Dear…
‘Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.’
1 Peter 4:12-13
Fiery indeed it has been for the residents of Bangkok, a place I have spent an inordinate of time the past twelve years, thankfully not for carnal pleasure, but for the simple fact that it is where work beckons. And for those who have been to the Land of Smiles, nigh would anyone have imagined the ferocity of anger and resultant violence, that have turned this once vibrant capital city of Thailand into a land of smite.
‘To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt. Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us….’
Acts 7:39-40
Thailand is a land of not just watts, as in mega smiles, but of wats. There is a surfeit of shrines that do the whole landscape, and the closest comparable must be in Japan, a courteous society dotted with Shinto shrines and portable shrines. Interestingly, beneath the congenial façade in civic society, and the civilized man, lies an uncontrollable anger that will surface, if the right buttons are pressed, for not many of the present generation in peacetime Asia can fathom the extent of cruelty that the Japanese conquerors of most of Asia of World War II had inflicted on the local population. Just as none can imagine the degree of violence wreaked upon Bangkok just last week.
And on pressing buttons, there are views circulating, albeit not substantiated, that certain vested interests do desire the whole socio political structure of Thailand to collapse, a failed state. For only in chaos, only in bringing down the functioning pillars of the country can the same vested interests have an opportunity to take power. Is this conspiracy true? Is man capable of such extreme selfish interests and great evil? History seems to attest to the capacity of man for such singular evil and even as this is being written, the political landscape of the world is increasingly being filled with more potential failed states like Somalia, possibly Yemen, Afghanistan and Iraq. And not forgetting Mexico and Jamaica, where the drug lords are increasingly more powerful than the State.
Would USA or Western Europe ever degenerate to this same sorry state? The political and social structure might still be in place, but increasingly, the financial system are increasingly pilloried and should this life stream of free market economies ever stall, the ramifications will be far reaching.
And with the welfare system of Europe increasingly untenable, social unrests will be the norm in once rich Europe and will this be similar fertile ground for the anti Christ in the form of a Hitler reincarnate to surface?
‘Another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.’
Judges 2:10
For those of us in Singapore, it was indeed gratifying that our present leaders honored the contributions of the late Dr Goh Keng Swee, with a State funeral. For those of us who spent the early part of our lives in an undeveloped Singapore, and progressed materially, as our country developed, thanks to the wisdom and dedication of such men, the recent deluge of history on the work of such men is a good reminder to all of how Singapore is blessed. But does the work and sacrifice of first generation leaders like Dr Goh strike any chord in the hearts of the present generation(age 35 and below)? Save for a miniscule minority, I doubt there will be any empathy, for our children might be the full beneficiaries of the fruits of these past efforts and sacrifices, but without going through the baptism of fire of personal deprivation and challenges of life, nothing can be ingrained nor understood, for second hand learning is at best academic. And even a determined effort on our part to educate them on our past history can only scratch the surface of their psyche.
‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God.’
Mark 10:4
Does it mean that younger Sovereign countries like us will go the same way as the once great civilizations of past? History is replete with the rise and fall of both great Empires and independent states, and much as it is due to conquests by stronger enemies, often, the seeds of collapse have already been sown by the weakening of generational mettle, no difference from the proverbial generational curse of the family.
I was just reminded by our Abba Father that it need not be this way. Our Lord Jesus Christ in Mark 10:4 specifically welcomed children into His presence. An article I read just yesterday gave an interesting insight. Britain during its heyday as the Empire of the world, was also a land filled with faithful and eloquent men, full of the Spirit of God. By the privilege position of its superpower status then, the Christian faith was preached successfully in the entire realms of the British Empire, including its far flung reaches. However, very little was done at home base to teach/share the faith to the children and the youths. Today, amongst these spiritually neglected recent generations, very few have a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, and a disproportionate many are more in tune with the ways of the world, the devil’s ways, and today, once fervently Christian Britain is increasingly not just secular, but penalizing anyone who dares to live the faith on the public platform.
‘Now we have received ….the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.’
1 Corinthians 2:12
The war is already won with the risen Christ. Satan no longer can use death to grip our very being. But he is still trying, for God gives us all a choice. To follow Him to the road of eternity in Heaven or down the slippery slope of eternal damnation? The battle for our very soul is now waged in the family platform. The traditional family is the cornerstone of every civilized society, regardless of its choice of economic system, be it free market, mixed economy or central government as per the communist.
The weakening of the family foundations through divorces, infidelity, co-habitation, same sex lifestyle, non God ordained procreation methods coupled with determined coordinated efforts to push God away from common areas like schools, offices and government have led to sinful and prideful man and their mortal creations taking over the role of our Heavenly Father. Men being finite, imperfect and selfish can never replace nor replicate the goodness of our Sovereign God.
And the family is an important mirror of our relationship with our Heavenly Father. It is the mirror upon which our children will learn about selflessness and unmitigated love of parents. To learn about the follies of pride and selfishness as contrasted to concern for others and to feel the indescribable joy of sharing love. It is no wonder that the devil and his lackeys are so determined to destroy the family foundation. For family relationships is our glue to knowing God, while self centered individualism is a reflection of Satan’s sinful pride.
‘For such are false prophets, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light…’
2 Corinthians 11:13-14
A country is a confluence of individuals of different diversity, but with sufficient commonality to be functioning as a corporate body. Satan knows that, and in appealing to the need to respect diversity, or more like to each his or her own selfish interests, the devil knows the end result. A failed state.
For a corporate body can only function if each are prepared to be more selfless than selfish, and that laws and majority interests are respected.
The world that the devil advocates is one that impeach anyone that dares to have a different view from his, one that hides behind the façade of secularism, yet stamps out anyone who dares to have a different view, one that advocates lustful carnality and disdain basic human goodness that differentiates us from the beasts.
‘So then everyone of us shall give account of himself to God.’
Romans 14:12
Evolution is what Darwin used to describe how man originates from lesser creatures to our present superior human form over time. To each their own beliefs, for each has to answer to our Sovereign God. However, today, evolution is what the devil and its proponents are insidiously propagating, by sledge hammering the family foundation, the cornerstone of any society and in tearing down good godly values, the devil hoped that modern man will evolve back to the behavioral characteristics of an animal, where the fittest survive and the laws of the jungle rule.
This is not what God wants for all of us, His children. For Ephesians 4:12-15 is what God planned for us
‘For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we call come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive…..’
Ephesians 4:12-15
It is time that as men blessed to know our Lord Jesus Christ, that we let the Holy Spirit transform us, for only in letting God make right our present fallen state, can we be used by Him to bring about change in our family, in the corporate body that He has placed in our lives. To continue to be blissfully unaware or disinterested will not just lead us to the degenerative state that we are witnessing in the Western world, but to eternal damnation.
‘Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery , which was kept secret since the world began. But now is made manifest and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.’
Romans 16:25-27
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(24th May 10)
Sowing more than rice
The latest news report indicated that Vietnam is fast taking market share from Thailand in the lower grade rice market. Nothing to be sniff about given Thailand’s long predominance in what is still a very huge market base, for Asia is very much still a developing continent.
Indeed rubbing salt into a festering wound, but through it all, I am reminded of what is happening in Thailand. For a long time, the more receptive grounds to the gospel of salvation are located in the minority tribal areas of Northern Thailand. Mainstream Thais, especially in the capital city of Bangkok, it is very hard ground given that their religion is very much intertwined with their culture and lifestyle. Yet, God is faithful, much as we might be faithless. Just last month, a friend shared on an interesting phenomenon happening in Thailand. The long sown seeds on hard ground seems to be sprouting forth, judging by the significant increase in the attendees at a pastor conference. Bangkok is the place where I moved from being an acquaintance of God to truly desirous of following Him. Bangkok is also the place where God has allowed me to witness His grace many times, the most recent when He opened the hearts of many of my Thai friends to accept warmly His book “Reflections – a traveler’s muse”
Much as we must pray for the many in Thailand to come to know God, for their eternity is at stake, it is not for us, even with good intentions, to wish the worst on anyone so that they will be shaken out of their stupor. And the recent events in Bangkok has indeed been cataclysmic in its ramifications. But truly only God knows what is the way, and as for us, it is to continue to pray for and to journey with love, our fellow stragglers not just from Thailand, but from anywhere in the world, when they finally join us on this wonderful journey with our Lord.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Reflections for the moment #66 God of prosperity (21st May 10)
Dear…
'Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.'
Romans 13:8
Can a hungry stomach run exclusively on the fuel of brotherly love grounded on prayers to the Lord our God? Obviously not for many. An interview in the newspaper with an South African ex-pastor who decided to quit being a materially poor shepherd and transform into an evangelical wealth entrepreneur speaks volume of the reality of the challenges facing any of us who want to stay the course in not just sharing the gospel of God's love but living out our faith as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. Africa, where this ex pastor is based is a land of deprivation, much as it is blessed with resources, and the dear man figured that if he can generate material wealth, he will be empowered to translate his love into action and not stay stuck at mere prayers!!If the papers are reliable, it seems he had decided that either God is not answering his prayers, or that God needed some help from him to get things done.
‘Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God Which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 4:6-7
God does know we need resources to meet our needs and also to do His work. But increasingly, many Christians seem to subscribe to this similar idea that we should not be afraid to ask for much more, and being polite or patient with God will not bring us the oodles of cash to pay for the gravy train, that will help bring more on board the train of salvation. And that we need to do our part while God does His, a co-partnership. Are these assumptions in line with the will of God??
I cannot say I have much experience with churches that consistently preach the prosperity message, but based on the crowds, the pastors have found a real niche. The Jews during the time of our Lord Jesus Christ were well aware of the promise of a Savior, to liberate them from their Roman oppressors. But nay did they expect or believe that he will be in the form of a lowly carpenter, rather than a man of great stature and power.
'But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.'
Acts 1:8
As Christians, are we making the same erroneous assumption that an effective and “successful” Christian must be equated with the things the carnal world values, that is, wealth, power, prestige and everything else the carnal man values? In the same vein, being materially poor, or self sacrificial is mere symbolism, if our hearts are not right with God. For God looks for obedience not sacrifice. And how can we know the will of God if we do not take time in prayers, and instead start doing things based on our flawed understanding?
'The rich rules over the poor. And the borrower is servant to the lender.'
Proverbs 22:7
One prominent but less highlighted casualty of the American sub-prime crisis was the many churches in USA, who decided to move from bring a place of worship to a lifestyle hub, with a generative income. On logic, it seemed correct then, for many of these churches were sitting on precious land, and the buildings could be enhanced to incorporate many more services plus provide a stream of rental income. I know that our Lord Jesus Christ did angrily throw out the many commercial vendors who set up shop in the temple of God, but is this not different, given that the income will help to self finance the church's activities?
