bibles? They had to listen to the learned person who can read the Bible and then memorize these words. They had to share a scripture that was written or copied onto a scroll – and they had to retain it in their hearts – as they could not conveniently find a ‘church’ to attend, especially if they were in certain important professions. It is so condescending that Churches insist that every believer needs to have their own Bibles – and read it every single day – and meditate on it every single moment. Certainly, if you are able to do these things – GOOD FOR YOU! There is benefit for those who have the privilege to read and devour the Word of God daily. But what about those who have no such privilege? Be very careful if you were to judge these to be ‘second class’ or ‘deficient’ – because this is a system of thought that has been indoctrinated by modern churchgoers. You will not find the apostle Paul in the New Testament scolding or warning against those who do not read God’s Word daily and make it a habit! And the reason is because – it is just what should be insisted. The main thing is still – remembering the Word of God, listening, learning, and putting the Word into our hearts. This is the non-negotiable practice that is consistent throughout the years from the Lord’s glorification till now in the 21st century.

      Be careful that you do not get stuck in the system of thinking and practice – and insist that this system be in all Christian believers – and those who differ are deficient. Life has a way of making this lesson known and clear to those who fall prey to ‘church affiliations’. Instead, what is important is to find a group who honors God properly by honoring His Word and who practices the essentials that God commands, and knows when to apply the Word to the changing environment.

      Finally, always remember that knowledge (small and big) can help us – it is never for nothing. Reading, consuming information is an important skill that will serve us well when it needs to. I cannot emphasize this more. I grew up in a time where the Internet was in its infancy and there were a lot of things that I had to consume by listening to the radio, watching the news on TV, and by reading the newspaper and consuming books (even encyclopedias)! I have to say that though I have forgotten a lot of things – I have never regretted reading or listening or watching informative programs in all its forms. You really never know when it suddenly clicks. For me, creativity is an important element that makes wonderful things – whether it is an idea or a thesis – creativity is crucial and is always needed even in serious matters (work-wise and family-wise). Creativity needs information to jolt up – for me, it is the accumulated knowledge and information that is floating in our subconscious mind – that contains vast, vast amounts of information! The larger the sea of information in our subconscious mind – the greater the potential for ingenuity and creativity. So, do not ever feel like you have wasted your time on something trivial – it is transferred and it floats as part of our subconscious mind, ready to pop up at the right time. This is something I learned and something I truly treasure.

    • From Prophetic Thunder to Therapeutic Whispers: The Tragic Decline of Biblical Preaching

      The stark contrast between 19th-century preaching and contemporary pulpit ministry reveals a troubling trajectory in modern Christianity. Where once the Word of God was proclaimed with uncompromising clarity and theological precision, today’s sermons often reflect a diluted gospel that accommodates cultural sensibilities rather than confronting them.

      The Uncompromising Nature of Historical Preaching

      Nineteenth-century preachers possessed an unwavering commitment to biblical exposition that modern congregations would find shocking. They did not hesitate to use stark language when addressing spiritual realities – terms like “utterly miserable,” “despicable sinners,” and “wickedly evil before God’s sight” were commonplace. These men understood that sin is sin, regardless of cultural context or personal feelings.

      The preaching of that era followed systematic, verse-by-verse exposition with clear three-point structures that mirrored biblical narratives. Each sermon concluded with practical application sections that fearlessly addressed contemporary issues – whether Western individualism, religious formalism, or cultural accommodation within the church. The theological foundation was unshakeable: God’s absolute sovereignty, human inability to save themselves, and Christ as the only mediator.

      Consider how Charles Spurgeon would declare: “You are condemned sinners deserving of hell,” while today’s preachers speak of people being merely “broken” and needing “healing.” The difference is not merely stylistic – it reflects a fundamental shift in understanding human nature and God’s holiness.

      The Educational Revolution and Its Consequences

      Modern education has produced a generation that questions absolute truth and embraces relativistic thinking. Where 19th-century congregations accepted the authority of Scripture without hesitation, today’s audiences demand explanations that satisfy their intellectual pride. This shift has forced many preachers to adopt a more “scholarly” approach that often obscures rather than illuminates biblical truth.

      The explosion of information through social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube has created congregations that are simultaneously more informed yet less discerning. People know more about psychology, sociology, and cultural trends than previous generations, but they lack the spiritual wisdom to distinguish between human wisdom and divine revelation. This has led to sermons that sound more like TED talks than prophetic proclamations.

