The Yearly Cycle

In a couple of days, we will say goodbye to 2011 and usher in 2012.  The yearly cycle will continue until the Lord returns and this earth is destroyed.  The Scriptures affirm this truth in Gen 8:22, "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." (NIV) Because of the earth's rotation around the sun and revolution on its own axis, human beings on earth will experience the changing seasons and the 24-hr day time spans.  Nowadays, due to global warming and movements within the earth's crusts, we are also experiencing erratic weather patterns and natural calamities.  With the passing of 365 days (one year), we can certainly expect life and death to take place for all living things. 

For life to flourish, there's a need for food and water.  Scientists are still trying to find evidence of water in other planets.  (The Bible is silent on this matter.)  Where food is concerned, the farming or food industries are constantly in production, subject the vicissitudes of life.  Some places have plenty but others are in want.  This calls for wise management on the part of governments, not to hoard food or sell at exorbitant prices, but to ensure equitable distribution to places that are in need of them.  The principle of sharing our abundance is seen in the management of grains by Joseph in Egypt during the time of famine.  Joseph traded food for money or other collaterals in order that the people may survive.  The apostle Paul also shared this principle in 2 Cor 8:13-14, "Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality..."

Plants, animals (including insects, birds and marine creatures) and humans reproduce each day.  There is great dependency on one another to ensure the sustainablity of our ecological system.  Of course, where there's life there's also death.  Death can be attributed to the following reasons: old age, sickness, calamity or man-made.  By man-made, I would include suicides, wars, pre-meditated and unmeditated killings.  A number of personalities have passed on this year - Steve Jobs, Osama, Gaddafi, Jong Il - they may be considered good or evil depending on whom you're talking to.  Countless others have lost their lives through earthquakes, floods, tsunamis and various disasters.  Notwithstanding the many death occurrences, the earth's population is nearly 7 billion today.  Many would be born into a meaningless existence unless the good news of the gospel can be transmitted to them. 

The Bible encourages us not to grow weary in doing good - "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Gal 6:9 (NIV) - because at the proper time (in God's timing) we shall see our labour bearing fruit.  Doing good can be as simple as offering a cup of water, giving an encouraging word or providing directions to those who are lost.  We can also provide food, clothing or shelter to those in need.  The greatest good we can do to mankind is not just providing for their physical needs but for their spiritual needs as well.  This is where we can provide them with the direction of life, pointing them the way to God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  We have to continually do this even though we may not see immediate results.  Let this be your goal and objective for the new year. 

Have a blessed and fruitful New Year in the Lord!

There is no anxiety in the spirit

Fear and anxiety comes from the soulish part of man.  This is the part that consists of the mind, will and emotions.  When we see or hear bad news, our natural tendency is to feel sad, anger, fear, anxiety or a mixture of them.  Our minds will process the information and come to a logical conclusion which will inevitably affect our emotions.  The spirit part of man consists of our ability to commune with God, hear what He has to say and quicken our conscience to obey Him.  If we fail to 'feed' our spirit man through regular reading/hearing of God's Word and prayer-cum-worship, we would operate more on the soulish level using our minds to reason and rationalise things, and finally act on what we have carefully thought through.  However, what we see or hear may not be the actual reality because there's a spiritual dimension beyond the physical. 

The story of the prophet Elisha illustrates what I am trying to say very well.  Reading 2 Kings 6:1-23, we are first introduced to a missing axe head that fell into a river.  The cry of one of the prophets, "Alas, my master! For it was borrowed."  revealed fear and anxiety because it was borrowed.  Many prophets in those days were poor and had to rely on the generosity of others.  Elisha's response was to enquire where it fell for he knew what to do recover it.  He was in communion with God and displayed no anxiety at all.  What he did was even more amazing (as it has no logical explanation), he threw a stick and made the axe head float.  This is equivalent to the miracle of Jesus walking on water, defying the law of gravity. 

The other incident which followed concerns the attendant of Elisha, which was probably Gehazi.  The king of Aram had sent his soldiers to capture Elisha in Dothan.  They surrounded the city with horses and chariots.  Elisha's servant cried out in fear, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"  Again, Elisha's response was one of calm, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."  This reminds us that the Holy Spirit in us is greater than he (the devil) that is in the world (1 Jn 4:4).  Elisha was able to see beyond the natural to the immense spiritual army of God surrounding them.  He prayed for Gehazi's eyes to be opened to see this vast army protecting them. 

When we are in close communion with God, our prayers become effective and powerful.  Look at what Elisha prayed and how the Lord acted on his requests.  Firstly, the eyes of his servant was opened and secondly, the eyes of his enemies were closed (blinded).  And later on he prayed for their eyes to be opened when they were in Samaria.  God humbled the Syrian army through Elisha without any of them being killed.

We live in a world where we have to contend between the spirit and the flesh (Rom 7:14-25). Praise God He has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ by empowering us with His Spirit to overcome the deeds of the flesh in this world.  The more we feed the flesh, the more we would rely on the carnal part of us but the more we feed on the spirit, the more we would rely on God's Spirit to lead and direct our lives.  Let us follow the example of Elisha by learning to commune with God and listening to His voice.  When we learn to subject our soulish man to the spirit man, then and then only can all fears and anxiety be banished.

God's perfect timing

"But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons." Gal 4:4-5 (NASB).

As we celebrate Christmas, let us be reminded that God sent His Son Jesus Christ into this world about 2000 years ago at a perfect time.  That was the period where death by crucifixion was used commonly by the Romans. It was a cruel and painful way of executing criminals, which God's Son was subjected to.  The prophet Isaiah foretold of the Messiah's crucifixion when he said, "He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed." (Is 53:5).  In this way, blood was spilled for the atonement of sins.  The Bible says that without the shedding of blood there's no forgiveness of sin (Heb 9:22).

During the Feast of Booths, Jesus told his disbelieving (half) brothers, "My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come."  (Jn 7:6-8).   Jesus operated on God's timing when He was on earth in order to fulfill Scriptures or to reveal God's glory.  When He heard that Lazarus was sick, He delayed in going to visit his dear friend until he has died (Jn 11:6,14).  This was in order that He might manifest God's glory through rasing Lazarus from the grave (Jn 11:40-44).

Many times we are impatient and cannot wait for God's timing.  Abram and Sarai couldn't wait for the promised son and as a result Ishmael was brought forth.  The Arab-Israeli conflict can be traced back to this event (Gen 16).  King Saul couldn't wait for the prophet Samuel to arrive and started offering sacrifices on his own.  This resulted in the kingdom being taken away from him (1 Sam 13:11-14).  Joseph provided us with a positive role model of someone who waited patiently for God's timing (apart from Christ) although initially he displayed arrogance.  He did not deviate from following God even when he was in prison.  We are told that until the time God's word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested Joseph (Ps 105:19). 

Are you waiting for the fulfillment of God's promise(s) to you?  Then learn from Jesus and Joseph what it means to subject oneself to God's will.  It won't be an easy road when your faith is tested many times and you feel like giving up.  The devil is also hard at work to torpedo God's plan for your life.  If you have a genuine word from the LORD, you have to pray diligently for it to come to pass.  In the meantime, live in obedience to God's word found in the Bible.  Remember God's timing is perfect and He's no rush to bring His promise(s) to pass until He sees Christ formed in you.  