But is the kingdom of God about what we think, or what God wills?
'Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.'
Romans 14:15
Man plans, God directs. Many of these churches are now facing foreclosure, what with the double whammy of falling church attendance and tithes as recession bites, and the imploding property prices making many once tenable mortgages no longer viable.
'Therefore do not let your good be spoken as evil., for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.'
Romans:14:16- 17
Can man truly thrive on air and lots of prayers? Save for recent story about the holy man from India, who purportedly ate nothing for quite some time, most mortal us do need the basic necessities of life. God knows our needs, and all who faithfully follows the leading of the Holy Spirit will attest to the fact that God indeed provides, for our daily needs, much as the imperfect man looks for permanency to what is a temporal life.
Man clings on to their provisions, but God wants us to cling on to Him our provider and prayers ensures that we look to God as our only Provider, that we know His will, and prayers asked in His will, will be answered.
‘For what is a man advantage, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?’
Luke 9:25
The world we live in today is rapidly transforming or more like deteriorating. Clearly, the European Commission has now joined the once prudent USA in impoverishing the thrifty savers by their continued running of the printing press, to print even more fiat monies. The more astute man is not sitting still, waiting to be stripped bare. Many are now scrambling to look for refuge from the grubby hands of the government, and much as real assets might provide some comfort in an orderly world, it has its limits, even more so as the gap widens between the few rich and the burgeoning poor.
Will there truly be any real safe havens in a sea of despair and social unrest? Will material wealth truly preserve our very being?
‘But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.’
Luke 12:31
Two years back during the height of the subprime crisis, all the wealth in the world became a burden for no bank was safe and many of the truly wealthy had sleepless nights worrying about the need to move from bank to bank, never knowing which bank would collapse on them.
Today, as we enter the next phase, the banks might look more stable for now, as governments have now taken over the risk on behalf of their once profligate ways. But the pieces of paper we have deposited in the banks are increasingly being devalued by the wanton printing of more paper monies by these same governments.
Three years back, when the Lord impress upon my heart the need to buy gold, it was not about physical gold but our character as gold refined by the Lord. Clearly the sense of déjà vu from three years back(the subprime) or even twelve years back(Asian crisis) or maybe even thirty five years back(stagflation in the 1970s) is a upon us. It is already late but not quite late for all of us to live out Luke 12:31, to put God first and foremost before everything else. For to do so otherwise will bring us to the same grief of our predecessors.
‘For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’
Luke 12:34
Many in the present generation of investors have no inkling what the last Great Depression was like, nor what the carnage of the 1970s cycle of stagflation can do to those who stretched their finances. And some might remember the past Asian crisis, but most would likely remember more the Dot com crash of 2001 as well as the recent subprime crisis when things rebound fairly quickly. Real lessons are never learned when the pain is short, and real transformation of character normally occurs over a prolonged period of pain and deprivation.
Similarly, almost all come to a significant relationship with the our ever present Father in Heaven, when our backs are not just to the wall, but flat out, for God looks for a humble and contrite heart.
‘And I heard Him speaking unto me out of the house, and the man stood by me..’
Ezekiel 43:6
Many of us, even those who are first generation Christians have long moved away from God, as our heart longs for things of the world, for idols that will prosper us. Most might seek the god of prosperity during the Chinese New Year. But reality is most are seeking the god or gods of prosperity every moment of their life. Is God speaking to you through me to remind you of our erring from the covenant that He has with us, to seek Him with our all. I believe so, but it matters not. What matters is how extreme a shaking does one need to learn to be still and know the will of God?
‘Another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.’
Judges 2:10
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(18th May 2010)
Storehouses of value
‘Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 2:4-5
Much as I am well placed to buy into the present carnage in the financial markets. Much as my carnal urge is there to dive right into the “bargains” in this present climate of fear, our good Lord reminded me of the need to be patient, a thought He has placed in my hearts many times this year.
It is this obedience to His leading that has allowed me to be in this present sweet spot of being fairly well sheltered from the negativity in the present markets. I believe that the rest of this year will be an opportunity for us to prepare for the coming high inflation that will beset the once besotted world of easy leverage. Indeed the borrower will become a slave to the lender, as the whip of higher and higher interest rates inflict great pain on many. God will lead those who seek Him into preparing these storehouses of value, that will be needed to be released into the many who will be if not already deprived, for words without works brings no increase in faith.
The Lord is ready to bless us with the provisions for His work. Question is, is your heart ready? To seek material wealth for the sake of personal accumulation will bring with it even greater grief, for no one truly knows what is a safe level to invest. But if we are prepared to invest our all in His Kingdom, with whatever God has already blessed us with, not just materially, but in all areas, God will more than amply provide, for indeed the world will see the glory of God worked through the lives of the faithful.
[Ang, Eng Hieang (Singapore)]
‘But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 4:19
'Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.'
Romans 13:8
Can a hungry stomach run exclusively on the fuel of brotherly love grounded on prayers to the Lord our God? Obviously not for many. An interview in the newspaper with an South African ex-pastor who decided to quit being a materially poor shepherd and transform into an evangelical wealth entrepreneur speaks volume of the reality of the challenges facing any of us who want to stay the course in not just sharing the gospel of God's love but living out our faith as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. Africa, where this ex pastor is based is a land of deprivation, much as it is blessed with resources, and the dear man figured that if he can generate material wealth, he will be empowered to translate his love into action and not stay stuck at mere prayers!!If the papers are reliable, it seems he had decided that either God is not answering his prayers, or that God needed some help from him to get things done.
‘Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God Which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 4:6-7
God does know we need resources to meet our needs and also to do His work. But increasingly, many Christians seem to subscribe to this similar idea that we should not be afraid to ask for much more, and being polite or patient with God will not bring us the oodles of cash to pay for the gravy train, that will help bring more on board the train of salvation. And that we need to do our part while God does His, a co-partnership. Are these assumptions in line with the will of God??
I cannot say I have much experience with churches that consistently preach the prosperity message, but based on the crowds, the pastors have found a real niche. The Jews during the time of our Lord Jesus Christ were well aware of the promise of a Savior, to liberate them from their Roman oppressors. But nay did they expect or believe that he will be in the form of a lowly carpenter, rather than a man of great stature and power.
'But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.'
Acts 1:8
As Christians, are we making the same erroneous assumption that an effective and “successful” Christian must be equated with the things the carnal world values, that is, wealth, power, prestige and everything else the carnal man values? In the same vein, being materially poor, or self sacrificial is mere symbolism, if our hearts are not right with God. For God looks for obedience not sacrifice. And how can we know the will of God if we do not take time in prayers, and instead start doing things based on our flawed understanding?
'The rich rules over the poor. And the borrower is servant to the lender.'
Proverbs 22:7
One prominent but less highlighted casualty of the American sub-prime crisis was the many churches in USA, who decided to move from bring a place of worship to a lifestyle hub, with a generative income. On logic, it seemed correct then, for many of these churches were sitting on precious land, and the buildings could be enhanced to incorporate many more services plus provide a stream of rental income. I know that our Lord Jesus Christ did angrily throw out the many commercial vendors who set up shop in the temple of God, but is this not different, given that the income will help to self finance the church's activities?
But is the kingdom of God about what we think, or what God wills?
'Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.'
Romans 14:15
Man plans, God directs. Many of these churches are now facing foreclosure, what with the double whammy of falling church attendance and tithes as recession bites, and the imploding property prices making many once tenable mortgages no longer viable.
'Therefore do not let your good be spoken as evil., for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.'
Romans:14:16- 17
Can man truly thrive on air and lots of prayers? Save for recent story about the holy man from India, who purportedly ate nothing for quite some time, most mortal us do need the basic necessities of life. God knows our needs, and all who faithfully follows the leading of the Holy Spirit will attest to the fact that God indeed provides, for our daily needs, much as the imperfect man looks for permanency to what is a temporal life.
Man clings on to their provisions, but God wants us to cling on to Him our provider and prayers ensures that we look to God as our only Provider, that we know His will, and prayers asked in His will, will be answered.
‘For what is a man advantage, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?’
Luke 9:25
The world we live in today is rapidly transforming or more like deteriorating. Clearly, the European Commission has now joined the once prudent USA in impoverishing the thrifty savers by their continued running of the printing press, to print even more fiat monies. The more astute man is not sitting still, waiting to be stripped bare. Many are now scrambling to look for refuge from the grubby hands of the government, and much as real assets might provide some comfort in an orderly world, it has its limits, even more so as the gap widens between the few rich and the burgeoning poor.
Will there truly be any real safe havens in a sea of despair and social unrest? Will material wealth truly preserve our very being?
‘But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.’
Luke 12:31
Two years back during the height of the subprime crisis, all the wealth in the world became a burden for no bank was safe and many of the truly wealthy had sleepless nights worrying about the need to move from bank to bank, never knowing which bank would collapse on them.
Today, as we enter the next phase, the banks might look more stable for now, as governments have now taken over the risk on behalf of their once profligate ways. But the pieces of paper we have deposited in the banks are increasingly being devalued by the wanton printing of more paper monies by these same governments.
Three years back, when the Lord impress upon my heart the need to buy gold, it was not about physical gold but our character as gold refined by the Lord. Clearly the sense of déjà vu from three years back(the subprime) or even twelve years back(Asian crisis) or maybe even thirty five years back(stagflation in the 1970s) is a upon us. It is already late but not quite late for all of us to live out Luke 12:31, to put God first and foremost before everything else. For to do so otherwise will bring us to the same grief of our predecessors.
‘For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’
Luke 12:34
Many in the present generation of investors have no inkling what the last Great Depression was like, nor what the carnage of the 1970s cycle of stagflation can do to those who stretched their finances. And some might remember the past Asian crisis, but most would likely remember more the Dot com crash of 2001 as well as the recent subprime crisis when things rebound fairly quickly. Real lessons are never learned when the pain is short, and real transformation of character normally occurs over a prolonged period of pain and deprivation.
Similarly, almost all come to a significant relationship with the our ever present Father in Heaven, when our backs are not just to the wall, but flat out, for God looks for a humble and contrite heart.
‘And I heard Him speaking unto me out of the house, and the man stood by me..’
Ezekiel 43:6
Many of us, even those who are first generation Christians have long moved away from God, as our heart longs for things of the world, for idols that will prosper us. Most might seek the god of prosperity during the Chinese New Year. But reality is most are seeking the god or gods of prosperity every moment of their life. Is God speaking to you through me to remind you of our erring from the covenant that He has with us, to seek Him with our all. I believe so, but it matters not. What matters is how extreme a shaking does one need to learn to be still and know the will of God?
