MAXIS IS THE NECESSARY AND LESSER EVIL

I've been using DiGi for the last few months..

The experience?:- HORRIBLE

10 Reasons DiGi Failed me:-
a) always dropcalls
b) lines not responsive and are usually connected on the second try of calling (or else service is not available)
c) customer service ALWAYS fails and never carries out what they promised to do... (eg. to call me back in 48 hours time - Failed 4/5 times)
d) Constant barring of line, when in fact, DiGI HAS NOT revert to me in regards to my billing queries... hence i had to suffer for their inefficiency
e) my complains to customer service falls on deaf ears...
f) their basis of inability to tackle my GPRS billing problems is that it is customer confidentiality and forces me to accept that or get out
g) their unwillingness to examine my billings and notice that there is something not right with my bill shows their lack of initiative despite customer complaint
f) customer service always slow - puts me on hold on average 5 minutes, longest is 15 minutes...
g) their inability and absence of initiative to make amends for their errors. No apology is made for making me call them back when in fact they promised to get back to me
i) DiGi Internet (Edge) always clashes with calls - (cannot receive calls when I'm surfing with DiGi)
j) Cannot take simple instructions eg. Always send my bill to my office when I tell them to send it to my home!

Good things about DiGi
a) only 1/5 people in DiGi customer service gets the job done... hire better people please!
b) Edge is at very good speeds and stable
c) Downloadable Detailed billings at their website

My case - 012 252 7168
During my usage of DiGi, I found their EDGE useful - so I use it quite often, even more once I've gotten the unlimited date package.
However, my prob occured in my bills when DiGi billed me a staggering RM369.20 from 12th May to 11th June 2009... [this was before my unlimited data package]
Although their tier discounts lowered the sum to a maximum RM149, it did not answer what amounted to that huge surge of charges.

I checked my bills and I discovered as below (in the pic)
On the date 8th June 2009, I was billed RM 67, RM 133.70 and RM 127.60 on 3 separate occasions for GPRS (Pay As You Go)... That amounts to RM328.30...
This happened all in ONE DAY and DiGi could not determine what amounts to the data nor the website that incurred this charge.

The timing of the charges is illogical as part of the charges showed that I used the internet, when in fact, it was my norm to use my office internet during work hours. Still today is 28th July, and STILL NO answers from DiGi on this matter... That one and a half months time of investigation yielding NOTHING...

Without the additional 328.30 charge, my GPRS would only amount to RM 40.90, which would make my bill for that month as RM 101.28 and not RM 220.15 as stipulated in my bill..

To me, that is a DOUBLE CHARGE...
I switched to DiGi expecting better things, but that is not what I found

So apparently "Time To Change" does not guarantee it it always a good change.
I'm going back to Maxis...

What can you learn if you are using DiGi?
a) ALWAYS check your bills...
b) or switch to other networks
c) make sure they don't charge you randomly

What should DiGi do?
a) I don't care, I don't wanna know
b) I would have preferred that DiGi took the initiative to offer me a further discount, but I already paid my outstanding bill today, and I already put in my transfer request to Maxis... TOO LATE for anything of such..
c) Make sure you meet your promises. Even if you got nothing to report, a courtesy call can be important to customers. So many times CS promised to get back to me in 48 hours, and for me to call back asking why I was not given feedback DOES NOT look good on you...
d) Hire better people in CS - some are just horrible, some are in fact very good. As a customer, I want people that can give me results... Your CS people represents you. When they do a good job, they don't get the credit - YOU DO... when they do a bad job, you get the blame... Understand?
e) You need to hear your customer. You don't want a frustrated customer who has repeatedly given you a chance to prove yourself (one and a half months) and for them to blow their top on Social Media sites or on blogs like what I am doing now...
f) One act of kindness speaks more than the evil - assumingly you did write off those questionable charges for 8th June, my reaction would be opposite. I would be defending you instead of questioning you, I would be happy with you instead of being dissatisfied, I might even be asking people to switch to DiGi instead of Maxis (or other telcos)... But I find myself switching back to Maxis because the bad experience you have given me makes me think that Maxis is indeed the lesser evil... I may not have blogged about it, or tell my whole Facebook network about it, but I WOULD HAVE FELT GOOD ABOUT DIGI...
g) I told your CS people many times - tell me what those charges amount to and I will gladly pay if INDEED I really did use it... yet, you fail, and made me feel unimportant. Your current solution for this matter does not seem to do anything. Please change.
h) stop bothering me from now on. I'm waiting for my Maxis package to begin, and I don't want you to further hound me on anything unnecessary.. thank you...

