Dear…
‘For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him…..’
2 Chronicles 16:9
In my quiet moments, I tend to be quite reflective, and much as most will know I can talk incessantly like the cicada, as I learn to take time with our good Lord, He does cause me to ponder upon the impressions He leaves upon my heart, and He also speaks to me much as I can be on the move, for my heart now desires to be close to Him always. And the title, “A Pilgrim’s progress” is truly inspired by the Spirit of God who led me to change it from the original “Riding the Bull” to “A Pilgrim’s journey” and again re-tweaked to “A Pilgrim’s progress.” And I am sure that by the time I conclude this piece, God’s purposes for choice of title will be illuminated.
Interestingly, Pilgrim’s progress is also a once popular book written in 1678 as an allegory of the Christian’s journey but don’t mistake it for Pilgrim’s Pride, the owner of a frozen chicken business in the States.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doubting_Castle#First_Part)
‘Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in Me……..for without Me ye can do nothing’
John 15:4-5
I am no longer a dithering Christian. I do know that indeed God draws near to me, when I truly seek to draw near to Him. And indeed, God has allowed me to bear forth wonderful fruits for His Kingdom, when I learn to lean no longer on what I have or who I am or whom I know, but rather upon Who He is.
‘Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not Thy peace at my tears, for I am a stranger with Thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.’
Psalm 39:12-13
It has been a 12 good years since my carnal self decided in its own foolish ways that it was time to have one more “C” ie church to add to my cool collection of the material “4 Cs” of this world. But God has other plans and it has been a wonderful decade since He moved me from scheming believer to a humbled but passionate follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. Life has never been more wonderful with God, but without God, it must be the most challenging times of my life, this past 10 years. And on these thoughts, the Lord brought me to Psalm 37 which will form the main thrust of today’s sharing, and may it edify as it will surely would, if it is from the Lord and if your heart is willing.
‘The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.’
Psalm 37:18-19
As mentioned in my last sharing, it is difficult for many to remember the days of fear and famine of the subprime crisis, just a few short years back, when we now seem to be inundated with the largesse of steroid enhanced purchasing power from appreciating real assets. And without sounding like a party pooper nor do I plan to flash any semblance of predictive powers on what is ahead, I am reminded by the Spirit of God to revisit the days of the past, and may in doing so, it will not just encourage the many troubled, much as on the surface there should be seemingly no troubles with so much roubles or dollars sloshing all over, but more importantly, are there lessons that God wants us to draw from our past, to prepare for the future by ensuring that we live right in His eyes for the present?
‘I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth, and His seed is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.’
Psalm 37:25-27
I have on rare occasions been encouraged by brothers in Christ to shorten my meanderings, for it might be easier and be more receptive for a generation that is always on the move who are used to bite size messages. There is indeed a place for this and I have been like many a beneficiary of the Daily Bread, with its crisp one verse pointers. But as the Lord leads and till He shows me otherwise, taking time to read, ponder and reflect upon what truly is a free form sharing as God leads will speak to you, if only you are willing to take time with a receptive heart. For we are to please God, not men.
Softening the ground is what I have just done, for much as the intention is not to deluge you with a near half century of my whimsical life, God placed the thought in my heart to start from the point back in 1998, when I, at the age of 37, barely raised a half hearted desire to go back to church, for the wrong reason, after a forgetful absence of 10 years, once He answered my prayers for a better job back in my lows in 1988.
‘The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and He delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.’
Psalm 37:23-24
I was a believer at age 15, and till age 37(in yr 1998), I was like a drunk stumbling in and out, calling upon God in my moment of sorrows. And only in 1998 did I consider going back to a church that I have long absent myself for good reasons of career, family and other more compelling distractions.
Does the carnal world truly runs parallel with the Spiritual realm? It does, and the while 1998 marks the starting point of my sobering up, at least to give some thought to thinking of what till now for me was an invisible God, on what He can give me, it was also the year that mark the crescendo of the Asian Crisis that has roiled many lives in the few years preceding.
But contrary to popular and primarily correct notions that it is in our troubles that we go to God, for me, it was a little different. Much as I was in the eye of the storm, by virtue of the business I was in, and the markets that I covered, I came out relatively unscathed, and initially attributed it to my abilities and just when I thought I have got everything covered, the final rug pulled from under me truly reminded myself that man’s abilities is finite. And interestingly that recognition of a greater force, our omnipresent God was an acknowledgement of His Sovereignty not at my point of despair, but rather a natural step in the journey God has led me to embark on a few months earlier, when I was still riding the waves of volatility pretty well.
‘Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land, when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.’
Psalm 37:34
God looks not for sacrifice but obedience. And having acknowledge that my surviving the conundrum of the Asian crisis was by His grace, I was determined to be a good believer and in doing that, indeed took on many tasks that in my Machiavellian past, I will not do for it brings no monetary rewards. A good man I might think I am, but God is looking for more than good, He wants us all to move from mere believers to followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. It needed a divine intervention to move me across the chasm of faith, and that “Bangkok experience”, so called the second phase of my pilgrimage, did it but on reflection, for good reason. For much as God has again shielded me through the implosion of Internet bubble in year 2000, there were more significant issues at stake. When His Spirit sanctified my very being, I literally died to Christ and now had a new beginning, to learn how to not just believe in the existence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but how to live like Christ. On dying, the year that God upgraded me from believer to determined follower was also a painful period when half a dozen colleagues and related passed away in a short span of one and a half years. It was painful and I never felt it that much as I put thoughts to paper in the obituaries that I penned for all my dear friends, yet it was a gainful period for much as none were healed physically, all who were willing were healed spiritually and indeed God has never been more real and graceful and faithful to us the faithless.
‘Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou will revive me…..’
Psalm 137:7
Not exactly Psalm 37, but close enough, but more importantly, where God leads and that is the wonderful part about a life that follows God, for in the highs of an uplifted spirit or in the lows of a present and burdensome darkness, He is with us, but we must be willing to let go and let Him. When we follow, we often still question, when we obey, we follow unconditionally.
And on this, marks the third phase of my spiritual progress, for much as the seeds of the subprime crisis had its roots in the myopic reaction of Greenspan and other equally culpable parties in dealing with the fallout from the internet bubble, what was important was what the self preserving thinking human would do in the midst of a big fire? Logically to run for safety and where I work, there were few places more dangerous than this, in the midst of the subprime crisis back in year 2008. When God speaks, one must not just listen, but obey and much as there was every reason to leave my place of employ, God spoke to me in all clarity on the need to stay put and to trust in Him. Illogical it was at that point, but who would have imagined that my firm literally had a resurrection twice over, and having seen God’s faithfulness, truly “death” as in loss of financial security(and interestingly I suspect people are more afraid of losing their sense of material well being than actual mortality) now has less of a hold on the once fearful and insecure me.
‘Faithful is He that calleth you, Who will also do it. Brethren pray for us.’
1 Thessalonians 5:24-25
A verse a dear friend just shared at our worship today and it truly reminds myself and I am sure you too, in your own journey with God that indeed God will deliver on His promise. But are we prepared to wait upon Him? And waiting is not about doing nothing, but can we continue to praise Him always, take time to pray to stay in His presence, to love others and to thank Him in all circumstances?
‘And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.’
