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
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