No eye has seen, no ear has heard

As it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” - the things God has prepared for those who love him - these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.  The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.  1 Cor 2:9-10 (NIV)

The apostle Paul quoted from Isaiah 64:4, "Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him."  He applies it to the wonderful hidden plan of God for mankind's redemption (the crucifixion of His beloved Son on the cross of Calvary), which has been revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.  Indeed, no human mind can possibly conceive crucifixion to be God's perfect plan for mankind's salvation.  In fact, the rulers of this world were also caught by surprise when they thought they had the upper hand when Christ was killed on the cross.  God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message (of the cross) preached to save those who believe (1 Cor 1:21; 2 Cor 2:7-8). 

I was flipping through the book Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne recently.  They argue that lasting success comes from creating 'blue oceans': untapped new market spaces ripe for growth as opposed to competing with those already in existence - red oceans.  The examples quoted that spawned multibillion dollar industries were mutual funds, cell phones, biotechnology, discount retail, express package delivery, coffee bars, home videos etc.  Just 30 years ago, none of the industries were in existence in a meaningful way.   The reality is that industries never stand still but continue to evolve with the changing times.  The strategy to create blue oceans is the key to unlocking the potential in the market places.  It takes vision, courage and experimentation to see beyond the current reality.  The story of two shoes salesmen on an island where nobody wears any footware illustrates this point well.  One exclaimed that there's no market for shoes while another saw immense possibilities. 

In the spiritual sense, the cross was God's blue ocean strategy to a (spiritually) dying world.  Nobody except God knew what He was doing.  The good news is that it is still applicable today.  We don't have to bring our wealth, achievements, prestige or status with us; they don't earn salvation for us.  We come to him just as we are - broken, contrite and repentant - believing and entrusting ourselves to a Saviour who is able to save us from our sins.   In today's world, where the thief comes to steal (our faith in God), kill (snuff out the lives of people) and destroy (family relationships), God extends forgiveness of sins to those who would come to Him in repentance and faith. 

Curiosity abounds regarding the future and especially in how our world would end as seen in the interest in the 21 Dec date of the Mayan calendar.  However, as believers in Christ we know from the book of Revelation, Satan and his emissaries would be eventually cast into the lake of fire.  Likewise those who follow him.  Preceeding this would be catalysmic events that would foreshadow the second coming of Christ.  The unfolding of these events is open to interpretation.  One thing is certain is that God had already in mind what He would do to usher in the second coming of Christ just as He did for Christ's first coming.  Certainly, we may not perceive with our physical eyes nor ears but we can through our spiritual eyes and ears like Simeon and the prophetess Anna, whom the Holy Spirit revealed to them concerning the baby Jesus, the redemption of Israel (Lk 2:25-38). 

The only way the church is going to perceive the unfolding of end time events is through prayer and fasting, just like what Anna did.  We thank God for the raising up of prayer warriors and intercessors all over the world coming together in prayer houses to intercede for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.  May you and I be part of this prayer movement to usher in the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Maranatha!

God of the Impossible

"Is anything too difficult (wonderful) for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."  Gen 18:14 (NASB)

Sarah was incredulous when this promise was given as she thought (rightly so) she was barren and way past child-bearing age (v 11); menopause having set in.  Her laughter brought about the above retort from the Lord.  God specialises in opening up barren wombs as in the case of Hannah and Elizabeth.  He is the giver of physical life.  The angel Gabriel told Mary, "For nothing will be impossible with God."  (Lk 1:37).
This was in relation to Mary's immaculate conception and the conception of John by Elizabeth.  As we approach Christmas, let's breathe a prayer of thanksgiving to God for sending Jesus into this world to become like us so that He can lead us back to God.  

God also specialises in giving new birth - spiritual life.  In responding to His disciples cry, "Then who can be saved?"  Jesus said, "With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."  (Mk 10:26-27). The disciples despair was due to the fact that Jesus had said it was difficult for the rich to enter God's kingdom because wealth can enslave a person, becoming his/her god.  This promise by Jesus should encourage our hearts as we reach out to some hard nuts who simply have no time for God or who do not acknowledge Him personally.  We need to rely on God and not in our own wisdom to save them. 

At the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will." (Mk 14:36).  Even though God can do all things, yet there are things He would not do if it's not in accordance to His will.  The confidence we have in approaching a prayer hearing and a prayer answering God is that we ask according to His will (1 Jn 5:14-15).  God not only sees the desires of our hearts but the sincerity and earnestness of our hearts as well.

In response to the father's plea, "... if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!" Jesus replied, "If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes."  (Mk 9:22-23).  Jesus ties in our faith with God's ability to act on our behalf.  Many times Jesus wasn't able to do much miracles because of unbelief in the peoples' hearts (Mk 6:5-6; Mt 13:58).   Where things seem hopeless and impossible, these are the kinds of situations that we need to exercise our faith in the God of the impossible.  Like the father of the child, we need to ask God to help our unbelief. 

Jeremiah the prophet prayed by proclaiming, "Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You."  (Jer 32:17).  Jeremiah was incredulous that the Lord spoke to him to buy field to plant and build despite the Chaldean invasion of the land of Israel and the scattering of God's people beyond their homeland.  The Lord replied, "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?"  (Jer 32:27). As you read on, you would find that the Lord promised to restore the fortunes of Israel by gathering His dispersed people back to the land of promise (Jer 32:37-44). 