Acts 2:40
And this brings me to the present ongoing phase four of my pilgrimage, which only ends when God takes me Home. Life has never felt more like in a strait-jacket, for deceitful men in a natural sinful reaction to the troubles of their own making these past decade have increasingly move from common sense and integrity in doing business to looking for ways to whitewash their sinful past and to absolve themselves from any consequences of their continued disobedience. It is indeed becoming almost unbearable and impossible on our own strength to be in this world yet not be of this world.
‘He fashioneth their hearts alike, He considereth all their works.’
Psalm 33:15
Yet, God has prepared me and I am sure all for us for this day, when the fire of refinement gets more intense, and where correction must start with His people. This is the gold that God wants us to buy from Him, so that we can stand firm as the world shakes in greater intensity, as God sieves out the wheat from the chaff.
‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take upon you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’
Ephesians 6:12-13
It is a difficult time, but yet a wonderful time of my life, for I have learned to total rest upon the Lord our God. The difference for me back in 1998 at the onset of my Christian life was that I acknowledge God after the fact, that is, after my troubles are over, but now, I have come to learn to always acknowledge Him as Lord in the midst of joy or in troubles. And I am learning to be the spirit man that God wants all of us to be, where our spirit will align with His Spirit, where we will move as He moves.
‘Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ………The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound therof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.’
John 3:5-8
And just in case you might be wondering if after 12 years, in particular the past 10 years, have I truly progressed to deserve a good pass from God as a Christian, that only God knows, but more important is that God must not be passé in our life.
‘..abstain from every form of evil. And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, Who will also do it. Brethren pray for us.’
1 Thessalonians 5:22-25
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(27th Oct 10)
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
In Spirit and Truth #18 Maze (23rd Oct 10)
Dear…
‘Put them in fear, O Lord; that nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.’
Psalm 9:20
If you are in Singapore or Hong Kong today, or for that matter Shanghai , Beijing, or Mumbai, and if you happen to be on the right side of the pecking order of society, you might feel smug, what with your appreciating net-worth, as ‘hot’ monies chased after the finite(at least for now) real assets(primarily in properties) leading to a recalibration in perception of what constitutes an acceptable bubble. And on that, even tea is bubbling as an investment class, and we are not referring to the once popular bubble tea amongst the mass consumers.
‘But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.’
1 Corinthians 2:9-10
But is your smugness contributing to the present smog once again enveloping this part of town. With bio-fuel becoming fashionable again, with rising price of fossil fuel and demand in China, the haze is back, and is it more than coincidental that the last serious case of haze was back in year 2006 when stock markets were booming, prior to the onset of the sub-prime crisis.. The haze emanating from the fast receding green lungs of Indonesia is with us again. Slash and burn is a practice of the Dayaks and other tribal people of the Island of Borneo and other erstwhile parts of the sprawling Indonesian Archipelago.. But it was never a problem till the past decade or so, when commercial exploitation of once virgin jungles turn a large part of Indonesia into plantation land. And much as most can see the long term damage to the environment and personal health, the powers to be seem not to give much of a care, be it for strategic reasons or possible person benefits. And much as we can clearly see the haze, the unseen creeping damage it is doing to one’s long term well being is insidious but certain.
'The idols of the nations are silver and gold. The work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak....So is everyone who trusts in them.'
Psalm 135:15-18
And as I look out of my window into the altar like Marina Sands casino, from the cool comfort of my air conditioned room, insulated from the acrid smell and oppressive warmth of this smog, the wetness of the floor outside from the rain did mislead me at least on the first day of this new season of haze into thinking that Singapore did look pleasantly misty like, no different from Europe in late Autumn. Of course, there is no longer any illusion that this is haze from ashes from once vibrant green trees, and not dew from the same green trees. But in one’s moment of wistful thinking, it did look like the cool ambiance of the Genting Highlands, and here, we also have the casino to match.
An idle afternoon this is, and till China raise interest rates again, or something nasty erupt to frighten the markets, this is a great time for reflection. And the thought did strike me this morning on how Christianity can be fairly difficult for many to comprehend, for it is a relationship with a living God and through Him with fellow men, and relationships take time to develop and requires commitment. And like a maze, there are many twists and turns, albeit always pleasant when we let go and let God. But often, the carnal man needs certainty or at least vestiges of certainty as they understand it or perceive it to be, and this is often represented by visual symbolism that they can feel, see or touch. Is this why man find it easier to acknowledge idols of their own making, be it represented by the varied materials available in this world or simply a concept based on their finite understanding, where man determines the god or gods he is comfortable with? God is Spirit cannot be understood or accepted or even visualized if man remains carnal.
‘…for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’
Joshua 1:9
But God is not a detached nor distant God. He is omnipresent. It is that the carnal man is at a different plane from the Spirit God. But God wants us to move to the spirit man, and He will strip us of our carnality, the shroud of sin we wear, if we are willing to let Him. A God that let us decide is not a God Who does not prompt us, for even the finite and sinful father that we are, we will never let our children blindly go down the suicidal path. Question is, as we stumble through the maze of life, are we paying attention to the very clear guidance of God, yet to many, they are oblivious to? How do we get people God placed in our lives to recognize and reach out to the ever loving hands of God our Father, for when they do so, they will be amazed at how real is the presence of the Living God? You and they need to take that first of several steps into faith, always looking only towards God, for faith comes from God and not from us, but we can receive faith from Him.
‘He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias’
John 1:23
From maze, to amaze, guess it is time to come back to the haze. Singapore has never had it so good. Wealth is flaunted, and most have never felt richer, at least asset wise. And indeed, we are probably the only country in the world that seems to lower the drawbridge to welcome the flood of monies looking for a home. But beneath all this gloss, are there issues that God wants to attract our attention to? Is our calling as a nation to be the depository for the carnal world’s wealth and its attendant sins, a safe haven in a world that is increasingly dangerous or have we forgotten that God bless us in our weakness, to go forth an bless our neighbors with the plenty He has given us?
The haze is like black soot that spoils the lovely party dress one had just put one, and it does remind all of us in Singapore that there are things beyond our control, for we can be pristine, but if our neighbors are spewing ashes all over, it affects the neighborhood. No different from Hong Kong and her environmental woes from what is happening in mainland China.
What about food? Three years back, we might have all the gold in the world, but had the food crisis exacerbated, and even a king’s ransom we might be willing to pay, might not guarantee us certainty of food supply, as our traditional food sources either hoard to extort a bigger price from us or simply because of the need to appease their hungry population, even if they can ill afford to pay. Are we about to see a deja vu?
Amazing isn’t it, how a haze filled lazy afternoon can do to one’s fertile mind. Dazzled I don’t think you are, but daze might be the state of mind for many in a world that is increasingly difficult and harsh. And much as many still seek to attain what the world values, increasingly, the reality is beginning to sink in that nothing in the world can truly satisfy that lingering hunger in one’s heart.
‘Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow.’
Isaiah 50:10-11
Can we as people who profess to believe in God continue to laze at a leisurely pace, ignoring the command of God to all who claim to believe to follow Him, to live a life that will be more like Christ and less like the devil? The world can only fathom the good news of the gospel message, when they see the message lived out in us the messenger. Then only will they consider the possibility of trying out this relationship with the ever present God, this small but very important step into the presence of God, from Whom faith will be given to all who seek Him.
