Dear…
'No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.'
Matthew 6:24
As I was still struggling to put the finishing touch to my next intended sharing "Walking on water," the good Lord gave me a temporary respite and took me out of the water and instead, placed me with this crossroad of thought, that has always bedeviled most of us, which is, do we follow God or the devil? For to not follow God with our all is to follow the devil, there is no middle ground, much as contrary to popular belief.
If God was clearly visible to our senses, would it be less of a drag to follow Him? And if Satan was visible in all grosteque, I am quite sure most of us would not be in a hurry to follow his leading, in fact, we will be scurrying in the opposite direction, towards God, visible or not.
'Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink……for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you…'
Matthew 6:25-34
An obvious truth, yet why are we all oblivious to the promise of God. "Cents and sensibilities" an unintended pun on Jane Austen's great literary work "Sense and Sensibility' but as long as we measure living by our imperfect understanding, by the need to cumulate for the temporal, without really understanding or believing in the eternal, and if we continue to rely on our flawed senses, we will never fully comprehend the plans God has for all of us.
Out with the old and in with the new might seem a little drastic, but truly, that is a needed start. In taking the first step to believing in the salvation that God has offered to us through the sacrifice of His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, we must take that next decisive step, which is not just to turn away from the devil and his alluring things of the world, and look towards the Lord our God, but to follow His leading.
So, I believed and did look grudgingly away from my lusts and desires, and looked towards God. But what do I see but a great expanse of seemingly nothingness, like the wide reaches of the unfathomable ocean. And worse, as my repressed sinful senses try to reassert its hold on me, my mind start to imagine the creepy things that must be lurking beneath the deep blue waters, and for added effect, my circumstances of life seem to take a turn for the worse, like a gale force storm brewing in the ocean. What have I done by stepping out of the slimey but certain hands of the devil, into the great unknown? Was not that the gripe of the Jews when they left the much loathed bondage of Egypt to follow Moses into the wilderness?
'For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every is given to covetousness….'
Jeremiah 6:13
Covetousness, as defined in the English Dictionary is the insatiable desire to have what rightfully belongs to others. In my early introduction to the subject of Economics, one principle deeply ingrained in my then still fertile mind is the Law of Marginal Utility. To maintain the same level of satifisfaction, we will have to increase the quantum of our consumption at an increasing rate.
And worse, men has infinite wants, but the world has finite resources. This is the perfect recipe for men's present insecure state, where we willingly exchange our souls for the temporal delusions of the devil.
'Thus saith the Lord. Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.'
Jeremiah 6:16
If you truly believed, the Spirit of God already resides in your heart. There is no need to search the wide oceans, for His presence is already with us. It is time to let go and let God lead us, for only then, can we be firmly grounded upon the only right path, God's route as He prepares us for His return and eternity. To look and walk away from God, is to ensure that we will find ourselves once again like a rat on the devil's threadmill of despair and temporal but pained joy.
Much as the soaring financial markets continue to defy logic, yet reliving what history was in the 1970s, when financial assets recouped in one year, a substantial portion of its earlier losses, only to be derailed again by the reality of man's finite machinations This is a difficult time, be it for one in or out of the markets. Difficult because risks are very real if one were to invests, yet returns are next to miserable if one does nothing and even for those who think they are being enriched, frustrations will abound as levels form new peaks.
God has already shown those who seek Him the way of out of our convoluted state of mind. The old path, the good way as in Jeremiah 6:16 is the only way that will give us joy and peace and ensure that we do not come to grief again. To seek Him, by coming unto His presence always, to honour Him by the way we live and in doing His work.
God looks for obedience, not sacrifice and He knows our needs. Can we be trusted with plenty, if we cannot even be good stewards nor be contented with the present He has already blessed us with?
What comes after this year of great delusions will be one of redistribution. Where will you be in the plans of God?
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(24sep09)
Friday, September 25, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Reflections for the moment #36 The ten percent syndrome (19sep09)
Dear…
'Preserve me, O God: for in Thee do I put my trust.'
Psalm 16:1
Why do most of us seek to cumulate assets? Down to the core, would it be to ensure that our finite life is comfortable, and monies buy us freedom of choice and on the flipside, power over lesser beings, if wealth is the defining measure of one's worth as a human.
The Americans clearly evoked God in their constitution, and imprint their professed trust in God in their currency. But these are the same chaps who seem not to trust in what they professed, but rather indulge in ill-discipline, accounting flexibility, devil may care attitude in their fiscal and monetary policies in the pursuit of mammon?
