Dear...
'Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose..'
Acts 16:26
This morning, a journalist wrote of his disgust with religious people who seem pretty callous to ascribe to the victims of disasters like the present Japan earthquake, their present woes as due punishment from God for their sinfulness.
An atheist with an inclination to an alternate lifestyle I surmise, but that is irrelevant, for his comments does have a ring of truth, much as one might not be sure of his real intent. As Christians, are we to quick to judge, committing the same folly as good friends of Job, when they admonished him for bringing his present woes upon himself by his sins.
We live in a fallen world, a world that since Adam's days have chosen to move away from the will of God. Much as God is Sovereign, it is the devil, the prince of the air that rules our present world, because we have chosen to let him. And so, would it be fair to ascribe blame to God when troubles befall us?
At this juncture, rather than be at risk of getting oneself into a quagmire of theological argument which is better served by those who are of better Biblical scholastic abilities, let me instead point you away from the blame game to the fact that good will come out of one's troubles, if we allow the Spirit of God to minister to our very being.
'The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"
Acts 16:27
The people of Japan today much be feeling increasingly distraught and ostracized, for who will not, to be not just shaken and stirred by a massive earthquake, but floored by the merciless tsunami and if that was not suffice, to now be at risk from the unseen but evil forces emanating from the monster of their own creation, the nuclear reactors.
For many of us who take a deeper interest in Japan beyond the food, the hot springs and the cherry blossoms, will know that Japan is indeed a very hard ground spiritually, for one to plant the gospel of salvation. Is it because Shintoism and Buddhism, the two mainstream religions for many Japanese are very much ingrained into their psyche and lifestyle, silos that are as thick and supposedly impregnable as that of the steel casing enclosing the nuclear rods?
'The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household."
Acts 16:29-31
God is love, and love shown to those who are in their moment of need speaks with greater clarity the gospel of salvation than mere words can. And if you were in Japan today, would you follow your natural instincts and man's wisdom of self survival and flee or would you take time to thank God for His protection and to understand His will for you which could include remaining in Japan, even as He brings about the increase in this once hard ground?
It is like the forked road that many of us encountered back in the days of SARS. Do we skip church to avoid the contagion or do we stand firm and fear not?
The answer must come from God, the desire to follow Him must come from us. And like my dear brother and Pastor shared this morning in our man's prayer meeting, we are in times of radicalism, where decisions and actions we take as followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, must no longer be based on our finite understanding and selfish needs, but wherever God leads us.
And it is not about hatred, but about love for God and people He placed in our lives.
'For the Lord will not cast off forever. But though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.'
Lamentations 3:31-33
Job was a man after God's heart. Yet, the Lord allowed the devil to test him by subjecting him to extremities, short of taking his life. Job had every good reason to be angry with God, but He finally understood and repented with the acknowledgment that God is Sovereign and who are we to understand nor question His ways. Cliche it might seem to many, but this yielding to God is a pre-requisite for only then will we be willing to stay in His presence and not bereft ourselves of experiencing His grace and witnessing His wonderful ways, as He will surely bring the willing out of the fire of refinement.
And indeed God is a compassionate God, He knows our limits, much as He will allow us to go through the fire of refinement, but for our good.
'...If the dead do not rise. Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die!'
1 Corinthians 15:32
Much as most of us find it difficult to fathom the seeming loss of "innocent" lives, just like we will be equally ambivalent about the need for us to go through troubles, especially when we truly believe that we have been desirous of staying faithful to the will of God, like Job, like Asaph(see Psalm 73:17) and countless men of faith, His Spirit will soon sanctify our very being, and much as our natural man might still not fully comprehend the plans of God, it matters not, for our spirit will see the truth of His ways and His grace is indeed suffice for the day, much as the day is evil enough.
'All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes. But the Lord weighs the spirits. Commit your works to the Lord. And your thoughts will be established..'
Proverbs 16:2-3
God never promises us no storms in our lives, but He guarantees us eternity in His presence, if we are willing. And His ways while never our ways is the only way.
'For thus saith the Lord; How much more when I send My four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? Yet behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters, behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings, and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.'
Ezekiel 14:21-23
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(28th Mar 2011)
Carnal vs Spiritual
As is good practice, much as I have completed this sharing, I have learned to let it simmer for a day or two, for the Lord to fine tune it. And just yesterday morning, our good Lord tested me on a decision, and true to my carnal self, I failed. We do what we should not do, and do not do what we should do. And indeed, the demons of fear, anger, pride, impatience, lusts and self interests are always waiting to pounce on our inclination to sin, based on our own understanding.
In Exodus 15:26 God promised us no diseases if we listen and do what is right in His eyes. Yet many of us still disobey and allow the Egypt of our pre-Christian days to continue to grip and take root in our lives. We continue to let ourselves be in bondage to our fears, pride, anger and all the negatives that run contrary to the fruits of the Spirit.
This morning, my first reaction was carnal, and I almost re-entered the Egypt of my past, but time with God all these years have imbued in my spirit, the correction of the Holy Spirit and indeed all glory to God for pulling me back from sin and like the Israelites of Moses's time, into "Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.'(Exodus 15:27)
We often look to God for healing for our woes. And if we are truly repentant, God will heal us spiritually to be made ready for eternity, much as He might not heal our bodily shell for the temporal world. But if we are just cognizance of His will and am willing to obey, we could save ourselves much grief and even the need to have the diseases of Egypt upon us.
Of course, there are times that God will let us go through difficult circumstances in our blessed lives, but it is for our refinement, and much as our prayer will be like our Lord Jesus Christ who ask God to, if possible take him away from his impending cruxification, our prayers must be even more like that of Christ who willingly let go and let God, if that is His will.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
In Spirit and Truth #41 Constant (23rd Mar 2011)
Dear…
‘Fear before Him, all the earth; the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.’
1 Chronicles 16:30
There is a distinct glow about me. Is it due to my more vigorous efforts at swimming, despite the inclement weather, to make up for the excessive binge last week in Hong Kong? My wife thinks it could be due to the acid rain, or more likely radiation carried over by the windswept rain from distant Sendai.
Radiant indeed has a different take in the light of the nuclear fallout and since we are on this topic, with my recent interest in reading more about gemstones, it has been quite an eye opener to learn that it is quite common in the gemstone industry to not just inject chemicals to enhance the rich colors so valued in jade, but also the use of heat treatment to bring out the richness of ruby and sapphire, or even transform from plain Jane colors to vibrant rich blue in the case of Topaz. And on Topaz, there has been issues of residual radiation existing in such treated stones that could pose a health risk.
‘Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed forever.’
Psalms 104:5
“Who moved my cheese?” was a once popular book written in 1988. Motivational I am not sure, but it was a refreshing approach to looking at how to deal with changes in your life, at least from what I garnered from the popular press, given that I did not and do not intend to read the book.
