Dear...
'The he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.'
1 Peter 4:2
Vilified bankers might be a phenomenon of these past two decades, but trashing journalists for sensatiionalization and distortion of news is not new. But then, the same could be said for many other professions, be it predatory lawyers in the Western world, Shylock businessmen globally and conniving and shifting politicians backed by bloodthirsty military men. And not forgetting doctors many of whom have forgotten their Hippocratic Oath, in their determination to treat you as a cashcow.
For most of us, our lives need not be so glamorous, if that is how the increasingly warped world begin to take villains for their role models, but have our lives till this moment been ideal, at least in our eyes?
'But the end of all things is at hand, be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.'
1 Peter 4:7
I dare attest that since the Spirit of God fell upon me that Bangkok night, I have been a fairly diligent teetotaller as far as deliberate sins are concerned, though being imperfect, like the occasional drink, I do have a little foretaste of tempting sinful behavior, but by the grace of God, have managed to spit it out before it has a chance to encapsulate me fully. Life has indeed been wonderful for God is now my focus these past 9 years.
'Will Thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, Thou art the guide of my youth?'
Jeremiah 3;4
But would life have been even more wonderful if I had started with the Lord right at the beginning of my formative years. Would a godly human father have made a difference in my earlier wretched life? For if so, then I could have published a 1000 page book instead of my maiden 52 page book.
This was the thought that resonated in my heart yesterday. We, ie some of us on the mail-list were at a fathers' prayer retreat and were blessed by the honest sharing by two wonderful men of Christ. The keynote speaker spoke fondly of his wonderful father, who brought him up with love and the right values. My father was not that way, and that thought resonated within my heart as another dear brother shared about his father who only comes home to stay once a year, reason being his father had other interests of the heart. My father did come home often, but his coming back created more dread than love and life seems more peaceful then, whenever he wasn't home. Of course, i have now come to know that the reason for his absence and yet unsettling presence was again the same interest in affairs of the hearts outside the matrimonial home.
But that is now irrelevant, for God has transformed my father from a man of the world to a man who now seeks Him and God is good, in allowing not just healing in my family but time with my now aging parents.
'And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.'
Malachi 4:5
The food column in this Sunday's paper had the headliner "from bad boy to chef" and details the story of how this now fairly popular chef sobered up after an accident at age 16, and put to rest his past misdemeanors, to really work on his life.
Unlike this gentleman, i know for myself and I believe the same applies to my dear brother in Christ, that much as we have less than ideal role model fathers(though I believe such galivanting fathers are the norm rather than the exception in the '60s and '70s), we were pretty decent kids, who stayed decent, though at least for me, the moving from good person to believing in and following Jesus Christ as our Savior, came much later. But I did not stray
The same Sunday newspaper had another article, where writer just had a class reunion after 20 years. And he reminisces upon the fact the different paths each had taken, and would it have been different if they had taken a different route at every crossroad?
'As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.'
1 Peter 3:14
The past matters not. For God has shown that much as our fathers might have muddled through, God has already set the path for each and everyone of us. Diverse routes each of us might seem to have taken in life's journey, but the path will be the same for all, once you believe, irregardless of one's past and even present ciircumstances. But will you be willing to seek Him and respond to His leading, when His Spirit lifts the blindness in our hearts. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of our faith. It is He and not us who is the writer of the story of our life, but will you be willing to let go and let him, and instead strive to be the pen that God will use?
And what will be the story of your life from here on, once you truly seek to follow our Lord Jesus Christ? I know it will be a wonderful story of His grace and love and omnipresence instead of the past life of angst, strife and discontentment. And rest assured, that story that God is waiting to write for you is not fiction. It will not be a figment of one's imagination.
But it is more than your story. In those times when most of us do not have fathers who are truly men after the will of God, much as we count ourselves blessed to have come to know God, we will agree that God did send us helpers along our rock strewn paths. For we walk not alone, even in those nights that might have seemed brutally desolate.
'Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.'
Malachi 4:5
The end might not have come as I type this. It might not even come by the time the doomsday movie "2015" hits the screens. But clearly the end times are intensifying. The earth is shaking more, evil men and lustful men and women are increasingly coming to the mainstream of society. God is patient but He will not hold His hands forever.
