Kota Kinabalu Highlights - Sun, Sea and Sand

Fine sunny morning, no clouds and with no rain forecasted for the day. Today is the day we go to one of five idyllic islands in the Tunku Abdul Rahman marine park, just off Kota Kinabalu and all it takes is 15-20 minutes by fast boats. The five islands are; Sulug, Gaya, Manukan, Mamutik and Sapi. We opted for Manukan.

There are several departure points to get to the islands; Jesselton Point located downtown with boat transfers to the island and then there is the Sutera Harbour Resort ...with a marina. There were a number of boats and yachts mooring there and there was this one really cool looking "James Bond" like boat. We were told its a research boat from Russia. I wonder what nasty schemes are being hatched onboard that boat.

There are daily boat transfers to and from any of the islands between 7:30 am to 5 pm.

And if you are prone to sea-sickness, not a problem. The boat are so fast and so much fun that, sea sickness ...What sea sickness?

While waiting of our boat transfer to the island, it did not take us long to notice the many marine life under the pier or where the boats are "parked". Just a glimpse of what we can expect to see at the island. We were to expect much more.

Each of the five islands have their own unique attractions for families, for the more adventurous and those who are more into scuba-diving. The beaches are uncrowded and with clear waters all around, it's the perfect getaway for the day, especially for those who love to swim, snorkel or just laze around with a good book all day long.

Of course for the more adventurous, there is the usual jet-skiing, scuba-diving, parasailling and other fun water activities and sports available.

Manuka Island

Manuka is the second largest island among the five. It is very much a family oriented island, with a resort for those who very much like to stay for more than a day or two.

The pier is about 100 - 200 meters from the shore and just underneath it, you can already see into the clear waters, the many fishes and the variety of them. There was even a sting-ray and a couple of jelly fish of significant size. Got to watch out for them.

The beach are sandy and beautiful. Its nothing like feeling the warm or hot sand of the beach, depending on the time of day, at the sole of you feet and in between your toes.

Well, it has been quite a while since I last walked along a hot sandy beach.

There are also tables and chairs laid out under the shade of the many coconut trees along the beach and with the salty breeze blowing, it really is quite cool.

There is also the view of the sea, the neighbouring islands and the people in the water or at the beach. It is always interesting to see the local people staying in the shades, while the Westerners love the sun.

However, one tip from me for those who love the beach. Keep away from the afternoon sun. The morning sun is okay, but come noon onwards, you'll be more incline to become a lobster.

And if you did not bring your very own picnic baskets, you need not fear about going hungry. There are food stores with chefs' that serves a variety of cold or hot meals, especially the hot spicy ones ...including sea-food, piled up on the plate.

Did I also mention that among the activities at the beach, there is also the sea-scooters rides. There are these new colourful contraptions where you put on over your head that pumps air into, which you ride on like a "scooter", just so you can see the marine life underwater without getting your hair wet. Wow!

Hmmmmm ...I settled for the old-fashion way, with a goggle and a snorkel between my teeth. It wasn't too hard actually and the water was not cold. I just had to sit at the bottom of the "sea-bed" just meters from the shore and see the many colourful or silvery fishes, big and small pass me by.

If you do happen to have some bread with you to feed them ....you'll enjoy the the excitment of seeing the fishes eating from your hand. Then there is the occasional Ouch! when they miss the bread.

My only regret is not having an underwater camera to capture the moments and the variety of fishes just meters from the beach.

Kota Kinabalu Highlights - Flora

After all the phtos of animals in my previous posting, I felt the need to include some of the most interesting, bright, colourful, .....in short, beautiful flowers I've seen. Some of these are found within the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park while the others are at homes of friends.

The first flower is a lighter version of the red hibiscus flower, the national flower of Malaysia.

It would interesting to know the names of the others. Seeing them almost inspires me to want to grow them in my small back garden, but alas, I'm more of a brown-thumb than a green-thumb gardener.

Still one should still dream of having such a garden with plants that bring forth such beautiful flowers. Who knows, dreams have a way of coming true.