But lately, the world has entered “earthquake season,” a new term to me for we are more used to the recurring “hurricane season.” But does it mean that the norm going forward is for the world to experience regular intensified earth shattering shaking rather than the normal tremors that we have got used to?
Psalm 104 talks about God’s Sovereignty in the natural world, much as we know He is Sovereign in all things including the spiritual realm. Does it then mean that God is now literally “pulling the carpet” from under us, our once perceived solid terra firma upon which our lives are built on?’
‘That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.’
1 Peter 1:7
Salt is an item that is in demand lately as many in China made a beeline for it on the misconception that it will provide protection against radiation. Silly as it might seem, but fear and greed do make fools out of the normally rational us. And on that, I just watched a YouTube sent by a dear friend interview(http://beforeitsnews.com/story/486/694/Geologist_Predicts_Major_N._America_Earthquake_Imminent.html )
of a supposedly renowned geologist who believes that the next major 9 Richter scale quake is due anytime in the US West Coast. Should I not believe him since he does owe me a copyright of the idea, for a few days earlier(in my last sharing “Divine Interventions’) with my own ruler and pencil, I also drew the same rectangle linking the three recent earthquakes(ie Chile, Christchurch, Sendai) to the final point on the square, San Francisco.
Is there logic in the madness of one’s method??
‘But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.’
1 Peter 1:25
We live in a world that is dynamic. Maybe that is an understatement given the intensity of events these past decade. “The ugly duckling” is a well known tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a duck that was in reality a beautiful white swan. And black swans do exist though it took many years for that reality to sink in. It was in Australia that Europeans first encountered them, and that is understandable for Australia was far from civilized Europe in the 17th century.
“Black swans’ in the context of the financial world are unexpected impactful events like the recent earthquake , the European debt contagion, or the subprime crisis. But increasingly, the world seems to take such events in its stride, notwithstanding a few moments of fear, before resuming its relentless bullish march. Nothing seems to daunt many from this liquidity driven climb up the Tower of Babel of greed.
But will this delusion end in great grief?
“Constant” was the word that God impressed upon my heart this past one week. With manifold events enveloping our lives, can one truly stay grounded with clarity of heart and serenity of inner being? With man, it is not possible, with God all things are possible.
‘Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Si’on a chief cornerstone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded.’
1 Peter 2:6
About 4 years back, the Lord spoke deeply to me on the need to buy gold. And after much reticence, I did and on hindsight, I wished I had bought much more for gold has since doubled in price from where I bought.
Yes. God will prosper us, but that provision is not for our glory, but rather for His work as storehouses like the times of Joseph in Egypt, to be released to the many who will thirst and starve for not just food for the body, but more importantly food for the soul. And as shared previously, I have come to learn that it is more than physical gold, but gold as bought from our Lord, as in our character refined in the fire of God’s loving hands, to make us ready for what is to come.
The time has now come. The natural world will shake in greater intensity and imagine if the same triple whammy of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear fallout were to hit the US West Coast or even Tokyo, and complement that with a full scale Middle East conflict, “helter skelter” will probably best described the swirling thoughts and behavior in the minds of many globally, a “global contagion.”
‘Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently…’
1 Peter 1:22
“Stoic” was the word that the world ascribed in admiration to the way the Japanese handled the earth shattering circumstances of their life. I just took a quick look on what “stoic” meant and if Wikipedia is correct, it states that “stoicism” was a Greek philosophy founded in Athens in the 3rd Century BC. Stoicism held the belief that it is virtuous to maintain a will that is in accord with nature and the best indication of an individual’s philosophy was not what a person said but how he behaved.
From my limited knowledge of Japanese culture, collecting Japanese art does have some benefits finally, the Japanese Zen philosophy does places great stress on harmony with nature and the general environment. And indeed they do worship a whole spectrum of gods from the Thunder god, to less benign ones and does not preclude “oni” or demons. This ingrained “at one with nature” could possibly explain the quiet dignity that mark their posture in the midst of the great mess wrought upon their lives this past few weeks. But would this self will to stay calm be sustainable as the wait for a resumption to normal life drags or worse, another earthquake hits?
‘Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.’
1 Corinthians 10:12
What about us? Would you be able to stay serene? On our own strength, I doubt it, in the face of relentless assault on our senses. But as Christians, if truly our Lord Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of our lives, we will stay grounded, if your lives have been transformed by His Spirit from a heart that has been willing to not just believe when His Spirit first sanctified us, but a heart that has been willing to believe in the truth of the gospel by letting go and letting Him.
‘There hath no 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
We will soon find out.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(23rd Mar 2011)
‘Fear before Him, all the earth; the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.’
1 Chronicles 16:30
There is a distinct glow about me. Is it due to my more vigorous efforts at swimming, despite the inclement weather, to make up for the excessive binge last week in Hong Kong? My wife thinks it could be due to the acid rain, or more likely radiation carried over by the windswept rain from distant Sendai.
Radiant indeed has a different take in the light of the nuclear fallout and since we are on this topic, with my recent interest in reading more about gemstones, it has been quite an eye opener to learn that it is quite common in the gemstone industry to not just inject chemicals to enhance the rich colors so valued in jade, but also the use of heat treatment to bring out the richness of ruby and sapphire, or even transform from plain Jane colors to vibrant rich blue in the case of Topaz. And on Topaz, there has been issues of residual radiation existing in such treated stones that could pose a health risk.
‘Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed forever.’
Psalms 104:5
“Who moved my cheese?” was a once popular book written in 1988. Motivational I am not sure, but it was a refreshing approach to looking at how to deal with changes in your life, at least from what I garnered from the popular press, given that I did not and do not intend to read the book.
But lately, the world has entered “earthquake season,” a new term to me for we are more used to the recurring “hurricane season.” But does it mean that the norm going forward is for the world to experience regular intensified earth shattering shaking rather than the normal tremors that we have got used to?
Psalm 104 talks about God’s Sovereignty in the natural world, much as we know He is Sovereign in all things including the spiritual realm. Does it then mean that God is now literally “pulling the carpet” from under us, our once perceived solid terra firma upon which our lives are built on?’
‘That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.’
1 Peter 1:7
Salt is an item that is in demand lately as many in China made a beeline for it on the misconception that it will provide protection against radiation. Silly as it might seem, but fear and greed do make fools out of the normally rational us. And on that, I just watched a YouTube sent by a dear friend interview(http://beforeitsnews.com/story/486/694/Geologist_Predicts_Major_N._America_Earthquake_Imminent.html )
of a supposedly renowned geologist who believes that the next major 9 Richter scale quake is due anytime in the US West Coast. Should I not believe him since he does owe me a copyright of the idea, for a few days earlier(in my last sharing “Divine Interventions’) with my own ruler and pencil, I also drew the same rectangle linking the three recent earthquakes(ie Chile, Christchurch, Sendai) to the final point on the square, San Francisco.