      Contemporary examples abound: Joel Osteen’s “Your Best Life Now” philosophy transforms the gospel into self-help therapy, while prosperity preachers on television promise health and wealth rather than holiness and heaven. The uncomfortable truths about God’s wrath have been replaced with messages about “living your purpose” and “finding your destiny.”

      The Dilution of Gospel Truth

      Perhaps most devastating is the systematic dilution of the gospel itself. Where 19th-century preachers proclaimed man’s total depravity and desperate need for salvation, modern sermons often focus on self-improvement and personal fulfillment. Scripture declares that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), yet contemporary preaching frequently suggests that people are merely victims of circumstances rather than rebels against their Creator.

      The therapeutic language of modern psychology has infiltrated the pulpit. Terms like “dysfunction,” “codependency,” and “emotional healing” have replaced biblical categories of sin, repentance, and regeneration. Marriage conferences focus on “communication skills” and “love languages” rather than the biblical roles outlined in Ephesians 5:22-33. Parenting seminars emphasize building children’s “self-esteem” rather than training them “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

      Consider how Rick Warren’s “Purpose Driven Life” approach, while containing some truth, fundamentally shifts the focus from God’s glory to human fulfillment. The question is no longer “How can I glorify God?” but “How can I find my purpose?” This subtle but significant shift reflects the broader cultural accommodation that has infected modern Christianity.

      The Accommodation to Cultural Pressures

      Modern Christianity has fallen prey to the spirit of the age in ways that would have horrified previous generations of believers. The pressure to be “relevant” has led to compromises that fundamentally alter the gospel message. Seeker-sensitive churches design their services around the comfort of unbelievers rather than the worship of God, forgetting that “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).

      The influence of secular psychology has replaced biblical anthropology. Where Scripture teaches that the heart is “deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9), modern preaching suggests that people are fundamentally good but damaged by external circumstances. Christian counseling often mirrors secular therapy more than biblical discipleship.

      LGBTQ+ affirmation in many denominations represents perhaps the clearest example of cultural accommodation trumping biblical authority. Despite clear biblical teaching on sexuality and marriage (Genesis 2:24, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11), many churches have redefined sin as “alternative lifestyle” to avoid cultural offense.

      The social justice movement within evangelicalism has similarly shifted focus from individual sin and salvation to systemic oppression and social transformation. While Christians should certainly care about justice (Micah 6:8), the gospel’s primary concern is not reforming society but regenerating sinners.

      The Loss of Prophetic Authority

      Nineteenth-century preachers spoke with the authority of prophets – men who had encountered the living God and were compelled to declare His Word regardless of consequences. They understood their role as watchmen on the walls, warning of coming judgment and pointing sinners to the only refuge in Christ.

      Modern preachers, by contrast, often function more as motivational speakers or life coaches than prophetic voices. Mega-church pastors like Andy Stanley have publicly questioned the reliability of Scripture, while others focus on practical life advice rather than eternal truths. The fear of man has replaced the fear of God, leading to messages that tickle ears rather than pierce hearts.

      Church growth strategies have replaced Spirit-led ministry. Pastors study demographics and market research rather than spending hours in prayer and biblical study. The result is preaching designed to attract crowds rather than convert souls, forgetting that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

      Contemporary Examples of Diluted Preaching

      Hillsong’s emphasis on emotional experience over doctrinal truth exemplifies modern Christianity’s shift toward feelings-based faith. Their songs, while musically appealing, often lack theological depth and biblical precision.

      The Emergent Church Movement has questioned fundamental doctrines like penal substitutionary atonement, hell, and biblical inerrancy in the name of “postmodern authenticity.” Leaders like Brian McLaren have suggested that traditional evangelical theology is outdated and culturally insensitive.

      Word of Faith preachers like Kenneth Copeland and Joyce Meyer have transformed the gospel into a formula for material prosperity, directly contradicting Jesus’ warning that “a person’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15).

      Even within Reformed circles, there has been accommodation. Some have softened the doctrine of hell, questioned the exclusivity of Christ, or emphasized social action over evangelism, forgetting that “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

      The Remedy: A Return to Biblical Preaching

      The solution is not to romanticize the past but to recover biblical principles that transcend cultural boundaries. True preaching must be:

      Expository – Working systematically through Scripture rather than cherry-picking verses to support predetermined themes or systematically going through a passage to bring out all spiritual truths and applications as Paul commanded Timothy to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). Ultimately the text must determine the message, not contemporary relevance.

      Confrontational – Willing to address sin directly and call for genuine repentance. The gospel is inherently offensive to the natural man and cannot be made palatable without destroying its power. Jesus Himself said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18).