‘Another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.’
Judges 2:10
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(18th May 2010)
Storehouses of value
‘Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 2:4-5
Much as I am well placed to buy into the present carnage in the financial markets. Much as my carnal urge is there to dive right into the “bargains” in this present climate of fear, our good Lord reminded me of the need to be patient, a thought He has placed in my hearts many times this year.
It is this obedience to His leading that has allowed me to be in this present sweet spot of being fairly well sheltered from the negativity in the present markets. I believe that the rest of this year will be an opportunity for us to prepare for the coming high inflation that will beset the once besotted world of easy leverage. Indeed the borrower will become a slave to the lender, as the whip of higher and higher interest rates inflict great pain on many. God will lead those who seek Him into preparing these storehouses of value, that will be needed to be released into the many who will be if not already deprived, for words without works brings no increase in faith.
The Lord is ready to bless us with the provisions for His work. Question is, is your heart ready? To seek material wealth for the sake of personal accumulation will bring with it even greater grief, for no one truly knows what is a safe level to invest. But if we are prepared to invest our all in His Kingdom, with whatever God has already blessed us with, not just materially, but in all areas, God will more than amply provide, for indeed the world will see the glory of God worked through the lives of the faithful.
[Ang, Eng Hieang (Singapore)]
‘But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 4:19
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Reflections for the moment #65 The great game (14th may 10)
Dear…
‘Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.’
Proverbs 27:1
The great game denotes the strategic conflict in the 19th century, between the expanding empires of Great Britain and Tsarist Russia with Afghanistan juxtaposed between the British Lion and the Russian bear. The Amir of Afghanistan then, must be wondering with friends like these, who needs enemies, for it was not easy to be a pawn being moved around by the sharp claws of Her Majesty’s Britannia as well as that of the smoldering paws of Mother Russia, as they battle for supremacy in Central Asia.
The sun has since set on the British Empire, and though the Tsar had an earlier demise, being unceremoniously consigned to a lowly burial pit, the Russian Empire is still very much alive, no doubt a little hobbled thanks to Gorbachev’s glasnost, but now going through a resurgence under strongman Putin. Interestingly, the man Putin with his cold steely eyes, is into animals, at least symbolism, what with news releases showing him in all his manhood fishing in the cold of Siberia, tagging a Siberian tiger and now the latest, hunching over a sedated polar bear.
‘For the Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord bestows favor and honor, no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You.’
Psalm 84:11-12
The eminent scribe, Shakespeare did mention that the world is a stage and we are all mere players with our exits and entrances. And indeed much as the geopolitics of the world has evolved with time, the very sinful nature of men have not changed, and the conflicts, the scheming and the jostling for self interest is very much alive, and the great game continues to be played all over the world, with Afghanistan and its environs, Central Asia once again a major stage for man’s machinations. And as in all conflicts, history will be written by the victor. And these battles are driven no doubt by men whose drivers are their own finite understanding, fueled by their carnal needs.
‘But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence, therefore I command thee to do this thing.’
Deuteronomy 24:18
But there is a greater and much more important conflict. The continued struggle in the spiritual realm, between good and evil. Yet, unlike earthly conflicts, with the Risen Christ and his victory over death, the spiritual war is already won, and the devil’s grip upon us the seeds of Adam broken. So is there any reason for this game, this struggle for our soul to continue? Are we even cognizance of the reality that the spiritual underlies our earthly struggles?
'...that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men...'
Daniel 4:17
God made us in His likeness. From the first bite of the apple by Adam, the fallen man’s heart no longer has a place for God. God will not impose His will upon us. We have to decide. God has already forgiven us our sins, by the risen Christ, but it is up to us to decide if we want to accept the salvation, and upon acceptance, if we are willing to be transformed unto His likeness.
This is the game being played out now in all our lives. Will we be willing to navigate through the treacherous paths that the devil has put in place on our own strength or are we willing to trust the leading of the Holy Spirit, send by God. Will we walk out of prison on our own strength and in all likelihood, end back up in the cold slammer of bondage or will we walk into the light of freedom, with the light of the Spirit of God?
The conclusion is certain, follow God and end up in joyful eternity, or not to follow God and end up in eternal damnation.
Just today, I felt a prompting(the equivalent word for the carnal man is “urge”) to call a friend whom I have not spoken to for the past three months.
Took a few attempts before I could get through to him, which is not usual and my right eyes just about this time have this irritant and I rather just not talk to anyone. Anyway, to cut to the chase, my friend after the preliminaries told me that he was about to join the “zipper” club. Thankfully, my faculties are still pretty sharp, and I knew what he meant. He was going for a major heart bypass, a follow-up from the angioplasy he did eight years back from a heart attack. I offered him my prayers, and he was thankful, much as he is not a believer.
To the cynical, even for the non follower Christian, what I term part-time Christian, this is probably another example of an over fervent follower of our Lord Jesus Christ making a big hula baloo out of a mere coincidence. But I know it is not, for God is precise and His timing is prescient, His ways perfect. Did I hear Him right, to call my friend? Thankfully I did and even more thankfully, I did respond to His leading.
‘When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him.’
Deuteronomy 18:22
We are all the pawns on this great chessboard of life, be it that one is of nobility or mere common man, and our masters if we choose to be carnal are fellow imperfect man, though the true puppet master is the devil, feeding upon our self deceit. But in this great game for our soul, we can choose to be “slaves” to God, to move away from carnality to spirituality, and come out of bondage from the devil’s grip, a hold on us since Adam disobeyed, but has since been broken by the risen Christ.
Slavery in the carnal human context is one of abuse, deprivation, misery and bereft of all rights. On the contrary, to be a “slave” to the Lord our God is not about servitude as in the carnal definition, but of gratitude. A gratitude to a loving Father, Whose forgiveness we can never earn by our own efforts. What then can our response be to His grace, but to have an attitude of a slave, who will follow in total obedience, without doubt, knowing that God is Sovereign, and He is more than our master, but our Father in Heaven, Who wants the best for us. As a ‘slave’ to God, our all must be to seek Him, to love Him and to be sensitive to His leading, and to respond without doubt, doing what He has shown us is right in His eyes.
‘For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.’
1 Corinthians 9:19
To let God mold us, lead us, transform us entails us giving up our finite understanding, a flaw that has caused men great grief since time immemorial.
If you are willing, the Holy Spirit will lead, guide, teach, correct and uplift us. But what are the rules to ensure that we play the game God’s way?
- Repent of our sins, and accept the salvation given to all, by acknowledging our Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior
‘Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God……’
1 John 5:1
- Seek God with your all, in prayers, in His Words.
Look to God and no longer to the world for our sustenance. Only in placing God as the sole focus of our lives can we know His will.
‘Cease, My son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.’
Proverbs 19:27
'Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving....'
Colossians 4:2
- Honor God in all your works, and thoughts.
Stop looking at issues from your perspective or that of others, but always ask, “what will our Lord Jesus Christ have done?” To be like Christ, we have to live our lives like Him, then can we grow in His likeness.
‘Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his way?’
Proverbs 20:24
'...but as He Who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.'
1 Peter 1:15
- Doing the above will bring your heart to a closer sensitivity to the Spirit’s prompting, a peace and joy that only God can give.
The Spirit of God Who resides in our hearts will convict us if we do wrong and affirms us with this indescribable peace when our will is aligned to God’s will
‘Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man’s heart, nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.’
Proverbs 19:20-21
- An attitude of unqualified faith as exemplified by the following verse.
We should focus on hearing God right, and in doing the above, we will hear God right. The question often permeating in our imperfect self is, will the conclusion be right? We must learn to take the next step of total obedience as God leads, and learn to leave the conclusion to our Father. God will answer all prayers ask in His will, but the timing and form, only He knows.
‘If it be so, our God Whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O King.
Daniel 3:17
But if not , be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.’
Daniel 3:18
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(12th May 10)
Listening to God
God has always been ever present in my life and one great joy of doing this word based ministry is that I see His very hands at work even as His Spirit guides me in my sharing. This sharing is about listening to God and our good Lord has given me ample practice these few days, with great joy.
Just yesterday, I met up with an ex colleague, who in all I probably really spoke to a couple of times in her ten years with us. But interestingly, I bumped into her right after she left her job with us to look after her young daughter, and again, after a space of a few months, I bumped into her right after she rejoined the workforce and it was no coincidence that we crossed paths at the same shopping mall. God left a deep impression upon me in our second cross meeting to arrange to pass her a copy of His book “Reflections – A traveler’s muse” And in my obedience, I reap this wonderful reward of discovering that this friend’s father is my primary school teacher, a man whom I truly respect and who has been in my heart these past few years, but have since lost contact with these past 37 years.
And talking about heart, I finally make the effort to meet a friend whom God had wanted me to meet. This gentleman has five months to live, if his treatment does not work. It was a pleasant meeting despite his illness, for friendships does enliven an ailing man. But what about his salvation? He did read the Lord’s book “Reflections – A traveler’s muse” that I left with him previously, and he was generous in his praise when he introduced a friend who had just dropped in at the tail end of our meeting today. But there is unfinished business, as I pondered while waiting at the traffic light in my car, on the way back after this morning’s meeting. How can I be used by the Lord to bring His light into the darkness enveloping my non believer friend’s resistant heart? God is indeed prescient. He hears our heartfelt desires to do His will. A lovely patch of sunlight enveloped the section of the road I was at, just as this thought crossed my heart. Prescient because till then, the weather was wet and the sky was gloomy. And other than the small patch of road I was in, its surrounds were a gloomy haze. I am thankful for indeed God knows our thoughts and He will answer our prayers if we ask in His will. I believe His light will shine unto the heart of my friend, much as time is finite.
‘Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the Lord had shewed me.’
Ezekiel 11:25
Truly there are times where I am not sure if I heard God right, or it I have done right as He wills? But our good Lord has again reminded me that it is not the conclusion we should be looking for, but the obedience that He desires. And as Christ has taught Martha in the resurrection of the till then quite dead Lazarus
‘Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?’
John 11:40
'Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirt.'
Romans 15:13
‘Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.’
Proverbs 27:1
The great game denotes the strategic conflict in the 19th century, between the expanding empires of Great Britain and Tsarist Russia with Afghanistan juxtaposed between the British Lion and the Russian bear. The Amir of Afghanistan then, must be wondering with friends like these, who needs enemies, for it was not easy to be a pawn being moved around by the sharp claws of Her Majesty’s Britannia as well as that of the smoldering paws of Mother Russia, as they battle for supremacy in Central Asia.