My family and I have been praying for my dad's salvation for over 30 years.  Why did it have to take so long for God to soften his heart?  I don't know.  But one thing we try to do is to show God's love and to provide for his needs.  It takes a process of time for the Father's love to be revealed to him, I guess.  The pain in his body could also play a part in him seeking for the Healer, and eventually the Saviour.  We continue to pray that Jesus would be the only One residing within his heart and that eventually the altar in the home would be removed.

Weddings

The year end vacation is usually a time for couples to get married especially those working in the education sector.  I have no less than 5 wedding invitations during this year end period.  Weddings are usually joyous occasions celebrating the union of a man and a woman in holy matrimony.  I would like to share three thoughts concerning weddings and marriages.

1.  Whereas wedding is the ceremony that celebrates the union, marriage is living out the union through thick and thin (for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness or health) till the death of one party does the union dissolve.  That is the sacred covenant that a Christian couple pledge to one another before God and the invited guests.  And what God had put together, let no one put asunder (Mt 19:6). However, many Christian marriages are dissolved today for reasons apart from death.  When the reality of living together sets in (responsibilities abounding) and love's euphoria evaporates, what it is required of each couple is the commitment to stay true to one other and learn to communicate with each other.

2.  Marriage is a great mystery according to Paul (Eph 5:31-32) because it typifies the living union between Christ and the church.  When a man and woman joins together in holy wedlock, they become one flesh.  But when a man joins himself with God, he becomes one spirit with Him (1 Cor 6:16-17).  The church is the bride of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom Christ is sanctifying through His blood and His word (Eph 6:25-27).  This union between Christ and His bride will take place in the near future at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:7-9).  When a Christian dies, his spirit is liberated and he is no longer bound to his wife.  This makes it possible for him to be united with Christ in heaven.  Jesus mentioned that there is no marriage in heaven as we know it on earth (Lk 20:34-36).  The permanency of earthly Christian marriages foreshadow what God intended our union with Him to be like in heaven.

3. When we think of marriages (apart from those marriage of convenience), we think of love.  If there's no love between two people, they wouldn't think of walking down the aisle.  Likewise, when we think about the marriage supper of the Lamb, we see God's love drawing us back to Himself.  Many times, it is a one-sided love where God reaches down to lost humanity.  But once we've experienced and tasted the love of God, we wouldn't want any other.  The love of God is such a powerful force that nothing can separate us from that love.  The apostle Paul puts it this way: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Rom 8:38-39 (NIV)

Let us cherish our spouses (and children) and live out the kind of marriage that God intends us to have in heaven with Him.  In a few days time, we would be celebrating our 17th wedding anniversary.  By God's grace, we have come so far.

Overcoming Depression

Depression has been in the news lately. Sports and well-know personalities are taking their own lives due to depression. In Singapore, it is estimated that about 6% of the population are affected by depression during their lifetime. People with depression may experience persistent sadness or fatigue, difficulty in sleeping or sleeping excessively and/or have thoughts of death or suicide. These are but some of the possible symptoms. Christians are not immuned to expriencing depression. It can set in anytime but mostly after a crucial turning point event, be it good or bad. However, we don't have to remain in that state of disrepair for long, if we know what to do.


The life of prophet Elijah makes for an intereting read in the Bible (1 Kg 17-19). He was mightily used by God so much so that his words carried immense power (2 Kg 1:10). I want to focus our meditation on his successful campaign against the prophets of Baal and Asherah. He challenged them to a 'duel' whereby each will call on their own god to ignite the altar of sacrifice. Israel would then know which is the true and living God by this means. And as the story unfolds, the prophets of Baal cried out and cut themselves till evening time to no avail. When it came to Elijah's turn, he took his time to build the altar of sacrifice, laid the wood and sacrifice neatly and requested that water be poured on them thrice over. He prayed a simple prayer requesting God to answer him with the result that fire came down to consume the entire offering including the water, wood, stones and dust. It must have been an awesome sight.

The offshoot of all this was that the Israelites fell in reverence before the LORD, acknowledging that He is God (1 Kg 18:39). The false prophets were executed and Elijah gave a prophetic word to King Ahab concerning a heavy shower that would break the dry spell. To be sure, this must have been an emotionally high point for Elijah, after having carried out God's word successfully. However, his mountain top experience was short-lived; it nose-dived when he heard the word of Jezebel (1 Kg 19:2-4). He suffered great depression, wanting to end his own life. That happened when he did not focus on God but on the words of the enemy. He also mistakenly thought that he was the only prophet left in Israel (v 10, 14); little did he realise that God had preserved 7000 (v 18).

God restored Elijah by speaking to him not in the wind, earthquake nor fire but through the still small voice. In the busyness of our life, we are often attracted by the spectacular as exemplified by the wind, earthquake and fire. We tend to be go-getters, striving to accomplish one thing after another; thinking that we are the only ones capable and that we would be indispensable. As God has revealed to Elijah, He often speaks to us in the stillness of our lives where we can find time to be quiet and meditate. Depression can be overcome when we stop our ears from listening to the lies and deceit of the enemy and start listening to God's word. Elijah didn't have the last word, God has. God told Elijah to anoint his successor and prepare to return home. This shows that no one is indispensable in God's kingdom.

Water Baptism

Our children would be going through the waters of baptism this evening at the Mandarin service in church.  This is the culmination of a series of lessons they have been attending the past few months.  They were also interviewed by Pas Andrew regarding their decision to go through water baptism.  There is no age limit to when one can be baptised as long as we know the significance of what we are going through. 

Water baptism is one of two sacraments instituted by our LORD when He was on earth.  The other was Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper.  Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist in order to fulfill all righteousness (Mt 3:13-16).  Even though He had no sin, He chose to identify with sinful humanity, leaving us an example that we should follow in His footsteps (1 Pet 2:21-25).  Water baptism symbolises our identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.  Though the practice of baptism may differ, (sprinkle, pour or immerse in water) it's important to know the significance of this sacred act.   Our church observed water baptism by immersion, as it best represents the symbol of death, burial and resurrection, unless the candidate is infirmed. 

When the candidate is immersed in the water, it represents dying with Christ to the elementary principles of this world (Col 2:20).  This means our old sinful habits and nature are dead and buried; equivalent to us considering ourselves dead to sin (Rom 6:6,11).  And when the candidate is raised out of the water, it represents resurrection with Christ to newness of life whereby the spirit man is given a renewed mind to seek the things that are above (Col 3:1-2, 10).  Does it mean then that we would no longer struggle with sin after water baptism?  The obvious answer is no as the warfare between the spirit and the flesh continues until the day when we shed this old sinful body through physical death (Rom 8:20-23). 

