Dear…
‘He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him. He also will hear their cry and save them. The Lord preserves all who love Him..'
Psalm 145:19-20
Our good Lord indeed knows and cares literally about every strand of our hair. Shedding a few tears is always good for the soul(see below “Note to my mentors” for my reason for this latest few droplets). For indeed since I came to the faith as a determined follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, tears come easier, and tears have always been the release of self to let the Spirit of God minister and edify me.
And so, right after shedding a few tears as His Spirit ministered to me, I picked up the Daily Bread to read my devotion this morning, and the words of Matthew 5:4 (‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.’), stared right out at me in a reassuring manner. It was for me as God always does in my moments of needs or joy, His reminder and assurance that much as He is Sovereign, He knows our limits and He comes down to meet our needs.
‘He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, …shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.’
Revelations 21:7-8
God not just assures. He corrects. For while it is natural in the imperfect us to still have lingering fears of death, much as we know it is eternity that one must work on, and that it is Christ we look to, and the only fear for all should be the fear of God.
‘The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.’
Psalm 121:8
Should one be a “walking dead,” or a “living testimony?’ Strange question in the eyes of the secular man, for the dead does not walk, and the only testimony that the busy living is interested in is their worldly achievements. Today, the media reminded not just me but all and sundry that chronic diseases are afflicting not just a significant part of our population, but are on the rise not just in Singapore, but globally as it moves in tandem with rising affluence.
We are all but one breath away, that is reality. But most don’t give much thought to that reality nor the more important task of working on our salvation for the prize of eternity with God our Father.
I have for the past decade been a determined follower of the leading of the Holy Spirit, but it was still a little unsettling to be told that the “little time bomb” in all of us, in my case is more visible now.
'For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.'
2 Timothy 1:7
Should I not like most be overwhelmed by this fearful reality, and be consumed in my waking hours by the extrapolated thoughts of the what ifs? Thanks be to God, imperfect as I am, He prepares and provides. And in fact, I am truly thankful for His Divine intervention as shared below, for with knowledge of the situation, one can respond to it, with wisdom and most importantly in prayers. And on prayers, I know God is answering my prayers to grow deeper into the faith, and without going through even greater intense heat, the gold bought from God will not be perfected, for there must be less of me, and more of Him. And I know I got become even more resolute in my faith in our Almighty God. And on answered prayers, I know through this present experience, He has brought my beloved wife and children closer not just as a family, but in the unity of Spirit.
‘For the Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord bestows favor and honor, no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You.’
Psalm 84:11-12
If God is answering my prayers asked in His will, should I not only be faithful for He is faithful, but response as a willing vessel to be used by Him to encourage and minister to others, for we live in a fallen world, where all ills, not just disease ravages many, yet salvation is there if only they are willing. And there is no place for fear be it of sickness or death or whatever the devil throws at us, for fear is the absence of faith. And I am even more determined to stay in the presence of our Lord, for faith comes from God.
'Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion...Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, Who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.'
1 Peter 5:8-10
“Heart to heart,” as the title of the new series #5 in this ministry of words. This was the thought that our good Lord impressed upon my heart as I lingered in the midst of the F1 induced heavy morning traffic. This sharing marks the end of this 4th series “In Spirit and Truth,”( see link (http://www.blogger.com/profile/17185441785316744893) for archive of not just this series but also the first 3 series, “Walking with our Lord,” “Running the race,” and “Reflections” as well as an aperitif mini series, “Sunday Snippets”). A journey I embarked upon last June, in joyful response to the Lord’s bringing me out of mine two weeks self inflicted spiritual depression, for my sinful heart then decided to take a break from God, and opened the doors to the spiritual attacks of the waiting devil. Yet, even in our imperfections, God will not just correct us, but bring us forth, and indeed these 71 shared thoughts of this series “In Spirit and truth,” has taught me that while faith comes from the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, spiritual maturity and transformation comes from a willing response on our part to not just stay in the presence of our Lord, but to respond to His leading, for only then will we experience the truths of His Living Word.
'On thing I have desired of the Lord. That will I seek ' That I may dwell in the house of the Lord. All the days of my life. To behold the beauty of the Lord. And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion.....'
Psalm 27:4-5
Our life with God is a series of journey. Man looks for conclusions, God looks for obedience. The race does end, when Christ returns, or if God takes us home earlier. But in this journey of faith, as we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in our sin strewn world, to follow well, we must be willing to not just have the Holy Spirit residing in us through our believe in the faithful God, but be determined to follow as the Spirit leads. To do that, our hearts must be at one with the Holy Spirit, where self matters less, others more, but God above all. Where will this new series "Heart to heart" brings us to? I have some inkling but the Spirit of God will lead and clarify as we move along.
A less than perfect heart I have physically, it matters, but what matters more is my spiritual heart. A dear friend shared a prayer of commiseration with me this morning, and with God, nothing is wasted in His handiwork, so let me quote from this prayer, which I believes, sums up this next leg of mine and prayerfully your journey with our Lord.
“Give me a loving heart so that I may always be grateful for your gifts and generous to those most in need.”
The CT scan showed traces of calcium deposits in my heart, an indication of the dreaded plague that can clog up one’s blood flow. But I believe God wants the world to see the loving ministering of the power of the Holy Spirit residing in the hearts of all who faithfully follow. An imperfect physical heart I cannot correct, that I have to leave to His grace and He knows what is good for me. But a loving heart that takes after Christ, we can work on by His enabling grace, for that is the privilege that God offers to all who are willing to let Him transform their lives and that of the people He will place in their path.
'O God, You have taught me from my youth. And to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and 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
God Blesses
Eng Hieang(22nd Sep 2011)
My note to my mentors
Dear Paul and Bunty
"Adversity is a plus" was the lesson I studied today from the "Heart of the Shepherd.'
And indeed God is always prescient. I just saw a cardiologist today, who confirmed that there is a 40% blockage of one of my main artery in my heart. And it was strategically located right at the key gate from which all others are connected. A Khyber Pass, if blocked more fully, it is to our Father's Home without doubt.
But thanks be to God, the ECG and treadmill tests that I took show no symptoms of a diseased heart as yet. And also a blessing that He send a dear friend's father who is a cardiologist who was kind enough to spend an inordinate amount of time to explain the situation to me and my wife.
'...For He Himself has said, " I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
Hebrews 13:5-6
This discovery of the unexpected came about because our Lord impressed upon my heart these past few weeks to do a CT scan, a very thorough examination of the heart.
In my normal annual medical, everything turned out excellent, and if not for the response to this prompting, I will never know that I have a potential time bomb building up in my heart.
The 40% plaque is permanent, but through proper diet, exercise and medication, can be contained to minimize further increase in the blockage.
But adversity indeed does increase my resolute desire to walk and serve right with our Lord, till He takes me home.
And as you rightly shared, in seeing His grace, I could speak both with confidence and empathy to people He has placed in my life, friends who are going through health or other issues.
'...He tested them, and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord Who heals you.'
Exodus 15:25-26
And God also clarified for me an issue that I have never agreed upon, yet found difficult to contradict. This popular mantra amongst the prosperity type churches to claim all blessings from God, including healing from diseases. It is true that we go to God with our needs. But it is more true that if one believes that God is Sovereign and that He works for our good, then would it not be even more correct to take time to understand and respond to His will, rather than to continue this relentless badgering at Him for what we want, instead of doing His will? He knows our needs, but do we know His will?
Thanks once again for your faithfulness, for indeed our God is faithful
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
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