The sun has since set on the British Empire, and though the Tsar had an earlier demise, being unceremoniously consigned to a lowly burial pit, the Russian Empire is still very much alive, no doubt a little hobbled thanks to Gorbachev’s glasnost, but now going through a resurgence under strongman Putin. Interestingly, the man Putin with his cold steely eyes, is into animals, at least symbolism, what with news releases showing him in all his manhood fishing in the cold of Siberia, tagging a Siberian tiger and now the latest, hunching over a sedated polar bear.
‘For the Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord bestows favor and honor, no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You.’
Psalm 84:11-12
The eminent scribe, Shakespeare did mention that the world is a stage and we are all mere players with our exits and entrances. And indeed much as the geopolitics of the world has evolved with time, the very sinful nature of men have not changed, and the conflicts, the scheming and the jostling for self interest is very much alive, and the great game continues to be played all over the world, with Afghanistan and its environs, Central Asia once again a major stage for man’s machinations. And as in all conflicts, history will be written by the victor. And these battles are driven no doubt by men whose drivers are their own finite understanding, fueled by their carnal needs.
‘But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence, therefore I command thee to do this thing.’
Deuteronomy 24:18
But there is a greater and much more important conflict. The continued struggle in the spiritual realm, between good and evil. Yet, unlike earthly conflicts, with the Risen Christ and his victory over death, the spiritual war is already won, and the devil’s grip upon us the seeds of Adam broken. So is there any reason for this game, this struggle for our soul to continue? Are we even cognizance of the reality that the spiritual underlies our earthly struggles?
'...that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men...'
Daniel 4:17
God made us in His likeness. From the first bite of the apple by Adam, the fallen man’s heart no longer has a place for God. God will not impose His will upon us. We have to decide. God has already forgiven us our sins, by the risen Christ, but it is up to us to decide if we want to accept the salvation, and upon acceptance, if we are willing to be transformed unto His likeness.
This is the game being played out now in all our lives. Will we be willing to navigate through the treacherous paths that the devil has put in place on our own strength or are we willing to trust the leading of the Holy Spirit, send by God. Will we walk out of prison on our own strength and in all likelihood, end back up in the cold slammer of bondage or will we walk into the light of freedom, with the light of the Spirit of God?
The conclusion is certain, follow God and end up in joyful eternity, or not to follow God and end up in eternal damnation.
Just today, I felt a prompting(the equivalent word for the carnal man is “urge”) to call a friend whom I have not spoken to for the past three months.
Took a few attempts before I could get through to him, which is not usual and my right eyes just about this time have this irritant and I rather just not talk to anyone. Anyway, to cut to the chase, my friend after the preliminaries told me that he was about to join the “zipper” club. Thankfully, my faculties are still pretty sharp, and I knew what he meant. He was going for a major heart bypass, a follow-up from the angioplasy he did eight years back from a heart attack. I offered him my prayers, and he was thankful, much as he is not a believer.
To the cynical, even for the non follower Christian, what I term part-time Christian, this is probably another example of an over fervent follower of our Lord Jesus Christ making a big hula baloo out of a mere coincidence. But I know it is not, for God is precise and His timing is prescient, His ways perfect. Did I hear Him right, to call my friend? Thankfully I did and even more thankfully, I did respond to His leading.
‘When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him.’
Deuteronomy 18:22
We are all the pawns on this great chessboard of life, be it that one is of nobility or mere common man, and our masters if we choose to be carnal are fellow imperfect man, though the true puppet master is the devil, feeding upon our self deceit. But in this great game for our soul, we can choose to be “slaves” to God, to move away from carnality to spirituality, and come out of bondage from the devil’s grip, a hold on us since Adam disobeyed, but has since been broken by the risen Christ.
Slavery in the carnal human context is one of abuse, deprivation, misery and bereft of all rights. On the contrary, to be a “slave” to the Lord our God is not about servitude as in the carnal definition, but of gratitude. A gratitude to a loving Father, Whose forgiveness we can never earn by our own efforts. What then can our response be to His grace, but to have an attitude of a slave, who will follow in total obedience, without doubt, knowing that God is Sovereign, and He is more than our master, but our Father in Heaven, Who wants the best for us. As a ‘slave’ to God, our all must be to seek Him, to love Him and to be sensitive to His leading, and to respond without doubt, doing what He has shown us is right in His eyes.
‘For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.’
1 Corinthians 9:19
To let God mold us, lead us, transform us entails us giving up our finite understanding, a flaw that has caused men great grief since time immemorial.
If you are willing, the Holy Spirit will lead, guide, teach, correct and uplift us. But what are the rules to ensure that we play the game God’s way?
- Repent of our sins, and accept the salvation given to all, by acknowledging our Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior
‘Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God……’
1 John 5:1
- Seek God with your all, in prayers, in His Words.
Look to God and no longer to the world for our sustenance. Only in placing God as the sole focus of our lives can we know His will.
‘Cease, My son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.’
Proverbs 19:27
'Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving....'
Colossians 4:2
- Honor God in all your works, and thoughts.
Stop looking at issues from your perspective or that of others, but always ask, “what will our Lord Jesus Christ have done?” To be like Christ, we have to live our lives like Him, then can we grow in His likeness.
‘Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his way?’
Proverbs 20:24
'...but as He Who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.'
1 Peter 1:15
- Doing the above will bring your heart to a closer sensitivity to the Spirit’s prompting, a peace and joy that only God can give.
The Spirit of God Who resides in our hearts will convict us if we do wrong and affirms us with this indescribable peace when our will is aligned to God’s will
‘Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man’s heart, nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.’
Proverbs 19:20-21
- An attitude of unqualified faith as exemplified by the following verse.
We should focus on hearing God right, and in doing the above, we will hear God right. The question often permeating in our imperfect self is, will the conclusion be right? We must learn to take the next step of total obedience as God leads, and learn to leave the conclusion to our Father. God will answer all prayers ask in His will, but the timing and form, only He knows.
‘If it be so, our God Whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O King.
Daniel 3:17
But if not , be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.’
Daniel 3:18
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(12th May 10)
Listening to God
God has always been ever present in my life and one great joy of doing this word based ministry is that I see His very hands at work even as His Spirit guides me in my sharing. This sharing is about listening to God and our good Lord has given me ample practice these few days, with great joy.
Just yesterday, I met up with an ex colleague, who in all I probably really spoke to a couple of times in her ten years with us. But interestingly, I bumped into her right after she left her job with us to look after her young daughter, and again, after a space of a few months, I bumped into her right after she rejoined the workforce and it was no coincidence that we crossed paths at the same shopping mall. God left a deep impression upon me in our second cross meeting to arrange to pass her a copy of His book “Reflections – A traveler’s muse” And in my obedience, I reap this wonderful reward of discovering that this friend’s father is my primary school teacher, a man whom I truly respect and who has been in my heart these past few years, but have since lost contact with these past 37 years.
And talking about heart, I finally make the effort to meet a friend whom God had wanted me to meet. This gentleman has five months to live, if his treatment does not work. It was a pleasant meeting despite his illness, for friendships does enliven an ailing man. But what about his salvation? He did read the Lord’s book “Reflections – A traveler’s muse” that I left with him previously, and he was generous in his praise when he introduced a friend who had just dropped in at the tail end of our meeting today. But there is unfinished business, as I pondered while waiting at the traffic light in my car, on the way back after this morning’s meeting. How can I be used by the Lord to bring His light into the darkness enveloping my non believer friend’s resistant heart? God is indeed prescient. He hears our heartfelt desires to do His will. A lovely patch of sunlight enveloped the section of the road I was at, just as this thought crossed my heart. Prescient because till then, the weather was wet and the sky was gloomy. And other than the small patch of road I was in, its surrounds were a gloomy haze. I am thankful for indeed God knows our thoughts and He will answer our prayers if we ask in His will. I believe His light will shine unto the heart of my friend, much as time is finite.
‘Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the Lord had shewed me.’
Ezekiel 11:25
Truly there are times where I am not sure if I heard God right, or it I have done right as He wills? But our good Lord has again reminded me that it is not the conclusion we should be looking for, but the obedience that He desires. And as Christ has taught Martha in the resurrection of the till then quite dead Lazarus
‘Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?’
John 11:40
'Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirt.'
Romans 15:13
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Reflections for the moment #64 Reminiscence (12th May 10)
Dear….
‘Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?’
Ecclesiastes 8:6-7
For many of us, life is about upward mobility and how do we stay connected to the vibrant world we lived in, and how do we position ourselves to be carried forth by the varied cross currents, that hopefully will allow us to scale the heights of what men deem achievements and success.
How many of us truly take time to be still and know the will of God?
‘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
Just yesterday, on a lovely Sunday afternoon, lovely because we finally had some rain, after the stifling heat of the past couple of weeks, I found myself, with my siblings, heading back towards the suburbs, to exactly where some of you had the privilege to spend a blessed time with the children of the Chen Su Lan Methodist Home last November, when we did an event in conjunction with the Lord’s book “Reflections – A traveler’s muse”. Maybe less precise here, for it was not the Children’s Home that I was visiting, but its next door neighbor, a nursing home for the aged and incapacitated. As I stood at the balcony of the room where my uncle is residing, looking into the Children’s Home, it did strike me as paradoxical. Here in this nursing home, generously sprinkled in its grounds are many wheel chaired bound older folks, where a sense of despondency permeates and many while away their time staring into space, a blank look that reflects beneath its surface, a life that once was, be it of fullness or of angst. Contrast that to the young lives next door, full of possibilities, much as for many in their still budding lives, it has been no bed of roses.
‘The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under Whose wings thou art come to trust.’
Ruth 2:12
It has been years since I met my uncle. It took a while for me to match the haggard and shriveled stranger staring at me, to the jovial man I used to know, whose visual image from at least 15 years back was the last frame ingrained in my psyche. How time does take its toll on a once vibrant body, but more importantly, does the toil of life also inflict such damage on the soul and spirit of man?
Our bodily shells are temporal. And it will deteriorate with time, much as some still seek fruitlessly, the elixir of life. But will a follower of Christ be able to age with grace, and do they need to suffer the ravages on their bodily shell as well, with its concomitant pain? Or can the Lord just take us home when it is time, without the ailments of the aging process? And can a life of faithful obedience with its joy and peace provide the faithful with a different passage in their journey in this temporal fallen world?
‘The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.’