By going through water baptism, the candidate demonstrates his/her obedience to God and pledges, in all good conscience, to follow Christ fully, enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit which raised Christ from the dead (1 Pet 3:21).   It is an occasion to witness to the world and we are using this opportunity to bring my dad to church to see how this sacrament is carried out, with the hope that one day, he too can be baptised. 



"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."  Col 2:6 (NKJV)

One step closer to God's Kingdom

In an earlier post, I shared about praying for my dad when he had this pain in his hip region.  After his discharge from hospital out-patient treatment on 17 Oct, my mom brought him home to recuperate.  However, on the 31 Oct he had himself admitted to CGH due to the unbearable pain and stayed there till this evening when he was discharged.  Due to a fall, an MRI was done on him but no fracture was discovered.  Over this period of time when he was at the hospital, my wife, brother, his wife and I visited him at different junctures.  We continued to pray for him without him rejecting our prayers.  The surprising thing was that he uttered "Amen" at the end of our prayers.  This in itself speaks volume as my dad in the past was dead against Christianity.  When my brother and I were much younger he forbid anyone of us from becoming Christians or talking to him about Christ. 

At around 3 plus today, my family visited him again to pray for him.  My wife and I took the opportunity to share God's word with him, asking whether he believed in Jesus.  His reply was that those who pray to Him would believe.  He mentioned that all paths lead to the same God.  I also took the opportunity to share that the healing of the soul is more important than the healing of the body, as all of us would ultimately die physically one day.   And that Jesus came to die for mankind in order to give us eternal life through the shedding of His blood for the forgiveness the sins.  We prayed another prayer for him that God would reveal Himself to him as the true and living God.  I quoted John 3:16 to him and prayed for the lifting of the veil over his heart and mind.  I invited him to the healing service next week and he agreed to come.  Praise God!  Pray for the healing of his soul and body. 

Eversince God spoke to Pastor Tay in August regarding His heart from parents, I have been intensifying my prayers for my dad.  I prayed for him using the principles found in the book How to pray for lost loved ones which I shared in an earlier post.  Collectively as a church at P&P we have also been crying out to God for our unsaved loved ones.  I have also enlisted the help of an intercessor to pray for my dad and she has not failed to cry out to God on his behalf.  My brother and my dad's sisters have also been crying out to the Lord for his salvation.   We believe that dad is one step closer to God's kingdom and that it's just a matter of time that he would give his heart to the Lord.  In the meantime, we do not lose heart but have to keep on praying; remembering the words of Scripture which tells us that we are to be imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises of God (Heb 6:12). 

Do not give up praying for your unsaved loved ones.  He is an awesome and mighty God as we have been reminded today at service.  

Ask! What shall I give you?

The question was asked of young Solomon who started to reign when he was probably in his late teens.  It did not come from a genie in a bottle but from God Himself, albeit in a dream.  Let's look at the circumstances that led to this 'blank cheque' being given to our young king.

And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.  Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.  At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”  1 Kg 3:3-5 (NIV)

When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, she became pregnant with his child.  But the child was struck with illness and later died, despite David pleading with God for his life.  God dealt with David through Nathan the prophet concerning his sins (2 Sam 12:13-23).  Bathsheba conceived again after David had taken her to be his wife.  She bore him a son named Solomon and it was said that the LORD loved him and sent word through Nathan that he should be named Jedidiah, which means beloved of the LORD (2 Sam 12:24-25).

The text above tells us that Solomon loved the LORD which is seen in two areas.  For one, he walked in the statutes of his father David and the other is that he offered sacrifices to the LORD in abundance.  Putting it in today's context, it would be to walk in obedience to God's Word and to offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God on a regular basis. 

What did Solomon ask for?  At such a young age, he could have asked for fame (to be popular) and fortune (great wealth).  However, he recognised the great burden of leadership responsibility on his shoulders.  Solomon did not have any military or fighting skills, unlike his father David who fought with bears and lions when he was a shepherd boy, and eventually fought Goliath and won.  At such a young age, he probably had no leadership opportunities available, being overshadowed by his elder half-brothers.  At least some of the teenagers today may have leadership opportunities available to them either in schools or in the military. 

Solomon pleased the LORD by asking for an understanding heart that He gave him wealth and honour as an added bonus (1 Kg 3:6-15).  We can say that he had a three in one wish granted.  However, having an understanding heart does not mean that we would make the right choices all the time.  In his latter years, Solomon, who had 1000 wives and concubines, was led astray by them to serve and worship other gods. 

What would you ask the Lord if He were to give you a 'blank cheque'?  There are certainly many things we can ask God for but if it was limited to one request, what would it be?  A few possibilities come to mind:
1. Salvation of loved ones and friends
2. Healing for the sick and infirmed
3. Success in our work/business/school
4. To right the injustices done on earth
5. To alleviate the plight of those struck by natural disasters

Many of our requests would either be of things given or done on our behalf.  If we are to learn from Jesus, we ought to ask not for things but for a Person (Holy Spirit) to be given (Lk 11:13).  When we have the Holy Spirit, we have everything He brings with Him, including gifts and fruit.

Lord, evermore pour out Your Spirit on our lives in greater measure!   

The age of blessedness

"See, I will create new heavens and a new earth.  The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. .... Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. ... For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them."  Is 65:17-23 (NIV)

Reading the passage above, one cannot help but wonder we have arrived at this age of blessedness, considering that people are living longer these days.  The life expectancy of a person born in Singapore is between 78 and 82, depending on whether you're a male or female.  In fact, the proportion of those aged 65 and above will double to 20%t in 2020.  To support the economy, many elderly folks would have to continue working; otherwise the young would have to support the old.

Looking at the passage, you would see that we have not arrived yet.  In the age to come, no infant will die young or be doomed to misfortune.  And those who reach a 100 years old is considered only a child, and if you fail to reach a 100, you are considered accursed.  The work that the people do would be blessed by the LORD.  It would be productive, meaningful and enjoyable.   Most work nowadays are not very pleasant but burdensome and stressful.

I was reminded of the frailty of the human body when ministering to a few elderly church members.  Two in particular had problems with their eyesight; unable to see clearly or have no vision in one eye.  Another two had migraine problem while a third mentioned that he had weak limbs.  I also prayed for a sister on wheelchair who had problems with her bladder/urinary tract.  My own dad also had a problem with his pelvic bone due to osteoporosis.  I managed to pray for him in the hospital, even though he is not a believer, when he went for an injection to relief his pain.

The age of blessedness would come when this old world order is destroyed by fire and God ushers in a new millennium age by creating new heavens and a new earth.  Indeed, the former manner of things would be forgotten whereby God ushers in the millennial reign of Christ on earth.  The figure of a person living according to the age of a tree is a picture of the everlasting life that mankind would enjoy in God's righteous kingdom whereby it would be like the idyllic state of Eden at the beginning of time.  Once the millennial reign of Christ ends, God will usher in the dispensation of the everlasting kingdom.     


 

The glory of flesh

"And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."  A voice says, “Cry out.”  And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”   Is 40:5-8 (NIV)

The glory of the Lord is contrasted here with the glory of men (flesh).  This passage alludes to the first coming of Jesus Christ where John the Baptist announces the arrival of the Messiah (Jn 1:23).  John the apostle also mentioned that they beheld the glory of Christ when He incarnated as the Son of Man (Jn 1:14).  He was full of grace and truth.  Whereas mankind has the propensity to display his inglorious attributes of vengence and deceit. 