Kota Kinabalu Highlights - Lok Kawi Wildlife Park

Wildlife and nature at your door step. Lok Kawi Wildlife Park is the latest wildlife park that opened in February 2007. The park is about 15 - 25kms, about 30 minutes drive from the city centre. It provides visitors the opportunitites to see some of the animals commonly found in the regions. There is an admission fee but be prepared to pay more if you are an international visitor.

One of the most well known and endangered species to the region, that is also a crowd attraction to the park is the Tiger, "Harimau" in the local language, Malay. Tigers sleeps most of the day, but watch out for them in the night, should you find yourself wandering in the jungle. They are known as the "Lord of the Jungle" for a reason.

Another favourite is the Orang Utan. They are highly intelligent apes and can be found wild on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. The name "Orang Utan" means "Man of the forest" in Malay. They are said to have three times the strength of a man. You can see one in action at the Amphitheatre along with other trained birds, animals and snakes doing their part in a show.

The Proboscis Monkey is a new one for me. I have never known that such monkeys ever existed with so large a nose. The Proboscis Monkey gets it name from its large pendulous nose. The females have smaller upturned noses but the noses of the males are so large that they hang down over their mouths.

Another favourite are the elephants. The Bornean elephant is slightly smaller and have smaller ears than its African cousin. Best time to see them is at the allotted feeding time. They are most active then. Also you get to feed them sweet potatoes or rather throw at them. There is a gap between the elephants and the wall separating them from the tourists, you.

My favourite however, are the Otters. They are active, lively social creatures. It was great fun to see them swim and play.

There is a huge aviary but it can be hard sometimes to spot the birds, large or small. There are also black squirrels in it too.

Besides the Sun Bear, Gibbon monkey and the few birds from the aviary posted above, there are many others not included, such as the Civet, Clouded Leopard, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Javan Dear, Barking Dear, Miniature horses and yes, even reptiles. Some are difficult to take a photo of due to poor lightings in their habitat, distance from me or just my lack of photographic skills.

Kota Kinabalu Highlights

KOTA KINABALU, the capital city of Sabah is our (me and wife) first stop, after 10 hours in the air via MAS, into our Malaysia holiday this year. It is the start of our holiday to see our respective families and friends after five years and to do some meaningful shopping given the strong Aussie dollar.

Sabah, is situated on the island of Borneo, for those who don't already know. It shares the island of Borneo with Sarawak, Brunei and Indonesian Kalimantan and is the second largest state in Malaysia, one of the thirteen states which make up Malaysia.

Sabah has the world’s largest flower - the Rafflesia and is said to have the worst smell that could come out of a flower ...not that I have personally smelled it. Sabah also boast to have the highest mountain in South East Asia - Mount Kinabalu and one of the world’s top dive sites - Sipadan Island. None of these will I get to smell, see or do on this trip, as the Rafflesia is in the jungles, Mount Kinabalu is covered by clouds and Sipadan is another day flight, drive and boat to get to.

The flower on the left is the hibiscus flower, the national flower of Malaysia. The orang utan on the right is one of the endearing personalities of Sabah.

Kota Kinabalu, KK for short, climate is generally hot and sunny all year round, at 32C. It is also humid and often the days are such that you may find yourself taking two or three showers a day. Thank God for air-conditioners. And when it rains, I mean really rains, it pours. That would explain much of the lush green trees and bush out in the jungle and the brownish water that flow from the waterfall which nevertheless is enjoyed by the local children.

While Sabah holds many potentially exciting adventures, with all it diversity in plants and animals, amazing places to see inland and off shore, the unique cultures and people, this trip will primarily be in and around KK. Still there is much to see and do in KK, like the waterfront and the islands just outside KK with its beautiful beaches. Friendly people to meet and capture in photos. I even got two extra dognuts for taking a photo of the women-folk at their store. There is of course the food, glorious food, the street food, the cuisines and deserts (kuih) that awakens long lost memories of smells and taste.

Hmmmm ....this trip will definitely add another centimetre or two to my waistline. Oh well, it is my holiday afterall.

One memorable moment during my time at KK, is watching the sun set over the horizon, seeing this from the peak of one of the many hills overlooking the city. Then after a hearty meal, it is an early night to bed with the air-conditioner and/or fan on, to dream about the hot sandy beaches, only to wake up bright and early, for a morning dip at the pool.