Is there logic in the madness of one’s method??
‘But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.’
1 Peter 1:25
We live in a world that is dynamic. Maybe that is an understatement given the intensity of events these past decade. “The ugly duckling” is a well known tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a duck that was in reality a beautiful white swan. And black swans do exist though it took many years for that reality to sink in. It was in Australia that Europeans first encountered them, and that is understandable for Australia was far from civilized Europe in the 17th century.
“Black swans’ in the context of the financial world are unexpected impactful events like the recent earthquake , the European debt contagion, or the subprime crisis. But increasingly, the world seems to take such events in its stride, notwithstanding a few moments of fear, before resuming its relentless bullish march. Nothing seems to daunt many from this liquidity driven climb up the Tower of Babel of greed.
But will this delusion end in great grief?
“Constant” was the word that God impressed upon my heart this past one week. With manifold events enveloping our lives, can one truly stay grounded with clarity of heart and serenity of inner being? With man, it is not possible, with God all things are possible.
‘Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Si’on a chief cornerstone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded.’
1 Peter 2:6
About 4 years back, the Lord spoke deeply to me on the need to buy gold. And after much reticence, I did and on hindsight, I wished I had bought much more for gold has since doubled in price from where I bought.
Yes. God will prosper us, but that provision is not for our glory, but rather for His work as storehouses like the times of Joseph in Egypt, to be released to the many who will thirst and starve for not just food for the body, but more importantly food for the soul. And as shared previously, I have come to learn that it is more than physical gold, but gold as bought from our Lord, as in our character refined in the fire of God’s loving hands, to make us ready for what is to come.
The time has now come. The natural world will shake in greater intensity and imagine if the same triple whammy of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear fallout were to hit the US West Coast or even Tokyo, and complement that with a full scale Middle East conflict, “helter skelter” will probably best described the swirling thoughts and behavior in the minds of many globally, a “global contagion.”
‘Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently…’
1 Peter 1:22
“Stoic” was the word that the world ascribed in admiration to the way the Japanese handled the earth shattering circumstances of their life. I just took a quick look on what “stoic” meant and if Wikipedia is correct, it states that “stoicism” was a Greek philosophy founded in Athens in the 3rd Century BC. Stoicism held the belief that it is virtuous to maintain a will that is in accord with nature and the best indication of an individual’s philosophy was not what a person said but how he behaved.
From my limited knowledge of Japanese culture, collecting Japanese art does have some benefits finally, the Japanese Zen philosophy does places great stress on harmony with nature and the general environment. And indeed they do worship a whole spectrum of gods from the Thunder god, to less benign ones and does not preclude “oni” or demons. This ingrained “at one with nature” could possibly explain the quiet dignity that mark their posture in the midst of the great mess wrought upon their lives this past few weeks. But would this self will to stay calm be sustainable as the wait for a resumption to normal life drags or worse, another earthquake hits?
‘Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.’
1 Corinthians 10:12
What about us? Would you be able to stay serene? On our own strength, I doubt it, in the face of relentless assault on our senses. But as Christians, if truly our Lord Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of our lives, we will stay grounded, if your lives have been transformed by His Spirit from a heart that has been willing to not just believe when His Spirit first sanctified us, but a heart that has been willing to believe in the truth of the gospel by letting go and letting Him.
‘There hath no 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
We will soon find out.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(23rd Mar 2011)
Saturday, March 12, 2011
In Spirit and Truth #40 Divine Intervention (12th Mar 2011)
Dear..
'For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows....and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come.'
Matthew 24:7-14
The live television pictures of the fast creeping "hands' of the tsunami that engulfs and destroys everything in its path does look truly like one of those Hollywood disaster movies. And prayerfully, as I feel led to put pen to paper the thoughts God placed in my heart, it is not with the intention of taking this opportunity to pick a couple of Bible verses to remind everyone who cares to listen of the End Times intensified, much as it is indeed happening.
'....that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.'
Hebrews 2:14-15
Does lightning truly strike twice? Not too sure, but troubles seem to come in a trio. The convalescing global economy which is starting to show some signs of real recovery has in past one week, been buffeted by the possibility of the ongoing Mid-East crisis touching the "holy grail of the devil's brew" ie Saudi Arabia, coupled with the possible relapse of the European debt contagion with the downgrade of Spain, a bigger fish in the pool of indebtedness besotting the once might colonial masters of the world, and now, this earthquake in Japan, with possibility of more to come.
And what about Japan? It is like a triple whammy of earthquake, even more devastating tsunami and now the possibility of a nuclear leak from its disabled power plants. The world is indeed one depressive place especially in the past decade with the increased frequency and intensity of disasters. It does put in perspective that all the strive and strife in the pursuit of the things of the world is not only meaningless but can be easily snuffed out in one unexpected disaster.
'..I will cast abominable filth upon you. Make you vile. and make you a spectacle. It shall come to pass that all who look upon you, and say, Nineveh is laid waste...'
Nahum 3:6-7
This verse came to me as I pondered upon what is happening in Japan yesterday. Is
Japan the modern day Nineveh? During World War 2 and even before that, with the Meiji Restoration, a modernizing Japan was an aggressor in its immediate neighborhood, colonizing the Korea Peninsular, and engaging in territorial wars with a flailing China, with an eye on the resources in Manchuria. And through it all, the Japanese were far from benign conquerors and imposed their worship of idols upon their conquered subjects. And some might recall a book I shared where the Japanese were forewarned by a Korean Christian lady of a major catastrophe "a fire from the sky" if they do not repent of their ways and of course, that became a reality with Japan having the dubious honor of atomic bomb attacks in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
'Judge not, that you be not judged.'
Matthew 7:1
As I penned the thoughts on Japan, I was a little reticent of falling into the sinful tendency of us humans especially the misguided Christians to sit on our pedestal of self righteousness while passing judgment on others. This is never my intention, for the world is a sinful place, and each and everyone of us have sinned, and continues to, though for those who seek the Lord, His Spirit will correct and we will respond. And much as we must remind all and sunder of the consequences of a continued disobedience to a faithful God, it is not for me to throw the Bible at anyone, no different from the mythical Justice Pao who bang his table and throws the petition of the aggrieved on the proven accused, as he passes sentence.
'...and after the wind an earthquake; the Lord was not in the earthquake, and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire a still small voice...'
1 Kings 19:11-12
But rather, I am reminded that healing of the soul and spirit often has its beginnings in the midst of dire circumstances. What is needed now is truly fervent prayer for the many distraught in Japan and in all the other places where disaster has struck, be it Chile, Christchurch, Queensland, Yunnan and the Middle East. That in the midst of all the cacophony as their life shatters, that they be still and hear the voice of God as His Spirit sanctifies their parched soul.
'My little children, let us not love in word or tongue, but in deed and in truth.'