For all the accomplishments that mankind has made, whether it is discovering a new drug to save lives or sending people into outer space, it cannot be compared to the infinite wisdom and knowledge that God Almighty has.  Mankind has only uncovered a very small proportion of what there's to know in this universe, not to mention those beyond us.  It is apt then that people should be compared to grass and flowers.  Fresh grass and flowers are lovely to touch and behold.  But their beauty lasts for only a short while.  This means that men would die one day and their works and accomplishments would soon be forgotten, no matter how much the current generation would want to immortalise certain individuals.  In contrast, God's word or Christ, the living Word, endures forever.  We ought to pay careful attention then to what God says to us in His written word, especially concerning end times.

Jesus mentioned that King Solomon, despite his pomp and pageantry, did not cloth himself like the lilies of the field (Mt 6:28-29).   King Solomon has passed on many generations ago.  He left behind the legacy of his wise sayings and that's about it.  Christ on the other hand, imputed His righteousness to all those who would draw near to Him in faith and imparted to them everlasting life.  Truly, the words that He speaks are spirit and life; flesh counts for nothing (Jn 6:63). 


If we ever want our words to be profitable, then begin to speak the life-giving words of God to others.  We can speak life through proclamation or prayer.  We proclaim by sharing the gospel and we pray by speaking healing and wholeness to the people.  God's glory is made manifest through salvation, healing and deliverance that take place.  However, man being flesh, will still die; but his eternal destiny is secured through the finished work of Christ at Calvary's cross.

In Celebration of Children

Children's day is usually celebrated on 1 Oct for Primary school kids.  It is a day set aside for children to enjoy and have fun.  It is a day also for parents to rejoice in the gift of the LORD.  The Bible tells us that children are a gift from the LORD (Ps 127:3).  Let me suggest three ways we can celebrate as we look at our young child(ren).

Children's Innocence
Very young children are innocent and impressionable.  They are not self-conscious of themselves and would do things that adults find adorable and cute.  They could be easily influenced either for good or bad by adults in their lives.  The Scripture tells us in evil we ought to be like babes (1 Cor 14:20), which means we ought to have the purity of children when evil thoughts and deeds have yet to be formed in them.  Woe betide those who seek to harm innocent children for their own ends.  Jesus held up children for their humility and simple faith, giving a stern warning against those who would stumble them (Mt 18:3-6).  The kingdom of God belongs to such as these (Mt 19:14).

Children's Intelligence
Children can learn things very fast as their brain connections are not so wired up as yet.  This means that if you want to teach them languages, you have to start early.  As they grow older, it becomes harder and whatever they have learnt would take precedence.   Some family bring up their children by getting different members to speak to the children in a different language.  Because children have a voracious appetite for knowledge, one way to help them is to bring them to the library (or buy books), but after they've learnt phonetics and able to read on their own.  Otherwise, you can read to them and interests them with fascinating stories from the Bible or children's books.  Given the proper environment, children can grow up in wisdom, stature and in favor with God and men (Lk 2:52).

Children's Interjections
It's always a joy to listen to babies or young children laugh or giggle.   We remember when our daughter was a few years of age, she used to laugh hilariously at a particular portion of a Barney video.  That makes us happy as well.  Nothing like also seeing them singing praise songs to God and shouting Bible verses out loud.  Likewise when our heavenly Father sees us praising and worshipping Him, He takes great delight in us.  In Zeph 3:17 the prophet declares, "The Lord your God is with you; the mighty One will save you.
He will rejoice over you. You will rest in his love; he will sing and be joyful about you."  God will dance and twirl with us in great delight. 

May we continue to celebrate our children's innocence, intelligence and interjections. And learn from them!

Season of prayer

God is calling the church to a season of prayer intercession.  Indeed, nothing of spiritual import can be accomplished without prayer.  There's a stanza in a poem on prayer that goes like this:
"There's no weapon half as mighty
  as the intercessor's bear
  nor a broader field of service
  than the ministry of prayer"

Prayer is certainly a weapon of warfare which touches both heaven and earth.  Jesus told his disciples, "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Mt 16:19 (NKJV).  The keys of the kingdom have been given to us through the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Jn 14:14).  We cannot possibly bind the forces of darkness because they are spirits; only God can do that on our behalf.  When our prayers ascend to heaven from earth it would be acted on by Christ.  However, we have to ensure that we do not ask amiss and are abiding in Christ (Ja 4:3; Jn 15:16).  Not all prayers uttered in the name of Christ would be answered in the affirmative.  It is our personal relationship with God that matters (Ac 19:13-16).


In heaven, Jesus is our great High Priest who always lives to make intercession on behalf of the saints who draw nigh to Him (Heb 7:25).  He is also the Lamb of God who offered His blood on the altar of sacrifice in heaven to atone the sins of people who would come to Him in faith.  Notice firstly that Christ is very much alive and not dead.  Secondly, He is engaged in an activity which many may find boring on earth, that is, praying. He prays on behalf of those who draw near to God.  This should cause us to pray more.  When we cry out to God for grace and mercy on earth, Christ takes them and intercedes on our behalf in heaven.   God the Father sees the blood of Christ (not us who are sinful) and acts on the intercession of His Son.  


Prayer is hard work and knows no boundaries.   We can pray for the needs of people half way around the world or we can pray for as many people as possible within a short time.  Such is the extensiveness of prayer, where it's impact and influence can be the whole earth.  Paul says that even though he is being chained, the word of God is not bound (2 Tim 2:9).  Likewise, genuine prayers that are uttered in prison or in the most horrid places of the earth would make it into the intercession throne room of heaven.  We don't even have to utter a sound; prayers from the heart would do (1 Sam 1:13-17).  Alternatively, we can pray in tongues, the language given by the Holy Spirit, who aids us in our intercession on earth (Rom 8:26).


Keep on praying - whether individually or corporately.  As you draw near to God, He will draw near to you.  That's His wonderful promise to all of us (Ja 4:8) and nothing is too difficult for Him (Jer 32:17). 

Three Visionary Sights

This was part of an address I gave to graduating students sometime early this week:


Today I want to share 3 visionary sights we need to have in order to grow as an individual. Developing and cultivating these skill sets would stand you in good stead for the future.

• Hindsight: The ability to reflect and learn from the past

• Foresight: The ability to predict and prepare for the future

• Insight: The ability to interpret and respond to the present

Hindsight: ability to understand a situation after the event has happened; what caused it and what should have been done; it is learning from experience. Hindsight is action informing thought. It involves critical reflection of one's experience in order to integrate knowledge gained from the experience with knowledge already possessed. Once that has been done, we should make a determined effort to implement any new approaches in how things ought to be carried out in future endeavours. You would have opportunities today to reflect on the activities that you participated in to hone this important skill set. I believe with hindsight you would be wiser in tackling the upcoming ‘O’ levels. Teachers are encouraged to be reflective practitioners too!

