Thus saith the Lord; "Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that thou sendest to enquire of Ba'al-zebub the god of Ekron?..'
2 Kings 1:6
As I penned this, the scene outside my room is one of torrential rain, an outpouring that brings to life the cacophony that we long associate with overexuberant "cats and dogs" when they get together( this sharing was penned a few days back. And today, as I pondered on the logic of this latest attempt at sharing the very real presence of God, the same torrential rains are back at it again, and indeed, the ground is softening and just maybe, hearts that were as hard as the ground, is ready to let the Word of God minister to them, so here goes)
"...if I will not open for you the wondrous heaven. And pour out for you such blessings that there will not be room enough to receive it'
Malachi 3:10
In the midst of our equally exuberant property boom, part of the greater overall bubbling real asset growth in Asia, the "gods" must be literally answering the prayers of someone out there, who must be asking for lots of wealth, for in Cantonese(but caveat emptor, I am a Hokkien), the intonation of the word "water" is also used to symbolize "wealth"
'Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects'
Job 5:17
If you are awashed in acid rain and not swimming in real cash, you will be looking to connect with the "gods" on your needs, rather than be looking to be corrected. Many would continue to swim or more likely sink into the deeper morass of their sins, in their desire to seek that "god or gods" who would satisfy their lusts, and nothing else.
'The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost'
Luke 19:10
Men, left to their own devices, will look for crevices to indulge in sins. Thanks be to God who will not let us be, for He wants us in His kingdom and not in the rat-hole of Hell.
'Can a mortal be more righteous than God. Can a man be more pure than his Maker?'
Job 5:17
As a society, men today have progressed in quantum leaps in terms of available material comforts, knowledge and things that constitute a quality lifestyle. Of course, not all are equal, for in the eyes of the world, unlimited wants, limited resources. The means are available, but it is not mean't for all.
Perhaps, for most, the common underlying thread that cuts across the great chasm in social stratum is the desire for pride, power, self-interests, gratification and lusts.
'But as for me, I would seek God. And to God I would commit my cause. Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number..'
Job 5:8-9
Why is it possible for some to have this great desire to seek God first, every moment of their lives and why do most find everything else more desirous than God??
God prospers me. Of course, I seek Him for there are treasures to be picked up. Is this the type of self seeking, worldly child that the Lord our God desires??
'Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all
Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed'
Luke 17:28-30
It is true that God's grace are always with us, it is for us to recognise and partake in His blessings and love.
But are the blessings of God truly defined in terms of what man values rather than what God wills??
When I was a child, I tend to look at my relationship with my parents as one of receiving. I expect handouts in the form of their love, their time, their forgiveness when I did wrong, and most important, material comforts.
As a part-time Christian,( ie by my definition), one who believes but does not follow His will, I expected God to be at my beck and call. I expected Him to solve my problems my way, give me what I deem as important and once fulfilled, to stay in His quiet corner till I next summon Him.
"As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work; So am I made to possess months of vanity..'
Job 7:2-3
Is that truly how most of us define the basis of our relationship with the Lord our God?
It is true this is the manner many of us deal with fellow humans in different shades of degradation.
Someone reminded me that for major international cities, the world has now truly converged and we are talking about a concentration of material wealth, intellectual knowledge, the well-connected, the elite of humanity, in short, the creme de la creme.
In such Towers of Babel, with the diverse range of languages, varied cultural experiences, basic differences in physical and mental mix, the common cord that binds could be the four Ps,ie pride, power, personal interests and paganism, but need it be??
The world today has increasingly deviated in disbodience from the will of God.
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place..'
Acts 2:1
The Bible talks about how all the faithful Christians of varied nations and languages were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Everyone could understand each other even though they never understood each others' language.
'...the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak i his own language
Acts 2:6
As cities strive to put themselves on the world map, to be the place for the movers and shakers, more are translating and transforming not just the infrastructure, but the very social fabric and values, into a mould that would be considered attractive temples that mammon would feel at home with, but that are far from the will of God.
One's intellects must be challenged and stretched for self actualization, every facet of lusts should be catered for, every pride of possession and self must have a pedestal to be placed upon, one's worth is measured by the material values, rather than good old fashioned humanity and humility, and self comes before selfless.
Is there a place for God in the fleeting and lustful hearts of mankind??
'But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asked you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear'
1 Peter 3:15
We are all builders.
Some build their careers, some build their wealth, some build their litany of sins and depravation, others build a network of fair-weather friends and yet some build an increasing list of enemies.
Thankfully, by His grace, God has lifted the veil of blindness in the hearts of many, who repent, believe and desire to follow in trust and obedience.
We are also building. We are building a God-centred life, that will allow God to transform our character and renew our mind, and to give us that faith for
"There is nothing more convincing to an unbeliever than seeing a person who carries a deep, life-affecting conviction and who knows why they carry that conviction"
"If we are unable to give reasons for our faith....by our own ignorance, we are confirming unbelievers in their unbelief".
(extracted from Bible On-line)
The groundswell of greed, selfishness and pride is picking up speed as the world hurtles towards the gleeful arms of the devil, who cannot wait to have you join in his dwelling of eternal damnation.
Time is short. We are privileged to witness God's words come to fulfilment. No one hundred years back or earlier, would have imagined the Isrealite diaspora ever converging in the present day modern state of Israel, after centuries of dispersion.
No one could ever imagine the Arabs making true peace with Israel. But the political realities of the realigned Middle East, could see the Arabs feeling more comfortable with their Bibical half brothers, than be bedfellows with the resurgent descendents of the Persian protagonists in Sparta 300.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come'
Matthew 24:14
I have shared the Word. And God will continue to ensure that His promise in Matthew 24:14 is fulfilled.
It is also true that
'...He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained....'
Acts 17:31
No man is an island and no present temporal comforts of the world can ever be a buttress to what ails even the gilt edged lives of the privileged and the certainty of death is less daunting than the fact that we will all have to meet and be judged by our Maker, the Lord our God.
'Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think tha tthe Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device'
Acts 17:29
'For in Him we live, and move, and have our being...'
Acts 17:28
It is time to come down to earth, to be firmly grounded in the Lord our God, to be made ready. For to continue to cling onto the soft sands of this sinful world, is no different from a man stuck in the slow but sure drag of a quicksand. Death is but certain, so grab the outstretched hands of the Lord our God before it is too late.
'But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night..'
Psalm 1:2-3
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
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