1 John 3:18
And indeed, even as we pray, God will show us not just what to pray for, but also the works that we need to do and He looks for a responsive heart.
'....your God, Whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.'
Daniel 6:16
What about us who seek and know the Lord our God. God never promises us no storms, but He will shelter and He will walk through it with us. One often hears of testimonies of the divine protection of God and indeed it is such experiences that transforms many from mere believers to fervent followers of our Lord Jesus Christ.
'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For You are with me.....Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. All the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord. Forever.'
Psalm 23
But being a follower of Christ does not mean that we will always be spared from going through the worst of disasters, though I believe that it is the case in most times. But more importantly, God will always prepare us for what is to come in His plans for us, and if we learn to let go and let Him, He will bring us through the valley of death and into His rest, be it to continue our temporary journey on Earth till He brings us home, or He might even bring us home.
'For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling. That I may walk before God in the light of the living?'
Psalm 56:13
I have come to learn that indeed God will intervene for He knows our limits. And I have also come to learn that it will always be in His way and timing, not ours and often on that, many find it difficult to accept, especially in a disaster where many innocent lives are lost. Who are we to question God is the truth, but not likely palatable to many. But God is looking at eternity, we the finite man are looking at the temporal. But the faithful know that all things from God are for our good.
Let me close by bringing you to a sharing(see link below) I wrote back in Dec 2004, in the day after the tsunami that killed many in South and South East Asia. It has been 6 years, yet the haunting memories are now replayed in Japan, but with a more sinister new element, a possible nuclear fallout. Do take time to read and reflect upon these thoughts from 6 years back and may the Lord use that to clarify and speak to you, even as possibly the next disaster is waiting in the wings somewhere in the world.
And on that, much as the silly British and French colonials used to divide up their largess in Africa by using a pencil and ruler to draw lines across Africa to determine their sphere of influence, ignoring tribal realities. In an inspired moment or maybe more like moment of madness, I also took a ruler and pen and did a little doodle on a map showing the "ring of fire" in the Pacific. And interestingly, the earthquake in Chile is just about horizontally across the ocean from Christchurch, New Zealand. And vertically up from Christchurch is where Sendai, Japan is. And if one was to complete this box, directly to the right of Sendai, Japan is San Francisco, California.
It is given that San Francisco, sitting on the San Andreas fault, is long overdue just like Tokyo for the big one. But rather than speculate on when, would it not be better to be prepared for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is more certain than certain, though no one knows when, much as the signs for His return as laid out in the Bible are increasingly being fulfilled.
http://hieang.blogspot.com/2008/07/morning-after-71.html
Rgds and God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(13th Mar 2011)
'For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows....and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come.'
Matthew 24:7-14
The live television pictures of the fast creeping "hands' of the tsunami that engulfs and destroys everything in its path does look truly like one of those Hollywood disaster movies. And prayerfully, as I feel led to put pen to paper the thoughts God placed in my heart, it is not with the intention of taking this opportunity to pick a couple of Bible verses to remind everyone who cares to listen of the End Times intensified, much as it is indeed happening.
'....that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.'
Hebrews 2:14-15
Does lightning truly strike twice? Not too sure, but troubles seem to come in a trio. The convalescing global economy which is starting to show some signs of real recovery has in past one week, been buffeted by the possibility of the ongoing Mid-East crisis touching the "holy grail of the devil's brew" ie Saudi Arabia, coupled with the possible relapse of the European debt contagion with the downgrade of Spain, a bigger fish in the pool of indebtedness besotting the once might colonial masters of the world, and now, this earthquake in Japan, with possibility of more to come.
And what about Japan? It is like a triple whammy of earthquake, even more devastating tsunami and now the possibility of a nuclear leak from its disabled power plants. The world is indeed one depressive place especially in the past decade with the increased frequency and intensity of disasters. It does put in perspective that all the strive and strife in the pursuit of the things of the world is not only meaningless but can be easily snuffed out in one unexpected disaster.
'..I will cast abominable filth upon you. Make you vile. and make you a spectacle. It shall come to pass that all who look upon you, and say, Nineveh is laid waste...'
Nahum 3:6-7
This verse came to me as I pondered upon what is happening in Japan yesterday. Is
Japan the modern day Nineveh? During World War 2 and even before that, with the Meiji Restoration, a modernizing Japan was an aggressor in its immediate neighborhood, colonizing the Korea Peninsular, and engaging in territorial wars with a flailing China, with an eye on the resources in Manchuria. And through it all, the Japanese were far from benign conquerors and imposed their worship of idols upon their conquered subjects. And some might recall a book I shared where the Japanese were forewarned by a Korean Christian lady of a major catastrophe "a fire from the sky" if they do not repent of their ways and of course, that became a reality with Japan having the dubious honor of atomic bomb attacks in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
'Judge not, that you be not judged.'
Matthew 7:1
As I penned the thoughts on Japan, I was a little reticent of falling into the sinful tendency of us humans especially the misguided Christians to sit on our pedestal of self righteousness while passing judgment on others. This is never my intention, for the world is a sinful place, and each and everyone of us have sinned, and continues to, though for those who seek the Lord, His Spirit will correct and we will respond. And much as we must remind all and sunder of the consequences of a continued disobedience to a faithful God, it is not for me to throw the Bible at anyone, no different from the mythical Justice Pao who bang his table and throws the petition of the aggrieved on the proven accused, as he passes sentence.
'...and after the wind an earthquake; the Lord was not in the earthquake, and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire a still small voice...'
1 Kings 19:11-12
But rather, I am reminded that healing of the soul and spirit often has its beginnings in the midst of dire circumstances. What is needed now is truly fervent prayer for the many distraught in Japan and in all the other places where disaster has struck, be it Chile, Christchurch, Queensland, Yunnan and the Middle East. That in the midst of all the cacophony as their life shatters, that they be still and hear the voice of God as His Spirit sanctifies their parched soul.
'My little children, let us not love in word or tongue, but in deed and in truth.'
1 John 3:18
And indeed, even as we pray, God will show us not just what to pray for, but also the works that we need to do and He looks for a responsive heart.
'....your God, Whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.'
Daniel 6:16
What about us who seek and know the Lord our God. God never promises us no storms, but He will shelter and He will walk through it with us. One often hears of testimonies of the divine protection of God and indeed it is such experiences that transforms many from mere believers to fervent followers of our Lord Jesus Christ.
'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For You are with me.....Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. All the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord. Forever.'
Psalm 23
But being a follower of Christ does not mean that we will always be spared from going through the worst of disasters, though I believe that it is the case in most times. But more importantly, God will always prepare us for what is to come in His plans for us, and if we learn to let go and let Him, He will bring us through the valley of death and into His rest, be it to continue our temporary journey on Earth till He brings us home, or He might even bring us home.
'For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling. That I may walk before God in the light of the living?'