'The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup, thou maintainest my lot..'
Psalm 16:5
As a Christian, you would have read that the Word of God is God, and all scripture are God inspired. If so, should we not fully trust and obey in what God has promised and commanded us in Psalm 16:1? That is, even if we have nothing in this world, that it matters not, for God is with us. For to know God is suffice as reiterated in Psalm 16:5
But we might not be of the world, but at least in this finite life, we are still in the world and we will need the tools to survive in this world, till God takes us home. This is true and indeed God will more than provide for our needs on Earth. But what is suffice? And can we move beyond what we think is suffice, to trusting that His grace is indeed suffice?
'I will bless the Lord, Who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.'
Psalm 16:8
As shared in the past few months, God does indeed gives counsel, and in my case, in the brief transition between dreamland and reality. Guess in our sleep, is when our hearts and minds are most still, and we hear God better. And after a series of reminders and knocks literally on the head and the wallet(where it hurts most for most of us), guess I had better heed the Lord's call to focus my all on investing in His kingdom, and leave the greed and fear and angst to other lemmings looking for the next runaway train to latch on, even if it is heading for the cliff.
My own journey as a "giver' is like most. In one's pre-Christian or in my case, part-time Christian days, the thought of committing 10% of one's income as tithes seem quite a hefty commitment, especially after you net off tax and pension fund contributions. And the pain of giving gets worse even as one gains in capacity to give. I was reminded of this resistance just yesterday when a non-believing client gave a tirade about how the church used what was mentioned in the Bible to manipulate the willingness of people to give. He thinks that the Bible is a history book and misconception it might be for him, but clarity will come at God's timing and ways.
'Who comforts us…that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.'
2 Corinthians 1:4
Took me a while, but I have learned from experiencing God's grace that truly, all belongs to Him and He will more than provide for my needs. And if so, nothing should stop me from sharing His provisions and His love as He leads. The 10% is irrelevant, for we must give from the heart, for grace is God's love at work through us who obeys. And in the past 8 years since the Lord brought me across from believer to follower, He has always more than provided me with the resources, and much as I have obeyed His leading in giving, I have never found myself ever short of His provisions. It is truly like the Bibilical stories we read of the fish and loaves or of the minute oil that the poor and destitute lady had, that never ran out.
'I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.'
Psalm 16:8
The Stockholm syndrome is probably a term more familiar to most. This describe how hostages over a prolonged period of enforced confinement begin to sympathize and even support the cause of their captors. Patricia Hearst, most might have forgotten, but she was this rich and beautiful American newspaper heiress who from being a kidnapped victim, translated her sympathies to joining the same terrorist group.
The 10% Syndrome.,this is a new concoction freshly brewed by "moi."(French for me). Have we all believers or not, fallen heads over heels in love with our blessings, our hearts fully captivated and captured and plain forgotten about God our provider?
'I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget Thy word.'
Psalm 119:16
As Christians, we must seek to be like Christ. Christ gave his all to us, including his life for the undeserving us. To be like Christ, we must not be measured in our giving, for truly, we must not give from what we have, but we give as God leads, knowing that He has and will more than provide.
'Teaching us that, denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. Looking for that blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works..'
Titus 2:12-14
I was at a hospice a few mornings back, as part of my forays lately into visiting charities that I am working with, which so many of you have recently shared your blessings with. In the days when I was a child, imprinted in my pysche was this street in Chinatown, which not just houses a row of coffin-makers, but also a last stop where many pioneering immigrants to Singapore, many without any family, after years of toil, spent their dying days, in quite miserable conditions both physically and emotionally.
In concept, a hospice is no different, yet the difference is in the palliative care, the love and concern shown to, till recently, strangers now placed in their care, to not just ensure that the last days are spent experiencing what many have not in their healthy days, ever encountered. Which is, unmitigated love and concern and through it, many of these soon to depart souls, will finally "see" God as they prepare to meet Him, with joy and peace, when they believed.
'Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep Thy word.'
Psalm 119:57
The fulness of the Spirit of God in our lives far outweighs the treasures of this sinful world. The grace of God is indeed suffice for the day. A principle that many might have heard of, but not pay much heed to, for the world has much to offer, and we have plenty of days to partake in our desires, or do we?
