Dear....
'And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him. "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Matthew 14:31
Water is what I have a surfeit of in my new surrounds. Having been ensconced for the past 17 years in the garden like environment of the Marina Square area, it is quite a sea change to move across the bay to the more vibrant pulse of the spanking new Marina Bay financial district.
(see lovely night scenes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marina_Bay,_Singapore#Master_Plan_for_Marina_Bay)
Change does saddle one with a mix bag of emotions. I had my 15 minutes of sanguine emotional low last Sunday at the new office. The view was fantastic, but having nestled comfortably at just above sea level these past near two decades, being raised up nearer the birds in flight might not give me vertigo, but can be unsettling.
'Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.'
Psalm 55:6
Homing pigeon I am not, but Monday was pretty disorientating as one adjust not to just a new environment but a spanking new mini city. And how my heart long for the quiet calm, broad open spaces and aging certainty of my previous abode.
Prayerfully what's penned till now does not seem like an extract from my version of Bridget's diary. Nor is it the reminiscence of an old fuddy duddy fogy in a new cage. But rather is there a message our good Lord wants me to share with you?
As followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, we do not run from our troubles, but rather, we must run to our source of comfort and grace, the Lord our God. And troubles are often worth than the once much maligned Russian Rouble, if we remind ourselves that God is Sovereign and His purpose is greater than our present discomfort, much as we often do not fully fathom His ways.
'But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel...'
Philippians 1:12
A spiritual Houdini I am not, but I have come to learn that imperfect as I am, the wholeheartedness of the past decade of my seeking our Lord has allowed me to draw fairly quickly, upon His grace to break free of any spiritual oppression that threatens to encapsulate my very being.
'My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people.'
Ezekiel 37:2
'... but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.'
Ezekiel 37:23
Day 3 today in the new office and I am truly thrilled and enjoying my new surrounds. Strange this creature called man, but how can one not be joyful when the Spirit of God resides in us. Peace and joy emanates easily when our spirit man willingly moves as His Spirit leads and we experience His sanctifying presence and His affirmations. And He opens our hearts to understand His will as so succinctly described by Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:12 above.
Psalm 23:4 speaks about the staff of the shepherd as He leads us through the valley and hills.
'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;
For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.'
Psalm 23:4
A heart that diligently seeks the Lord our God is like a tablet that has deeply ingrained upon it, the living Word of God, for God is the Word, and His Word is the sword of the Spirit.
'And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.'
Deuteronomy 6:6
God empowered the prophets of old to do signs and miracles through their staffs. Today, this "staff" is a willing and transformed heart that opens only to the Spirit of God residing in us. Like the tassels on the corners of garments, of Moses time, which serves as a reminder to the Israelites of the commands of God (Numbers 15:39), a heart that has been transformed and a mind renewed by the grace of God, will keep us focused, come what may, on Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. And in staying steadfast, we will not just experience the grace of God, but be used by Him to minister to others that is beyond the finite us.
'And you(Moses) shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.'
Exodus 4:17
'There shall come forth a Rod( Jesus Christ) from the stem of Jesse..... He shall strike the Earth with the rod of His mouth...'
Isaiah 11:1,4
'.... and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God...'
Ephesians 6:17
A renewed mind that remembers and acknowledges the grace of God in our lives will serve us well to continue to steadfastly look to God with a thankful heart in all circumstances. A friend shared with me that the Jewish shepherds of old often inscribed on the staff that accompanies them, the record of God's grace in their lives. The staff is the focal point for the sheep. A renewed mind and a transformed heart are today, the staff for the follower of Christ.
And even as I attached below a sharing "Strangely warm 2 " penned back in 22 June 2010 in the series Reflections for the moment #70,
The Lord impressed upon my heart, it is time to leave this short diversionary series "Footprints in the sand" and return to the series "Heart to heart" with the next sharing entitled "Heart of the shepherd." And the time is now with us where the Spirit of God is stirring the hearts of not just fathers in the family, but their children as well as their own parents(the grand parents). And this increase in the harvests, can be an unsettling period for the "new followers of our Lord Jesus Christ," for there is a paradigm shift, no different from my moving to a new office. The old familiar carnal man is to be replaced by the spirit man, but like all of the faithful who God has brought ahead, there will be this need for shepherding, to ensure that the new or even renewed faith truly blossom and not be stifled by the roaming devil.
God blesses
Eng Hieang
29th Feb 2012
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Reflections for the moment #70 Strangely warmth(22nd June 10)
Dear…
‘For the man also knoweth not his time; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.’
Ecclesiastes 9:12
Age does sober one up, and it was not too long ago that I spent my 30th birthday away from home and of all things, in a two man 6km road race with Bill, my colleague then, an American Chinese in the lovely summer heat of Connecticut. Fast forward almost two decades later, and the only running I am doing lately is together with my son, making a dash for the next available sofa, while the more energetic ladies in my small household soak in the items on offer in the shops in Hong Kong.
A year to go before I cross the magical half century, at least magical if you are a cricketer looking to score a century in a Test match, but for the mortal man, it means that we are much nearer our three score years plus ten or maybe fourscore(Psalm 90:10)
But the passage of time need not necessarily be the sole determinant of one’s length of stay in this world. If God so determine, one could be off in a whiff before that last breath could make its way down one’s bodily passages. So, like some I am taking to heart the exhortations of Ecclesiastes 9:7,9
‘Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy works…….Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which He hath given thee under the sun….’
Ecclesiastes 9:7,9
This year, the wife and I had a greater preponderance for short overseas sojourns, honeymoon I am not sure, but good things do come in small dosages. Wife is happy, I am too, but did I really do a good job these past decade of my living as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deserve His manifold blessings?
‘So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.’
Psalm 90:12
This was the thought that crossed my heart, or more like been troubling me these past few days. At age 49 just, have I stayed true to the command of God to seek Him with my all and to love others as much as myself? And with the balance of life remaining, having likely crossed the 60-70% mark, how would God want me to live the balance of my days?
'Behold these are the ungodly, who are always at ease. They increase in riches. Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain. And washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning.'
Psalm 73:12-14
And do I not feel drained from the great exertion of seeking to live out my faith these past decade, that maybe it will be truly good and wise to withdraw from the few ministries I have been actively involved in and take a break and smell the roses of God’s blessings instead, that is, the receiving without the giving.
‘He by His wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.’
Ecclesiastes 9:15
God knows our every heartbeat. And He does not leave us to ponder for too long. For a fertile mind is a dangerous mind. This morning’s Daily Bread reading(June 22nd Tuesday) shares about how often our “good works” are rarely appreciated nor remembered. Guess lying just beneath my inner consciousness, is still my carnal desire to be appreciated and recognized for my “self-sacrifice” these past decade since the Spirit of God lifted the blindness in my heart. And with the bodily shell starting to reflect its age, one tend to engage in some self-pity like a dog wet in its tail.