Now, isn't that living LIFE!

A Mansion and A Motorbike - Part 1 - Seek

Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

This photo was taken on a Christian Mission trip in 2009, while visiting a Vietnamese village just across the Thai-Cambodian border. The team was ministering to the villagers God's word in the form of the story of the "Lost Sheep", in a contemporary way.

At the end of the story, the story was explained in relation to God’s love, how much God loves the people and His desire to find and save his lost people. This man "challenged" the team with a question. If you ever wonder if the Gospel is heard in a mission trip, this is an example that shows that the good news is heard.

This is the question the man asked:

"If God loves me, why doesn’t he give me a mansion and a motor-bike?"

I was not satisfied with the Thai pastor's reply then, that Jesus right now is building him a mansion in heaven (John 14:1-3). While the answer is true, it would also mean, when I heard it, that this poor man will have to go to heaven to receive his reward. But Christianity to me has to also be about the present ....in the now time.

It was some time later that the Holy Spirit spoke on this.

"Isn’t this question, very much what many of you also ask of God?"

I thought about it for awhile and while reflecting on my own prayer life I found that to be quite true. The theme for many of our prays to God goes something like this ……If God so loves me, give me that promotion, let me win the lottery, go to that school or university, afford that holiday, get me through this day, etc. We basically worry about our everyday life, about how our needs or wants can be met.

To this end, the Holy Spirit directed me to Matthew 6:25-34 but specifically, v33 and v25 in that order.

v33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

v25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

The words spoke to me that as we put our priorities right and set our perspective of life to one of seeking God, it inevitabley leads us to His Kingdom and His righteneousness and in so doing, all that we need, want and desire, will come with it natuarally, without worrying about it.

2 Peter 1:2(NLT)
2 May God bless you with his special favor [grace] and wonderful peace as you come to know Jesus, our God and Jesus our Lord, better and better.

Learning to lean on Him, trusting Him.

Knowing Him - The Master Key

John 14:26 (NLT)
But when the Father sends the Counsellor as my representative--and by the Counsellor I mean the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.

If the Holy Spirit is such an important person in the life's of a Christian, then the question below is one asked by many Christians (...and by non-Christians alike).

If the Holy Spirit is in me, why then do I not see God's favours and the power of the Holy Spirit manifest in my life (or in the life of a Christian)?

The answer to this question may well be found in 2 Peter 1:2-11 - Growing in the Knowledge of God, specifically 2 Peter 1:2-4(NLT)

2 May God bless you with his special favor [grace] and wonderful peace as you come to know Jesus, our God and Jesus our Lord, better and better.
3 As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness!
4 And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature.

In order to unlock God's favour and the divine power of the Holy Spirit in your lives, the key is an increased knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. Afterall, the Holy Spirit was given to us all, to teach and remind us of everything that Jesus himself has told us (John 14:26).

Of course, for the Holy Spirit to remind you and me, suggest that there was something about God or Jesus already within us, to remind us about. This we do have when we first accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. But as the knowledge of God and Jesus increases, there is more for the Holy Spirit to work with, for us.

With this increase in the knowledge of who God and Jesus is, for me, comes a growing intimacy in my relationship with God, for I now know Him better. That is the master-key. Not the knowledge of God and Jesus, in itself, but the intimacy that comes with the increasing knowledge of who God and Jesus our Lord, is.

An analogy to this, is you standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, looking down into this big majestic hole in the ground, and saying ....I've seen it and know what the Grand Canyon looks like. How majestic it looks.

However, do you know the Grand Canyon, USA? To really know the Grand Canyon, you will have to ride a donkey down to the bottom of the canyon, canoe down its rivers and rapids, sleep under the open night sky, see the animals and plant or the people who lives in the canyon and calls it home. Until then, you have only seen the Grand Canyon but not know the Grand Canyon.

You could substitue the Grand Canyon with the Ayers Rock, Australia. I've been told that there is more to it, than just a big rock in the middle of nowhere. One of these days, I'll make a trip to visit it.

It is the same with your knowledge and relationship of God and Jesus. When you do come to know God, a revelation of who He is, you will also find His grace and peace.