All of us would have to deal with the issue of our mortality some day. Would you still be hankering after the 90% that you have hung on to, or would you be like Apostle Paul, who truly understood what it means to live a life that places God above everything else. For through Christ, we indeed have the freedom to let go.
'What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.'
Philippians 3:7
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(15 sep 2009)
In conclusion
------------------
'The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.'
Isaiah 9:2
The past few days have been a whirr for me, in serving in His kingdom. And this lunchtime, I found myself at a restaurant next to a mortuary. Not a mistake in that I ate at the wrong place, but rather, I got my date with a dear friend wrong.
That can be reconvened next week, but as my eyes captured briefly the scene of distressed family members waiting to either identify or pick-up the cold shell of the departed, truly it is an apt statement of what can we truly bring with us, when all is told and done. We will leave our treasures behind, including our now lifeless shell of a body(no different even if you were King Tut of Egypt). But what can we bring to the table when we meet God our Maker? A litany of woes and ill-gotten gains, or a life of joy and peace that will not be extended to eternity?
'Preserve me, O God: for in Thee do I put my trust.'
Psalm 16:1
Why do most of us seek to cumulate assets? Down to the core, would it be to ensure that our finite life is comfortable, and monies buy us freedom of choice and on the flipside, power over lesser beings, if wealth is the defining measure of one's worth as a human.
The Americans clearly evoked God in their constitution, and imprint their professed trust in God in their currency. But these are the same chaps who seem not to trust in what they professed, but rather indulge in ill-discipline, accounting flexibility, devil may care attitude in their fiscal and monetary policies in the pursuit of mammon?
'The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup, thou maintainest my lot..'
Psalm 16:5
As a Christian, you would have read that the Word of God is God, and all scripture are God inspired. If so, should we not fully trust and obey in what God has promised and commanded us in Psalm 16:1? That is, even if we have nothing in this world, that it matters not, for God is with us. For to know God is suffice as reiterated in Psalm 16:5
But we might not be of the world, but at least in this finite life, we are still in the world and we will need the tools to survive in this world, till God takes us home. This is true and indeed God will more than provide for our needs on Earth. But what is suffice? And can we move beyond what we think is suffice, to trusting that His grace is indeed suffice?
'I will bless the Lord, Who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.'
Psalm 16:8
As shared in the past few months, God does indeed gives counsel, and in my case, in the brief transition between dreamland and reality. Guess in our sleep, is when our hearts and minds are most still, and we hear God better. And after a series of reminders and knocks literally on the head and the wallet(where it hurts most for most of us), guess I had better heed the Lord's call to focus my all on investing in His kingdom, and leave the greed and fear and angst to other lemmings looking for the next runaway train to latch on, even if it is heading for the cliff.
My own journey as a "giver' is like most. In one's pre-Christian or in my case, part-time Christian days, the thought of committing 10% of one's income as tithes seem quite a hefty commitment, especially after you net off tax and pension fund contributions. And the pain of giving gets worse even as one gains in capacity to give. I was reminded of this resistance just yesterday when a non-believing client gave a tirade about how the church used what was mentioned in the Bible to manipulate the willingness of people to give. He thinks that the Bible is a history book and misconception it might be for him, but clarity will come at God's timing and ways.
'Who comforts us…that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.'
2 Corinthians 1:4
Took me a while, but I have learned from experiencing God's grace that truly, all belongs to Him and He will more than provide for my needs. And if so, nothing should stop me from sharing His provisions and His love as He leads. The 10% is irrelevant, for we must give from the heart, for grace is God's love at work through us who obeys. And in the past 8 years since the Lord brought me across from believer to follower, He has always more than provided me with the resources, and much as I have obeyed His leading in giving, I have never found myself ever short of His provisions. It is truly like the Bibilical stories we read of the fish and loaves or of the minute oil that the poor and destitute lady had, that never ran out.
'I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.'
Psalm 16:8
The Stockholm syndrome is probably a term more familiar to most. This describe how hostages over a prolonged period of enforced confinement begin to sympathize and even support the cause of their captors. Patricia Hearst, most might have forgotten, but she was this rich and beautiful American newspaper heiress who from being a kidnapped victim, translated her sympathies to joining the same terrorist group.
The 10% Syndrome.,this is a new concoction freshly brewed by "moi."(French for me). Have we all believers or not, fallen heads over heels in love with our blessings, our hearts fully captivated and captured and plain forgotten about God our provider?
'I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget Thy word.'
