Dear....
'...Anyone, then, who knows the good he
ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.'
James 4:17
Many
of us wrestle with our extrapolated fears as to what is ahead. We
ponder upon the wisdom of decisions made at every twin fork of life. We
desire for the conclusions our finite self
perceive, as to what is needed for our comfort, albeit it will be
temporal and flawed.
This opening verse comes from James chapter
4, whose main thrust was about "Boasting about tomorrow." A cautionary
reminder to all that life is unpredictable and living is only by the
grace of God for we are but a
breath away from eternity. But like the small but significant side
lanes, it is this specific verse James 4:17 that reached out to my very
being at this moment.
'He did not waver at the promise of God
through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.
And being fully convinced that what He had promised He was able to
perform. And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness'
Romans 4:20-22
God
is in control, but there is a need for a response from us, to do His
will. Would you honor Him always, even if circumstances and personal
wants seem to point otherwise? The carnal us always look for a
conclusion in the midst of our circumstances, God desires that we not
just trust His Sovereignty, but that we respond in faith by honoring Him
in our daily living, even while we wait upon Him.
'Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for
you in Christ Jesus.'
1 Thessalonians 5:16
'...that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.'
Luke 18:1
The
past 4 years through the sub prime crisis, where my place of employ was
in the eye of the storm, to the inevitable follow through painful
consequences, prayers girded my life, for it brought me onto close
communion with the omnipresent God. And perplexed sometimes I was, but
never crushed, and joyful and at peace I was, for there were many things
to be thankful for to our great God.
'No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other......You cannot serve God and mammon.'
Matthew 6:24
'Now
the Lord had said to Abram: "Get out of your country. From your family.
And from your father's house to a land that I will show you and make
your name great. And you shall be a blessing....'
Genesis 12:1-3
Today, marks a new beginning for me. A new
birth (how apt that today June 20th is my 51st birthday) in leaving my
place of comfort(Merrill Lynch) of the past 17 years, and by faith,
honoring my commitment to God made in Dec 2011, to step out and to give
Him my all.
Moses and Abram were called by God at a much older age, guess I am a youthful senior citizen compared to them.
'So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him....'
Genesis 12:4
But
unlike Abram, I struggled very much these past few months as to the
wisdom of this decision. Like Abram, God has already given me enough
provisions. Yet like Abram, I struggle with the perceived "giants" in
this new endeavor. Yet, unlike Abram, who lied twice about his wife
Sarai being his sister(see Genesis 12:12-13) I know God will divinely
intervene and carry me forth, much as I am imperfect, for my heart wants
to be
aligned to His will.
"Am I a God near at hand," says the Lord. And not a God afar off?"
Jeremiah 23:23-24
'Be
of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities
of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight.'
2 Samuel 10:12
Evil
has manifested itself blatantly in our present world. And one no longer
can be oblivious to the relentless pursuit of self interest without
regard for the well being of others. Greed and fear have always been the
twin headed serpent that wraps itself round our present economic
system. I believe God has lifted the veil in the hearts of followers of
Christ to be the beacon that will shine forth in this intensifying and
suffocating darkness. The past decade has been a time of preparation.
Are we now willing to live out our faith fully in our workplace and
wherever God places you and believe that in honoring God, He will honor
us? You are either of the world or not of the world, for the days of
striking a fine balance is over.
'No one should be shaken by these afflictions, for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this..'
1 Thessalonians 3:3
He
sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the
visions of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him
prosper."
2 Chronicles 26:5
Will replacing greed and
fear with Godly contentment(thankfulness in all circumstances) and
stewardship( dependency upon God always) ensure one's quick demise in
the present Babylonian economic system? Or counter intuitive as it may
be, it is the balm to the present woes of our fallen world, which is in
the throes of replacing the Babylonian system with what someone termed
'the beastly system.'
'The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.'
Psalm 46:6
As I close these thoughts, and prepare to enter
into a period of rest and reflection for 3 months, before embarking on
this next phase of my walk in the market place with our Lord, I am
reminded of the deep impression that God placed in my heart in early
2008, "to buy physical gold."
Is it déjà vu that just recently I made
my first purchase of physical silver? Coincidence or not, I just read
that silver was the currency of choice in old Babylon. Will it reprise
it's role in a world that is increasingly flooded with paper monies? It
is a matter of time the world will be rudely awakened to the reality
that their savings are being devalued by the irresponsible governments,
that paper money has lost its store of value. When all hell break loose,
only those who bought not physical gold, but rather gold as refined by
our Lord, will not just be unshakeable, but used by Him to minister to
those around
us.
'.....Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.'
Ezra 7:28
This
is the time to do value investing. As in our godly character, in living
and leading by example, a life of Christ-likeness, for you and the
people you shepherd, to be made ready to be the lamps on the hill, to be
the storehouses in the midst of great impending upheaval, when
governments fall and anarchy scars once civil societies,that will make
the sub prime crisis look like a Sunday tea party.
'...yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
Esther 4:14
'And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature...'
Mark 16:15
Will you answer the call? Will you move forth out of your comfort zone as His Spirit moves you? Will you look at and lived
out your daily work as a calling, a vocation through which we serve God and glorify Him?
'..not
with eye service, as menpleasers, but as bond servants of Christ, doing
the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the
Lord, and not to men...'
Ephesians 6:5-7
And I know I
will be successful His way, for I serve our Great God. Do pray for me
that I not forget that all glory is to our Lord.
'But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God....'
2 Chronicles 26:16
God blesses
Eng hieang
(20th June 2012)
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