'When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me. Until I went into the sanctuary of God. Then I understood their end.'
Psalm 73:16-17
The Spirit of God quite quickly convicted me of my sinful self, and I have since perked up, and truly remember that it is God Whom I am accountable to, not man and all provisions come from God, and not from my own efforts. And without our participation, God’s plans will still be fulfilled, but with our participation, He allows us to see the wisdom of His ways and appreciate His glory and grace.
‘Charge them that are rich in this present world, that they be not highminded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy, that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute…’
1 Timothy 6:17-19
Like most, I sometimes wish that God will give me more provisions, and even then, give me a little more time to do my own things before I do His. We often read of the trend amongst some preachers who focused very much on the message of prosperity. A God Who so loves us that we should not be afraid nor apologetic about asking for our wants to be fulfilled. And indeed it is a great message that is more easily digestible, for who will not mind all grace without works, that is, more receiving, less giving.
'I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.'
Romans 12:1
This was the issue that bothered me these past few days, quite connected to my sense of inequity, that here was poor me, joyfully giving, with less expectation of an immediate material payback from God our Provider(for it is the Provider not the provisions that matter) and here are some of my fellow Christians, lapping in every word from their enigmatic preachers promising that God so love us, that we just need to ask for the riches of this world.
Is not our faith one of seeking and doing the will of God, rather than our own will? And is not prayers always answered when asked in God’s will, rather than ours?
‘And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’
Luke 4:3-4
It is good to ponder upon this verse in Luke 4:3-4 and think in the context of the messages that some of us might be hearing. Is the devil today tempting us to test God again by our asking Him to give us bread – the things of the world because we are told that God so loved us that He will give us anything we asked for.
‘Judge not, that ye be not judged.’
Matthew 7:1
'Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things....Let him who eats despise him who does not eat....Who are you to judge another's servant?'
Romans 14:1-5
What is the truth? Rather than hear from imperfect man like me or anyone else, would it not be better to heed Jesus Christ’s command in Luke 4:4 that as Christians, we must immersed ourselves in the Word of God, not for head knowledge, but rather, the Word is God, and God is the Word and time in His Words will bring us unto His presence, as His Word will transform our hearts and renew our mind, to enable us to move from the carnal to the spiritual man.
‘For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.’
Matthew 24:24
Interestingly, the numerals in Matthew 24:24 in Cantonese means “easy to die, twice over” Not sure about dying, but much as we think we have great intellect and discerning minds, the truth of the matter is that indeed our minds are self deceiving, and none of us by our own strength are a match for the powers and principalities of the devil’s world. And many will literary die for their carnal wants, but not be willing to die to Christ, in letting go and letting Him.
‘Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness, I will cast thee to the ground….’
Ezekiel 28:17
The prophet James reminded us of the need to submit to God first and foremost, then can we resist the devil and the latter will then flee from us. Submission to God’s Sovereignty must underline our every thought and action, quite contrary to the normal human reaction of resistance, pride, self interests and self survival.
'..that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.'
Ephesians 1:17-18
How can we move away from our natural human instinct to the Spirit man that is always ready to let the Spirit of God residing in us who believe lead us?
'Now to Him Who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith..'
Romans 16:25-26
Let me close by bringing us back to the record of our Lord Jesus Christ walking with two of his disciples soon after his resurrection. How these two men disbelieved what the women folk told them about Christ’s missing body and the appearance of two angels and in sharing this story with a stranger who journeyed with them, not realizing that it was our Lord Jesus Christ though out the journey.
‘And their eyes were opened, and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight.’
Luke 24:31
‘And they said to one another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?’
Luke 24:32
The blindness in one’s heart can never be lifted by our own efforts nor that of others. Only the Spirit of God can and it will be at God’s timing and form. But does it mean that as man we do nothing? God indeed wants us to enjoy His blessings both on Earth and in Heaven. He will more than provide. But God commands us to seek Him with our all and to love others as much as ourselves not because it is a legal consideration in exchange for His grace. But rather, in seeking God in prayers, in His words, in praise and in His works, we learn to come unto His presence, we allow His Spirit to minister to us, to teach us to let go and let Him.
'..to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God..'
Ephesians 3:19
Many times, it is not about logic or clarification, but rather, it is about that unexplainable but joyful peace that comes from a heart that is strangely warmth, that feeling that is indescribable, yet, we know that it is God’s sanctifying presence in our very being. It is God’s compassion for us, His fallen children, that reassures and strengthen that passion or desire in us to live a life that honors Him. It is not about how many things of the world that God should give us, but how blessed we are to have the blindness in our hearts lifted by His grace, to allow us to know Him
‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.’
Acts 14:22
It is not about material riches or things that the world values. It is not about a comfortable life, but God our comforter. It is about Who God is, and how blessed we are in our short finite life to be able to journey in His presence, and yet knowing that eternity with Him is given, if we are willing. Every day is indeed a joyful day, be it that tribulations may come our way for the pain will be fleeting, but the gain from God’s love is permanent.
‘Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.’
Ecclesiastes 12:13
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(22nd June 2010)
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Footprints in the sand #3 Job Interview (16th Feb 2012)
Dear…..
.'Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near.'
Isaiah 55:6
'Neglect, ' this was the thrust of the first two sharings that I penned in this temporary series "Footprints in the sand." In our relentless pursuit of the treasures of this finite world, The omnipresent God is left on the back burner.
'For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to Whom be glory forever. Amen.'
Romans 11:36
'Regret,' is less applicable to men and women of determined faith. For in investing our time and all in seeking to live a life of holiness, God has blessed us with this
indescribable joy and peace that the finite non believing or non faithful men yearned for but could never attain.
"'For My thoughts are not your thoughts. Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord...'
Isaiah 55:8
"Introspect!" Should I resent God and hold Him culpable for allowing me to have less than perfect health? And what about the burdensome demands of the workplace or seemingly unjustifiable troubles determined and obedient children of God often find themselves in?
I have 3 brothers in Christ whose walk with our Lord is much closer than mine, who have served our Lord faithfully. Yet like me, they are undergoing tremendous challenges. Why does God allow His faithful children such trials?
Do you feel like Job, whose wife encouraged him to curse the "unfair" God?
'Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said ....."Now prepare yourself like a man. I will question you and you shall answer Me."
Job 38:2-3
Job "passed" this interview from our Lord. And thanks be to God, struggle as I often do,
He has shown me His ways, and much as He allows the fire to refine me, He shelters and He affirms. And till now, by His grace, I believe God has enabled me to "pass" every tests He has set me. And the same for you if you stay steadfast in His presence.
'Then Job answered the Lord and said : "I know that You can do everything. And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.......Therefore I abhor myself. And repent in dust and ashes,"
Job 42:1-2,6
'Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord and said, "Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight." and Hezekiah wept bitterly.'
Isaiah 38:3
Both Job and King Hezekiah were imperfect but faithful servants of our Sovereign God.