Psalm 119:16
As Christians, we must seek to be like Christ. Christ gave his all to us, including his life for the undeserving us. To be like Christ, we must not be measured in our giving, for truly, we must not give from what we have, but we give as God leads, knowing that He has and will more than provide.
'Teaching us that, denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. Looking for that blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works..'
Titus 2:12-14
I was at a hospice a few mornings back, as part of my forays lately into visiting charities that I am working with, which so many of you have recently shared your blessings with. In the days when I was a child, imprinted in my pysche was this street in Chinatown, which not just houses a row of coffin-makers, but also a last stop where many pioneering immigrants to Singapore, many without any family, after years of toil, spent their dying days, in quite miserable conditions both physically and emotionally.
In concept, a hospice is no different, yet the difference is in the palliative care, the love and concern shown to, till recently, strangers now placed in their care, to not just ensure that the last days are spent experiencing what many have not in their healthy days, ever encountered. Which is, unmitigated love and concern and through it, many of these soon to depart souls, will finally "see" God as they prepare to meet Him, with joy and peace, when they believed.
'Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep Thy word.'
Psalm 119:57
The fulness of the Spirit of God in our lives far outweighs the treasures of this sinful world. The grace of God is indeed suffice for the day. A principle that many might have heard of, but not pay much heed to, for the world has much to offer, and we have plenty of days to partake in our desires, or do we?
All of us would have to deal with the issue of our mortality some day. Would you still be hankering after the 90% that you have hung on to, or would you be like Apostle Paul, who truly understood what it means to live a life that places God above everything else. For through Christ, we indeed have the freedom to let go.
'What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.'
Philippians 3:7
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(15 sep 2009)
In conclusion
------------------
'The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.'
Isaiah 9:2
The past few days have been a whirr for me, in serving in His kingdom. And this lunchtime, I found myself at a restaurant next to a mortuary. Not a mistake in that I ate at the wrong place, but rather, I got my date with a dear friend wrong.
That can be reconvened next week, but as my eyes captured briefly the scene of distressed family members waiting to either identify or pick-up the cold shell of the departed, truly it is an apt statement of what can we truly bring with us, when all is told and done. We will leave our treasures behind, including our now lifeless shell of a body(no different even if you were King Tut of Egypt). But what can we bring to the table when we meet God our Maker? A litany of woes and ill-gotten gains, or a life of joy and peace that will not be extended to eternity?
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Reflections for the moment #35 Sway (9 Sep 09)
Dear…
'Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins, let them not have dominion over me, then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great trangression.'
Psalms 19:13
There are days for me when one feel this great sense of discontented discomfort, be it a mix of fear, envy, resentment and all things bad. For woman, the excuse could be menopause, for men, a little bit of a stretch there unless one subscribes to alternative lifestyles, but it is times like this that I have learned not to resist on my own strength nor understanding, but instead come unto the presence of the Lord our God. And indeed, God will keep us from sinning furthur, and made upright our tilting faith, as He just did for me.
'Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.'
Psalm 19:14
Now that my swaying heart has been re-anchored upon the Rock our God, may the following words be truly reflective of the leading of the Lord our God, and may He speak to your heart and bring you forth into His presence.
'For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people….neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself, and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary…'
Isaiah 8:11-14
Sashaying is till recently the predominant description of one's bodily movements in the many social ocassions where group dancing is a fixture of corporate social gatherings. But buildings swaying, that is a new phenomenon in Singapore, for long, a place that take pride and comfort in being shielded from what fickle nature in its bad and terrifying moods, can concoct. I only rolled in my chair once, a couple of years back,when a tremor hit town, a consequence of an earthquake in Indonesia. Not a great feeling, unless one loves being dizzy and tizzy, but swaying is here to stay, given the more regular earthquakes in our neighbourhood, with the most recent on the island of Sulawesi. But by and by, most of us in Singapore and most of the world are not too concerned, whenever tremors hit, for the attitude is that it should not hit us directly, but that is now an increasingly moot point. But there is another more insiduous swaying that is beginning to encapsulate most of us.
'Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possess.'
Luke 12:15
It is not just a question of how much material blessings( or more like curse) is enough, but how much time does one truly have in this finite life? I would love to dwell into a more in depth discourse on the present delusory financial markets which can really sway our sense of prudence and common sense, but more compelling issues are a calling. It is suffice to say that most of us know it to be comparable to the treacherous Sirens on the Rocks in Greek mythology, when the returning victorious Greek army, led by King Odysseus(of Trojan Horse fame) sailed passed this treacherous graveyard of ships, many of whom have been lured to dash their solid ships against the even more solid and unforgiving rocks by the alluring singing of the sirens, seated on the rocks. The Greeks in all wisdom, did not dare depend on their willpower, but instead stuff their ears with beewax to keep out the call of the sirens, and for double safety, tied themselves to the ship's mast with thick ropes to ensure that they do not dash to their demise.
