God and Wealth

We either serve God or Mammon. No one can serve two servants.

The author of the book of Ecclesiastes puts his powers of wisdom to work to examine the human experience and assess the human situation. What he has experienced was within the boundaries of his visible world as his wisdom cannot penetrate beyond that beings. Wisdom is better than folly. Life is nothing but meaningless if it is not rightly related to God. We think we can master the world by laboring away and build up our kingdoms of wealth, forgotten that this life is not in our control. Who, can be confident that when he will still be alive the next second? Are we pursuing unrealistic hopes and aspirations, are all our works and efforts futile? As free will allows, we can easily muck up our life thinking that that is my life, I want to live it my way. Without God, we toil foolishly and all our striving under the sun after unreal goals will just lead only to disillusionment.

The element of God cannot be taken away from any equation applicable to this life. Godly wisdom and reverence towards God and His word ensure us not ending up beating the air. Knowing God means knowing our purpose.

Riches, if not being gifted by God and receiving with gladness of heart, are meaningless.

In Ecclesiastes 5:8-20. the author gives everyone who is willing to listen a great wake up call. Undeniably, we can be easily entangled, not realizing that we have been a slave to the money.

"Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless." V10

One of the best and worst attitude is to want more. If we desire more of what God has for us, God is honoured. But if our heart is blinded pursuing our goals in life and as a result leaving God on the shelf, we are wicked. If we do not find the satisfaction in God, we will never be satisfied with everything that we have. How true it is that in the society, everyone is eyeing after another or a position, climbing the social ladder and accumulating wealth even to the stake of our health, never realize that someone will still out-perform us and it is an unending race of sadness.

"The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep." V12

The rich grieves and often lives in sorrow and great anxiety. He is afraid of intruders and wealth being stolen. He has no good sleep. Contrary, he who lives in contentment worries no.

"Naked a man comes from his mother's womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand." V15

Isn't it an alarming statement? Can one bring a billion notes into the heaven? No! Not even a single coin! What's on earth cannot go into the eternity. Therefore, store our treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy nor thieves break in and steal.

"When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work - this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart." V19-20

Everything comes from God. God he gives and he takes. For sure our loving God as if our earthly father would give the best to his children. However, God knows us deeply and even much more of what we know about ourselves. We might question God's fairness for not everyone is rich. The truth is that everyone's strength and gift are different. Our calling can be different. Not everyone is a good keeper. Not everyone is diligent. God sees the heart. God knows best. God never promises everyone to be rich, not as what the prosperity preaching is about. God sees prosperity beyond our understanding of material and wealth.

Don't get me wrong, God doesn't forbid us from pursuing wealth. In fact those who have he will give more. The benchmark is that we sore what we reap and God must be included even in our investment. Every move that we make, may it be to the glory of God. Do we purchase property before seeking God, or after? Find the contentment in God and be grateful when God gives. God gives man wealth and possessions and enables them to enjoy that. It is a gift of God. But do not let the heart dwell in reflecting the days, but be occupied with thanksgiving unto God.

God wants the best for our life. Check the status of our heart today by pondering the following statement:

"When God gives and blesses, we welcome, receive and be thankful. When God takes or asking us to give back to him, will we give cheerfully or being reluctant and sorrowful? Ponder that. Ponder about the parable of the rich young man in Matthew 19.

Will we walk away sad?

Am I a Pharisee?

"These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men." Mark 7:6-7

Jesus used the exact words of Isaiah to describe the hypocrisy of the Pharisees in Isaiah 29:13. In fact, in the New Testament, Jesus didn't get along with the Pharisees in almost all the occasions. So, who are the Pharisees? There were three major religious societies of Judaism during the time of New Testament - the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes. The name of Pharisee in its Hebrew form means separatists, or the separated ones. They were also known as chasidim, which means loyal to God, or loved of God - extremely iconic to what we know of their great opponent towards Jesus throughout the New Testament.