Psalm 56:13
I have come to learn that indeed God will intervene for He knows our limits. And I have also come to learn that it will always be in His way and timing, not ours and often on that, many find it difficult to accept, especially in a disaster where many innocent lives are lost. Who are we to question God is the truth, but not likely palatable to many. But God is looking at eternity, we the finite man are looking at the temporal. But the faithful know that all things from God are for our good.
Let me close by bringing you to a sharing(see link below) I wrote back in Dec 2004, in the day after the tsunami that killed many in South and South East Asia. It has been 6 years, yet the haunting memories are now replayed in Japan, but with a more sinister new element, a possible nuclear fallout. Do take time to read and reflect upon these thoughts from 6 years back and may the Lord use that to clarify and speak to you, even as possibly the next disaster is waiting in the wings somewhere in the world.
And on that, much as the silly British and French colonials used to divide up their largess in Africa by using a pencil and ruler to draw lines across Africa to determine their sphere of influence, ignoring tribal realities. In an inspired moment or maybe more like moment of madness, I also took a ruler and pen and did a little doodle on a map showing the "ring of fire" in the Pacific. And interestingly, the earthquake in Chile is just about horizontally across the ocean from Christchurch, New Zealand. And vertically up from Christchurch is where Sendai, Japan is. And if one was to complete this box, directly to the right of Sendai, Japan is San Francisco, California.
It is given that San Francisco, sitting on the San Andreas fault, is long overdue just like Tokyo for the big one. But rather than speculate on when, would it not be better to be prepared for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is more certain than certain, though no one knows when, much as the signs for His return as laid out in the Bible are increasingly being fulfilled.
http://hieang.blogspot.com/2008/07/morning-after-71.html
Rgds and God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(13th Mar 2011)
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
In Spirit and Truth #39 Out of the desert (9th Mar 2011)
Dear...
This message was written in one inspired day. But once finished, I dithered as to whether this is truly the will of our Lord, or should I sending you #38 "From revolution to devaluation." The latter took me one week of pondering, and though I finished it, yet I did not feel led to mail it, much as I have placed it on the blog at http://john-4-23-24.blogspot.com/ for the past few days. Also a new experience for me for I have always mailed before I place on the blog.
And on new experience, should it be #38 or #39 that should be sent out, I asked the Lord for guidance and at the press of my Iphone Bible, our good Lord brought me to Deuteronomy 32:44-52"
Interesting because
- Deuteronomy forms the bulk of my Bible reference today for #39 and that was from my Bible at the office and it is no coincidence that at home, I am brought to the same chapter
- And this particular section of Deuteronomy deals with the moment that the Israelites were about to cross over into the promised land and how Moses got the chance to see but not enter the promised land.
> 'For thou shalt see the land before thee, but thou shalt not go thither into the land which I give the children of Israel."
> Deuteronomy 32:52
>
> May indeed the words that now follow in this sharing speak to your heart, that you ponder upon your own journey with our Lord. And if you do feel, do visit the link at
> http://john-4-23-24.blogspot.com/ to read #38 From revolution to devaluation." This is still work in progress much as it is completed??
>
> And on old experience, took me half an hour to get this mail link up. Always in points of significance, my computer always act up, and every mail was working except this particular sharing. Had to use my iphone to reforward the mail to my Mac. Indeed, we wrestle against principalities. Thank our Sovereign God for His grace.
>
> God Blesses
> Dear..
>
> ‘The Lord did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people, for ye were the fewest of all people.’
>
> Deuteronomy 7:7
>
> Modern day Israel is a nation formed when the Jewish Diaspora that survived the horrors of the Nazi Holocausts during World War 2 finally had the impetus to gather together as a nation to ensure that they will never be treated as unwanted guests of often hostile host countries that will turn against them and their defenseless families.
>
> ‘If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I, how can I dispose them? Thou shalt not be afraid of them; but shalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharoah, and unto all Egyptians.’
>
> Deuteronomy 7:17-18
>
> A country Israel might be, but it was a tumultuous birth with growing pains as this small nation was smacked right in the midst of a much larger and hostile Arab neighborhood. Yet, indeed, as in Deuteronomy 7:7, God has sheltered His chosen people and has not just ensured their survival through four major Arab Israelite wars, the last in 1973, but prospered modern day Israel, much as paradoxically, it is one of the few countries in the Mid-East that has no oil. Do take time to read the historical accounts of the Yom Kippur war and see how God’s miraculous hands are still at work in modern times(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_Invasion_of_Israel).
>
> ‘A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey…..’
>
> Deuteronomy 8:8
>
> It has been 37 years since the Yom Kippur war. And except for a few skirmishes, Israel as a nation has been at peace. Of course, with the current turmoil in the Mid-East, it is likely that the uneasy peace of the past 3 decades is coming to an end, and that the world is likely to witness a renewal of the Arab Israelite conflict in the near future.
>
> Is this part of God’s plan? Is there a reason for His allowing Israel to be put through the pains of war again, a war that they might actually lose initially?
>
> ‘Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, and to fear Him.’
>
> Deuteronomy 8:6
>
> A dear friend just invited me to join him on a trip to Israel. I have never been there and it is probably the last opportunity to go before regional conflicts will make it that much harder to visit. As of now, it will be correct to say that I do not have a good on the ground feel of present conditions in Israel. But from what I read, the morals and once much vaunted discipline of this miracle of a nation have loosened tremendously as exemplified by the scandals at the upper echelons of power and the lifestyle of its people. And the recent skirmishes in Lebanon has debunked the invincibility of the Israelite military.
>
> Israel is already in the promised land. Their ancestors were taken out of the bondage of Egypt. But needed another 40 years of wondering in the desert to get their relationship with God right. Sadly, they forgot that after some time and ended up being a diaspora for years before the present state of Israel was founded in 1948.
>
> ‘Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping His commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes, which I command thee this day. Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein’
>
> Deuteronomy 8:11-12
>
> Does the Israelites need another painful reminder of the need to be faithful to God our Father?
>
> Just as the geopolitics start to tense up for Israel, it is also prescient that they have discovered a major gas field off their coast. This will once productive possibly make Israel not only energy independent, but possibly be a major energy exporter. Should not God be punishing them for their errant disobedience instead of rewarding them? An interesting thought, but let’s take time to examine our own lives as the Gentile children of God, for technically, we the Gentile Christians are the 13th tribe of Israel, God’s chosen
>
> ‘And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names….’