I believe that time is short, and so unlike the blinded fathers of the prior generation, we the fathers of this generation has had the blindness in our hearts lifted that much earlier, for now is the time for us to live a life that will be exemplary of Christ-likeness, to turn our children and loved ones from the encroaching hands of evil, no different from the lustful men who stretched their hands to try to drag Lot's visitors to engage in unnatural lustful acts of disobedience.
'But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter. And they called unto Lot, and said unto him. Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them....And (Lot) said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.'
Genesis 19:4-6
There will be two conclusions to the story of mankind. Which will you choose?
'Watch therefore, for ye know not what the hour your Lord doth come.'
Matthew 24:42
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(8th Nov 09)
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Sundaysnippets#5 Thankfulness (1 nov 09)
Dear...
TGIF is when most in the world thank God because it is Friday, and the party carries on into Saturday. Today is Sunday, for many, a sobering experience not just from a hangover from one too many dalliances on Sat night, but the realization that blue Monday is but a few hours away.
'Pray without ceasing.'
1 Thessalonians 4:17
On a wing and a prayer, that seems to be the attitude of most who believe that with a little luck and lots of personal effort, most wishes in life can be attained. God only comes into the picture when one's back is not just to the wall, but when one is overwhelmed.
Till up to this afternoon, I had smugly believed that I am not a transactional Christian, ie one who calls on God as and when He is needed, and other than that, He is send to the waiting room. As I prepared my accompanying email to the planned formal invitation to all of you to come join me and the children at the Chen Su Lan Methodist's Children Home for a time of thanksgiving on Nov 21st Saturday, one message I wanted to impress upon all was the cliche half full, half empty glass principle. How wrong I was in my understanding, but thank God for His patience and loving correction.
'Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.'
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
God is prescient. Early this week, He impressed upon me the thought "Thankfulness" and in response, I wrote a draft Reflections for the moment #42 Thankfulness and had planned to send it out this Monday. But man plans, God directs. And God is prescient because much as most might not think otherwise, I rarely read books other than the Bible. But just this afternoon, the Lord impressed upon me to read a book titled "Prison to praise" a small paperback book by Merlin Carothers,(http://www.merlincarothers.com) a reitired US army chaplain. This was a book a dear brother passed to me last Wednesday, and as is the norm, much as I am grateful for the many books fellow believers have passed to me, they tend to lie around, only to be read when I truly felt led and that could be months if not years later.
'Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.'
1 Thessalonians 4:19-23
Many of us who stay close to God often is misled into thinking that we understood every intent and will of God. And as of this Sunday afternoon, I was part of the guilty. In my planned sharing on Reflections #42, I wanted to highlight the need for us to always look at the half full glass of our lives and be thankful. And not to focus on the half empty portion instead. Foolish I am for I should know better, for just on Friday, I explained the meaning of contentment to a sister in Christ, and I got it right then, for contentment means "thankfulness in all situations."
And this means that we should thank God for our blessings(the half full glass) and also for our troubles or non fulfilled prayers(the empty half glass). The author, Merlin Carothers shared on the need to not just trust but to thank God in all situatiions, for truly a the half empty portion of the glass does not mean that God thinks we have suffice in the half full glass, but rather, God has His plans for us, and we must not just lose faith but be even more vigorous in our trust and obedience. "Quench not the Spirit"(1 Thessalonians 4:19)
'Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it.'
1 Thessalonians 4:24
For most of today, I seem to have the onset of a bad throat and cough., and in my mind, I cannot affort to be sick. With this month of November being a holy month for me, meaning every Saturday startfing from last Sat will be a time of coming unto God's presence in corporate fellowship. And this will culminate on Nov 21st Sat with the Thanksgiving Celebration at Chen Su Lan Home. The Lord knows my needs but will I trust Him by thanking Him for my physical ailments, instead of the usual praying for healing. Lo and behold, a few minutes later, my chest welled up and I burped. Not exactly a platform to talk about one's deficient etiquette, but truly, my condition has improved, the soreness is gone, the throat though still a little itchy, has subsided tremendously.
Indeed, "Faithful is He that calleth you. Who also will do it"(1 Thessalonians 4:24)
'Call unto Me, and I will answer Thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.'
Jeremiah 33:3
It does not mean that we should not go to God with our needs. Don't get me wrong. But God will answer prayers asked in His will, not ours. Only in thanking God for all situations, will we learn to exercise the faith that He has given to those who seek Him. If a person is not thankful, his mouth might seek God, but clearly not his heart. And how will you know God's will if you are not with Him, for you will not "hear" Him, and so how can you know what to ask in His will?
'Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else.'
Isaiah 45:22
Christianiity is not a religion. It is a relationship with a loving Father, through His Beloved only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. A relationship only gets better when trust is developed. A thankful heart in all circumstances will allow the Holy Spirit to move us from our finite understanding, unto the wonderful presence and plans God has for those who love and seek Him.
This Sunday's papers has the usual article on successful nvesting. It showcase a professional investor who claims to have done exceptionally well in the recent market bust up and boom up. The gentleman is thankful, but in the same breath, he is looking for a higher regular income figure to be sufice for his needs. Is not this the same for all of us? We are always looking for nirvana, and rare are the few who are satisfied with what they have. And only a blessed child of God will by His grace, be thankful for all circumstances, good or "bad"
'And we now that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.'
Romans 8:28
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(1 nov 09) and joyful and happy Sunday nite.
note
- will be sending all a formal invite next week to an event I know God has asked both my sister in Christ and HK publisher, Rosanne and myself to convene. Much as most of us have things to be thankful for and will like to bless the materially and even emotionally more challenged children of the Home. I believe in attending, God will bring you, Christian or not, to a new level of "happiness" for only joy and peace can come from Him. And in giving our time and sharing our blessings with the children of the Home, we will receive, for those with less, will see God better and much as we think we might be ministering to the children of the Home, it is very likely to be the other way as well.
TGIF is when most in the world thank God because it is Friday, and the party carries on into Saturday. Today is Sunday, for many, a sobering experience not just from a hangover from one too many dalliances on Sat night, but the realization that blue Monday is but a few hours away.
'Pray without ceasing.'
1 Thessalonians 4:17
On a wing and a prayer, that seems to be the attitude of most who believe that with a little luck and lots of personal effort, most wishes in life can be attained. God only comes into the picture when one's back is not just to the wall, but when one is overwhelmed.
Till up to this afternoon, I had smugly believed that I am not a transactional Christian, ie one who calls on God as and when He is needed, and other than that, He is send to the waiting room. As I prepared my accompanying email to the planned formal invitation to all of you to come join me and the children at the Chen Su Lan Methodist's Children Home for a time of thanksgiving on Nov 21st Saturday, one message I wanted to impress upon all was the cliche half full, half empty glass principle. How wrong I was in my understanding, but thank God for His patience and loving correction.
'Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.'
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
God is prescient. Early this week, He impressed upon me the thought "Thankfulness" and in response, I wrote a draft Reflections for the moment #42 Thankfulness and had planned to send it out this Monday. But man plans, God directs. And God is prescient because much as most might not think otherwise, I rarely read books other than the Bible. But just this afternoon, the Lord impressed upon me to read a book titled "Prison to praise" a small paperback book by Merlin Carothers,(http://www.merlincarothers.com) a reitired US army chaplain. This was a book a dear brother passed to me last Wednesday, and as is the norm, much as I am grateful for the many books fellow believers have passed to me, they tend to lie around, only to be read when I truly felt led and that could be months if not years later.
'Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.'
1 Thessalonians 4:19-23
Many of us who stay close to God often is misled into thinking that we understood every intent and will of God. And as of this Sunday afternoon, I was part of the guilty. In my planned sharing on Reflections #42, I wanted to highlight the need for us to always look at the half full glass of our lives and be thankful. And not to focus on the half empty portion instead. Foolish I am for I should know better, for just on Friday, I explained the meaning of contentment to a sister in Christ, and I got it right then, for contentment means "thankfulness in all situations."
And this means that we should thank God for our blessings(the half full glass) and also for our troubles or non fulfilled prayers(the empty half glass). The author, Merlin Carothers shared on the need to not just trust but to thank God in all situatiions, for truly a the half empty portion of the glass does not mean that God thinks we have suffice in the half full glass, but rather, God has His plans for us, and we must not just lose faith but be even more vigorous in our trust and obedience. "Quench not the Spirit"(1 Thessalonians 4:19)
'Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it.'
