Dear…
‘He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him. He also will hear their cry and save them. The Lord preserves all who love Him..'
Psalm 145:19-20
Our good Lord indeed knows and cares literally about every strand of our hair. Shedding a few tears is always good for the soul(see below “Note to my mentors” for my reason for this latest few droplets). For indeed since I came to the faith as a determined follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, tears come easier, and tears have always been the release of self to let the Spirit of God minister and edify me.
And so, right after shedding a few tears as His Spirit ministered to me, I picked up the Daily Bread to read my devotion this morning, and the words of Matthew 5:4 (‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.’), stared right out at me in a reassuring manner. It was for me as God always does in my moments of needs or joy, His reminder and assurance that much as He is Sovereign, He knows our limits and He comes down to meet our needs.
‘He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, …shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.’
Revelations 21:7-8
God not just assures. He corrects. For while it is natural in the imperfect us to still have lingering fears of death, much as we know it is eternity that one must work on, and that it is Christ we look to, and the only fear for all should be the fear of God.
‘The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.’
Psalm 121:8
Should one be a “walking dead,” or a “living testimony?’ Strange question in the eyes of the secular man, for the dead does not walk, and the only testimony that the busy living is interested in is their worldly achievements. Today, the media reminded not just me but all and sundry that chronic diseases are afflicting not just a significant part of our population, but are on the rise not just in Singapore, but globally as it moves in tandem with rising affluence.
We are all but one breath away, that is reality. But most don’t give much thought to that reality nor the more important task of working on our salvation for the prize of eternity with God our Father.
I have for the past decade been a determined follower of the leading of the Holy Spirit, but it was still a little unsettling to be told that the “little time bomb” in all of us, in my case is more visible now.
'For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.'
2 Timothy 1:7
Should I not like most be overwhelmed by this fearful reality, and be consumed in my waking hours by the extrapolated thoughts of the what ifs? Thanks be to God, imperfect as I am, He prepares and provides. And in fact, I am truly thankful for His Divine intervention as shared below, for with knowledge of the situation, one can respond to it, with wisdom and most importantly in prayers. And on prayers, I know God is answering my prayers to grow deeper into the faith, and without going through even greater intense heat, the gold bought from God will not be perfected, for there must be less of me, and more of Him. And I know I got become even more resolute in my faith in our Almighty God. And on answered prayers, I know through this present experience, He has brought my beloved wife and children closer not just as a family, but in the unity of Spirit.
‘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
If God is answering my prayers asked in His will, should I not only be faithful for He is faithful, but response as a willing vessel to be used by Him to encourage and minister to others, for we live in a fallen world, where all ills, not just disease ravages many, yet salvation is there if only they are willing. And there is no place for fear be it of sickness or death or whatever the devil throws at us, for fear is the absence of faith. And I am even more determined to stay in the presence of our Lord, for faith comes from God.
'Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion...Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, Who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.'
1 Peter 5:8-10
“Heart to heart,” as the title of the new series #5 in this ministry of words. This was the thought that our good Lord impressed upon my heart as I lingered in the midst of the F1 induced heavy morning traffic. This sharing marks the end of this 4th series “In Spirit and Truth,”( see link (http://www.blogger.com/profile/17185441785316744893) for archive of not just this series but also the first 3 series, “Walking with our Lord,” “Running the race,” and “Reflections” as well as an aperitif mini series, “Sunday Snippets”). A journey I embarked upon last June, in joyful response to the Lord’s bringing me out of mine two weeks self inflicted spiritual depression, for my sinful heart then decided to take a break from God, and opened the doors to the spiritual attacks of the waiting devil. Yet, even in our imperfections, God will not just correct us, but bring us forth, and indeed these 71 shared thoughts of this series “In Spirit and truth,” has taught me that while faith comes from the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, spiritual maturity and transformation comes from a willing response on our part to not just stay in the presence of our Lord, but to respond to His leading, for only then will we experience the truths of His Living Word.
'On thing I have desired of the Lord. That will I seek ' That I may dwell in the house of the Lord. All the days of my life. To behold the beauty of the Lord. And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion.....'
Psalm 27:4-5
Our life with God is a series of journey. Man looks for conclusions, God looks for obedience. The race does end, when Christ returns, or if God takes us home earlier. But in this journey of faith, as we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in our sin strewn world, to follow well, we must be willing to not just have the Holy Spirit residing in us through our believe in the faithful God, but be determined to follow as the Spirit leads. To do that, our hearts must be at one with the Holy Spirit, where self matters less, others more, but God above all. Where will this new series "Heart to heart" brings us to? I have some inkling but the Spirit of God will lead and clarify as we move along.
A less than perfect heart I have physically, it matters, but what matters more is my spiritual heart. A dear friend shared a prayer of commiseration with me this morning, and with God, nothing is wasted in His handiwork, so let me quote from this prayer, which I believes, sums up this next leg of mine and prayerfully your journey with our Lord.
“Give me a loving heart so that I may always be grateful for your gifts and generous to those most in need.”
The CT scan showed traces of calcium deposits in my heart, an indication of the dreaded plague that can clog up one’s blood flow. But I believe God wants the world to see the loving ministering of the power of the Holy Spirit residing in the hearts of all who faithfully follow. An imperfect physical heart I cannot correct, that I have to leave to His grace and He knows what is good for me. But a loving heart that takes after Christ, we can work on by His enabling grace, for that is the privilege that God offers to all who are willing to let Him transform their lives and that of the people He will place in their path.
'O God, You have taught me from my youth. And to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded. O God, do not forsake me. Until I declare Your strength to this generation. Your power to everyone who is to come.'
Psalm 71:17-18
God Blesses
Eng Hieang(22nd Sep 2011)
My note to my mentors
Dear Paul and Bunty
"Adversity is a plus" was the lesson I studied today from the "Heart of the Shepherd.'
And indeed God is always prescient. I just saw a cardiologist today, who confirmed that there is a 40% blockage of one of my main artery in my heart. And it was strategically located right at the key gate from which all others are connected. A Khyber Pass, if blocked more fully, it is to our Father's Home without doubt.
But thanks be to God, the ECG and treadmill tests that I took show no symptoms of a diseased heart as yet. And also a blessing that He send a dear friend's father who is a cardiologist who was kind enough to spend an inordinate amount of time to explain the situation to me and my wife.
'...For He Himself has said, " I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
Hebrews 13:5-6
This discovery of the unexpected came about because our Lord impressed upon my heart these past few weeks to do a CT scan, a very thorough examination of the heart.
In my normal annual medical, everything turned out excellent, and if not for the response to this prompting, I will never know that I have a potential time bomb building up in my heart.
The 40% plaque is permanent, but through proper diet, exercise and medication, can be contained to minimize further increase in the blockage.
But adversity indeed does increase my resolute desire to walk and serve right with our Lord, till He takes me home.
And as you rightly shared, in seeing His grace, I could speak both with confidence and empathy to people He has placed in my life, friends who are going through health or other issues.
'...He tested them, and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord Who heals you.'
Exodus 15:25-26
And God also clarified for me an issue that I have never agreed upon, yet found difficult to contradict. This popular mantra amongst the prosperity type churches to claim all blessings from God, including healing from diseases. It is true that we go to God with our needs. But it is more true that if one believes that God is Sovereign and that He works for our good, then would it not be even more correct to take time to understand and respond to His will, rather than to continue this relentless badgering at Him for what we want, instead of doing His will? He knows our needs, but do we know His will?
Thanks once again for your faithfulness, for indeed our God is faithful
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
In Spirit and Truth #70 Mind your language ( 17th Sep 2011)
Dear…
This week I had a chance to bring to flesh one of my childhood desires. To see in person the rich colors of the various natural history drawings of flora and fauna commissioned by Major General William Farquhar back in the early 19th Century Singapore.
At the National Museum, I asked for directions to the Farquhar collection(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goh_Seng_Choo_Gallery) this being the first day of the exhibition. One make new discoveries every day, and I only realized today that “Farquhar” was not pronounced in three syllabic but rather as two syllables. No wonder the receptionist gave me a strange look, for much as the world is increasingly used to having colorful language in mainstream media, I guess I still have the looks of a decent chap.
(see this link for the correct pronunciation to avoid the same grief like me. http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=farquhar).