Isaiah 40:8
God did take a rare few just like that, without the need to go through the throes of death.(2 Kings 2:11 on prophet Elijah) Or would I rather be like Methuselah, the oldest man in the world, who lived nine hundred sixty and nine years before he died, and whose death marked the beginnings of the flood aka Noah’s Ark? Being carnal and less than perfect, I do wish that God will allow me to leave my bodily shell without too much pain when He deem that it is time for me, yet I also wish that it will not be time as yet. Confused or fickle minded I might be, but the good Lord has blessed me in so many ways, and save for an ache here or there, as I enter the end of my second quarter of my finite life, it has never been more joyful. And God is good, for the past couple of months, He has brought even more people from my past back into my life. And lest I forget, if Christ should return like now, both the dead and the living faithful will be carried up to the throne of God.
'For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.'
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
I was at a 25th anniversary reunion gathering with my old University mates last Saturday. The venue might be spanking new, but clearly save for the accouterments that some of us hang around our bodily shell, all of us were displaying the ravages of age. The long sightedness did not really help, for most had a difficult time recognizing each other, and thankfully, the year book from 25 years back did come in useful. It was fun and it was great time for reminiscence on our once youthful adult days, much as most of us have doubled in age and for some girth as well, yet for others, a depletion of their crowning glory, but I am sure the last twenty five years also brings with it the burdens and joy of life.
‘Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?’
1 Corinthians 3:16
It always bemuse me as to how precise our Dear Father is with us who seek Him. This was the verse I read this morning from the Daily Bread and it is a loving gentle admonishment from the Lord, to dispel any doubts I might have as regards this issue of wear and tear. Much as the devil might want us all to believe that youth is vigor and age is rigor, the latter best ended like a piece of discarded widget, where like my uncle commented to my sister, the nursing home is a place where all who enters wait to die, where their very wretched soul is imprisoned within a now derelict and non functional body.
‘To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the Lord…’
Isaiah 42:7-8
Life or rather death need not be that way. A book I am currently reading, titled “None of these diseases - The Bible's health secrets for the 21st century by S.I McMillen, M.D. and David E. Stern, M.D”, written by a medical doctor, shows the wisdom of God’s words, that if followed, would have saved many of us, the ravages of our self inflicted illnesses(See Exodus15:26). We live in a sinful and temporal world. It does not mean that Christians will not fall sick nor die a mortal death. However, it is also an observation that if we live our lives the way God wills, life will indeed be one of joy and peace, rather than the cloak of stress that most wear permanently, and we will, in all likelihood have less of the life threatening toxins permeating from man’s understanding aka anger, worry, pride, bitterness, impatience and all that is bad for our body.
Just yesterday, I read an article on a recent study by doctors in Canada who linked a stronger heart to a cheerful disposition. Much as research has its limits, clearly, the countenance of a heart that is right with God clearly shows forth in a person and nothing in this world can take away that joy and peace and hope, or more correctly reassurance that come from knowing that the Spirit of God resides in our hearts.
Time and our follies will ensure that our bodily shell will succumb to the aging process. But our soul and spirit, if it truly and fully rested upon the spring of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, will continue to be refreshed, sustained and climb even greater heights of joy, in anticipation of the day the Lord will take us home. That is the hope, that is available to all, but sadly, is sorely lacking, once the distractions of a world once enamored with us, the non believers/non followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, leave us aside to ponder upon what once was, but now never again.
My sisters do a wonderful job in bringing joy to the down and out. I am still quite stiff and not very good at expressing simple love. And being a male is probably stretching that excuse a little too taut. Anyway, the last is reserved for the best, and my younger sister, the last to join us during this visitation, through her God given ease of personality, was used by our Lord to bring the smile back to a downtrodden soul, and the jovial uncle whom I used to know, by the grace of God, resurfaced and saved for a few symbolic representations of the ravages of age, the man of cheer I used to know emerged like a shining light from a cloud of despondency. What is impossible with man, is possible with our omnipresent and Sovereign God. And much as we must be willing to be used by the Lord our God to water amongst the many parched souls, and age is not the only determinant of that, it is God Who will bring about the increase.
And so, life need not be about us reminiscing about what once was, either for ourselves once the music in the carnival of life stops or for our loved ones now relieved of the physical vigor of life. There is still the effervescence and truly vibrant soul and spirit that mortality can never impact. Christ by his death and resurrection has broken the bondage of sin and death upon us. Joy and peace grounded upon the Lord our Rock is no longer a function of time nor our physical well being. Rather, it is grounded upon a heart whose place is solely for the Lord our God, and no matter the state of our bodily temple, the sanctifying love and presence of God will always ensure that it is perfect, till the Lord takes us home.
‘If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.’
1 Corinthians 3:17
Let us not wait till our outward shell falls apart, before we realize that our inward man is truly malnourished and starved of the sanctifying love of God our Father.
'Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you, he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light...'
John 12:35-36
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(11 May 10)
Remembering George Bush Junior
The man is very much alive, at least as of now, much as Obama has taken over the limelight. But the headline caption of “Shock and awe” to describe the $trillion emergency package cobbled together by the European Union to bring calm to the burgeoning panic in the financial markets jolted my memory of a not too distant “shock and awe’ strategy by the then Presidency of George Bush junior. Junior did a much faster job than Bush senior in completing the takeover of Iraq through the awesome display of American firepower. But victory is fleeting and problems are plentiful and few looking at the mess in Iraq today, could have recognized the euphoria of the American victory just a few short years back.
Would Fortress Europe go the same way as Iraq, where papering over the real issues buy temporal relief, but longer term pain and very little gain, for there is only so much one can drown one’s problem by flooding the world with paper.
Watch this space or rather, watch the listing Britannia(ie good old mother England) where the wolf packs might feast on while taking a temporary respite from Continental Europe.
‘Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?’
Ecclesiastes 8:6-7
For many of us, life is about upward mobility and how do we stay connected to the vibrant world we lived in, and how do we position ourselves to be carried forth by the varied cross currents, that hopefully will allow us to scale the heights of what men deem achievements and success.
How many of us truly take time to be still and know the will of God?
‘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
Just yesterday, on a lovely Sunday afternoon, lovely because we finally had some rain, after the stifling heat of the past couple of weeks, I found myself, with my siblings, heading back towards the suburbs, to exactly where some of you had the privilege to spend a blessed time with the children of the Chen Su Lan Methodist Home last November, when we did an event in conjunction with the Lord’s book “Reflections – A traveler’s muse”. Maybe less precise here, for it was not the Children’s Home that I was visiting, but its next door neighbor, a nursing home for the aged and incapacitated. As I stood at the balcony of the room where my uncle is residing, looking into the Children’s Home, it did strike me as paradoxical. Here in this nursing home, generously sprinkled in its grounds are many wheel chaired bound older folks, where a sense of despondency permeates and many while away their time staring into space, a blank look that reflects beneath its surface, a life that once was, be it of fullness or of angst. Contrast that to the young lives next door, full of possibilities, much as for many in their still budding lives, it has been no bed of roses.
‘The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under Whose wings thou art come to trust.’
Ruth 2:12
It has been years since I met my uncle. It took a while for me to match the haggard and shriveled stranger staring at me, to the jovial man I used to know, whose visual image from at least 15 years back was the last frame ingrained in my psyche. How time does take its toll on a once vibrant body, but more importantly, does the toil of life also inflict such damage on the soul and spirit of man?
Our bodily shells are temporal. And it will deteriorate with time, much as some still seek fruitlessly, the elixir of life. But will a follower of Christ be able to age with grace, and do they need to suffer the ravages on their bodily shell as well, with its concomitant pain? Or can the Lord just take us home when it is time, without the ailments of the aging process? And can a life of faithful obedience with its joy and peace provide the faithful with a different passage in their journey in this temporal fallen world?
‘The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.’
Isaiah 40:8
God did take a rare few just like that, without the need to go through the throes of death.(2 Kings 2:11 on prophet Elijah) Or would I rather be like Methuselah, the oldest man in the world, who lived nine hundred sixty and nine years before he died, and whose death marked the beginnings of the flood aka Noah’s Ark? Being carnal and less than perfect, I do wish that God will allow me to leave my bodily shell without too much pain when He deem that it is time for me, yet I also wish that it will not be time as yet. Confused or fickle minded I might be, but the good Lord has blessed me in so many ways, and save for an ache here or there, as I enter the end of my second quarter of my finite life, it has never been more joyful. And God is good, for the past couple of months, He has brought even more people from my past back into my life. And lest I forget, if Christ should return like now, both the dead and the living faithful will be carried up to the throne of God.
'For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.'
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
I was at a 25th anniversary reunion gathering with my old University mates last Saturday. The venue might be spanking new, but clearly save for the accouterments that some of us hang around our bodily shell, all of us were displaying the ravages of age. The long sightedness did not really help, for most had a difficult time recognizing each other, and thankfully, the year book from 25 years back did come in useful. It was fun and it was great time for reminiscence on our once youthful adult days, much as most of us have doubled in age and for some girth as well, yet for others, a depletion of their crowning glory, but I am sure the last twenty five years also brings with it the burdens and joy of life.
‘Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?’
1 Corinthians 3:16
It always bemuse me as to how precise our Dear Father is with us who seek Him. This was the verse I read this morning from the Daily Bread and it is a loving gentle admonishment from the Lord, to dispel any doubts I might have as regards this issue of wear and tear. Much as the devil might want us all to believe that youth is vigor and age is rigor, the latter best ended like a piece of discarded widget, where like my uncle commented to my sister, the nursing home is a place where all who enters wait to die, where their very wretched soul is imprisoned within a now derelict and non functional body.
‘To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the Lord…’
Isaiah 42:7-8
Life or rather death need not be that way. A book I am currently reading, titled “None of these diseases - The Bible's health secrets for the 21st century by S.I McMillen, M.D. and David E. Stern, M.D”, written by a medical doctor, shows the wisdom of God’s words, that if followed, would have saved many of us, the ravages of our self inflicted illnesses(See Exodus15:26). We live in a sinful and temporal world. It does not mean that Christians will not fall sick nor die a mortal death. However, it is also an observation that if we live our lives the way God wills, life will indeed be one of joy and peace, rather than the cloak of stress that most wear permanently, and we will, in all likelihood have less of the life threatening toxins permeating from man’s understanding aka anger, worry, pride, bitterness, impatience and all that is bad for our body.
Just yesterday, I read an article on a recent study by doctors in Canada who linked a stronger heart to a cheerful disposition. Much as research has its limits, clearly, the countenance of a heart that is right with God clearly shows forth in a person and nothing in this world can take away that joy and peace and hope, or more correctly reassurance that come from knowing that the Spirit of God resides in our hearts.