1 Thessalonians 4:24
For most of today, I seem to have the onset of a bad throat and cough., and in my mind, I cannot affort to be sick. With this month of November being a holy month for me, meaning every Saturday startfing from last Sat will be a time of coming unto God's presence in corporate fellowship. And this will culminate on Nov 21st Sat with the Thanksgiving Celebration at Chen Su Lan Home. The Lord knows my needs but will I trust Him by thanking Him for my physical ailments, instead of the usual praying for healing. Lo and behold, a few minutes later, my chest welled up and I burped. Not exactly a platform to talk about one's deficient etiquette, but truly, my condition has improved, the soreness is gone, the throat though still a little itchy, has subsided tremendously.
Indeed, "Faithful is He that calleth you. Who also will do it"(1 Thessalonians 4:24)
'Call unto Me, and I will answer Thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.'
Jeremiah 33:3
It does not mean that we should not go to God with our needs. Don't get me wrong. But God will answer prayers asked in His will, not ours. Only in thanking God for all situations, will we learn to exercise the faith that He has given to those who seek Him. If a person is not thankful, his mouth might seek God, but clearly not his heart. And how will you know God's will if you are not with Him, for you will not "hear" Him, and so how can you know what to ask in His will?
'Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else.'
Isaiah 45:22
Christianiity is not a religion. It is a relationship with a loving Father, through His Beloved only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. A relationship only gets better when trust is developed. A thankful heart in all circumstances will allow the Holy Spirit to move us from our finite understanding, unto the wonderful presence and plans God has for those who love and seek Him.
This Sunday's papers has the usual article on successful nvesting. It showcase a professional investor who claims to have done exceptionally well in the recent market bust up and boom up. The gentleman is thankful, but in the same breath, he is looking for a higher regular income figure to be sufice for his needs. Is not this the same for all of us? We are always looking for nirvana, and rare are the few who are satisfied with what they have. And only a blessed child of God will by His grace, be thankful for all circumstances, good or "bad"
'And we now that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.'
Romans 8:28
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(1 nov 09) and joyful and happy Sunday nite.
note
- will be sending all a formal invite next week to an event I know God has asked both my sister in Christ and HK publisher, Rosanne and myself to convene. Much as most of us have things to be thankful for and will like to bless the materially and even emotionally more challenged children of the Home. I believe in attending, God will bring you, Christian or not, to a new level of "happiness" for only joy and peace can come from Him. And in giving our time and sharing our blessings with the children of the Home, we will receive, for those with less, will see God better and much as we think we might be ministering to the children of the Home, it is very likely to be the other way as well.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
SundaySnippets#4 Life, with regrets or thankfulness (11 oct 09)
Dear..
'I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago'
Psalm 77:4-5
The only thing troubling me today is the hot and humid weather, for while life is still full of troubles, time with God has ensured that the tentacles of troubles have very little grip upon those who know that God is Sovereign, and who knows God, because we seek Him.
'Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands.'
Psalm 78:7
Today's Sunday Times has an article on a very entrepreneurial gentleman in his 30s, who started an on-line tyre business, and one niche he served is the many damsels in distress, who needed a change of tyres for their four-wheelers. This same chap has aspirations for a life of ease and he thinks that $2mio cash in the bank, with home paid for and no debts is the gateway to nirvana.
I was like him once, and with the kids down with flu, I had a little time to do my own stocktake of my worth, in dollars and cents, and not as in the eyes of the beholder. A cusory examination of my past follies and what could also passed off as intelligent decisions then, would surely have sent me to the poor house.
But God is good. Even as i chose to ignore him the first 4 decades of my miserable life, He never left me adrift, and while Eve was not good for Adam, my wife was truly good to and for me, for without her, I would have moved off keel many times over.
'But they continued to sin against Him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High. They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved..'
Psalm 78:17-18
Life after 40, knowing and acknowledging the grace and love of God for me has been a bliss, even though life is not always a breeze. I have come out of the desert and prayerfully, the only desire in my life is to be holy, for God is holy. Needs I still have, but I know that God has and will provide, including lunch.
And so, if you care to read the same Sunday papers today, there is another article entitled "Food for thought.'
The writer talked about the joy of being able to move from what was a clinical lunch with an acquaintance to one of greater connectivity, when his lunch partner shared about her renewed spirtuality as a Catholic.
The writer thinks that he can no longer be a Catholic given his present lifestyle choice. As what alternatives it is, best for us to keep our guesses to ourselves, but God is everpresent and ever-ready to hold our hands, if only we are willing to turn to Him and away from the devil.
'I am the Lord, and there is no other.'
