Dear...
'..."Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
Matthew 3:2
'But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your
prayers.'
1 Peter 4:7
Some of you have through the years asked me "how I cooked" my thoughts? It is
indeed a wonder that one can write endlessly these past eight years, week in,
week out and sometimes, in my moments of Spirit led inspiration, thrice a week.
Common wisdom tells us that too much of a good thing is not good, but where it
concerns God and His love, and where I am just the pen, and He is the author,
abundance is a blessing.
'O God, You have taught me from my youth, And to this day I declare Your
wondrous works. Now also when I am old an grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is
to come.'
Psalm 71:17-18
The title for this sharing "Going home" popped in my head as I was brushing my
teeth three mornings back. My dentist whom I visited that same morning, hence
the extra diligence in my brushing, interestingly mentioned that the teeth is
probably the few parts of our anatomy that need not deteriorate with age, as
unlike other parts of the body which needs intrusive action, for with our teeth,
a simple opening of our mouth will do the trick for a trained practitioner, in
this case, the dentist to bring it up to shape, provided that we the owner of
these rows of ivory-like grinders,chewers and chompers are prepared to practice
good dental health.
'...Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have practiced deceit.
The poison of asps is under their lips. Whose mouth is full of cursing and
bitterness...'
Romans 3:13-14
My dentist told me that this latest examination was the best in terms of my
effort at keeping my dental health. Not perfect, but passable compared to many
of her patients.
What about our obedience to God's call? When it is time for Him to open the Book
of Life, would our personal life be one that is embarrassingly close to the
snake pit described in Romans 3:13-14?
Death is a given. It is a matter of when and how that is yet to be revealed. But
death need not also be a given should Christ return tomorrow. But till then,
many of us could still be brought home by the Lord before His return to Earth.
Would I be like the Apostle Paul who looked forward to being home with Christ?
'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!...Therefore bear fruits worthy of
repentance..'
Matthew 3:2,8
Being still the imperfect man, I must admit that I still have desires to be
living in this difficult world. Be it because of my love ones, my "toys" or
simply, death's grip upon me, though much loosened is still there. But it is
more than that. It is the question that I still cannot answer unequivocably,
"have I truly lived out my life as a living sacrifice to our Almighty God?'
'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.'
2 Corinthians 5:17
Just this morning, a dear sister in Christ text me on the condition of her love
one. Short of a miracle, the finality of life is a likely conclusion. But God
has taught me and all who seek Him that our prayers if asked in His will, will
be answered. But is 'not going home' to be with the Lord His will? I am not sure
about that, but what I am certain of is that in all circumstances, God has a
purpose for our good, and "to be made ready" when Christ returns, or for some,
when we are asked to "go home" that we are ready to meet Christ, is His plan for
all, and indeed, Spiritual healing must take precedence over physical healing,
for the latter is about our finite life on earth, the former is about eternity
with God.
The same morning that the thought "going home" was impressed upon me, I also
felt this slight loss of hearing, as if my head is waterlogged. Not too sure if
it has to do with my swimming the night before, but the possible specter of a
tumor in my head did surface briefly. And not without cause as some might recall
a few years back in my past sharing when I spoke about the buzz in my head and
God's grace in healing me when I trusted in Him.
Much as it is a fact that we are all mortal and physical death is a matter of
time. I believe that my first reaction would be my imperfect self of fear, anger
and despair, if ever told that the sand in the hourglass of my life is nearing
its end. But prayerfully, by then, I would have experienced an even deeper
relationship with God our Father that
- I will learn to let go of these reactions of the imperfect natural man and
quickly will myself to come unto His presence and wait upon Him
- honor Him even more in my few remaining days
- be glad to have glorified Him in my days pasts and be blessed to point even
more people towards Him, the author and finisher of our faith.
- and be thankful that His Spirit corrected and my spirit responded in my many
indiscretions, so that I can look to God and receive His praise.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(28th Feb 2011)
Taking flight
We are all refugees, for the world is not our home, but the Kingdom of God is.
Might not make sense to many at this moment, but what might make sense at the
carnal level is that one's comfy life need not necessary remain the same
forever. As the world shakes even more, many more are being bumped off their
comfort zone.
Today, many once guest workers in Libya are taking flight. And when one see the
difference in avenues of escape between those from the wealthier countries and
those from the much poorer ones,it reminds one of the inequality of life.
On this, a long lost friend from 30 years back bumped into me in Dec and he was
sharing his story of his great escape during the closure of the Bangkok Airport
during the political unrest. He was fortunate to obtain a seat on a coach
arranged by one of the Western governments. But sadly, when food and drinks were
distributed for the arduous road journey ahead, none was given to the non
Caucasians, much as there was suffice to go round. Is this discrimination and
selfishness not being played out currently, and to be fair, human selfishness is
a disease common to all irregardless of race or other man defined
differentiator?
As a professed believer and follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are asked and
commanded to be different from the world, to love our neighbor as ourselves.
To move from mere mouthing to truly living out this dictum from God, will
require a period of 'practice' or more like, a transformation of our heart from
the carnal to the spiritual.
The days are with us, for clearly, the End Times are intensifying. Many more are
going home, but know not where home is for they do not know the love of God.
Will we who are blessed be willing to be made ready by the Spirit of God, so
that He can use us to journey with these travelers who are about to disembark?
'Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.'
Galatians 6:2
And for some who are bemused by the impeccable pairing of the opening two verses
in this sharing, as always, God provides and truly as i dithered a little as to
the choice of sharing, He brought me to the 2nd verse "1 Peter 4:7 and all
doubts were erased.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
In Spirit and Truth #36 What's NexT???(23rd Feb 2011)
Dear…
‘Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.’
1 Corinthians 10:12
Who is next might be more appropriate question in the context of the ongoing virulent push for democracy in the Arab world? Must be quite ironic for the maverick Colonel Gaddafi to find himself juxtaposed together with his more mainstream fellow leaders on the precipice. You cannot shoot your way out of trouble, and I suspect it is a matter of time before the army fully turn against him unless the military desire the country to be only populated by camels and not humans other than the Gaddafi clan and cronies.
‘Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.’
1 Corinthians 10:11
Late last night, as I read the news on the events in the Middle East, the Lord placed a deep impression upon me, so deep that I felt led to text some of you the need to be wary of what is ahead.
“The next oil shock” no different from that of the 1970s could be here with us in the near future.
With the wisdom that God blessed us with, one can clearly see the possibility of that happening, as the initial euphoria of dismantling the landscape of hated and corrupt oligarchs across the Mid-East/North Africa will soon be replaced by infighting as reality dawn upon all that the problems of unequal distribution of resources does not disappear with the deposed leadership. And will we see more “Iraq’ type situations where anarchy reign long enough to enable extremists to fill the gap, and what better proven way to not just divert the heat but to unite the disparate bubbling anger but to have a common enemy, and the Arabs have traditionally have Israel as their bogey man.
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…..To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn..’
Isaiah 61:1-2
Just yesterday, the latest lesson I read in my ongoing Bible study course was on evangelism. And the key point made was that the gospel can only be shared effectively with God given wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Wisdom from God must go hand in hand with His power, with the latter in boldness of speech and efficacy of action, for streams of living water, will flow forth from whoever truly believes in Christ.