      Christ-centered – Every sermon must point to Jesus Christ as the only hope for sinners. Moralistic preaching that focuses on human effort rather than divine grace is not gospel preaching at all. As Paul declared, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). To the oft given complaint that such focus would bore a congregation – the carefully study and bringing out of the Word of God ensures that this is ever ‘new’ and ‘fresh’. Have we gone through the entirety of the Bible, and savouring Christ as He is presented in all of Scriptures.

      Doctrinally sound – Grounded in the great truths of Reformed theology: the sovereignty of God, the depravity of man, salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Paul warned Timothy that “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Timothy 4:3).

      Biblical Examples of Uncompromising Preaching

      John the Baptist exemplified prophetic preaching when he called the Pharisees and Sadducees a “brood of vipers” and warned them to “bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:7-8). He did not soften his message to avoid offense.

      Stephen’s sermon in Acts 7 culminated in calling his hearers “stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears” who “always resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51). His uncompromising proclamation cost him his life but advanced the gospel.

      Paul’s preaching in Athens (Acts 17:22-31) demonstrates how to engage culture without compromising truth. He used their own poets and philosophers as entry points but concluded with the non-negotiable demand for repentance in light of coming judgment.

      Jesus Himself spoke more about hell than heaven, warned that “the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:14), and declared that “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).

      The Eternal Stakes

      The disparity between 19th-century and 21st-century preaching is not merely a matter of stylistic preference – eternal souls hang in the balance. When the gospel is diluted, people are deceived into thinking they are saved when they remain in their sins. When sin is minimized, there is no urgency for repentance. When God’s wrath is ignored, there is no appreciation for His mercy.

      Scripture warns that “many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:22-23). How many sitting in churches today have been given false assurance through diluted preaching?

      The church desperately needs preachers who will stand in the gap like the prophets of old – men who fear God more than man, who love souls more than popularity, and who would rather preach to empty pews than fill them with false converts. Only such preaching can cut through the fog of contemporary confusion and point sinners to the narrow way that leads to life.

      The question facing every preacher today is simple: Will you accommodate the spirit of the age, or will you proclaim the eternal Word of God with the same uncompromising faithfulness that characterized your predecessors? The souls of your hearers depend on your answer, for “how then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14).

      The remedy is clear: return to the old paths where the good way is (Jeremiah 6:16), preach the Word in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2), and remember that God’s Word will not return empty but will accomplish His purpose (Isaiah 55:11). Only then can the church recover its prophetic voice and fulfill its calling to be salt and light in a decaying and darkened world.

    • SOLVED: Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 GTX1650ti Graphics Driver Crash

      You logged into Valorant, excited to get into a ranked game… you wait for a match to be fixed, and after a few seconds, a match has been found. You are in the Agent Selection screen, and you immediately locked into your favourite agent – for me, it is Omen, and when you heard the ‘locked in’ sound effect (a deep clacking), and then suddenly, your screen turn black… the background music is still playing. The voices and sound of messages still can be heard. Unfortunately for you… you can do nothing. There is nothing appearing on your monitor, and after a while, you get kicked back into your Windows desktop with a pop-up window “Graphics driver crashed. Make sure your graphics drivers are up to date“. (TLDR version at the bottom)

      This has been my experience for a year. I have tried EVERY available fix to address this problem. It was frustrating because I have actually lost an ‘alternate’ account for excessive AFKs (Away From Keyboard) – the penalty is 100 years. It is ridiculous. I should put the screenshot here but it is really not worth it. At this point, you SHOULD search on YouTube some of the common fixes – some of them would be as follows:

      1. Update Graphics Drivers
        Check for the latest drivers from the graphics card manufacturer’s website (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD, Intel).
        Install the latest driver version, as this can include bug fixes and optimizations for newer games.
        Consider using DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to completely remove old drivers before reinstalling new ones. This can help if previous driver updates left remnants that cause conflicts.
      2. Roll Back Driver Update
        If the issue started after a recent driver update, consider rolling back to a previous stable version of the driver.
        This can be done through the Device Manager:
        Open Device Manager, find your display adapter, right-click, and choose Properties.
        Go to the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver.
      3. Adjust In-Game Settings
        Lowering graphics settings such as resolution, texture quality, or turning off features like anti-aliasing can reduce the load on your GPU.
        If the crash is due to overloading the GPU, this might stabilize the performance.
        You can also enable V-Sync to prevent the GPU from overworking by capping the frame rate to the refresh rate of your monitor.
      4. Check for Windows Updates
        Sometimes, Windows updates include important graphics driver compatibility updates.
        Go to Settings > Update & Security > Check for updates and install any pending updates.
      5. Disable Overclocking
        If you have overclocked your GPU or CPU, try returning it to its default clock speeds.
        Overclocking can cause instability in games, especially if the overclock is not perfectly stable.
      6. Check for Temperature Issues
        Monitor your GPU temperatures using tools like HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner.
        If your GPU is running hot (typically above 85°C), the driver may crash as a protective measure.
        Ensure that your PC has proper ventilation and that the GPU fans are functioning correctly.
        Clean out any dust from your GPU and case.
      7. Change Power Management Settings
        Adjust your power management settings in the graphics control panel:
        For NVIDIA: Open the NVIDIA Control Panel > Manage 3D settings > Change Power management mode to Prefer maximum performance.
        For AMD: Open the AMD Radeon Settings > Graphics > Change Power Efficiency settings.
      8. Verify Game Files / Reinstall the Game
        Corrupted game files can sometimes cause crashes. Use the game client’s verify integrity feature (e.g., Steam, Epic Games).
        If verifying does not work, try reinstalling the game.
      9. Update DirectX and Visual C++ Redistributables
        Ensure that DirectX and Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables are up-to-date, as these are critical for game functionality.
        You can download the latest versions directly from the Microsoft website.
      10. Reinstall Graphics Drivers in Safe Mode
        If regular driver installation doesn’t work, you can use Safe Mode to install drivers.
        Boot into Safe Mode, uninstall current drivers using DDU, then install the latest drivers.

      I actually tried all of these and more – watched all types of Youtube videos that specifically names Valorant as the main game where crashes happen. And nothing works.

      One thing did work: The funny thing is – a random comment on Reddit said that the problem was resolved when the user unplugged the charger from the laptop. And you know what? For the first time in months, I did not crashed at the “Agent Select” screen! However, here is the problem – I have already lowered all the graphic settings to the lowest possible and yet running on battery would only allow me to play a full match before I needed to charge the laptop again. It was not good enough for me. Whenever I start charging the laptop, there is a 50-50 chance of crashing! I tried limiting the charge level to 50-55% (a feature that Lenovo Vantage allows). But that did not help much as well. There was a time when I could actually go through a day’s gaming without a single crash (very, very rare) but the unpredictability was really traumatic. Whenever there was a crash, it would take me 2 full minutes to restart the laptop (force shutdown) and to login into the Riot Servers. I blamed Riot for this at first – as there were just so many players having such a problem – and there was a season in the previous Acts where the number of players who suddenly went AFK or had connection problems at the start of matches were ridiculously high. But as time went on – I suspected the problem was in the graphics card… specifically the laptop model.

      I did more research and found that this specific model – Ideapad Gaming 3 with GTX1650ti had many overheating problems. The unplugging of the power adapter confirmed this. Even though I have adjusted the power plan from Windows and from NVIDIA’s driver app, the problem was not software but hardware. It had no ability to run its original clock speed without overheating and forcing a crash. The only way I could verify this is to lower down the graphics card core clocks. And here is the wonderful software that allows for that – MSI AFTERBURNER! This free app is a MUST HAVE. I tested lowering the core clocks by 300Mhz and memory clock by 100Mhz and voila… it worked! I hit the sweet spot for my machine. No more crashes AT ALL.

      Things to note: every machine problem is different even though it may have the same hardware within. This is just how things are in the computer world. I tried a soft 100Mhz underclocking and it still crashed. Tune it until you have a good balance of performance and stability. The best thing about MSI Afterburner is the ability to apply these profile at startup. I had two crashes that were caused by my own mistakes – after hibernation you need to reapply the underclock profiles as it resets to default after waking up. Yes… set Afterburner to auto start.

      TLDR: Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 with GTX1650ti is prone to graphics card problems/defects after some time. If the common fixes doesn’t work in preventing graphics driver crashes, try MSI AFTERBURNER and underclock your core clock by multiples of 100Mhz. Problem Solved!

    • Teaching, Studying and Lecturing

      This is a random post. A friend of mine commented, when will I be writing something here. Well… life has been busy. Work has been busy and … that’s all I can say about it. This is not about my work. But it is interesting to consider the whole topic of education. It is changing and it is one industry that will constantly have a steady demand. The problem is its changing nature – it just has to change as external conditions continue to change. At this moment in 2024, the world is undergoing some economic decline. This is not only in Malaysia, but everywhere. Inflation is not just our problem – it is just everywhere.