We have to stand in awe of Yahweh - the Creator of the heavens and the earth - from the tinest atoms to the huge universe.  He knows how the earth and the universe function, and above all, He knows how mankind functions.  When we begin to acknowledge God for who He is, He begins to work on our behalf (Heb 11:6).  God is mindful of our frailty but condescends to shower His lovingkindness upon those who fear Him.   
"For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. As for man, his days are like grass;
as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, and its place acknowledges it no longer. But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them."   Ps 103:14-18 (NASB)

Desires of our heart

"³Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.  ⁴Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.  ⁵Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."      Ps 37:3-5 (NKJV)

Don't we all have desires - some godly and some not so godly.  The wonderful promise that God will give us the desires of our heart is conditioned on us delighting in Him.  What does it mean then to delight ourselves in the Lord?  The verse preceding and following the promise found in verse 4 will offer a clue.  Both talk about trusting God; verse 3 adds that we need to feed on God's faithfulness, that is, we rely on God's character to fulfill what He has promised - He is a faithful God.  Trusting also means committing our ways to the Lord (v 5); this we do so through prayer.   When things don't turn out the way we envisage, we often give up praying and lose sight of His faithfulness.  Delighting ourselves in the Lord would therefore mean a continual trust and communication with God despite the circumstances of life.  God, who searches the hearts of all men, would grant us the desires of our hearts when He sees our total dependency on Him. 

Three OT patriarchs exhibit this quality of establishing intimacy with God with the result that God heard and answered their prayers. 

1. Abraham: he was called the friend of God because of his faith in Jehovah (Ja 2:23; Gen 15:6).  He believed God's promise regarding his descendants being as many as the stars of heaven despite Sarah being barren.  When God expressed His intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah due to the wickedness of the cities, Abraham interceded for Lot and his family.  He was bold enough to 'bargain' with God 6 times not to destroy the cities if there were certain number of righteous people present (Gen 18:23-33).  Unfortunately, there weren't 10 righteous people - Lot's family constituted only 4.  But the Lord was mercy; He remembered Abraham's intercession and saved Lot's family (Gen 19:29).   The desire of Abraham was granted.

2.  Moses: he spoke to God like a man to a man (Dt 34:10).  Of course, no one can see the face of God and live.  He must have seen the representation of God in various forms eg. the burning bush or a thundering voice.  He learnt humility through hardship and reliance on God.  Moses spent an inordinate amount of time in God's presence cultivating intimacy with Him.  He found favour in God's sight and as such when he requested God to show him His glory, God obliged by showing him His hind glory (Ex 33:12-23).  When Moses came down from the mountain, he face reflected God's glory so much so that he had to put a veil over his face (2 Cor 3:13).  Moses is another patriarch whom God delighted in, despite his sins.  We are told that God buried him in a valley of Moab and no one could locate it (Dt 34:6).    

3. Elijah: this prophet of God had developed such intimacy with God that by his word things are brought to pass. By his word, the armies of Israel were destroyed by fire (2 Kg 1:9-12).  This was so because he had a direct line of communication with God (2 Kg 1:3,15).   The many miracles that Elijah was able to perform attest to the great faith he had in God.  We are told in the book of James that Elijah was a man like you and me; he prayed earnestly and God answered him (Jas 5:17-18).  He prayed seven times before he saw a cloud the size of a hand in the horizon and knew that rain would follow.  Elijah's intimacy with God saw him taken up in a whirlwind by God, translating him from this earthly life to a heavenly one (2 Kg 2:12).  This is but a type of translation (rapture) that believers would experience when Christ returns. 

Do you have godly desires?  Then begin to delight yourself in the Lord, cultivating intimacy with Him.  
Abraham's desire was for the salvation (deliverance) of Lot's family from destruction.  We too can desire the salvation for our Friends, Relatives, Associates and Neighbour by interceding on their behalf.
Moses' desire was to see God's glory.  We too can desire and impart God's glory to others if we spend time with God. 
Elijah's desire was for God to send rain to a parched land.  We too can desire and experience the rain of the Holy Spirit in our lives if we earnestly seek after Him.

May God grant you the desires of your heart as you delight in Him!

Promotion

I said to the boastful, ‘Do not deal boastfully,’ And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn. Do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck’ For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another.  Ps 75:4-6 (NKJV)

Many of us associate promotion with getting on ahead in life; moving on and up to a larger responsibility and presumably a bigger pay package.  For the self-employed, promotion comes about by being successful in one's business and being able to extend or expand one's enterprise.  Now the way we get 'promoted' in life is important.  Some of us claw our way to the top by back-stabbing others and leaving a trail of unhappy people along the way.  Such people are usually the self-conceited ones whom the psalmist described above.  We need to be wary of people with such an arrogant attitude - they think too highly of themselves, bull-dozing their way in life.  They may get their way for a season but eventually God will put them down. 

In God's economy of things, He chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Cor 1:27-28).  God chose the way of the cross to display His beloved Son to the world, hung between heaven and earth.  This is indeed foolish to the Gentiles - a dying God on the cross who is unable to save Himself - very weak indeed!  But Paul proclaims that this is precisely the power and wisdom of God made manifest (1 Cor 1:22-24).  If we ever want to be exalted in God's kingdom, we need to humble ourselves by accepting the free gift of grace offered at the cross of Calvary.  We do this by inviting Christ to come into our hearts through prayer.  Those who have done so and have passed on in this life has been said to be promoted to glory.  I think that's the kind of promotion we should look forward to - one that would last for all eternity. 

Parenting Styles

Tim Elmore, a parenting expert, mentioned four parenting styles:

1. Helicopter Parents: hover over kids to ensure they get every imaginable advantage.  They can be too protective over their children that they don't allow them the privilege of learning to fail and persevere.  Such parents would also likely create tensions in school where the education of their children are concerned; finding fault with everyone else except themselves.  The issue with this parenting style is the controlling spirit.  The anti-dote is to let go and learn to trust kids more with freedom and accountability.

2.  Karaoke Parents: want to sound and look like thier kids to stay cool and hip.  They perfer to be a buddy to their children rather than be an adult figure to them with the result that there are no clear boundaries that build security and esteem.  Such parents would be too soft in handling kids' discipline.  The issue with this parenting style is low emotional security, needing to be loved and liked.  The anti-dote is to embrace one's own age and station in life; allow kids to relate with their peers and work to fulfill one's responsibility as a parent. 