The understanding of stewardship(dependency upon our Sovereign God) and contentment(thankfulness to God for all circumstances) must be reinforced by our responding as God leads, to invest our all in His kingdom. This is the invisible rope that will tie us to the Lord our Rock and ensure that we do not be swayed by the alluring call of intensifying greed,fear and frustration, that are very much in our midst now.
Who can resist cheap and plentiful US$, and increasingly, the world looks like making the same mistakes of the nascent beginnings of the Asian crisis, on this belief that the fuel of speculation, the US$ will remain cheap in perpetuity. Man were right in their understanding in Oct last year, but tremendous wealth was lost through the unfathomable.
'And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.'
Philippians 1:14
The thought on the word "swaying" that the Lord has placed in my heart, is the shifting of our focus away from God, our non-reliance on His grace, our disregard to the need to be faithfully obedient to His will and instead we move to one of dependency upon our own understanding and the call of the sinful world. Many Christians today are believers of our Lord Jesus Christ, but followers of the ways of the devil!!
"How can it be?" many will no doubt retort with great indignance to such an indictment, but only your heart knows, for God resides in those who truly believe and seek Him.
Have you truly worked on your relationship with the everpresent God? Or is your mind, heart and interests with things of the world, and like many Christians, you hardly read the Bible(and even if you do, it is the New Testatment only), and when you pray, it is only when you needed something from God, and rarely do you pray for others nor do you engage in the spirit with our Sovereign God.
And your praises and thankfulness to our God you rarely mouth, and even if so, your prideful heart takes precedence over Him Who is Sovereign. And what about work? Is there not enough to do already, that one truly has no time to do the unprofitable things in men's eyes, but the imperative matters in God's will.
And what about your diligent church attendance? Are you there for the pastor of great charisma or are you there to be in the presence of God?
But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.'
Philippians 1:12
If you managed to read this sharing till now. congratulations, for you will be amongst the minority. Just like time with God, most of us believers or not do have other more pressing interests than to spare Him a 2nd thought. And even if we were willing to 'give time with God a try, those who seek God seems to have more challenges in their lives. It is not just because the devil(with God's permission) wants to "beat" up anyone who dare cross the line to God's kingdom, but rather, God is Sovereign and He will allow correction to start with God's people, for in refining the imperfect us, there will be pain, yet gain.
God is not looking for sacrifice but obedience and I am oft reminded in my "self-pitying" moments, that truly, in every storm, lies the same faithful God upon Whom I am already anchored upon. If there is to be any swaying, it will be for my observers to see the steadfastness of my God given faith, and the equally responsive God Who will not just carry us through, but Whose glory will shine upon upon us His lamp, a resonance that no thicker than thick dark clouds can ever blanket.
These thoughts might not be suffice to encourage you to shift your focus back to God. But increase comes from our awesome God, and almost all indeed "see" God when the very foundations of their self serving life are shakened to the core, for God looks for a humble and contrite heart.
'For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.'
Philippians 1:21
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(7 Sep 09)
Note
-------
The word that came to my heart this morning as I reflected upon this latest thought that God has showed me was the verse as below. And God always affirms and as I read the Bible this morning, this was the same verse that stared me in the face. How can we ever be uncertain, when God is certainly here with us, always.
'For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,'
Romans 8:38-39
'Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins, let them not have dominion over me, then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great trangression.'
Psalms 19:13
There are days for me when one feel this great sense of discontented discomfort, be it a mix of fear, envy, resentment and all things bad. For woman, the excuse could be menopause, for men, a little bit of a stretch there unless one subscribes to alternative lifestyles, but it is times like this that I have learned not to resist on my own strength nor understanding, but instead come unto the presence of the Lord our God. And indeed, God will keep us from sinning furthur, and made upright our tilting faith, as He just did for me.
'Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.'
Psalm 19:14
Now that my swaying heart has been re-anchored upon the Rock our God, may the following words be truly reflective of the leading of the Lord our God, and may He speak to your heart and bring you forth into His presence.