Job accepted the will of God and was blessed many times over. King Hezekiah refused to accept the pronouncement from God, delivered by His servant prophet Isaiah and instead pleaded to God for a variation of His will. And God heard and heeded his plea.
Two different men, two starkly different responses yet both blessed by our Sovereign God. Yet there are clear commonality in both situations.
- both were faithful seekers of the Lord our God
- both were repentful fully recognizing not just their imperfections( for which one might argue the sense that God was inequitable ) but more importantly acknowledging the Sovereignty of God.
- and both clung on to God, much as there were compelling reasons to do otherwise.
God is faithful and His plans are always good for us. We look for conclusions(our way), God expects obedience, and in letting go and letting Him, we will not just see the wisdom of His ways, but partake in the fruits He has prepared for the faithful
‘I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.’
Philippians 4:11
And in closing, let me bring you to Psalm 77 and Psalm 116.
In Psalm 77, the writer struggled with God’s seemingly indifference to his woes. Yet, he reminded himself that God has always been faithful, as he reflected on the past, and in doing so, his faith was renewed knowing that God is faithful always. And in acknowledging the Sovereignty of God, He will draw near to us.
And Psalm 77, which I encourage you to read in its entirety, crystallized for me the purpose of our Lord in leading me to divert to this temporary series "Footprints in the Sands." To remind us that much as we do not see the footprints of our Lord in our present woes, His leading was very real in our past "troubles" and will continue to be crystal clear His way, if we allow Him.
'Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known.'
Psalm 77:19
'I will remember the works of the Lord, surely I remember Thy wonders of old.....'
Psalm 77:11
Psalm 116, is the morning after, when the sun rises and the darkness of our circumstances is lifted. The writer is overjoyed having experienced God’s loving response to his pleas.
It is always easier to thank God after the fact than before. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, evidence of things unseen. As the children of God, we must learn to let go and let Him and to learn to have a thankful heart in all circumstances(as in Philippians 4:11). For only then, will we be willing to walk out of the “unlocked prison doors” into the waiting arms of God. And it will serve us well to remember the past "footprints" of Christ's leading, when He brought us through the valleys and the hills of our lives.
God blesses
Eng Hieang
16th Feb 2012
.'Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near.'
Isaiah 55:6
'Neglect, ' this was the thrust of the first two sharings that I penned in this temporary series "Footprints in the sand." In our relentless pursuit of the treasures of this finite world, The omnipresent God is left on the back burner.
'For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to Whom be glory forever. Amen.'
Romans 11:36
'Regret,' is less applicable to men and women of determined faith. For in investing our time and all in seeking to live a life of holiness, God has blessed us with this
indescribable joy and peace that the finite non believing or non faithful men yearned for but could never attain.
"'For My thoughts are not your thoughts. Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord...'
Isaiah 55:8
"Introspect!" Should I resent God and hold Him culpable for allowing me to have less than perfect health? And what about the burdensome demands of the workplace or seemingly unjustifiable troubles determined and obedient children of God often find themselves in?
I have 3 brothers in Christ whose walk with our Lord is much closer than mine, who have served our Lord faithfully. Yet like me, they are undergoing tremendous challenges. Why does God allow His faithful children such trials?
Do you feel like Job, whose wife encouraged him to curse the "unfair" God?
'Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said ....."Now prepare yourself like a man. I will question you and you shall answer Me."
Job 38:2-3
Job "passed" this interview from our Lord. And thanks be to God, struggle as I often do,
He has shown me His ways, and much as He allows the fire to refine me, He shelters and He affirms. And till now, by His grace, I believe God has enabled me to "pass" every tests He has set me. And the same for you if you stay steadfast in His presence.
'Then Job answered the Lord and said : "I know that You can do everything. And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.......Therefore I abhor myself. And repent in dust and ashes,"
Job 42:1-2,6
'Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord and said, "Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight." and Hezekiah wept bitterly.'
Isaiah 38:3
Both Job and King Hezekiah were imperfect but faithful servants of our Sovereign God.
Job accepted the will of God and was blessed many times over. King Hezekiah refused to accept the pronouncement from God, delivered by His servant prophet Isaiah and instead pleaded to God for a variation of His will. And God heard and heeded his plea.
Two different men, two starkly different responses yet both blessed by our Sovereign God. Yet there are clear commonality in both situations.
- both were faithful seekers of the Lord our God
- both were repentful fully recognizing not just their imperfections( for which one might argue the sense that God was inequitable ) but more importantly acknowledging the Sovereignty of God.
- and both clung on to God, much as there were compelling reasons to do otherwise.
God is faithful and His plans are always good for us. We look for conclusions(our way), God expects obedience, and in letting go and letting Him, we will not just see the wisdom of His ways, but partake in the fruits He has prepared for the faithful
‘I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.’
Philippians 4:11
And in closing, let me bring you to Psalm 77 and Psalm 116.
In Psalm 77, the writer struggled with God’s seemingly indifference to his woes. Yet, he reminded himself that God has always been faithful, as he reflected on the past, and in doing so, his faith was renewed knowing that God is faithful always. And in acknowledging the Sovereignty of God, He will draw near to us.
And Psalm 77, which I encourage you to read in its entirety, crystallized for me the purpose of our Lord in leading me to divert to this temporary series "Footprints in the Sands." To remind us that much as we do not see the footprints of our Lord in our present woes, His leading was very real in our past "troubles" and will continue to be crystal clear His way, if we allow Him.
'Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known.'
Psalm 77:19
'I will remember the works of the Lord, surely I remember Thy wonders of old.....'
Psalm 77:11
Psalm 116, is the morning after, when the sun rises and the darkness of our circumstances is lifted. The writer is overjoyed having experienced God’s loving response to his pleas.
It is always easier to thank God after the fact than before. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, evidence of things unseen. As the children of God, we must learn to let go and let Him and to learn to have a thankful heart in all circumstances(as in Philippians 4:11). For only then, will we be willing to walk out of the “unlocked prison doors” into the waiting arms of God. And it will serve us well to remember the past "footprints" of Christ's leading, when He brought us through the valleys and the hills of our lives.
God blesses
Eng Hieang
16th Feb 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Footprints in the sand#2 Is God real??(11th Feb 2012)
Dear....
Are most of us guilty of blasphemy? For by the manner we conduct our lives, we are implying that God is not real. He is at best one of the many comfort points or idols we look to in our times of specific wants, to be left on the shelf of neglect once these wants are met.
Many years back, in the early days of my seeking to live as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, there was one night in my quiet time, I felt a sense of doubt as to the very existence of God. That same night, I awoke with a startle and much as I spontaneously shouted aloud the words ' away with you Satan,' I had a glimpse of a cobra. Was it a dream, a figment of my imagination or it was my own moment of doubt that had allowed a spiritual onslaught on my being?
Interestingly, the next morning, as I spend time reading the Daily Bread, I was reminded that the previous evening's reading that I had half disinterestedly picked through, was on 'doubting God.'