3. Dry Cleaner Parents: drop off for experts (school, church, sports coach) to make them right.  They don't furnish children with the mentoring and authentic personal time required in raising them up.  They are probably too busy with work or some other things.    Such parents would usually leave school to handle their kids' problems, preferring a hands off approach.  The issue with this parenting style is inadequacy; unable to handle them.  The anti-dote is to build bridges with their children by making time to be with them. 

4. Monster Parents: trying to fulfill unrealised dreams through their kids.  They can transform into a rage when cornered due to an unhealthy past with unfulfilled dreams and aspirations.  We sometimes read of parents turning into incredible Hulks and physically abusing their helpless children.   Such parents can also put a lot of stress on their children.  The issue with this parenting style is having a baggage in life.  The anti-dote is to deal with it and don't pass it on. 

We need to be engaged parents who spend time interacting with our children, setting appropriate boundaries for them and giving them the freedom to fail, and learn from it.  Our emotions must also be managed and brought under the control of the Holy Spirit.  The apostle Paul reminds us in Col 3:21
"Parents, don’t be hard on your children. If you are, they might give up."   (CEV)

"Children have never been good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them."    James Baldwin

Detoxification

“Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”  2 Cor 7:1 (NIV)

Recently my wife and I went for a full-body lymphatic drainage detox massage lasting an hour, which we signed up during an Expo sale promotion or similar to one that would be given to new credit card sign-ups. Prior to the massage by the therapists, our heights, weights and different girths of our body and limbs were taken. They used a machine, putting plates on our upper and lower limbs, to measure of our body fat, cellulite (for women) and the amount of calories burnt during resting phase (kind of like our metabolic rate). After the selection of relevant aroma oils to be used, the light touch massage commenced with our backs working from head to feet. The process is supposed to clear the body of toxins, reduce congestion and promote healing. Once the massage was over, they again measure girths of our body and limbs.  The consultant will give us a summary of our results including BMI and the rest, and of course asked whether we would want to sign on a package with them, which we politely declined.

In the scripture verse quoted above, God has promised to be our Father if we separate ourselves from the evil influences of the world that contaminates our body and spirit.  In the physical, God has created our bodies uniquely with a lymphatic system, which is our body’s first line of defense in fighting pain, inflammation and infection; detoxifying and moving metabolic waste and toxin out of the body. When the lymph nodes become blocked, fluids accumulate and cause the whole lymphatic system to become toxic, making us feel lethargic and more prone to illness. By stimulating this system through massage, the lymphatic system works more efficiently, which in turn boosts the immune system, clears blockages, eliminates toxins, transports nutrients to cells and increases the metabolism. 

Just as the gentle massage techniques adopted by the therapist with the aroma oils on our bodies stimulate the detoxification process, so likewise we need to allow God to work in our spirit man, saturating us with His Holy Spirit so that we may be quickened to respond to His Word. One of the ways to do this is to pray in tongues, allowing the Holy Spirit to pray through us because He intercedes on our behalf according to God’s will (Rom 8:26-27). Another way is to read God’s Word daily, allowing it to saturate our being in order that we may praise God aright and instruct one another appropriately (Col 3:16). The evil influences will come through our five senses and that is why it’s so important to guard our hearts and minds by keeping ourselves aglow in the Spirit in order that we may not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness but instead expose them (Eph 5:11).

When you read the mass media, invariably there would be news of people committing crimes against humanity. Among them, sexual sins are featured as well as people flaunting their bodies online without a care in the world, with a view to titillate and entice people into sin. It is as if the spirits of lust have been released en masse by the devil, knowing that his days are limited.  The apostle Paul warns us in 2 Tim 3:1-5
“There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” (NIV)

Unless we know how to detox our minds against the onslaught of evil, it is wise not to indulge our senses in such filth that are being portrayed in the online and printed media. Otherwise, spiritual bondage to sexual sins can only be broken through deliverance and counseling.     

What kind of people ought you to be?

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming."  2 Pet 3:10-12a (NIV)

In the One Singapore Conversation (OSC), one of the questions asked was: "What kind of society and what kind of people do we want to be?  Living in a multi-racial society, we ought to be gracious and kind, according mutual respect and understanding to one another.  And as citizens of heaven, we are exhorted to be kind, tender-hearted and forgiving towards each other, just as God in Christ also forgave us (Eph 4:32).  It is not easy to be kind, tender-hearted and forgiving.  Our natural tendency is to return evil for evil - an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (Mt 8:38-41).  In a society that is very much engaged in uploading information on the world wide web, an uncalled for remark or movie that denigrades others can certainly engender a lot of hatred, anger and violence.  It takes great courage to temper our response with grace and mercy, recognising that we have our own imperfections.  Neither do we want the perpetrators of uncalled for remarks or movies to get away scot free.  

The reality, as found in the scripture quotation above, is that this earthly life of ours would not last forever.  All of us would die physically one day whether we like it or not, unless the Lord returns to take us home.  Our physical body will go back to the dust, most likely either through burial or cremation.  Likewise, Peter prophesied that this earth will undergo cremation with intense heat when the day of the Lord arrives.  That would be a terrible day when everything in sight would be completely destroyed as if like a nuclear holocaust.  Fire, as symbolised in scriputre, is used to denote purging and refining (Mal 3:2-3).  As believers, our motivation to live holy and godly lives should come from within as opposed to allowing it to come from without to chastise and refine us.   

So what kind of people ought us to be?  The apostle Paul gave us the answer:
"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."  Col 3:12-14 (NIV) 

We ought to love and forgive one another - demonstrating God's unconditional love towards one another.  By this Jesus said will all men know that you are my disciples (Jn 13:34-35).  That's what we have been called to be - holy - set apart for God's service. 