“Mind your language,” some of the more mature breed might recall, was a half hour weekly television sitcom, set in an environment of an English lesson class for a motley crew of foreigners in good old England of the 1970s, and caricatures the various cultural stereotypes of other races (including a Mao little red book waving female Chinese resplendent in a green Mao jacket), in a humorous manner, though in today’s political correct environment, might not be acceptable any longer.( http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5377040251154974428 )
‘And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years…….and after that he must be loosed a little season.’
And on the Middle Kingdom, China is increasingly asserting its presence in our convoluted world and all of us are going to be impacted in bigger ways by the awakened Kingdom of the dragon king. And the haze that is upon us will only get worse, as China in her relentless surge to provide for the raised expectations of a billion plus Chinese scour the world for jungle land to convert into plantations to satisfy the appetite of these new voracious consumers.
‘For with God nothing shall be impossible.’
Luke 1:37
If you cannot beat them, at least join them. For me though, this was not the reason that I have this week, finally resolved to really make an effort to improve my near still death Mandarin capability. A rather late response on my part to the Lord’s prompting back in the midst of the sub-prime crisis, to reach out to the Mandarin speakers of the world. An hour a night of listening to Chinese Hymns, audio Chinese Scriptures, general interest news in Mandarin and rounding it off with an online Hanyu Pinyin lesson taught by a Westerner and ten proverbs a day from my son’s early secondary Chinese school books. Will it turn me into a fluent enough speaker able to share the word of God without confusing my intended recipient? With God, all things are possible, and more importantly, it is not what or who I am, but to know His will and to faithfully respond. God has through the years moved me from perceived deficiencies into ministries that by my own understanding, I once thought not possible.
‘Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another…’
Romans 13:8
On that note, as I sat at a coffee shop indulging in a late lunch yesterday, I was approached by three heavily tattooed youths, selling key chains as part of the Yellow Ribbon week(to get society to affirm the once prisoners). These ex prisoners, as their badge indicated can be quite intimidating with their muscle bound tattoos. But they appeared more like docile deer in their approach to me and it was love for fellow men, as led by the Spirit of the Lord in me, rather than intimidation that led me to make a willing contribution. But that contribution led to another as the other two chaps pleaded for their first sale for the day as well. Were these truly ex prisoners or just con men? My antique dealer friend, whom I visited after lunch, and whose shop happened to be nearby shared this little wisdom that comes from age, he is older. Gangsters have deep pride and for them to stoop to literally begging strangers to buy their wares is indeed a humbling experience for them. I did not get a chance to practice my re-energized Mandarin, for these three chaps spoke good English unlike the common perception that the all "riff raffs" of society are uneducated, but I am glad to be used by the Lord to encourage. The cynical world might think that I am foolish, but love as led by the Spirit of God brings forth much and it is a privilege to be used by our Lord to water.
This week, many in Singapore are encouraged to pin the yellow ribbon on their shirt or dress, as a symbol of support for ex prisoners, to encourage them in their efforts to reintegrate into mainstream society.
The thought just crossed my heart last night. How many of us are in reality still spiritual prisoners of the devil much as in the natural world, we are walking free? And are we truly better off than the now freed prisoners of our legalistic society?
The truth hurts but rudeness is not language of my intention, and prayerfully, this is not a judgmental statement but rather, a realization of the reality that I myself have often re-entered the prison that Christ has freed us all from, by His sacrifice on the cross.
“Many Christians are either a prisoner of the future through worry or a prisoner of the past through guilt and un-forgiveness.” (quote from “School of the Shepherds). How true it is. To not trust totally in the Sovereignty of God, is to revert back to the waiting arms of the devil.
‘Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’
Psalm 139:23-24
I have these past decade, by the enabling grace of God learned the language of love, for God is love. I have like many who acknowledges our good Lord, experienced His love and sanctifying presence and I know God is present, and not an unknown god that the Athenians of Apostle Paul’s time worship.
Through the years, again by His enabling grace, I have been willing to response to His leading and have been privileged to testify to His grace in my lives to all of you on this mail list and wherever He places me. I have also learned that it is often in my weakness that I see with the greatest clarity the grace of God. That is why Christ reminds us to take up the cross for the burden is light.
Empathy, is the language the God speaks to us in. Christ came to be on Earth to take on the lowly form of man, to empathize with us, yet show by example a model of life, different from the sinful Adam.
Empathy is being able to recognize and share the feelings of another. When the Spirit of God falls upon us, our very being feels the love of His presence, that communion. I have come to learn that in professing our desire to serve God, we must be willing to allow Him to let us experience the varied circumstances that will challenge yet strengthen our faith. And in learning to let go and let Him, as we experience the trials yet His glory, will we then be able to understand and speak with conviction to the very hearts of people He places in our lives, as His Spirit ministers to them through us.
‘We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.’
2 Corinthians 5:8
This week, I received the results of my annual medical. Everything was great and I am still a decent specimen of aging well. But my heart scan showed some plaque. It could lead to future heart attacks if not dealt with. Nothing serious my doctor tells me, but an early warning for that is what the scan is supposed to do anyway.
Was I worried? A little but fear did not grip me long, for I do recognize that at age 50, our body must have the inevitable wear and tear.
‘Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.’
Psalm 90:12
But more importantly, I have come to learn that death is not the end all, for eternity with God is for us to take if we are willing. And be it 3 scores or 7 scores or maybe even a little more, it is not how many years in this temporal world we have, but how well we let our Lord enable us to use the time well in His service.
God always prepare us for what comes next in His plan. The night before my medical review, He brought me to the verse that Apostle Paul shared on the ‘thorn in his flesh.’ Yesterday, when I received the little news on the less than perfect heart, His Spirit reminded me that all of us who professed the faith, will have left with us a little thorn in the flesh, for only then will we truly see the grace of God at work in our lives, and not make the same mistake of many great man of faith who fell by the wayside when pride sets in.
And similarly the devil will try to shake our faith. At the clinic, I met a friend whom I have not seen for a long time. She told me if I was aware that her husband had a quadruple heart bypass last year. Yet she shared a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s grace in helping them discover the unknown situation. In my carnal days, I will be very worried to then be told right after that by my doctor on my potential heart condition, no matter how remote it might be. But God is good. He reminded me of the prescience of His ways. My doctor turned out to have a common link with me and this friend of mine. All our kids are from the same school. If God is for us, how can we not be joyful.
"Faith is not about changing the facts, it is to see beyond the facts to the promise of God."
( quote from "Heart of the Shepherd.")
I am off to see the Cardiologist next week for his opinion on this little film let of my heart. I am sure God has a purpose for providing this wonderful opportunity to meet up. Pray for me, for good health yes, but even better, to continue to bask even more in God’s Sovereignty. For difficult circumstances, perceived or real, gives us a chance to cling even closer to God. And in doing so, our faith will increase, for without faith, it is impossible to please God. And faith brings us back into total dependence upon the Lord our God.
'That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that periseth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.' Whom having not seen ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.'
1 Peter 1:7-8
Eng Hieang
(16th Sep 2011)
This week I had a chance to bring to flesh one of my childhood desires. To see in person the rich colors of the various natural history drawings of flora and fauna commissioned by Major General William Farquhar back in the early 19th Century Singapore.
At the National Museum, I asked for directions to the Farquhar collection(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goh_Seng_Choo_Gallery) this being the first day of the exhibition. One make new discoveries every day, and I only realized today that “Farquhar” was not pronounced in three syllabic but rather as two syllables. No wonder the receptionist gave me a strange look, for much as the world is increasingly used to having colorful language in mainstream media, I guess I still have the looks of a decent chap.
(see this link for the correct pronunciation to avoid the same grief like me. http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=farquhar).
“Mind your language,” some of the more mature breed might recall, was a half hour weekly television sitcom, set in an environment of an English lesson class for a motley crew of foreigners in good old England of the 1970s, and caricatures the various cultural stereotypes of other races (including a Mao little red book waving female Chinese resplendent in a green Mao jacket), in a humorous manner, though in today’s political correct environment, might not be acceptable any longer.( http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5377040251154974428 )
‘And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years…….and after that he must be loosed a little season.’
And on the Middle Kingdom, China is increasingly asserting its presence in our convoluted world and all of us are going to be impacted in bigger ways by the awakened Kingdom of the dragon king. And the haze that is upon us will only get worse, as China in her relentless surge to provide for the raised expectations of a billion plus Chinese scour the world for jungle land to convert into plantations to satisfy the appetite of these new voracious consumers.
‘For with God nothing shall be impossible.’