'For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people….neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself, and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary…'
Isaiah 8:11-14
Sashaying is till recently the predominant description of one's bodily movements in the many social ocassions where group dancing is a fixture of corporate social gatherings. But buildings swaying, that is a new phenomenon in Singapore, for long, a place that take pride and comfort in being shielded from what fickle nature in its bad and terrifying moods, can concoct. I only rolled in my chair once, a couple of years back,when a tremor hit town, a consequence of an earthquake in Indonesia. Not a great feeling, unless one loves being dizzy and tizzy, but swaying is here to stay, given the more regular earthquakes in our neighbourhood, with the most recent on the island of Sulawesi. But by and by, most of us in Singapore and most of the world are not too concerned, whenever tremors hit, for the attitude is that it should not hit us directly, but that is now an increasingly moot point. But there is another more insiduous swaying that is beginning to encapsulate most of us.
'Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possess.'
Luke 12:15
It is not just a question of how much material blessings( or more like curse) is enough, but how much time does one truly have in this finite life? I would love to dwell into a more in depth discourse on the present delusory financial markets which can really sway our sense of prudence and common sense, but more compelling issues are a calling. It is suffice to say that most of us know it to be comparable to the treacherous Sirens on the Rocks in Greek mythology, when the returning victorious Greek army, led by King Odysseus(of Trojan Horse fame) sailed passed this treacherous graveyard of ships, many of whom have been lured to dash their solid ships against the even more solid and unforgiving rocks by the alluring singing of the sirens, seated on the rocks. The Greeks in all wisdom, did not dare depend on their willpower, but instead stuff their ears with beewax to keep out the call of the sirens, and for double safety, tied themselves to the ship's mast with thick ropes to ensure that they do not dash to their demise.
The understanding of stewardship(dependency upon our Sovereign God) and contentment(thankfulness to God for all circumstances) must be reinforced by our responding as God leads, to invest our all in His kingdom. This is the invisible rope that will tie us to the Lord our Rock and ensure that we do not be swayed by the alluring call of intensifying greed,fear and frustration, that are very much in our midst now.
Who can resist cheap and plentiful US$, and increasingly, the world looks like making the same mistakes of the nascent beginnings of the Asian crisis, on this belief that the fuel of speculation, the US$ will remain cheap in perpetuity. Man were right in their understanding in Oct last year, but tremendous wealth was lost through the unfathomable.
'And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.'
Philippians 1:14
The thought on the word "swaying" that the Lord has placed in my heart, is the shifting of our focus away from God, our non-reliance on His grace, our disregard to the need to be faithfully obedient to His will and instead we move to one of dependency upon our own understanding and the call of the sinful world. Many Christians today are believers of our Lord Jesus Christ, but followers of the ways of the devil!!
"How can it be?" many will no doubt retort with great indignance to such an indictment, but only your heart knows, for God resides in those who truly believe and seek Him.
Have you truly worked on your relationship with the everpresent God? Or is your mind, heart and interests with things of the world, and like many Christians, you hardly read the Bible(and even if you do, it is the New Testatment only), and when you pray, it is only when you needed something from God, and rarely do you pray for others nor do you engage in the spirit with our Sovereign God.
And your praises and thankfulness to our God you rarely mouth, and even if so, your prideful heart takes precedence over Him Who is Sovereign. And what about work? Is there not enough to do already, that one truly has no time to do the unprofitable things in men's eyes, but the imperative matters in God's will.
And what about your diligent church attendance? Are you there for the pastor of great charisma or are you there to be in the presence of God?
But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.'
Philippians 1:12
If you managed to read this sharing till now. congratulations, for you will be amongst the minority. Just like time with God, most of us believers or not do have other more pressing interests than to spare Him a 2nd thought. And even if we were willing to 'give time with God a try, those who seek God seems to have more challenges in their lives. It is not just because the devil(with God's permission) wants to "beat" up anyone who dare cross the line to God's kingdom, but rather, God is Sovereign and He will allow correction to start with God's people, for in refining the imperfect us, there will be pain, yet gain.
God is not looking for sacrifice but obedience and I am oft reminded in my "self-pitying" moments, that truly, in every storm, lies the same faithful God upon Whom I am already anchored upon. If there is to be any swaying, it will be for my observers to see the steadfastness of my God given faith, and the equally responsive God Who will not just carry us through, but Whose glory will shine upon upon us His lamp, a resonance that no thicker than thick dark clouds can ever blanket.