DiGi, It is TIME (for you) TO CHANGE

You Are Not Saved By Good Works...

I was having dinner today at MidValley's Manhattan Fish Market, and as usual during my makan time, I turned to the ODB of the day.

What was significant about 25th July's ODB is that it talks about Metanoeo (repentance/change your mind).

----------

The bible constantly speaks about repentance. But how we understand and define repentance, will result to the way we live our lives.

In the Old Covenant (that is by law), you do your best as a follower of Judaism to keep God's Commandments (with in total 613), do good, and should you at times fail, the Day of Atonement and the Sin Offering is present to save you. The Burnt offering (which often the Holy Spirit testifies in Scripture is a sweet smelling aroma) because the unblemishness (perfection) of the lamb is imparted to the believer - and that is a good will offering by the believer.

To summarise - your rightstanding (or righteousness) before God comes from WHAT YOU DO.

In the New Covenant, (that is by grace), Christ met the requirements of the law, nailing on the Cross - your sins and the requirements of the law. Christ took your sins (becoming your sin offering) and imparted His righteousness (becoming your burnt offering) and restored the broken fellowship between you and God (fellowship/drink offerings). What you attained was WHAT JESUS DID FOR YOU.

Your Righteousness comes from Jesus Christ - not something you earned, but was accredited to you (by grace) for your faith.

Hence, by one sacrifice, Jesus abolished the need of Good works as a requirement for salvation.
Question is - Why does a Christian serve today? And on what basis does he/she serves? (be it ministry, at home, at work, etc)

-------------

So what is it that Paul is saying in Acts 26:20?
He is before King Agrippa, and Paul testifies the message he received from Jesus.

Acts 26:20 (Amplified Bible)
But made known openly first of all to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout the whole land of Judea, and also among the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works and live lives consistent with and worthy of their repentance.

Paul is clear the message is FIRST for the Jews (in Damascus, Jerusalem and Judea).
Why?

Because the Jews' understanding of righteousness is that righteousness is earned through keeping the law...
Hence, they need the change of mind (repentance) from trying to attain it themselves, to finding it given through Christ.

That is why the author of Hebrews said in Hebrews 6:
Hebrews 6:1 (Amplified Bible)
THEREFORE LET us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith [by which you turned] to God,

Repentance of Dead works AKA Dead Formalism - It means don't serve God to earn your righteousness, but serve God because you HAVE your righteousness...

--------------

The problem is this:
Churches today teaches believer to work out your salvation in fear and trembling. Phi 2:12
As a result, a lot of people are serving to gain righteousness (or God's favour) or have NO CLUE why they are serving, OR are serving out of PEER PRESSURE.

Such thinking might also stem from self condemnation (searching acceptance with peers or God) or a false notion of inactivity (that you are not a good Christian if you don't get involved like the rest)

As a result, A LOT OF active servants backslide from the Ministry!!! WHY???
Isaiah 28:13
So then, the word of the LORD to them will become:
Do and do, do and do,
rule on rule, rule on rule;
a little here, a little there—
so that they will go and fall backward,
be injured and snared and captured.

BLIND SERVICE will only cause a person to backslide...

A lot of what people receive (teaching) are not in line with the New covenant, but the Old one...
The reason why it happens is because of certain leaders who either do not know the truth, OR it was simply a tradition imparted to them, OR a lack of faith that God will sustain the ministry that He has promised to flourish...

It is clear New Wine cannot be put in Old Wineskins...
CHURCH PROGRESS is not synonymous with CHURCH ACTIVITY
You can be doing a lot, but going backwards...

---------------------

The Bible says in
Romans 8:15
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

What does Paul mean when he says this in Romans 5, yet seemingly contradict himself in Philippians 2?
Philippians 2:12
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,

It makes more sense if you read Philippians 2:13, the continuation of vs 12!
for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

The WORKING OUT of your salvation is in fact, what God is doing in your life. (And is clear, that you are merely acting it out)

Hebrews 10:27 says
but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

The bible is clear that fearful expectation of judgment are for the enemies of God!
Hence, Paul in Philippians make sense! God's Spirit's did not come to make you have "an expectation of judgment" but a sense of Sonship.

This GOES AGAINST every teaching in the Church that says the Holy Spirit is there to convict you of sin!
What the Holy Spirit convicts you are in fact:-
John 16:8-11
When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt[a] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

Convicts - Guilt, Righteousness and Judgment
Guilt & sin = because they do not believe in me (unbelievers)
Righteousness = because Jesus is going to the Father (to intercede for believers)
Judgment - Satan is now condemned (demons)

The Holy Spirit is here to convict believers of RIGHTEOUSNESS!!!