>
> Exodus 28:21
>
> These past few years for me have been one great journey in the desert with our Lord and indeed the desert is where one hears God better. I have been far from obedient, but thankfully God corrects, forgives and sustain my very being. I have come to believe that the time in the desert for me and those who love the Lord, is nearing its end and that it is time to enter the promised land. Does it mean that I am about to meet my maker and depart this difficult world? I think not yet, but rather, it is about meeting God on Earth His way and the days of reticence as driven by one’s carnal understanding is over. It is time to truly follow and smell the flowers of God’s grace on the paths He has already laid for those who seek to follow Him and respond with belief to the truth of the gospel. The world being sinful is still difficult till Christ returns, but life for us need not be. Sounds pretty utopic and indeed, if it is mere bravado or idealism, this will not sustain. And indeed just a few days back, I was telling our good Lord that I don’t want to go through what the faithful Job went through. But the truth is that all of us will go through the different shades of life’s circumstances, the difference being, we should not be like Job, who though stayed faithful, lingered a bit longer than he should before acknowledging the Sovereignty of God. To enter the promised land, you must believe from the heart and translate that into responsive obedience.
>
> ‘Then, Job answered the Lord, and said, I know that Thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from Thee.’
>
> Job 42:1-2
>
> ‘And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends, also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before…….so the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning…’
>
> Job 42:10,12
>
> God Blesses
>
> Eng Hieang
>
> (9th Mar 2011)
This message was written in one inspired day. But once finished, I dithered as to whether this is truly the will of our Lord, or should I sending you #38 "From revolution to devaluation." The latter took me one week of pondering, and though I finished it, yet I did not feel led to mail it, much as I have placed it on the blog at http://john-4-23-24.blogspot.com/ for the past few days. Also a new experience for me for I have always mailed before I place on the blog.
And on new experience, should it be #38 or #39 that should be sent out, I asked the Lord for guidance and at the press of my Iphone Bible, our good Lord brought me to Deuteronomy 32:44-52"
Interesting because
- Deuteronomy forms the bulk of my Bible reference today for #39 and that was from my Bible at the office and it is no coincidence that at home, I am brought to the same chapter
- And this particular section of Deuteronomy deals with the moment that the Israelites were about to cross over into the promised land and how Moses got the chance to see but not enter the promised land.
> 'For thou shalt see the land before thee, but thou shalt not go thither into the land which I give the children of Israel."
> Deuteronomy 32:52
>
> May indeed the words that now follow in this sharing speak to your heart, that you ponder upon your own journey with our Lord. And if you do feel, do visit the link at
> http://john-4-23-24.blogspot.com/ to read #38 From revolution to devaluation." This is still work in progress much as it is completed??
>
> And on old experience, took me half an hour to get this mail link up. Always in points of significance, my computer always act up, and every mail was working except this particular sharing. Had to use my iphone to reforward the mail to my Mac. Indeed, we wrestle against principalities. Thank our Sovereign God for His grace.
>
> God Blesses
> Dear..
>
> ‘The Lord did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people, for ye were the fewest of all people.’
>
> Deuteronomy 7:7
>
> Modern day Israel is a nation formed when the Jewish Diaspora that survived the horrors of the Nazi Holocausts during World War 2 finally had the impetus to gather together as a nation to ensure that they will never be treated as unwanted guests of often hostile host countries that will turn against them and their defenseless families.
>
> ‘If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I, how can I dispose them? Thou shalt not be afraid of them; but shalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharoah, and unto all Egyptians.’
>
> Deuteronomy 7:17-18
>
> A country Israel might be, but it was a tumultuous birth with growing pains as this small nation was smacked right in the midst of a much larger and hostile Arab neighborhood. Yet, indeed, as in Deuteronomy 7:7, God has sheltered His chosen people and has not just ensured their survival through four major Arab Israelite wars, the last in 1973, but prospered modern day Israel, much as paradoxically, it is one of the few countries in the Mid-East that has no oil. Do take time to read the historical accounts of the Yom Kippur war and see how God’s miraculous hands are still at work in modern times(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_Invasion_of_Israel).
>
> ‘A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey…..’
>
> Deuteronomy 8:8
>
> It has been 37 years since the Yom Kippur war. And except for a few skirmishes, Israel as a nation has been at peace. Of course, with the current turmoil in the Mid-East, it is likely that the uneasy peace of the past 3 decades is coming to an end, and that the world is likely to witness a renewal of the Arab Israelite conflict in the near future.
>
> Is this part of God’s plan? Is there a reason for His allowing Israel to be put through the pains of war again, a war that they might actually lose initially?
>
> ‘Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, and to fear Him.’
>
> Deuteronomy 8:6
>
> A dear friend just invited me to join him on a trip to Israel. I have never been there and it is probably the last opportunity to go before regional conflicts will make it that much harder to visit. As of now, it will be correct to say that I do not have a good on the ground feel of present conditions in Israel. But from what I read, the morals and once much vaunted discipline of this miracle of a nation have loosened tremendously as exemplified by the scandals at the upper echelons of power and the lifestyle of its people. And the recent skirmishes in Lebanon has debunked the invincibility of the Israelite military.
>
> Israel is already in the promised land. Their ancestors were taken out of the bondage of Egypt. But needed another 40 years of wondering in the desert to get their relationship with God right. Sadly, they forgot that after some time and ended up being a diaspora for years before the present state of Israel was founded in 1948.
>
> ‘Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping His commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes, which I command thee this day. Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein’
>
> Deuteronomy 8:11-12
>
> Does the Israelites need another painful reminder of the need to be faithful to God our Father?
>
> Just as the geopolitics start to tense up for Israel, it is also prescient that they have discovered a major gas field off their coast. This will once productive possibly make Israel not only energy independent, but possibly be a major energy exporter. Should not God be punishing them for their errant disobedience instead of rewarding them? An interesting thought, but let’s take time to examine our own lives as the Gentile children of God, for technically, we the Gentile Christians are the 13th tribe of Israel, God’s chosen
>
> ‘And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names….’
>
> Exodus 28:21
>
> These past few years for me have been one great journey in the desert with our Lord and indeed the desert is where one hears God better. I have been far from obedient, but thankfully God corrects, forgives and sustain my very being. I have come to believe that the time in the desert for me and those who love the Lord, is nearing its end and that it is time to enter the promised land. Does it mean that I am about to meet my maker and depart this difficult world? I think not yet, but rather, it is about meeting God on Earth His way and the days of reticence as driven by one’s carnal understanding is over. It is time to truly follow and smell the flowers of God’s grace on the paths He has already laid for those who seek to follow Him and respond with belief to the truth of the gospel. The world being sinful is still difficult till Christ returns, but life for us need not be. Sounds pretty utopic and indeed, if it is mere bravado or idealism, this will not sustain. And indeed just a few days back, I was telling our good Lord that I don’t want to go through what the faithful Job went through. But the truth is that all of us will go through the different shades of life’s circumstances, the difference being, we should not be like Job, who though stayed faithful, lingered a bit longer than he should before acknowledging the Sovereignty of God. To enter the promised land, you must believe from the heart and translate that into responsive obedience.
>
> ‘Then, Job answered the Lord, and said, I know that Thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from Thee.’