‘Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves…’
Matthew 10:16
Craze I am not, for being in this world but not of this world, does create situations where we no longer behave with and within the norm. And when I continue to write and talk about God speaking to me, and when one begin to speak with love but boldness the truth, one do stand the risk of not just ridicule, but being included in the bonfire to be razed for many do not like the light of God’s truth to shine through their cloak of darkness.
‘Fear them not therefore, for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed, and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light, and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the house tops….’
Matthew 10:26-27
A prophet Stephen my cowardly self plan not to be, for even if you were to replace stones with gold coins/gold bars, it serve no purpose to a dead man, for the prophet Stephen was stoned to death. But like him, we must be steadfast in our gaze towards God, come what may, even if the PSI measure on the haze jumps from the present undesirable 102 to the previous peak of 212 back in year 2006 or double that to the 400s.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(21st Oct 10)
Of tigers and lions
A little snippet of historical fact I thought might be interesting. A book I picked up showing prints and old photographs of Singapore recorded the presence of many tigers in Singapore, the last was shot in the mid 1800s. So much for us being a lion city, when reality is pussycats did once abound in abundance. But that is the carnal, but Christ is the Lion of Judah, and myth it might be about the sighting of the lion by Parameswara, the Palembang prince who founded Singapore and name us after his sighting of the lion or ‘Singa,’ as a country, we are anointed to be the place where the Lion of Judah will roar into the darkness in our hinterland. And God is graceful. The tigers have long been associated with evil, at least in Malay tales of the man eating tiger or Harimau, which transforms into harmless old ladies to lure unsuspecting children into its lair. Not just the tigers are gone, but the abject poverty that our forefathers lived with is now replaced with great material wealth. But what about our Spiritual riches that is still latent and not fully surfaced if not long subsumed by our pursuit of material success??
'Truly these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.'
Acts 17:30-31
‘Put them in fear, O Lord; that nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.’
Psalm 9:20
If you are in Singapore or Hong Kong today, or for that matter Shanghai , Beijing, or Mumbai, and if you happen to be on the right side of the pecking order of society, you might feel smug, what with your appreciating net-worth, as ‘hot’ monies chased after the finite(at least for now) real assets(primarily in properties) leading to a recalibration in perception of what constitutes an acceptable bubble. And on that, even tea is bubbling as an investment class, and we are not referring to the once popular bubble tea amongst the mass consumers.
‘But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.’
1 Corinthians 2:9-10
But is your smugness contributing to the present smog once again enveloping this part of town. With bio-fuel becoming fashionable again, with rising price of fossil fuel and demand in China, the haze is back, and is it more than coincidental that the last serious case of haze was back in year 2006 when stock markets were booming, prior to the onset of the sub-prime crisis.. The haze emanating from the fast receding green lungs of Indonesia is with us again. Slash and burn is a practice of the Dayaks and other tribal people of the Island of Borneo and other erstwhile parts of the sprawling Indonesian Archipelago.. But it was never a problem till the past decade or so, when commercial exploitation of once virgin jungles turn a large part of Indonesia into plantation land. And much as most can see the long term damage to the environment and personal health, the powers to be seem not to give much of a care, be it for strategic reasons or possible person benefits. And much as we can clearly see the haze, the unseen creeping damage it is doing to one’s long term well being is insidious but certain.
'The idols of the nations are silver and gold. The work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak....So is everyone who trusts in them.'
Psalm 135:15-18
And as I look out of my window into the altar like Marina Sands casino, from the cool comfort of my air conditioned room, insulated from the acrid smell and oppressive warmth of this smog, the wetness of the floor outside from the rain did mislead me at least on the first day of this new season of haze into thinking that Singapore did look pleasantly misty like, no different from Europe in late Autumn. Of course, there is no longer any illusion that this is haze from ashes from once vibrant green trees, and not dew from the same green trees. But in one’s moment of wistful thinking, it did look like the cool ambiance of the Genting Highlands, and here, we also have the casino to match.
An idle afternoon this is, and till China raise interest rates again, or something nasty erupt to frighten the markets, this is a great time for reflection. And the thought did strike me this morning on how Christianity can be fairly difficult for many to comprehend, for it is a relationship with a living God and through Him with fellow men, and relationships take time to develop and requires commitment. And like a maze, there are many twists and turns, albeit always pleasant when we let go and let God. But often, the carnal man needs certainty or at least vestiges of certainty as they understand it or perceive it to be, and this is often represented by visual symbolism that they can feel, see or touch. Is this why man find it easier to acknowledge idols of their own making, be it represented by the varied materials available in this world or simply a concept based on their finite understanding, where man determines the god or gods he is comfortable with? God is Spirit cannot be understood or accepted or even visualized if man remains carnal.
‘…for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’
Joshua 1:9
But God is not a detached nor distant God. He is omnipresent. It is that the carnal man is at a different plane from the Spirit God. But God wants us to move to the spirit man, and He will strip us of our carnality, the shroud of sin we wear, if we are willing to let Him. A God that let us decide is not a God Who does not prompt us, for even the finite and sinful father that we are, we will never let our children blindly go down the suicidal path. Question is, as we stumble through the maze of life, are we paying attention to the very clear guidance of God, yet to many, they are oblivious to? How do we get people God placed in our lives to recognize and reach out to the ever loving hands of God our Father, for when they do so, they will be amazed at how real is the presence of the Living God? You and they need to take that first of several steps into faith, always looking only towards God, for faith comes from God and not from us, but we can receive faith from Him.
‘He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias’
John 1:23
From maze, to amaze, guess it is time to come back to the haze. Singapore has never had it so good. Wealth is flaunted, and most have never felt richer, at least asset wise. And indeed, we are probably the only country in the world that seems to lower the drawbridge to welcome the flood of monies looking for a home. But beneath all this gloss, are there issues that God wants to attract our attention to? Is our calling as a nation to be the depository for the carnal world’s wealth and its attendant sins, a safe haven in a world that is increasingly dangerous or have we forgotten that God bless us in our weakness, to go forth an bless our neighbors with the plenty He has given us?
The haze is like black soot that spoils the lovely party dress one had just put one, and it does remind all of us in Singapore that there are things beyond our control, for we can be pristine, but if our neighbors are spewing ashes all over, it affects the neighborhood. No different from Hong Kong and her environmental woes from what is happening in mainland China.
What about food? Three years back, we might have all the gold in the world, but had the food crisis exacerbated, and even a king’s ransom we might be willing to pay, might not guarantee us certainty of food supply, as our traditional food sources either hoard to extort a bigger price from us or simply because of the need to appease their hungry population, even if they can ill afford to pay. Are we about to see a deja vu?
Amazing isn’t it, how a haze filled lazy afternoon can do to one’s fertile mind. Dazzled I don’t think you are, but daze might be the state of mind for many in a world that is increasingly difficult and harsh. And much as many still seek to attain what the world values, increasingly, the reality is beginning to sink in that nothing in the world can truly satisfy that lingering hunger in one’s heart.
‘Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow.’
Isaiah 50:10-11
Can we as people who profess to believe in God continue to laze at a leisurely pace, ignoring the command of God to all who claim to believe to follow Him, to live a life that will be more like Christ and less like the devil? The world can only fathom the good news of the gospel message, when they see the message lived out in us the messenger. Then only will they consider the possibility of trying out this relationship with the ever present God, this small but very important step into the presence of God, from Whom faith will be given to all who seek Him.