We are taught not to be like the Pharisees. Jesus accused the Pharisees of their hypocrisy and pretentiousness, and pronounced a succession of woes upon them. Hypocrisy is insincerity wearing a mask of sincerity. Too often, we find our identity similar to the Pharisees. I don't know you but I confess that many times, I found myself behaving and acting like a Pharisee. It is a big deal that I need to work right with God. Though I didn't pray at the junction of the road, there were times I did not practice what I preached and I found it so hard to reconcile with God. The word of God can remain just mere head knowledge and I crave for His grace to overcome. Too often I found myself crawling to the foot of the Cross to ask God to unmask me. Much to be pruned.

Question: Am I doing my works to be seen by men? Am I seeking praises and attention from the world? Am I seeking acknowledgement and approval from the people around us? Am I a stained glass masquerade? Does pride hold me back and prevent me from practicing what I preached? Is my thinking and action in contrary to my conscience? Am I a Jekyll and Hyde?

We must be different than the non-Christians in our lifestyles. How can we impact the world if we are the same as the world? We do not want to be the blind leaders of the blind as when a blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch. In fact, we should be the light guiding the blind.

I want to say, and do.

Fear and God

Fear and God cannot co-exist.

When I was young and relevant enough to say that when I was young in faith, one of my greatest fear was darkness. Staying in a two-storey house, I would never dare to go up alone to turn in for the night. I had the habit of turning on all the lights in the house just to keep myself comfortable. The alternative was to make an approaching noise by merely stomping softly on the floor as I walked to my room (being considerate of the adjacent neighbour at least!). At the same time, little chilly ghost stories shared by many ones always intensified my fear towards darkness. There were many occasions where I tried to close my eyes while taking the cold shower, all I could imagine was horror scenes and fear. Peace was absent. I think many kids will most probably go through and share the same fear that I have. As I grew older, the fear of darkness gradually subsided.

However, in life, many of us succumb to certain types of fear throughout different stations of life. Sometimes the fear can be so overwhelming that causes destructive impacts to our lifestyle. It can be fear towards discouragement, failure, loneliness, exam, being unloved, poverty, rejection and etc. The best friend of fear is anxiety which knocks down many ones. Fear is common and is seen to be part and parcel of every life. However, lets look at what the bible talks about fear.

One familiar story where fear exploited God's disciples is in Matthew 8. The story is about Jesus and his disciples were travelling on the same boat where a storm stroke while Jesus was sleeping soundly. The disciples were fearful. Not knowing what approach to adopt, they woke Jesus up in tremble and fear, asking their master to save them.

However, Jesus rebuked them by saying "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?"

We all know that Jesus calmed the sea and his disciples were amazed. However, do we see the similarity of us in the disciples? We have the tendency to think that how faithless those men were at that point of time as we read through the bible, but have we ever truly thought what will be our response if we were in their shoes, in those scary fearful moments where the storm was so furious and the water was on the verge of getting into the boat?

In fact, the disciples had responded in a quite acceptable way as most of us would today. Just ask ourselves, when is the time we cry out to God with great intensity? Isn't it during our weakest time or when death is a step away? I believe I will react the same as the disciples when facing the same circumstance. Sometimes it is just beyond our imagination the real fact can turn out to be in comparison to what we actually know and perceive.

However, the lesson we can learn from the disciples is that, if God is for us, who can be against us? I believe Jesus rebuked the disciples for a reason. "I am here right on the same boat with you. Why are you so afraid?" Yes, Jesus was with them on the boat! Inches away!

Lets ask ourselves, if Jesus lives and dwells in us, why should we be afraid of any circumstance or challenge in our life? Jesus gave his disciples a clear message: "I am with you, do not fear."

Fear and God cannot co-exist. Once we start to fear, it is the best time for us to do a check up if the living Almighty God is absent in us. God is omnipresent and He would love to stay in every heart that welcomes Him, but we can choose to shut Jesus out of the door. It is our choice. It is our faith. Cast our fear to Jesus! Nail it at the Cross!

2 Timothy 1:7 says "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

Of the Lost

“What goes on in the minds of battered [not literally, but by their children’s sin] parents when it comes time to pray? Often a sense of defeat takes over the spirit, a cloud that can descend even when the parents have forgiven the young person and have real love in their hearts. The problem is that parents often have a fixed negative image of the child. He or she is seen as unchangeable, an image that may be powerfully reinforced by the recollection of the adolescents many failings: repeated acts of rebellion, words of rebellion, and looks of rebellion.