Luke 1:37
If you cannot beat them, at least join them. For me though, this was not the reason that I have this week, finally resolved to really make an effort to improve my near still death Mandarin capability. A rather late response on my part to the Lord’s prompting back in the midst of the sub-prime crisis, to reach out to the Mandarin speakers of the world. An hour a night of listening to Chinese Hymns, audio Chinese Scriptures, general interest news in Mandarin and rounding it off with an online Hanyu Pinyin lesson taught by a Westerner and ten proverbs a day from my son’s early secondary Chinese school books. Will it turn me into a fluent enough speaker able to share the word of God without confusing my intended recipient? With God, all things are possible, and more importantly, it is not what or who I am, but to know His will and to faithfully respond. God has through the years moved me from perceived deficiencies into ministries that by my own understanding, I once thought not possible.
‘Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another…’
Romans 13:8
On that note, as I sat at a coffee shop indulging in a late lunch yesterday, I was approached by three heavily tattooed youths, selling key chains as part of the Yellow Ribbon week(to get society to affirm the once prisoners). These ex prisoners, as their badge indicated can be quite intimidating with their muscle bound tattoos. But they appeared more like docile deer in their approach to me and it was love for fellow men, as led by the Spirit of the Lord in me, rather than intimidation that led me to make a willing contribution. But that contribution led to another as the other two chaps pleaded for their first sale for the day as well. Were these truly ex prisoners or just con men? My antique dealer friend, whom I visited after lunch, and whose shop happened to be nearby shared this little wisdom that comes from age, he is older. Gangsters have deep pride and for them to stoop to literally begging strangers to buy their wares is indeed a humbling experience for them. I did not get a chance to practice my re-energized Mandarin, for these three chaps spoke good English unlike the common perception that the all "riff raffs" of society are uneducated, but I am glad to be used by the Lord to encourage. The cynical world might think that I am foolish, but love as led by the Spirit of God brings forth much and it is a privilege to be used by our Lord to water.
This week, many in Singapore are encouraged to pin the yellow ribbon on their shirt or dress, as a symbol of support for ex prisoners, to encourage them in their efforts to reintegrate into mainstream society.
The thought just crossed my heart last night. How many of us are in reality still spiritual prisoners of the devil much as in the natural world, we are walking free? And are we truly better off than the now freed prisoners of our legalistic society?
The truth hurts but rudeness is not language of my intention, and prayerfully, this is not a judgmental statement but rather, a realization of the reality that I myself have often re-entered the prison that Christ has freed us all from, by His sacrifice on the cross.
“Many Christians are either a prisoner of the future through worry or a prisoner of the past through guilt and un-forgiveness.” (quote from “School of the Shepherds). How true it is. To not trust totally in the Sovereignty of God, is to revert back to the waiting arms of the devil.
‘Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’
Psalm 139:23-24
I have these past decade, by the enabling grace of God learned the language of love, for God is love. I have like many who acknowledges our good Lord, experienced His love and sanctifying presence and I know God is present, and not an unknown god that the Athenians of Apostle Paul’s time worship.
Through the years, again by His enabling grace, I have been willing to response to His leading and have been privileged to testify to His grace in my lives to all of you on this mail list and wherever He places me. I have also learned that it is often in my weakness that I see with the greatest clarity the grace of God. That is why Christ reminds us to take up the cross for the burden is light.
Empathy, is the language the God speaks to us in. Christ came to be on Earth to take on the lowly form of man, to empathize with us, yet show by example a model of life, different from the sinful Adam.
Empathy is being able to recognize and share the feelings of another. When the Spirit of God falls upon us, our very being feels the love of His presence, that communion. I have come to learn that in professing our desire to serve God, we must be willing to allow Him to let us experience the varied circumstances that will challenge yet strengthen our faith. And in learning to let go and let Him, as we experience the trials yet His glory, will we then be able to understand and speak with conviction to the very hearts of people He places in our lives, as His Spirit ministers to them through us.
‘We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.’
2 Corinthians 5:8
This week, I received the results of my annual medical. Everything was great and I am still a decent specimen of aging well. But my heart scan showed some plaque. It could lead to future heart attacks if not dealt with. Nothing serious my doctor tells me, but an early warning for that is what the scan is supposed to do anyway.
Was I worried? A little but fear did not grip me long, for I do recognize that at age 50, our body must have the inevitable wear and tear.
‘Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.’
Psalm 90:12
But more importantly, I have come to learn that death is not the end all, for eternity with God is for us to take if we are willing. And be it 3 scores or 7 scores or maybe even a little more, it is not how many years in this temporal world we have, but how well we let our Lord enable us to use the time well in His service.
God always prepare us for what comes next in His plan. The night before my medical review, He brought me to the verse that Apostle Paul shared on the ‘thorn in his flesh.’ Yesterday, when I received the little news on the less than perfect heart, His Spirit reminded me that all of us who professed the faith, will have left with us a little thorn in the flesh, for only then will we truly see the grace of God at work in our lives, and not make the same mistake of many great man of faith who fell by the wayside when pride sets in.
And similarly the devil will try to shake our faith. At the clinic, I met a friend whom I have not seen for a long time. She told me if I was aware that her husband had a quadruple heart bypass last year. Yet she shared a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s grace in helping them discover the unknown situation. In my carnal days, I will be very worried to then be told right after that by my doctor on my potential heart condition, no matter how remote it might be. But God is good. He reminded me of the prescience of His ways. My doctor turned out to have a common link with me and this friend of mine. All our kids are from the same school. If God is for us, how can we not be joyful.
"Faith is not about changing the facts, it is to see beyond the facts to the promise of God."
( quote from "Heart of the Shepherd.")
I am off to see the Cardiologist next week for his opinion on this little film let of my heart. I am sure God has a purpose for providing this wonderful opportunity to meet up. Pray for me, for good health yes, but even better, to continue to bask even more in God’s Sovereignty. For difficult circumstances, perceived or real, gives us a chance to cling even closer to God. And in doing so, our faith will increase, for without faith, it is impossible to please God. And faith brings us back into total dependence upon the Lord our God.
'That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that periseth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.' Whom having not seen ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.'
1 Peter 1:7-8
Eng Hieang
(16th Sep 2011)
Sunday, September 11, 2011
In Spirit and Truth #69 Awash (11th Sep 2011)
Dear ...
I was a little hesitant about penning this, for to flood you with three sharing from last Sunday to this Sunday might be a little too overwhelming. But as the Spirit leads, I will.
Full of vigor you might think I have, but truth is further from reality. Drained physically is my present state. This sense of being totally washed out seemed to creep upon me as I finish my regular workout at the gym this Friday evening and raring fit I might not be, but I am no frail flower either and this inexplicable physical lethargy was a new and unique experience for me.
It was in this state of stupor that I immersed my very being in the nightly half hourly video lesson in the biblical course 'Heart of the Shepherd.' The lesson shared was on "The high ground of love,' and I must confess that while my spirit is willing, the flesh is weak and I find myself often transcending into the realm of blissful sleep. But thanks to our Lord. His Spirit cut through the miasma encapsulating my very being and left a thought though not searing, but suffice to re-energize me.
God is love. All of us are quite familiar with this fact. And for most, our understanding of the expression of love is one of unqualified kindness, gentleness and unselfish sacrifice. Such perceptions of what love means is indeed closely aligned with what Christ has taught and lived by example. And clearly quite different from the carnal world's misinterpretation of lusts for love.
'...to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.'
Ephesians 3:19
The finite man shows love by a series of actions. God pours out His love upon us to the point of overflow.
The love of God is expressed through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our very being. The sanctification that not just awash our all, but followed by this indescribable joy and peace that uplifts the spirit man in us, to a level of intimate communion with God our Father.
Is this what Heaven will be like? God by His grace gave me a foretaste of His empowering love that unforgettable night in Bangkok a decade back. And that infilling of His Holy Spirit upon me that brief few minutes was the defining moment in my till then tentative faith. I am what I am today because my very soul wants to respond to this great outpouring of His love upon me.
'The spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners...'
Isaiah 61:1
God knew that the deeply insecure me needed that final push across the chasm of faith. I have never since experienced this same intensity of the outpouring of His love. He has also placed me back into the hard realities of terra firma from the bliss of Heaven. Imperfect I still am, but with this God imbued faith, much as time does make vague once deep memories, I have been able to grow from strength to strength in my walk with our Lord. And His presence and His love is ever-present but in more subtle yet equally impact-full ways.
'No man hath beheld God at anytime: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and His love is perfected in us.'
