>>>> Dear ...
>>>>
>>>> 'For He is good, For His mercy endures forever towards Israel.'
>>>> Ezra 3:11b
>>>>
>>>> In adverse weather conditions, literary or real, is where I often see the truth of God's care for those who seek Him, down to the minute details of the strands of our hair.
>>>>
>>>> Going right smack into an ongoing 10 days unexpected and unprecedented winter blitz is not exactly the most ideal way to visit UK but God is sovereign. The Brits might have been caught a little short with less salt to smooth out the iced up airport runway, but last evening's landing was bumpy but safe. And now going up north to frigid Scotland seems a folly, but snow covered landscape were aplenty but thankfully, the snow drifts stopped short of Edinburgh to ensure our train journey was not disrupted, much as any places beyond that was non passable.
>>>>
>>>> 'you both know Me, and you know where I am from...'
>>>> John 7:28
>>>>
>>>> To know God is a blessing and privilege open to all. And much as it has been more than two millennium since Christ was born, God is ever present whenever we come unto His presence. And there is always no reason not to be thankful once we learn to look from His perspective
>>> '..old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy.'
>>>> Ezra 3:12
>>>
>>> United kingdom is not Republic of Ireland though the latter was part of UK in the old days before the Emerald Isle became independent. But what is to stop mother England from joining it's erstwhile neighbor in the boondocks of a crisis of confidence next year when the summer of discontent takes over from the present disconsolate winter?
>>>
>>> The Union Jack is the flag of the United Kingdom comprising England as its core, and flanked by Wales in the left, Northern Ireland ( but not Republic Ireland) further up left and the independent minded Scots smacked up north.
>>>
>>> The British Isles was once the foundation upon which the British went forth to build a great empire. Today, it is back down to size and would once great men in her heyday, if they were alive today not wept like the old men of Israel who had once witnessed her greatness?
>>>
>>> 'and he did not humble himself before the Lord as his father Manasseh had humbled himself, but Amon trespassed more and more.'
>>> 2 Chronicles 33:23
>>>
> Is China the new empire and is finally living up to it's name as the center of all civilization?
> The rest of the BRIC countries might not agree, but most are agreed that living standards at least in major cities of Asia are fast moving up.
'For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.'
Philippians 2:21
Yet is this increased wealth in China the sowing of the seeds of a future break-up of the vast country as disparities lead to pride and envy and the center cannot hold as the grip of the Chinese Communist party becomes tenuous in this new confidence amongst her population?
That might be sometime before we see the divisive warlord days of post Qing empire and the tumultuous Republic period of the early twentieth century.
But in Europe, the dissolution of nation hood into a One Europe seems to be nearer reality. The Irish fought hard for independence from the English but now has taken the first step towards subservience to a greater sovereign, the European Commission. And the Catalonians as symbolized by Barcelona soccer club to us soccer fans, wants to not just beat Real Madrid(pride of mainstream Spain) 5-1 recently, but be free from the Spaniards and the way out is to pledge allegiance to a greater One Europe. And what about Belgium, where Brussels is the seat of the European Commission yet paradoxically is a divided country? Will the Flemish and the Dutch speaking divide of Belgium subscribe to a greater sovereign instead of the present Belgium King?
These are interesting times. Europe is ready for the anti - Christ as it's ruler. Question is, do they go back to the arms of the Russian bear, a proven atheist anti Christian nation or do they pay obeisance to the new representation of anti-Christ in the making?
Self first, aligned to what the prideful Satan professes is the attitude of many in Europe today, and with the economic crisis putting at great risk this much desired lifestyle, the hearts of many Europeans are ready to receive a new god of prosperity that can maintain their desires.
Is there a lesson for us to learn from what is happening in the Old World(ie Europe?) For Asia the nascent economic powerhouse or even for USA, the New World? History will repeat itself like the proverbial three generational curse. Difference though is that the cyclical nature of human behavior that marks the history of mankind will end when the present God returns and it is clearly nearing.
God blesses
Eng Hieang
Nov 30th at 4am in -6 degrees Edinburgh, Scotland
An after-note
As I spend my quiet time this morning in a less than ideal place, in the bathroom to avoid waking my fast asleep son( a deja vue on my last trip to Paris 4 years back), God knows my heart is desirous of receiving His truth.
Interestingly, the cover of the Dec daily bread shows a snow covered scene straight out from where I am now.
How prescient, but the accompanying verse Luke 1:68 is even more meaningful.
Indeed, God has allowed me to go through the present winter storm, just like the storms of life, but He shelters the faithful.
I illogically left( much against my concerns)for the near blizzards of Scotland from the 'warmer' climes of London last Sunday morning without realizing that I by His grace just missed a strike at the London Tube, a great inconvenience .
God will be with me always, if I remain steadfast in Him and I go where He leads me.
He has redeemed us. But are we prepared to be the lamp from which His redemptive grace shines forth through our lives, into that of others He places in our paths?
'..for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins through the tender mercy of our God with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us. To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. To guide our feet into the way of peace.'
Luke 1:76-79
And so I urge you
'But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.'
James 1:22
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
In Spirit and Truth #22 YES (23rd Nov 10)
Dear…
‘Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?’
Then Peter said unto them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.’
…Then they that gladly received this word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.’