The devil knows how to use this image to undermine effective prayer. He suggests to the unsuspecting parent that this image of cold resistance is the final vision of the child. “This thankless child cannot be changed,” says the Master of Darkness. Listening uncritically to this voice, the praying father or mother then naturally lets the mind become fixed on the child’s stubbornness. Who can pray effectively when the mind is clouded by this picture of steely resistance?

To overcome this, simply shift the mind to the promises of divine grace found in the Scriptures. As a parent, focus your faith by meditating on a great biblical passage like Luke 15, in which you see the great images of faith. You discover the Father’s grace in action. Lost things do not remain lost; they are found. The dead come alive. The lost sheep is found by the shepherd, the lost coin by the housewife, and the lost son is welcomed home with almost scandalous warmth by a loving father. When you think about these things, you’ll realize that the Father loves even you, the parent, as a lost child that has been found. Will he not love your child the same way?”

The extract above is taken from Come Back, Barbara by C. John Miller and Barbara Miller Juliani about a family's struggle to love and believe for the salvation of their daughter who rejected Christ.

The lost cannot remain lost. It must be found. Our God is a God of All Possible and Almighty, He can actually command every soul to turn back to Him as everything is in His hand and control. But ever wonder why God choose not to? Perhaps God allows it so that the believers can pray in faith to witness the greatest conversion one day, to witness the power of prayer and God to reveal himself in the midst of our cry. Another is to develop the trust in God's perfect timing. It can be a great journey of trust and faith where we learn how to rely on God. God can use our unbelieved friends to mould and trim our character. We are preparing ourselves into a battle of believing God can move mountains and change the hardest hearts.

God's promises of faith are all that we need to cling on.

Luke 15:7 says "It tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

Luke 15:10 says "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angles of God over one sinner who repents."

Be encouraged that every time when a man crosses from the darkness junction to the light way, angels of God are rejoicing! It is indeed a heavenly transaction when grace is captured by a soul.

I learn to pray harder for all those I know who are still living in the sinful pattern of this world. I want the angels to rejoice and dance with me.

Setting The Fundamental Truth

What makes a person a Christian is to personally believe in the fundamental truth that Jesus died for all on the Cross and resurrected, and calling on to the name of Jesus. It is about carrying the cross. It is not the practices or our good deeds that save us. We are unworthy yet the gift of salvation comes freely. It is about us setting right before God. From there it develops the reverent fear towards God and even as we meditate on His word.

Where does the truth come from? No other sources but the Word of Life - Bible. It is a collection of the unfailing word of God, commandments, truth and way to life, and promises of God that Must be deeply rooted and lived accordingly in every believer's life.

There is a tendency that the congregation of a church over desire and seek for emotional exchange and great atmosphere to feel good dwelling in those moments. We can be setting ourselves into the danger zone of neglecting the truth while all that we do and going after is all based on spirituality. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we should not desire for great encounter with God through the awesome spiritual atmosphere where most of the time, being set by the worship team with wonderful music and vocals facilitating. In fact, true worship can bring breakthrough and set the platform for the congregation to encounter God and fresh revelation coming through. Moreover, we need to press in to the spiritual realm where the signs and wonders and miracles of God's hands moving are just so overwhelming. However, if our heart desire and attitude is grounded deep solely on great atmosphere and a perfect worship band to drive, God is not pleased. God is not pleased when we are strong in spirituality but not in the truth! One example of the vulnerability of a lopsided gain can be receiving words from an unknown blindly or rather confused due to lack of knowledge in God's word for cross referencing. God's word sets our way to life and not the experience. God's word will remain and stand forever, but experience and great moments come and pass.

What it says in the John 4:23-24, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

We can worship God in spirit but in the absence of Truth. Here come our responsibility especially in guiding and nurturing the young believers. We need a balance in the spirituality and truth. Truth is not just the ability to differentiate right from wrong, but a conviction of where our belief is based on. We obtain truth from the word of God, the Bible.

In John 14:6, "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus is the truth. God calls the true worshippers those who worship Him Both in Spirit and in Truth. It is the same that we can't come to God half-hearted, reserving partly and not giving God the full portion. Believing God is believing the truth.