Did I hear our good Lord right to be willing to declare with certainty the road ahead, which is not going to be too pleasant, with oil price hikes and political tensions bringing the nascent global economic recovery back down to its knees? Should I not hedge my pronouncements just in case I heard God wrong, for it is only fair, trends can change and maybe good old American diplomacy will ensure that the democratic ideals of the Americans will blossom in the Mid-East. Of course, reality is America and Europe have done more damage in mouthing democratic ideals but in reality propping up repressive regimes for its greater interests and so will the Jasmine revolution remain sweet smelling, I doubt it.
‘There hath not temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved flee from idolatry.’
1 Corinthians 10:13-14
Much as I might seem sensible and prudent and I know that the Spirit of God truly leads me, I still do the things I should not do, and not do the things that I should do. Just over yesterday, that is, Sunday morning, such common sense were nearly put to rest when the carnal me resurfaced and I almost, if not for the grace of God, commit to an investment that will surely be very painful, should my prognosis, later in the same evening, of Middle East events turn out to be right. And it is no prognosis, for I truly believe that what I have shared on what is to come, is from the Lord.
And there lies the lesson learned for me. We must focus our all upon the Lord our God. To do otherwise is to leave open doors in our hearts for the delusions of the devil, which can bring us great grief. But God is good, much as we are imperfect, if we continue to draw near to Him, His Spirit will intervene to save us from ourselves and shelter us from the evil one, hence the Lord’s prayer, is about leading you from temptation and not about overcoming temptation.
‘Brethren, if a man be overtaken in fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.’
Galatians 6:1
Life for all who believe, is about living out the greater purpose and plans that God has for us. To know that and to be able to live out fully His will, it requires a determined willingness from us to obey His commands, then can we experience the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through us and into the lives of others that God places in our paths.
In the Bible study materials that I am spending time on now, the author shared on the need for four personal requirements from those who seek to be used by our Lord
- Faith : can only come from a willing response to be in the sanctifying presence of our Lord, for faith comes from God.
- Compassion : love for God and for fellow men, for God is love and only in showing love can we truly know Who God is.
- Suffering : to be like Christ, in carrying the burden of the cross, will we see less of ourselves and more of the grace and power of God.
- Walking in the Spirit : God is Spirit and we must allow Him to transform us from the carnal to the spirit man
The much more destructive second wave of tremor in Christchurch yesterday struck me as to what life represents for all of us. We, who are believers collectively are the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. But like the structurally unsound buildings of Christchurch, are we as professed Christians spiritually weak, because we might have acknowledged Christ as Savior but never as the Lord and foundation of our lives. That with the ongoing series of tremors in our personal lives, will the next shake bring about a collapse in our very being?
Most people, be it believers or non believers have that inclination to think about what is next, and many do strive and strife to plan for its fruition. The year, which has hardly started, has through the more extreme weathers in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, the anarchy in Mid-East and now the series of tremors in New Zealand, Philippines and possibly Taiwan and Japan all being in the Pacific rim of fire, clearly dispelled the ability of men to know or even be adequately prepared for the next “shock.”
Man plans, but God directs. If this is true and it is, should we then not spend our all resting in the presence of the Lord our God and be desirous to move from mere acceptance of Christ to determined believer and follower of our Lord Jesus Christ? And while God will not impose His will upon us the unwilling sinners, it is in a sense a Hobson’s choice for to do otherwise is to not just deprive oneself of a life of joy and peace on Earth and eternity bliss in Heaven, but continued disbelief and disobedience is the one way ticket to damnation in eternity.
As I close this thoughts from our good Lord, I asked Him for a word and He brought me to the Book of Ezekiel 7.
‘Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,…Now is the end come upon thee, and I will send Mine anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense upon thee all thine abominations.’
Ezekiel 7:3-4
Do take time to read and reflect upon what it means, if truly the world we lived in today is in the throes of End Times intensified. If it is so, rather than worry about “what’s next” as many have been doing these past few years, like rats running for cover, where there is no real cover, is it not better to rest in the Lord while there is still yet time, for God will not wait forever.
‘Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put my trust.’
Psalm 16:1
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(23rd Feb 2011)
‘Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.’
1 Corinthians 10:12
Who is next might be more appropriate question in the context of the ongoing virulent push for democracy in the Arab world? Must be quite ironic for the maverick Colonel Gaddafi to find himself juxtaposed together with his more mainstream fellow leaders on the precipice. You cannot shoot your way out of trouble, and I suspect it is a matter of time before the army fully turn against him unless the military desire the country to be only populated by camels and not humans other than the Gaddafi clan and cronies.
‘Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.’
1 Corinthians 10:11
Late last night, as I read the news on the events in the Middle East, the Lord placed a deep impression upon me, so deep that I felt led to text some of you the need to be wary of what is ahead.
“The next oil shock” no different from that of the 1970s could be here with us in the near future.
With the wisdom that God blessed us with, one can clearly see the possibility of that happening, as the initial euphoria of dismantling the landscape of hated and corrupt oligarchs across the Mid-East/North Africa will soon be replaced by infighting as reality dawn upon all that the problems of unequal distribution of resources does not disappear with the deposed leadership. And will we see more “Iraq’ type situations where anarchy reign long enough to enable extremists to fill the gap, and what better proven way to not just divert the heat but to unite the disparate bubbling anger but to have a common enemy, and the Arabs have traditionally have Israel as their bogey man.
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…..To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn..’
Isaiah 61:1-2
Just yesterday, the latest lesson I read in my ongoing Bible study course was on evangelism. And the key point made was that the gospel can only be shared effectively with God given wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Wisdom from God must go hand in hand with His power, with the latter in boldness of speech and efficacy of action, for streams of living water, will flow forth from whoever truly believes in Christ.
Did I hear our good Lord right to be willing to declare with certainty the road ahead, which is not going to be too pleasant, with oil price hikes and political tensions bringing the nascent global economic recovery back down to its knees? Should I not hedge my pronouncements just in case I heard God wrong, for it is only fair, trends can change and maybe good old American diplomacy will ensure that the democratic ideals of the Americans will blossom in the Mid-East. Of course, reality is America and Europe have done more damage in mouthing democratic ideals but in reality propping up repressive regimes for its greater interests and so will the Jasmine revolution remain sweet smelling, I doubt it.
‘There hath not temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved flee from idolatry.’
1 Corinthians 10:13-14
Much as I might seem sensible and prudent and I know that the Spirit of God truly leads me, I still do the things I should not do, and not do the things that I should do. Just over yesterday, that is, Sunday morning, such common sense were nearly put to rest when the carnal me resurfaced and I almost, if not for the grace of God, commit to an investment that will surely be very painful, should my prognosis, later in the same evening, of Middle East events turn out to be right. And it is no prognosis, for I truly believe that what I have shared on what is to come, is from the Lord.
And there lies the lesson learned for me. We must focus our all upon the Lord our God. To do otherwise is to leave open doors in our hearts for the delusions of the devil, which can bring us great grief. But God is good, much as we are imperfect, if we continue to draw near to Him, His Spirit will intervene to save us from ourselves and shelter us from the evil one, hence the Lord’s prayer, is about leading you from temptation and not about overcoming temptation.