Fast forward to June 2010, as some might recall in my moment of weakness, I asked to take a break not just only from serving God, but from Him, and inexplicably I found myself entering a period of spiritual depression. But by His grace, God not only lifted the oppression of the devil upon my very being, but brought me forth to a new maturity in my journey with Him, which led to my penning the series "In Spirit and truth."
'Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His shape....'
John 5:37
If you are skeptical of what is shared so far, it is understandable, for we are looking from our own finite understanding. But it is good to take time in the presence of our Sovereign Lord, and He will lift the veil upon your heart and you will be edified by His sanctifying grace, much as you will be keenly cognitive of the delusions of the fallen prince of the air.
God is Spirit. Only in taking time in His Words( for the Word is God), in a time of prayers( for prayers is about communion in His presence), in His works( for God is love, and we will experience the empowerment of the Holy Spirit when we do His will and share love), and always with a thankful heart. For a grateful heart allows us to look from God's perspective, and enables us to be used by Him wonderfully in His purpose.
'....the Word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.'
Luke 3:2
John the Baptist was called into ministry in the quietness of the harsh desert, as was a long line of prophets. I am reminded that the same applies to almost all of us. It is often in the difficult circumstances, the desert of our lives, that our hearts not just sense the presence of our omnipresent Father in Heaven, but are more willing to respond to His leading.
God is more than a figment of one's imagination. He lives and you will know Him, and enjoy His grace this very moment if you are willing to let go and let Him. For in drawing near to God, He draws near to you.
'He( ie Jesus) said to them, "Come and see. " They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day...'
John 1:39
As I prepare to close these thoughts, I received news of a very dear brother in Christ who has taken ill. As a man blessed to know God, the question that came to my heart was "not why did it happen to a man who seeks after the Lord?" but rather, "have I been faithful enough to be able to discern the will of God for my friend, for God will answer the prayers and supplications asked in His will?' In all circumstances, God is Sovereign and His plans are good for the faithful. Will we be willing to move as He leads?'
'The Lord will keep you from all harm - He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.'
Psalm 121:7-8
It is easier to accept the goodness of God in our happy circumstances. But in the midst of the storms in our lives, is Psalm 121:7-8 a fallacy?
I was glad when they said to me. "Let us go into the house of the Lord."
Psalm 122:1
We look at the temporal, God is preparing us for eternity.
God blesses
Eng Hieang
11th Feb 2012
Running the race #31 Show me God!!(20Feb2009)
Dear…
'As for me, I shall behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy form.'
Psalm 17:15
How many of us can truly state categorically that we come out of our nightly slumber all raring to start anew in this newly minted fresh day? And even fewer will likely end the day at peace, with nary a few needing valium induced sleep.
I must admit that I find it impossible to be at peace, without time with God, but would that not make God no different from the other paraphernalia of solace that many seek in this troubled world? Be it meditation, yoga, spa, valium and whatever seems to give us that temporary respite.
To each his or her own might be the dictum, and it should be, for one should not impose one's faith on others. But share, we can and let me try to expound a little more on why for me and for many other believers in our Sovereign Lord, God is truly the only source of comfort and grace.
'Yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless Jehovah, Who hath given me counsel; Yea, my heart instructeth me in the night seasons. I have set Jehovah always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth. My flesh also shall dwell in safety. For Thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol..'
Psalms 16:7-9
A short article I read in the Daily Bread this morning gave me an insight which I was fleetingly aware, but never paid much attention to. King Solomon, the wisest man in the world, made his most correct decision in his sleep, when God spoke to his heart, and from his humble and contrite heart, Solomon asked not for riches or power, but for wisdom from God to be a good steward of the Kingdom that King David his father had bequeathed to him, as commanded by God.
The best decision in my life was also from the heart, but it was when I was wide awake at 1 a.m in Bangkok, when the Lord uplifted my heart, that one cannot but be repentant and be willing to acknowledge His Sovereignty and translate that into a desire to seek Him always.
'And I will give them an heart to know Me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart.'
Jeremiah 24:7
But coming back to slumberland, while I did have a sprinkling of dreams or visions in my past slumbers, where truly I believe the Lord spoke clearly to me, but my recent experiences was a little different. My recent heart to heart experience (early Sep 2008) was more of a strong prompting that moves from the heart to an immediate thought in the mind as He awakens me in the few minutes preceding the beginning of dawn.
And as shared with some on this mailing, the prompting was to pay down debt and to buy physical gold, and though I ignored God more than a few times, for it goes again my rational logic, one must pay attention to a persistent call.
'For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables…'
2 Timothy 4:3-4
"Show me the money" is a common retort for those who are skeptical of a commercial proposition. But sadly, this also permeates the lives of many both in and out of church, be it in times of great wealth creation or like now, in times of deep economic crisis.
A reallocation of God's material provisions to the faithful is occurring, as End Times intensifies, and where God will not just provide for the faithful, but will give more than suffice to allow the faithful to do His work amongst the many whose shaken lives will make them more willing to embrace God's love at work through us all.
'In his days, Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is his name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.'
Jeremiah 23:6
But to express that I will have knowledge as to where is best to position one's God provided resources to obtain the best financial returns or that I have the inside feel as to how best to extract that material blessings that God is supposedly to freely give to all who us who ask, is at best a misrepresentation of the will of God, and in Chinese mythical belief, would likely qualify me to go through the 7 or whatever is the numerical levels of torture before one finally end up in the hot cauldron of Hell. Not too sure about the levels but I would dread having to account to the Lord our God for my misdemeanors.
If we have forgotten the name of our God,or stretched out our hands to a strange god; shall not God search this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart…'
Psalms 44:20-21
"Show me a miracle" might be the criteria many indicate as a prerequsiite before they will be willing to consider the Sovereignty of God. The Israelites of Moses time were treated to a series of miracles, culminating in the parting of the Red Sea, yet, before long, their interests soon digress, and they rather exchange worship for God for a golden bull instead.
Is it because men find themselves easily distracted by the wiles of the devil or worse, they rather play god and arbiter themselves. Men, by virtue of eating the fruit of knowledge, find it difficult to want to let go and let God, for submissiveness run against their intellect, or more their sinful desire to play god.
'Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.'
James 4:10
A humble and contrite heart is the canvass upon which the Spirit of God will shine upon. Humbling is painful, but gainful for to be otherwise is to be like the devil, a prideful, deceitful and unrepentant fallen angel.
The devil as personified by pointed ears and a swishing tail, not many might have seen in real life, but the devil is in you, and the devil is on full display through you, if we continue to live a life that personifies the evil of this present world.
What about God? How can we show you the awesome God, that even men who are closest to Him can never see except from a sheltered distance and a covered veil, no one will live if He sees God.
'Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid…'
John 14:27
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us, God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.'