      Having said that, teaching is challenging as the new generation has evolved. Exposure to the Internet and mobile devices have changed the way “the generation” thinks. Many do not believe thinking is important – they value the ability to emote. In a world that is so “loud” on visuals, it is also “loud” in “messaging” in its various forms. This makes it is rare to find students (high school to tertiary) able to have a conversation that is longer than 5 minutes. Actually, I would dare anyone to have an actual intellectual conversation for more than 3 minutes with a teenager. Out of respect they may “listen” but they would not reply (perhaps with a “yawn”, maybe). This is the reason why many ‘new’ teachers are using ‘new’ methods to communicate to this new generation – they use social media, catch phrases, visuals, anything to illicit an emotional response from them. They know that emotions is the means to engagement for this new generation. However, the subject matter that is still in-demand and needed is intellectual. It is “academic”. And this disparity between what they “want”, versus what they “need” is driving teachers crazy.

      For myself, I am an old-school teacher. Certainly I am aware of the changes. But I am also aware of the future that these young people will be facing. The commercial aspect of life – when one reaches adulthood – does not change much. “Hard work”, “Interesting ideas”, “Value for money” are the main tenets of any consumer markets regardless of generation. You may capture the young people’s market with all the “emotive” approaches – but to get them to pay for that is difficult. The accounting industry is not going to be hiring that new person who has 20,000 followers on Instagram, and has a very charming personality – the junior auditor/accountant will need to learn accuracy, hard work and a lot of people-skills (soft skills). That is why I still “lecture” in my classes. It is what college students will be met with. Trust me… no tertiary student is going to be put into a Montessori-like environment where they will be ‘learning’ through playing. Assigning many coursework to students is what one will commonly expect. Why? Because that is how “research” is communicated to the public. The mere existence of scientific journals where every finding is peer-reviewed demands that the originators of these research will “present” their findings to the people. They are not to “put on a show”. They are to “spill the beans” and “state the facts”. This is unavoidable. Which is why I am shocked to see not many secondary school teachers are “lecturing”… instead, they are doing a lot of “active learning” (nothing wrong by itself) and trying to get the students involved so that they will have a passion (which is an emotion) in the subject.

      The truth is: the market needs “strong” workers that you (as founders, bosses) can rely on. They do not want workers that question every single decision made, nor workers that provides opportunities for their comfort. No, they want workers that can do the work and do it well. They need workers that are “problem solvers”, not “problem publishers”. This is something that I believe education must recover. Yes, we have a lot of new technology and new expressions, but never forget that we are in the business of preparing these young minds for the reality of a competitive work life. If you cannot survive school and tertiary studies academically, you will struggle with the work life, regardless of your emotional state or affinity to which subject.

      I am still finding students who will be able to hold a decent conversations for more than 20 minutes. Have yet to find them. Perhaps you can help me?

    • Re-aligning the Mind and Heart

      We live in a world that has a “broken” default state. This is the Christian point of view, if one were to align our view with the Bible. There are (of course) many Christian believers who may not believe in this – but if one is to source their belief from the authority of Scriptures, this is a conclusion that cannot be denied. The practical evidence of “broken” world is the inability to achieve bliss, peace and happiness that is continuous. Even the most ignorant (positive-compelling, negative-denying) person would admit that it is impossible to remain in a happy state or to expect things to go our way for periods of time; we certainly can have snippets of happiness and enjoyment, but these cannot last for long because the world is in a state where the little good that exist will quickly be overwhelmed by uncertainties, human sin, selfishness and calamities that often are beyond our control. If one would hedge on something certain for their business, it would be a safe bet on human suffering, a good example of such would be the news media business – can you imagine if everything was peaceful and going perfectly without any problems? There would be nothing to publish.

      “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” – Romans 8:6

      This verse provides a timely reminder (to me) that it is always a necessity to re-align both our mind and heart to God’s vision. Man-made visions will always be plagued with the simple problem being narrow-minded and short-sighted. It is boastful to think that we have the capacity to see beyond our given limits (we have limits). Thus, it makes sense to subscribe to God’s view and vision – because His thoughts are not ours, His views expand vastly to the infinite canvas that we cannot hope to even comprehend. And it is true, our thoughts fold within us when we see things from our own human logic, and data that is confined to our senses and experience! How pitiful that we allow ourselves to be dictated by the ‘flesh’ in that manner. We end up majoring on the minors and minoring on the majors. The opposite can be true as well – our thoughts inflate our feelings to assume that things will be great… only to be confronted with the unknowns of time.