‘Brethren, if a man be overtaken in fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.’
Galatians 6:1
Life for all who believe, is about living out the greater purpose and plans that God has for us. To know that and to be able to live out fully His will, it requires a determined willingness from us to obey His commands, then can we experience the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through us and into the lives of others that God places in our paths.
In the Bible study materials that I am spending time on now, the author shared on the need for four personal requirements from those who seek to be used by our Lord
- Faith : can only come from a willing response to be in the sanctifying presence of our Lord, for faith comes from God.
- Compassion : love for God and for fellow men, for God is love and only in showing love can we truly know Who God is.
- Suffering : to be like Christ, in carrying the burden of the cross, will we see less of ourselves and more of the grace and power of God.
- Walking in the Spirit : God is Spirit and we must allow Him to transform us from the carnal to the spirit man
The much more destructive second wave of tremor in Christchurch yesterday struck me as to what life represents for all of us. We, who are believers collectively are the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. But like the structurally unsound buildings of Christchurch, are we as professed Christians spiritually weak, because we might have acknowledged Christ as Savior but never as the Lord and foundation of our lives. That with the ongoing series of tremors in our personal lives, will the next shake bring about a collapse in our very being?
Most people, be it believers or non believers have that inclination to think about what is next, and many do strive and strife to plan for its fruition. The year, which has hardly started, has through the more extreme weathers in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, the anarchy in Mid-East and now the series of tremors in New Zealand, Philippines and possibly Taiwan and Japan all being in the Pacific rim of fire, clearly dispelled the ability of men to know or even be adequately prepared for the next “shock.”
Man plans, but God directs. If this is true and it is, should we then not spend our all resting in the presence of the Lord our God and be desirous to move from mere acceptance of Christ to determined believer and follower of our Lord Jesus Christ? And while God will not impose His will upon us the unwilling sinners, it is in a sense a Hobson’s choice for to do otherwise is to not just deprive oneself of a life of joy and peace on Earth and eternity bliss in Heaven, but continued disbelief and disobedience is the one way ticket to damnation in eternity.
As I close this thoughts from our good Lord, I asked Him for a word and He brought me to the Book of Ezekiel 7.
‘Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,…Now is the end come upon thee, and I will send Mine anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense upon thee all thine abominations.’
Ezekiel 7:3-4
Do take time to read and reflect upon what it means, if truly the world we lived in today is in the throes of End Times intensified. If it is so, rather than worry about “what’s next” as many have been doing these past few years, like rats running for cover, where there is no real cover, is it not better to rest in the Lord while there is still yet time, for God will not wait forever.
‘Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put my trust.’
Psalm 16:1
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(23rd Feb 2011)
Friday, February 18, 2011
In Spirit and Truth #35 The devil and the deep green tree (19th Feb 2011)
Dear….
‘…And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth he shall prosper..’
Psalm 1:3
Take away the spiritual connotation, Psalm 1:3 could be wonderfully parlayed by some smart advertising whizz kid as dreams that the much maligned aesthetic care industry could use to perk up clients’ sagging interests.
Much maligned because this desire amongst many for "that look," whatever it may be, has led to misrepresentations of efficacy of services/products and concomitant complaints. In Singapore, complains filed to the Consumer Watchdog body(CASE) rank highest for the aesthetic industry.
‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night.’
Psalm 1:2-3
If hoary hair symbolizes wisdom, than the generous sprinkling of snow dust on my once light brown hair must be an indication of a surfeit of God given wisdom. And if one’s heart is at peace and full of joy, that glow will be outwardly manifested in one’s countenance, that wonderful serenity that no beauty treatment can ever come close to. Christ led by example in coming down to eat and talk with sinners, am I pushing this interpretation a bit too far in promoting the ‘secular’ benefits of a life lived in faith as a means to entice many to consider and live out the Christian faith??
‘But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God..’
Acts 7:55
That is never my intention. But fact is Heaven is already on Earth with us, for the Spirit of God will reside in the hearts of believers. But to experience God’s sanctifying grace in the midst of our difficult world, to have that glow of Christ-likeness, there is a need for a willing response from us, and Psalm 1:2-3 lays out that twin forked road for all of us.
‘For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands, and thou sadist, I will not transgress, when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot. Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed, how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto Me?’
Jeremiah 2:20-21
As Christians, many of us spent time and energy wondering if our loved ones and friends and acquaintances will ever share our belief. But have you wondered if your own heart has quietly but steadily wandered off from a place solely for the Spirit of God, to a place that houses various idols that are more aligned with the devil?
You have recognized Christ as your Savior, but have you acknowledged Him as your Lord in your every thought and action?
The hymn “Sanctuary.” is a reminder of the commitment to all who profess to be Christians, that our Lord Jesus Christ is both Savior and Lord of their lives. The first stanza of the hymn is as follows :
“Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary. Pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving I will be a living sanctuary for You..”
When Christ returns and judgment day dawns upon the world, will we be truly ready, like a healthy tree, ready to luxuriate even more in His presence, to receive our Lord and join Him in eternity? Will we recognize Him and will He accept us? Or will we end up as a shriveled spiritually stunted plant, long bereft of light, and good only to be discarded in the fire of damnation?
This morning, the Lord left the familiar word “left behind,” upon my heart. When Christ returns, will we or our loved ones be left behind, to face the full wrath of a world ruled by the devil free of its delusory garb, albeit for a finite period?
‘Now the works of the flesh are obvious, fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity….I am warning you, as I warned you before, those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.’
Galatians 5:19-21
‘By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.’
Galatians 5:22-23
Why not the devil or the deep blue sea? For is not that the more popular and correct phrase that most are familiar with to describe a no win situation? But life need not be a Hobson’s choice, for as men of faith, we can look beyond the offering of the devil, and onto what God the true Sovereign offers to all, if they just respond in faithfulness. We must with the leading of the Holy Spirit learn to look past the trees of delusion into the forest filled grace of God.
‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!...Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.’
Matthew 3:2,8
It is long believed that the Chinese race descended from one of the sons of Noah(of the Ark fame). The Chinese language, that is, the written character if broken into its parts, reflects the verses of the Book of Genesis. That hypothesis was from a book I read many years back. If my memory fails me not, a case in point highlighted by the author was with regards to the the Chinese character for “devil” It shows a man standing under a tree, with a snake lurking in the branches. Is it an imaginative envelope being pushed too far?
Matters not. Symbolically it is interesting for it describes our life as one of stunted spiritual growth, helm in by the devil and only through drawing upon Christ, the spring of life, Whose Spirit resides in our hearts, can we have roots strong enough to enable us to not just break free from the grip of the devil, but to reach out to the sanctifying light of God our Father, to be transformed to steadfast man and woman of faith.
But many often find it difficult to do so, for the road ahead looks very daunting. And it is, because we are still looking at issues from our finite and sinful understanding. God in Isaiah 43:2 gives us this promise
‘When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned.’
Let me close(by quoting from the publishers of the Daily Bread) this meandering in this forest of thoughts, where like many who do get lost in the physical woods as well as the jungle of life, we can seem to be confused yet going round the same route with no conclusion in our life’s journey. Yet, the difference is with a good compass and knowledge to its usage, we can navigate our way out to freedom. God has given us the means to do the same in the maze of life.