Everyday we need to wake up to the realization that we do not earn it or deserve it, but is only by His grace that we are still alive and take on to the day. Lets the truth transform our thinking by digging deep into the Word and set the foundation of our belief right before striving for greater sign and move from God.

Being Faithful is What Counts

In the Book of Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus talked about the parable of the talents. It is a great parable of learning to be one faithful servant, applicable to every believer and follower of Christ. Lets dig into and derive from the parable.

The parable talks about a master was going away on a journey, thus, entrusting his property to three of his servants. He called them and distributed his wealth among the three servants, apportioned to them according to their abilities. To the first he entrusted five talents, the second with two, and to the third with one talent. While the first and second servants eagerly invested the entrusted talents, wanting so much to multiply and please their master, the third chose to hide the only talent in the ground fearful of his wrong investment. When the master returned, the first two received their rewards, praises and most importantly, increased responsibilities while the third was rebuked for his laziness. The only talent that he had was taken away.

God knows our ability and capability, even in handling His Kingdom purposes. God knows how much we can do and our capacity. He crafted us and installed different talents in us. Everyone should have at least a talent, born that way or pick up along the way. Perhaps some of us have been focusing so much on the distinctive talents or talents that put us on top of the world. Yes there are people with outstanding talents, being the few odd ones out there. But God is more interested in the talents He has installed in us to serve Him and for the purpose of His Kingdom. Talent, is not about being uniquely outstanding and be the best of all, but fully utilizing God installment to serve the Giver to the max. Some people are born with heart-warming, soul-lifting smile, their one smile can usher people into the Kingdom of God. Some are gifted in music, writing lyrics and singing songs that bring people into the presence of God, reaching breakthroughs and encounters with God. Some are gifted in administration, being detailed with their paper works and management. Some are gifted in communication, being able to communicate effectively and productively. Some are gifted in leadership, being able to grab the attention and gather followers. There are millions of talents out there for us to search within ourselves, but the question is, are we using them for the glory of God?

God doesn't need us but He wants us. The parable of the talents clearly remind us that God is seeking after faithful hearts and not the talented ones. For what counts is the heart. There are many who are gifted so abundantly that everyone has green eyes on them, yet they are unwilling to unleash their potential. Jesus said those who have will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

Unfaithful service led to condemnation, the removal of one's stewardship, and an eternity of weeping and gnashing of teeth in outer darkness, away from the presence of God. This parable brings an eternal significance, not just about being faithful in serving God and good stewardship over our given talents.

Never think that we are so special that God will treasure us anyhow. Moses's responsibility and privilege was handed over to someone else. Don't think that as God has appointed me to do this, no one else can do it. The truth is that, we are not irreplaceable. If we think that we are irreplaceable, we are being pompous that God's plan is solely depending on us. We are defiling God! As the parable says, God can simply find someone else to do it. He will increase those who are willing and faithful to serve.

Be mindful that whatever kind of position we are holding today, if we are not attending to it faithfully, God can just rip us off. There are many out there eager to serve God, and they are watching us.

It is not about the size and number of talents we are given, but the core of God's heart is to search for those who are faithful even with the little they have.

The Valley of Vision

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly, Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision, where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights; hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory. Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision. Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells, and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine; let me find Thy light in my darkness, Thy life in my death, Thy joy in my sorrow, Thy grace in my sin, Thy riches in my poverty, Thy glory in my valley.

Taken from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett

Whom I am the Worst

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life." 1 Timothy 1:15-16

Paul was known to be the greatest enemy of God and he was dedicated to the persecution of the early disciples of Jesus in the area of Jerusalem. It was not until his journey to Damascus when a light from heaven flashed about him and he heard a voice: "Saul, Saul (Hebrew name of Paul), why do you persecute me?" Paul was temporarily blinded but was healed by a Christian named Ananias. Thereafter, Paul was zealous to proclaim the gospel of God.

Paul came to the realization of how great a sinner he was and he considered himself as the worst. The closer one gets to a holy God, the more the magnitude of one's sin becomes evident. The Bible itself is already trustworthy but yet Paul emphasized that "Here is a full trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.." Paul experienced the abundant grace of God to save and use a wreck like him, it is trustworthy for Paul sank in the sea of grace himself. He is preaching from his experience.