Isaiah 45:6
For me, the first 4 decades of my life was what should have not have been. But it matters not, for what is now is a life of joy and peace, for i no longer walked my own way and lived to regret it, and life is now one of thankfulness and joyous anticipation, as God brings me on a new yet not daunting route, for He is the same God, today, tomorrow and when Christ returns
'You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron'
Psalm 77:20
'O My people, hear My teaching.; listen to the words of My mouth.'
Psalm 78:1
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(11oct09)
'I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago'
Psalm 77:4-5
The only thing troubling me today is the hot and humid weather, for while life is still full of troubles, time with God has ensured that the tentacles of troubles have very little grip upon those who know that God is Sovereign, and who knows God, because we seek Him.
'Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands.'
Psalm 78:7
Today's Sunday Times has an article on a very entrepreneurial gentleman in his 30s, who started an on-line tyre business, and one niche he served is the many damsels in distress, who needed a change of tyres for their four-wheelers. This same chap has aspirations for a life of ease and he thinks that $2mio cash in the bank, with home paid for and no debts is the gateway to nirvana.
I was like him once, and with the kids down with flu, I had a little time to do my own stocktake of my worth, in dollars and cents, and not as in the eyes of the beholder. A cusory examination of my past follies and what could also passed off as intelligent decisions then, would surely have sent me to the poor house.
But God is good. Even as i chose to ignore him the first 4 decades of my miserable life, He never left me adrift, and while Eve was not good for Adam, my wife was truly good to and for me, for without her, I would have moved off keel many times over.
'But they continued to sin against Him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High. They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved..'
Psalm 78:17-18
Life after 40, knowing and acknowledging the grace and love of God for me has been a bliss, even though life is not always a breeze. I have come out of the desert and prayerfully, the only desire in my life is to be holy, for God is holy. Needs I still have, but I know that God has and will provide, including lunch.
And so, if you care to read the same Sunday papers today, there is another article entitled "Food for thought.'
The writer talked about the joy of being able to move from what was a clinical lunch with an acquaintance to one of greater connectivity, when his lunch partner shared about her renewed spirtuality as a Catholic.
The writer thinks that he can no longer be a Catholic given his present lifestyle choice. As what alternatives it is, best for us to keep our guesses to ourselves, but God is everpresent and ever-ready to hold our hands, if only we are willing to turn to Him and away from the devil.
'I am the Lord, and there is no other.'
Isaiah 45:6
For me, the first 4 decades of my life was what should have not have been. But it matters not, for what is now is a life of joy and peace, for i no longer walked my own way and lived to regret it, and life is now one of thankfulness and joyous anticipation, as God brings me on a new yet not daunting route, for He is the same God, today, tomorrow and when Christ returns
'You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron'
Psalm 77:20
'O My people, hear My teaching.; listen to the words of My mouth.'
Psalm 78:1
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(11oct09)
Saturday, October 3, 2009
SundaySnippets#3 Stirring (4 Oct 09 Australian time)
Dear...
'Thou art my God, and I will praise Thee, Thou art my God, I will exalt Thee.' O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever.'
Psalm 118:28-29
If you were in Manila this evening, will you not continue to wallow in the watery misery of the aftermath of Typhoon Ketsana or will you look to the rain drenched sky and thank God for His mercy, in shifting at the last minute, the full brunt of the even more devastating super-typhoon Parma, away from you?
This is not yet Sunday in Singapore, though it is in the Antipodean countries. But there is this stirring in my heart, that I must put pen to paper, or more like fingers to the keyboard, to express the thoughts that the Lord our God is placing in my heart right this moment.
By now, the proof for the Sunday papers tomorrow should already have been set to go to print, and we will likely read more of the woes our neighbors are being subjected to, be it typhoon and floods in Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos and faraway Sicily - Italy, or the equally impactful earthquakes in Padang- Sumatra and Samoa. And not forgetting an almost a day new earthquake the past one week, in Gansu - China, California - USA
Are the stirring of the seismic plates a hint of things to come in the economic and social spectrum of global society?
'Waves of enemies will rage like great waters; the roar of their voices will resound. A destroyer will come against Babylon; her warriors will be captured, and their bows will be broken. For the Lord is a God of retribution; He will repay in full.......
This is what the Lord Almighty says: Babylon's thick wall will be leveled and her high gates set on fire; the people exhaust themselves for nothing, the nations' labor is only fuel for flames.'