“The Bible is the living, powerful Word of God (Hebrew 4:12), in which we encounter the Lord and discover how to live for Him and honor Him. What a privilege we have each day to seek God in His remarkable Word! May we, like the Psalmist proclaim: “I will never forget Your precepts for by them You have given me life” (Psalm 119:93).”
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(18th Feb 2011)
Whistle Blowers
An article I read last week in the financial media talk about the writer’s observation of the interesting fact that most “whistle blowers” ie those who take the bold decision to report on the misdemeanors of their employers are of the following reference points. They tend to be senior mid-level managers, technically proficient in their jobs and very well respected in the organization. And last but not least, devoted in their faith, and primarily Christians. And though most came out vindicated in standing for their beliefs, the common testimony was that without God, they could not have gone through the trials and repression.
Can we who profess to live out the faith be able to be like the rock solid giant Redwood trees in Northern California that has withstood not just time, but the storms of life?
Philippians 1 is a letter from the Apostle Paul to the Philippians and it is worth a read and reflection for all of us who recognize that we are in this sinful world yet desire to be not of this world. How do we be like Christ yet be able to not just survive but glorify God and our Lord Jesus Christ in our daily living?
It is indeed quite different from the few brazen senior bankers who in the aftermath of the sub-prime crisis, took to the pulpit in the St Paul’s Cathedral to use God to justify their sins and greed.
Can we be different and proudly proclaim this verse from Joel 14:8
'Ephraim shall say, 'What have to do anymore with idols? I have heard and observed Him. I am like a green cypress tree. Your fruit is found in Me.'
Joel 14:8
‘…And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth he shall prosper..’
Psalm 1:3
Take away the spiritual connotation, Psalm 1:3 could be wonderfully parlayed by some smart advertising whizz kid as dreams that the much maligned aesthetic care industry could use to perk up clients’ sagging interests.
Much maligned because this desire amongst many for "that look," whatever it may be, has led to misrepresentations of efficacy of services/products and concomitant complaints. In Singapore, complains filed to the Consumer Watchdog body(CASE) rank highest for the aesthetic industry.
‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night.’
Psalm 1:2-3
If hoary hair symbolizes wisdom, than the generous sprinkling of snow dust on my once light brown hair must be an indication of a surfeit of God given wisdom. And if one’s heart is at peace and full of joy, that glow will be outwardly manifested in one’s countenance, that wonderful serenity that no beauty treatment can ever come close to. Christ led by example in coming down to eat and talk with sinners, am I pushing this interpretation a bit too far in promoting the ‘secular’ benefits of a life lived in faith as a means to entice many to consider and live out the Christian faith??
‘But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God..’
Acts 7:55
That is never my intention. But fact is Heaven is already on Earth with us, for the Spirit of God will reside in the hearts of believers. But to experience God’s sanctifying grace in the midst of our difficult world, to have that glow of Christ-likeness, there is a need for a willing response from us, and Psalm 1:2-3 lays out that twin forked road for all of us.
‘For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands, and thou sadist, I will not transgress, when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot. Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed, how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto Me?’
Jeremiah 2:20-21
As Christians, many of us spent time and energy wondering if our loved ones and friends and acquaintances will ever share our belief. But have you wondered if your own heart has quietly but steadily wandered off from a place solely for the Spirit of God, to a place that houses various idols that are more aligned with the devil?
You have recognized Christ as your Savior, but have you acknowledged Him as your Lord in your every thought and action?
The hymn “Sanctuary.” is a reminder of the commitment to all who profess to be Christians, that our Lord Jesus Christ is both Savior and Lord of their lives. The first stanza of the hymn is as follows :
“Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary. Pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving I will be a living sanctuary for You..”
When Christ returns and judgment day dawns upon the world, will we be truly ready, like a healthy tree, ready to luxuriate even more in His presence, to receive our Lord and join Him in eternity? Will we recognize Him and will He accept us? Or will we end up as a shriveled spiritually stunted plant, long bereft of light, and good only to be discarded in the fire of damnation?
This morning, the Lord left the familiar word “left behind,” upon my heart. When Christ returns, will we or our loved ones be left behind, to face the full wrath of a world ruled by the devil free of its delusory garb, albeit for a finite period?
‘Now the works of the flesh are obvious, fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity….I am warning you, as I warned you before, those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.’
Galatians 5:19-21
‘By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.’
Galatians 5:22-23
Why not the devil or the deep blue sea? For is not that the more popular and correct phrase that most are familiar with to describe a no win situation? But life need not be a Hobson’s choice, for as men of faith, we can look beyond the offering of the devil, and onto what God the true Sovereign offers to all, if they just respond in faithfulness. We must with the leading of the Holy Spirit learn to look past the trees of delusion into the forest filled grace of God.
‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!...Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.’
Matthew 3:2,8
It is long believed that the Chinese race descended from one of the sons of Noah(of the Ark fame). The Chinese language, that is, the written character if broken into its parts, reflects the verses of the Book of Genesis. That hypothesis was from a book I read many years back. If my memory fails me not, a case in point highlighted by the author was with regards to the the Chinese character for “devil” It shows a man standing under a tree, with a snake lurking in the branches. Is it an imaginative envelope being pushed too far?
Matters not. Symbolically it is interesting for it describes our life as one of stunted spiritual growth, helm in by the devil and only through drawing upon Christ, the spring of life, Whose Spirit resides in our hearts, can we have roots strong enough to enable us to not just break free from the grip of the devil, but to reach out to the sanctifying light of God our Father, to be transformed to steadfast man and woman of faith.
But many often find it difficult to do so, for the road ahead looks very daunting. And it is, because we are still looking at issues from our finite and sinful understanding. God in Isaiah 43:2 gives us this promise
‘When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned.’
Let me close(by quoting from the publishers of the Daily Bread) this meandering in this forest of thoughts, where like many who do get lost in the physical woods as well as the jungle of life, we can seem to be confused yet going round the same route with no conclusion in our life’s journey. Yet, the difference is with a good compass and knowledge to its usage, we can navigate our way out to freedom. God has given us the means to do the same in the maze of life.
“The Bible is the living, powerful Word of God (Hebrew 4:12), in which we encounter the Lord and discover how to live for Him and honor Him. What a privilege we have each day to seek God in His remarkable Word! May we, like the Psalmist proclaim: “I will never forget Your precepts for by them You have given me life” (Psalm 119:93).”
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(18th Feb 2011)
Whistle Blowers
An article I read last week in the financial media talk about the writer’s observation of the interesting fact that most “whistle blowers” ie those who take the bold decision to report on the misdemeanors of their employers are of the following reference points. They tend to be senior mid-level managers, technically proficient in their jobs and very well respected in the organization. And last but not least, devoted in their faith, and primarily Christians. And though most came out vindicated in standing for their beliefs, the common testimony was that without God, they could not have gone through the trials and repression.
Can we who profess to live out the faith be able to be like the rock solid giant Redwood trees in Northern California that has withstood not just time, but the storms of life?