Jesus came not to save the righteousness but the sinners. The sick needs doctor, but not the healthy ones. That is the analogy but none in this world is sinless so Jesus died once for ALL. God is a patient God. His patience has often caused our hesitant, doubt and frustration, as how we misunderstand His perfect timing. Yet God is still as cool as cucumber waiting for the moment to come. God's patience is desiring to see the sinking wicked world to come to know Him personally and receive the eternal life promised. Yet, they are just too many who choose to indulge in the sinful pattern of life and strive for the temporary satisfaction and happiness of life.

In the recent event that brought the whole earth to an attention, Harold Camping at his age of 89 wrongly predicted the rapture and the coming of Jesus. The move alone has been harshly criticized by many believers and now should have caused more to mock him, and God. The return of Jesus might now be a laughing stock among the non-believers or those who are ignorant. Harold Camping might be all wrong and he might have prayed so hard to a rapture to take place on the 21st of May as he woke up to the morning while the sun stood still, but he got his point there. "Jesus is coming."

Reproach aside, Harold brought an important reminder to the whole world that even though the rapture did not happen as he predicted, Jesus will still return in His glory, fullness, splendour and judgment one day. That is the truth and fact, just that no one knows when it will happen. Somehow we should be grateful for people like Harold. I believe if Jesus returns as predicted, Hell will be relatively jammed in comparison to Heaven.

Our God is a God full of patience. He has been giving ample time for the lost to be found and the wrong to get back on track as the gospel is spread.

In 2 Peter 3:9 it says "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."

God is giving us time and calling us back to Him. Are we responding or we just choose to be reluctant and ignorant?

Oh awake my soul!

God is Able.

Life isn't a bed of roses. It isn't meant to be smooth and pleasant as we think. As life is a process, there are stages or phases we will reach and pass over. At the same time, life isn't dull. It is not just for success, or failure or a single positive or negative story, but a journey where the man gathers a gamut of experiences, putting lows and highs into a big picture. It supposes to encompass all that's relevant and most importantly, God thinks how it should be.

To my readers out there and as it speaks to me, God sees life as good, and it should be abundant. We can't take God out of the picture, for God wants Himself to be part of our every equation.

Talking about weaknesses, downfalls, failures, disappointments, heartbreaks, distortions, illnesses and even sins, remember that God is able. I am referring to that one and only true God who created the heaven and earth and hung the constellations in place, the one who created you and me and is interested in us.

Oh you mean that Big God you are referring out there is thinking of me? Are you joking?

Yes, I am referring to the God who created your inmost being and knitted you together in your mother's womb. He, is interested in you.

The God that exists and we believe, at least I believe, is more than able. He can move in all our situations, and that all, means Every. Yes, every situation. Nothing is too big and too immense that cannot contain God, for He is in all, for all and with all. We can apply all the prepositions, yet God is beyond and above all. He does things that mankind can never achieve, even His foolishness is wiser than our wisdom, and His weakness is stronger than our strength. We can never out give God or outrun God. Or anyone tries to be smarter than God? Even as we come to that great Hooray "I know I can do it! I succeed!" Tell you what, God knows before you realize you can. "I know you can." God giggles.

But, you may doubt all the miracles performed by Jesus, of that you have been told or heard, or even the numerous breathtaking awe-inspiring life testimonies delivered by different ones at church, thinking how can God move in your situation or if He is who people claimed to be Love, why should you going through all this? Something that appears to be unfathomable to most of us until we come to the belief is that, God's way is higher than our way and His thought is far far higher than ours, reason because we cannot equal God and that He must be superior yet at the same time appealing to us in Love and Grace, trials and challenges that we are facing are part of God's way to refine us. God knows the best in us, and how different ones should be moulded. I believe God applies different formulas in each of us, for we are all different in our experience, capacity, ability, gifting, etc.

Welcome God into our weakness, trial and temptation. Exalt God above all situations. No one in the world can be any greater overcomer than Jesus who died on the Cross and rose three days later. That's resurrection, that is overcoming death. Jesus didn't just overcome death, but he raises the dead as well! Is our struggle too big for God that God cannot handle? If God can't, then He is not God at all, or perhaps you have just believed in a wrong God. Go to the right one.