These thoughts might not be suffice to encourage you to shift your focus back to God. But increase comes from our awesome God, and almost all indeed "see" God when the very foundations of their self serving life are shakened to the core, for God looks for a humble and contrite heart.
'For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.'
Philippians 1:21
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(7 Sep 09)
Note
-------
The word that came to my heart this morning as I reflected upon this latest thought that God has showed me was the verse as below. And God always affirms and as I read the Bible this morning, this was the same verse that stared me in the face. How can we ever be uncertain, when God is certainly here with us, always.
'For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,'
Romans 8:38-39
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Reflections for the moment #34 Nelson (2 sep 09)
Dear…
'Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'
Hebrews 11:1
"Nelson" was the name that the Lord placed in my heart this morning. It is not an uncommon name, though through all my life, I probably only know 3 gentlemen of that name, The first, as some on this mail-list might recall was the closest to my first experience in the early 1980s of an ABC(an American born Chinese) though it turned out that his gregarious nature is more likely due to having done his degree in the States and his own inanimate nature. He is an SBC(not the old Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, but rather Singapore born Chinese).
The second Nelson is an ex-client but still dear friend, whose encouragement led me to almost immigrating to Australia back in 1998, but God has other plans for me, and in not proceeding as planned, what I gave up in terms of right of permanent residency in the land of the bushfire, God brought me back unto His presence, or at least the beginnings of my return to Him.
And straddling these two extrovert Nelsons is another Nelson that again some will have make acquaintance of. A quiet man, and a man of faith, but now somewhere in Perth, Australia and may he respond to the Lord's leading wherever God places him.
'Let your conversations be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have; for He hath said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.'
Hebrews 13:5
Almost cliché to state the obvious, but life indeed is unlike the quite definite and fixed routes one can easily obtain from Google maps, when planning to go to a specific destination. The only certainty of life is that besides death, there will be a diversity of emotional experiences, and no one is immune from moments of joy(no matter how sparing it might be for some) and overservings of pain and agony and disappointments, and in between, anger, envy, frustrations and fears, and whatever myriad emotions that human nature can evoke in response to its environment.
Man is sinful, and the world we live in is a fallen world ruled by the fallen angel, Satan, need one say more.
'But this thing commanded I them, saying, "Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. But they hearkened not, no inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels,and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.'
Jeremiah 7:23-24
The short, almost obnoxious(if historians are to be believed) but brilliant General and Emperor of France, Napolean Bonaparte(1796-1821), truly believed that he was born a part(don't mind the pun) from the common man, and with great disdain and brilliance, set about from the ruins of a France going through the throes of revoluton, to conquer the stodgy and self serving monarchies of Continental Europe.
I don't know Admiral Nelson personally,(though like the pigeons at Tralfagar Square, I have touched his statue when in London), for reincarnation is not a tool of my faith, but Napolean did literally meet him in the flesh and with great grief, for the defeat of the mighty combined French/Spanish naval fleet by the British Admiral Nelson, put an end to Napolean's plan to bring the stubborn British bulldogs to their knees, and put a dent on his till recently mighty conquering ways.
Short or almost ugly most of us might think we are not, but are we no different in the way we live our lives, all conquering like Napolean, leaning upon our own strengths and wiles, desiring to achieve what we by our own finite understanding pine for?
Much as most of us might not be active participants in the present delusory madness of stockmarket and property price appreciation. "Rainbow chasers" many of us are, even if you might not realize it, for a pot of gold the end of the rainbow might offer, but unless I remember otherwise, none of us can really determine where the end of the rainbow is.
But is life not the same? We seek the temporal, yet choose not to admit to that brevity, and rather ignore the need to ponder about what comes after, and if eternity could be real as God has oft reminded all, believer or not.
Admiral Nelson has his statue, that the pidgeons gladly leave their droppings on. Quite an ignominy for a once great man, but who knows where he is.
Napolean was exiled a 2nd time to the volcanic island of St Helena, and died a broken and possibly poisoned man. And besides historians, only madman who dreams of empire building will try to resurrect his ideals, and for the few of us who love watches, we know his sister better, by virtue of(at least in my mind) one of the prettiest ladies watch, aptly titled, "The Queen of Naples" by Breguet in honor of Napolean's sister.
And what about all the other Nelsons I know? None are on my mailing, though I am still in close contact with the one who lives amongst the kangaroos. I believe he is moving closer to Christ, as life brings him closer to our Maker, the one and only Sovereign God.