Philippians 1 is a letter from the Apostle Paul to the Philippians and it is worth a read and reflection for all of us who recognize that we are in this sinful world yet desire to be not of this world. How do we be like Christ yet be able to not just survive but glorify God and our Lord Jesus Christ in our daily living?
It is indeed quite different from the few brazen senior bankers who in the aftermath of the sub-prime crisis, took to the pulpit in the St Paul’s Cathedral to use God to justify their sins and greed.
Can we be different and proudly proclaim this verse from Joel 14:8
'Ephraim shall say, 'What have to do anymore with idols? I have heard and observed Him. I am like a green cypress tree. Your fruit is found in Me.'
Joel 14:8
Friday, February 11, 2011
In Spirit and Truth #34 The great outpouring (10th Feb 11)
Dear…
‘Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.’
John 12:30-32
In the above verse, the voice of God was thunderous, and the people with our Lord Jesus Christ heard it loud and clear, and they thought it was the voice of an angel.
For many of you who have blessed me by remaining in my email list for this ministry the past few years, you might sense that lately, at least in the past one year plus, I seem to have degenerated in my mental faculties in terms of more boldly expressing, without any hedging, the thoughts that God placed in my heart, as a direct clear command, and often testifying that “that God spoke to me.” For many of us who are still living very much as the carnal natural man, it is something that we cannot fathom nor accept and on that, I thank you for your forbearance that you do not prayerfully share the same thoughts that King Agrippa had of the Apostle Paul, when the former proclaimed, to paraphrase it, that too much knowledge had made Paul “mad.”
In the past, like many believers of Christ, but not follower, I used to think that such statements of “God speaking to oneself” is a hallucination or a belief gone delusory. And when I see Christians at the touch of an anointed pastor fall onto the ground, as the Spirit of God touches them, I tend to think that it is rigged for how can it be possible, especially when I seem to be the few in the room still standing.
‘Into Thine hand I commit my spirit: Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.’
Psalm 31:5
When I read this verse a couple of days back, it spoke to me. This is not a unique experience for many who take time with our Lord in His Words, for through the Word of God, we will experience His very presence and receive clarity of heart.
In Spirit and Truth has been the underlying theme in my sharing since June 2010, when our good Lord brought me out of my spiritual lows, and doleful I am no longer, but like a doe bounding in even greater spiritual joy I have been blessed.
The thought struck me as to the reason why so many of us who professed to be Christians all these years have continued to remain lukewarm and never truly understood the love of God nor experience the liberating joy and peace of walking with an omnipresent and Sovereign Father in Heaven, Whose Spirit is down on Earth, in our hearts.
‘For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds)’
2 Corinthians 10:3-4
It is because we have never, unlike the call in Psalm 31:5, committed our spirit to God our Father.
Without faith, which can only come from a willingness to surrender our carnal natural self and to let God, by seeking Him always, we will never experience the sanctifying love of His very presence, for God will not impose Himself upon the unwilling. Only in our exercising that willingness to give up what Adam sinfully took in disobedience to the will of God, that is, to give up our right to think or “play god” can we be able to be cognizant, and to receive and respond to the outpouring of the sanctifying grace of the Spirit of God, then can we truly understand and live out the truth of God’s will, that will allow us to stand firm and stay focus upon Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, as He lovingly transform us unto His likeness, in preparation for His return.
Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light…’
John 12:35-36
On darkness, much as it seems this push for democracy is the beginning of a new dawn of freedom for the long repressed Arab world, it could also be a harbinger of darkness disguised as light. And on that, a friend emailed me a picture of the protest in Egypt which interestingly had an image of a horseman floating in the midst of the protestors. This strange image of course, given the human tendency to speculate, for many is read to herald the entrance of the Four Horseman of Apocalyse, as in Revelation 6:7-8
‘And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse, and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth…’
Hunger has always been with many in our once blessed Earth. But it has just got more intense with the continued surge in food prices, that will likely result in man’s greed and selfishness compounding it further as politicians take the politically expedient route of hoarding and limiting export of food, much as their own population might ill afford the prices.
‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound,. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn..’
Isaiah 61:1-2
Things are happening and man often looks for explanation, for certainty does help stabilize one’s emotions, or at least sate one’s curiosity. This is the other hunger that will now come to the fore. The hunger for inner peace and joy. As determined followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, God will use us to lead the spiritually thirsty and hungry to Christ, the source of all comfort and grace. But we cannot do it on our own strength, but His Spirit will fall upon us and imbue us with that means to do it.
As Christians, much as we are aware of God’s plans, and events affirmed what He has already stated in the Bible, as Christians, we must not miss the intent of the Word of God.
And which is not about directing our energies towards speculating about what is about to happen or even about what is happening now, but rather, to take time with the Lord our God, to know His will, so that we can truly be not swayed by what is around us, even as His Spirit continues to transform us unto His likeness in preparation for the glorious day of Christ’s return.
As the outpouring of grief starts, be assured that God is in control. And in the midst of such great tribulations, the faithful will witness and experience the power of God, for overcoming this deluge of grief, is an even greater outpouring, of the love and grace of God. Let me close by asking all of you to take time to reflect and pray upon the following verses, and the Spirit of God will speak to you, if you are willing.
‘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…’
Ephesians 6:12
‘Arise, shine, for Thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.’
Isaiah 60:1
‘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. Whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation…’
Romans 13:1-2
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(9th Feb 2011)
Understanding the times
This was the theme from latest newsletter from the Singapore Bible College(SBC). The author, Dr Albert Ting, Principal(SBC) quoted from 1 Chronicles 12:32
‘…from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do – 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command.’
We are indeed in interesting and daunting times. The tendency is often for men to dig deeper into their own strengths and understanding, but the reality is circumstances are profoundly beyond our control. Do we surrender with flailing hands and be cowed over and willingly subscribe to the next false prophet who promises us a continuation of our delusion?
In the same article, Dr Albert Ting said
“.. At such a time as this, we need to go back to what we already know and are committed to..”
And what is that? It is to fully trust in God and to glorify Him in our daily living, come what may, and when the outpouring of woes start to hit home as it surely would, the outpouring of God’s Spirit upon your very being will keep you in good stead, till Christ brings you home.
‘But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God…’
Acts 7:55
‘Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.’
John 12:30-32
In the above verse, the voice of God was thunderous, and the people with our Lord Jesus Christ heard it loud and clear, and they thought it was the voice of an angel.
For many of you who have blessed me by remaining in my email list for this ministry the past few years, you might sense that lately, at least in the past one year plus, I seem to have degenerated in my mental faculties in terms of more boldly expressing, without any hedging, the thoughts that God placed in my heart, as a direct clear command, and often testifying that “that God spoke to me.” For many of us who are still living very much as the carnal natural man, it is something that we cannot fathom nor accept and on that, I thank you for your forbearance that you do not prayerfully share the same thoughts that King Agrippa had of the Apostle Paul, when the former proclaimed, to paraphrase it, that too much knowledge had made Paul “mad.”
In the past, like many believers of Christ, but not follower, I used to think that such statements of “God speaking to oneself” is a hallucination or a belief gone delusory. And when I see Christians at the touch of an anointed pastor fall onto the ground, as the Spirit of God touches them, I tend to think that it is rigged for how can it be possible, especially when I seem to be the few in the room still standing.