The Psalmist said "Even if 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 protect me." Psalms 23:4.

Trust in God and believe. Sometimes we trust in God but we are not believing; sometimes we believe but we are not trusting. Faith requires both trust and believe. To activate faith, believing is seeing. Be sure and certain. How can one hope without doubt?

Our God is greater. David just needed one pebble out of the five that he gathered to trample Goliath for he laid his trust and all he had in God. Likewise, we can be the David of our age.

Discipline

No discipline seems pleasant at time, but painful. Discipline can be harsh, soul tormenting but the end of the process is a great relief. It produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it and those will come away stronger, putting on the shield of resistance to trample the weakness.

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Hebrew 12:5-6

Our God is not just a loving God but a loving Father. He knows our weakness and fragility and he wants to train us. His discipline makes us the legitimate children and true sons and daughters of Him. God disciplines us for good, that we may share in His holiness.

If we rant that our earthly discipline is too much to bear, remember Jesus endured the cross and scorned its shame yet Jesus didn't lose heart. At the end of the day, He sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, receiving the full rewards from his Abba Father. That's what it called, "Fought the good fight." But Jesus' fight can never be comparable to ours. He fights to give salvation, but we fight to receive salvation.

God, discipline me.

Purification

This is my prayer, to die to myself. I am feeble; I am week. Utterly is made alive by His grace alone.

"Lord Jesus, I sin. Grant that I may never cease grieving because of it, never be content with myself, never think I can reach a point of perfection. Kill my envy, command my tongue, trample down self. Give me grace to be holy, kind, gentle, pure, peaceable, to live for Thee and not for self, to copy Thy words, acts, spirit, to be transformed into Thy likeness, to be consecrated wholly to Thee, to live entirely to Thy glory.

Deliver me from attachment to things unclean, from wrong associations, from the predominance of evil passions, from the sugar of sin as well as its gap; that with self-loathing, deep contrition, earnest heart searching I may come to Thee, cast myself on Thee, trust in Thee, cry to Thee, be delivered by Thee.

O God, the Eternal All, help me to know that all things are shadows, but Thou art substance, all things are quicksands, but Thou art mountain, all things are shifting, but Thou art anchor, all things are ignorance, but Thou art wisdom.

If my life is to be a crucible amid burning heat, so be it, but do Thou sit at the furnace mouth to watch the ore that nothing be lost. If I sin wilfully, grievously, tormentedly, in grace take away my mourning and give me music; remove my sackcloth and clothe me with beauty; still my sighs and fill my mouth with song, then give me summer weather as a Christian. Amen."

Taken from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett

Do It for Christ

One reminder to help us to discover the purpose and passion in doing everything:

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24

If we carry on with the mindset that whatever that we do, we are doing it for the glory for God, we will find the invisible strength and momentum to keep going. When we are half-hearted, we are not committed. Thus, the expected result is what we deserve. How much we sow, how much we will reap. God doesn't show favoritism.

Often we say, "Just do your best, and God will do the rest!" But in real fact, ask ourselves if we actually give our best. Is there signs of laziness, procrastination, issue with punctuality, easily distracted, losing focus, or the lukewarm attitude - "hit it as it goes"?

In our work place and university, we can shine for God by pouring out the spirit of excellence in our commitments. God will reward us at the end of the day, for He knows the best in us.

God wants us to give a full cup, and He will overflow our cup.

Triune God

This is what I came across from the Sovereign Grace Ministries. Many people including most believers either asked or confused by the nature of God. 3-in-1?

"Erm, you mean in relation to instant coffee or noodle?"

"Way Nottt!"

God is triune

There is one God: infinite, eternal, almighty, and perfect in holiness, truth, and love. In the unity of the godhead there are three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, co-existent, co-equal, co-eternal. The Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Holy Spirit, yet each is truly Deity. One God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—is the foundation of Christian faith and life.