Time and our follies will ensure that our bodily shell will succumb to the aging process. But our soul and spirit, if it truly and fully rested upon the spring of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, will continue to be refreshed, sustained and climb even greater heights of joy, in anticipation of the day the Lord will take us home. That is the hope, that is available to all, but sadly, is sorely lacking, once the distractions of a world once enamored with us, the non believers/non followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, leave us aside to ponder upon what once was, but now never again.
My sisters do a wonderful job in bringing joy to the down and out. I am still quite stiff and not very good at expressing simple love. And being a male is probably stretching that excuse a little too taut. Anyway, the last is reserved for the best, and my younger sister, the last to join us during this visitation, through her God given ease of personality, was used by our Lord to bring the smile back to a downtrodden soul, and the jovial uncle whom I used to know, by the grace of God, resurfaced and saved for a few symbolic representations of the ravages of age, the man of cheer I used to know emerged like a shining light from a cloud of despondency. What is impossible with man, is possible with our omnipresent and Sovereign God. And much as we must be willing to be used by the Lord our God to water amongst the many parched souls, and age is not the only determinant of that, it is God Who will bring about the increase.
And so, life need not be about us reminiscing about what once was, either for ourselves once the music in the carnival of life stops or for our loved ones now relieved of the physical vigor of life. There is still the effervescence and truly vibrant soul and spirit that mortality can never impact. Christ by his death and resurrection has broken the bondage of sin and death upon us. Joy and peace grounded upon the Lord our Rock is no longer a function of time nor our physical well being. Rather, it is grounded upon a heart whose place is solely for the Lord our God, and no matter the state of our bodily temple, the sanctifying love and presence of God will always ensure that it is perfect, till the Lord takes us home.
‘If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.’
1 Corinthians 3:17
Let us not wait till our outward shell falls apart, before we realize that our inward man is truly malnourished and starved of the sanctifying love of God our Father.
'Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you, he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light...'
John 12:35-36
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(11 May 10)
Remembering George Bush Junior
The man is very much alive, at least as of now, much as Obama has taken over the limelight. But the headline caption of “Shock and awe” to describe the $trillion emergency package cobbled together by the European Union to bring calm to the burgeoning panic in the financial markets jolted my memory of a not too distant “shock and awe’ strategy by the then Presidency of George Bush junior. Junior did a much faster job than Bush senior in completing the takeover of Iraq through the awesome display of American firepower. But victory is fleeting and problems are plentiful and few looking at the mess in Iraq today, could have recognized the euphoria of the American victory just a few short years back.
Would Fortress Europe go the same way as Iraq, where papering over the real issues buy temporal relief, but longer term pain and very little gain, for there is only so much one can drown one’s problem by flooding the world with paper.
Watch this space or rather, watch the listing Britannia(ie good old mother England) where the wolf packs might feast on while taking a temporary respite from Continental Europe.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Reflections for the moment #63 Larger than life (7th May 10)
Dear…
‘That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend…the love of Christ which passes knowledge.’
Ephesians 3:17-19
“Larger than life” that was the advertising spew I happened to hear on radio yesterday in the taxi as I was on the way to meet a dear friend who is almost an octogenarian. The radio was promoting the aura of owning one of those luxury marque, but if you are nearing the end of your shelf life, does it really matter what possessions one owns? Would you prefer the old rugged cross and its promise of eternity with God our Father or the temporal treasures of the world, which might be fleeting, but our dalliance with it, will lead us to eternal damnation?
Just this morning, I spoke to another near octogenarian friend whom I have not communicated with for the past three months. He sounded rather off center, and much as he is not ready with the details, clearly, I sense that he is undergoing some form of serious, possibly life terminating illness. And that reminded me on the need to make good on my desire to call on another slightly younger friend, whom the doctor has given about nine months of life remaining. And I did call him, but he was not home, likely out for his treatment.
Just in case you are wondering, not all my friends are of the crusty version, but my prayer is that regardless of age, all will mature in their journey with the Lord our God.
‘Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.’
1 Peter 3:15
Much as most if not all know the brevity of life, it is still a rude awakening when the inevitable become a reality, when the finite sand in the hourglass of life cannot be flipped around to restart the time frame. That inescapable reality of not seeing too many sunrises is indeed burdensome, when one realizes one might no longer be around much longer to carry the weight of the world on one’s shoulder. Paradoxically, death does set one free from the worldly burdens, but it brings on a new uncertainty and fear of the unknown. And daunting it will be if we truly believe in the larger than life myths or facts of having to go through the many levels of torture in hell(for those who need a refresher, do pop by to the Haw Par Villa in Singapore). But for the Christian, there is life after death, in fact, eternal life after death. And your joyful new life will start not upon one’s physical death, but rather from the day one repents, and accepts the salvation given to all, and is responsive to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
‘Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification.’
Ephesians 4:29
The past one week or two has been a testing time for me. Anger management is one area the Lord allowed me to have some practice on. And I guess, the years of taking time with our good Lord did ensure that I half passed. But any gloating over my ability to restrain my carnal self and let the spirit of God’s love lead me was thrown down the chute last night, when I snapped with “good reason” and corrected the subject of my anger with unbridled wrath. Sinned I have, but God is good, and He has not just convicted me of my folly, but He has taught me to learn to seek forgiveness and to let the healing process not dragged too long for sin to grow. We cannot change the heart of others, not matter how much we wish to correct an “obvious” recalcitrant, but we can allow the Spirit of God to transform us, and by that, God can use us to journey with a once recalcitrant heart, but now a repentant heart, as He brings about the increase. And this is not a larger than life idealism that the cynical world has long consigned to the same chute, for with God, all things are possible and God will use good as He transforms evil.
‘We have dealt very corruptly against Thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which Thou commandedst Thy servant Moses. ….If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations. But if ye turn unto Me, and keep My commandments, and do them, thought there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set My name there.’
Nehemiah 1:7-9
God is love. And God is faithful, even if we are not. And much as God will not impose His will upon us, He will also not allow us to continue unabated in sin, and into eternal damnation. Throughout the Bible and in all Christian ministries and down to the daily living of a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, there is this constant reminder from God to all, who cares to listen, the call to turn away from the world and unto the Lord.
‘I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.’
Psalm 34:4
None is sure if the present increased tempo in the long running Greek saga will live up to its namesake as a Greek tragedy. But fear globally amongst investors have heightened a notch, and even Iceland is spewing more ash from its volcano, after a short lull, to provide the backdrop to the coming tempest. It is indeed more than a larger than life experience to have so many good quality blue chip stock prices drop in the high double digits(30-60%) last night, be it due to a genuine or deliberate error, for losses have become real in the parallel consequential panic in the currency markets. Lawlessness has not just permeated but gone further awry in our global financial systems.
‘This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.’
Psalm 34:6
It will indeed be nice if the “gods” that are supposed to reside on Mt Olympus will come down to save the Greeks from not just fearful investors, but from the hedge funds marauding like pack of wolves, in the once vaunted but now much weakened European Union. If what is happening now is reminiscence of the last Asian crisis, then more blood will be spilled, with the eventual reaction of the European Union being forced to be more authoritarian. Freedom of funds movements will be severely curtailed with a possible combination of exchange controls plus a host of other non-market rules that the European Union will impose(reminiscence of what the Asian countries did in the Asian crisis) to bring to a halt to the speculative attacks as well as restore sanity to the runaway panic, which is now steadily building up. We might be weeks or even days from that, but in the meanwhile, everyone is looking to the German Chancellor Merkel to ride in like a knight to the rescue of the coterie of damsels in distress, the dash rather than dashing Greeks, the somber Portuguese rather than the dark and handsome version, or for that matter, the limpid rather than languid Spaniards plus the shivering rather than suave Italians. And not forgetting the now quiet but still very frigid state of economic and financial stupor of the severely overstretched Eastern Europeans.
‘That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.’
Zephaniah 1:15
And what comes next, should nerves be temporarily halted.? Like the USA, we should expect the European Union to flood the world with a surfeit of Euros. Life will never be the same. The astronomical price just paid for a Picasso, what the Financial Times coined “the world’s most expensive bust” this bring a painting of Picasso’s mistress, might seem larger than life for a piece of paper with some ink on it. But life will soon take on mega bucks, as hard work and thrift get devalued, and many will scramble for real assets that can preserve or at least stem the rapid erosion of their purchasing power. Like the ex Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mathathir(who will feel justified that back in 1998, in the midst of the Asian crisis, his exchange control implementation that was much maligned by the self righteous West then, who now are likely to copiously follow suit), the other “M” ie Mr Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, will similarly feel exonerated that a loaf of bread should indeed be priced at Zimbabwe $1mio, for that might be where the world is soon heading to, if they continue their profligate ways. Protectionism, inflation, social unrest, xenophobia will increasingly be the color of a battered world, the perfect recipe for a repeat for the rise of demigods like Hitler, Lenin and Mussolini(of Italy), or maybe the Anti-Christ?
‘And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.’
Colossians 3:15
Horror stories with lots of blood and gore seems to sell better. Prayerfully, my little litany of what can come is not with that intent. It might matter to all of us who seek the temporal, but if our hearts are open to the Spirit of our loving Father, come what may, we know that He is Sovereign and when we experience to very sanctifying presence, when we seek Him, we will know that God is larger than life, no matter our present circumstances or station in life.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(7th May 2010)
An afterthought - The age of lawlessness
As I pondered upon what has been an interesting day, at least for those involved in the rough and tumble of the financial markets, I was reminded of an article going the rounds today about the possible conspiracy of hands unknown, whose engineering of an unprecedented 1000 points fall in the Dow Jones Index, has directly benefited the alleged conspirators who must have made a killing on the much larger currency markets, where the blood truly spilled in reaction to the near collapse in the stock markets.
'Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does not harm to its neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."
Romans 13:8
Does the pursuit of profit and personal gain justify the wholesale destruction of wealth and lives of the innocent? Clearly, a cursory observation of the financial upheavals of time immemorial has always revealed a latent driving force behind such implosions. the selfishness and greed of men. However in recent years, what seems different though is the scale and regularity of such destruction as well as the participation of a increasingly significant minority rather than just a select few in the past. And what is more galling is the indifference to their deeds when caught and the legalistic justification rather than the moral responsibility of earlier generations.
We are indeed in the age of lawlessness and this was the thought that the Lord has impressed upon me this evening.
How is it possible that the recent generation of movers and shakers of the developed world, with all their education and resources degenerate into bands of robbers and liars? Is it because their parents have lost their way, in turning away from the Lord. Dysfunctional families, the absence of the once ever present God in schools, in public offices, the instant gratification lifestyle and debauchery, the move away from Godly values as described in Galatians 5:22 and towards what the devil prescribe(Galatians 5: 19-21), we are now seeing the fruits of the disobedience of earlier generations, manifested in the now self centered adult lives of many in the developed world.