1John 4:12
God is love. And while the finite us will not be able to express love the way our wonderful Father does. In loving others the way Christ has taught us, God will use us as the vessel upon which the world will get a sense of Who He is. And He will place that desire in a fully watered but still parched soul to take that small but important step unto His presence, the spring of life. And in acknowledging the Sovereignty of our Father in Heaven, you will be sanctified by this great outpouring of His love.
'...because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you,"
Hebrews 13:5
'Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, bu grievous, nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby..'
Hebrews 12:11
Like me, there are times we feel tired physically, emotionally drained or even spiritually overwhelmed. And much as good meaning Christians would and should give you not just an encouraging shoulder, but minister to you in words and in works, there is but one important truth that all who know the Lord must remind ourselves of. Do cling on to the Lord our God with your all, come what may and you must wait upon Him. And in acknowledging Him, He will draw near to us and His love will awash us with this joy and peace that will not just strengthen us, but bring us strongly forth. God will not just meet our needs, but He will use you to meet the needs of others. And only in experiencing His love can you live out His commands to all who call themselves Christians, that you be willing and able to minister to the needs of others, much as our once carnal self and the deceitful world demands otherwise.
'He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.'
Psalm 147:3
Rgds n God blesses
Eng Hieang
(11th Sep 2011)
From love to hate
Much as happened over the past few days. Egyptians have ransacked the Isrealite Embassy, quite reminiscence of the Iranians occupation of the American Embassy back in the late '70s. The embattled Syrian regime are fully into the arms of their Iranian brethren, and what mischief will they do to Israel in the near future to bring about the Biblical fulfillment of the destruction of their capital, Damascus? Turkey is fast working hard on dispelling any lame duck notion of its namesake bird, and would the planned sending of warships to protect the flotilla bringing aid to Gaza lead a skirmish with Israel. And not forgetting the rebel rulers of Libya has amongst its rank, a notable terrorist as her chief of security.
With US fast relinquishing its role as the world's policeman, and Continental Europe about to seize up, once pent up hatred long subdued by repressive oligarchs in the Middle East, and prosperity that paper over long hidden xenophobic fault-lines in Europe, are springing forth.
What can a little love from us who know God do in this rising sea of hatred? Not much if it depends only upon us. But with the enabling grace of God, all things are possible. But the days are with us now, there is no room for fence sitting Christians. Either you are with the Lord, or you are with Lucifer. Do take time with our Lord for the times are now with us.
I was a little hesitant about penning this, for to flood you with three sharing from last Sunday to this Sunday might be a little too overwhelming. But as the Spirit leads, I will.
Full of vigor you might think I have, but truth is further from reality. Drained physically is my present state. This sense of being totally washed out seemed to creep upon me as I finish my regular workout at the gym this Friday evening and raring fit I might not be, but I am no frail flower either and this inexplicable physical lethargy was a new and unique experience for me.
It was in this state of stupor that I immersed my very being in the nightly half hourly video lesson in the biblical course 'Heart of the Shepherd.' The lesson shared was on "The high ground of love,' and I must confess that while my spirit is willing, the flesh is weak and I find myself often transcending into the realm of blissful sleep. But thanks to our Lord. His Spirit cut through the miasma encapsulating my very being and left a thought though not searing, but suffice to re-energize me.
God is love. All of us are quite familiar with this fact. And for most, our understanding of the expression of love is one of unqualified kindness, gentleness and unselfish sacrifice. Such perceptions of what love means is indeed closely aligned with what Christ has taught and lived by example. And clearly quite different from the carnal world's misinterpretation of lusts for love.
'...to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.'
Ephesians 3:19
The finite man shows love by a series of actions. God pours out His love upon us to the point of overflow.
The love of God is expressed through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our very being. The sanctification that not just awash our all, but followed by this indescribable joy and peace that uplifts the spirit man in us, to a level of intimate communion with God our Father.
Is this what Heaven will be like? God by His grace gave me a foretaste of His empowering love that unforgettable night in Bangkok a decade back. And that infilling of His Holy Spirit upon me that brief few minutes was the defining moment in my till then tentative faith. I am what I am today because my very soul wants to respond to this great outpouring of His love upon me.
'The spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners...'
Isaiah 61:1
God knew that the deeply insecure me needed that final push across the chasm of faith. I have never since experienced this same intensity of the outpouring of His love. He has also placed me back into the hard realities of terra firma from the bliss of Heaven. Imperfect I still am, but with this God imbued faith, much as time does make vague once deep memories, I have been able to grow from strength to strength in my walk with our Lord. And His presence and His love is ever-present but in more subtle yet equally impact-full ways.
'No man hath beheld God at anytime: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and His love is perfected in us.'
1John 4:12
God is love. And while the finite us will not be able to express love the way our wonderful Father does. In loving others the way Christ has taught us, God will use us as the vessel upon which the world will get a sense of Who He is. And He will place that desire in a fully watered but still parched soul to take that small but important step unto His presence, the spring of life. And in acknowledging the Sovereignty of our Father in Heaven, you will be sanctified by this great outpouring of His love.
'...because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you,"
Hebrews 13:5
'Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, bu grievous, nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby..'
Hebrews 12:11
Like me, there are times we feel tired physically, emotionally drained or even spiritually overwhelmed. And much as good meaning Christians would and should give you not just an encouraging shoulder, but minister to you in words and in works, there is but one important truth that all who know the Lord must remind ourselves of. Do cling on to the Lord our God with your all, come what may and you must wait upon Him. And in acknowledging Him, He will draw near to us and His love will awash us with this joy and peace that will not just strengthen us, but bring us strongly forth. God will not just meet our needs, but He will use you to meet the needs of others. And only in experiencing His love can you live out His commands to all who call themselves Christians, that you be willing and able to minister to the needs of others, much as our once carnal self and the deceitful world demands otherwise.
'He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.'
Psalm 147:3
Rgds n God blesses
Eng Hieang
(11th Sep 2011)
From love to hate
Much as happened over the past few days. Egyptians have ransacked the Isrealite Embassy, quite reminiscence of the Iranians occupation of the American Embassy back in the late '70s. The embattled Syrian regime are fully into the arms of their Iranian brethren, and what mischief will they do to Israel in the near future to bring about the Biblical fulfillment of the destruction of their capital, Damascus? Turkey is fast working hard on dispelling any lame duck notion of its namesake bird, and would the planned sending of warships to protect the flotilla bringing aid to Gaza lead a skirmish with Israel. And not forgetting the rebel rulers of Libya has amongst its rank, a notable terrorist as her chief of security.
With US fast relinquishing its role as the world's policeman, and Continental Europe about to seize up, once pent up hatred long subdued by repressive oligarchs in the Middle East, and prosperity that paper over long hidden xenophobic fault-lines in Europe, are springing forth.
What can a little love from us who know God do in this rising sea of hatred? Not much if it depends only upon us. But with the enabling grace of God, all things are possible. But the days are with us now, there is no room for fence sitting Christians. Either you are with the Lord, or you are with Lucifer. Do take time with our Lord for the times are now with us.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
In Spirit and Truth #68 Seize the moment (8th Sep 2011)
Dear…
‘I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called…’
Ephesians 4:1
How is it possible to write about this same message of joyful surrender to God, week in week out for close to eight years? With God all things are possible and by His enabling grace, I am thankful that most of you, despite the inundations are still on my mail list. But as to when and how much of the shared thoughts you will read, do let the Holy Spirit lead you and may the thoughts shared, edify and encourage and most importantly, not just point you towards Christ the author and finisher of our faith, but encourage you to take that step of faith. And in doing so, experience for yourself the indescribable joy and peace in the very real presence of our Father in Heaven.
‘Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.’
Psalm 90:1-2
“Seize the moment” was the thought that the Spirit of God impressed upon my heart this morning, in my quiet time with our Lord. A mite inappropriate if one does not know the Lord, for I was going for a CT(Computed Tomography) scan, to literally cut my heart in 64 slices. And if one were to stretch one’s imagination and the word “seize’ to “seizure,” it is not exactly the most comforting thought especially with the recent report of the young New Zealander who died of a sudden heart attack while feasting on his steak, while in mid air.
‘That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.’
Ephesians 4:22-24
What exactly are we asked to seize? Our sins have been forgiven, we play no part in that redemptive act of our Lord Jesus Christ. But there is a need for a response from us. Like most, when I first branded myself a Christian, the assumption is that “in taking the free gift of salvation’ that was it, and life carries on as per normal, only difference is I now have a direct line to God whenever I have needs and wants to be fulfilled.