God the Father

God the Father is the Creator of heaven and earth. By his Word and for his glory, he freely and supernaturally created the world from nothing. Through the same Word he daily sustains all his creatures. He rules over all and is the only Sovereign. His plans and purposes cannot be thwarted. He is faithful to every promise, works all things together for good to those who love him, and in his unfathomable grace gave his Son, Jesus Christ, for mankind’s redemption. He made man for fellowship with himself, and intended that all creation should live to the praise of his glory.

Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, was the eternal Word made flesh, supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. He was perfect in nature, teaching, and obedience. He is fully God and fully man. He was always with God and is God. Through him all things came into being and were created. He was before all things and in him all things hold together by the word of his power. He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation, and in him dwells the fullness of the godhead bodily. He is the only Savior for the sins of the world, having shed his blood and died a vicarious death on Calvary’s cross. By his death in our place, he revealed the divine love and upheld divine justice, removing our guilt and reconciling us to God. Having redeemed us from sin, the third day he rose bodily from the grave, victorious over death and the powers of darkness, and for a period of 40 days appeared to more than 500 witnesses, performing many convincing proofs of his resurrection. He ascended into heaven where, at God’s right hand, he intercedes for his people and rules as Lord over all. He is the Head of his body, the Church, and should be adored, loved, served, and obeyed by all.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Through the proclamation of the gospel he persuades men to repent of their sins and confess Jesus as Lord. By the same Spirit a person is led to trust in divine mercy. The Holy Spirit unites believers to Jesus Christ in faith, brings about the new birth, and dwells within the regenerate. The Holy Spirit has come to glorify the Son, who in turn came to glorify the Father. He will lead the Church into a right understanding and rich application of the truth of God’s Word. He is to be respected, honored, and worshiped as God the Third Person of the Trinity.

Sovereign Grace Ministries

Shipwrecked

This post is dedicated to the shadow of my confidence.

I decided to pen it down not because I am pensive right now, but merely I think it is a lesson or rather an experience that might reveal more of what He wants for me, now and in the future.

It was prior to the date of this post when everything unearthed. The past few nights had been of cramming and relentless typing of letters and summation approaching one of my major assignments in this semester. It was due on Friday. It just didn't taste nice as Friday supposed to be an everything-free day, dedicating to God and His people. Rostered to co-lead the Praise and Worship session for the evening lifegroup, I decided to swap with someone after discussing with my mentor.

It was prior to the lifegroup in the evening that I made my way to the uni to do some final touch-up before dropping my piece of work at the assignment minder. The sky was fairly gloomy and so was my heart. Gunning down one piece of big big work supposed to bring soothing light feeling to the soul but it twisted into a disheartening one. The fact was that I received the worst piece of result in my entire Uni life for my favourite unit of the semester. I repeat again, The Worst. Perhaps due to the many copies of essays that had been remarkably done and even numerous praises literally from all the feedback received from the markers, this was just not so in accordance to the norm! It was the first ever Grade 4 / 7 and for it to be the outcome of a professional writing, it virtually meant - Off Topic. To further aggravate the solemness of the work, it was the first time my sentence structure and continuation being pierced unmercifully.

It crushed my spirit on my way to Roma St for Lifegroup, so profoundly that though the songs being played on the Ipod were meant to deliver great peace and grace to the listener, I wasn't moved. "Let it rain, let it rain. Open the floodgates of heaven and ...." All in a sudden I felt the whole world crashing down on me and everything was falling apart. Everything was just not right. All the wrong move in the wrong time.

With disappointment I walked into that familiar room. I felt really bad as my response to all those cheerful lovely faces was a mere shrug. I shouldn't be reacting in such a way as my emotion just somehow distanced the people. How to shine for Jesus! Where is my testimony! Throughout the lifegroup and discussion, I was held back. It was just sooo not me. Figuring out the unusual me, my unit leader waited at my home for my return, comforting and hugging off my disappointment till midnight.

Through this experience, God has revealed more of His interests in me. I started to reflect my reliance on Him and my storage of confidence. I need a fall, to realize how feeble I am without Him. I believe he is constructing some works within me, sorting out my veins and put them in the right places. I learnt to rejoice in other people's achievement, and I shall not compare.

Philippians 2:3 says: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."

I need to be refined. I believe everything happens with a purpose. God is not done with me yet.