‘Into Thine hand I commit my spirit: Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.’
Psalm 31:5
When I read this verse a couple of days back, it spoke to me. This is not a unique experience for many who take time with our Lord in His Words, for through the Word of God, we will experience His very presence and receive clarity of heart.
In Spirit and Truth has been the underlying theme in my sharing since June 2010, when our good Lord brought me out of my spiritual lows, and doleful I am no longer, but like a doe bounding in even greater spiritual joy I have been blessed.
The thought struck me as to the reason why so many of us who professed to be Christians all these years have continued to remain lukewarm and never truly understood the love of God nor experience the liberating joy and peace of walking with an omnipresent and Sovereign Father in Heaven, Whose Spirit is down on Earth, in our hearts.
‘For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds)’
2 Corinthians 10:3-4
It is because we have never, unlike the call in Psalm 31:5, committed our spirit to God our Father.
Without faith, which can only come from a willingness to surrender our carnal natural self and to let God, by seeking Him always, we will never experience the sanctifying love of His very presence, for God will not impose Himself upon the unwilling. Only in our exercising that willingness to give up what Adam sinfully took in disobedience to the will of God, that is, to give up our right to think or “play god” can we be able to be cognizant, and to receive and respond to the outpouring of the sanctifying grace of the Spirit of God, then can we truly understand and live out the truth of God’s will, that will allow us to stand firm and stay focus upon Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, as He lovingly transform us unto His likeness, in preparation for His return.
Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light…’
John 12:35-36
On darkness, much as it seems this push for democracy is the beginning of a new dawn of freedom for the long repressed Arab world, it could also be a harbinger of darkness disguised as light. And on that, a friend emailed me a picture of the protest in Egypt which interestingly had an image of a horseman floating in the midst of the protestors. This strange image of course, given the human tendency to speculate, for many is read to herald the entrance of the Four Horseman of Apocalyse, as in Revelation 6:7-8
‘And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse, and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth…’
Hunger has always been with many in our once blessed Earth. But it has just got more intense with the continued surge in food prices, that will likely result in man’s greed and selfishness compounding it further as politicians take the politically expedient route of hoarding and limiting export of food, much as their own population might ill afford the prices.
‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound,. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn..’
Isaiah 61:1-2
Things are happening and man often looks for explanation, for certainty does help stabilize one’s emotions, or at least sate one’s curiosity. This is the other hunger that will now come to the fore. The hunger for inner peace and joy. As determined followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, God will use us to lead the spiritually thirsty and hungry to Christ, the source of all comfort and grace. But we cannot do it on our own strength, but His Spirit will fall upon us and imbue us with that means to do it.
As Christians, much as we are aware of God’s plans, and events affirmed what He has already stated in the Bible, as Christians, we must not miss the intent of the Word of God.
And which is not about directing our energies towards speculating about what is about to happen or even about what is happening now, but rather, to take time with the Lord our God, to know His will, so that we can truly be not swayed by what is around us, even as His Spirit continues to transform us unto His likeness in preparation for the glorious day of Christ’s return.
As the outpouring of grief starts, be assured that God is in control. And in the midst of such great tribulations, the faithful will witness and experience the power of God, for overcoming this deluge of grief, is an even greater outpouring, of the love and grace of God. Let me close by asking all of you to take time to reflect and pray upon the following verses, and the Spirit of God will speak to you, if you are willing.
‘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…’
Ephesians 6:12
‘Arise, shine, for Thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.’
Isaiah 60:1
‘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. Whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation…’
Romans 13:1-2
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(9th Feb 2011)
Understanding the times
This was the theme from latest newsletter from the Singapore Bible College(SBC). The author, Dr Albert Ting, Principal(SBC) quoted from 1 Chronicles 12:32
‘…from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do – 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command.’
We are indeed in interesting and daunting times. The tendency is often for men to dig deeper into their own strengths and understanding, but the reality is circumstances are profoundly beyond our control. Do we surrender with flailing hands and be cowed over and willingly subscribe to the next false prophet who promises us a continuation of our delusion?
In the same article, Dr Albert Ting said
“.. At such a time as this, we need to go back to what we already know and are committed to..”
And what is that? It is to fully trust in God and to glorify Him in our daily living, come what may, and when the outpouring of woes start to hit home as it surely would, the outpouring of God’s Spirit upon your very being will keep you in good stead, till Christ brings you home.
‘But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God…’
Acts 7:55
Saturday, February 5, 2011
In Spirit and Truth #33 On bended knees (5th Feb 2011)
Dear....
'The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me. Because the Lord has anointed Me to
preach the good tidings to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.
To proclaim liberty to the captives. And the opening of the prison to those who
are bound. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.....to comfort all who
mourn.'
Isaiah 61:1-2
The desire for freedom has gone viral, from Tunisia to Egypt and now Yemen and
soon possibly engulfing the whole of North Africa including Morocco, Chad and
Libya and down South East to the oil rich Gulf states in the Middle East.
Is that good news? Reality is happiness of a yoke lifted might be temporary for
it is likely to be replaced by a burden of an equally repressive regime that
will arise out of the anarchy.
This being Chinese New Year, it might seem not the most appropriate to discuss
the possibility of the world like a bunny hopping from the frying pan into the
fire, but the contagion has just taken on a different plane. From the feverish greed of easy money that led to the near global collapse from the sub-prime crisis that almost swarmed many once August financial institutions in the Western world, the world
has moved on to the European sovereign debt quagmire that we are still trying to
get out of. And now, with the revolutionary zeal fast spreading amongst the
people of the Arab world, will it lead to rocketing oil prices and increased
regional tensions that will further weaken an already structurally unsound
global economy?
"Family" was the sharing I had planned, this being Chinese New Year where family
reunions is the norm amongst Chinese families. And "Family" was intended to be a
"trailer" for the planned launch of my near completed second art book " Happy
Family - a mirror of God's love. But man plans, God directs, and just this
morning, the Lord placed the thought in my heart to go on my knees and "On
bended knees" is what He has led me to as this next sharing.
The late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat as mentioned previously was a famously
pious man. He had a dark mark on his forehead as proof of his deep
commitment to prayers, having bowed for long hours on the prayer mat towards
Mecca. What would he think of the present bloodshed and chaos in Egypt?
Unprecedented it might seem, at least in terms of civic disobedience in the Arab
world, but unprecedented is the norm rather than the exception in the world we
lived in, in recent years.
'Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken
him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended,
and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell
not, for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that heareth these sayings of
mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his
house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds
blew, and beat upon the house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.'
Matthew 7:24-27
More than knee deep in the swirling flood waters, the citizens of Queensland
might be, but it is quite a double whammy to be now be literally bowled over by
the monstrous cyclone now blowing through their same land. Darwin in the
Northern Territories of Australia was flattened by a cyclone back in the 1970s,
but would the same happen to Queensland today? And how resilient will the
Australians be in the face of such intense calamities?
If today you were subjected to such earth shaking circumstances in your once
placid life, would you go down on your knees in prayerful repentance and
acknowledge the Sovereignty of God as Savior and Lord of your life? A moot point
that can only be proven when the what if turns into reality, but just a few moments back, our good Lord brought me to the opening verse, Isaiah 61:1-2 and its significance.