Jeremiah 51:55-58
Much as one's sinful self would love to stand on the high moral ground and castigate the sinful world on their impending doom or even possibly join David Letterman in the late night show to talk about the juicy details of his affairs of the heart, and while it is indeed about our heart, it is not about the flesh, but the spirit that must capture our full attention, like now.
Just as Babylon might be present day Iraq, and Israel the present homeland for the once Jewish diaspora. In a different context, Babylon is the sinful lifestyle we indulge in when God is no longer the centre of our heart and where we, believers or not, are all God's chosen people, choose not to follow Him, but rather like the disobedient Israelites of old, wandering in the desert, drinking in lustfully the mirages that the devil happily feed us.
'But some of them said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?'
John 11:37
Many of us believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, for you call yourself a Christian. But why are you still like the blind man, who though you have seen the grace of God, continue to harden your heart, knowing that eternal damnation awaits the disobedient?
Have you consigned to history that wonderful sense of joy and peace, when your heart and very being stirred in response to the sanctifying love of God?
Tomorrow's news in the Sunday papers will already be history by the time you read it. And would you rather be part of the future news should the shaking intensifies and you find yourself no longer a spectator but in the midst of the cauldron?
'Now this is what the Lord Almighty says, "give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little...'
Haggai 1:5
The good news of the gospel is ever fresh. And it remain valid till you meet God on judgement day
But will it be bad news or good news for you? Christ is the author and finisher of our faith, and if you are willing to be still, you will know God, for He is stirring in your heart.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(Sat Oct 3rd Spore time)
'Thou art my God, and I will praise Thee, Thou art my God, I will exalt Thee.' O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever.'
Psalm 118:28-29
If you were in Manila this evening, will you not continue to wallow in the watery misery of the aftermath of Typhoon Ketsana or will you look to the rain drenched sky and thank God for His mercy, in shifting at the last minute, the full brunt of the even more devastating super-typhoon Parma, away from you?
This is not yet Sunday in Singapore, though it is in the Antipodean countries. But there is this stirring in my heart, that I must put pen to paper, or more like fingers to the keyboard, to express the thoughts that the Lord our God is placing in my heart right this moment.
By now, the proof for the Sunday papers tomorrow should already have been set to go to print, and we will likely read more of the woes our neighbors are being subjected to, be it typhoon and floods in Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos and faraway Sicily - Italy, or the equally impactful earthquakes in Padang- Sumatra and Samoa. And not forgetting an almost a day new earthquake the past one week, in Gansu - China, California - USA
Are the stirring of the seismic plates a hint of things to come in the economic and social spectrum of global society?
'Waves of enemies will rage like great waters; the roar of their voices will resound. A destroyer will come against Babylon; her warriors will be captured, and their bows will be broken. For the Lord is a God of retribution; He will repay in full.......
This is what the Lord Almighty says: Babylon's thick wall will be leveled and her high gates set on fire; the people exhaust themselves for nothing, the nations' labor is only fuel for flames.'
Jeremiah 51:55-58
Much as one's sinful self would love to stand on the high moral ground and castigate the sinful world on their impending doom or even possibly join David Letterman in the late night show to talk about the juicy details of his affairs of the heart, and while it is indeed about our heart, it is not about the flesh, but the spirit that must capture our full attention, like now.
Just as Babylon might be present day Iraq, and Israel the present homeland for the once Jewish diaspora. In a different context, Babylon is the sinful lifestyle we indulge in when God is no longer the centre of our heart and where we, believers or not, are all God's chosen people, choose not to follow Him, but rather like the disobedient Israelites of old, wandering in the desert, drinking in lustfully the mirages that the devil happily feed us.
'But some of them said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?'
John 11:37
Many of us believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, for you call yourself a Christian. But why are you still like the blind man, who though you have seen the grace of God, continue to harden your heart, knowing that eternal damnation awaits the disobedient?
Have you consigned to history that wonderful sense of joy and peace, when your heart and very being stirred in response to the sanctifying love of God?
Tomorrow's news in the Sunday papers will already be history by the time you read it. And would you rather be part of the future news should the shaking intensifies and you find yourself no longer a spectator but in the midst of the cauldron?
'Now this is what the Lord Almighty says, "give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little...'