      Paul, the writer of the verse, was not delusional: he knew that God will not explain or detail out the future for him. He is not told the manner of his death. He was not told the path that will end his ministry and his life. And yet, he is assured that to set the mind on the flesh is death – not physical death, but spiritual death! The death of a thousand death – for we cannot allow ourselves to be united with the world/flesh – to do so is to disown the “spiritual adoption” that belongs to Christian believers. The life of the Christian is not liberty for sinful, selfish decisions and living, but liberty to submit to the Greater King who loves and saves. There is just no “grey” area in this. The Roman soldiers who have cast their lot with Christ, remain soldiers who are faithful to Rome, but ultimately greater obedience rendered to the Invisible, Omnipotent Ruler who dwells in the heavenly places. These soldiers are dutiful to their earthly king, but more so to their eternal King above – they gladly defy the evil commands of their earthly masters and suffer under the lashes meted against them. They are ostracized but not alone in the universal family of adopted sons and daughters of God.

      When man (flesh) has nothing to threaten, the Christian is invincible. The picture that often comes to mind is the scene from the famous Christopher Nolan film “The Dark Knight” when Batman brutally beats up the Joker in order to get information of the whereabouts of his childhood friend: the Joker rightly laughs/cries out to Batman – “you have no power, nothing to threaten me!” What can the flesh, the world, threaten the Christian believer? With our families? With our jobs? With our health? Nothing actually lasts. Nothing can last.

      This is something that hits me harder as each year pass by and time flies. Be prepared for things to pass. It will happen. But look for the eternal things instead. It is like the childhood that we will never get back – it is gone. We have the memories and the lessons and that’s it. We cannot wish for it (it does not change anything). Instead, enjoy the present, and the future before those begin to pass as well. Prepare for what the Spirit has in store for Christian believers – these will guard both our heart and mind. This is eternal hope that cannot be destroyed. I needed this re-alignment. It is just so easy to be caught up by the emotions, the events, the incidences, the troubles, the problems, the pain, the uncertainty – but fix our mind (notice, it is with our thoughts FIRST), and then the “life” and “peace” will be in us.

    • A Teenager and A Pre-teen

      Teenagers and pre-teens of the 21st Century are a different breed.

      Twenty years have passed when I returned from overseas. Looking back, I was an idealistic young man who was ready for work life and for family life. I had experienced a tremendous conversion and spiritual awakening in me – ready to show the world this new-found spirituality that was absent for most of my life then. If you had interviewed me at that time, the young man would have smiled while giving assurance of the eagerness to raise a family that would be God-glorifying. There was fire in the eyes, passion to tackle the big, bad horrible world, and not compromise in an often preached world full of compromising believers and worldly unregenerated men and women.

      Fast forward to twenty years, to now… (my, how time has flown in an instant). The young man has now visibly aged. Though he may not look it outwardly, but the weariness is apparent in the lines on the forehead, in the downward smile that finds it difficult to lift the often disappointed cheek muscles. In a blink of the eye, I have a teenager and a pre-teen with me. The sudden realisation often causes a slight panic – have I spent sufficient time to prepare them for this world? Have I shielded them like a helicopter hovering over them at every turn? Are they ready to face up to an unrelenting world that is full of noise and “glamour” – promising excitement (always), but never delivering anything that is lasting? Am I ready to have them fall down, make mistakes, err in their judgment or (gasp!) fail in the things of life? These are the things that keep me worried, and the lines on the forehead are getting deeper as a result.

      Life as a teenager and a pre-teen in the 21st century is certainly a different landscape than it was for the late 20th century Gen-Xers and Millennials. At the heart of it – the challenges ARE the same: fitting in the society, the culture – discovering your own identity. But the trappings of the external has made it so alien: TikTok videos, Instagram photos, long-repetitive and often nonsensical chat on Discords… and this is just the surface. “Ideas”, “visions”, “membership”, “success”, “friendship”, “love”… all constantly bombarding the young person’s mind – forcing them to pledge allegiance to this side or that. Pity the one who is not seen among the noisy “digital marketplace” of the “present” and “now” – these are the pariah, outcast… unreasonably brought up by conservative and outdated parents who are living in-denial (they claim).

      This is where I am, at the moment. At the crossroads of major clashes in ideology, culture and belief. We want the best for our children – but the world wants something different, and often times (from my observation), the monster wins – like the Pied Piper who leads unassuming children away from their parents – the feeling is the same. I do not see a decisive victory. Not yet. The battle seems to prolong. We are left with prayer and hope.

    • Silence is Golden

      There are times when silence is golden, and the past few years have been something like that. Were there significant insights gained during these past few years? Absolutely. But the busyness of work and family life has taken away the joy of putting those thoughts into written text. Hence the online silence of this blog.

