Thoughts

Went for a jog in the forest. Garnered some thoughts. So lets pen it down!  

1. Discovered that it is rather hard to pray out loud when you are running at the same time. Perhaps that’s a way to build faith. You speak and point at the trees and other joggers will think this guy is insane, you look up to the sky imagine it’s heaven, treat the sweat as little price paid for God, and you shout Amen and stomp the ground – you release and give it a bang. Perhaps next time should try to pray underwater, amen and drown in the everlasting love, and see heaven, for someone who can’t swim like me (just saying). Anyway, if it’s already hard to pray when we run, then how hard could it be for Jesus to say “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”, with nails through his hands and legs. I can’t imagine.

2. I believe you can never draw a fine line between rich and poor. It doesn’t have an absolute definition, or categorization. Why I say so? Because I thought about the natives. They live in the jungle for ages. They rule the place. To them, they are the King of the Jungle. They have everything. They are rich – they have rivers, mountains, all the floras and faunas, clear sky with hanging stars, cicadas and chirping of birds, everything. But well, that is what they see and perceive! Yet you can’t deny them. But when they get to the town, they see cars, they see houses, buildings, oh well… all these are like new discovery. Then they are told, hey, you need money for this, for that. And there you go, the so called more “civilized” people teaching the natives about wealth. And they scratch their heads and wondered – What Is This? You get me. Who draw the fine line? The world. The world. On the other hand, while some get away with easier life and have much more, I believe God is always just, always fair and he doesn’t show favoritism. What we might not realize and factor in, are all the so called – “blessings in disguise”. Think broad, count them one by one. Above all, I believe contentment is the key to life.

It is Finished!

Love this saying indeed.

The Cross was the ultimate goal of Jesus’ life. He came to fulfill the will of his father. The Cross resembles his total submission, obedience and the work of redemption. On the Cross he traded our sin to be his, in other words, he who knew no sin became sin on our behalf. Hail, King of the Jews they shouted. Little did they know they crucified the one who bore their sin on the Cross. Some passed by and hurled insults at him and said “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the Cross and save yourself!” Others joined in and mocked, “He saved others! But he can’t save himself!” I have no doubt Jesus can set himself free considering all powers and authorities belong to him, but I have no doubt also that Jesus chose to surrender to the will of his father. So one man lived his life for the sake of the world; one man died the death that no one could ever qualify or to replace. A far-reaching debt no one could ever pay, he paid with his life. A fallen world, a risen King.

Once for all, bringing the good work to completion. Someday we will rise and be lifted with glory, for those who put their trust in Jesus. Someday many will fall in eternal agony, names craved on the hell gate. On that day, when wealth, fame, power, appearance and success have no say of a person’s status. On that day, a Prime Minister and a beggar have no difference. On that day, ultimate justice will be upheld. Either way, up or down. But today, we can choose, before it’s too late.

Jesus knows his goal in life. He knows where he is heading. He knows his mission on earth. He knows his father’s heart. What about us?

“It is finished” is never an acceptance of defeat, it is the greatest shout of VICTORY in human’s history!             

Death to Endless Joy

Cemetery, graveyard. A place not so common to visit, unless for a reason. It’s where a man who breathes his last will head to, but no, it’s just where the physical mortal body will be buried. 

I believe all of us have some forethought – the kind of job we will want to take up, the kind of person we want to marry, the kind of house we want to live in, the number of kids we want to have, the kind of retired life we want to live … But, how many have thought about what kind of death are we going to die? Or who are we willing to give up our lives for? I’m not sure about you, but I have pondered about this before, and a visit to my grandparents’ graveyard on Good Friday morning has further triggered me to think twice about life and death.

First, I am willing to die for Christ’s sake, that is irrefutable considering what he bears for me on the Cross, and every breath that I take is a mouthful of grace from Him. Next, I am willing to die for my wife, my parents, my children, people that I love… Yes I know that it is easier said than done, but I believe if I carry this thought with me and should I face a situation that requires my life, I will not be as hesitant, and of no regret. Consider this society, in the news, from talk of the town, we often hear someone or so and so dies from accident, heart attack, sickness, playing too much computer games/online, overeating … I mean, there are a myriad ways to die. Several years ago, an uncle collapsed on the stage in the church while leading a prayer meeting, and breathed his last. What a way to die.

Let’s die for a good purpose. Let’s die leaving a legacy behind and not a rotten record. Let’s die for something far greater and not for oneself. We all live once, and die once. Since we have only one life, what is worth chasing after? Fleeting pleasures, building an earthly home, wealth and fame? It’s not about how we start, but how we end. Paul doesn’t have a good start, perhaps worse than anyone of us, he persecuted Christians, he called himself the Chief of all sinners, yet in the end he said “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” ~ 2 Timothy 4:7

Remember today, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the Son of God – Jesus died for you and me on the Cross, regardless if we know him personally or not. It’s done. It’s done for the sake of the world. Yet death could not hold Him down. He triumphs over death and darkness, and brings this hope and glory to those who place their faith and believe in Him.

“O Death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” ~ 1 Corinthians 15:55

Are you prepared to face your last breath?