Psalms 46:10-11
To introduce God, we have to first know Him. And much as the world uses its senses, God speaks to our heart and when He does, we will know His very presence. That inner peace and joy is a constant companion for those who are truly desirous of seeking God and obeying His will. I cannot show you God, but I know He is in me. But by my very living, I can be used by God to show all His very likeness.
But is that good enough for those who still insist that God must come down to their level?
'…am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God?'
Galatians 1:10
'Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised…..for all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.'
Jeremiah 9:25-26
Today, more than ever, many are going to church because they have been told that God will forgive and God will provide bountiful blessings, if we just asked. God has indeed already forgiven us our sins, but it does not mean that we can revert back to our old sinful ways. Forgiveness is given, but accountability for our sins still has to be made or more correctly, our hearts still need be to be transformed, and without some pain, there will be no gain, for then will one truly move from mouthing repentance to a truly heartfelt repentance. Is the corporate leadership of the world truly repentant? Lets hope so for then can healing truly begin.
'…The God of heaven, He will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build….'
Nehemiah 2:20
As a believer, I know that God will honor His promise to redistribute the provisions to the faithful. But it is not to be taken as a reward on earth for our reward is in eternity in Heaven. But rather, the provisions will be there for us to be used to release others from the bondage of the devil and to allow them to see the love of God in action.
Is it correct then to continue to do nothing but continue to pray that the provisions will come to us before we can moved hearts?
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.'
1 John 2:15
The provisions are already there for many of us, for the Lord our God has sheltered and provided. But it is not the provisions, but the Provider whom we must look to. And rather than worrying about showing the unbelieving proof of God's existence or even God Himself, would it not be better to show the way to the presence of God by obeying wholeheartedly the path He has shown us, which is
'For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.'
1 Peter 2:15
'But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.'
Jeremiah 9:24
'I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith…'
2 Timothy 4:7
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(14 Feb 09)
An after note
------------------
In Bangkok, where I have just returned from, this verse I read in my quiet time there, reminded me of the one and only time when I "saw" God, and even then, it was in my sleep.
"And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East, and His voice was like a noise of many waters and the earth shined with His glory……So the Spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court, and behold the glory of the Lord filled the house. And I heard Him speaking unto me out of the house…''
Ezekiel 432-6
But I have "seen" God many times since then, in His Words, in His way, in circumstances. And a song I sang in church last Sunday reminded me and all about "seeing" God
Part of the song goes as follows
"..And I will run to You. To Your Words of truth. Not by might, not by power, But by the Spirit of God. Yes, I will run the race, till I see Your face. O, let me live in the glory of Your grace"
(Words and Music by Darlene Zschech)
I might not see God till He takes me to eternity, but His Spirit truly resides in us who believed and the Spirit will lead us, as the verse says below
'You,however are controlled not by the sinful nature, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you…'
Romans 8:9
And let me end by not making a prediction, but by stating what I truly believe the Lord had put in my heart on the way back on the plane yesterday,
That be forewarned, the stirrings of trouble in Eastern Europe will get worse if men not repent and let go of their own selfishness, as is already happening with the way the Western European banks are pulling the carpet from under the Eastern European brothers. The contagion has truly moved from the still unrepentant and deceitful land of the free, America to the still selfish Old World. Would it then move on to the rest of us including Asia?
'…God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him for HE care for you.'
1 Peter 5:5-7
Who are we to make God our equal??
'What is man that You are mindful of him. But the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a litter lower than the angels. And You have crowned him with glory and honour'
Psalms 8:3-6
Are most of us guilty of blasphemy? For by the manner we conduct our lives, we are implying that God is not real. He is at best one of the many comfort points or idols we look to in our times of specific wants, to be left on the shelf of neglect once these wants are met.
Many years back, in the early days of my seeking to live as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, there was one night in my quiet time, I felt a sense of doubt as to the very existence of God. That same night, I awoke with a startle and much as I spontaneously shouted aloud the words ' away with you Satan,' I had a glimpse of a cobra. Was it a dream, a figment of my imagination or it was my own moment of doubt that had allowed a spiritual onslaught on my being?
Interestingly, the next morning, as I spend time reading the Daily Bread, I was reminded that the previous evening's reading that I had half disinterestedly picked through, was on 'doubting God.'
Fast forward to June 2010, as some might recall in my moment of weakness, I asked to take a break not just only from serving God, but from Him, and inexplicably I found myself entering a period of spiritual depression. But by His grace, God not only lifted the oppression of the devil upon my very being, but brought me forth to a new maturity in my journey with Him, which led to my penning the series "In Spirit and truth."
'Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His shape....'
John 5:37
If you are skeptical of what is shared so far, it is understandable, for we are looking from our own finite understanding. But it is good to take time in the presence of our Sovereign Lord, and He will lift the veil upon your heart and you will be edified by His sanctifying grace, much as you will be keenly cognitive of the delusions of the fallen prince of the air.
God is Spirit. Only in taking time in His Words( for the Word is God), in a time of prayers( for prayers is about communion in His presence), in His works( for God is love, and we will experience the empowerment of the Holy Spirit when we do His will and share love), and always with a thankful heart. For a grateful heart allows us to look from God's perspective, and enables us to be used by Him wonderfully in His purpose.
'....the Word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.'
Luke 3:2
John the Baptist was called into ministry in the quietness of the harsh desert, as was a long line of prophets. I am reminded that the same applies to almost all of us. It is often in the difficult circumstances, the desert of our lives, that our hearts not just sense the presence of our omnipresent Father in Heaven, but are more willing to respond to His leading.
God is more than a figment of one's imagination. He lives and you will know Him, and enjoy His grace this very moment if you are willing to let go and let Him. For in drawing near to God, He draws near to you.
'He( ie Jesus) said to them, "Come and see. " They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day...'
John 1:39
As I prepare to close these thoughts, I received news of a very dear brother in Christ who has taken ill. As a man blessed to know God, the question that came to my heart was "not why did it happen to a man who seeks after the Lord?" but rather, "have I been faithful enough to be able to discern the will of God for my friend, for God will answer the prayers and supplications asked in His will?' In all circumstances, God is Sovereign and His plans are good for the faithful. Will we be willing to move as He leads?'
'The Lord will keep you from all harm - He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.'
Psalm 121:7-8
It is easier to accept the goodness of God in our happy circumstances. But in the midst of the storms in our lives, is Psalm 121:7-8 a fallacy?
I was glad when they said to me. "Let us go into the house of the Lord."
Psalm 122:1
We look at the temporal, God is preparing us for eternity.
God blesses
Eng Hieang
11th Feb 2012
Running the race #31 Show me God!!(20Feb2009)
Dear…
'As for me, I shall behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy form.'
Psalm 17:15
How many of us can truly state categorically that we come out of our nightly slumber all raring to start anew in this newly minted fresh day? And even fewer will likely end the day at peace, with nary a few needing valium induced sleep.