>
> Job 42:1-2
>
> ‘And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends, also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before…….so the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning…’
>
> Job 42:10,12
>
> God Blesses
>
> Eng Hieang
>
> (9th Mar 2011)
Thursday, March 3, 2011
In Spirit and Truth #38 From revolution to devaluation (8th Mar 11)
Dear...
'For assuredly, I say unto you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be removed and be cast into the sea." and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.'
Mark 11:23
The masses in Libya and in a sense, a large part of the Arab world have undergone a sea change in their attitude, from quiet mumblings to bold rebellion. Long repressed, by a potent mix of authoritative and draconian rulers, implicitly assisted by energy dependent Western democracies, it must have been a rude awakening for the rulers of Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Morocco, Jordan, Libya and a whole litany of once comfortable fat cat elites including Saudi Arabia, that the disregarded and much disdained masses, are willing to rise beyond their psychological fear to revolution.
Did they happen to read the call for boldness in faith from Mark 11:23?
I doubt it but in reading Mark 11:23 for the umpteenth time, it seems to speak to me from a different perspective today. For myself at least, I used to take this verse to mean that we must be determined and confident enough to will ourselves in self belief when we ask the Lord for our desires, and He will answer our prayers. As some "revolutionary" pastors at least in approach and thought process have done so successfully in having a no holds barred approach in their exhortation to their flock that God wants to bless us, and the only thing holding us from His blessings is our reticence, our lack of faith, and faith here means to ask with no qualms.
Is this message of prosperity shared by some fully aligned to the will of God? Is Christianity all about grace and no work from us? Is not contentment about thankfulness in all circumstances rather than thanking God only if He gives us what our carnal self desires. In propagating the narrow selfish needs of our natural sinful man, are we diluting the power of the Spirit of God and depriving ourselves of experiencing the glory of God in His way and timing?
Let me share my own understanding and may the Lord ensure that the thoughts shared are truly reflective of His will.
'So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.'
Mark 11:22
You might notice that I have placed Mark 11:22 after Mark 11:23. This is not intentional nor an attempt to slant the Word of God to my agenda. But rather, as led by His Spirit, in reading in reverse order, our good Lord brought me a new clarification of this "moving the mountain" call to faith.
We are believers and followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, who before His return, has left the Holy Spirit to guide, teach, correct and imbue us with the grace and power of God. As Christians, we do not lead the Spirit, but rather respond in faith to His leading. Mark 11:22, Jesus said to have faith in God. As we seek to be in His presence, God will speak to us His will for us, as His Spirit communes with our spirit.
We ask boldly only when we are sure that this is what God so wills, for prayers asked in His will will always be answered. Quite different from asking boldly(as is the popular mantra amongst some)simply because we are told that God loves us and gives us what we want or rather whine for!!
And how can we be sure that what we asked for is the will of God and not ours? If you put God as the sole focus of your life, you will know Him and His Spirit will speak to your spirit.
Late last year, the Spirit of God impressed upon me, as shared previously, on my willingness to now honor Him with my all and even if it means "dropping everything" like Abraham and go where God so leads. I said yes, but since then, there are times when it comes to moving the next mountain, I start to dither and my faith wither.
'Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.'
Mark 11:24
And what about Mark 11:24. Most tend to mistake praying as a grocery list of things to ask God for. Prayer is about taking time out from the world and time in with God. To be still to know His will, rather than going to the cash till that many associate God as and prayers as the key to unlocking the things of the world. In praying, the Spirit of God will commune with us, and God will impress upon our hearts His very thoughts that He wants us to ask for. And our response must be one of honoring Him in where He leads us to, knowing that He will and has provided.
'And whenever you stand praying, "If you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.'
Mark 11:25-26
"Revenge" was the devotion topic I shared with the some students. And revenge is very much on the mind of many in the ongoing turmoil in the Mid-East. But can we learn to be like Nelson Mandela, who are 27 years of imprisonment during the dark days of Apartheid in South Africa, was willing to forgive and worked for reconciliation for the greater good? The Lord reminded me that it is the unsaved that needs our prayers even more and how can one pray for someone that you are angry with, much as there are good reasons to be angry with them?
Society has degenerated because many are not willing to let go and let God. Revolution is an attempt to throw out the old and bring in the new, man's way. God looks not for revolution, but transformation in us His way. Unfortunately, till men learn to put aside their needs and consider the needs of others(the latter can only be sustainable when we lean upon the Lord our God), strife will continue to mark our days on Earth. The devil and its cohorts of fallen angels is the first example of a rebellion gone awry, and much as they have lost, the devil continues to plant that desire to sin or rebel in the hearts and minds of us, the children of God. The victory of the cross is a reality, the devil realizes that. But its desire is for you to join it in eternal damnation, to bring as many of us down with it in the inevitable damnation to which it has been consigned.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(8th Mar 2011)
What about devaluation?
The unfettered greed of Western capitalism which led to the sub prime crisis and the irresponsible solution of flooding themselves out of trouble through mass printing of monies is directly responsible for the spiraling prices of commodities, most being priced in a depreciating US dollar. The Mid-East might be simmering, but it boiled over with the unbearable increase in food prices, and is America not only the primary culprit, but also the chief beneficiary being a major agriculture and arms exporter.
Is the present woes an American conspiracy? The late Ayatollah Khomeini, the face of the Iranian revolution of the late 1970s, used to call America the great Satan.
Demon or not, the days might be drawing near when America could possibly write off a substantial part of its external debts through a devaluation of it currency. This is not a revolutionary solution nor unprecedented, for they did it back in the 1970s.
If it happens, and I believe it will, the world is set for a one world economic system that will bring us closer to the entrance of the anti-Christ, for the irresponsibility of the Americans will open the door for professed atheist nations like China and Russia to influence the global system.
Many might be familiar with the Biblical prophesy of Russia leading a huge confederation of armies from the North to invade Israel(Revelations 20:7, Ezekiel 39, Jeremiah 10:22) And this is only possible if USA, the protector of Israel is so incapacitated that they can do nothing to stop it. Peace came to the Middle East only in the days after the Yom Kippur War when a humbled Arab world and a surfeit of US dollars kept the half brothers, the Jews and the Arabs at bay. And are we now seeing the dismantling of this uneasy peace.
America today is half the man of what it was pre-Afghanistan and pre-Iraq. And its reluctance to intervene in Libya is an affirmation of a superpower in decline. The thought was placed in my heart that a devaluation of the US dollar will not just make America a pariah of the world, but will ensure that its role in global matters will diminish substantially. America has been at the forefront of global affairs since World War 2, making deals with the House of Saud(Saudi Arabia) as well as possibly other regimes in the Mid-East to provide protection in return for energy.
Its increased impotence as an economic power is likely to lead to an inward looking USA, especially with the surfeit of natural gas in its home territory which will make it less of an imperative for USA to be a major stabilizing force in the Mid-East.
Are events moving toward fulfilling the prophecy of Gog and Magog and many other milestones that God has told all who care to listen, as markers of the impending return of Christ? Now is the time to turn to Christ and be made ready before it is too late.