Tuition

"The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher."  Lk 6:40 (NIV)

Tuition is defined as giving teaching or instruction for a fee.  The lucrative tuition culture has spawn in many countries like Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea.  This is in part due to the high-pressure cooker society children are being brought up in and the expectations parents have on their kids.  Many children would have at one point in time received tuition for academic subjects they study in schools.  Because of the one-to-one or small group dynamics that operate in a tuition set-up, children receiving tuition under such circumstances usually show great improvement.  I myself have also received tuition in my secondary school days for second language (parents didn't speak Chinese), which I managed to pass at O levels.   I also gave tuition when I started working - to primary kids and then A level students.  Many of the A level students that I taught improved on their performance at the national exams.   My own children also received tuition for Chinese before their PSLE, with one of them having Math coaching as well.  They did well enough in their PSLE to proceed to the secondary school they wanted.    

As can be seen, there's value in tuition but it comes at price, depending on the experience of the tutor hired.  The tutor who has the necessary knowledge and know-how to impart important skills to his/her charges would usually command a premium.  The scripture verse quoted above tells us that the knowledge and skill sets of the students would not rise above that of the teacher.  A mediocre teacher would produce students with mediocre results; likewise, an excellent teacher would have the potential to produce students with excellent results.  I want to say that if a child has the right attitude to learn in school then there is absolutely no necessity for him/her to be given tuition.  The teachers in schools are the best resource persons to consult when children have doubts or difficulties over their work.  Many teachers will go the extra mile to help their students if they see the children have a positive attitude towards learning and improving.  Once students have passed certain exams, they moved on to the next level, being taught by another group of teachers who can take them further in their cognitive development. 

In the pursuit of academic excellence, we must not forget to impart to our children important values like self-discipline, resilience and hard work.  Self-discipline is needed to enable them to prioritise their activities in life.  For example, those that are not so important can wait or be relegated to the last on the list.  When they don't do so well for certain test or assignment, they need the resilience to bounce back, learning from their mistakes or failures.  They also need to learn that success does not come on a silver platter; it requires hard work and effort.   My children are no longer receiving tuition; they have begun to rely on their school teachers by making appointment to clarify their doubts.  This too is an important social skill they have to pick up along the way.  Where Chinese is concerned, my wife would be in a position to help them.  What's more they are also immersed in a Chinese culture through attendance at Mandarin services and oikos meetings.  I would also play my paternal role to help them in Math or Humanities-related subjects.  By God's grace, they are not doing badly in their academic work. 

Changing Lifestyles

Our lives nowadays are very much influenced by technology, which can be both a boon and a bane.  Technology has brought with it a lot of benefits, making life in the 21^st century much more convenient and less laborious than in the previous centuries.  Artificial intelligence and the use of robots will become more and more pervasive as know-how increases.  A recent article in The Straits Times talks about a self-driving robotic vehicle that can take you places in the shortest possible time, avoiding traffic jams and slippery roads.  In the meantime, the passenger can get some work done while in transit.  Another innovation in the pipeline is that of 3-D printers whereby we can design our very own bag or shoes and get them “printed” out.  Such technologies can set one back by thousands of dollars and do away with the human touch. 

In the world of high-tech, we can often lose the high touch.  This can be considered a bane of technology.  It is not uncommon to see people connected at family gatherings using their mobile devices instead of spending time talking face-to-face. Children are kept entertained by iPads or mobile phones.  In a crowded train or bus, many would be plugged in to their mobile devices to either surf the net, play games or listen to music.  Even though the World Wide Web provides a vast wealth of knowledge, not many of them are wholesome or truthful in nature.  There are also human predators on the net seeking to take advantage of innocent lives and possibly destroy them.  People can be influenced by humanistic or demonic philosophies and become rebels without a true cause.  A case in point would be those led into becoming human bombs to fulfill a so-called higher cause. 

Web technology has progressed from reading to interaction and then to customization.  In the past, we use the World Wide Web to search for information; thereafter, we are able to interact with one another through social media like facebook, twitter, blog, etc. Now the move is towards capturing user-end information and marketing products or services through customizing personal preferences. Your personal tastes and preferences are captured when you serve the net without your knowledge.  Somehow this information gets connected with marketing agencies and before you know it a message appears concerning a product or service you were looking out for, with a discount thrown in.  Depending on how you see it, this can be an intrusion to one’s privacy or a beneficial outcome of modern technology, saving you the trouble to search further.      

Another possible lifestyle change is the constitution of the family, which may not be instituted by God i.e. the union between a man and a woman.  Increasingly, the demand is for same-sex marriage as seen in the western world and raising children from such union, either through adoption or some other means.  Another alternative is that of the single-parent family whereby singles who do not marry obtain children through the help of medical science or adoption. Children brought up in non-traditional families will usually suffer from stigma and not experience the full complement of paternal-maternal love and bonding.  In the creation account, God said that it was not good for Adam to be alone and as such Eve was created, someone to complement him and to be his helpmate (Gen 2:18-25).  The biological make-up of the male and female anatomy is to complement one another so that children could be brought forth. This is in stark contrast to having same-sex marriage.  The Bible also says that the body is not for immorality but for the Lord (1 Cor 6:13).              

Blessed Teachers' Day

Traditionally, 1 September is the day set aside for Teachers' Day, where teachers get a day off to commemorate the noble work that they do to help pupils learn, grow and develop holistically.  To promote family life, MOE has recently shifted Teachers' Day to fall on the first Friday of September, so that teachers would have a long weekend which is usually followed by the one week vacation break.  The intent is certainly a good one but little did it realise that there would be years where the first Friday of September would fall within the one week break, depriving teachers of the day off meant for them.  There have been good suggestions given by the public to resolve this dilemma and I don't intend to add to them. 