‘Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves…’
Matthew 10:16
Craze I am not, for being in this world but not of this world, does create situations where we no longer behave with and within the norm. And when I continue to write and talk about God speaking to me, and when one begin to speak with love but boldness the truth, one do stand the risk of not just ridicule, but being included in the bonfire to be razed for many do not like the light of God’s truth to shine through their cloak of darkness.
‘Fear them not therefore, for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed, and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light, and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the house tops….’
Matthew 10:26-27
A prophet Stephen my cowardly self plan not to be, for even if you were to replace stones with gold coins/gold bars, it serve no purpose to a dead man, for the prophet Stephen was stoned to death. But like him, we must be steadfast in our gaze towards God, come what may, even if the PSI measure on the haze jumps from the present undesirable 102 to the previous peak of 212 back in year 2006 or double that to the 400s.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(21st Oct 10)
Of tigers and lions
A little snippet of historical fact I thought might be interesting. A book I picked up showing prints and old photographs of Singapore recorded the presence of many tigers in Singapore, the last was shot in the mid 1800s. So much for us being a lion city, when reality is pussycats did once abound in abundance. But that is the carnal, but Christ is the Lion of Judah, and myth it might be about the sighting of the lion by Parameswara, the Palembang prince who founded Singapore and name us after his sighting of the lion or ‘Singa,’ as a country, we are anointed to be the place where the Lion of Judah will roar into the darkness in our hinterland. And God is graceful. The tigers have long been associated with evil, at least in Malay tales of the man eating tiger or Harimau, which transforms into harmless old ladies to lure unsuspecting children into its lair. Not just the tigers are gone, but the abject poverty that our forefathers lived with is now replaced with great material wealth. But what about our Spiritual riches that is still latent and not fully surfaced if not long subsumed by our pursuit of material success??
'Truly these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.'
Acts 17:30-31
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
In Spirit and Truth #17 The great flood (20th Oct 10)
Dear…
‘That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried away with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive..’
Ephesians 4:14
At dinner last night with a friend from Down Under, he passed me a copy of the Australian National Museum annual report, and in there, amongst their recent acquisitions was a painting from Persia depicting the scene of Noah’s Ark amidst the great flood.. The accompanying comment in the report was that it was a worthwhile acquisition as Noah’s Ark was depicted across the art of the major religions of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. It is a fact that there are indeed overlaps in the characters of the Bible in the books of the other two faiths.
‘And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.’
Revelation 12:15
But let me restrict my meanderings to an area that I prayerfully might make less mistakes on in my understanding, where the world now increasingly finds itself in the same boat, literally. And this is the great flood of cheap monies that is fast building up and where less indebted countries that are on a firmer footing find themselves also under increased pressure to either release the monetary taps in their own backyards, so as to literally raise the floating platform that they are on, to be able to flow with the rising tide of fiat monies to be competitive export-wise or to put on more sandbags of capital controls to keep out the flood of cheap monies from damaging their economies.
In all floods, fast moving flotsams can do plenty of damage, and it is likely that the world is already witnessing the “flotsam of protectionism, xenophobia and social unrest” as competitive devaluation negates any hoped for benefits and yet, brings in its wake, the rising specter of inflation, and with it, the possibility of stronger economies finally pulling the plug in the bathtub, by raising interest rates to suck out the liquidity awash in their economies. If this happens, it would the very painful experiences of stagflation, per se that of the 1970s be resurrected and eventually do lasting damage to the psyche of the present generation?
What can and should we do in this rising tide?
'Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.'
Revelation 3:10
If the sports arena is where carnal men vent their primeval instincts in a civilized society, the global economy is where proxy wars are fought amongst nations for dominance and national interests, and much as the USA is the publicly maligned main culprit of this easy money policy, is it also the unseen force behind the fast rising prices of agriculture(the US being a major food exporter) as well as key beneficiary of arms sales ongoing in a simmering Middle East and an uneasy India/Pakistan standoff ? But the same could be said for any of the other major countries as each jostle for influence, no different from a tribe of gorillas, where the ordained leader weakens with age, and more youthful and energetic usurpers make their moves.
Imaginative minds one might have, but is this not the inherent sinful judgmental nature of men, often behind the innocuous posture of curiosity? The recent news that hog our papers on perceived sexual indiscretions in our schools has brought me many an inquiring question, for some do perceived incorrectly that I have an inside track. Truly, as Christians, we are reminded to put our carnality aside and put on the Spirit man. And in such situations, it is better to ask our Lord in our prayers, what He would want us to pray for the people involved, rather than speculate on the “what ifs” of the rumored indiscretions. A little digression in my thoughts here, but I thought it important to remind all to learn to rein in one's carnal desire to contribute to the flood of opinions that not only does no good to edifying a fellow brother, but brings oneself into an act of disobedience to our Father in Heaven, for an untamed tongue is dangerous for others and ourselves.
‘If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness.’
Isaiah 58:10
God commands us to seek Him with our all and to love our neighbors as ourselves. And God blessings will be upon those who seek to obey His command, for in giving, we do receive.
‘And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones, and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.’
Isaiah 58:11
Flood of the physical nature is devastating. The Yellow River in China is not just the believed source of Chinese civilization, but a perpetual river of sorrow whenever its banks overflow. As a Christian, God wants to use us as the instrument upon which His love will flood through and so overwhelm a resistant yet thirsting world, that many will no longer see any reason for not acknowledging the grace of God.
Last night, the Lord placed this deep conviction in my heart. Which is, as professed followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, we must be willing and determined to live out our faith, the way God commands us to. And which is, to be a holy and living sacrifice for His glory. And what does that entail on a practical level?
- To always look at all issues from God’s perspective, that is, how would our Lord Jesus Christ look at it?
- And to deal with all issues the way Christ would.
‘But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea….and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’
- Acts 1:8
Men of faith can point us to God, but it is the Living Word of God as encapsulated in the Bible and the omnipresent Holy Spirit residing in our hearts that will be our guide and teacher. But we must be a willing and determined disciple always being engaged in a relationship with the Spirit of God residing in us. And as we take time in the presence of God, His Spirit will sanctify, assure and lift our very being, and gives us that indescribable joy and peace, a release from the delusory yet very real dam placed by Lucifer upon our being, that has long held us back from being the child of God that He wants us to be.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(20th Oct 10)
‘And it shall come to pass that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die, but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried, they shall call on My name, and I will hear them, I will say, It is My people, and they shall say, The Lord is my God.’
Zechariah 13:8-9
It is not the flood that will destroy the world, but the fire that will. Would it not be better now to go through the fire of refinement under God’s loving hands, and be there with Christ when he returns, than to be left behind and be destroyed by the eventual fire of His wrath upon sinful men?
'..their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet. Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets. And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths. It shall come to pass in that day That a great panic from the Lord will be among them..'
Zechariah 14:12
As I reflect upon this verse, which seems to cannily reflect the eye witness accounts of the aftermath of the Nagasaki atomic bomb in the closing days of World War 2. I was in Nagasaki early this year. A beautiful place, now rebuilt from the horrors of the atomic bomb. Yet it need not have to go through this if only the Japanese leadership of pre World War 2 would pay heed to the warnings that God sent to them, through a faithful Korean lady, on the fire that will destroy them if they persist in their evil ways. Is the present world making the same mistake?