Acts 2:37-41
“I do” is an affirmation most couples at the altar gladly mouthed in the solemnization of a marriage. Of course, for some, “I don’t” becomes the new catchword when relationships amongst once dovey eyed couples flounder on the rocks.
“I will” is when the very sanctifying Spirit of God imbue in us this great desire to respond the only heartfelt way we can and must, to the love of God, by accepting His grace and the salvation offered to us the sinners.
After 7-8 years of inundating many of you with my wonderful experiences with God, I am blessed to know that some have accepted the faith, and even more have grown in your faith, though my role has been more as a recipient of your testimonies and maybe a bit player in your journey with our Lord, for it is God Who brings about the increase.
‘Be diligent to present yourself approved to God.’
2 Timothy 2:15
A resolute “yes” many of us might echo in our moments of spiritual oneness with the Spirit of God, but what about the follow through? We still live in a fallen and sinful world, and much as we agree to start on a new cleansed slate, our carnality is still very much in evidence, and agreeing to be a believer is just the beginning of a period of following as the Spirit of God refines us in the fire of life to make us ready for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Baptism of fire might refer to the first time one’s endurance is tested in a severe ordeal. For followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, it might be more apt to describe our journey as one of intermittent and increased intensity of baptism of fire, yet always ending well with the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, that will bring us closer to Christ-likeness. Like the lacquer works I collect, lacquer in its liquid form is mildly poisonous, yet every layer of lacquer overlaid with loving care by a master craftsman on a raw piece of carving, over months, will bring forth a tensile strength that will not just last centuries, but will retain its lovely sheen, notwithstanding the ravages of time.
‘All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.’
2 Timothy 3:12
Like those health warnings at the entrance to a particularly challenging ride in the theme parks, Christians must be fully cognizance of what you are committing to. But not many truly understand the depth of commitment to this covenant with God, and when the pain starts to creep in, many will fall by the wayside. But it need not be so, for the Spirit of God is with us and will imbue us with that inner strength to not just sustain us when the temperature heats up, but to bring forth the desired grain of Christ-likeness that God wants to mold all who seek Him into.
‘Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.’
Hebrews 13:21
The means is not the end, and refinement is not a conclusive but a continuous action, and what matters is the transformative experience with the Spirit of God, that one receives in going through the process. We must decrease and God must increase and much as we are stripped of what we are today as molded by the world, God will now transform us unto His likeness.
‘And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’
2 Corinthians 12:9
‘Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.’
2 Kings 5:15
Have I been put through enough times in the furnace, lovingly worked by the Lord our God to know from experience that indeed I ‘see” God better in my times of trials. And that God delivers every time? Yes I have and though the imperfect me still surface at the next challenge, by the grace of God my turnaround time from self to Him is much shorter and in my greater willingness to submit, I see and understand the grace and plans of God quicker and in greater clarity.
‘Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things that ye have, for He hath said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’
Hebrews 13:5
To live our faith is tough. Thoughts of self interest must be fleeting, yet selflessness must grow into our second nature. Lusts and carnal desires that promises instant gratification must be put to rest, cold blooded we are not, but hot blooded of the lustful type we cannot, for we must look away from the sinful but delectable to the Divine God. Crushed we will not be, but repressed we will be subjected to, and we resist not our oppressors, but instead submit to God our Provider. Irrational, faith in action might seem to the carnal man, but the old us long tainted by the bite of the forbidden fruit must die, and the new us, the spirit man that God wants to mold us in His Spirit must now rise forth.
‘So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.’
Hebrews 13:6
I am still learning. I have been humbled by the experiential knowledge of truly how great our God is. And I look forward to the day where my spirit will move in one with the Spirit of God, where no trace of the once carnal me will ever surface again.
And indeed God is moving me to the next phase of my journey with Him. Which is, like the early Christians, who were sent forth to the world, after a period of preparation, when they rested with the Lord till His Spirit rested upon them. The time has come for me and all who do feel led, to reach out to the community in more concrete ways, for the days of great need are now with us, for inflation and yet limpid real growth will be the overhanging and burdensome cloud on the lives of many these next few years.
‘And all that believed were together, and had all things common. And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need……..And the Lord added to the church daily as should be saved.’
Acts 2:44-47
6od Blesses
Eng Hieang
(23rd Nov 10)
As the year ends, it is indeed apt for me as this juncture of my faith to make a pilgrimage not to the Holy Lands, but rather, to the source of the growing Christian faith in Singapore. Mother England has seen better days, not just as an Imperial power but as a once pioneering Christian nation, where the fruits of seeds long laid by its faithful men and women in the wide reaches of the British Empire, is now bearing fruit in the once heathen lands. What will God show me in my next three weeks in the British Isles, I have no inkling, but I know it will have a bearing on our faith as Asia carries the baton of sharing the gospel to the last unreached people of the world, and this will include not just the tribes in the remote jungles of Irian Jaya, the lands of Central Asia, but also the present generation of the Western world, many of whom, unlike their devoted forefathers, no longer have a relationship with the Sovereign God or for that matter, knows Santa Claus better than our Lord Jesus Christ.
‘Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?’
Then Peter said unto them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.’
…Then they that gladly received this word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.’
Acts 2:37-41
“I do” is an affirmation most couples at the altar gladly mouthed in the solemnization of a marriage. Of course, for some, “I don’t” becomes the new catchword when relationships amongst once dovey eyed couples flounder on the rocks.