What I would like to talk about is the spirit of teaching that all of us as believers have a role to play.  And as such, it is a day also dedicated to teachers like you, who though may not be in the teaching profession or hold the office of a teacher (in terms of ministry gift).  Let me elaborate by looking at three passages of Scriptures.  Firstly, the Jewish family is enjoined to instruct their children, especially fathers to sons, the laws and ways of the Lord (Dt 6:4-7).  Fathers are to do this diligently, seizing every opportunity available in order that children might not forget the goodness of the Lord.  We also see King Solomon instructing his son as follows:

"My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.  Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.  Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man."  Pr 3:1-4 (NIV)

As parents, we have a duty to instruct our children in God's ways, imparting biblical knowledge and values that will stand them in good stead not just for this present world but also in the world to come.  We continue to do this until our children fly the nest or are old enough to stand on their own.  We can never be sure whether our children will remain faithful to the Lord when they grow up contending with all the influences of the world.  Our only assurance is to keep the communication lines open with them and with God.  If we are not parents or do not have any children, we can still play an important role as proxy parents to our nephews or nieces.  The godly influence of an aunt or uncle can do great wonders in the life of a young child. 

Let's move now from the earthly family to the spiritual family of God.  The writer to the book of Hebrews berated the believers for their lack of understanding in knowing the deep truths of God.  In fact, he mentioned that they ought to be teaching others instead of being constantly fed, not having been weaned off milk.

"We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."  Heb 5:11-14 (NIV) 

As believers who have been a few years in the faith, we should have sufficient knowledge to point others the way to Christ and at the same time, counsel them in the basics of Christian living.  The writer to Hebrews mentioned some of these elementary teaching: repentance and faith in Christ, water and Spirit baptism, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment (Heb 6:1-2).  It is through the community of believers meeting together in small groups that such exhortation is possible to build up the body.  For those who have constantly been imbibing God's Word on their own either through personal research or attendance at seminars/bible studies, and have learnt how to apply God's Word, they usaully move towards becoming a teacher of God's Word.  The apostle Paul talked about those with the gift of teaching and those holding the office of a teacher.  Those with the gift of teaching may not be called to the office of a teacher.  But those functioning in the office of a teacher should have the gift of teaching. 

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach."  Rom 12:6-7 (NIV) 

"So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."   Eph 4:11-13 (NIV)

The five-fold ministry, including that of a teacher, is to equip the church for works of service and to build up the church towards spiritual maturity in Christ.  In the context of diversity of denominations, the unity of faith in Christ is important.  When the universal church stands united as one body, confessing one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, we will see a greater demonstration of God's eternal love being made manifest among mankind through the called-out church (Eph 4:4-6). 

If you are involved in teaching in one or more of those three areas mentioned above, have a blessed teachers' day!  May you be anointed by God to continue teaching His ways and precepts. 

Power

Power exists in three realms, namely, in heaven, on earth and under the earth.  We are told that God had highly exalted Jesus and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:9-11).

In heaven, power belongs to God and He rules forever by His power (Ps 62:11; 66:7).  By the power of His word, God created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1).  This is the creative power of God which brings order out of chaos.  By the creative power of the Holy Spirit, Mary was conceived with the holy seed of heaven (Lk 1:35).  We also see this in the ministry of Jesus when he went about healing those who were sick and oppressed by the devil.  He brought wholeness to physical and emotional constitution and restored relationships.  The creative power of God reverses the works of the devil (1 Jn 3:8). 

In hell (or figuratively under the earth), there are principalities and powers which were created by God (Col 1:16).  These are fallen angels who have rebelled against God and followed Lucifer, a former arch-angel in charge of heavenly worship. These demonic hordes are bent on stealing, killing and destroying (Jn 10:10a), or what is known as displaying destructive powers.   They rob people of their wealth and health (like Job), and also seek to turn people away from Christ.  The devil sought to destroy the Jewish nation during the times of Queen Esther and King Herod, to forestall the birth of the Messiah. 

On earth, there are various hierarchies of powers from the political level (government-governed) to the family unit (parents-children).  It behooves those in authority to exercise their power wisely and not use it to take advantage of the weak and downtrodden.  When power gets to one's head, often times we can see it being abused resulting in disastrous consequences.  Even in religious organisations, power can be abused as in the case of Rev Jim Jones of the Peoples Temple in Jonestone, Guyana who brought about a mass killing through cyanide-laced holy communion.  Charismatic personalities can often hold people under their power and charm.  There is always a need to seek spiritual discernment to see whether an intention or action is of God or not.  Mankind, no matter how good they may be, is always subject to the influences of evil in this world.  Peter at one point in his life was confessing Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the living God.  But the next instance, he was hindering the work of God and had to be rebuked by Jesus (Mt 16:16, 22-23). 

If God has placed you in a position of authority or leadership, pray that you can use your power with discretion to build and not to tear down (2 Cor 13:10).  Seek Him for wisdom in the worship and service of His great name.  The devil is also seeking the worship of people in exchange for the diabolical powers that he can give.  Recognise that we are all under the authority of God (including the devil) and that whatever power that has been granted to us has been delegated. 

Birthdays

Birthdays are supposed joyous occasions for the birthday boy or girl.  Usually he or she would be feted with well wishes and presents; celebrations with food and entertainment are also in order, especially with family and friends.  The Happy Birthday song would usually be sung before the cutting of a cake.  Incidentally, the melody and the lyrics of the song were written in the mid-nineteenth century by the Hill sisters for a classroom greeting with the words, "Good morning to all" until someone changed it to the familiar words which is used universally.  Birthdays can also be celebrated for nations like Singapore which turned 47 recently. 

In the Bible, there are occasions when one's birth is not celebrated or rejoiced over.  Job cursed the day of his birth:
After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. He said: “May the day of my birth perish, and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’ That day—may it turn to darkness; may God above not care about it; may no light shine on it.  Job 3:1-4 (NIV)

We can understand why Job did not want to be born.  He had just suffered the greatest calamities of his life, being robbed of his possessions, children and health.  It's like how we sometimes wish the ground would open up and swallow us when we have committed a great mistake to avoid embarrassment.  But Job had it worst.  He may have celebrated his birthdays in the past with family and friends, but when you are really down and out, celebration is out of the question.  When we are no longer looking forward to our birthdays, we need to ask God to turn things around for our good.