The difference is that flood waters might recede, but for sinful men, the fire will burn in eternal damnation
'But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.'
Revelation 21;8
‘That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried away with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive..’
Ephesians 4:14
At dinner last night with a friend from Down Under, he passed me a copy of the Australian National Museum annual report, and in there, amongst their recent acquisitions was a painting from Persia depicting the scene of Noah’s Ark amidst the great flood.. The accompanying comment in the report was that it was a worthwhile acquisition as Noah’s Ark was depicted across the art of the major religions of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. It is a fact that there are indeed overlaps in the characters of the Bible in the books of the other two faiths.
‘And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.’
Revelation 12:15
But let me restrict my meanderings to an area that I prayerfully might make less mistakes on in my understanding, where the world now increasingly finds itself in the same boat, literally. And this is the great flood of cheap monies that is fast building up and where less indebted countries that are on a firmer footing find themselves also under increased pressure to either release the monetary taps in their own backyards, so as to literally raise the floating platform that they are on, to be able to flow with the rising tide of fiat monies to be competitive export-wise or to put on more sandbags of capital controls to keep out the flood of cheap monies from damaging their economies.
In all floods, fast moving flotsams can do plenty of damage, and it is likely that the world is already witnessing the “flotsam of protectionism, xenophobia and social unrest” as competitive devaluation negates any hoped for benefits and yet, brings in its wake, the rising specter of inflation, and with it, the possibility of stronger economies finally pulling the plug in the bathtub, by raising interest rates to suck out the liquidity awash in their economies. If this happens, it would the very painful experiences of stagflation, per se that of the 1970s be resurrected and eventually do lasting damage to the psyche of the present generation?
What can and should we do in this rising tide?
'Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.'
Revelation 3:10
If the sports arena is where carnal men vent their primeval instincts in a civilized society, the global economy is where proxy wars are fought amongst nations for dominance and national interests, and much as the USA is the publicly maligned main culprit of this easy money policy, is it also the unseen force behind the fast rising prices of agriculture(the US being a major food exporter) as well as key beneficiary of arms sales ongoing in a simmering Middle East and an uneasy India/Pakistan standoff ? But the same could be said for any of the other major countries as each jostle for influence, no different from a tribe of gorillas, where the ordained leader weakens with age, and more youthful and energetic usurpers make their moves.
Imaginative minds one might have, but is this not the inherent sinful judgmental nature of men, often behind the innocuous posture of curiosity? The recent news that hog our papers on perceived sexual indiscretions in our schools has brought me many an inquiring question, for some do perceived incorrectly that I have an inside track. Truly, as Christians, we are reminded to put our carnality aside and put on the Spirit man. And in such situations, it is better to ask our Lord in our prayers, what He would want us to pray for the people involved, rather than speculate on the “what ifs” of the rumored indiscretions. A little digression in my thoughts here, but I thought it important to remind all to learn to rein in one's carnal desire to contribute to the flood of opinions that not only does no good to edifying a fellow brother, but brings oneself into an act of disobedience to our Father in Heaven, for an untamed tongue is dangerous for others and ourselves.
‘If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness.’
Isaiah 58:10
God commands us to seek Him with our all and to love our neighbors as ourselves. And God blessings will be upon those who seek to obey His command, for in giving, we do receive.
‘And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones, and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.’
Isaiah 58:11
Flood of the physical nature is devastating. The Yellow River in China is not just the believed source of Chinese civilization, but a perpetual river of sorrow whenever its banks overflow. As a Christian, God wants to use us as the instrument upon which His love will flood through and so overwhelm a resistant yet thirsting world, that many will no longer see any reason for not acknowledging the grace of God.
Last night, the Lord placed this deep conviction in my heart. Which is, as professed followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, we must be willing and determined to live out our faith, the way God commands us to. And which is, to be a holy and living sacrifice for His glory. And what does that entail on a practical level?
- To always look at all issues from God’s perspective, that is, how would our Lord Jesus Christ look at it?
- And to deal with all issues the way Christ would.
‘But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea….and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’
- Acts 1:8
Men of faith can point us to God, but it is the Living Word of God as encapsulated in the Bible and the omnipresent Holy Spirit residing in our hearts that will be our guide and teacher. But we must be a willing and determined disciple always being engaged in a relationship with the Spirit of God residing in us. And as we take time in the presence of God, His Spirit will sanctify, assure and lift our very being, and gives us that indescribable joy and peace, a release from the delusory yet very real dam placed by Lucifer upon our being, that has long held us back from being the child of God that He wants us to be.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(20th Oct 10)
‘And it shall come to pass that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die, but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried, they shall call on My name, and I will hear them, I will say, It is My people, and they shall say, The Lord is my God.’
Zechariah 13:8-9
It is not the flood that will destroy the world, but the fire that will. Would it not be better now to go through the fire of refinement under God’s loving hands, and be there with Christ when he returns, than to be left behind and be destroyed by the eventual fire of His wrath upon sinful men?
'..their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet. Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets. And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths. It shall come to pass in that day That a great panic from the Lord will be among them..'
Zechariah 14:12
As I reflect upon this verse, which seems to cannily reflect the eye witness accounts of the aftermath of the Nagasaki atomic bomb in the closing days of World War 2. I was in Nagasaki early this year. A beautiful place, now rebuilt from the horrors of the atomic bomb. Yet it need not have to go through this if only the Japanese leadership of pre World War 2 would pay heed to the warnings that God sent to them, through a faithful Korean lady, on the fire that will destroy them if they persist in their evil ways. Is the present world making the same mistake?
The difference is that flood waters might recede, but for sinful men, the fire will burn in eternal damnation
'But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.'
Revelation 21;8
Saturday, October 16, 2010
In Spirit and Truth #16 Not the beast, but the Being within(15th Oct 10)
Dear…
‘And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever.
Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you…’
John 14:16-17
In my previous sharing, God reminded me that the way for us to move from our carnal man to the spirit man that He wants all who love Him to be is to look to Him, rather than our own understanding. And to look after the interest of people He places in our lives rather than be mired in our own needs and wants. For we are commanded to seek God and His righteousness, and everything else will fall in place.
God indeed affirms and just this afternoon, at our men’s prayer meeting, my brother who shared his testimony covered along the same lessons that God has taught Him. Joy, peace, faith and blessings overflows from our heart, when we learn to let go and let Him. And in doing so, we will like in John 14 above, know the Spirit of God residing in our hearts, and have the quiet confidence to move as He leads.
‘Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude…’(Matthew 14:19)
Indeed God’s grace is suffice for the day, and if we understand that, then can we truly partake in the many wonderful plans God has already laid out for us, instead of running stationary within the same circle of fear, pride and other carnal emotions that keep us rooted in despair.
‘…Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.’