“I will” is when the very sanctifying Spirit of God imbue in us this great desire to respond the only heartfelt way we can and must, to the love of God, by accepting His grace and the salvation offered to us the sinners.
After 7-8 years of inundating many of you with my wonderful experiences with God, I am blessed to know that some have accepted the faith, and even more have grown in your faith, though my role has been more as a recipient of your testimonies and maybe a bit player in your journey with our Lord, for it is God Who brings about the increase.
‘Be diligent to present yourself approved to God.’
2 Timothy 2:15
A resolute “yes” many of us might echo in our moments of spiritual oneness with the Spirit of God, but what about the follow through? We still live in a fallen and sinful world, and much as we agree to start on a new cleansed slate, our carnality is still very much in evidence, and agreeing to be a believer is just the beginning of a period of following as the Spirit of God refines us in the fire of life to make us ready for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Baptism of fire might refer to the first time one’s endurance is tested in a severe ordeal. For followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, it might be more apt to describe our journey as one of intermittent and increased intensity of baptism of fire, yet always ending well with the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, that will bring us closer to Christ-likeness. Like the lacquer works I collect, lacquer in its liquid form is mildly poisonous, yet every layer of lacquer overlaid with loving care by a master craftsman on a raw piece of carving, over months, will bring forth a tensile strength that will not just last centuries, but will retain its lovely sheen, notwithstanding the ravages of time.
‘All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.’
2 Timothy 3:12
Like those health warnings at the entrance to a particularly challenging ride in the theme parks, Christians must be fully cognizance of what you are committing to. But not many truly understand the depth of commitment to this covenant with God, and when the pain starts to creep in, many will fall by the wayside. But it need not be so, for the Spirit of God is with us and will imbue us with that inner strength to not just sustain us when the temperature heats up, but to bring forth the desired grain of Christ-likeness that God wants to mold all who seek Him into.
‘Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.’
Hebrews 13:21
The means is not the end, and refinement is not a conclusive but a continuous action, and what matters is the transformative experience with the Spirit of God, that one receives in going through the process. We must decrease and God must increase and much as we are stripped of what we are today as molded by the world, God will now transform us unto His likeness.
‘And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’
2 Corinthians 12:9
‘Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.’
2 Kings 5:15
Have I been put through enough times in the furnace, lovingly worked by the Lord our God to know from experience that indeed I ‘see” God better in my times of trials. And that God delivers every time? Yes I have and though the imperfect me still surface at the next challenge, by the grace of God my turnaround time from self to Him is much shorter and in my greater willingness to submit, I see and understand the grace and plans of God quicker and in greater clarity.
‘Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things that ye have, for He hath said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’
Hebrews 13:5
To live our faith is tough. Thoughts of self interest must be fleeting, yet selflessness must grow into our second nature. Lusts and carnal desires that promises instant gratification must be put to rest, cold blooded we are not, but hot blooded of the lustful type we cannot, for we must look away from the sinful but delectable to the Divine God. Crushed we will not be, but repressed we will be subjected to, and we resist not our oppressors, but instead submit to God our Provider. Irrational, faith in action might seem to the carnal man, but the old us long tainted by the bite of the forbidden fruit must die, and the new us, the spirit man that God wants to mold us in His Spirit must now rise forth.
‘So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.’
Hebrews 13:6
I am still learning. I have been humbled by the experiential knowledge of truly how great our God is. And I look forward to the day where my spirit will move in one with the Spirit of God, where no trace of the once carnal me will ever surface again.
And indeed God is moving me to the next phase of my journey with Him. Which is, like the early Christians, who were sent forth to the world, after a period of preparation, when they rested with the Lord till His Spirit rested upon them. The time has come for me and all who do feel led, to reach out to the community in more concrete ways, for the days of great need are now with us, for inflation and yet limpid real growth will be the overhanging and burdensome cloud on the lives of many these next few years.
‘And all that believed were together, and had all things common. And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need……..And the Lord added to the church daily as should be saved.’
Acts 2:44-47
6od Blesses
Eng Hieang
(23rd Nov 10)
As the year ends, it is indeed apt for me as this juncture of my faith to make a pilgrimage not to the Holy Lands, but rather, to the source of the growing Christian faith in Singapore. Mother England has seen better days, not just as an Imperial power but as a once pioneering Christian nation, where the fruits of seeds long laid by its faithful men and women in the wide reaches of the British Empire, is now bearing fruit in the once heathen lands. What will God show me in my next three weeks in the British Isles, I have no inkling, but I know it will have a bearing on our faith as Asia carries the baton of sharing the gospel to the last unreached people of the world, and this will include not just the tribes in the remote jungles of Irian Jaya, the lands of Central Asia, but also the present generation of the Western world, many of whom, unlike their devoted forefathers, no longer have a relationship with the Sovereign God or for that matter, knows Santa Claus better than our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
In Spirit and Truth #21 NOW (14th Nov 10)
Dear...
'...Just as they have chosen their own ways......So will I choose their
delusions. And bring their fears on them. Because, when I called no one
answered. When I spoke they did not hear. But they did evil before My eyes. And
chose that in which I do not delight.'
Isaiah 66:3-4
It is not often you hear from me on a Sunday. And it is seldom I throw out what
the Lord has put in my heart the past one week and write a totally new sharing.
But when the Spirit of God speaks, nothing else matters except total obedience. And may the thoughts that I
am about to pen be truly from the Lord and that you will receive it with a
willing heart.