I must admit that I find it impossible to be at peace, without time with God, but would that not make God no different from the other paraphernalia of solace that many seek in this troubled world? Be it meditation, yoga, spa, valium and whatever seems to give us that temporary respite.
To each his or her own might be the dictum, and it should be, for one should not impose one's faith on others. But share, we can and let me try to expound a little more on why for me and for many other believers in our Sovereign Lord, God is truly the only source of comfort and grace.
'Yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless Jehovah, Who hath given me counsel; Yea, my heart instructeth me in the night seasons. I have set Jehovah always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth. My flesh also shall dwell in safety. For Thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol..'
Psalms 16:7-9
A short article I read in the Daily Bread this morning gave me an insight which I was fleetingly aware, but never paid much attention to. King Solomon, the wisest man in the world, made his most correct decision in his sleep, when God spoke to his heart, and from his humble and contrite heart, Solomon asked not for riches or power, but for wisdom from God to be a good steward of the Kingdom that King David his father had bequeathed to him, as commanded by God.
The best decision in my life was also from the heart, but it was when I was wide awake at 1 a.m in Bangkok, when the Lord uplifted my heart, that one cannot but be repentant and be willing to acknowledge His Sovereignty and translate that into a desire to seek Him always.
'And I will give them an heart to know Me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart.'
Jeremiah 24:7
But coming back to slumberland, while I did have a sprinkling of dreams or visions in my past slumbers, where truly I believe the Lord spoke clearly to me, but my recent experiences was a little different. My recent heart to heart experience (early Sep 2008) was more of a strong prompting that moves from the heart to an immediate thought in the mind as He awakens me in the few minutes preceding the beginning of dawn.
And as shared with some on this mailing, the prompting was to pay down debt and to buy physical gold, and though I ignored God more than a few times, for it goes again my rational logic, one must pay attention to a persistent call.
'For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables…'
2 Timothy 4:3-4
"Show me the money" is a common retort for those who are skeptical of a commercial proposition. But sadly, this also permeates the lives of many both in and out of church, be it in times of great wealth creation or like now, in times of deep economic crisis.
A reallocation of God's material provisions to the faithful is occurring, as End Times intensifies, and where God will not just provide for the faithful, but will give more than suffice to allow the faithful to do His work amongst the many whose shaken lives will make them more willing to embrace God's love at work through us all.
'In his days, Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is his name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.'
Jeremiah 23:6
But to express that I will have knowledge as to where is best to position one's God provided resources to obtain the best financial returns or that I have the inside feel as to how best to extract that material blessings that God is supposedly to freely give to all who us who ask, is at best a misrepresentation of the will of God, and in Chinese mythical belief, would likely qualify me to go through the 7 or whatever is the numerical levels of torture before one finally end up in the hot cauldron of Hell. Not too sure about the levels but I would dread having to account to the Lord our God for my misdemeanors.
If we have forgotten the name of our God,or stretched out our hands to a strange god; shall not God search this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart…'
Psalms 44:20-21
"Show me a miracle" might be the criteria many indicate as a prerequsiite before they will be willing to consider the Sovereignty of God. The Israelites of Moses time were treated to a series of miracles, culminating in the parting of the Red Sea, yet, before long, their interests soon digress, and they rather exchange worship for God for a golden bull instead.
Is it because men find themselves easily distracted by the wiles of the devil or worse, they rather play god and arbiter themselves. Men, by virtue of eating the fruit of knowledge, find it difficult to want to let go and let God, for submissiveness run against their intellect, or more their sinful desire to play god.
'Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.'
James 4:10
A humble and contrite heart is the canvass upon which the Spirit of God will shine upon. Humbling is painful, but gainful for to be otherwise is to be like the devil, a prideful, deceitful and unrepentant fallen angel.
The devil as personified by pointed ears and a swishing tail, not many might have seen in real life, but the devil is in you, and the devil is on full display through you, if we continue to live a life that personifies the evil of this present world.
What about God? How can we show you the awesome God, that even men who are closest to Him can never see except from a sheltered distance and a covered veil, no one will live if He sees God.
'Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid…'
John 14:27
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us, God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.'
Psalms 46:10-11
To introduce God, we have to first know Him. And much as the world uses its senses, God speaks to our heart and when He does, we will know His very presence. That inner peace and joy is a constant companion for those who are truly desirous of seeking God and obeying His will. I cannot show you God, but I know He is in me. But by my very living, I can be used by God to show all His very likeness.
But is that good enough for those who still insist that God must come down to their level?
'…am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God?'
Galatians 1:10
'Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised…..for all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.'
Jeremiah 9:25-26
Today, more than ever, many are going to church because they have been told that God will forgive and God will provide bountiful blessings, if we just asked. God has indeed already forgiven us our sins, but it does not mean that we can revert back to our old sinful ways. Forgiveness is given, but accountability for our sins still has to be made or more correctly, our hearts still need be to be transformed, and without some pain, there will be no gain, for then will one truly move from mouthing repentance to a truly heartfelt repentance. Is the corporate leadership of the world truly repentant? Lets hope so for then can healing truly begin.
'…The God of heaven, He will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build….'
Nehemiah 2:20
As a believer, I know that God will honor His promise to redistribute the provisions to the faithful. But it is not to be taken as a reward on earth for our reward is in eternity in Heaven. But rather, the provisions will be there for us to be used to release others from the bondage of the devil and to allow them to see the love of God in action.
Is it correct then to continue to do nothing but continue to pray that the provisions will come to us before we can moved hearts?
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.'
1 John 2:15
The provisions are already there for many of us, for the Lord our God has sheltered and provided. But it is not the provisions, but the Provider whom we must look to. And rather than worrying about showing the unbelieving proof of God's existence or even God Himself, would it not be better to show the way to the presence of God by obeying wholeheartedly the path He has shown us, which is
'For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.'
1 Peter 2:15
'But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.'
Jeremiah 9:24
'I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith…'
2 Timothy 4:7
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(14 Feb 09)
An after note
------------------
In Bangkok, where I have just returned from, this verse I read in my quiet time there, reminded me of the one and only time when I "saw" God, and even then, it was in my sleep.
"And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East, and His voice was like a noise of many waters and the earth shined with His glory……So the Spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court, and behold the glory of the Lord filled the house. And I heard Him speaking unto me out of the house…''
Ezekiel 432-6
But I have "seen" God many times since then, in His Words, in His way, in circumstances. And a song I sang in church last Sunday reminded me and all about "seeing" God
Part of the song goes as follows
"..And I will run to You. To Your Words of truth. Not by might, not by power, But by the Spirit of God. Yes, I will run the race, till I see Your face. O, let me live in the glory of Your grace"
(Words and Music by Darlene Zschech)
I might not see God till He takes me to eternity, but His Spirit truly resides in us who believed and the Spirit will lead us, as the verse says below
'You,however are controlled not by the sinful nature, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you…'
Romans 8:9
And let me end by not making a prediction, but by stating what I truly believe the Lord had put in my heart on the way back on the plane yesterday,
That be forewarned, the stirrings of trouble in Eastern Europe will get worse if men not repent and let go of their own selfishness, as is already happening with the way the Western European banks are pulling the carpet from under the Eastern European brothers. The contagion has truly moved from the still unrepentant and deceitful land of the free, America to the still selfish Old World. Would it then move on to the rest of us including Asia?