The chains of delusion that Satan placed upon us have come off the moment we accepted the redemptive grace of Christ. But reality is, many of us still prefer to stay within the prison of our finite understanding, rather than boldly go forth as the Spirit of God leads us. Should we not “seize this moment” of freedom from the grasp of the devil and boldly move towards Christ the author and finisher of our faith. And be willing to let His Spirit transform us and renew our mind, to be the child that God wants us to be? It is imperative for us to move from self centered to Christ centered. In not doing so, we are still in the old wineskin, and are not just depriving ourselves of the joy of salvation, but will fall far short when the day of accountability comes with our Lord.
‘I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me.’
Philippians 4:13
Reticence seems to be the mental block that is hindering our willingness to move forth. Often, when prompted by the Holy Spirit, our finite logic takes center stage, and we recoil from our initial desire to move forth as led. I have come to learn that the Spirit of God always affirm wonderfully, but the pre-requisite is that we must first take that step of faith with no expectations other than to do what pleases our Lord. And that knowledge of what will please our Father in Heaven is gained through a diligent seeking of Him always and a willingness to love our neighbors as ourselves.
‘I will speak of the glorious honor of Thy majesty, and of Thy wondrous works.’
Psalm 145:5
Like many of you whose heart is desirous for our Lord, you will have many testimonies of His goodness in your life, much as circumstances are often challenging. Like the “parting of the Red Sea,’ God has by His grace and power opened the path for us to walk with surefootedness into His Kingdom, much as the devil and its cohorts(like Pharaoh’s army) seek to draw you back, yet they are near but never within grasp of us.
‘I lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, Which made heaven and earth.’
Psalm 121:1-2
Look to God always. Look from His perspective. In doing, I have discovered that my old carnal self no longer takes predominance in my manner of dealing with issues that in the past bring much angst, anger and all negativity in my self centered and self righteous being. “Seizure” is what culminates for many who continue to live as the world, and sadly, it often translates into a breakdown of one’s physical, emotional or relational well being.
Even at that late stage, when your world collapses, you can still turn to God if you are willing, but why allow oneself to digress to that stage before one is willing to acknowledge our Sovereign Lord?
A few years back, God placed me with a rare opportunity with a friend on a long Friday afternoon, to share the gospel with him. My lack of familiarity with our Lord(due to the dearth of time I had spent in His words and in His works) led me to rely not on the Spirit’s prompting to speak to my friend, but instead upon my own understanding. And that understanding was the belief that this friend was not ready to listen to the good news of the gospel and better to talk about things of the world that interested him. This dear friend had a fatal heart seizure over the same weekend.
My regret is not that he was not a believer, but rather, in my not seizing the opportunity that God provided for all who professed the faith to be made ready, I lost the opportunity to share the gospel as empowered and prompted by the Holy Spirit. Would it have made a difference to my late friend in those split seconds of semi consciousness, where a heart that has heard of our Lord Jesus Christ might just say yes and be saved? I believe it will if the gospel was shared from a heart that was convicted by the Holy Spirit and moves in line with God's will. I was not then.
How many regrets should you have before you are willing to take up the mantle of a life of faith?
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(8th Sep 2011)
‘I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called…’
Ephesians 4:1
How is it possible to write about this same message of joyful surrender to God, week in week out for close to eight years? With God all things are possible and by His enabling grace, I am thankful that most of you, despite the inundations are still on my mail list. But as to when and how much of the shared thoughts you will read, do let the Holy Spirit lead you and may the thoughts shared, edify and encourage and most importantly, not just point you towards Christ the author and finisher of our faith, but encourage you to take that step of faith. And in doing so, experience for yourself the indescribable joy and peace in the very real presence of our Father in Heaven.
‘Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.’
Psalm 90:1-2
“Seize the moment” was the thought that the Spirit of God impressed upon my heart this morning, in my quiet time with our Lord. A mite inappropriate if one does not know the Lord, for I was going for a CT(Computed Tomography) scan, to literally cut my heart in 64 slices. And if one were to stretch one’s imagination and the word “seize’ to “seizure,” it is not exactly the most comforting thought especially with the recent report of the young New Zealander who died of a sudden heart attack while feasting on his steak, while in mid air.
‘That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.’
Ephesians 4:22-24
What exactly are we asked to seize? Our sins have been forgiven, we play no part in that redemptive act of our Lord Jesus Christ. But there is a need for a response from us. Like most, when I first branded myself a Christian, the assumption is that “in taking the free gift of salvation’ that was it, and life carries on as per normal, only difference is I now have a direct line to God whenever I have needs and wants to be fulfilled.
The chains of delusion that Satan placed upon us have come off the moment we accepted the redemptive grace of Christ. But reality is, many of us still prefer to stay within the prison of our finite understanding, rather than boldly go forth as the Spirit of God leads us. Should we not “seize this moment” of freedom from the grasp of the devil and boldly move towards Christ the author and finisher of our faith. And be willing to let His Spirit transform us and renew our mind, to be the child that God wants us to be? It is imperative for us to move from self centered to Christ centered. In not doing so, we are still in the old wineskin, and are not just depriving ourselves of the joy of salvation, but will fall far short when the day of accountability comes with our Lord.
‘I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me.’
Philippians 4:13
Reticence seems to be the mental block that is hindering our willingness to move forth. Often, when prompted by the Holy Spirit, our finite logic takes center stage, and we recoil from our initial desire to move forth as led. I have come to learn that the Spirit of God always affirm wonderfully, but the pre-requisite is that we must first take that step of faith with no expectations other than to do what pleases our Lord. And that knowledge of what will please our Father in Heaven is gained through a diligent seeking of Him always and a willingness to love our neighbors as ourselves.
‘I will speak of the glorious honor of Thy majesty, and of Thy wondrous works.’
Psalm 145:5
Like many of you whose heart is desirous for our Lord, you will have many testimonies of His goodness in your life, much as circumstances are often challenging. Like the “parting of the Red Sea,’ God has by His grace and power opened the path for us to walk with surefootedness into His Kingdom, much as the devil and its cohorts(like Pharaoh’s army) seek to draw you back, yet they are near but never within grasp of us.
‘I lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, Which made heaven and earth.’
Psalm 121:1-2
Look to God always. Look from His perspective. In doing, I have discovered that my old carnal self no longer takes predominance in my manner of dealing with issues that in the past bring much angst, anger and all negativity in my self centered and self righteous being. “Seizure” is what culminates for many who continue to live as the world, and sadly, it often translates into a breakdown of one’s physical, emotional or relational well being.
Even at that late stage, when your world collapses, you can still turn to God if you are willing, but why allow oneself to digress to that stage before one is willing to acknowledge our Sovereign Lord?
A few years back, God placed me with a rare opportunity with a friend on a long Friday afternoon, to share the gospel with him. My lack of familiarity with our Lord(due to the dearth of time I had spent in His words and in His works) led me to rely not on the Spirit’s prompting to speak to my friend, but instead upon my own understanding. And that understanding was the belief that this friend was not ready to listen to the good news of the gospel and better to talk about things of the world that interested him. This dear friend had a fatal heart seizure over the same weekend.
My regret is not that he was not a believer, but rather, in my not seizing the opportunity that God provided for all who professed the faith to be made ready, I lost the opportunity to share the gospel as empowered and prompted by the Holy Spirit. Would it have made a difference to my late friend in those split seconds of semi consciousness, where a heart that has heard of our Lord Jesus Christ might just say yes and be saved? I believe it will if the gospel was shared from a heart that was convicted by the Holy Spirit and moves in line with God's will. I was not then.
How many regrets should you have before you are willing to take up the mantle of a life of faith?
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(8th Sep 2011)
Sunday, September 4, 2011
In Spirit and Truth #67 Once upon a time (4th Sep 2011)
Dear...
'That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.....that ye may know what is the hope of His calling......And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe according to the working of His mighty power...'
Ephesians 1:17-19
"The Shepherd's ministry is to experience, and then impact, by the Holy Spirit, the revelation of the Lord." These are indeed wonderful words not just of wisdom, but experiential enlightenment from a half century journey of walking and responding in faith. I am not referring to myself, for being only a youthful 50, my desire for the Lord did not start from the day I was born, it took a long 40 years more. But rather, these are indeed Spirit led words shared by my mentors, Paul and Bunty Collins, who after 50 years of faithful service, are being used by our Lord to even greater heights, to shepherd the future shepherds in His Kingdom.
"Once upon a time" is the de riguer opening for most fairy tales that many of us were brought up on, though not too sure if fairy tales are in vogue any longer?