"Now" is an order I sometimes barked at my two children to get things long not
done, for procrastination is a trait that should not be allowed to have a
prolonged existence. As a professed believer of our Lord Jesus Christ, all of us
are commanded to seek God with our all and to love others as much as ourselves.
Reality is not many of us diligently nor willingly do that and as a consequence,
we are far from ready when Christ returns. And as a direct consequence of not
staying always in the presence of God, we find ourselves subjected to the
continued bondage of the woes of this present sinful world.
'But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the
Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God
is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.'
John 4:23-24
It has been half a year since our good Lord brought me to this new series "In
Spirit and Truth" and I am still learning as to what it truly meant. Scripture
states that the Spirit of God resides in the hearts of the believers, and the
Spirit searches our hearts, using our spirit as the lamp. Does it mean that the
light of God, ie His Spirit shines forth through communion with our spirit, into
the deep recesses of our hearts, bringing enlightenment to our very soul, once
carnally driven by our natural senses, now transformed into the spirit man that
God wants us to be, for God is Spirit? In simplistic terms, it means that we
must no longer live life as driven by our wisdom based on our finite
understanding, but live life as led by the promptings of the Holy Spirit which
communes with our spirit man.
'Jesus said to them. "My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to
finish His work. Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the
harvest?" Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for
they are already white for harvest.'
John 4:34-35
The disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ thought he was off center when Christ
talked about food as not of filling one's physical hunger, but rather, a
completion of the call of God to share the gospel with the unsaved. Today,
conventional wisdom will tell all of us that we must set aside sufficient
provisions before we embark on full time ministry, for in man's understanding,
full time ministry meant one's source of income goes to zilch or near zilch. Of
course, there are a minority who after a period of struggle from the first call
of God finally take that final step of faith to leave their comfort zone to go
where God calls.
The financial markets have been good, yet the recovery brings with it new
challenges as the consequences of the sub-prime crisis brings about a paradigm
shift in the way business is done in the financial industry. Oppressed I do
feel, but crushed my spirit is not for I often remind myself of God's
faithfulness through my life and how much as logic dictate otherwise, by His
grace, in my obedience to His will, He has delivered where man think not
possible. Yet bring imperfect, I still struggle to totally let go and let God
and this was my state of being as I went to church this morning.
"Evangelism" was the sermon shared today and the Bible reading was from John
4:34-35. What is enough is a question the insecure me often struggle with. God
is good, He has more than blessed me all these years, much as I often find it
easier to acknowledge His grace upon the conclusion of a difficult period and on
that one occasion that I did acknowledge His Sovereignty in the midst of my
struggles, His Spirit brought me to a new maturity in my Christian growth, from
half-hearted believer to determined follower.
Like many who profess our love and faith, I still struggle with my carnal self,
and am not prepared to commit my all to the present harvest, but rather hoping
that God will give me more time to be more ready, materially. Does it mean that
to be ready meant that I quit my job and go into the ministry God is calling me
to, a thought He placed in my heart these past few months to be a channel of His
blessings to those in need?
Most of us tend to equate full time ministry with an actual action, in terms of
a change of vocation, often marked by an income drop. Could it more correctly
defined to mean a change in our heart, a total surrender to the will of God
wherever He places us today? Take my present situation. I am very concerned that
the very basis for the viability of my business in my present employment looks
increasingly bleak. And like the opening verse in Isaiah 66:3-4, am I not paying
attention to what the Spirit of God is leading me on and in choosing my own
ways, the extrapolated fears of a very present threat is shaking my faith?
Like Abraham, when God call us, by His lifting the veil in our once blinded
hearts, we who call ourselves Christians have already stepped into full time
ministry RIGHT NOW, wherever we are. If we understand that, it is no longer
about what matters to us, but what is the will of God. And in obedience with our
all, God has and will provide, and we no longer need to fear our circumstances,
for the grace of God is suffice for the day. And on a practical basis, it mean
that I will use the wisdom that God gives me to honor Him in the day's
activities, knowing that He is Sovereign and giving no thought to the next day
and as His Spirit leads, to learn to put aside that wisdom and follow as He
wills. For God is our employer.
'And he who reaps received wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both
he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.'
John 4:36
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
What I shared is an enlightenment to me. To look at my life as one of full time
ministry wherever I am. And if I am prepared to let go of my fears and
understanding, and live as the Spirit of God leads. God looks for obedience and
not sacrifice. Finite man looks for certainty and conclusions.
As I reflect upon the past three years, the Spirit of God has indeed spoken to
me in very clear terms. For me it has as shared previously been a series of
three affirmative dreams in each of the messages that God gave me. Yet, in my
disobedience on hindsight, I have come to learn how "right" God was much as
logic had dictated at that point, a perceived need on my part to vary His
command.
The message I received today from the Spirit of God is a variation. It is not a
dream but an enlightenment on the need to look at my daily life as one of serving and doing the will of God.
Everything else is peripheral and God has provided and will provide. And there
is no room for disobedience which include allowing my sense of self survival to
creep back into my psyche.