What about the other two nelsons, and the many other tom, dick, harry and marys in our lives? Man plans, God directs. And it should be our prayers that when God make them ready, we are ready to journey with them, with our Lord Jesus Christ as the sole focus of our life's journey.
'I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.'
Philippians 3:14
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(2 Sep 09)
'Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'
Hebrews 11:1
"Nelson" was the name that the Lord placed in my heart this morning. It is not an uncommon name, though through all my life, I probably only know 3 gentlemen of that name, The first, as some on this mail-list might recall was the closest to my first experience in the early 1980s of an ABC(an American born Chinese) though it turned out that his gregarious nature is more likely due to having done his degree in the States and his own inanimate nature. He is an SBC(not the old Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, but rather Singapore born Chinese).
The second Nelson is an ex-client but still dear friend, whose encouragement led me to almost immigrating to Australia back in 1998, but God has other plans for me, and in not proceeding as planned, what I gave up in terms of right of permanent residency in the land of the bushfire, God brought me back unto His presence, or at least the beginnings of my return to Him.
And straddling these two extrovert Nelsons is another Nelson that again some will have make acquaintance of. A quiet man, and a man of faith, but now somewhere in Perth, Australia and may he respond to the Lord's leading wherever God places him.
'Let your conversations be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have; for He hath said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.'
Hebrews 13:5
Almost cliché to state the obvious, but life indeed is unlike the quite definite and fixed routes one can easily obtain from Google maps, when planning to go to a specific destination. The only certainty of life is that besides death, there will be a diversity of emotional experiences, and no one is immune from moments of joy(no matter how sparing it might be for some) and overservings of pain and agony and disappointments, and in between, anger, envy, frustrations and fears, and whatever myriad emotions that human nature can evoke in response to its environment.
Man is sinful, and the world we live in is a fallen world ruled by the fallen angel, Satan, need one say more.
'But this thing commanded I them, saying, "Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. But they hearkened not, no inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels,and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.'
Jeremiah 7:23-24
The short, almost obnoxious(if historians are to be believed) but brilliant General and Emperor of France, Napolean Bonaparte(1796-1821), truly believed that he was born a part(don't mind the pun) from the common man, and with great disdain and brilliance, set about from the ruins of a France going through the throes of revoluton, to conquer the stodgy and self serving monarchies of Continental Europe.
I don't know Admiral Nelson personally,(though like the pigeons at Tralfagar Square, I have touched his statue when in London), for reincarnation is not a tool of my faith, but Napolean did literally meet him in the flesh and with great grief, for the defeat of the mighty combined French/Spanish naval fleet by the British Admiral Nelson, put an end to Napolean's plan to bring the stubborn British bulldogs to their knees, and put a dent on his till recently mighty conquering ways.
Short or almost ugly most of us might think we are not, but are we no different in the way we live our lives, all conquering like Napolean, leaning upon our own strengths and wiles, desiring to achieve what we by our own finite understanding pine for?
Much as most of us might not be active participants in the present delusory madness of stockmarket and property price appreciation. "Rainbow chasers" many of us are, even if you might not realize it, for a pot of gold the end of the rainbow might offer, but unless I remember otherwise, none of us can really determine where the end of the rainbow is.
But is life not the same? We seek the temporal, yet choose not to admit to that brevity, and rather ignore the need to ponder about what comes after, and if eternity could be real as God has oft reminded all, believer or not.
Admiral Nelson has his statue, that the pidgeons gladly leave their droppings on. Quite an ignominy for a once great man, but who knows where he is.
Napolean was exiled a 2nd time to the volcanic island of St Helena, and died a broken and possibly poisoned man. And besides historians, only madman who dreams of empire building will try to resurrect his ideals, and for the few of us who love watches, we know his sister better, by virtue of(at least in my mind) one of the prettiest ladies watch, aptly titled, "The Queen of Naples" by Breguet in honor of Napolean's sister.
And what about all the other Nelsons I know? None are on my mailing, though I am still in close contact with the one who lives amongst the kangaroos. I believe he is moving closer to Christ, as life brings him closer to our Maker, the one and only Sovereign God.
What about the other two nelsons, and the many other tom, dick, harry and marys in our lives? Man plans, God directs. And it should be our prayers that when God make them ready, we are ready to journey with them, with our Lord Jesus Christ as the sole focus of our life's journey.
'I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.'
Philippians 3:14
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(2 Sep 09)
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