---------------

Working out salvation in fear and trembling.
In fact, if you search the scripture for fear and trembling, you'll find:-
Mark 5:32-34
Why was the woman trembling with fear???
VS 33- knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.

What was it that she knew?
She knew she found grace and healing through her faith!

The Christian serve because he knows he is made righteous.

That is why James said in
James 2:18
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

Your good works is the expression of your faith!
That is why Paul said - Acts 26:20b
I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.

Change your mind from serving to gain God's favour and salvation to serving BECAUSE you know you're already saved and are deeply loved by God.

Serve because you know you are saved.
Serve because you know you are righteous.
Serve because you have faith.

Hallelujah!

Hosanna

ONE THING is needed - The Father's Love

I am very caught up with work recently.
So bad, that I had no chance of having that weekly breakfast session with my mom and dad.

A few months back, a brother challenged me to honour my parents in a very different way. Lately, I’m spending more time with them than I had ever been. And I’ve also been supplying them much more than I did before. Since then, I could see grace infecting my parents! Haha… Hallelujah!

But I was shocked even more a few days ago.
I was supposed to go shopping with my parents – they have been asking me to get new clothes... My waist is not on clothing terms with my current clothes (LOL and yes I know I need to cut back on food).

I was shocked to wake up on Tuesday and my mom asking me to put on a new shirt. Obviously me being me – grumbled. Then my mom told me that my dad took the trouble – travelling down town, walked around shopping malls and got new clothing for me. And to top it up, he used ALL THE MONEY I gave him for his monthly expenses on it. I was blown away.

As much as I thought I could show my love to my dad, he showed me God’s love in a glorious manner.

That very day I drove to work, that whole event made me think deep about the way Father God gave us His Son.

It was that same all or nothing scenario…
And in the same way, God gave all he had.
That beautiful relationship the Father and Jesus had – which God the Father proclaims over all the earth - This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17). That relationship – God’s cherished possession.

That bond of love lies broken at the cross where Jesus who had always been calling God as his ‘Father’ felt that separation – which for the first time, He could only look up and call God as eloi - Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani (Matthew 27:46).

Not only did it hurt Jesus – the crown of thorns, 40 minus 1 lashes, and the cross..
But it hurt the Father to have that broken fellowship with the Son.

As the Michael Card ‘Love Crucified Arose’ song goes – the Father turned His face away… Such a very act, that contradicts His very loving nature – must have been the hardest thing to do… But it was done because justice was required when each and every sin of ours fell on Jesus – the shroud of darkness covered Jesus from the Father’s eyes. Such was the agony Christ had to suffer – so did the Father…

I imagine when the prodigal son left his father’s household; the father would have suffered – not because his wealth was reduced but because the fellowship and relationship is broken. Out of the love for that son, he gave into his request. He withheld the hands that demand the condemnation and stoning of such a son (Deut 21:18-21). The father would probably sink down on the floor and cried behind closed doors.

It did not hurt him to lose his possessions as much as it hurt him to lose his son…

But when we come back to God. We can either live like the elder brother (who despite being a son, considered himself worthy to be a servant, and miss what God wants for him – despite everything that is the father is his). He missed the point when he thinks he can find favour from his father by serving and serving.

Or we can live like the repented son, who despite wanting to become a servant just for food; finds a robe of righteousness, a ring of sonship, a sandal of redemption and a fattened calf waiting for him – not to mention a father who RAN and embrace him. That broken fellowship is restored, and now, much closer than before.

And between the two, it is clear that through that the servanthood attitude of the elder brother caused the blessing of the firstborn to go to the second.

You can only live either by grace or by law.

For me, I choose to live by grace, not like Martha who wants to give her best, but like Mary – who receives the best at the feet of Jesus – that ONLY one thing that is needed (Luke 10:42).

Yes, there is a place for ministry, but not in the manner that Martha was serving.

Today, I look at the shirts my dad gave to me, and I could see such power of the Gospels in what my dad has done. And how much he has taught me about his love for me and the love God the Father has for me.

And that makes me love both of them more! I wouldn’t call myself the best son in the world. I still feel very much that I fall short in many areas. But by grace, I am being renewed every day!

And it is by knowing the love of the Father that grace can abound much more!

Logically, I should be ashamed, but I am not - because I realised what it cost him to make such a sacrifice. In the same way, when I realised all the more what God has done for me (and I assure you that you may think you know, but it is very different when it really sinks in), the more I am not ashamed about the Gospel - and the grace that is in it...

The Significance of 'Amen'

Have you ever wondered why some Churches shout Amen to sermons?