Foresight: ability to foresee what is to come before it happens. It is the capacity to detect and avoid dangers, assess the consequences of action and envision a desired future. It has to do with scenario planning, anticipating what could possibly happen. Foresight is thought informing action. This is to ensure that things turn out well or you come out as champions. Through the games you’d be playing and the lecture you’d hearing, you would be given opportunity to hone this critical skill set. However, despite our good planning and careful execution of life’s programmes, many things in life are unpredictable. According to Murphy’s Law, “Anything that can possibly go wrong does go wrong.” In such situations, we need insight.

Insight: ability to perceive clearly what is to be done in the here and now moment; a sudden understanding of a complex situation or problem and how to go about handling it. This comes about through the integration of knowledge based on experience (hindsight) and forward planning (foresight); and more often than not, a special revelation regarding what to do with present reality. Let me illustrate with a simple example: Before taking a Math exam, you would have already done a lot of practices (assignment, revision exercises); you’re building up your experience base. In the exam, invariably there would be many similar problems you’d have encountered before based on your hindsight. In addition, some of you would still hunt around for additional exercises to look for interesting questions you have not attempted before; this is having foresight. As you know, sometimes in the exams there would be a question or two you have not come across before. This is where you need to rely on insight. But you do know that the question is within your grasp. You have to rely and integrate all the techniques you’ve learnt; this is where problem solving strategies would come in handy eg. Working backwards, seeing whether there’s a pattern, starting with smaller numbers, etc. As you do so, your eureka (aha!) moment will come and that’s when you’ll feel elated.

MISSIONS

The MISSIONS acronym stands for May I See Souls In Other Nations Saved.  Indeed for those called into the missions field in the past, it was a crossing of seas and oceans (by ships) into another culture to minister God's love.  We think of James Hudson Taylor moving from England to China and Adoniram Judson, from North America to Burma. Both spent considerable amount of time in the lands beyond their home shores, investing their time and labour to sow God's Word.  Judson, we are told, took 12 years to make 18 converts while Taylor had greater successes, though he had to contend with uprisings and health issues abroad.  Life for a missionary in those days meant a lot of sacrifices and they needed support from their home churches or missionary organisations. Sometimes, it could end up in death as the life of Jim Elliot would attest when he endeavoured to reach the 'Auca' Indians in South America.  


With the advent of modern technology and good transportation infrastructure all over the world, what used to take weeks or months in travel time, can now be accomplished in hours or days. Missionary enterprise now takes on a different form  whereby people do not have to leave their jobs to become 'full time' missionaries.  What they can do is to take short term trips (thanks to air travel) to places nearby and minister to the villagers/provinces as a team.  They could also bring with them medical expertise or food supplies, providing them with the basic necessities of life, apart from the spiritual nourishment that is needed.  Once they are done, they return home (to families/jobs) and would follow-up at a later date or move to another new place.  In such cases, it is important that indigenous people be raised up and supported to pastor and grow the church, unless one is prepared to cross a different culture and stay long term.  


Implicit in all these mission trip endeavours is the prayer and financial support that should be garnered.  Some pay for their own travel/accommodation as well as the provisions for the people they would be ministering to.  This brings to mind the words of the apostle Paul, "Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need."  (Eph 4:28 NIV)


I read the following verses this morning: "David replied, “No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us. Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.”  (1 Sam 30:23-24 NIV).  This was in relation to 400 men who went with David to fight the Amalekites to restore the fortunes that were stolen.  They did not want the 200 men who stayed behind in Brook Besor to enjoy the fruits of their spoils.  However, David was a wise leader who laid down the statute that all should share alike in the spoils of conquest.  This applies well to missionary work.  There are those who can go to the frontlines (400 men) and there are those who can support at home (200 men).  Frontliners preach, teach, pray and do the needful to build the physical and spiritual needs of the people in a different land.  Home support could provide the finances, logistics and prayer covering that are crucial for such endeavours to be successful. 


Our church has been prophesied to be a missions church and already we are seeing so many within the congregation going out into the missions field on their own, often times directed by the Lord, to sow and reap a harvest.  There is a website that has been launched recently to promote this work i-GoMissions (iGM) at www.i-gomissions.com.  May the Lord bless and prosper this work and maybe, one day, some members would become full time missionaries.  

How to pray for lost loved ones

Last Sunday Pastor shared regarding the word the Lord has given to him, that is, to reach out to our parents, aunts and uncles.  For many, it may not be an easy thing to do due to their years of entrenchment in what they have believed.  However, the Scriptures declare that all things are possible with God and all things are possible to them that believe (Mk 9:23; 10:27).  Recognising that salvation is a work of God and that it belongs to Him, we need to pray, and praying strategically (Rev 7:10; 2 Tim 2:1-4). 

In this regard, I would like to share something on pryer based on the book of the above title by Dutch Sheets.  Reading 2 Cor 10:3-5, taken from the NASB:

 ³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, ⁴ for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. ⁵ We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, ...

There are three aspects of fortresses we can destroy through prayers:
1. "Speculations" or "arguments" (logismos): calculated reasoning, human wisdom or logic; this is the sum total of the accumulated wisdom and information learned over time.  It becomes the person's mind set which includes knowledge of philosophies, religions, humanism, atheism, intellectualism and anything that causes one to think in a certain fashion.   When a pre-believer hears the gospel, it is first filtered through the subconscious where all other information (including these logismoi) is stored.  This means that he/she does not hear only what is proclaimed but also what he/she already believes.  In our praying, we should focus the attention of God's powerful weapons on the logismoi fortresses of Satan in the minds of pre-believers.

2. "Every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God" (hupsoma): any elevated place or thing.  This is referring to the same root word as pride.  It involves a desire to rule our own lives, decide for ourselves right and wrong and basically be our own god.  Pray against the spirit of pride and unbelief assailing against our loved ones.

3. "Thought" (noema): plans, schemes, devices or plots.  It could be the spontaneous thoughts and temptations Satan uses to assault the pre-believers, as well as the schemes and plans he uses to keep them shut in darkness.  In prayer, we must bind his diabolical schemes and pray that our loved ones would be shielded from Satan's fiery darts. 

The pre-believers cannot war for themselves.  We need to stand in the gap on their behalf using the mighty weapons God has entrusted to us to tear away the veils over their hearts and minds.  Keep on praying in the spirit!

Why am I not healed?

The question is asked when one is not healed after receiving prayers from believers or ministers of God with the gifts of healing.  Or the healing may be short-lived.  Let me give you three reasons (there could be others) why this could be so.

Firstly, our physical body is not made to last forever due to sin and corruption (Gen 6:3).  So even though we may receive healing for different kinds of illnesses over our life-span, ultimately, one day we would still die (unless the Lord returns).  King Hezekiah, which I blogged about much earlier, had his life extended for 15 years.  He died eventually (Is 38:5; 2 Kg 20:21).  Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, also died again when his time was up.  The apostle Paul left Trophimus sick in Miletus and advised Timothy to use a little wine for his stomach and frequent ailments (2 Tim 4:20; 1 Tim 5:23).