Let's look at a New Testament example.  In referring to Judas Iscariot, Jesus said, "The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”  Matt 26:24 (NIV)

The consequences are great for Judas who betrayed his Master.  He caused an innocent person to be killed.  We read that he regretted his actions and committed suicide (Matt 27:3-5).  We could say this also for the wicked monarchs King Ahab and Queen Jezebel; also Aldolf Hitler and all those who take away innocent lives senselessly.  Many are born into this world as innocent babes but with the genetic code to commit sin.  It is through the various influences of life and the choices one makes that predisposes one to a life of crime and brutality.  We can also open our hearts to the influences of the devil when we give him permission to do so by dabbling in the occult or idolatry.  If we recognise our propensity for evil, we need to repent of our sins and ask God for His forgiveness. 

Finally, two instances of joyous birthday celebrations found in the Bible.  One is the birth of Obed the son of Ruth and Boaz, who was the grandfather of king David (Ruth 4:16-17).  His birth took away the shame of barrenness and caused the line of Noami and Elimelech to continue leading to the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.  And this is the next joyous birth occasion that I want to share:

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  Lk 2:10-11 (NIV)

The birth of our Saviour is a cause for great celebration because He has come to save the people from their sins.  We are beneficiaries of the finished work of Christ at Calvary's cross.  Not only is the birth of Jesus a cause for rejoicing, likewise the birth of Billy Graham, Bill Bright and all those who have made an impact for God by drawing people closer to Him through Christ.  May you be such a person as we celebrate the birth of a saint (one set apart for God). 

Praying for those in authority

Singapore celebrates her 47th birthday today.  This is a time to remember the nation in payer and there are many things to thank God for.  Here are a few to get you going:
1. God's eyes are on this nation, moulding and transforming Singapore to what she is today.
2. Early political leaders who had the foresight and tenacity to bring about the necessary changes.
3. Protection from all elements that are harmful to Singapore.
4. Peace, progress, stability and harmony in this nation.

Next, let us continue to pray for Singapore.  We have been exhorted by the apostle Paul to pray for all those in authority, in order that we may live peaceable and quiet lives.  At the same time, we have also been exhorted to live as responsible citizens in the land where we live.

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.  1 Tim 2:1-3 (MSG)

Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it's God's order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you're irresponsible to the state, then you're irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible. Duly constituted authorities are only a threat if you're trying to get by with something. Decent citizens should have nothing to fear.  Rom 13:1-3 (MSG)

Let's pray the following:

• Righteousness and justice to be the foundations of the government and judiciary
• God’s wisdom on our cabinet ministers to rule well with a good head & heart
• Parliamentarians to contribute to robust debate that would help steer the nation into her God-given destiny
• Continued peace, progress, harmony  and economic prosperity: different ethnic groups to co-exist and contribute to the success of S'pore
• Freedom to worship God and propagate the gospel of Christ  
• Protection from all harm and danger (both physical and spiritual)
• Christians to be responsible citizens and contribute to the well-being of the nation

HAPPY NATIONAL DAY!

Money

Money is a vital commodity in our daily living. The value of it would fluctuate according to the economic situation of the country that produces it.   The Bible mentions a great deal about money both its positive and negative aspects.  Let’s deal first with the negative aspects of money.

Money, considered as unrighteous mammon (Lk 16:9), has the power to control mankind, in that man can pursue it at the expense of all other important things in life. It can even become a “god” in competition with the Almighty God.  Jesus rightly puts it, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” Lk 16:13b (NASB). Here mammon is equated to riches which can have an evil influence over our lives.  The apostle Paul said that the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil and some by longing for it have wandered from the faith (1 Tim 6:10).  Covetousness is a spirit that has to be renounced and Jesus denounced it explicitly and by way of a parable (Lk 12:13-21).  We may think that the rich man was very industrious and entrepreneurial in that he devised a plan to generate wealth.  But God thought otherwise and called him a fool.  He was rich on earth but poor in his soul.

For those under the influence of mammon, the only way to break its power and influence over our lives is to give it away.  The rich young ruler who sought eternal life was told by Jesus, “Go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Mt 19:21 (NKJV). Likewise, Zacchaeus the tax collector broke the power of covetousness by making restitution – half of his wealth given to the poor and those he had cheated, he would pay back four times (Lk 19:8).  Even as we give money away, God searches the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.  Ananias and Sapphira gave out of impure motives and were struck dead by God when they were found to have lied about their giving (Ac 5:1-11).  They wanted to be recognized as great benefactors but still keeping some profits for themselves without declaring. 


Let’s now look at the positive side of money.  The Bible tells us that God has given us the power to make wealth (Dt 8:18).  This is for a reason, that we may support our own families and help those in need (1 Tim 5:8; Eph 4:28). We know that Jesus was supported by well-to-do women and ate with the rich and privileged (Lk 8:1-3; 11:37; 14:1). The apostle Paul has learnt to live in plenty and in want (Phil 4:12).  God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the wealth in every mine.  He has enabled His people to be blessed so that they could also be a blessing to others.  Both Job and Abram were blessed by God with material wealth.  However, beyond the material blessings, God desires us to remain upright and blameless before Him as the story of Job reveals.  


God expects His children to tithe to His storehouse (Mal 3:10).  This means giving a tenth of all that we have earned or gained to the local church that we belong to.  Just as the children of Israel tithed to the Lord so that the priests and Levites can fulfill their roles and responsibilities in the house/tent of the Lord, we do likewise for the local church to minister to both the spiritual and felt needs of the assembly and the communities beyond.  Beyond the 10% giving would be our offering to the Lord.  This can be given to help others in need outside the local church, be it Christian organizations or other endeavours that support the work of Christ.  Our giving need not always be in cash, it could also be in kind, such as medical or food supplies or even Bibles.  Giving frees us to care and be used by God to answer the needs of His children.    