'…God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him for HE care for you.'
1 Peter 5:5-7
Who are we to make God our equal??
'What is man that You are mindful of him. But the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a litter lower than the angels. And You have crowned him with glory and honour'
Psalms 8:3-6
Friday, February 3, 2012
Footprints in the sand#1 Down Tofu Lane (4th Feb 2012)
Dear....
'These things I have spoken, that you should not be made to stumble.....But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them..... '
John 16:1-4
Our Sovereign God truly provides down to the finer details. This verse, John 16:1-4 which by His grace I chanced upon in my quiet time with Him this morning sums up succinctly this new path that He has placed me upon, in this ministry.
Truly in soaking myself in the presence of our Lord, His Spirit has always kept me even keeled, much as my imperfections often threatened to send me off balance. I have grown in my relationship with my Father in Heaven, now I am ready to move forth for His kingdom. And indeed in this period of final preparation, it is good to revisit the goodness of God in our lives and bring forth once again the luster of the precious gems of truth that He has taught us all.
'I spoke to you in your prosperity. But you said, 'I will not hear.' This has been your manner from your youth. That you did not obey My voice.'
Jeremiah 22:21
Indeed I have been wayward in my youth right till middle age. But I have been obedient for a decade and is blessed for that. 'SIMPLE' this was the word God impressed upon my heart this morning. In our increasing complex, delusive and divisive world, simplicity of needs and an unfettered heart with only one focus - Christ the author and finisher of our faith is what will anchor us through the approaching storms and which will help us navigate through the minefield of despair, deceit and derision.
'but the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.'
John 14:26-27
God blesses
Eng Hieang
(4th Feb 2012)
#123 Walking down Tofu Lane (penned in 21st Jan 07)
'Then He remembers the days of old....'
Isaiah 63:11
With time, memories grow dim and our emotions detach from what was and on to something new. What matters to us today, will matter less over time.
But with God, He has never forgotten His love for us. We have saddened Him, we have angered Him, we have ignored Him and for many, plain forgotten Him, but He never forgets us and He remains faithful.
Tofu Lane was the title for one of the local television series in Singapore. It was a nostalgic drawback to the days of old.
We will all grow. Our souls will leave our bodily shell. Where to in yonder??
With the Lord our God in a place of peace and joy, or to the fiery furnace of Satan's eternal damnation??
This is not the time for nostalgia, but for an affirmative step in faith in the direction of the Lord our God.
May the attached story of my father's late friend speak of God's faithfulness rather than of man's unfaithfulness.
Dear….
‘It is right to obey God rather than men’
Acts 5:29
With the recent death of Art Buchwald, the American political satirist, another iconic figure of the 20th century has moved from humor to posthumous. Some of us grew up with the Beatles in the ‘60s, and Bee Gees in the ‘70s. I was more in tuned with the likes of dear Art with his great dry wit and juxtaposed his meanderings with that of the melodic but crisp British wit of the great author, PG Wodehouse, life was ever so complete for me, an avid fan of both.
‘Now consider this, you who forget God…..’
Psalm 50:22
Talking about memory lane, just last week, I happened to take a walk down the old stomping grounds of the formative years of my career, the nascent times when I first graduated from taking pocket monies from my parents, to paying obeisance to my bosses.
Truly, Singapore is transforming. The old ladies that used to line Shenton Way, who had seen better days, will have no chance to mature into grand old dames, for the sound of the wrecking balls beckon. Yet, out of the rubble will soon arise a new panoramic skyline, littered with imposing and aesthetically defining skyscrapers.
‘….O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my day……..’
Psalm 102:24
If buildings have a soul, that might be the clarion call for some sentimental soul to save the markers of their past. But the world needs to move on, for needs are many, wants are insatiable and time and tide waits for no one.
What about us humans??
As I walked down from Shenton Way towards Raffles Place, in the midst of the comparatively spacious human freeway(compared to Central in HK or Shinjuku in Tokyo), the youthful vibrancy and vigor of my fellow journeymen is not lost on one, whose heart might still be wistfully young, but whose creaking joints constantly remind one of one’s pecking order in life’s cycle.
‘….that they did not serve nor worship any god except their own God’
Daniel 3:28
Daniel was blessed to know God in his formative years. He responded faithfully to God’s grace and God blessed him and used him wonderfully to bring about His will all his lifetime.
What about us??
‘For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s’
Philippians 2:21
Like some, I am quite guilty of not spending enough time with my parents. Just last Saturday, at dinner, my father shared with me the following poignant tale.
His old buddy, who used to sow the wild oats with him in his prime, and was a key part of his increasing shrinking pool of living friends, died of a heart attack last week
The friend died the day he was supposed to visit my father at the hospital.
His friend was a lonely man. In his days of plenty, he left house and home for another lady in another country. In his sunset years, he returned, having lost his utility to his mistress, and rejected by his forsaken family, he was left with no option but to stay with his younger brother who was a bachelor.
The younger brother died two months earlier, and my father’s friend was at a very real risk of not having a roof under his head.
In the midst of our troubles, somehow, most of us will be able to see the ever present God better.
Forlorn and alone, my father’s friend, with encouragement from my father, started to go to church two months back. My dad’s reasoning was simple enough, The Pastor and his flock will look after him, will keep him company and give him love.
And my father’s friend had nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Was my father’s friend saved?? Did he accept the salvation that God gave freely to all of us??
…if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee, but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off forever’
1 Chronicles 28:9
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. We rest our belief that God wants to save us all. He is Almighty.
‘Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distress’
Psalm 107:13
The fact that my father’s friend embarked at all on this recent journey with God, albeit at a rather late stage in his life, is suffice for us to believe that God is with him.
It is suffice reassurance in time for my father to know that he will meet his friend again, but this time in Heaven.
‘…our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him..’
1 Thessalonians 5:9-11
‘Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed.’
1 Corinthians 15:51
In the normal order of things, city landscapes can be transformed, derelict buildings torn down, and in its place, gleaming new buildings.
For men, at best, when alive, we hang on to the memories of yesteryears. Try as some might, in death, at best, their bodily shell might be embalmed, their glories consigned to the history books, and if there was to be any resurrection of them, it will often be a result of the machinations of a new generation, with selfish intent.
‘..Keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God that ye may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance for your children, after you forever…’
1 Chronicles 28:8
With God, it need not be this way. For eternity is what He gives us.
Question is, do we now live everyday of our lives, allowing God to make us ready, in preparation to live in eternity with Him or do we expend our energies creating what is at best, a flimsy tofu-like temporal existence on earth and setting the stage for our entry into eternal damnation in hell.