Mark 9:25
In my days as a believer but not follower of Christ, I do believe in the existence of God, but I was more fearful of the perceived free roaming evil spirits or “ghosts” that seem to captivate some, but for me and most, we rather do without the cohabitation. In my moments of fear especially of the spiritual kind, I used to call upon the authority of Christ to tell the specters of my imagined fears to “go” away. Quite silly it might seem, for how can I invoke the authority of Christ when I do not even spend time to know Him? But nothing happened in most instances, those fears being more imagined than real, but the sanctifying presence of God truly was real in the thankfully few occasions when I did get oppressed by the paralyzing presence of the fallen angels, and in my desperation, my heart did truly cry out of desperation to God to come save me, for at that point of being “pressed,” my sensory faculties be it limbs or speech went into a total immobilization, much as my spirit is very cognizance of this unreal and unseen, yet very real choking fearful presence upon my very being. Indeed, it does bring a corrective nuance to the phrase, “the devil in us,” an excuse for many a recalcitrant moment of our own follies. The devil is not in us the believer of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, but the devil is hovering around us, waiting for that opportunity to lead our spirit man into sinful carnality. The devil has been an advocate of disobedience to God since the days of Adam.
‘Set your affection on the things above, not on the things on earth…..And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom….’
Colossians 3:2, 15-16
Today being the first day of the working week, I have been quite busy with things of the world for good reason. But the Spirit of God residing in my heart seems to be drawing my attention, by giving me very little peace, to stop and take time with God and to expand upon the thoughts He has placed in my heart over the weekend. And this is what you are reading now, and may it truly be edifying as it always be, if it is from the Lord our God.
‘Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’
Psalm 139:23-24
My heart is still a little flutter, though much lesser than before I sit down with the Lord to write this now. Is it because there are still things not right in my life, hidden in the sub-recesses of my heart that God wants to show me? There will continue to be as God perfects us layer by layer and interestingly, envy no doubt in its nascent stage was beginning to creep into my being these past couple of days, and thankfully, God put it to rest with a timely verse in today’s daily bread reading(DB Monday Oct 11th) in Colossians 3:2 ‘Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.’ Is not envy pride colored in green?
And indeed, much as many of us are professed and “practicing” Christians, in the sense that we do try to be a diligent and obedient follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unholy combination of our imperfect and deceitful carnal self and the still very determined and present principalities of this world is more than a match for the finite us. And God knows that and His Spirit is with us to imbue us with that assured faith to be an over comer His way.
But we need to be willing to let His Spirit speak to the spirit man in us, and not let our carnality distract and deprive us of being cognizance of the Lord’s leading.
‘I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what He will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it…’
Habakkuk 2:1-2
I started penning these thoughts on Monday, and my hearts was a flutter since then, and in between snatches of stillness, I have been quite distracted. But interestingly, as a friend came by to speak to me on his need to re-examine and recalibrate his life to be properly aligned to the will of God. The peace that so eluded me this week returned to my heart.
Religion can be quite strange to irrational to the cynical observer. What is truth and what is “mumbo jumbo, it is hard enough for many believers to discern, not to say for the distant non believing observer. But Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship with an omnipresent God. And much as we know that the Spirit of God resides in the hearts of the believer, how many of us truly believe nor understand nor seek to reflect upon and be willing to respond to this reality, of a God Who truly wants to journey with us, till His return?
It is easier for the beast in our outward man to manifest itself, for we the sinful man upon birth, lived in a sinful and sensory world. But deep in the recesses of our heart, is a place God has prepared for His return, if only we are willing to receive Him. And indeed His Spirit already resides in the hearts of the professed believers, but we have failed to let go and let God, hence this continued struggle between our carnal and spirit being and without full obedience to the Holy Spirit, the Helper that Christ has left with us, the beast will win.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(15th Oct 10)
‘And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan, and was with the angels ministered unto him.’
Mark 1:13
Most of us are familiar with the record of Satan’s futile attempts to tempt our Lord Jesus Christ, at the rudimentary stages of ministry in our world. Much as Christ is perfect, as man is imperfect, are we not subjected to the same temptation every moment of our lives, and are most of us falling short, dealing with it on our own strength? But it need not be, the Spirit of God is in us.
‘But he answered and said, It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’
Matthew 4:4
How many of us truly take time to drink in the Word of God? And how many of us take time to let it minister to us. And does our hearts truly reflect what our lips mouthed, when we seek the Word of God?
‘Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’
Matthew 4:7
How often do we do things we should not do, and unashamedly turn to God expecting Him to make it right? God forgives, but is that a reason to be recalcitrant? Is that why most of our prayers are less of thanksgiving and more of supplications?
‘Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.’
Matthew 4:10
Are the temporal things of the world of greater value than the need to be made ready for eternity in the Kingdom of God? Most of us continue to revert to the bondage of the Egypt of our lives rather than boldly stepping into the liberating freedom of the promised land of God.
Simplistic thoughts these might be, but in all brevity, are we by our thoughts and daily living, paying obeisance to the beasts that rule our present world(the devil) or giving our all to being the spirit man that God wants us to be, molded by the Holy Spirit residing in us, the temple of God?
‘And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever.
Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you…’
John 14:16-17
In my previous sharing, God reminded me that the way for us to move from our carnal man to the spirit man that He wants all who love Him to be is to look to Him, rather than our own understanding. And to look after the interest of people He places in our lives rather than be mired in our own needs and wants. For we are commanded to seek God and His righteousness, and everything else will fall in place.
God indeed affirms and just this afternoon, at our men’s prayer meeting, my brother who shared his testimony covered along the same lessons that God has taught Him. Joy, peace, faith and blessings overflows from our heart, when we learn to let go and let Him. And in doing so, we will like in John 14 above, know the Spirit of God residing in our hearts, and have the quiet confidence to move as He leads.
‘Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude…’(Matthew 14:19)
Indeed God’s grace is suffice for the day, and if we understand that, then can we truly partake in the many wonderful plans God has already laid out for us, instead of running stationary within the same circle of fear, pride and other carnal emotions that keep us rooted in despair.
‘…Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.’
Mark 9:25
In my days as a believer but not follower of Christ, I do believe in the existence of God, but I was more fearful of the perceived free roaming evil spirits or “ghosts” that seem to captivate some, but for me and most, we rather do without the cohabitation. In my moments of fear especially of the spiritual kind, I used to call upon the authority of Christ to tell the specters of my imagined fears to “go” away. Quite silly it might seem, for how can I invoke the authority of Christ when I do not even spend time to know Him? But nothing happened in most instances, those fears being more imagined than real, but the sanctifying presence of God truly was real in the thankfully few occasions when I did get oppressed by the paralyzing presence of the fallen angels, and in my desperation, my heart did truly cry out of desperation to God to come save me, for at that point of being “pressed,” my sensory faculties be it limbs or speech went into a total immobilization, much as my spirit is very cognizance of this unreal and unseen, yet very real choking fearful presence upon my very being. Indeed, it does bring a corrective nuance to the phrase, “the devil in us,” an excuse for many a recalcitrant moment of our own follies. The devil is not in us the believer of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, but the devil is hovering around us, waiting for that opportunity to lead our spirit man into sinful carnality. The devil has been an advocate of disobedience to God since the days of Adam.
‘Set your affection on the things above, not on the things on earth…..And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom….’
Colossians 3:2, 15-16
Today being the first day of the working week, I have been quite busy with things of the world for good reason. But the Spirit of God residing in my heart seems to be drawing my attention, by giving me very little peace, to stop and take time with God and to expand upon the thoughts He has placed in my heart over the weekend. And this is what you are reading now, and may it truly be edifying as it always be, if it is from the Lord our God.