Secondly, it is God's prerogative to heal whether faith or no faith has been exercised.  However, many a time, God honours faith. Yet at other times despite the prayers of so many charismatic ministers of God or the best medical care received, a godly person dies. This should keep the believer or minister of God humble, acknowledging that he/she is just an instrument used by the Lord as He wills. We should acknowledge like David of old and Jesus, that our life and times are in God's hands (Ps 31:15; Lk 23:46).

Thirdly, I believe more importantly is the fact that sicknesses in our bodies point to the fact that we need a physician.  This mirrors the fact that when we are sick in our spirit man, we need someone to cure us.  And that someone is Jesus Christ, who is the healer of our souls (Mt 9:12-13).  Man is basically a spirit being housed in a human body.  God wants to forgive us of our sins if we would only acknowledge them before Him and ask Him to be the redeemer of our lives.  The healing of the spirit should be sought more than the healing of the body.  The former would enable us to enter the presence of God forever.  The latter can only provide temporary reprieve on earth.  

The crucial question to ask is "Am I redeemed by the LORD?'

Blessed 46th Birthday Singapore!

"Before a woman goes into labor, she gives birth. Before she has labor pains, she delivers a child. Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a country be born in one day? Can a nation be born in a moment? When Zion went into labor, she also gave birth to her children." Is 66:7-8 (God's Word Translation)


Singapore became independent on 9 August 1965.  As a small nation, we lacked the hinterland and natural resources needed to survive.  We had to learn and rely on others in the initial years.  But praise God we were strategically placed in terms of geographical location!  With great foresight and wisdom, our political pioneers worked assiduously to grow and develop the country in the social, political and economic realms, transforming it from a third world to a first world country.  It takes a country many years to grow and develop, even though it's independence can be declared in a day. South Sudan is the latest to join the league of independent nations on 9 July this year.  


Countries that go independent are usually born out of great conflict and strife.  This is akin to a woman going into travail before the birth of the child.  Isaiah asked a rhetorical question, "Can a country be born in one day?"  The context of this question talks about the miracle God is about to perform to the nation of Israel; that despite her sins, she shall be suddenly restored.  It is in the nature of God to bring comfort to His people.  Likewise, the early church was born in a blaze of glory when tongues of fire rested on the 120 disciples in the upper room.  Peter preached his first sermon and 3000 souls were added into God's kingdom (Ac 2:41).  It was truly the work of the Holy Spirit!


The 120 disciples obeyed their Lord to tarry in Jerusalem before carrying out any work. They were involved in travailing prayers which resulted in them receiving the unction of the Holy Spirit.  And as the word was being proclaimed with signs and wonders following, many were ushered into God's kingdom.  The principles of spiritual growth in the kingdom is also one we can emulate for the nation of Singapore.  For our nation to grow and prosper, we need to pray for God's supernatural outpouring on this land.  When righteousness falls on this land, the land will certainly yield its harvest (Is 45:8; Ps 67:6). 


May Singapore be a light unto the nations!


Majulah Singapura!  

Going back and forth

"But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."   Dan 12:4 (NASB)


The phrase "many will go back and forth" could mean people traveling from one place to another to proclaim the message of God's kingdom or receiving new information or knowledge from others.  That is true in the days of old whereby new knowledge need to be searched out or proclaimed.  With the advent of mechanized locomotion, this has certainly been expedited.  Nowadays, with the internet, one does not even need to travel far to gain knowledge; it's just a click of the mouse or a tap on our mobile devices away.  Others say that the phrase could mean perusing the word of God carefully; reading and re-reading it to gain special insight from God.  Whatever it is, God wants us to gain His knowledge and wisdom. 


Just the other day, I was traveling on the MRT en route to attend a course.  The MRT was packed with people likes sardines during the time I boarded it.  As I observed the people in the train, many were either reading the printed media or fiddling with their mobile phones, surfing the net, communicating with someone or having their ears tuned in to something.  Here we have an image of people literally traveling to and fro, gaining knowledge at the same time.  This is one profitable way to spend our traveling time, apart from catching up with our sleep. 


With knowledge so readily available, we have to discern truths from falsehoods.  For every issue, there are always two or possibly more sides to it, than meets the eye.  Some views could be extreme while others moderate.  Where public views are solicited for different issues raised, we can see that some would use their head (rational) while others would use their heart (emotions), or a mixture of both.  What's important is that as we search for information, we do not feed our minds with trash.  And as they say, "Garbage in, garbage out".  Instead, we should meditate on God's word daily to allow Him to transform our thinking, speech and behaviour.


"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."  Rom 12:2 (NIV)

The seven-fold anointing

"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.  The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD .."  Is 11:1-2 (NIV) 


The passage talks about Jesus Christ coming from the David's line (Jesse is the father) and how he would be anointed with the seven-fold anointing:
1) Spirit of the Lord: Jesus was anointed to preach the good news, heal the sick and deliver people from demonic bondage (Lk 4:18)
2) Spirit of Wisdom: this has to do with the application of knowledge, just as how the Lord ministered to the Samaritan woman when He knew about her having 5 husbands (Jn 4:16-18)
3) Spirit of Understanding: ability to discern the hearts and true intentions of men (Jn 2:24-25)
4) Spirit of Counsel: guidance in life's journey (Is 30:21); Jesus probably waited for God's counsel before replying to the accusers of the woman caught in adultery (Jn 8:1-11)
5) Spirit of Might: divine enablement to heal the sick and alter the course of nature, like Jesus turning water into wine (Jn 2:1-11)
6) Spirit of Knowledge: this is a special revelation not previously known before, like what the Lord spoke concerning Nathanael (Jn 1:48)
7) Spirit of the Fear of the LORD: honors God by living righteously and reverencing Him; not led by human impulses (Is 11:3-5)


And how we need this anointing daily for our lives! Pray daily for the seven-fold anointing to rest on you and your loved ones.


Shalom

Learning Organisations

I was reading a chapter by Peter Senge recently on "Give me a lever long enough ... and single-handed I can move the world". Well, in physics we learn that this is possible if you place the fulcrum near the object that is to be moved.  The title alludes to a learning organisation as a place where people are continually discovering that reality can be changed.  We have to see ourselves as very much connected to this world and how we can be both the problem and solution of life.

There five components to a learning organisation.  Each of them provides a vital dimension in building organisations that can truly "learn", that can continually enhance their capacity to realise their highest expectations.
1. Systems Thinking: a conceptual framework, body of knowledge and tools developed over the past 50 years.  Many things that happen in life are to due to a series of inter-connected actions.
2. Personal Mastery: discipline of continually clarifying and deepening our personal vision.
3. Mental Models: deeply ingrained assumptions or generalizations that influence how we view the world.
4. Building Shared Vision: shared "pictures of the future" that foster genuine commitment.
5. Team Learning: to suspend assumptions and enter into a genuine "thinking together".