Some Churches in Malaysia practice this, some don’t. Those who do, claim a special power to the word. Those who don’t practice it, believe that there is no power in the word.

But what does Amen mean?
אָמֵן - Amen means ‘so be it’ (also ‘let it be') or ‘truly’ (as in surely or verily)
To the Jew, the way you catch a blessing from heaven is to utter the word ‘Amen’ (ps. Joseph Prince)

Hence when the Beatles sang the song ‘Let It Be’ – they are singing the ‘Amen’ (but of course we know that ONLY Jesus is LORD).

Amen in Hebrew is made of 3 consonants: - the Aleph (א), the Mem (מ) and the Nun Sopit (ן).

These 3 letters is taken and originate from the
נאמן מלך אל (‘EYL MELEKH NE’EMAN) = God The Trustworthy King.

Amen comes about when you take the Aleph from ‘EYL, the Mem from MELEKH and Nun from NE’EMAN – to form AMN = AMEN.

Hence, when we utter the words ‘Amen’, we are saying that not only is God Trustworthy to carry out everything He promised, but it also denotes that God is a King. This not only goes in line to the Jewish perspective that the Messiah is from the line of David (the line of Kings), but also dictates that God’s word as a decree.

Today, we enjoy ALL of God’s promises through the Amen because:-
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

The thing is this – If we are sinful, and we utter the Amen, It means God is trustworthy to execute the judgment we deserve. Because there is no one perfect and blameless (righteousness through the law perspective), hence the trustworthy God only punish us – and He cannot bless us.

But through Christ, we are NO LONGER the objects of God's wrath.

Christ cleanses those who are righteous through faith (apart from the law), they are blessed when they utter the ‘Amen’ because then, God can bless you without being unjust (that is because you are no longer a sinner, hence the trustworthy thing is to bless you!!!) The trustworthy King is so willing to bless!

Hence Paul said what he said!

If you look at the word Amen, It begins with the Aleph (the picture of the sacrificial ox – the picture of Jesus at the cross), goes through the revealed Mem (showing the flowing water – the picture of the Holy Spirit rushing to fill) and ends with the Nun (the picture of the moving fish – an symbolism of massive life).

Therefore, when we utter the Amen, we are uttering faith that it is through the Cross of Christ, the Holy Spirit testifies it and results (ends) with flowing LIFE! Hallelujah!

Paul understood this and hence, he that is why he included Amen in ALL HIS EPISTLES…(source wikipedia.org/Amen)

If you don't want to be blessed, it's ok.. you don't have to utter the Amen or believe in blessing. But if you want life and blessing up to the full, Amen to you!

Written and Copyrighted by Randy Khoo.

2 Recent Lessons...

It's Sunday, 5th July 2009 - 1.30 am.

But I have 2 lessons I need to share with you today.

First Lesson
I was with 2 brothers and a sister today, and we were sharing the Gospel of grace with the sister.
And somewhat in my heart, I discerned that the sister was suffering what she was suffering because of a previous relationship with a man. And that she needed to hear that to be freed from her chains of the past. That she needed to know that God loved her despite of what 'that man' did to her...

But me being me, I opted to keep quiet. (as I always do)
Only after that sister was encouraged by the other 2 brothers and left did the brothers shared to me how that sister encountered an abusive marriage and suffered so...

This was the FIRST TIME we met...

I realise that some times God wants me to speak up on certain things. And perhaps as what I am encouraged to know - that's the kind of ministry that God is interested to use me for...

This experience has encouraged me to speak more boldly in the future rather that just blogging His truths that I've discovered.

Second lesson
At 1am, I finished an Old Town Cheras session with the usuals.
I was beat. Having been awake for the last 17 hours, my body showed signs of fatigue.
Plus the night before I had only 4 hours of sleep.

As I got into my car and leaving the car park, I got a call...
My friend's car had broken down. And his car battery was dead. Apparently he forgot to switch off the headlights..

So I drove back to the car park and we tried to kickstart the engine via human power - 'car pushing'.
Didn't worked.

Since we both didn't have jumpstart cables with us, we all jumped into my car and went hunting for a cable at nearby petrol stations. Finally found one...

We went back to his car, and I poped up my bonnet.
To my horror, my radiator reserve tank cover was open. It dawned on me that I have been driving around with the possibly of my radiator drying up.

I could only thank God that through such an intervention, did I realise that God's protection is on me.
And I have no doubt that my friend was put into such trouble for my sake...

It is SO TRUE that when you know how much Jesus loves you, His warm protection hedges you also!
I'm truly encouraged and this has reinforce my joy in trials...
Sometimes pain/distractions happen because God's protection is in motion.

Hallelujah and Amen!