But the brutal truth of life is far from a fairy tale, and more inclined to a recurring nightmare for some, and for most a recurring migraine, for we live in a fallen world.
'I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise Thee among much people.'
Psalm 35:18
My mum will be 80 next year. But lately she is full of praise and thanksgiving for the mercies of our great Lord. Much as our bodily shell cannot shed away the inevitable wear and tear from the passage of time, she is gratified that our Lord answered her prayers. Our family doctor told her that she no longer needs to be on medication for diabetes, which is wonderful news having been subjected to this horror of horrors disease for so many years. My mum was a late starter in this journey of faith with our Lord, but in the last decade of her coming to the faith, our Lord has nurtured and transformed her faith, thanks to the faithfulness of my sisters and niece and her willing response.
'And again, "I will put my trust in Him." And again: "Here am I and the children whom God has given me.'
Hebrews 2:13
As a family, I know God has wonderfully moved us closer in the spirit of unity towards Him. What about my neighbors??
Last evening, thanks to the efforts of my ex colleagues from one of my previous employ, we had our first get-together in 16 years, at least for me. And to make it meaningful, we spent time in a home for the aged located in the midst of a public housing estate. I have come to learn that whenever I have a sense of dread before an activity, where clearly activities of such nature are truly in line with the call of our Lord, in this case to love our neighbors, I must learn to submit and be a willing participant much as I might feel some discomfort, for God will more than show me His purpose.
'...Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do......'
John 5:19
"What do we do in a home with 26 old ladies?' Our good Lord reminded me that God is love, and what better way to be like Christ than to show genuine love and interest in till now strangers in one's life. I took the liberty of approaching the two lovely ladies (see photo) who happened to be the first who caught my eyes, and engaged in my "long left in the cupboard Hokkien dialect." To give is to receive, and indeed, much as I believe that not just these two new acquaintances of mine, but all the old folks and the youngsters which is the rest of us, had a great time and look how relax we were(see photo).
'By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments.'
1 John 5:3
This home we visited is run by a church, but not all the residents were believers. Similarly, not many of us who attended yesterday were believers. But love was the glue that kept everyone together, and love is a good start for God is love. A relationship built upon love will give both parties a reason to learn more about each other, our past, our present and our future plans.
As a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, I have experienced the revelation of God's love and the truth of His words many times. And I would love to share that story that He has and continues to write upon my very heart and it is more than a fairy tale, for the ending will not just be happy, but throughout our finite life on Earth and into eternity, if we are willing to trust in Him. And I will like to encourage whoever God places in my life, to hand over the penning of their life's story away from the devil to our Lord Jesus Christ.
These thoughts I have just shared, and in the realms of meanderings in the past 8 years, is not just my story, but yours too, for God is faithful and He has already written a wonderful story for your life, and it is for you now to lived out that story, by letting go and letting Him. And this is true, for you will experience what I and countless other men and women of faith have experienced, when we acknowledge Christ as the author and finisher of our faith.
And God is indeed wonderful in the way He affirms. Of the two ladies that I had the closest affinity to yesterday, one of them turned out to be from the same "kampung" or "village" that I spent the first 6 1/2 years of my life in. I was too young for her to notice then, but strangely I do remember her, once we cross checked our past. She claims to be a sprightly 93(though I think she is closer to late 70s) and a visitor to the home. No visitor has a bed with their name tagged on!!
How lovable these ladies are, shrewd as ever, and having a great time teasing "gullible youngsters" like us, and such simple fun are what gives them great joy, now that the long highway of life comes near to an end for them. Yet, it need not be, for death is not the end as the devil loves to beguile us all with that lie, for there is still eternity to work on. And on this, one sad misconception amongst many of us, Christians included, is the tendency to invest in the lives of the young and healthy, thinking that they have a life ahead that we can invest more productively in. Not realizing that Christ loves us all, and that while mortal life is indeed finite, there is eternity still to be worked on and we must not neglect the old or those who are not in the mold of the normal healthy child.
And indeed God always affirm in more ways than once. I also found out that this home was chaired by a dear friend of mine till recently. What are the odds of finding an old neighbor who one hardly knows amongst a bunch of 26 ladies and what more to find her in a home that one has a friend involved in, without my knowing till yesterday?
All things are impossible with men, but always possible with our Lord, for indeed He is the author and finisher of our faith and that is indeed the indescribable joy and peace that God bless the willing with
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(4th Sep 2011)
'That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.....that ye may know what is the hope of His calling......And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe according to the working of His mighty power...'
Ephesians 1:17-19
"The Shepherd's ministry is to experience, and then impact, by the Holy Spirit, the revelation of the Lord." These are indeed wonderful words not just of wisdom, but experiential enlightenment from a half century journey of walking and responding in faith. I am not referring to myself, for being only a youthful 50, my desire for the Lord did not start from the day I was born, it took a long 40 years more. But rather, these are indeed Spirit led words shared by my mentors, Paul and Bunty Collins, who after 50 years of faithful service, are being used by our Lord to even greater heights, to shepherd the future shepherds in His Kingdom.
"Once upon a time" is the de riguer opening for most fairy tales that many of us were brought up on, though not too sure if fairy tales are in vogue any longer?
But the brutal truth of life is far from a fairy tale, and more inclined to a recurring nightmare for some, and for most a recurring migraine, for we live in a fallen world.
'I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise Thee among much people.'
Psalm 35:18
My mum will be 80 next year. But lately she is full of praise and thanksgiving for the mercies of our great Lord. Much as our bodily shell cannot shed away the inevitable wear and tear from the passage of time, she is gratified that our Lord answered her prayers. Our family doctor told her that she no longer needs to be on medication for diabetes, which is wonderful news having been subjected to this horror of horrors disease for so many years. My mum was a late starter in this journey of faith with our Lord, but in the last decade of her coming to the faith, our Lord has nurtured and transformed her faith, thanks to the faithfulness of my sisters and niece and her willing response.
'And again, "I will put my trust in Him." And again: "Here am I and the children whom God has given me.'
Hebrews 2:13
As a family, I know God has wonderfully moved us closer in the spirit of unity towards Him. What about my neighbors??
Last evening, thanks to the efforts of my ex colleagues from one of my previous employ, we had our first get-together in 16 years, at least for me. And to make it meaningful, we spent time in a home for the aged located in the midst of a public housing estate. I have come to learn that whenever I have a sense of dread before an activity, where clearly activities of such nature are truly in line with the call of our Lord, in this case to love our neighbors, I must learn to submit and be a willing participant much as I might feel some discomfort, for God will more than show me His purpose.
'...Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do......'
John 5:19
"What do we do in a home with 26 old ladies?' Our good Lord reminded me that God is love, and what better way to be like Christ than to show genuine love and interest in till now strangers in one's life. I took the liberty of approaching the two lovely ladies (see photo) who happened to be the first who caught my eyes, and engaged in my "long left in the cupboard Hokkien dialect." To give is to receive, and indeed, much as I believe that not just these two new acquaintances of mine, but all the old folks and the youngsters which is the rest of us, had a great time and look how relax we were(see photo).
'By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments.'
1 John 5:3
This home we visited is run by a church, but not all the residents were believers. Similarly, not many of us who attended yesterday were believers. But love was the glue that kept everyone together, and love is a good start for God is love. A relationship built upon love will give both parties a reason to learn more about each other, our past, our present and our future plans.
As a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, I have experienced the revelation of God's love and the truth of His words many times. And I would love to share that story that He has and continues to write upon my very heart and it is more than a fairy tale, for the ending will not just be happy, but throughout our finite life on Earth and into eternity, if we are willing to trust in Him. And I will like to encourage whoever God places in my life, to hand over the penning of their life's story away from the devil to our Lord Jesus Christ.
These thoughts I have just shared, and in the realms of meanderings in the past 8 years, is not just my story, but yours too, for God is faithful and He has already written a wonderful story for your life, and it is for you now to lived out that story, by letting go and letting Him. And this is true, for you will experience what I and countless other men and women of faith have experienced, when we acknowledge Christ as the author and finisher of our faith.
And God is indeed wonderful in the way He affirms. Of the two ladies that I had the closest affinity to yesterday, one of them turned out to be from the same "kampung" or "village" that I spent the first 6 1/2 years of my life in. I was too young for her to notice then, but strangely I do remember her, once we cross checked our past. She claims to be a sprightly 93(though I think she is closer to late 70s) and a visitor to the home. No visitor has a bed with their name tagged on!!