The chasm between Third world poverty and First world affluence is accelerating at an alarming rate; this is also seen in individual societies between those in the upper and lower classes.  The way to bridge this gap is to find ways and means to help the poor and less privileged to succeed in life.  As believers, we are called to use money without serving it.  Money has to be brought into obedience to the will of God for our lives. For some, this could be working in a job that pays much lesser but we know we are aligned to God’s perfect will. For others, the investment profits reaped could be channeled to more charitable causes or those that extend God’s kingdom.  May God give us wisdom to use the money wisely inasmuch as He has given the power to make wealth!     

Life is in the blood

"For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life."  Lev 17:11 (NIV)

I donated blood yesterday since the mobile blood bank came over to the Community Club near my place; my 15th time since I started giving when I was in the university.  This was also in response to an sms from the blood bank indicating that my blood type (O) was very low.  Looking at the donorweb just now, the A type is also currently at a low level.  You can donate blood if you're in relatively good health and have not contracted HIV or some other specified diseases. 

It takes less than an hour to donate.   There are basically 5 stations in all.
Station 1: Registration (identification card needed): need to fill in a health declaration form
Station 2: Screening by a doctor: checking of weight, blood pressure, temperature and social/medical history
Station 3: Blood test: finger is pricked to check blood haemoglobin level; once cleared, proceed to Station 4
Station 4: Blood donation:  if you've been donating regularly, indicate the arm you'd like your blood to be extracted from as the vein can be seen clearly; after cleaning your arm, a painkiller would be given (that's about the only pain you'd have to endure - ant bite though) to ensure painless donation.  You would be given iron supplements by the nurse and a card to indicate when you could next donate.
Station 5: Refreshments: light refreshment like beverages/packet drinks and snacks are usually provided; at the Blood Bank in HSA, you would be given a coupon to exchange for some refreshment at the cafeteria.

After donation, your arm would be bandaged (which can be removed after about 4 hours) and care must be taken not to exert the arm.  Drink plenty of water and rest; take the iron supplement if needed.  Only 450ml (a pint) of blood is extracted together with an additional amount which would be sent for various tests to ensure that it is safe to be used for transfusion or other purposes.  A normal healthy adult would have his blood replenished in 3 days.  Even as I gave blood, I remembered the great sacrifice of my Master for me - the pain and the agony He had to endure; the scourging, beating and the cross.

The Scriptures tell us that life is in the blood and the soul that sins, it must die (Eze 18:20).  Clean animals were thus sacrificed at the altar to make atonement for sins.  In this case, the life of the animals were exchanged for the life of the humans.  Our Lord Jesus, who became the Lamb of God, was the ultimate sacrifice for human kind.  By His shed blood on the cross, He redeemed mankind from the curse of the law and brought atonement between God and men.  Just as the blood of man (in its various components) can be used to bring life to another human being who is injured and in need of blood, more so the holy blood of Jesus has power to bring spiritual wholeness to those under condemnation of sin.  I often pray for the sick releasing the blood of Jesus into their blood veins to cleanse, purify and make whole the entire body system.
Hallelujah for the precious blood of the Lamb! 

Strength to the Weary

As humans, we all grow tired and weary after we have expended energy doing some form of work, whether physical or mental.  We could also grow tired after doing some spiritual work like prayer.  The most common way in which our body recharges itself is through having proper nutrition and enough rest or sleep.  Elijah the prophet was sleeping under a juniper tree when he was awoken by an angle to eat.  He was provided a bread cake and a jar of water, that sustained him for 40 days and nights until he reached the mountain of God, Horeb (1 Kg 19:5-8).  That must have been some amazing heavenly food.  Talk about weariness, Elijah just concluded a successful campaigne against the prophets of Baal and Asherah (1 Kg 18:19) and became disillusioned just by the mere threat of Jezebel (1 Kg 19:2-3, 9-10).  Certainly, servants of God can become weary and disllusioned when the enemy brings an all-out assault against us. 

What is the antidote to such weariness?  We are told in Is 40:29 that God gives strength to the weary and power to the weak.  It goes on to say, "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;  but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  (Is 40:30-31).  If young men who are supposed to glory in their strength can grow tired and weary, what more about us who are not so young anymore?  Just as Elijah was strengthened by God through both physical and spiritual food, so likewise we ourselves.  Elijah had to hear the rhema word of God that there were still 7000 people who had not bowed their knees to Baal (1 Kg 19:18).  God honoured Elijah for his faith by taking him home without seeing death.   

Are you weary of work/ministry, carrying a heavy burden or even waiting for an answer?  Then you need to hear God's perspective on things.  Prayerfully read His Word and ask Him for the strength to sustain you each day.  Because our everlasting God does not grow weary or tired, He is able to supply strength to those in need (Is 40:28).  The apostle Paul puts it, "I can do all things through Christ who strengths me."  (Phil 4:13), reminding us that our true strength comes from God Himself.  When God strengthens us, He does so through our inner man.  The wise man says, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."  Pr 17:22 (NIV).  When our inner man is crushed, it would affect our physical frame causing us to be dried up (zapped of energy).  May the good Lord be your strength, song and salvation (Ps 118:14). 

Becoming good or bad

I was reading the stories of the kings in the divided kingdom of Israel recently.  After the death of King Solomon, Israel was divided into the northern kingdom (known as Israel), comprising of 10 tribes, ruled by Jeroboam and the southern kingdom (known as Judah), comprisinng of Judah and Benjamin, ruled by Rehoboam.  All the kings in the northern kingdom were bad, meaning they did not seek after God but followed pagan gods.  Of the 20 kings in the southern kingdom, only 8 were considered good kings, meaning they sought after God.  But even then, not all of these 8 kings persevered in following God till the end.  In my readings, two kings, in particular, stood out.  One was King Asa, the third king of Judah and the other was King Manasseh, the fourteenth king of Judah. 