As some might recall, God gave me three messages these past three years
- in the midst of the sub prime crisis in mid 08, there was every compelling
reason to change my place of employment. Yet God spoke to me in three dreams on
His command to stay and affirmed it with the word "to not go back to Egypt" for
that was what the disobedient Israelites did thinking that Egypt was safer than
the threat of the Babylonians. And indeed God delivered for my firm almost died
twice but is still standing today
- in the same sub prime crisis, in Dec 07 the word He gave me in three visions,
in the midst of His blessing me materially was to distribute and not cumulate.
And by His grace, much as I could not resist cumulating, much as He allowed me
to learn a painful lesson, He has returned most of what I lost back to a
repentant me.
- and in the same subprime crisis, in May 08, the only buy action He placed in
my heart again through three impressions in my sleep was to buy physical gold at
then price of US$750/oz And obeyed I finally did after some struggle with my
rational mind to do otherwise, and on hindsight, at present prices of US$1400
where the whole world is now enamored with the useless metal, I should have
bought more. But it is gold as refined by God that He truly wants us to buy. And
the pain I am going through now, I must persevere, for God is selling me gold as
in one's spirituality as refined by circumstances He allows us to go through.
And what is the fourth message that God has given me this year in 2010? It is to
"sell into strength with patience." And easy task in concept, but in reality,
one struggles very hard to restrain from selling too fast for the better part of
this year, and now one struggles with the urge to buy as the continued printing
of monies seem to indicate the increased appreciation in prices of assets.
Much as God has spoken to me in the context of finance, for God will come down
to our frame of reference. God will speak to each of you in ways you will be
able to relate to and understand. The command(my fifth message) today from God
is for all of us who love Him to give our all to Him NOW, wherever He places us.
There is no need to be concerned about the uncertain tomorrow, but rather to be
sure to do the will of God today and know that the Sovereign God is faithful and
knows our needs.
'It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing, the words that I
speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. But there are some of you
that believe not...'
John 6:63-64
'...Just as they have chosen their own ways......So will I choose their
delusions. And bring their fears on them. Because, when I called no one
answered. When I spoke they did not hear. But they did evil before My eyes. And
chose that in which I do not delight.'
Isaiah 66:3-4
It is not often you hear from me on a Sunday. And it is seldom I throw out what
the Lord has put in my heart the past one week and write a totally new sharing.
But when the Spirit of God speaks, nothing else matters except total obedience. And may the thoughts that I
am about to pen be truly from the Lord and that you will receive it with a
willing heart.
"Now" is an order I sometimes barked at my two children to get things long not
done, for procrastination is a trait that should not be allowed to have a
prolonged existence. As a professed believer of our Lord Jesus Christ, all of us
are commanded to seek God with our all and to love others as much as ourselves.
Reality is not many of us diligently nor willingly do that and as a consequence,
we are far from ready when Christ returns. And as a direct consequence of not
staying always in the presence of God, we find ourselves subjected to the
continued bondage of the woes of this present sinful world.
'But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the
Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God
is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.'
John 4:23-24
It has been half a year since our good Lord brought me to this new series "In
Spirit and Truth" and I am still learning as to what it truly meant. Scripture
states that the Spirit of God resides in the hearts of the believers, and the
Spirit searches our hearts, using our spirit as the lamp. Does it mean that the
light of God, ie His Spirit shines forth through communion with our spirit, into
the deep recesses of our hearts, bringing enlightenment to our very soul, once
carnally driven by our natural senses, now transformed into the spirit man that
God wants us to be, for God is Spirit? In simplistic terms, it means that we
must no longer live life as driven by our wisdom based on our finite
understanding, but live life as led by the promptings of the Holy Spirit which
communes with our spirit man.
'Jesus said to them. "My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to
finish His work. Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the
harvest?" Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for
they are already white for harvest.'
John 4:34-35
The disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ thought he was off center when Christ
talked about food as not of filling one's physical hunger, but rather, a
completion of the call of God to share the gospel with the unsaved. Today,
conventional wisdom will tell all of us that we must set aside sufficient
provisions before we embark on full time ministry, for in man's understanding,
full time ministry meant one's source of income goes to zilch or near zilch. Of
course, there are a minority who after a period of struggle from the first call
of God finally take that final step of faith to leave their comfort zone to go
where God calls.
The financial markets have been good, yet the recovery brings with it new
challenges as the consequences of the sub-prime crisis brings about a paradigm
shift in the way business is done in the financial industry. Oppressed I do
feel, but crushed my spirit is not for I often remind myself of God's
faithfulness through my life and how much as logic dictate otherwise, by His
grace, in my obedience to His will, He has delivered where man think not
possible. Yet bring imperfect, I still struggle to totally let go and let God
and this was my state of being as I went to church this morning.
"Evangelism" was the sermon shared today and the Bible reading was from John
4:34-35. What is enough is a question the insecure me often struggle with. God
is good, He has more than blessed me all these years, much as I often find it
easier to acknowledge His grace upon the conclusion of a difficult period and on
that one occasion that I did acknowledge His Sovereignty in the midst of my
struggles, His Spirit brought me to a new maturity in my Christian growth, from
half-hearted believer to determined follower.
Like many who profess our love and faith, I still struggle with my carnal self,
and am not prepared to commit my all to the present harvest, but rather hoping
that God will give me more time to be more ready, materially. Does it mean that
to be ready meant that I quit my job and go into the ministry God is calling me
to, a thought He placed in my heart these past few months to be a channel of His
blessings to those in need?