For any organisation, be it a business or educational one, its success depends on the interplay of the 5 components.Through collective effort and the willingness to learn from one another, we foster a culture of care and growth.  Through learning we are enabled to do things which we were never able to do.  Through learning, we extend our capacity to create, and move beyond mere existence.  As we examine our own mental models, we must be willing to jettison those thought patterns that are detrimental to the growth of an organisation.

Applying the five components to our faith, systems thinking has to do with understanding the connectedness of our world with the supernatural realm.  Personal mastery has to do with cultivating spiritual disciplines to sharpen our spiritual senses.  Where kingdom realities are concerned, the opposites are often true such as "If you believe you shall see" or "The first shall be the last and the last, first".  As such, we have to change our mental models, which can be subjected to a lot of different interpretations of Scriptures. .  Kingdom vision must replace local ones that can be very myopic.  And of course, learning from one another and the Holy Spirit must take place on a regular basis.  

The story of Gideon (Judges 6-7)

God uses the weak things of the earth to confound the strong (1 Cor 27).  Gideon is a case in point; his family was  the least in Manasseh  and he was the youngest (5:15).  God did not look at his current situation, but the potential Gideon has to defeat the Midianites (6:14).  Likewise in life, we shouldn't be looking at the failures of our kids in school but guide them along with proper instruction and values to help them realise their full potential.

God instructed Gideon to tear down his father's altar, as that was a stumbling block to the victory He was about to accomplish.  Because of his fear of God, Gideon did what he was told.  However, because of his fear of men, he did it at night (6:25-27).  Often times the battle in the natural is predicated on the battle in the supernatural.  Once the idolatrous spirit has been bound and the Lord enthroned in His rightful place, victory is easily secured.

Next came the anointing of God upon Gideon (6:34), empowering him to lead the Israelites into battle. We note that Gideon had his doubts and hence he tested God through the signs of the fleece (6:36-40).  It can only be God's supernatural working when the fleece is wet for one and dry for the other occasion.  In our desperation, we may 'test' God nowadays by promising to do certain things if He answers our prayer for certain needs.  Jephthah learned a painful lesson when he made a tragic vow to the Lord (Jud 11:29-40).

God didn't want Gideon to rely on the arm of flesh lest the people become conceited (7:2).  He whittled Gideon's army down from 32,000 to 300 men, which was less than 1% of his original force.  With 300 men, God said that He would deliver Israel from the hands of the Midianites (7:7).  But God also knew the fear in Gideon's heart and assured him with yet another sign to confirm that victory is theirs (7:10-15). Indeed, by the testimony of two or three witnesses, every word shall be established (Dt 19:15).  In every major decision that we are making, we need to seek confirmation and not rely on just one word spoken.

When Gideon heard the word of confirmation that God would deliver Israel, he bowed down in worship (7:15).  That's the kind of posture we should adopt in any venture we undertake.  God must have given Gideon the battle strategies to defeat the enemy (7:16-20).  As we acknowledge His lordship over our lives, He will do the battle on our behalf.  We just need to stand and see the deliverance of the Lord taking place on our behalf (7:21-22).

In many  ways, we can identify with Gideon - his fears and insecurities.  We may also put God to the test.  But more often than not, God is gracious towards us and would come to aid us in our hour of need.  He is never too slow nor too early, but on time!  So wait patiently for the Lord (Ps 40:1).

The five love languages of teenagers

I am re-reading the above book by Gary Chapman as I am dealing a lot with teenagers in school as well as at home.  Teenage years are often tumultuous times for our young as they exert their rights to be independent (from parents) and at the same time, draw closer to their peers to gain some form of self-identity.  Mixing with the wrong company can result in dire consequences. Hence the need for parents/teachers to be  guides and mentors to them. We know that in life, adults can often times mistreat the charges under their care or do things that convey no love and empathy.  The book highlights how parents can speak the languages of love to their children to build their self-esteem and confidence.  A quick summary of the 5 love languages are as follows:

1.      Words of Affirmation

• Recognize teenager’s accomplishments and commend him/her
• Has to be sincere and specific
• If results can’t be praised, praise efforts
• Express verbal affection like “I love you”, “I enjoy you”, etc.
• Affirmed in front of family members (but not their peers)

2.      Physical Touch

• Know the right time to touch; when they’re “in the mood”, not when they’re angry
• Know the right occasion to touch; not in the presence of their peers
• Know the appropriate manner for physical touch eg. hugs, shoulder rubs, slap on the back, holding hands, wrestling, etc.
• Inappropriate touch: physical/sexual abuse can cause much harm

3.      Quality Time

• Togetherness is the key where the teenager is the focus of attention
• Quality conversations focus on what we are hearing: maintain eye contact, be present, listen for feelings, observe body language, refuse to interrupt, ask reflective questions, express understanding, ask permission to share own perspective
• Use “I” statements as opposed to “You” statements eg. “I feel angry when you …”
• Seize moments when they would like to talk or go for an outing together; consult them when planning for a trip

4.      Acts of Service

• Freely given by parents are considered true expressions of emotional love
• Loving service is an internally motivated desire to give one’s energy to others
• Bartering and manipulation are not expressions of love
• Something which they cannot do themselves eg. when they are young, to wash their clothes, cook and feed them.  When they are older, we should teach them how to fish as opposed to fishing for them.

5.      Gifts

• Are visible, tangible evidence of emotional love
• This is different from giving gifts to pay for service rendered
• Should be done with some measure of ceremony

Pertaining to the last point under Gifts, we had family time recently when we presented to our children their monthly allowance through a simple ceremony.  We prayed that they would learn how to use their money wisely, setting aside 10% each for tithe as well as savings.  In this way, we are creating memorable events for them to think about and appreciate the good things in life they have been provided with.   We can speak all five love languages to our children but they usually have a primary one.  The book details how you can find out the love language of your child(ren).

Happy parenting!

 

Eli and Samuel

For over 200 years, Israel was ruled by judges whom God raised up to deliver the children of Israel from the hands of their enemies.  Eli and Samuel were the last of the judges, with Samuel being the protege of Eli, the priest.  Samuel was dedicated to the Lord by Hannah his mother before he was born (1 Sam 1:11).  As a young boy, he heard the voice of God proclaiming judgment on Eli's household (1 Sam 3:11-14).  He became a prophet of God who saw Israel's transition from theocracy to monarchy (1 Sam 8:7ff).  Due to the godly influence of Hannah and Eli, Samuel grew in stature and in favor with the LORD and with men (1 Sam 2:26).

When we look at the children of Eli and Samuel, we notice that they were not similar brought up in godly values and discipline. The Bible's account on Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, was that they were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD (1 Sam 2:12ff).  The NASB version states that they did not know the LORD and the custom of the priests with the people.  Eli's sons abused their position but were not rebuked nor disciplined by their father for their sacrileges.  Likewise, Samuel's sons, Joel and Abijah, did not walk in his father's ways but turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes and perverted justice (1 Sam 8:1-3).   This led to Israel demanding a king to rule over them, just like the other heathen nations (1 Sam 8:4ff).

