Running the race #28 Beyond the darkness(23Jan09)

Dear…

'By night on my bed I sought Him whom my soul loveth: I sought Him, but I found Him not.'
Song 3:1

'But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.'

James 1:6-8

There are thankfully only a sprinkling of occasions(since God moved me from believer to follower) when my imperfect self allowed a trace of doubt to seep in and asked myself, is God real?

It helps that I do 'see" God's wonderful presence in my life often enough, as He draws near to me, as I draw near to Him, that I am starting to learn to be more resolute and certain about His very presence.

And God is good, He will not allow our doubts to simmer too long, for to do so will allow our self-deceiving mind to take root, and He will literally nip the doubting bud, before it has a chance to flourish furthur.

'Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways……..Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?'

Psalms 139:3-7

God provides, as shared in my little anecdote in the previous sharing about my forgotten wallet. God also corrects, and that was the very lesson I learn over the weekend as His very hands were so real in correcting an occasional wayward child of His like me, who thought he was right with God, without realizing that I was veering off course. God speaks to our heart, His Spirit convicts us. His Words clarifies and affirms and He uses people and circumstances to lead us out of our wayward ways. But we must want to respond.

'Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of god.'

James 1;19-20

The world will move furthur into deception, as the unrepentant dwell deeper into lies to try to mask past lies. We are asked to speak the truth, and correct with love. The latter is often difficult for we will feel rightly justified in correcting an unrepentant deviant, especially where we are part of the aggrieved parties. But the Lord reminded me over the weekend that our Lord Jesus Christ led by example in showing forbearance and corrected by love, not judgment. For only God knows what is in a person's heart, only God can set the timing and the form, not us.

'…that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love'

Ephesians 4:2-3

God for me is real. His presence as many faithful will attest, is so prescient and precise that one cannot but be thankful for His ever faithfulness. The experience one has with His Spirit is beyond human words, and for those who experienced His sanctification, it is an indescriable joy and peace and while respond to His grace is still our choice, to not want to respond to His leading from then on is clearly a sin our heart knows without doubt.

For we can no longer deny the existence of God, and prayerfully we will not deny His will. For the grace of God is His love working through us.

'And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh'
Ephesians 2:17-18

Watching the scene flashed in the media this morning, on President Obama's inauguration does strike one that many in our world are hungering for change, for the better, a world that wants to believe that the most important man in the world, from the most powerful nation still today, will make life better. And in his speech, which strikes one as seemingly coming more the heart(though only God knows), President Obama has delivered ad verbatim.

But what is reality? Would the world be prepared to put others before self? Can one man do what is clearly beyond our finite human capabilities, for problems of the world are not new, and great men have come and gone, but the problems either remain unchanged or reassert itself with greater potency.

Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteh greatly in His commandments…'
…Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous…'
Psalms 112:1-4

I am no longer sure what would constitute a Christian nation. But America in a sense is a Christian nation, for it was founded by Christian migrants. It is a nation that still calls upon God even as we hear President Obama conclude his speech calling upon God's grace. America for all its imperfections, has blessed the world with its generosity and benign behaviour as a superpower, compared to the alternative, the godless rulers of the old Soviet Union or Hitler's Germany.

'They have turned their back to ME and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.

But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of trouble….'
Jeremiah 2:27-28

God will be with America if America is with God, for God is with all who draws near to Him. Our prayers are that the leadership as personified by President Obama will be with God, as God leads. And what about us? By our very daily behaviour, is God truly Sovereign in the lives of many of us, Christians inclusive?? In the bright lights of the good times, our hearts are blinded to the presence of God. And now in the increasingly gloom of the economic environment, many find it difficult to lift their sagging spirits to reach out to the everpresent God, Whom they have never really make the effort to know.

'And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not..'
John 1:5

Much as many are self deluding themselves, just as many are still unrepentant, nationalization of much of the global financial system looks increasingly a reality, and any differences could be a question of superficial form rather than intent. It seems to be the lesser of two evils, for with it, in a sense it is an admission of the reality of the problems, for just like a new believer, repentance is the first step and one must break free from one's past sins and continued deceit.

'And I will set My face against them, they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them, and ye shall know that I am the Lord,when I set My face against them.'

Ezekiel 15:7

But just like a new believer, God forgives our sins, but it does not mean that our lives will be dandy again, for to allow that, will mean that our faith will be on weak grounds. Transformation of our hearts comes from a peiod of refinement, and recognition of the financial system's real problems is an important first step, but not the final step

And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up out of your graves..'

Ezekiel 37:13

Is it possible to die and then be brought back alive again? In the Bible, Lazarus was brought back to life. So were a couple of others. But to die and to live again is an experience all of us can go through even when our breath is still with us, but not in the physical, but in the spiritual.

The present intensifying and broadening shaking is scary for many. But in taking away our dependency upon the sinful world, our good Lord not only break away our bondages, but HE allows us to move from the devil to Him. To die from sins and live for Christ.

'…the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, though a land of deserts, and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, though a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt? And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof….'

Jeremiah 2:6-7

Someone told me that retrenchment is a release from bondage. I cannot agree more, but what about the need for provisions for we are still in this world?

'Has a nation ever changed its gods(yet they are not gods at all) But My people have exchanged their God for worthless idols'

Jeremiah 2:11

'…Why is the house of God neglected?'
Nehemiah 13:11

If God is real, which He is. And if God is faithful and He is, then we must now respond to His leading and leave the provisions to our Sovereign Provider. We must seek God and not seek idols for God knows our needs, but do we know His will?

The Lord reminded me that much as I seek Him, I have not fully let go even if it is just 1% of letting go, to go. The bondage upon my and your lives can only true be lifted, and with it, the fear of our understanding and the wiles of the equally real devil, consigned to history,if we are truly willing to depend upon Him for our all in all.

We are all still searching for the light beyond the present darkness, but the Light is in us, for the Spirit of God dwells in all who truly believe in Him

'But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord. I wait for God my Saviour, My God will hear me.'
Micah 7:7

Let me close by thanking all for being my fellow journeyman. This is my year, for long suffering and perserverance are probably my traits, being an iron ox, and born in the wee hours of the morning to boot. But raging bull I never was, but working amongst the thundering herd I might have once been, but grilled or burnt American sirloin steak most of us are more like, as the upheavals continue to eschew all and sundry, be it ox, pigs, horses, rats, snakes or the entire plethora of zodiac animals.

I find the Zodiac symbolism baffling, for how so many of us are willing to believe that we are lesser than the man or woman God made us. But to each his own mudpool to wallow in, but may these Words from the Lord our God be truly shared with no intention other than to speak as He leads.

'The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound…'

Isaiah 61:1

'Unlike so many, we do not peddle the Word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.'

2 Corinthians 2:17

God Blesses

Eng Hieang
(23Jan09)