Haggai 1:5
The good news of the gospel is ever fresh. And it remain valid till you meet God on judgement day
But will it be bad news or good news for you? Christ is the author and finisher of our faith, and if you are willing to be still, you will know God, for He is stirring in your heart.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(Sat Oct 3rd Spore time)
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Sunday Snippets#2 Kingdom Investment(30aug09)
Hi all
trust the day is blessed as always. Just yesterday, on a hot Sat afternoon, the wife and myself trudged to visit one of those popular airconditioned showflats near my place. Always fascinating to mingle amongst the starry eyed populace, where the rising prices of brick and mortar can truly cement one's determination to enter into great debt, for future and even short term perceived prosperity.
'...when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes.'
Zephaniah 3:20
Not sure when my harboured dreams of being featured in our local newspaper, Sunday Times will sail into port, but it always fascinate me whenever they featured the investors of diverse background who oftens come across as savvy in their financial investments. Today, it is about a fashionita who is good with figures, and we are not talking about one's hour glass attributes. Self medication might not be any better than using professionals like us, but at least, you are responsible for your own follies and eventual financial demise!!
'He restores my soul.'
Psalm 23:3
Our good Lord has indeed restored a large part of the fortunes for many of us. Of course, there are also many who will never recover what they lost in Oct 2008 or in Mar 2009, by virtue of having been forced sold by their till recently pandering bankers or brokers. And there are also some who let fear get the better of them and sold at near the bottom in Mar 2009. But are you amongst those who might be a little frustrated that you did not buy at the bottom, but has also not sold? Are you thankful or increasingly frustrated?
'God is love'
1 John 4:8
Till recently, like most, I do love to make "right" investment decisions, for it fattens my wallet, enhances my status as a clairvoyant, and if nothing else, is good for the ego. But the Lord our God has reminded oft enough that it is gold as bought from Him that matters. And what is this gold, but our character as refined by Him.
The world is in a sweet spot at the moment. And much as more will come to believe that indeed things are getting better in the global economy, the reality is, are we in a self deluding bubble, as no one wants to face up to reality?
'Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it..'
Psalm 127:1
Am I right in my prognosis? I am not sure, but what matters is, are we following the Lord's leading or our own?
As for me, I know that God is leading me to invest in His kingdom, with His provisions and guidance. This is my investment and sole focus, till He leads me otherwise.
What about you? Have you been still and know He is our God and is cognizant of and is willing to obey His will?
The approach might be different, but I believe that truly, God commands us all to give our all to His will, to commit our all to His kingdom.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
trust the day is blessed as always. Just yesterday, on a hot Sat afternoon, the wife and myself trudged to visit one of those popular airconditioned showflats near my place. Always fascinating to mingle amongst the starry eyed populace, where the rising prices of brick and mortar can truly cement one's determination to enter into great debt, for future and even short term perceived prosperity.
'...when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes.'
Zephaniah 3:20
Not sure when my harboured dreams of being featured in our local newspaper, Sunday Times will sail into port, but it always fascinate me whenever they featured the investors of diverse background who oftens come across as savvy in their financial investments. Today, it is about a fashionita who is good with figures, and we are not talking about one's hour glass attributes. Self medication might not be any better than using professionals like us, but at least, you are responsible for your own follies and eventual financial demise!!
'He restores my soul.'
Psalm 23:3
Our good Lord has indeed restored a large part of the fortunes for many of us. Of course, there are also many who will never recover what they lost in Oct 2008 or in Mar 2009, by virtue of having been forced sold by their till recently pandering bankers or brokers. And there are also some who let fear get the better of them and sold at near the bottom in Mar 2009. But are you amongst those who might be a little frustrated that you did not buy at the bottom, but has also not sold? Are you thankful or increasingly frustrated?
'God is love'
1 John 4:8
Till recently, like most, I do love to make "right" investment decisions, for it fattens my wallet, enhances my status as a clairvoyant, and if nothing else, is good for the ego. But the Lord our God has reminded oft enough that it is gold as bought from Him that matters. And what is this gold, but our character as refined by Him.
The world is in a sweet spot at the moment. And much as more will come to believe that indeed things are getting better in the global economy, the reality is, are we in a self deluding bubble, as no one wants to face up to reality?
'Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it..'
Psalm 127:1
Am I right in my prognosis? I am not sure, but what matters is, are we following the Lord's leading or our own?
As for me, I know that God is leading me to invest in His kingdom, with His provisions and guidance. This is my investment and sole focus, till He leads me otherwise.