      Spiritually, there has been a lot of insight gleaned personally and corporately, as a family. The chief of which is that God is gracious to His children and allows them to go through life on earth as a type of trial that all true believers must go through. The “wilderness” living is real – one that most entrenched in a particular religious system tend to miss out. It is very dangerous to be perpetually living in an echo chamber with those who espouse the same religious belief system – why? It puts you into a comfort zone of your own making, and fixes your system (interpretation, convictions) as absolute. Thus, one can live within their own bubble, unaware of how to interact with others. The end result is always dominion of man-made rules and laws that chains one to intolerance, pride and selfishness; using God’s Word as a cudgel and a control mechanism to flex a person’s own views. Certainly there is a difference between core fundamental values that cannot be compromised – but these are not about the core belief system – but an overarching system that brings one into a system no different than the Pharisees of the Lord Jesus’ time.

      On the subject of the “world” and “work” – the pandemic and the post-pandemic landscape has challenged the rules and regulations of many man-made belief systems. We see it with the whole Work From Home movement, there was an unconditional acceptance of the ability for most office-work to be done from home, some with even greater productivity. But with it also came the inevitable backlash of it when the world is forced to go back to what it was, pre-pandemic. The biggest perceived challenge as the world is waking up from the crushing pandemic blow: economic recession and downturn globally. Retrenchment is not uncommon at the moment – it is affecting nearly all industry; very few are resilient against this. Coupled with a worldwide inflation, we have a recipe of uneasiness that is affecting the bottom and middle class around the world.

      Something I have observed recently is the ever increasing “harshness” and “emotive” responses in people. This is likely due to the restraint that had to be shown during a prolonged period of isolation, but it is disturbing – particularly on the road – people seem to be rushing and not caring about people around them. Thus, in the virtual world this observation holds. Social media and the World Wide Web is a huge pot of negativity – people are constantly portraying two extremes – “fake goodness” or “unrestrained anger”. Logic does not matter – diplomacy is no longer valued – rationale is seen as irrational: the key thing is – do you join them in what they are espousing. This is disturbing because in the span of a few years – we WILL see a real clash of worldviews, whether it is political, religious, environmental, cultural, etc. With the way things are going – it will most certainly end in violence – physical violence.

      In the midst of all these things – it is so easy to give in to dissent, and join the mass of voices “fighting” for their own beliefs. Which is why it is better to just be silent. Noise will always be there, but it is our own decision whether to add to the noise, or to just move away from it. This blog has always been focused on dispensing thoughts that would help my own two sons, when they come of age, and value the ramblings of their “old man” – to have something to think about (not necessarily agree on).

      Am I back at blogging? Perhaps.

    • 2021 Came and…

      It came like a hurricane and it swept us all in the pandemic blitz leaving many of us with cabin-fever and isolated in our houses. Fortunately for me and the family, we are born introverts who are more than contented with the country-wide isolation.

      In terms of blame and future prospects, I am glad that God is still sovereign and is in control over the lives of His people. We are blessed. But 2021 has not ended. The full implications of the lockdown is going to hit the country’s economy very hard soon… although it is ALREADY bleak, we have not seen the full repercussions of a prolonged restricted movement.

      So many issues to deal with this year: the pandemic, the virus, the various factions in responding to it, the uncertainties, the irrationalities, the selfishness, the rise of worldliness and the destruction of self-righteous religious zealots. On the Christian-front, this has been MOST disappointing; many are either focusing on the minor things, or ignoring the basics of what the Gospel is – all for the sake of human selfishness. Aim should be pointed especially to the evangelical, reformed circles – their responses has been very discouraging and disappointing. Instead of applying the Gospel to the practical and necessities of the flock, many of their leaders are too inward focused (on their dwindling circles) or laying the blame game on nonsensical cabals and imaginary authoritarian forces – the boogey-man to avert the attention to their own weak responses.

      2021 is going down as the most depressing year for most people around the world. And the calamities has not even started to subside… yet. God’s blessings on you.

    • The Chief Parable of Christ – A Parable of Reality and Hope

      The parable of the sower or soils is the first parable that is recorded for us in the Gospels – this is consistently recorded for us in Matthew, Mark and Luke’s gospel. What makes it the “chief” or most important of them all is not just the chronological introduction of it but the fact that it is the first parable to be interpreted by the Lord Himself to the listeners. This parable is also important because of the context of its introduction – it is in the midst of Jesus’ ministry that seems to be at the apex (in terms of the crowd that followed Him). We see this in the following passages:

      That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.
      (Matthew 13:1-2)

      Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.
      (Mark 4:1)

      And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable,
      (Luke 8:4)

      From Matthew, Mark and Luke’s Gospel Account

      One inference we can make based on this observation of the crowd and the parable’s prominence in the three gospels is this: the lesson(s) of this parable is absolutely important for the general populace – not just the close disciples of Christ (commonly known as the Twelve). This is one passage that can be used for both believers and non-believers alike. However, we must balance our application by paying attention to the fact that the interpretation of this parable was mainly given only to the close disciples of Christ in a private setting – not a public setting. Why the seeming discrepancy? Why is the parable preached publicly but the interpretation privately given?