Most of us tend to equate full time ministry with an actual action, in terms of
a change of vocation, often marked by an income drop. Could it more correctly
defined to mean a change in our heart, a total surrender to the will of God
wherever He places us today? Take my present situation. I am very concerned that
the very basis for the viability of my business in my present employment looks
increasingly bleak. And like the opening verse in Isaiah 66:3-4, am I not paying
attention to what the Spirit of God is leading me on and in choosing my own
ways, the extrapolated fears of a very present threat is shaking my faith?
Like Abraham, when God call us, by His lifting the veil in our once blinded
hearts, we who call ourselves Christians have already stepped into full time
ministry RIGHT NOW, wherever we are. If we understand that, it is no longer
about what matters to us, but what is the will of God. And in obedience with our
all, God has and will provide, and we no longer need to fear our circumstances,
for the grace of God is suffice for the day. And on a practical basis, it mean
that I will use the wisdom that God gives me to honor Him in the day's
activities, knowing that He is Sovereign and giving no thought to the next day
and as His Spirit leads, to learn to put aside that wisdom and follow as He
wills. For God is our employer.
'And he who reaps received wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both
he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.'
John 4:36
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
What I shared is an enlightenment to me. To look at my life as one of full time
ministry wherever I am. And if I am prepared to let go of my fears and
understanding, and live as the Spirit of God leads. God looks for obedience and
not sacrifice. Finite man looks for certainty and conclusions.
As I reflect upon the past three years, the Spirit of God has indeed spoken to
me in very clear terms. For me it has as shared previously been a series of
three affirmative dreams in each of the messages that God gave me. Yet, in my
disobedience on hindsight, I have come to learn how "right" God was much as
logic had dictated at that point, a perceived need on my part to vary His
command.
The message I received today from the Spirit of God is a variation. It is not a
dream but an enlightenment on the need to look at my daily life as one of serving and doing the will of God.
Everything else is peripheral and God has provided and will provide. And there
is no room for disobedience which include allowing my sense of self survival to
creep back into my psyche.
As some might recall, God gave me three messages these past three years
- in the midst of the sub prime crisis in mid 08, there was every compelling
reason to change my place of employment. Yet God spoke to me in three dreams on
His command to stay and affirmed it with the word "to not go back to Egypt" for
that was what the disobedient Israelites did thinking that Egypt was safer than
the threat of the Babylonians. And indeed God delivered for my firm almost died
twice but is still standing today
- in the same sub prime crisis, in Dec 07 the word He gave me in three visions,
in the midst of His blessing me materially was to distribute and not cumulate.
And by His grace, much as I could not resist cumulating, much as He allowed me
to learn a painful lesson, He has returned most of what I lost back to a
repentant me.
- and in the same subprime crisis, in May 08, the only buy action He placed in
my heart again through three impressions in my sleep was to buy physical gold at
then price of US$750/oz And obeyed I finally did after some struggle with my
rational mind to do otherwise, and on hindsight, at present prices of US$1400
where the whole world is now enamored with the useless metal, I should have
bought more. But it is gold as refined by God that He truly wants us to buy. And
the pain I am going through now, I must persevere, for God is selling me gold as
in one's spirituality as refined by circumstances He allows us to go through.
And what is the fourth message that God has given me this year in 2010? It is to
"sell into strength with patience." And easy task in concept, but in reality,
one struggles very hard to restrain from selling too fast for the better part of
this year, and now one struggles with the urge to buy as the continued printing
of monies seem to indicate the increased appreciation in prices of assets.
Much as God has spoken to me in the context of finance, for God will come down
to our frame of reference. God will speak to each of you in ways you will be
able to relate to and understand. The command(my fifth message) today from God
is for all of us who love Him to give our all to Him NOW, wherever He places us.
There is no need to be concerned about the uncertain tomorrow, but rather to be
sure to do the will of God today and know that the Sovereign God is faithful and
knows our needs.
'It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing, the words that I
speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. But there are some of you
that believe not...'
John 6:63-64
Monday, November 8, 2010
In Spirit and Truth #20 Twilight (8th Nov 10)
Dear…
‘What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? Shall it declare Thy truth?
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me. Lord, be Thou my helper.’
Psalm 30:9-10
These past few days I have traipsed round the various institutional facilities that look after the aged. It has been an enlightening yet sobering experience for me, to witness for myself the possible future that awaits the still spunky but increasingly creaky us, for Father time will catch up with all of us.
Blood and sweat might oft be the price many are willing to pay to attain riches and recognition, but as Psalm 30:9 so succinctly remind us, when we breathe our last, and are co-mingled with the dust, does our past achievements truly matter?
‘For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.’
Psalm 31:10
To be able to age gracefully and to die peacefully and painlessly, that is a thought few give much space to in our present living, for death is a taboo for many, and there are more compelling distractions for the present. Yet, it will do one good to make that rare side trip to the places where the aged are cared for to help one reformulate one’s priorities in life and reexamine one’s state of readiness when our outer shell deteriorates and more importantly, what comes after when our system shuts down?
‘Be diligent to present yourself approved to God...’