After the subprime in USA, the roaming gang of robbers and thieves in immaculate suits or expensive sweatsuits have now converged upon Europe. Soon it could be Asia. Can we stop it? I am not sure, but more importantly, we in Asia can avoid the same downhill slide in the family as ordained by God. The call now is for us as parents, to lead as spiritual heads of our households, with our spouses to turn to the Lord our God. To lead by example, our next generation and the generations to come, to ensure that they do not go down the same slipeery route as their once God fearing but now lawless counterparts in the West.
God is patient for our sake, but He will return to judge the world.
'But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no , not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man b. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark. And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be...'
Matthew 24:36-39
‘That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend…the love of Christ which passes knowledge.’
Ephesians 3:17-19
“Larger than life” that was the advertising spew I happened to hear on radio yesterday in the taxi as I was on the way to meet a dear friend who is almost an octogenarian. The radio was promoting the aura of owning one of those luxury marque, but if you are nearing the end of your shelf life, does it really matter what possessions one owns? Would you prefer the old rugged cross and its promise of eternity with God our Father or the temporal treasures of the world, which might be fleeting, but our dalliance with it, will lead us to eternal damnation?
Just this morning, I spoke to another near octogenarian friend whom I have not communicated with for the past three months. He sounded rather off center, and much as he is not ready with the details, clearly, I sense that he is undergoing some form of serious, possibly life terminating illness. And that reminded me on the need to make good on my desire to call on another slightly younger friend, whom the doctor has given about nine months of life remaining. And I did call him, but he was not home, likely out for his treatment.
Just in case you are wondering, not all my friends are of the crusty version, but my prayer is that regardless of age, all will mature in their journey with the Lord our God.
‘Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.’
1 Peter 3:15
Much as most if not all know the brevity of life, it is still a rude awakening when the inevitable become a reality, when the finite sand in the hourglass of life cannot be flipped around to restart the time frame. That inescapable reality of not seeing too many sunrises is indeed burdensome, when one realizes one might no longer be around much longer to carry the weight of the world on one’s shoulder. Paradoxically, death does set one free from the worldly burdens, but it brings on a new uncertainty and fear of the unknown. And daunting it will be if we truly believe in the larger than life myths or facts of having to go through the many levels of torture in hell(for those who need a refresher, do pop by to the Haw Par Villa in Singapore). But for the Christian, there is life after death, in fact, eternal life after death. And your joyful new life will start not upon one’s physical death, but rather from the day one repents, and accepts the salvation given to all, and is responsive to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
‘Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification.’
Ephesians 4:29
The past one week or two has been a testing time for me. Anger management is one area the Lord allowed me to have some practice on. And I guess, the years of taking time with our good Lord did ensure that I half passed. But any gloating over my ability to restrain my carnal self and let the spirit of God’s love lead me was thrown down the chute last night, when I snapped with “good reason” and corrected the subject of my anger with unbridled wrath. Sinned I have, but God is good, and He has not just convicted me of my folly, but He has taught me to learn to seek forgiveness and to let the healing process not dragged too long for sin to grow. We cannot change the heart of others, not matter how much we wish to correct an “obvious” recalcitrant, but we can allow the Spirit of God to transform us, and by that, God can use us to journey with a once recalcitrant heart, but now a repentant heart, as He brings about the increase. And this is not a larger than life idealism that the cynical world has long consigned to the same chute, for with God, all things are possible and God will use good as He transforms evil.
‘We have dealt very corruptly against Thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which Thou commandedst Thy servant Moses. ….If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations. But if ye turn unto Me, and keep My commandments, and do them, thought there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set My name there.’
Nehemiah 1:7-9
God is love. And God is faithful, even if we are not. And much as God will not impose His will upon us, He will also not allow us to continue unabated in sin, and into eternal damnation. Throughout the Bible and in all Christian ministries and down to the daily living of a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, there is this constant reminder from God to all, who cares to listen, the call to turn away from the world and unto the Lord.
‘I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.’
Psalm 34:4
None is sure if the present increased tempo in the long running Greek saga will live up to its namesake as a Greek tragedy. But fear globally amongst investors have heightened a notch, and even Iceland is spewing more ash from its volcano, after a short lull, to provide the backdrop to the coming tempest. It is indeed more than a larger than life experience to have so many good quality blue chip stock prices drop in the high double digits(30-60%) last night, be it due to a genuine or deliberate error, for losses have become real in the parallel consequential panic in the currency markets. Lawlessness has not just permeated but gone further awry in our global financial systems.
‘This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.’
Psalm 34:6
It will indeed be nice if the “gods” that are supposed to reside on Mt Olympus will come down to save the Greeks from not just fearful investors, but from the hedge funds marauding like pack of wolves, in the once vaunted but now much weakened European Union. If what is happening now is reminiscence of the last Asian crisis, then more blood will be spilled, with the eventual reaction of the European Union being forced to be more authoritarian. Freedom of funds movements will be severely curtailed with a possible combination of exchange controls plus a host of other non-market rules that the European Union will impose(reminiscence of what the Asian countries did in the Asian crisis) to bring to a halt to the speculative attacks as well as restore sanity to the runaway panic, which is now steadily building up. We might be weeks or even days from that, but in the meanwhile, everyone is looking to the German Chancellor Merkel to ride in like a knight to the rescue of the coterie of damsels in distress, the dash rather than dashing Greeks, the somber Portuguese rather than the dark and handsome version, or for that matter, the limpid rather than languid Spaniards plus the shivering rather than suave Italians. And not forgetting the now quiet but still very frigid state of economic and financial stupor of the severely overstretched Eastern Europeans.
‘That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.’
Zephaniah 1:15
And what comes next, should nerves be temporarily halted.? Like the USA, we should expect the European Union to flood the world with a surfeit of Euros. Life will never be the same. The astronomical price just paid for a Picasso, what the Financial Times coined “the world’s most expensive bust” this bring a painting of Picasso’s mistress, might seem larger than life for a piece of paper with some ink on it. But life will soon take on mega bucks, as hard work and thrift get devalued, and many will scramble for real assets that can preserve or at least stem the rapid erosion of their purchasing power. Like the ex Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mathathir(who will feel justified that back in 1998, in the midst of the Asian crisis, his exchange control implementation that was much maligned by the self righteous West then, who now are likely to copiously follow suit), the other “M” ie Mr Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, will similarly feel exonerated that a loaf of bread should indeed be priced at Zimbabwe $1mio, for that might be where the world is soon heading to, if they continue their profligate ways. Protectionism, inflation, social unrest, xenophobia will increasingly be the color of a battered world, the perfect recipe for a repeat for the rise of demigods like Hitler, Lenin and Mussolini(of Italy), or maybe the Anti-Christ?
‘And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.’
Colossians 3:15
Horror stories with lots of blood and gore seems to sell better. Prayerfully, my little litany of what can come is not with that intent. It might matter to all of us who seek the temporal, but if our hearts are open to the Spirit of our loving Father, come what may, we know that He is Sovereign and when we experience to very sanctifying presence, when we seek Him, we will know that God is larger than life, no matter our present circumstances or station in life.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(7th May 2010)
An afterthought - The age of lawlessness
As I pondered upon what has been an interesting day, at least for those involved in the rough and tumble of the financial markets, I was reminded of an article going the rounds today about the possible conspiracy of hands unknown, whose engineering of an unprecedented 1000 points fall in the Dow Jones Index, has directly benefited the alleged conspirators who must have made a killing on the much larger currency markets, where the blood truly spilled in reaction to the near collapse in the stock markets.
'Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does not harm to its neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."
Romans 13:8
Does the pursuit of profit and personal gain justify the wholesale destruction of wealth and lives of the innocent? Clearly, a cursory observation of the financial upheavals of time immemorial has always revealed a latent driving force behind such implosions. the selfishness and greed of men. However in recent years, what seems different though is the scale and regularity of such destruction as well as the participation of a increasingly significant minority rather than just a select few in the past. And what is more galling is the indifference to their deeds when caught and the legalistic justification rather than the moral responsibility of earlier generations.
We are indeed in the age of lawlessness and this was the thought that the Lord has impressed upon me this evening.
How is it possible that the recent generation of movers and shakers of the developed world, with all their education and resources degenerate into bands of robbers and liars? Is it because their parents have lost their way, in turning away from the Lord. Dysfunctional families, the absence of the once ever present God in schools, in public offices, the instant gratification lifestyle and debauchery, the move away from Godly values as described in Galatians 5:22 and towards what the devil prescribe(Galatians 5: 19-21), we are now seeing the fruits of the disobedience of earlier generations, manifested in the now self centered adult lives of many in the developed world.
After the subprime in USA, the roaming gang of robbers and thieves in immaculate suits or expensive sweatsuits have now converged upon Europe. Soon it could be Asia. Can we stop it? I am not sure, but more importantly, we in Asia can avoid the same downhill slide in the family as ordained by God. The call now is for us as parents, to lead as spiritual heads of our households, with our spouses to turn to the Lord our God. To lead by example, our next generation and the generations to come, to ensure that they do not go down the same slipeery route as their once God fearing but now lawless counterparts in the West.
God is patient for our sake, but He will return to judge the world.
'But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no , not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man b. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark. And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be...'
Matthew 24:36-39
Monday, May 3, 2010
Reflections for the moment #62 What is a Christian?(4th may 10)
Dear….
‘Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.’
Matthew 16:24
A Roman Catholic is not a Christian? Erroneous as it is, this is a common view amongst not just not believers, but those who should know better.
The first Christians or rather the disciples of Christ were first called Christians in Antioch during the Apostle Paul’s time(see Acts 11:26) when many Gentiles came to the faith, much as God’s chosen people, the Jews refused to believe that the risen Christ was the promised Messiah.
Christians were reclassified as Roman Catholics, when the Roman Emperor accepted the Christian faith, and the Roman Empire, the dominant power than moved from persecutor to defender of the Christian faith?? Truth of the matter is that the latter point, ie Christianity moved from being a persecuted faith to a universal religion, Catholic, for Rome was the Universe of the world then is correct, if my sources are reliable? But it was not because the Roman Emperor coined the term Roman Catholic, but rather, if the web is to be believed, the Anglicans coined their rival Christians in Rome as papist, which being perceived as a degrading term, the "papist" decided to use the term "Roman Catholic" to differentiate themselves from the "Catholic" Anglicans.