Most of you would be familiar with the Biblical record(Acts 16:26) of how the Apostle Paul was in a prison, when a great earthquake shook open the prison doors and how it led to the conversion of the once disbelieving prison warden and his family.
And all of us who have come to the faith will agree that genuine repentance and
acceptance of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is usually preceded by
an intense shaking of the very foundations of our once God free life.
The Spirit of God reminded me today that the shaking is intensifying, for man's
sins are taking on deeper roots, but healing is there waiting for all, if only
we would just come out of our delusion and turn to the Lord our God. And God
will shake us even more intensely, for He wants no soul to end up with the devil
in eternal damnation.
'Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour?
But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name...'
John 12:27
Why are we so often oblivious to the obvious? Man being flawed can only choose
to be slaves to the devil or slave to our Sovereign God. This might rankle many
a democratic intellect, but reality is be it in dictatorships repressive or
benevolent, or be it in a democracy, much grief, angst and all failings of the
finite human being remains. Only a life grounded upon the Lord our God will we
be able to overcome the platitudes of a fallen world and only upon the return of
our Lord Jesus Christ can all tears be permanently removed, and temporal
happiness be replaced by permanent joy.
But we must be prepared to go through the fire of refinement, for the
transformation into the likeness of Christ. Only in submitting to God, can we on
His grace overcome. It is not about us strutting in the full regalia of
Christianity like the misguided Crusaders of old who seek to destroy the Muslims
and eradicate them from the Holy Land and eventually came to grief because of
their follies. God is love, and we must overcome resistance through genuine
agape love.
Submission and not resistance is what God looks for. Prayers allow us to come
into communion with the Spirit of God, and prayers will bring our hearts into
alignment with the will of God. On bended knees is not the outward manifestation
of piousness that God desires, but rather God is looking for a heart that is
humble and contrite, a heart that not just accepts Christ as our Savior but is
totally surrendered to the Sovereignty of God, Whose Spirit resides in our hearts.
The shaking that is picking up momentum is not just about waking one up from the
devil's delusions, but the shaking is also a test of the solidity of one's
spiritual foundation, that is, is it grounded upon the bedrock of faith in our
Lord Jesus Christ, or is it standing on flimsy legs of disbelief and
disobedience packaged with a thin layer of professed Christian piousness, that
will quickly fall apart when the shakes intensifies?
This morning, our good Lord left a very deep impression upon my heart. There is
a urgent need, a clarion call for all who profess to be believers to come down
on their knees in prayers. For the prayers of the faithful avails much, and in
turning to God, may He turn His wrath away from sinful men, for the wrath of God
is now with us. And even if God will allow all of us to go through the series of
intense shaking which is now upon us, prayers will solidify the spirit of faith
ingrained in our hearts, so that we will not just be able to stand firm upon Him
in all circumstances, but that He will use us well and mightily in His works, as
once disbelievers are moved to seek our Father in Heaven.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(5th Feb 2011)
Up North and North
I have learned to take time with our Lord, to be sure that truly these thoughts
are from Him and not from my finite understanding.
The Lord brought me to the Book of Jeremiah as I prepare to close this sharing,
which interestingly comes after the Book of Isaiah, the latter which opened this
latest sharing.
'But the Lord said to me; " Do not say, 'I am a youth.' For you shall go to all
to whom I send you. And whatever I command you, you shall speak...'
Jeremiah 1:7
'See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms. To root
out and to pull down. To destroy and to throw down. To build and to plant.'
Jeremiah 1:10
'Then the Lord said to me. "Out of the north calamity shall break forth. On all
the inhabitants of the land. For behold, I am calling All the famillies of the
kingdoms of the north, says the Lord. They shall come and each one set his
throne At the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem. Against all its walls all
around. And against all the cities of Judah. I will utter My judgments Against
them concerning all their wickedness, Because they have forsaken Me. Burned
incense to other gods. And worshiped the works of their own hands.'
Jeremiah 1:14-16
A look at the modern map of Israel( see link
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ddc.aub.edu.lb/projects/archaeology/berytus44/maps/Middle_East98.jpg&imgrefurl=http://ddc.aub.edu.lb/projects/archaeology/berytus44/maps/Middle_East98.html&h=1327&w=1103&sz=225&tbnid=S6c-0jG0uSX85M:&tbnh=246&tbnw=205&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmap%2Bof%2Bmiddle%2Beast&zoom=1&q=map+of+middle+east&usg=__PmJuqQGv3q04vygPX7zlhWDPLN4=&sa=X&ei=CRJNTe6NJ5DsrQfD3czaBg&ved=0CBUQ9QEwAA)
and its surrounds does pop up an interesting observation. All the countries in
NORTH Africa(to the to the West of Israel) are going or about to undergo
great political upheavals. The end result could likely be governments that was
once neutral to friendly to Israel, now transformed into enemies of Israel, and
they are all literally at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem.
And what about NORTH of Israel? Turkey is right smacked there, and once secular
Turkey, a strategic partner of Israel is increasingly moving towards enmity with
Israel instead, as many in Turkey could possibly be yearning for the glorious
days of the Ottoman Empire. And not forgetting NORTH East of Israel, the land of
Syria, long a proxy for Iran, the arch enemy and ancient nemesis of Israel.
Postulations these might seem, but what matters is not what could come, but
rather what are we doing with our spiritual lives?
Are we like the Israelites of old, who God has freed from the bondage of the
Egypt of our lives, who remembered the grace of God in all brevity and has
regressed to our sinful ways as described n Jeremiah 1:16?
It is time to acknowledge our imperfections and come down on our knees while God
is still with us. For it will be too late when circumstances overwhelmed us for
God will not respond to an unresponsive and hardened heart.
'...For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time
of trouble They will say, 'Arise and save us.'
But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, If
they can save you in the time of trouble...'
Jeremiah 2:27-28
'The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me. Because the Lord has anointed Me to
preach the good tidings to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.
To proclaim liberty to the captives. And the opening of the prison to those who
are bound. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.....to comfort all who
mourn.'
Isaiah 61:1-2
The desire for freedom has gone viral, from Tunisia to Egypt and now Yemen and
soon possibly engulfing the whole of North Africa including Morocco, Chad and
Libya and down South East to the oil rich Gulf states in the Middle East.
Is that good news? Reality is happiness of a yoke lifted might be temporary for
it is likely to be replaced by a burden of an equally repressive regime that
will arise out of the anarchy.
This being Chinese New Year, it might seem not the most appropriate to discuss
the possibility of the world like a bunny hopping from the frying pan into the
fire, but the contagion has just taken on a different plane. From the feverish greed of easy money that led to the near global collapse from the sub-prime crisis that almost swarmed many once August financial institutions in the Western world, the world
has moved on to the European sovereign debt quagmire that we are still trying to
get out of. And now, with the revolutionary zeal fast spreading amongst the
people of the Arab world, will it lead to rocketing oil prices and increased
regional tensions that will further weaken an already structurally unsound
global economy?
"Family" was the sharing I had planned, this being Chinese New Year where family
reunions is the norm amongst Chinese families. And "Family" was intended to be a
"trailer" for the planned launch of my near completed second art book " Happy
Family - a mirror of God's love. But man plans, God directs, and just this
morning, the Lord placed the thought in my heart to go on my knees and "On
bended knees" is what He has led me to as this next sharing.