But why Jesus? Hebrew 1:3 (NLT) tells us that .....

3 The Son reflects God's own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command. After he died to cleanse us from the stain of sin, he sat down in the place of honour at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven.

I believe that as you know Jesus more and more, you will begin to see Jesus in you more and more and with that, share in His divine nature. Grace and peace is very much a reflection of God's nature as is His power.

I also believe that as you come to know Jesus in a new manner, the power of the Holy Spirit will flow in that area of your lives too. So endeavour to know Jesus as your:

• Saviour - (Luke 2:11, 1 Peter 2:24)
• Baptiser of the Holy Spirit - (Matthew 3:11)
• Defender - (Isaiah 51:22, Proverb 22:23)
• Healer - (1 Peter 2:24)
• Wonderful Counsellor - (Isaiah 9:6)
• Prince of Peace - (Isaiah 9:6, John 14:27)
• Law Giver and Judge - (James 4:12)
• Advocate - (Hebrew 9:24)
• Resurrection and the life - (John 11:25)

The list above is not the complete list. This you will come to realise as you pursue him. Neither is the above to say that it is the sequence or order of knowing Him. Jesus will meet you where your needs are. For some will know Him as the Healer before knowing Him as the Saviour. For some it is enough just to know that God loves him or her, with such faith that the power of the Holy Spirit flows or manifest in them or through them.

Knowledge of God and Jesus is gained not only from the Word but from the Holy Spirit revelation or conviction of who God and Jesus is. For many, this is how they came to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

Therefore, as important as it may be to read the Word of God from the Holy Bible, for the life of a Christian to grow, it is not the only way to an increased knowledge of God and Jesus .....but is essential in ensuring that the basis/foundation of our knowledge of who God is, is based on His written Word. Reading the Holy Bible (at least to me) is also the quickest way to knowing Him, the Master Key.

GOD Most Want To Give, Gift

Luke 11:13 (NLT)
13If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

Luke 11:1-13 is where the Lord teaches the disciples how to pray. It is where the Lord's Prayer is found. It is also where the A.S.K. principle is; Ask, Seek and Knock. Ask whatever you want, in His name and our Lord will answer and provide, in His loving ways in response to your prayers. But of all the things that you may ask, do you know what our Heavenly Father desire most to give you?

13 ......, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

The Holy Spirit! Have you ever wondered why? If not, consider then these verses. You may have already heard and read these verses, but when put together, it gives a perspective that I found very encouraging, empowered, that I am not alone and a certain sense of revelation and insight into how he chooses to work in my life ....in our lives.

The Person, Holy Spirit

John 14:16-17 (NLT)
16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you.
17He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

John 14:26 (NLT)
26But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative--and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.

The Holy Spirit is also known as the Comforter, Helper and Teacher.

The Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Galatians 5:22 (NLT)
22But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.

In fact, Galatians 5:16-26 is about Living by the Spirits Power, is worth your reading. The transformation in our lives through the workings of the Holy Spirit.

Notice that the verse say "fruit" and not "fruits". All of the above attributes are segments of the one fruit and they come to you in one package. You get it all!

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 4:11 (NLT)
11He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

1 Corinthians 12:8-11 (NLT)
8To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another he gives the gift of special knowledge.
9The Spirit gives special faith to another, and to someone else he gives the power to heal the sick.
10He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and to another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to know whether it is really the Spirit of God or another spirit that is speaking. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages (tongues), and another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.
11It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

1 Corinthians 12:27-28 (NLT)
28Here is a list of some of the members that God has placed in the body of Christ:
first are apostles,
second are prophets,
third are teachers,
then those who do miracles,
those who have the gift of healing,
those who can help others,
those who can get others to work together,
those who speak in unknown languages.

It is through these gifts that the power of the Holy Spirit flows.
So what then is the importance of the Holy Spirit to you?

Galatians 6:8 (NLT)
8Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.

John 10:10 (NLT)
10The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.

Your lives will then be the living stones (1 Peter 2:5) of His church, the light of the world (Matt 5:11), an imitator of God (Ephesian 5:1), a chosen people, a kingdom of priests, so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9).