How lovable these ladies are, shrewd as ever, and having a great time teasing "gullible youngsters" like us, and such simple fun are what gives them great joy, now that the long highway of life comes near to an end for them. Yet, it need not be, for death is not the end as the devil loves to beguile us all with that lie, for there is still eternity to work on. And on this, one sad misconception amongst many of us, Christians included, is the tendency to invest in the lives of the young and healthy, thinking that they have a life ahead that we can invest more productively in. Not realizing that Christ loves us all, and that while mortal life is indeed finite, there is eternity still to be worked on and we must not neglect the old or those who are not in the mold of the normal healthy child.
And indeed God always affirm in more ways than once. I also found out that this home was chaired by a dear friend of mine till recently. What are the odds of finding an old neighbor who one hardly knows amongst a bunch of 26 ladies and what more to find her in a home that one has a friend involved in, without my knowing till yesterday?
All things are impossible with men, but always possible with our Lord, for indeed He is the author and finisher of our faith and that is indeed the indescribable joy and peace that God bless the willing with
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(4th Sep 2011)
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
#66 Running the race (30th Aug 2011)
Dear…
‘I have inclined mine heart to perform Thy statutes always, even unto the end.’
Psalm 119:112
Every morning, when sleep slinks away as dawn sets in, my first thoughts are what would be God’s will for me today, and my first prayers are that His grace will enable me to do it well. This desire to put God first is not just a good habit to start the day, but I urge all to make it your imperative. But much as I have got the priorities right(as in Psalm 119:112) in theory, have I in my daily living, truly believed and trusted the leading of the Holy Spirit enough to follow with my all, always?
‘Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.’
Philippians 1:6
Steadfast I must confess sometimes I am not. My excuse, we are only human and to boot imperfect. And as the Bible states, we wrestle against principalities and powers greater than us human form. Adam and Eve had the same excuse, which was not tenable as the Spirit of God was in them, but they chose to disobey.
Today, for us who believe, the Spirit of God has returned and resides in our hearts. There is no excuse for us not to know the will of God and no reason we cannot overcome by resting upon His leading. Issue is, the carnal us are unwilling to submit to the will of God, and rather choose to deal with issues from our finite understanding.
But God remains faithful, much as we often are not. And just last Saturday, I was reminded of His grace and ever presence in my life. A public service bus came barreling onto the back of my stationary car(see picture below), much as the driver should have ample time to stop. Poor guy, he was distracted and apologetic and showed real concern for my kids who were seated at the back seat of the car. Other than two gashes upon my already less than pretty car, thankfully there was no bodily or emotional harm to any of us. A non believer friend of mine when he heard about the accident said that I was unlucky. On the contrary, I count myself very blessed that the accident was not more serious and am thankful not just for that, but that the perpetrator was a decent man who just happened to be distracted.
‘For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.’
Philippians 1:21
The need for self preservation runs in the psyche of all of us. And that instinct has often been the justification for the gamut of human indiscretions and follies. But is this self survival mode natural to us or in reality, it came about because of Adam and Eve’s act of disobedience?
The fear of mortal death still lingers over me like an unwanted specter. But by the enabling grace of God, the imperfect me has increasingly learn to look to His Sovereignty and that has allowed me to give less credence to the grip of death and its puppeteer, the devil upon my very being. Why mention this now? This latest bus accident reminded me of the whole litany of “what ifs incidents” that I have had the privilege to encounter in my half century in this difficult world. And truth is that we can be snuffed out in one split second with no willing participation on our part. While not in the same league as Apostle Paul, who has been shipwrecked, bitten by deadly snakes, beaten and thrown into prison and many more travails for the glory of God, I am sure all of us have “near misses” in our lives that thankfully was ingrained in our memory but not left us in memoriam.
I have been robbed twice, had a near loss of life twice over, once through drowning, the other as an amateur circus wannabe hanging out from the flung open emergency door of an old school bus staring into a headlights of a fast approaching taxi. I did not see the light of God then, but did felt a sense of peace. And not counting a professional executed slide on an oil slick and two incidents with the behemoths of our public transport, including the most recent. And if this little history is considered paltry compared to some, at least I had a couple of glass shattering events to enhance my record!!
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‘Holding fast the Word of life.’
Philippians 2:16
Would we rather hold on to what is a temporal life or should we not cling on to the Lord our God for eternity?
Seems an obvious choice yet why are many including professed Christians so oblivious to the fact that they are still very much of the world, with nay an interest in the leading of the Holy Spirit nor in the Word of our Lord?
We do not work for our salvation, but we must work on our salvation.
I am thankful that our good Lord gave me time once again to not just serve Him on earth, but more importantly, to make right what I might not have lived right in this present world. In the race of life that I am running(and you too), much as I by the grace of God has been recalibrated onto the right path, with our Lord Jesus Christ as my focus, and while I might not have the compound eyes of a housefly, my heart do often wander off and I run the race less well than the Lord knows that I am capable of. And till He brings me home, He is giving me and you time to walk or rather run right in His will.
“Running the race” was the second series in this ministry of Words, that I embarked on back in July 2008, in response to the Spirit’s on this sense of urgency as End Times intensifies(see link http://hieang.blogspot.com/2008/07/running-race1-from-ashes-16th-jul-08.html )
‘Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 2:4-5
“Fissure” was the thought that came to my mind as one reads the result of the just concluded presidential election in Singapore. The faultlines are in place, if the voting patterns are any indication. And it will get deeper if all of us continue to judge at issues from our perspective, no matter how right we think we might be. And we are not just the Antioch of the East, many have equated us as the Israel of the East. Is this correct, only the Lord knows. But unity of Spirit is what the Lord wants in His family, unity of country especially a small country is essential for her survival.
As a nation, we have been blessed with good leaders and hardworking forefathers. We have run the race well, but will we continue to do so in the future?
I was also reminded of the prophesy that Rev Francis Khoo of Covenant Vision Center shared from the thoughts that the Spirit of God impressed upon his heart at the tail end of last year( see link http://www.covenantvision.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=268&Itemid=81) And about a prosperous city yet with great disparity in wealth, and despair amongst the have not, and disregard amidst the carnal revelry amongst the haves. And much as many continue in their lusts, not realizing the ominous clouds forming in the horizon.
A friend told me that he heard this thought that the next major financial crisis in the world will start from Singapore. Is this possible? We might have great aspirations(based on our many attempts to garner a quote in the Guinness Book of World Records), but reality is a dot is a dot. Yet, the world’s largess has increasingly come to us like never before due to geopolitics and the changing regulatory environment. It is also a growing trend where the purveyors of the world’s monetary liquidity, the hedge funds, are housing their operations in friendly Singapore. Something to be mindful of.
As Singaporeans, it is good to remind ourselves of what is the focus of our race? As Christians, it is imperative to remind ourselves that Christ is the author and finisher of our life. Are many of us moving off tandem?
Healing starts when we allow the Spirit of God to transform us. Fissures deepens when we seek to change others, be it through the political process or otherwise, instead of letting God do His work. We must no longer be self centered, but Christ centered. And in doing that, we will experience the joy of a self surrender to God, and to a willingness to look after the needs of others, and that is the race of a Christ focused life that all who proclaim to be Christians must run. For Christ is the author and finisher of our faith.
Rgds and God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(29th Aug 2011)
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
#65 In Spirit and Truth Curry flavor (24th Aug 2011)
Dear…
‘For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.’
Proverbs 4:17
“Curry” is a hot topic in Singapore lately, and it does help spice up the ongoing presidential elections. Think about it, with all four candidates with the common surname “Tan,” might be easier for food loving Singaporeans to tick the right ballot box correctly if they each ascribe a curry dish to their surname. Be it fish head curry, chicken curry, Thai green curry or good old Assam fish head(not really curry, but matters not) or even SanTan("coconut milk).
For my friends from HK and overseas, just in case you are wondering what is the fuss over “curry,” it is the latest symbol of local Singaporean’s resistance to this “foreign invasion” into our little red dot. Come to think about it, my grandparents including my mum were also once foreigners, except they ate Hokkien mee and char siew bao rather than Xiao Long Bao.
(see this link a dear friend sent me on Mr Brown, our resident comic commentator’s tale on the curry war
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhLozqBqPMk)
‘…How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.’
Matthew 23:37
The Kingdom of God is a sharp contrast to our present world. It is the only ‘place’ where all are welcome with no pre-qualifications including culinary preferences. God wants you in His presence, if you are willing to come unto His presence.