      The Lord explicitly refers to Isaiah 6:9 in Matthew 13:13-15, Mark 4:11-12 and Luke 8:9-10 – this is not coincidence nor is this merely about the “purpose of all parables” as many bible translators and commentators would put forth. The Holy Spirit inspired this explanation to precede the interpretation of “this” parable – thus, the explanation tells us that believers would gain more, spiritually speaking, from the lessons given in this parable.

      We are not going to give a lengthy exposition of this parable – this is not the purpose of this post. There are many good sermons and commentaries that give detailed explanations along with applications on the parable. Rather, I would like to focus on an application that is not commonly drawn from this parable – for believers.

      The three soils, hard, stony and weedy are realities the type of hearts found among sinful men in this world – in all generations. There is no time where we find the world filled with soft, good soil that is brimming with spiritual fruitfulness. For the believer, this is a caution – that we who believe in Christ (the Gospel symbolised as seed sown on the ground) are in the minority. The caution is for us not to take this truth for granted – many are called, but few are chosen. God’s gracious dealings with believers is not a small thing – in the Grand Scheme of things, we are truly blessed – infinitely blessed compared to many who either are hard-hearted, half-hearted (stony ground) and worldly-hearted (corrupted by the worldly influences and circumstances). A first-time planter would be extremely happy that a quarter of his efforts actually bear fruit and did not perish! This should be our outlook – what wonder and joy in God saving a quarter out of eternal damnation, when the whole lot deserves to die and remain fruitless. God is able to save all – but there is the reality of sin and the needful condemnation and damnation of sinners. For God to just wipe off the effects of sins in one brief moment at the start of Man’s Fall in Adam is to ‘cheapen’ God’s justice. A king who forgives the wrongs of his own son who does vile things will be looked down – here is a king who knows no justice, trivialising wrongs. God is under NO obligation to us to clear any of our sins – the fact that He does forgive the few (in every generation) is already a great condescension and a show of His remarkable mercy on an undeserving people. To save for eternity, not just temporary, is a grace that has no words that can ever be described by our frail and finite minds.

      Secondly, the description of the fruit that is borne by the seed that fell on good soil is usually downplayed by preachers. I have been guilty of doing so many times before. But let us give it the right place in the hearts and minds of believers. The passage describes it this way:

      But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

      Mark 4:20 (ESV)

      The hope for believers is that their lives will see a supernatural increase in spiritual fruitfulness. The most “unbelievable” part of this parable would probably lie here. Many cannot believe that this can ever be true – their lives may have changed, but in accordance to this measure? Two fold increase is already a very unbelievable increase in agricultural terms. Two fold is equal to 200%. For it to be thirtyfold – we are looking at 3000% at a very minimum! Impossible is the word that keeps popping in my mind. For believers who have lived longer in this world – there are deeper challenges and troughs in their journey to the Celestial City. Sometimes, we are tempted to look at the promised increase and become depressed – because the reality is far from the expectation given. Is the Lord exaggerating? No. He is challenging us to see things in accordance to His eyes – to perceive and understand things through His mind, not ours. Thus, the disciples found themselves echoing our sentiments in other times as well – one such instance was in Matthew 19:25-26 – “When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”” This is faith. Believing that God is the God of impossibilities. That the very thing that we constantly despair about – our lack of humility, our secret sins, our constant weaknesses, our “life long behaviours” – can be changed. The change is not superficial or cosmetic – but lifelong – eternal! When we measure it in accordance to the effect and lasting impact it has on our soul – we can see that it far exceeds 200% or 3000%… this is an infinite percentile that does not lessen. This is a dimension that we need to refocus our spiritual, inner eyes on.

      Can the Lord change our sinful nature – sanctify us in a real way – for eternity? Yes. Will the scope of the change be for every part of our lives on earth? No. For we still live in this fallen world. But the longer we live in this world, the more the Holy Spirit regenerates our being – preparing us for eternal glory at His coming or at our entering into that glory of His. This is the hope that the parable of the sower gives to us – especially those who are honest, real and seeking Jesus with all of our beings – weak, frail that may be. Amen.

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