The late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat as mentioned previously was a famously
pious man. He had a dark mark on his forehead as proof of his deep
commitment to prayers, having bowed for long hours on the prayer mat towards
Mecca. What would he think of the present bloodshed and chaos in Egypt?
Unprecedented it might seem, at least in terms of civic disobedience in the Arab
world, but unprecedented is the norm rather than the exception in the world we
lived in, in recent years.
'Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken
him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended,
and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell
not, for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that heareth these sayings of
mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his
house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds
blew, and beat upon the house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.'
Matthew 7:24-27
More than knee deep in the swirling flood waters, the citizens of Queensland
might be, but it is quite a double whammy to be now be literally bowled over by
the monstrous cyclone now blowing through their same land. Darwin in the
Northern Territories of Australia was flattened by a cyclone back in the 1970s,
but would the same happen to Queensland today? And how resilient will the
Australians be in the face of such intense calamities?
If today you were subjected to such earth shaking circumstances in your once
placid life, would you go down on your knees in prayerful repentance and
acknowledge the Sovereignty of God as Savior and Lord of your life? A moot point
that can only be proven when the what if turns into reality, but just a few moments back, our good Lord brought me to the opening verse, Isaiah 61:1-2 and its significance.
Most of you would be familiar with the Biblical record(Acts 16:26) of how the Apostle Paul was in a prison, when a great earthquake shook open the prison doors and how it led to the conversion of the once disbelieving prison warden and his family.
And all of us who have come to the faith will agree that genuine repentance and
acceptance of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is usually preceded by
an intense shaking of the very foundations of our once God free life.
The Spirit of God reminded me today that the shaking is intensifying, for man's
sins are taking on deeper roots, but healing is there waiting for all, if only
we would just come out of our delusion and turn to the Lord our God. And God
will shake us even more intensely, for He wants no soul to end up with the devil
in eternal damnation.
'Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour?
But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name...'
John 12:27
Why are we so often oblivious to the obvious? Man being flawed can only choose
to be slaves to the devil or slave to our Sovereign God. This might rankle many
a democratic intellect, but reality is be it in dictatorships repressive or
benevolent, or be it in a democracy, much grief, angst and all failings of the
finite human being remains. Only a life grounded upon the Lord our God will we
be able to overcome the platitudes of a fallen world and only upon the return of
our Lord Jesus Christ can all tears be permanently removed, and temporal
happiness be replaced by permanent joy.
But we must be prepared to go through the fire of refinement, for the
transformation into the likeness of Christ. Only in submitting to God, can we on
His grace overcome. It is not about us strutting in the full regalia of
Christianity like the misguided Crusaders of old who seek to destroy the Muslims
and eradicate them from the Holy Land and eventually came to grief because of
their follies. God is love, and we must overcome resistance through genuine
agape love.
Submission and not resistance is what God looks for. Prayers allow us to come
into communion with the Spirit of God, and prayers will bring our hearts into
alignment with the will of God. On bended knees is not the outward manifestation
of piousness that God desires, but rather God is looking for a heart that is
humble and contrite, a heart that not just accepts Christ as our Savior but is
totally surrendered to the Sovereignty of God, Whose Spirit resides in our hearts.
The shaking that is picking up momentum is not just about waking one up from the
devil's delusions, but the shaking is also a test of the solidity of one's
spiritual foundation, that is, is it grounded upon the bedrock of faith in our
Lord Jesus Christ, or is it standing on flimsy legs of disbelief and
disobedience packaged with a thin layer of professed Christian piousness, that
will quickly fall apart when the shakes intensifies?
This morning, our good Lord left a very deep impression upon my heart. There is
a urgent need, a clarion call for all who profess to be believers to come down
on their knees in prayers. For the prayers of the faithful avails much, and in
turning to God, may He turn His wrath away from sinful men, for the wrath of God
is now with us. And even if God will allow all of us to go through the series of
intense shaking which is now upon us, prayers will solidify the spirit of faith
ingrained in our hearts, so that we will not just be able to stand firm upon Him
in all circumstances, but that He will use us well and mightily in His works, as
once disbelievers are moved to seek our Father in Heaven.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(5th Feb 2011)
Up North and North
I have learned to take time with our Lord, to be sure that truly these thoughts
are from Him and not from my finite understanding.
The Lord brought me to the Book of Jeremiah as I prepare to close this sharing,
which interestingly comes after the Book of Isaiah, the latter which opened this
latest sharing.
'But the Lord said to me; " Do not say, 'I am a youth.' For you shall go to all
to whom I send you. And whatever I command you, you shall speak...'
Jeremiah 1:7
'See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms. To root
out and to pull down. To destroy and to throw down. To build and to plant.'
Jeremiah 1:10
'Then the Lord said to me. "Out of the north calamity shall break forth. On all
the inhabitants of the land. For behold, I am calling All the famillies of the
kingdoms of the north, says the Lord. They shall come and each one set his
throne At the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem. Against all its walls all
around. And against all the cities of Judah. I will utter My judgments Against
them concerning all their wickedness, Because they have forsaken Me. Burned
incense to other gods. And worshiped the works of their own hands.'
Jeremiah 1:14-16
A look at the modern map of Israel( see link
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ddc.aub.edu.lb/projects/archaeology/berytus44/maps/Middle_East98.jpg&imgrefurl=http://ddc.aub.edu.lb/projects/archaeology/berytus44/maps/Middle_East98.html&h=1327&w=1103&sz=225&tbnid=S6c-0jG0uSX85M:&tbnh=246&tbnw=205&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmap%2Bof%2Bmiddle%2Beast&zoom=1&q=map+of+middle+east&usg=__PmJuqQGv3q04vygPX7zlhWDPLN4=&sa=X&ei=CRJNTe6NJ5DsrQfD3czaBg&ved=0CBUQ9QEwAA)
and its surrounds does pop up an interesting observation. All the countries in
NORTH Africa(to the to the West of Israel) are going or about to undergo
great political upheavals. The end result could likely be governments that was
once neutral to friendly to Israel, now transformed into enemies of Israel, and
they are all literally at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem.
And what about NORTH of Israel? Turkey is right smacked there, and once secular
Turkey, a strategic partner of Israel is increasingly moving towards enmity with
Israel instead, as many in Turkey could possibly be yearning for the glorious
days of the Ottoman Empire. And not forgetting NORTH East of Israel, the land of
Syria, long a proxy for Iran, the arch enemy and ancient nemesis of Israel.
Postulations these might seem, but what matters is not what could come, but
rather what are we doing with our spiritual lives?
Are we like the Israelites of old, who God has freed from the bondage of the
Egypt of our lives, who remembered the grace of God in all brevity and has
regressed to our sinful ways as described n Jeremiah 1:16?
It is time to acknowledge our imperfections and come down on our knees while God
is still with us. For it will be too late when circumstances overwhelmed us for
God will not respond to an unresponsive and hardened heart.
'...For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time
of trouble They will say, 'Arise and save us.'
But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, If
they can save you in the time of trouble...'
Jeremiah 2:27-28
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