Running the race #6 The naked truth(8Aug08)

ubject: Running the race #6 : The naked truth (4Aug08)

Dear…

'Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walked naked, and they see his shame.'

Revelations 16:15

'Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?'
Isaiah 53:1

What we read in the major newspapers, are so termed current news, but more realistically, in the main, are really day old history. And will such reporting be factual and objective, without any tinge of biasedness or worse, a hidden agenda? As men are imperfect and all of us will consciously or subconsciously look at issues from our sense of right or wrong, all reporting will likely have shades of our innate judgement, no matter how objective we strive to be.

'All we like sheep have gone astray; for we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all'

Isaiah 53:6

The good news of the gospel message of repentance, salvation, peace and joy in eternity might be happily regurgitated by the believers, but it oftens cut no ice with many more out there in the world. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and as followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, like Him, we live by example, but never try to, against their will, make others an example of our faith. Even amongst us Christians, there are often grounds of contention in the interpretation of the will of God, be it in His Words, or in His works.

The Roman Catholics and the Protestant Church had their schism not too many centuries back. Till recently, the old differences were still played out in modern Northern Ireland(and IRA is not an acronym for "I Respect All, but rather the Irish Republican Army). Next door in good olde Scotland, the centuries old sectarian differences, at least in the subconscious, are fought out on the soccer pitch, between the two great Scottish soccer teams, Glasgow Rangers for the Protestants and Celtic for the Catholics. And just in the newspapers a few days back, the fault lines in the Russian Orthodox church could mean an eventual split between the Russians and the Ukranians, both of whom being Slavs, share a common heritage, including their faith, yet, political reality and age old human resentment are increasingly coming to the forefront.

'And in those times there was no peace to him …..but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries'
2 Chronicles 15:5

In our present times, which seems more dire than before, where many tire of the daily grind and challenges of a globalized world, where the rumblings of distant lands are transmitted almost instantaneously and impact us all much more than before, peace and joy is what many search for, and Christianity and its message of hope, love and joy should be aptly placed to fill this gap. But why are many still keeping a distance from the obvious?? Is it because we who professed to be living testimonies of God's love and grace, are not fulfilling our calling and in fact, are compounding the woes of the world by our disobedience to the will of God? The Jews were God's chosen people. They were circumcised, given the law from God, and had the benefit of the prophets, yet when the Saviour that they have long been waiting for returned, they chose to disbelieve that our Lord Jesus Christ, who was amongst them, was Him. What about us, the Gentile believers, who are circumcised by the Holy Spirit? Are we Christians in name and form, but just like the Jews of Jesus's time, our hearts are far from the Lord our God?

'And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God:
………because we sought the Lord our God, we have sought Him, and He hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.'

2 Chronicles 14:2-7

Till the seed of Abraham(ie Jesus Christ) was birthed to the world, to bring us into a new covenant with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, the world was under the law, the old covenant upon which all have fallen short. The law made us aware of our sins. But none by their own efforts were able to fulfill the requirements of the law. Abraham was right with God on account of his faith, and not his efforts. The same applies to all of us. God understands. He made a new convenant with us. The promise of God has been fulfilled. Our Lord Jesus Christ has come, lived by example, died for our sins and risen on the 3rd day, and has forever broken the grip of sin and death and all are free to take up the salvation that God has given to all. We now all have a direct line with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. We walk with Him by faith, as He leads.But does it mean that we will willingly let the Holy Spirit lead us to live a life like Christ or are there still more than traces of resistance in all our us, where the old sinful self tries to reassert its grip upon us?

How do we keep ourselves aligned with the will of God, to be like our Lord Jesus Christ?

'…help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on Thee……let not man prevail against Thee'
2 Chronicles 14:11

'…The Lord is with you, while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him, He will be found of you; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you.'

2 Chronicles 15:2

'And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul.'
2 Chronicles 15:12

'For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.'

2 Chronicles 16:9

God responds to a responsive heart. What holds your heart this very moment? Physical exercises does benefit the heart. For many, it has become almost a religion. Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with a Sovereign God. Have you put in the same vigour, the same determined focus on seeking and responding to the leading of God, as you would in all others matters of life? In fact, when was the last time you picked up the Bible? Has it been a while that you gave thought to what your very next action or thought will stand in the light of our God?

'…Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand'

2 Chronicles 16:7

The film, "The Naked Gun" was a parody by Leslie Nielsen that not many fully comprehended, three times over, as it was a series of 3 films. The Emperor's clothes was a story(by Hans Christien Andersen) that many might laugh at the gullibility of the prideful, who were misled by the wiles of a two swindlers, who found ready to wear allies in the Emperor's court, who were willing to substantiate the follies of the Emperor rather than tell him the truth, that he was stark naked.

What about you? In seeking to be clothed by the desires of the world, in truth, are we literally wearing nothing of permanency and when the glory of God returns, when the delusions are peeled off your blinders, would you not feel horribly exposed and plain inadequate?

'And they taught in Judah and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went out throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people. And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat'

2 Chronicles 17:9-10

The Bible is no fiction. It is the Word of God given by the inspiration of God(2 Timothy 3:17) . It is a living Word, that the Spirit of God will use to change the people of God(Daily Bread 17 Jul 2007).

God is waiting, but men is whiling his time away. The message of love, forgiveness must be shared concomitantly with the reality of His return and judgement of the world. For when the music stops, when the attractions or distractions of the world fades into oblivion, when all is stripped away, will you be clothed in the Christlikeness of God, made ready for His return or would the glory of God shine forth through the darkness encapsulating your life, and one can no longer stick to the bluff, that you are not in the buff??

'Therefore take no thought, saying…What shall we eat?.......wherewit hal shall we be clothed?.... ....
……….But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His rigthteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.'
Matthew 6:31-33

God Blesses

Eng Hieang
8 Aug 08