2 Timothy 2:15
Would amnesia be a good option when you meet God in the afterlife? Dementia is a growing trend globally. It is also possible that the increase in statistics is due to greater awareness of what ails many. To forget the difficult past is a delectable option for many a troubled soul but it weighs heavily on one’s care givers, who are not just burdened by the physical demands of looking after you, but also the sense of angst of you forgetting past shared relationships. But it grieves God our loving Father even more, that many who still retain their faculties, have long forgotten the possibility of a relationship with Him, as their minds have long been captured by the delusions of this sinful world. At a home I visited, they have a mock bus stop set up with bus no. 3 as designated service provider. This is an outlet for dementia patients, who somehow in their DNA still retain the desire to go home, for much as they are permanently ensconced at the nursing home. A delusion this might be, but necessary to ensure that dementia patients do not vent their frustrations when told the truth that home is where they now are. In us, the cognitive living being, is the same DNA that God has placed in our hearts, to want to seek that relationship with Him. Much as this desire might be subsumed by the potent mix of our carnality and the devil’s delusion, it is simmering, and if we are willing, God will help us break free.
‘Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.’
2 Corinthians 4:10
Morbid it might seem, but as shared previously, I do take time to read the daily obituaries in the newspapers and at wakes, I do take a close look at the now lifeless shell. Judgmental prayerfully I am not, but I always like to look for clues from the words expressed in the obituary and from the expression beyond the skilful hands of the embalmer, the life that this once living soul had led. Faithful followers of our Lord Jesus Christ will carry the countenance of a heart filled with joy and inner peace, that will be expressed in both their physical expressions as well as etched on the lives of others God placed in their lives and I have come to believe and know that it is true.
‘We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.’
2 Corinthians 5:8
Care for the elderly is a broad catchword for the myriad of needs. From simple day care centers(no different from nurseries for toddlers, indeed how we go one full cycle), to nursing homes where more care and attention is needed, to community hospitals where longer term medical maintenance is essential, to acute Hospitals for dealing with immediate and urgent medical conditions and ending with Hospices(where healing is more for the soul than for the body).
Three days worth of intense visits on the ground does not make me an expert to advise all us future old foggy on choice of facility, but it does get me thinking, and prayerfully, may the closing thoughts shared be truly from our Lord, and may you take time to reflect and respond to, while we still have the time.
‘He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will He pay him again.’
Proverbs 19:17
One common impression that struck me in all these facilities that I had the privilege to visit as well as go into in depth discussion with the key personnel running it, is the dearth of resources in the face of increasing overwhelming needs. These are all charitable run institutions, where success is not measured by how much material profits one makes, but how much love can we give and receive? And on the latter, it is something to be thankful for that in an increasingly clinical Singapore, we still have, albeit a minority, well trained committed professionals who are willing to answer their call to service. And also to be thankful that we can still draw on the human capital of our more impoverished neighbors to provide the necessary labor in this very demanding industry.
‘…….The borrower is a slave to the lender’
Proverbs 22:7
We are all living on borrowed time. And like Dr Faustus, the devil will eventually want us to account for the debt we owe him or it, for much as the world is temporal, he wants our soul for eternity for the short-lived carnal gratification we sinfully seek. One haunting image of all these homes I visited is the lack of spirit or sense of purpose in many of the aged. It is understandable if one’s life revolves around things of the world, as our natural senses deteriorates, much as our soul is very much alive, our spirit starts to lose its will and one waits to die. But it need not be this way, for life need not end with death, for eternity awaits us.
Can we as faithful followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, be different because we have lived our active life differently and have come to know a loving and Sovereign God, Who has prepared our hearts and has make ready a place in Heaven for us? Yes we can, but the preparation of being made ready is now and not till the lights in our lives are dimming. Do that and we will like the Psalmist gladly proclaim the joyful truth that
‘Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep, for Thou, Lord only makest me dwell in safety.’
Psalm 4:7-8
Without God, once we are out of the limelight, the twilight zone that we find ourselves in is indeed depressing. With Christ as our Lord, every moment is a joyful highlight in our blessed life.
‘So then death worketh in us, but life in you.’
2 Corinthians 4:12
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
8th Nov 10
Aging successfully
God always surprises me with His prescience, and as I complete this sharing, I was reminded of the recent receipt of the latest copy of "Uncommon voices" - the quarterly publication by the Methodist Welfare Services. And by coincidence, it was a special edition on aging.
Lots of interesting articles garnered from interviews with those on the field working with the aged, but let me just share a couple of gems of truth, that may encourage you to take time to read this very meaningful publication.
"we cannot add days to our lives, but we can add life to our days"
How true this comment is, and in living a life that honors God, He will truly bring joy and inner peace to our days.
Successful aging is
- to borrow a verse from the Bible '..to be ready for every good work' (Titus 3:1)
- to plant our lives in the right places as the Spirit of God leads us
'The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree. He shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord. Shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age. They shall be fresh and flourishing. To declare that the Lord is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.'
Psalm 92:12-15
‘What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? Shall it declare Thy truth?
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me. Lord, be Thou my helper.’
Psalm 30:9-10
These past few days I have traipsed round the various institutional facilities that look after the aged. It has been an enlightening yet sobering experience for me, to witness for myself the possible future that awaits the still spunky but increasingly creaky us, for Father time will catch up with all of us.
Blood and sweat might oft be the price many are willing to pay to attain riches and recognition, but as Psalm 30:9 so succinctly remind us, when we breathe our last, and are co-mingled with the dust, does our past achievements truly matter?
‘For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.’