Today, as we commemorate Father's Day, these two so-called godly characters provide us with a snapshot of how one can be so focused on ministry (or work) at the expense of the family's spiritual well-being.  Likewise, we can be so busy doing the Lord's work (or advancing our career), seeing lives of people saved and touched by the power of God, but fail to instruct our own children in the ways of the Lord.  Paul exhorts, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." Eph 6:4 (NIV).  The role of fathers is to teach their children the Lord's instruction as found in His Word.  This can be done through family times or casual conversations (Dt 6:5-7). This training should start when the children are still young so that they would not depart from the teachings when they grow old (Pr 22:6).

Our children may be attending church currently.  However, there is no guarantee that they would continue to worship God and acknowledge Him in the future.  With the influence of the world (through the net and peers) bombarding them constantly, if they do not have any spiritual anchors in life, they can be easily swept away by the teachings and enticements of the world (Eph 4:14).  As parents, how do we go about insuring their salvation and rich welcome into God's kingdom?  One way is to get the Word of God into their spirit man; teaching them how to go about feeding themselves on God's Word.  At the same time, teaching them how to commune with God, both speaking and listening to Him.  It won't be easy, as it requires effort on the part of both parent and child to build a good habit of having daily devotion with God.

A prayer that we can pray for our children centred on 5 Ps:
Principles: they be built up based on the principles of God's Word, knowing right from wrong.
Practices: their words, actions and attitude would be pleasing to the Lord.
Productive: they would grow in the grace and knowledge of God.
Peers: they would not be influenced negatively by their peers/friends but rather influence them positively.
Partners: their life-partners in future would be god-fearing; following and serving the LORD (Dt 13:4).

May God forgive us for our shortcomings in bringing up our children and give us His wisdom to be good fathers.  Have a blessed Father's Day!
  

Bidding Farewell

To bid adieu or good-bye to people whom we are familiar with can be a sad and painful thing.  All the more so if the separation is permanent, due to death.  Thankfully in life, such permanent separation encounters are not many, especially relating to people who are considered very close to us.  However, we can have many not so permanent separation encounters such as those that occur when we move on to a new location, be it due to work, study or habitation.  With each relocation, we leave behind familiar surroundings and the people we have been regularly interacting with.  We may or may not return back to our previous location.  Needless to say, family and close friendship ties will continue regardless of the distance of separation.  Effort is needed nonetheless to keep in touch.  What usually fizzles out are acquaintances and those we relate only at the work level.

Over the past two weeks, I have been saying farewell and thank you to colleagues and friends in the work place due to my impending move to a new working environment this week.  There were farewell treats and gift-giving to signify the close of a long chapter in my current place of employment.  The friendships forged through work have been wonderful and I reckon that I would still keep in touch with some of them.  Some are dear brothers and sisters in Christ who have the same passion of serving the needs of the community by being lights and salt for Him.  It's heartening to note that they intend to glorify God through their acts of service in the school where they belong.  And I hope to do likewise in the new school where I would be heading.

Two passages of Scriptures come to mind: one is the apostle Paul bidding farewell to the Ephesian elders (Ac 20:17-38) and the other is the prophet Elijah being taken away by God (2 Kg 2:1-14).  Let's first talk about Paul's farewell; it's a farewell not unlike those receiving a death sentence.  God had revealed to Paul that he would encounter bonds and afflictions on his way to Jerusalem (v 22-23).  By saying that they would no longer see his face, Paul indicated he was prepared to die for the cause of the gospel of the kingdom of God (v 24-25).  He lived with a clear conscience and had fulfilled his purpose amongst them (v 26-27).  He warned them regarding enemy attacks and commended them to God and His Word (v 29-32).  Finally he prayed with them (v 36).  That's what I did this morning - to pray for school and people I would be leaving - that God would continue to bless and prosper the work there.  Someone has said that to finish well one must finish each chapter of our life well, as exemplified by Paul.

Let's turn now to the Elijah's farewell, which was a permanent one.  For all intents and purposes, the prophets in the various prophetic schools set up in Gilgal, Bethel and Jericho knew that Elijah would be taken away (v 3, 5; 2 Kg 4:38). However, they did not know that the Lord was taking Elijah permanently away from them (v 16).  Elisha, whom God has anointed to take over Elijah (1 Kg 19:16), followed his master very closely and asked for the blessing of the first born to inherit Elijah's mantle of leadership (v 9).  Not only did he receive the mantle, Elisha, we are told, performed twice as many miracles as Elijah.  Like Elisha, we need to ask God for a double portion of His Spirit to accomplish whatever new work we are to undertake.  Indeed, the road ahead may be difficult, but if God goes with us, we need not fear.  I also breathed a prayer this morning, asking God to go with me into the new environment where I would be working.  Elisha showed us the tenacity needed to follow our mentor closely in order to learn from them.

As we close each chapter of our lives, may we close it well.  In so doing, we can eventually conclude our final chapter with these words of apostle Paul: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."  (2 Tim 4:7-8).  May we run the race of life with patience and faith till the end (Heb 6:12).      

Remembering to Forget

Then he (God) adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”   Heb 10:17 (NIV).  This is such a wonderful promise to every human being living on earth.  The biblical meaning of forget is "not to hold it against the person and let if affect your relationship."  David wrote in Ps 103:10 that God does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.  If He were to do so, I guess none of us would find our way into His holy presence.  Because of God's great love and because of Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross, the psalmist David was able to say, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."  (Ps 103:11-12).  The greatness of the depth of God's love is seen in the greatness of the expanse of sins removal.

In life, we may have encountered situations whereby people have treated us below our dignity.  We could be forced into doing things against our will or be terribly humiliated.  Being raped, kidnapped, robbed, imprisoned (esp believers living under repressive regimes) or forced into prostitution (people involved in this are known as traders of human flesh) are examples of the former.   Some examples of the latter would include being abused verbally or backstabbed by co-workers.  There are also cases whereby people feel that they have been cheated by others through acts of unfaithfulness. The reverse could also happen when we treat people less than what they ought to be treated.  Such encounters often engender fear and hatred towards those who have perpetrated such demeaning acts. 

It is definitely not an easy thing to forgive those who have hurt us the most.  How do you forgive someone who has tortured you and brought about the death of your sister?  Corrie ten Boom, who hid the Jews during the Nazi holocaust, suffered greatly under the Germans. Her sister, Betsie, died while interned in the Nazi concentration camps.  Many years later, Corrie spoke about forgiveness to a church audience where her perpetrator was in attendance.  When he stretched out his hand to shake hers at the doorway of the church, Corrie confessed her inability to raise her hand up but eventually did so through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.  As humans, we cannot forget the painful memories of the past but we can allow God to heal it by remembering to forget.  Inasmuch as God has freely forgiven us through the blood of Jesus Christ, we ought not to hold the sins of men (and women) against them.  Allow God to do His work of vindication in your life.

Let's be reminded of the scriptural injunction found in Rom 12:19-21, "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.'  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (NIV).  The Old Testament law was an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (Dt 19:21).  This meant that an equivalent punishment must be mete out to those who did harm to the people. However, under grace, this has been superseded by "But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." (Matt 5:39-42).


"I can do all this through him who gives me strength."  (Phil 4:13)