Asa was considered a good king.  The Bible mentioned that he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father (1 Kg 15:11).  He started his reign well by removing idolatries as well as his mother because she had made a horrid image of the goddess Asherah (1 Kg 15:13).  He instituted reforms in Judah and made a covenant to seek God with all their heart and soul (2 Chron 15:12-13).  Asa depended on God in his battle against the Ethiopians who came with an army of one million and God routed this mighty army, defeating them sorely (2 Chron 14:9-13).  In his latter years, Asa became proud and forgot about the Lord.  He started to rely on the arm of flesh. In particular, he bought the favour of the king of Aram to fight against Israel.  God sent Hanani the seer to chastise Asa but he imprisoned the prophet.  The final commentary on Asa was this: "In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians." (2 Chron 16:12).


Manasseh, in constrast, started off as a very wicked king.  The Bible tells us that he did evil in the sight of the Lord leading the nation to a downward spiral towards destruction (2 Chron 33:2).  He reversed all the reforms his father Hezekiah had instituted - rebuilding the high places for pagan worship and setting up pagan altars in the house of God.  He practised all manner of witchcraft and soceries, provoking the Lord to anger (2 Chron 33:3-7).  Because of the abominations he has committed, the Lord brought the king of Assyria to capture Manasseh with hooks and chains, bound to Babylon.  In his distress, Manasseh humbled himself greatly and called upon the Lord.  You know what, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and restored him to his kingdom - isn't that amazing! He began to recognise that the LORD was God and started to remove the idols and pagan altars in the house of the Lord (2 Chron 33:11-16).

Who would you rather be?  King Asa or King Manasseh?  The former started well but ended badly.  The latter started on a wrong footing but ended up well.  The key to becoming good or bad is our attitude - whether we are willing to humble ourselves when chastised by the Lord or we allow pride to rear its ugly head in our souls.  May we all have the tender-heart of Asa when he sought God in his younger days and the humility of Manasseh to repent of our wickedness when we are confronted with our sins.   Let's purpose in our hearts to seek and follow God to the very end. 

Connectivity

In just over three weeks recently, family members were travelling separately outside Singapore, myself included.  My wife was the first to travel to Thailand with some oikos members (for shopping).  It was followed by me, accompanying students to Suzhou, China on an immersion trip and then my elder daughter to New York for a research-cum-exchange programme with her school peers.  Travelling has never been made more convenient with the advent of modern air transportation.  My younger daughter would also be travelling in the later half of the year, possibly to Denmark, yet on another school programme. 

When I was a student, there was hardly any overseas learning journey, except maybe to Pulau Ubin for Outward Bound.  Children nowadays are very fortunate with subsidies provided by MOE to encourage cross-cultural learning and exchanges.  There is nothing like learning first hand what takes place in a certain country rather than reading them from books or over the net.  For learning to be rich and beneficial, it entails a lot of planning by educators concerned.  Paramount, of course, is the safety and security of all who goes on such trips. 

During the time of the early apostles, travelling to distant places was done through sailing on ships.  It may take days or weeks to reach a certain place, depending on the weather.  Shipwrecks were not uncommon in those days.  The apostle Paul mentioned that he suffered shipwreck three times (2 Cor 11:25).  What a way to travel!  But that was the price he had to pay to bring the gospel to distant lands in obedience to God's call.  Missonary work nowadays is less costly to personal lives where travelling is concerned.  My wife just returned from preaching at a church in Tg Balai, all within the span of a day. 

The Bible alludes to this modern day connectivity in Daniel 12:4, "... many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."  What is common to birds and angels, is now common to mankind - flight - when the law of aerodynamics was discovered.  Air travel has certainly spawn trade and tourism, with governments building bigger airports to cater for its growing demand.   Connectivity has made the world more cosmopolitan, with people from different nationalities residing in most major cities.  What this means is that cultural practices are also being transplanted across the globe.  The gospel has to address both growing religious entities as well as secularism at the same time. 

Beyond the physical connectivity, as believers in the Lord, we should relish in our spiritual connectivity with the Father.  Prayer is the means to such connection and it goes beyond geographical boundaries.  Daniel's prayer despatches the angel Gabriel (Dan 9:20-23) and the archangel Michael (Dan 10:12-13) into action.  It is through prayers that we will see the people turning Godwards.  We need to do the needful in presenting the gospel but the Holy Spirit does the converting.  We must continue to affirm that salvation belongs to God (Rev 19:2) and that He alone can cause the coldest hearts to find His love and everlasting peace.   

Psalm 68:19

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens."  (NIV)

"Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!"  (NKJV)

"Praise the Lord, God our Savior, who helps us every day."   (NCV)
 
I was reading and meditating on Ps 68:19 recently especially constrasting the versions given by NIV and NKJV.  This verse encourages us to praise God, our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens.  All of us have burdens that we face on a regular basis, some more regular than others.  Burdens relating to the broad categories of health, finances, work/study and relationships.  Where health is concerned, an adverse report from the doctor can often turn our world upside down.  As for finances, we could be saddled with debts and find making ends meet difficult.  Projects, assignments and examinations are common in work & study.  And in almost all spheres of life, we have to interact with people, which often time poses a great challenge for many of us.  For all these burdens and more, the psalmist David praised God for His daily carriage of our burdens.   Indeed, Jesus has carried the weight of the world's sins on His body when He was crucified on the cross.  We therefore have to learn how to transfer our burdens over to God. 

The wonderful thing is that God not only takes away our burdens, He loads us with His benefits on a daily basis. The psalmist David tells us some of the benefits God has provided for us: sins forgiven, healed bodies, deliverance from the pit of hell, good gifts from heaven and renewed strength.
"Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s."  Ps 103:1-5 (NIV)

The only way we can tap upon God's benefits for our lives is to begin to focus on Him.  The praises of God certainly releases the power and blessings of heaven.  God is ever ready to help us everyday if we're prepared to surrender ourselves to Him.  If you have a burden right now, turn it over to God in prayer.  Remember, He daily bears our burdens and loads us with benefits instead.  Hallelujah!