Psalm 31:10
To be able to age gracefully and to die peacefully and painlessly, that is a thought few give much space to in our present living, for death is a taboo for many, and there are more compelling distractions for the present. Yet, it will do one good to make that rare side trip to the places where the aged are cared for to help one reformulate one’s priorities in life and reexamine one’s state of readiness when our outer shell deteriorates and more importantly, what comes after when our system shuts down?
‘Be diligent to present yourself approved to God...’
2 Timothy 2:15
Would amnesia be a good option when you meet God in the afterlife? Dementia is a growing trend globally. It is also possible that the increase in statistics is due to greater awareness of what ails many. To forget the difficult past is a delectable option for many a troubled soul but it weighs heavily on one’s care givers, who are not just burdened by the physical demands of looking after you, but also the sense of angst of you forgetting past shared relationships. But it grieves God our loving Father even more, that many who still retain their faculties, have long forgotten the possibility of a relationship with Him, as their minds have long been captured by the delusions of this sinful world. At a home I visited, they have a mock bus stop set up with bus no. 3 as designated service provider. This is an outlet for dementia patients, who somehow in their DNA still retain the desire to go home, for much as they are permanently ensconced at the nursing home. A delusion this might be, but necessary to ensure that dementia patients do not vent their frustrations when told the truth that home is where they now are. In us, the cognitive living being, is the same DNA that God has placed in our hearts, to want to seek that relationship with Him. Much as this desire might be subsumed by the potent mix of our carnality and the devil’s delusion, it is simmering, and if we are willing, God will help us break free.
‘Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.’
2 Corinthians 4:10
Morbid it might seem, but as shared previously, I do take time to read the daily obituaries in the newspapers and at wakes, I do take a close look at the now lifeless shell. Judgmental prayerfully I am not, but I always like to look for clues from the words expressed in the obituary and from the expression beyond the skilful hands of the embalmer, the life that this once living soul had led. Faithful followers of our Lord Jesus Christ will carry the countenance of a heart filled with joy and inner peace, that will be expressed in both their physical expressions as well as etched on the lives of others God placed in their lives and I have come to believe and know that it is true.
‘We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.’
2 Corinthians 5:8
Care for the elderly is a broad catchword for the myriad of needs. From simple day care centers(no different from nurseries for toddlers, indeed how we go one full cycle), to nursing homes where more care and attention is needed, to community hospitals where longer term medical maintenance is essential, to acute Hospitals for dealing with immediate and urgent medical conditions and ending with Hospices(where healing is more for the soul than for the body).
Three days worth of intense visits on the ground does not make me an expert to advise all us future old foggy on choice of facility, but it does get me thinking, and prayerfully, may the closing thoughts shared be truly from our Lord, and may you take time to reflect and respond to, while we still have the time.
‘He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will He pay him again.’
Proverbs 19:17
One common impression that struck me in all these facilities that I had the privilege to visit as well as go into in depth discussion with the key personnel running it, is the dearth of resources in the face of increasing overwhelming needs. These are all charitable run institutions, where success is not measured by how much material profits one makes, but how much love can we give and receive? And on the latter, it is something to be thankful for that in an increasingly clinical Singapore, we still have, albeit a minority, well trained committed professionals who are willing to answer their call to service. And also to be thankful that we can still draw on the human capital of our more impoverished neighbors to provide the necessary labor in this very demanding industry.
‘…….The borrower is a slave to the lender’
Proverbs 22:7
We are all living on borrowed time. And like Dr Faustus, the devil will eventually want us to account for the debt we owe him or it, for much as the world is temporal, he wants our soul for eternity for the short-lived carnal gratification we sinfully seek. One haunting image of all these homes I visited is the lack of spirit or sense of purpose in many of the aged. It is understandable if one’s life revolves around things of the world, as our natural senses deteriorates, much as our soul is very much alive, our spirit starts to lose its will and one waits to die. But it need not be this way, for life need not end with death, for eternity awaits us.
Can we as faithful followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, be different because we have lived our active life differently and have come to know a loving and Sovereign God, Who has prepared our hearts and has make ready a place in Heaven for us? Yes we can, but the preparation of being made ready is now and not till the lights in our lives are dimming. Do that and we will like the Psalmist gladly proclaim the joyful truth that
‘Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep, for Thou, Lord only makest me dwell in safety.’
Psalm 4:7-8
Without God, once we are out of the limelight, the twilight zone that we find ourselves in is indeed depressing. With Christ as our Lord, every moment is a joyful highlight in our blessed life.
‘So then death worketh in us, but life in you.’
2 Corinthians 4:12
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
8th Nov 10
Aging successfully
God always surprises me with His prescience, and as I complete this sharing, I was reminded of the recent receipt of the latest copy of "Uncommon voices" - the quarterly publication by the Methodist Welfare Services. And by coincidence, it was a special edition on aging.
Lots of interesting articles garnered from interviews with those on the field working with the aged, but let me just share a couple of gems of truth, that may encourage you to take time to read this very meaningful publication.
"we cannot add days to our lives, but we can add life to our days"
How true this comment is, and in living a life that honors God, He will truly bring joy and inner peace to our days.
Successful aging is
- to borrow a verse from the Bible '..to be ready for every good work' (Titus 3:1)
- to plant our lives in the right places as the Spirit of God leads us
'The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree. He shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord. Shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age. They shall be fresh and flourishing. To declare that the Lord is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.'
Psalm 92:12-15
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