‘Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’
Psalm 139:23-24
My heart is still a little flutter, though much lesser than before I sit down with the Lord to write this now. Is it because there are still things not right in my life, hidden in the sub-recesses of my heart that God wants to show me? There will continue to be as God perfects us layer by layer and interestingly, envy no doubt in its nascent stage was beginning to creep into my being these past couple of days, and thankfully, God put it to rest with a timely verse in today’s daily bread reading(DB Monday Oct 11th) in Colossians 3:2 ‘Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.’ Is not envy pride colored in green?
And indeed, much as many of us are professed and “practicing” Christians, in the sense that we do try to be a diligent and obedient follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unholy combination of our imperfect and deceitful carnal self and the still very determined and present principalities of this world is more than a match for the finite us. And God knows that and His Spirit is with us to imbue us with that assured faith to be an over comer His way.
But we need to be willing to let His Spirit speak to the spirit man in us, and not let our carnality distract and deprive us of being cognizance of the Lord’s leading.
‘I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what He will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it…’
Habakkuk 2:1-2
I started penning these thoughts on Monday, and my hearts was a flutter since then, and in between snatches of stillness, I have been quite distracted. But interestingly, as a friend came by to speak to me on his need to re-examine and recalibrate his life to be properly aligned to the will of God. The peace that so eluded me this week returned to my heart.
Religion can be quite strange to irrational to the cynical observer. What is truth and what is “mumbo jumbo, it is hard enough for many believers to discern, not to say for the distant non believing observer. But Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship with an omnipresent God. And much as we know that the Spirit of God resides in the hearts of the believer, how many of us truly believe nor understand nor seek to reflect upon and be willing to respond to this reality, of a God Who truly wants to journey with us, till His return?
It is easier for the beast in our outward man to manifest itself, for we the sinful man upon birth, lived in a sinful and sensory world. But deep in the recesses of our heart, is a place God has prepared for His return, if only we are willing to receive Him. And indeed His Spirit already resides in the hearts of the professed believers, but we have failed to let go and let God, hence this continued struggle between our carnal and spirit being and without full obedience to the Holy Spirit, the Helper that Christ has left with us, the beast will win.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(15th Oct 10)
‘And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan, and was with the angels ministered unto him.’
Mark 1:13
Most of us are familiar with the record of Satan’s futile attempts to tempt our Lord Jesus Christ, at the rudimentary stages of ministry in our world. Much as Christ is perfect, as man is imperfect, are we not subjected to the same temptation every moment of our lives, and are most of us falling short, dealing with it on our own strength? But it need not be, the Spirit of God is in us.
‘But he answered and said, It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’
Matthew 4:4
How many of us truly take time to drink in the Word of God? And how many of us take time to let it minister to us. And does our hearts truly reflect what our lips mouthed, when we seek the Word of God?
‘Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’
Matthew 4:7
How often do we do things we should not do, and unashamedly turn to God expecting Him to make it right? God forgives, but is that a reason to be recalcitrant? Is that why most of our prayers are less of thanksgiving and more of supplications?
‘Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.’
Matthew 4:10
Are the temporal things of the world of greater value than the need to be made ready for eternity in the Kingdom of God? Most of us continue to revert to the bondage of the Egypt of our lives rather than boldly stepping into the liberating freedom of the promised land of God.
Simplistic thoughts these might be, but in all brevity, are we by our thoughts and daily living, paying obeisance to the beasts that rule our present world(the devil) or giving our all to being the spirit man that God wants us to be, molded by the Holy Spirit residing in us, the temple of God?
Thursday, October 7, 2010
In Spirit and Truth #15 Hemmed in (7th Oct 10)
Dear…
‘Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.’
Romans 13:1
Does being a Christian mean that we throw out the baby with the bath water? Does it mean that we live and act like the Israelites who wandered in the desert, going where the cloud of God leads by day, and His fire by night, and waiting for His daily manna from Heaven?(Exodus 40:38)
Is being a Christian equivalent to a total shutdown of one’s intellect and sense of self survival?
But are we truly better off not following God, depending more upon our intellect and wisdom, and going to God only when troubles rear its ugly head, or when we our wants come a calling and is that not often enough?
‘He changes the times and the seasons….He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.’
Daniel 2:21
God is Sovereign. I know that. But do I truly believe and subscribe to it 101%? I am afraid not, for if I do, peace and joy should be my second nature, instead of the still very alive, but thankfully more insipid carnal reactions of fear, frustration, pride, anger, impatience, and all things bad.
Lately, like most, I feel quite hemmed in by this inability to better manage the financial resources that God has blessed me with. Not a very happy position to be stuck with next to nothing interest paying cash deposits, and quite afraid of buying propane driven QE(not Queen Elizabeth but rather Quantitative Easing) led sky high equities and properties and bonds for that matter. Much as many in the business seems to think that the road is strewn with very, very cheap monies and it will be foolish not to borrow to spend/invest it.
‘And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the Word of God dwell in your richly in all wisdom….’
Colossians 3:15-16
Taking time with our Lord is more than just a stress reliever, for His Spirit will speak to our very being and help us to realign our spirit back to His will, and our good Lord reminded me of two messages that He has impressed upon my heart these past few months
1. To buy gold as in our character that is refined by Him(Revelations 3:18)
2. To invest in His kingdom, in the lives of people He placed in our paths, to point them to Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.
And indeed much as the logical behavior of many a prudent and wise dictate the necessity to flee from paper money to solid assets like gold, property, art and other real assets, to break free from the continued erosion of wealth, a direct result of the irresponsible or more like desperate attempts of the heavily indebted Western nations to defer the inevitable corrective consequences of past spending binges. The reality is no amount of gold or anything of the world will truly save us should the global economic system collapse, should this ongoing “beggar thy neighbor” policy translates into a full scale currency war and protectionism and other selfish actions with no regard for the greater good. And this is quite unlike the aftermath of the Vietnam war, where a few gold bars can buy one a passage out of a once repressive Communist regime, onto a rickety boat that prayerfully will survive both the elements of nature and the hazards of pirates, to reach the safe shores of holding countries, before being given asylum in the Western countries.
'..that the genuiness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it be tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.'
1 Peter 1:7
The global economic system will not collapse yet, but is more likely to morph into a less benign autocratic system of distinct continental blocs, than the present US centric and dominated model of the post World War Two years. In the midst of this reconfiguration, when big ships turn, the resulting cross currents and upheavals can be quite unbearable, and only a faith refined and built upon God our Rock will hold us steadfast and not the quantum nor form of assets that will preserve our very being.
‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying. Prove all things, hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it.’
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
The natural carnal instinct of men is to cling on even harder whatever things of the world that gives us perceived comfort, even if our circumstances take on a decided turn for the worse. As our beloved MM Lee was quoted in the newspapers on the recent bereavement of his beloved wife, home will now be one big empty house, but he believes that thankfully, at least he still has his work to keep him going.
With God, on the contrary, we are asked to let go of whatever straws that we are clutching and to let Him, for He is Sovereign.
Instead of hatching down like the non believing man, Christians must be different, we must start by opening our hearts to let the Spirit of God bring forth our spirit, the way God wills, much as our carnal mind thinks otherwise.
‘Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind by in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…’
Philippians 2:4-5
Strange as it might seem. In learning to look at the needs of others rather than ourselves, much as the latter might seem compelling, we are by our action, taking the first step of submission to the Sovereignty of God, and in doing so, allowing Him to help us break free from the vice-like grip of the devil upon our very being.
‘For it is God Which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputing. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. Holding forth the word of life..’