The French might have had their French Revolution with the storming of the Bastille, a result of simmering resentment against the ruling cliché of royalty, noblemen and the Catholic Church. But interestingly, the Protestant Christian movement across Europe,( a similar causal reaction, a protest to the then dominance of a Roman Catholic church that was perceived to have lost its way, for power will corrupt the finite man) did not take root in increasingly symbolic Catholic France which is now very much secular in belief, but found its grounding in England, where the Anglican Church, or rather the descendants of King Henry played a key supporting role within the fledgling Protestant movement.
How God uses the folly of man to do His will. England was to be the next dominant global Empire after the once great Roman Empire.
And of course, man is always consistently sinful, and the Methodist movement within England was a reaction to the increased perception that the Anglican church then was too close to the establishment and had lost its sense of direction.
Prayerfully, my short discourse on history is not too off the mark and not misleading nor a papering over of the details, as it is never intended to be. And this short discourse at giving a peek into what is complex human history, is not meant to be an indictment of any of my fellow Christian brethrens in other denominations, for all who love the Lord are Christians and brothers and sisters in faith, but rather, to show how the platforms for our faith has and will continue to evolve, and much as once faithful man might become faithless, our Sovereign God will remain steadfast and faithful.
And it is also a reminder to all of us that much as man seeks knowledge, and much as men tend to judge all matters from their flawed understanding, it is God Whom we must look to, and it is God Whom we must truly let go to and be willing to follow.
To do otherwise is to bring much grief and pain to not just ourselves, but people that God placed in our paths, for a self righteous Christian is a dangerous sinner.
‘Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.’
Luke 13:24
History documented by the finite man is not just a depository of man’s temporal greatness, but an important reminder of our consistent capacity for sinfulness. The Bible might be written by men, but it is inspired by the Spirit of God. The Bible is more than a history book. It a book of life, it is God speaking to us not from the past, but for the present and into the future, as already laid out by Him. Every person who professes to be a Christian must spend time diligently on the Scriptures, for the Word is God, and how can you know the will of God, if you do not seek Him?
'Awake to rigthteousness, and do not sin, for some do not have knowlege of God. I speak this to your shame.'
1 Corinthians 15;34
So, what then is a Christian? The dictionary says that it is a person who believes in God, in their own sinfulness and repents and accepts the salvation given to all by the sacrifice of God’s only beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross and by his death our sins are cleansed and by the risen Christ, the grip of death upon all is broken.
‘For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?’
Matthew 16:25-26
If you attests to the message of the gospel, then you are a believer. But does that make you a Christian? In fact, you might have mouthed your belief, but has your heart truly received the Spirit of God, which resides in the heart of a true believer and follower of our Lord Jesus Christ?
The devil and demons throughout the Bible believes, knows and acknowledge that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Does that then make the devil and the demons Christians? Clearly not, they believe but they refused to follow Christ?
‘For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s’
Philippians 2:21
A Christian is not just a believer, but one who seeks to follow our Lord Jesus Christ, and in his absence in the body now, He has send the Holy Spirit to be our guide. Being a follower of Christ is to grow into the likeness of Christ, to be like Him. It is a process of refinement that only God knows when we will be ready for His return. And love must permeate our very being, in all our relationships, for God is love.
'All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.'
John 13:35
‘That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.’
Philippians 2:15
It is good for us all to reflect our lives upon the mirror of the Bible and honestly ask ourselves, have we truly seek the Lord our God in our every moment? I will dare say, many of us have, much as we are imperfect, but it will not be presumptuous to also categorically state that many bring blinkered glasses when they do look at the very same mirror of the Word of God.
The Spirit of God will convict us of our disobedience. Problem though is that we might not be listening, or worse, we have never intended to exercise the privilege of coming unto the sanctifying presence of our Lord, for faith can only come from God, not from our own efforts or understanding, but we must be willing to come unto His presence.
I decided to go back to church twelve years back, in 1998, to add on one more C to my collection of the 4Cs. Man plans, God directs. God decided that the only C that I should give my all to is to Christ our Lord. It took me quite a while to move from believer to follower, but God will use every opportunity to nudge us along.
It is indeed a bold step to truly follow what our Lord Jesus Christ has shown by example ie
‘Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 2:3-5
Love is what under girds our life as a Christian, for God is love. Pride is what befell the devil, one who once sat at the very footstool of God’s throne leading worship. Pride is what still makes us carnal, pride is the morass that God wants to remove and replace by the His likeness. Being a Christian is to be desirous of following Christ, to be like Him. It can be a painful but always gainful process of transformation. The world will hold one who professed to be a Christian to much higher standards, standards that we often fall short of, but God understands, and His Spirit will lift us up, and help us
but
Is our heart willing? If it is not, you are not a Christian, and that confirmation will sadly come, when you meet our Father in Heaven, who will tell you that He does not know you, much as you do not know Him.
'He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.'
1 John 2:4-5
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(30th April 10)
‘Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.’
Matthew 16:24
A Roman Catholic is not a Christian? Erroneous as it is, this is a common view amongst not just not believers, but those who should know better.
The first Christians or rather the disciples of Christ were first called Christians in Antioch during the Apostle Paul’s time(see Acts 11:26) when many Gentiles came to the faith, much as God’s chosen people, the Jews refused to believe that the risen Christ was the promised Messiah.
Christians were reclassified as Roman Catholics, when the Roman Emperor accepted the Christian faith, and the Roman Empire, the dominant power than moved from persecutor to defender of the Christian faith?? Truth of the matter is that the latter point, ie Christianity moved from being a persecuted faith to a universal religion, Catholic, for Rome was the Universe of the world then is correct, if my sources are reliable? But it was not because the Roman Emperor coined the term Roman Catholic, but rather, if the web is to be believed, the Anglicans coined their rival Christians in Rome as papist, which being perceived as a degrading term, the "papist" decided to use the term "Roman Catholic" to differentiate themselves from the "Catholic" Anglicans.
The French might have had their French Revolution with the storming of the Bastille, a result of simmering resentment against the ruling cliché of royalty, noblemen and the Catholic Church. But interestingly, the Protestant Christian movement across Europe,( a similar causal reaction, a protest to the then dominance of a Roman Catholic church that was perceived to have lost its way, for power will corrupt the finite man) did not take root in increasingly symbolic Catholic France which is now very much secular in belief, but found its grounding in England, where the Anglican Church, or rather the descendants of King Henry played a key supporting role within the fledgling Protestant movement.
How God uses the folly of man to do His will. England was to be the next dominant global Empire after the once great Roman Empire.
And of course, man is always consistently sinful, and the Methodist movement within England was a reaction to the increased perception that the Anglican church then was too close to the establishment and had lost its sense of direction.
Prayerfully, my short discourse on history is not too off the mark and not misleading nor a papering over of the details, as it is never intended to be. And this short discourse at giving a peek into what is complex human history, is not meant to be an indictment of any of my fellow Christian brethrens in other denominations, for all who love the Lord are Christians and brothers and sisters in faith, but rather, to show how the platforms for our faith has and will continue to evolve, and much as once faithful man might become faithless, our Sovereign God will remain steadfast and faithful.
And it is also a reminder to all of us that much as man seeks knowledge, and much as men tend to judge all matters from their flawed understanding, it is God Whom we must look to, and it is God Whom we must truly let go to and be willing to follow.
To do otherwise is to bring much grief and pain to not just ourselves, but people that God placed in our paths, for a self righteous Christian is a dangerous sinner.
‘Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.’
Luke 13:24
History documented by the finite man is not just a depository of man’s temporal greatness, but an important reminder of our consistent capacity for sinfulness. The Bible might be written by men, but it is inspired by the Spirit of God. The Bible is more than a history book. It a book of life, it is God speaking to us not from the past, but for the present and into the future, as already laid out by Him. Every person who professes to be a Christian must spend time diligently on the Scriptures, for the Word is God, and how can you know the will of God, if you do not seek Him?
'Awake to rigthteousness, and do not sin, for some do not have knowlege of God. I speak this to your shame.'
1 Corinthians 15;34
So, what then is a Christian? The dictionary says that it is a person who believes in God, in their own sinfulness and repents and accepts the salvation given to all by the sacrifice of God’s only beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross and by his death our sins are cleansed and by the risen Christ, the grip of death upon all is broken.
‘For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?’
Matthew 16:25-26
If you attests to the message of the gospel, then you are a believer. But does that make you a Christian? In fact, you might have mouthed your belief, but has your heart truly received the Spirit of God, which resides in the heart of a true believer and follower of our Lord Jesus Christ?
The devil and demons throughout the Bible believes, knows and acknowledge that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Does that then make the devil and the demons Christians? Clearly not, they believe but they refused to follow Christ?
‘For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s’
Philippians 2:21
A Christian is not just a believer, but one who seeks to follow our Lord Jesus Christ, and in his absence in the body now, He has send the Holy Spirit to be our guide. Being a follower of Christ is to grow into the likeness of Christ, to be like Him. It is a process of refinement that only God knows when we will be ready for His return. And love must permeate our very being, in all our relationships, for God is love.
'All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.'
John 13:35
‘That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.’
Philippians 2:15
It is good for us all to reflect our lives upon the mirror of the Bible and honestly ask ourselves, have we truly seek the Lord our God in our every moment? I will dare say, many of us have, much as we are imperfect, but it will not be presumptuous to also categorically state that many bring blinkered glasses when they do look at the very same mirror of the Word of God.
The Spirit of God will convict us of our disobedience. Problem though is that we might not be listening, or worse, we have never intended to exercise the privilege of coming unto the sanctifying presence of our Lord, for faith can only come from God, not from our own efforts or understanding, but we must be willing to come unto His presence.
I decided to go back to church twelve years back, in 1998, to add on one more C to my collection of the 4Cs. Man plans, God directs. God decided that the only C that I should give my all to is to Christ our Lord. It took me quite a while to move from believer to follower, but God will use every opportunity to nudge us along.
It is indeed a bold step to truly follow what our Lord Jesus Christ has shown by example ie
‘Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 2:3-5
Love is what under girds our life as a Christian, for God is love. Pride is what befell the devil, one who once sat at the very footstool of God’s throne leading worship. Pride is what still makes us carnal, pride is the morass that God wants to remove and replace by the His likeness. Being a Christian is to be desirous of following Christ, to be like Him. It can be a painful but always gainful process of transformation. The world will hold one who professed to be a Christian to much higher standards, standards that we often fall short of, but God understands, and His Spirit will lift us up, and help us
but
Is our heart willing? If it is not, you are not a Christian, and that confirmation will sadly come, when you meet our Father in Heaven, who will tell you that He does not know you, much as you do not know Him.
'He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.'
1 John 2:4-5
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(30th April 10)
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