‘…who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burning?’
Isaiah 33:14
Should not the right choice be to
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with your entire mind and with all your strength…’
Mark 12:30
‘For by grace you are saved through faith , and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God’
Ephesians 2:8-9
God Blesses
Eng Hieang (21st Jan 2007)
'These things I have spoken, that you should not be made to stumble.....But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them..... '
John 16:1-4
Our Sovereign God truly provides down to the finer details. This verse, John 16:1-4 which by His grace I chanced upon in my quiet time with Him this morning sums up succinctly this new path that He has placed me upon, in this ministry.
Truly in soaking myself in the presence of our Lord, His Spirit has always kept me even keeled, much as my imperfections often threatened to send me off balance. I have grown in my relationship with my Father in Heaven, now I am ready to move forth for His kingdom. And indeed in this period of final preparation, it is good to revisit the goodness of God in our lives and bring forth once again the luster of the precious gems of truth that He has taught us all.
'I spoke to you in your prosperity. But you said, 'I will not hear.' This has been your manner from your youth. That you did not obey My voice.'
Jeremiah 22:21
Indeed I have been wayward in my youth right till middle age. But I have been obedient for a decade and is blessed for that. 'SIMPLE' this was the word God impressed upon my heart this morning. In our increasing complex, delusive and divisive world, simplicity of needs and an unfettered heart with only one focus - Christ the author and finisher of our faith is what will anchor us through the approaching storms and which will help us navigate through the minefield of despair, deceit and derision.
'but the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.'
John 14:26-27
God blesses
Eng Hieang
(4th Feb 2012)
#123 Walking down Tofu Lane (penned in 21st Jan 07)
'Then He remembers the days of old....'
Isaiah 63:11
With time, memories grow dim and our emotions detach from what was and on to something new. What matters to us today, will matter less over time.
But with God, He has never forgotten His love for us. We have saddened Him, we have angered Him, we have ignored Him and for many, plain forgotten Him, but He never forgets us and He remains faithful.
Tofu Lane was the title for one of the local television series in Singapore. It was a nostalgic drawback to the days of old.
We will all grow. Our souls will leave our bodily shell. Where to in yonder??
With the Lord our God in a place of peace and joy, or to the fiery furnace of Satan's eternal damnation??
This is not the time for nostalgia, but for an affirmative step in faith in the direction of the Lord our God.
May the attached story of my father's late friend speak of God's faithfulness rather than of man's unfaithfulness.
Dear….
‘It is right to obey God rather than men’
Acts 5:29
With the recent death of Art Buchwald, the American political satirist, another iconic figure of the 20th century has moved from humor to posthumous. Some of us grew up with the Beatles in the ‘60s, and Bee Gees in the ‘70s. I was more in tuned with the likes of dear Art with his great dry wit and juxtaposed his meanderings with that of the melodic but crisp British wit of the great author, PG Wodehouse, life was ever so complete for me, an avid fan of both.
‘Now consider this, you who forget God…..’
Psalm 50:22
Talking about memory lane, just last week, I happened to take a walk down the old stomping grounds of the formative years of my career, the nascent times when I first graduated from taking pocket monies from my parents, to paying obeisance to my bosses.
Truly, Singapore is transforming. The old ladies that used to line Shenton Way, who had seen better days, will have no chance to mature into grand old dames, for the sound of the wrecking balls beckon. Yet, out of the rubble will soon arise a new panoramic skyline, littered with imposing and aesthetically defining skyscrapers.
‘….O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my day……..’
Psalm 102:24
If buildings have a soul, that might be the clarion call for some sentimental soul to save the markers of their past. But the world needs to move on, for needs are many, wants are insatiable and time and tide waits for no one.
What about us humans??
As I walked down from Shenton Way towards Raffles Place, in the midst of the comparatively spacious human freeway(compared to Central in HK or Shinjuku in Tokyo), the youthful vibrancy and vigor of my fellow journeymen is not lost on one, whose heart might still be wistfully young, but whose creaking joints constantly remind one of one’s pecking order in life’s cycle.
‘….that they did not serve nor worship any god except their own God’
Daniel 3:28
Daniel was blessed to know God in his formative years. He responded faithfully to God’s grace and God blessed him and used him wonderfully to bring about His will all his lifetime.
What about us??
‘For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s’
Philippians 2:21
Like some, I am quite guilty of not spending enough time with my parents. Just last Saturday, at dinner, my father shared with me the following poignant tale.
His old buddy, who used to sow the wild oats with him in his prime, and was a key part of his increasing shrinking pool of living friends, died of a heart attack last week
The friend died the day he was supposed to visit my father at the hospital.
His friend was a lonely man. In his days of plenty, he left house and home for another lady in another country. In his sunset years, he returned, having lost his utility to his mistress, and rejected by his forsaken family, he was left with no option but to stay with his younger brother who was a bachelor.
The younger brother died two months earlier, and my father’s friend was at a very real risk of not having a roof under his head.
In the midst of our troubles, somehow, most of us will be able to see the ever present God better.
Forlorn and alone, my father’s friend, with encouragement from my father, started to go to church two months back. My dad’s reasoning was simple enough, The Pastor and his flock will look after him, will keep him company and give him love.
And my father’s friend had nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Was my father’s friend saved?? Did he accept the salvation that God gave freely to all of us??
…if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee, but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off forever’
1 Chronicles 28:9
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. We rest our belief that God wants to save us all. He is Almighty.
‘Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distress’
Psalm 107:13
The fact that my father’s friend embarked at all on this recent journey with God, albeit at a rather late stage in his life, is suffice for us to believe that God is with him.
It is suffice reassurance in time for my father to know that he will meet his friend again, but this time in Heaven.
‘…our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him..’
1 Thessalonians 5:9-11
‘Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed.’
1 Corinthians 15:51
In the normal order of things, city landscapes can be transformed, derelict buildings torn down, and in its place, gleaming new buildings.
For men, at best, when alive, we hang on to the memories of yesteryears. Try as some might, in death, at best, their bodily shell might be embalmed, their glories consigned to the history books, and if there was to be any resurrection of them, it will often be a result of the machinations of a new generation, with selfish intent.
‘..Keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God that ye may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance for your children, after you forever…’
1 Chronicles 28:8
With God, it need not be this way. For eternity is what He gives us.
Question is, do we now live everyday of our lives, allowing God to make us ready, in preparation to live in eternity with Him or do we expend our energies creating what is at best, a flimsy tofu-like temporal existence on earth and setting the stage for our entry into eternal damnation in hell.
‘…who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burning?’
Isaiah 33:14
Should not the right choice be to
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with your entire mind and with all your strength…’
Mark 12:30
‘For by grace you are saved through faith , and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God’
Ephesians 2:8-9
God Blesses
Eng Hieang (21st Jan 2007)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)