Philippians 2:13-16
A lightness of heart, an uplifted spirit, the sense of peace and assurance will sanctify our very being. Our ‘problems’ might not have gone away, but as we look upon our present circumstances from the perspective of God’s will, His light will cut through the darkness once encapsulating our very being, and we will be imbued with that God given faith to deal with the day as it comes, for indeed the grace of God is suffice for the day, much as the day is evil enough.
'He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'
John 7:38
And now in answering my own question raised at the beginning of this sharing, as a believer and follower of Christ, wisdom is from God and we must not just keep it but let His Spirit refine for us as we seek Him in His Words and in His works. And in the same vein, being a Christian means we must work even harder with the gifts that God has blessed us with, contrary to the popular misguided belief that God is Santa Claus and we can just doodle while waiting for the oodles of prosperity that is due to us.
The difference is, as the spirit man, we work to please God, and not carnal men including ourselves.
Yet wisdom must work with and be led by the Spirit of God, only then can we break free of the unbearable yet in reality delusory burdens of this sinful world that the devil will surely place on the finite us, who seek to carry the cross of Christ in our daily living. And indeed much as God asks us to be like Christ, but He also promised that the cross will be light if we truly obey His command to us to
‘Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’
Matthew 11:28
We must spend our all waiting upon the Lord, not waiting for God.
We wait for God if we are unsure that we have been saved. We wait upon God as our responsive act of gratitude to attest to His saving grace upon our lives. And nothing that the defeated devil can throw at us should hold us back or hemmed us in from the freedom that Christ has bought for all by his death and resurrection.
‘I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,(which is) your spiritual service. And be not fashioned according to this world, but ye be transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God…’
Romans 12:1-2
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(6 Oct 10)
‘Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.’
Romans 13:1
Does being a Christian mean that we throw out the baby with the bath water? Does it mean that we live and act like the Israelites who wandered in the desert, going where the cloud of God leads by day, and His fire by night, and waiting for His daily manna from Heaven?(Exodus 40:38)
Is being a Christian equivalent to a total shutdown of one’s intellect and sense of self survival?
But are we truly better off not following God, depending more upon our intellect and wisdom, and going to God only when troubles rear its ugly head, or when we our wants come a calling and is that not often enough?
‘He changes the times and the seasons….He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.’
Daniel 2:21
God is Sovereign. I know that. But do I truly believe and subscribe to it 101%? I am afraid not, for if I do, peace and joy should be my second nature, instead of the still very alive, but thankfully more insipid carnal reactions of fear, frustration, pride, anger, impatience, and all things bad.
Lately, like most, I feel quite hemmed in by this inability to better manage the financial resources that God has blessed me with. Not a very happy position to be stuck with next to nothing interest paying cash deposits, and quite afraid of buying propane driven QE(not Queen Elizabeth but rather Quantitative Easing) led sky high equities and properties and bonds for that matter. Much as many in the business seems to think that the road is strewn with very, very cheap monies and it will be foolish not to borrow to spend/invest it.
‘And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the Word of God dwell in your richly in all wisdom….’
Colossians 3:15-16
Taking time with our Lord is more than just a stress reliever, for His Spirit will speak to our very being and help us to realign our spirit back to His will, and our good Lord reminded me of two messages that He has impressed upon my heart these past few months
1. To buy gold as in our character that is refined by Him(Revelations 3:18)
2. To invest in His kingdom, in the lives of people He placed in our paths, to point them to Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.
And indeed much as the logical behavior of many a prudent and wise dictate the necessity to flee from paper money to solid assets like gold, property, art and other real assets, to break free from the continued erosion of wealth, a direct result of the irresponsible or more like desperate attempts of the heavily indebted Western nations to defer the inevitable corrective consequences of past spending binges. The reality is no amount of gold or anything of the world will truly save us should the global economic system collapse, should this ongoing “beggar thy neighbor” policy translates into a full scale currency war and protectionism and other selfish actions with no regard for the greater good. And this is quite unlike the aftermath of the Vietnam war, where a few gold bars can buy one a passage out of a once repressive Communist regime, onto a rickety boat that prayerfully will survive both the elements of nature and the hazards of pirates, to reach the safe shores of holding countries, before being given asylum in the Western countries.
'..that the genuiness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it be tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.'
1 Peter 1:7
The global economic system will not collapse yet, but is more likely to morph into a less benign autocratic system of distinct continental blocs, than the present US centric and dominated model of the post World War Two years. In the midst of this reconfiguration, when big ships turn, the resulting cross currents and upheavals can be quite unbearable, and only a faith refined and built upon God our Rock will hold us steadfast and not the quantum nor form of assets that will preserve our very being.
‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying. Prove all things, hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it.’
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
The natural carnal instinct of men is to cling on even harder whatever things of the world that gives us perceived comfort, even if our circumstances take on a decided turn for the worse. As our beloved MM Lee was quoted in the newspapers on the recent bereavement of his beloved wife, home will now be one big empty house, but he believes that thankfully, at least he still has his work to keep him going.
With God, on the contrary, we are asked to let go of whatever straws that we are clutching and to let Him, for He is Sovereign.
Instead of hatching down like the non believing man, Christians must be different, we must start by opening our hearts to let the Spirit of God bring forth our spirit, the way God wills, much as our carnal mind thinks otherwise.
‘Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind by in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…’
Philippians 2:4-5
Strange as it might seem. In learning to look at the needs of others rather than ourselves, much as the latter might seem compelling, we are by our action, taking the first step of submission to the Sovereignty of God, and in doing so, allowing Him to help us break free from the vice-like grip of the devil upon our very being.
‘For it is God Which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputing. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. Holding forth the word of life..’
Philippians 2:13-16
A lightness of heart, an uplifted spirit, the sense of peace and assurance will sanctify our very being. Our ‘problems’ might not have gone away, but as we look upon our present circumstances from the perspective of God’s will, His light will cut through the darkness once encapsulating our very being, and we will be imbued with that God given faith to deal with the day as it comes, for indeed the grace of God is suffice for the day, much as the day is evil enough.
'He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'
John 7:38
And now in answering my own question raised at the beginning of this sharing, as a believer and follower of Christ, wisdom is from God and we must not just keep it but let His Spirit refine for us as we seek Him in His Words and in His works. And in the same vein, being a Christian means we must work even harder with the gifts that God has blessed us with, contrary to the popular misguided belief that God is Santa Claus and we can just doodle while waiting for the oodles of prosperity that is due to us.
The difference is, as the spirit man, we work to please God, and not carnal men including ourselves.
Yet wisdom must work with and be led by the Spirit of God, only then can we break free of the unbearable yet in reality delusory burdens of this sinful world that the devil will surely place on the finite us, who seek to carry the cross of Christ in our daily living. And indeed much as God asks us to be like Christ, but He also promised that the cross will be light if we truly obey His command to us to
‘Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’
Matthew 11:28
We must spend our all waiting upon the Lord, not waiting for God.
We wait for God if we are unsure that we have been saved. We wait upon God as our responsive act of gratitude to attest to His saving grace upon our lives. And nothing that the defeated devil can throw at us should hold us back or hemmed us in from the freedom that Christ has bought for all by his death and resurrection.
‘I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,(which is) your spiritual service. And be not fashioned according to this world, but ye be transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God…’
Romans 12:1-2
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(6 Oct 10)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)