What about you? Have you been still and know He is our God and is cognizant of and is willing to obey His will?
The approach might be different, but I believe that truly, God commands us all to give our all to His will, to commit our all to His kingdom.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
Sunday, August 23, 2009
SundaySnippets#1 Is Christ-likeness private?(23Aug09)
Hi all
Now that by God's grace, have written a book. Should i be like some who move on to making a movie out of it. Remember "Jaws 1,2 and 3?
I have regressed instead. Events and comments these past few days have led me horrors to horrors for my long suffering friends, to start an aperitif to my present weekly entree offering or more like pondering on the internet entitled "Reflections for the moment.'
Today kicks off this new bite size serving, and since the first inspiration is from an article in today's Sunday Times, titled "Religion is private", prayerfully, the title of this Sunday series "Sunday Snippets" is brief, concise but incisive and it will be, if it is truly from our Lord.
'Create In me a clean heart, O God. And renew a steadfast spirit within me.'
Psalm 51:10
Like the writer, many of us are (or for me), once good secular people, and just don't understand why the often less than angelic, Bible bearing, but overbearing people are trying to stuff their values mouthed from their lips, but not reflected in their hearts, upon us, the long suffering.
Of course, like the writer, we do have amongst our loved ones who were once like us, minding our own secular business, but now professed Christians, but definitely not in the same category of this burdensome drones
A little quirky they might be, but we still love them, even if they are Christians .
'Restore to me the joy of Your salvation. And uphold me in Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways. And sinners shall be converted to You.'
Psalm 51:12-13
Why do we become believers in our Lord Jesus Christ? Instead of Christians trying to testify to the as yet uninterested, for the world has a lot more compelling distractions, should it not be better to wait for non-believers like the writer to ask "why should I not believe in Christ like you?'
It is God Who brings about the increase.
'For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it. You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart - These O God, You will not despise.'
Psalm 51:16-17
The writer is right. Our views should be private. It can be shared, but only with permission and never imposed. But the life we live as a believer and follower of our Lord Jesus Christ is public. The world must see Christ in us, not just hear about Christ from us. Our hearts must be aligned to the will of God, only then can we be the lamp upon which the light of God will shine forth. And what is the will of God? To love Him with our all, and to love others as much as we love ourselves.
'Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification, for even Christ did not please Himself...'
Romans 15:3
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
Now that by God's grace, have written a book. Should i be like some who move on to making a movie out of it. Remember "Jaws 1,2 and 3?
I have regressed instead. Events and comments these past few days have led me horrors to horrors for my long suffering friends, to start an aperitif to my present weekly entree offering or more like pondering on the internet entitled "Reflections for the moment.'
Today kicks off this new bite size serving, and since the first inspiration is from an article in today's Sunday Times, titled "Religion is private", prayerfully, the title of this Sunday series "Sunday Snippets" is brief, concise but incisive and it will be, if it is truly from our Lord.
'Create In me a clean heart, O God. And renew a steadfast spirit within me.'
Psalm 51:10
Like the writer, many of us are (or for me), once good secular people, and just don't understand why the often less than angelic, Bible bearing, but overbearing people are trying to stuff their values mouthed from their lips, but not reflected in their hearts, upon us, the long suffering.
Of course, like the writer, we do have amongst our loved ones who were once like us, minding our own secular business, but now professed Christians, but definitely not in the same category of this burdensome drones
A little quirky they might be, but we still love them, even if they are Christians .
'Restore to me the joy of Your salvation. And uphold me in Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways. And sinners shall be converted to You.'
Psalm 51:12-13
Why do we become believers in our Lord Jesus Christ? Instead of Christians trying to testify to the as yet uninterested, for the world has a lot more compelling distractions, should it not be better to wait for non-believers like the writer to ask "why should I not believe in Christ like you?'
It is God Who brings about the increase.
'For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it. You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart - These O God, You will not despise.'
Psalm 51:16-17
The writer is right. Our views should be private. It can be shared, but only with permission and never imposed. But the life we live as a believer and follower of our Lord Jesus Christ is public. The world must see Christ in us, not just hear about Christ from us. Our hearts must be aligned to the will of God, only then can we be the lamp upon which the light of God will shine forth. And what is the will of God? To love Him with our all, and to love others as much as we love ourselves.
'Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification, for even Christ did not please Himself...'
Romans 15:3
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
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