Singapore is a blessed land. We are at developed status and inevitably, we will be a magnet to new immigrants looking for a better life. Our forefathers did the same and should we now deprive this new generation of hopefuls? On a secular argument, it is always a moot point for all of us regardless of the spectrum of thoughts will start flawed and have traces of bigotry in us, Christian or not, for we all descend from Adam, the first disobedient man.
‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.’
Matthew 5:14
Indeed Singapore was founded on a hill, Fort Canning, where the Prince of Palembang, Sang Ni La Utama had his residence when he stumbled into our blessed land, long before Sir Stamford Raffles. But are we like the salt of the earth that have lost its savor, because we have become too enamored with God’s provisions and plain forgotten about our Provider?
It will be good to take time and hear the Lord’s perspective and respond to His will accordingly?
Singapore is the “Antioch of the East,” and small as we are, the Christian population in Singapore has been active in mission or in funding missionaries globally. But are we truly living to the full potential that God has blessed us with? And is God now bringing the harvest to us with this great surge of foreigners(easily a quarter to a third of our permanent population)? It can be disconcerting as has been for all of us, yet, will it not be good to remember the command of God, which is not just to seek Him with our all, but to love our neighbors as ourselves(Luke 10:27-29)
Mulligatawny, is a curry-flavored soup of Anglo-Indian origin made with meat stock that the old British colonials use to favor as a soup. Not just quite unpronounceable but at least for me not the most palatable. The aroma of curry does pleases me, but to have that lingering smell hovering around one's abode perpetually is understandably not the most pleasing.
But it would be pleasing to our Lord if we could by the way we live and speak, exude the fragrance of God’s love wherever He places us. An aroma that is so pleasing that many will want to know the reason for your faith, and take that first step into the presence of our Lord.
‘…Because God chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.’
2 Thessalonians 2:13
It is God Who will bring about the increase, that belief in your heart when His Spirit resides in the believer, but it is us He will use to encourage non believers to come unto His presence to receive the sanctifying presence of His Spirit.
‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world but ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what that is good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.’
Romans 12:2
It is God Who will now bring about not just a belief in one’s heart, but a renewal of the mind that will be transformed from the sinful Adamic understanding, to a mind that is in line with the will of God, a mind that fully knows the experiential truth of God’s will and is willing to believe and follow the Holy Spirit’s leading.
It is again us the believers whom God will use to journey with others as they move from heart belief to a total experiential transformation of the once carnal mind.
These last two paragraphs is an explanation I just shared with a friend on what “Spirit and Truth” meant for me.
It is not a theological discovery but rather a personal understanding that prayerfully will guide you even as the Spirit of God teaches you on the truths that God wants us to know and respond to.
And on truths, God will shake the world as man continues to sin even more. This morning’s earthquake near Washington and its tremors right down the US East Coast including New York is new yet not unexpected. There is no place for men to hide except in the shelter of our loving Father. The recent legalizing of same sex marriage in New York and the continued web of lies emanating from Washington as they flood the world with even more paper dollars are just part of the continued move of disobedience that man have chosen to perpetuate.
Will the curry pot boil(“our world”) over as the heat of carnality in man intensifies, as more sins are thrown into this beleaguered world of ours? Only the Lord knows. It is good to ponder upon the implications should a major earthquake ever destroy both the seats of power(Washington) of the remaining Empire in our present world as well as the monies(New York) that fund this empire. Will that be the impetus for the ugly head of stagflation to fully rear itself, or will it need the accompaniment of an oil crisis in the Middle East to help this hydra monster roll itself out of its slumber?
It is imperative for us all to reexamine our lives till now, has it mirrored the will of God?
‘Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life.’
Luke 12:22
But rather, if Christ is not the center of your life, where will you be in eternity?
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(24th Aug 2011)
‘For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.’
Proverbs 4:17
“Curry” is a hot topic in Singapore lately, and it does help spice up the ongoing presidential elections. Think about it, with all four candidates with the common surname “Tan,” might be easier for food loving Singaporeans to tick the right ballot box correctly if they each ascribe a curry dish to their surname. Be it fish head curry, chicken curry, Thai green curry or good old Assam fish head(not really curry, but matters not) or even SanTan("coconut milk).
For my friends from HK and overseas, just in case you are wondering what is the fuss over “curry,” it is the latest symbol of local Singaporean’s resistance to this “foreign invasion” into our little red dot. Come to think about it, my grandparents including my mum were also once foreigners, except they ate Hokkien mee and char siew bao rather than Xiao Long Bao.
(see this link a dear friend sent me on Mr Brown, our resident comic commentator’s tale on the curry war
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhLozqBqPMk)
‘…How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.’
Matthew 23:37
The Kingdom of God is a sharp contrast to our present world. It is the only ‘place’ where all are welcome with no pre-qualifications including culinary preferences. God wants you in His presence, if you are willing to come unto His presence.
Singapore is a blessed land. We are at developed status and inevitably, we will be a magnet to new immigrants looking for a better life. Our forefathers did the same and should we now deprive this new generation of hopefuls? On a secular argument, it is always a moot point for all of us regardless of the spectrum of thoughts will start flawed and have traces of bigotry in us, Christian or not, for we all descend from Adam, the first disobedient man.
‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.’
Matthew 5:14
Indeed Singapore was founded on a hill, Fort Canning, where the Prince of Palembang, Sang Ni La Utama had his residence when he stumbled into our blessed land, long before Sir Stamford Raffles. But are we like the salt of the earth that have lost its savor, because we have become too enamored with God’s provisions and plain forgotten about our Provider?
It will be good to take time and hear the Lord’s perspective and respond to His will accordingly?
Singapore is the “Antioch of the East,” and small as we are, the Christian population in Singapore has been active in mission or in funding missionaries globally. But are we truly living to the full potential that God has blessed us with? And is God now bringing the harvest to us with this great surge of foreigners(easily a quarter to a third of our permanent population)? It can be disconcerting as has been for all of us, yet, will it not be good to remember the command of God, which is not just to seek Him with our all, but to love our neighbors as ourselves(Luke 10:27-29)
Mulligatawny, is a curry-flavored soup of Anglo-Indian origin made with meat stock that the old British colonials use to favor as a soup. Not just quite unpronounceable but at least for me not the most palatable. The aroma of curry does pleases me, but to have that lingering smell hovering around one's abode perpetually is understandably not the most pleasing.
But it would be pleasing to our Lord if we could by the way we live and speak, exude the fragrance of God’s love wherever He places us. An aroma that is so pleasing that many will want to know the reason for your faith, and take that first step into the presence of our Lord.
‘…Because God chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.’
2 Thessalonians 2:13
It is God Who will bring about the increase, that belief in your heart when His Spirit resides in the believer, but it is us He will use to encourage non believers to come unto His presence to receive the sanctifying presence of His Spirit.
‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world but ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what that is good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.’
Romans 12:2
It is God Who will now bring about not just a belief in one’s heart, but a renewal of the mind that will be transformed from the sinful Adamic understanding, to a mind that is in line with the will of God, a mind that fully knows the experiential truth of God’s will and is willing to believe and follow the Holy Spirit’s leading.
It is again us the believers whom God will use to journey with others as they move from heart belief to a total experiential transformation of the once carnal mind.
These last two paragraphs is an explanation I just shared with a friend on what “Spirit and Truth” meant for me.
It is not a theological discovery but rather a personal understanding that prayerfully will guide you even as the Spirit of God teaches you on the truths that God wants us to know and respond to.
And on truths, God will shake the world as man continues to sin even more. This morning’s earthquake near Washington and its tremors right down the US East Coast including New York is new yet not unexpected. There is no place for men to hide except in the shelter of our loving Father. The recent legalizing of same sex marriage in New York and the continued web of lies emanating from Washington as they flood the world with even more paper dollars are just part of the continued move of disobedience that man have chosen to perpetuate.
Will the curry pot boil(“our world”) over as the heat of carnality in man intensifies, as more sins are thrown into this beleaguered world of ours? Only the Lord knows. It is good to ponder upon the implications should a major earthquake ever destroy both the seats of power(Washington) of the remaining Empire in our present world as well as the monies(New York) that fund this empire. Will that be the impetus for the ugly head of stagflation to fully rear itself, or will it need the accompaniment of an oil crisis in the Middle East to help this hydra monster roll itself out of its slumber?
It is imperative for us all to reexamine our lives till now, has it mirrored the will of God?
‘Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life.’
Luke 12:22
But rather, if Christ is not the center of your life, where will you be in eternity?
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(24th Aug 2011)
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