'For assuredly, I say unto you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be removed and be cast into the sea." and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.'
Mark 11:23
The masses in Libya and in a sense, a large part of the Arab world have undergone a sea change in their attitude, from quiet mumblings to bold rebellion. Long repressed, by a potent mix of authoritative and draconian rulers, implicitly assisted by energy dependent Western democracies, it must have been a rude awakening for the rulers of Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Morocco, Jordan, Libya and a whole litany of once comfortable fat cat elites including Saudi Arabia, that the disregarded and much disdained masses, are willing to rise beyond their psychological fear to revolution.
Did they happen to read the call for boldness in faith from Mark 11:23?
I doubt it but in reading Mark 11:23 for the umpteenth time, it seems to speak to me from a different perspective today. For myself at least, I used to take this verse to mean that we must be determined and confident enough to will ourselves in self belief when we ask the Lord for our desires, and He will answer our prayers. As some "revolutionary" pastors at least in approach and thought process have done so successfully in having a no holds barred approach in their exhortation to their flock that God wants to bless us, and the only thing holding us from His blessings is our reticence, our lack of faith, and faith here means to ask with no qualms.
Is this message of prosperity shared by some fully aligned to the will of God? Is Christianity all about grace and no work from us? Is not contentment about thankfulness in all circumstances rather than thanking God only if He gives us what our carnal self desires. In propagating the narrow selfish needs of our natural sinful man, are we diluting the power of the Spirit of God and depriving ourselves of experiencing the glory of God in His way and timing?
Let me share my own understanding and may the Lord ensure that the thoughts shared are truly reflective of His will.
'So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.'
Mark 11:22
You might notice that I have placed Mark 11:22 after Mark 11:23. This is not intentional nor an attempt to slant the Word of God to my agenda. But rather, as led by His Spirit, in reading in reverse order, our good Lord brought me a new clarification of this "moving the mountain" call to faith.
We are believers and followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, who before His return, has left the Holy Spirit to guide, teach, correct and imbue us with the grace and power of God. As Christians, we do not lead the Spirit, but rather respond in faith to His leading. Mark 11:22, Jesus said to have faith in God. As we seek to be in His presence, God will speak to us His will for us, as His Spirit communes with our spirit.
We ask boldly only when we are sure that this is what God so wills, for prayers asked in His will will always be answered. Quite different from asking boldly(as is the popular mantra amongst some)simply because we are told that God loves us and gives us what we want or rather whine for!!
And how can we be sure that what we asked for is the will of God and not ours? If you put God as the sole focus of your life, you will know Him and His Spirit will speak to your spirit.
Late last year, the Spirit of God impressed upon me, as shared previously, on my willingness to now honor Him with my all and even if it means "dropping everything" like Abraham and go where God so leads. I said yes, but since then, there are times when it comes to moving the next mountain, I start to dither and my faith wither.
'Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.'
Mark 11:24
And what about Mark 11:24. Most tend to mistake praying as a grocery list of things to ask God for. Prayer is about taking time out from the world and time in with God. To be still to know His will, rather than going to the cash till that many associate God as and prayers as the key to unlocking the things of the world. In praying, the Spirit of God will commune with us, and God will impress upon our hearts His very thoughts that He wants us to ask for. And our response must be one of honoring Him in where He leads us to, knowing that He will and has provided.
'And whenever you stand praying, "If you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.'
Mark 11:25-26
"Revenge" was the devotion topic I shared with the some students. And revenge is very much on the mind of many in the ongoing turmoil in the Mid-East. But can we learn to be like Nelson Mandela, who are 27 years of imprisonment during the dark days of Apartheid in South Africa, was willing to forgive and worked for reconciliation for the greater good? The Lord reminded me that it is the unsaved that needs our prayers even more and how can one pray for someone that you are angry with, much as there are good reasons to be angry with them?
Society has degenerated because many are not willing to let go and let God. Revolution is an attempt to throw out the old and bring in the new, man's way. God looks not for revolution, but transformation in us His way. Unfortunately, till men learn to put aside their needs and consider the needs of others(the latter can only be sustainable when we lean upon the Lord our God), strife will continue to mark our days on Earth. The devil and its cohorts of fallen angels is the first example of a rebellion gone awry, and much as they have lost, the devil continues to plant that desire to sin or rebel in the hearts and minds of us, the children of God. The victory of the cross is a reality, the devil realizes that. But its desire is for you to join it in eternal damnation, to bring as many of us down with it in the inevitable damnation to which it has been consigned.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(8th Mar 2011)
What about devaluation?
The unfettered greed of Western capitalism which led to the sub prime crisis and the irresponsible solution of flooding themselves out of trouble through mass printing of monies is directly responsible for the spiraling prices of commodities, most being priced in a depreciating US dollar. The Mid-East might be simmering, but it boiled over with the unbearable increase in food prices, and is America not only the primary culprit, but also the chief beneficiary being a major agriculture and arms exporter.
Is the present woes an American conspiracy? The late Ayatollah Khomeini, the face of the Iranian revolution of the late 1970s, used to call America the great Satan.
Demon or not, the days might be drawing near when America could possibly write off a substantial part of its external debts through a devaluation of it currency. This is not a revolutionary solution nor unprecedented, for they did it back in the 1970s.
If it happens, and I believe it will, the world is set for a one world economic system that will bring us closer to the entrance of the anti-Christ, for the irresponsibility of the Americans will open the door for professed atheist nations like China and Russia to influence the global system.
Many might be familiar with the Biblical prophesy of Russia leading a huge confederation of armies from the North to invade Israel(Revelations 20:7, Ezekiel 39, Jeremiah 10:22) And this is only possible if USA, the protector of Israel is so incapacitated that they can do nothing to stop it. Peace came to the Middle East only in the days after the Yom Kippur War when a humbled Arab world and a surfeit of US dollars kept the half brothers, the Jews and the Arabs at bay. And are we now seeing the dismantling of this uneasy peace.
America today is half the man of what it was pre-Afghanistan and pre-Iraq. And its reluctance to intervene in Libya is an affirmation of a superpower in decline. The thought was placed in my heart that a devaluation of the US dollar will not just make America a pariah of the world, but will ensure that its role in global matters will diminish substantially. America has been at the forefront of global affairs since World War 2, making deals with the House of Saud(Saudi Arabia) as well as possibly other regimes in the Mid-East to provide protection in return for energy.
Its increased impotence as an economic power is likely to lead to an inward looking USA, especially with the surfeit of natural gas in its home territory which will make it less of an imperative for USA to be a major stabilizing force in the Mid-East.
Are events moving toward fulfilling the prophecy of Gog and Magog and many other milestones that God has told all who care to listen, as markers of the impending return of Christ? Now is the time to turn to Christ and be made ready before it is too late.
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