St. Augustine used to say he did not know whether to call it a dying life or a living death, and I leave you the choice between those two expressions. This is certainly a dying life; its march is marked by graves. Nothing but a continuous miracle keeps any one of us from the sepulchre. Were omnipotence to stay its power but for a moment, earth would return to earth, and ashes to ashes. It is a dying life: and equally true is it that it is a living death. We are always dying. Every beating pulse we tell leaves but the number less: the more years we count in our life, the fewer remain in which we shall behold the light of day. ~ Charles Spurgeon

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” ~ John 11:25-26

What Love Does

This is what love does: It lets the needs of the sinful men set His agenda, rather than letting His agenda limit how much He is willing to serve. So He took the Cross, bore our sin and transgression, laid down His life for us on the Cross. He did not let our sin limit His love for us, nor let our ability to pay back His love to cause Him to think twice, yet He called us – His people. He charged forward and pleaded, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing”, and with that, set the greatest example of love in the history of mankind. He loves us anyway. ~ J.K. 2013

Your Labour IN the Lord is Not Wasted

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves FULLY to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." ~ 1 Corinthians 15:58

Ever feel that what you have done is diminutive, too insignificant, that sometimes you feel discouraged and disheartened because no one seems to notice what you have done or laboured, not even a "thank you", "good job", "you've done well", "thank you so much for all your effort", "that blesses me!", "you are awesome", etc? Take heart! It has been clearly promised that "our labour in the Lord is not in vain". In other word it means "nothing we do for the Lord is useless or wasted". God sees it, God has it counted. If I put in another perspective, SIN, regardless of how small our sin might seem to be, God knows, and God has it counted. 

So cheer up! Everything that we do, regardless of how insignificant we think it is, it's never insignificant in God's eyes, as long as we DO IT IN THE LORD, FOR GOD. If we study, study for the glory of God, if we work, work for the glory of God. Be faithful. We work not for the recognition of man, but for the Audience of One.

A Gal's Promises Worth To Be Taken

I am a blogger and I love reading people's blogs. Sometimes I stumble upon interesting blogs, at times I stumble upon people who share their real personal stories, heartfelt feelings, complaints, opinions, plans, resolutions, determinations, dreams ... all sort of writings.

Last night I did my usual browsing, and read these personal promises from a blogger to her bf or future bf or betterhalf. So let me copy and paste.

1. I promise to make your growth my goal, and relate to you with sincerity and purity.
2. I promise to build close friendships with a group of you and not make any exclusive.
3. I promise to not be emotionally dependent on you but be honest and open in sharing with you about my life.
4. I promise to not feel jealous when you are closer to other girls than to me,and i will not try to intentionally make myself special to you/make you like me despite my desire to feel valued and special to someone.
5. I promise to put God in the center of our friendship,i will not try to leave you a good impression of me by holding back from speaking up when i see your life off track because i want you to love God more not love me more.
6. I promise to not give any misleading signals and if I do anything inappropriate, I give you the permission to correct me in love and tell me what I need to hear even though I may not necessarily like it. 
7. I promise to humbly receive help when you are being the gentleman God has called you to be, but also to be responsible to carry my own load and not take advantage in any way.
8. I promise to be a life-long learner so that conversations with me may add value to you in any tiny way possible.
9. I promise to not flirt with you in any way(if im ever capable to),whether is it laughing at unfunny jokes,or paying special attention to you and leading you on. Again, please be brutally honest with me if you have to in my inappropriate moments!
10. Lastly, i promise to not expect you to be exactly like (ahem) Edward Cullen/Josh Hartnett but I will learn to appreciate your own unique strengths!

Pretty cool isn't it? If you make those promises to me I don't mind marrying you. I think they are pretty solid commitments and resolutions, healthy and crucial in pursuing a God-honouring relationship yet not at the expense of the excitement one can look forward in a relationship. Being random here, but let me echo this post with some quotes regarding marriage from a book that I am currently reading.

God made the woman from a rib taken out of the man's side. Perhaps this was because she belongs at his side as an intimate equal and not in front of him as feminism would teach or behind him as chauvinism would teach. God said it best: "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." Thus, anyone who tells his or her spouse, "I don't need you" is in fact calling God a liar. ~ Mark Driscoll in Real Marriage

Marriage is more than your love for each other. It has higher dignity and power, for it is God's holy ordinance, through which he wills to perpetuate the human race till the end of time. In your love you see only your two selves in the world, but in marriage you are a link in the chain of the generations, which God cause to come and to pass away to his glory, and calls into his kingdom. In your love, you see only the heaven of your own happiness, but in marriage you are placed at a post responsibility towards the world and mankind. Your love is your own private possession, but marriage is more than something personal - it is a status, an office. Just as it is the crown, and not merely the will to rule, that makes the king, so it is marriage, and not merely your love for each other, that joins you together in the sight of God and man. ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Pastor, Theologian and Martyr, a letter written in his prison cell in Nazi Germany. 

True friendship involves healthy conflict and hard discussions as God reveals sin and repentance, and reconciliation takes place. ~ Mark Driscoll in Real Marriage 

Board to Glorify

Today I had an opportunity to play basketball with a bunch of high school graduates who are attending 3 months short term mission school at a local theological school. I am glad to see young teenagers giving up their precious 3 months of holidays for a greater purpose and eternal investment while waiting for their public exam (SPM) results to be released. Many of them who joined the short term mission school actually came from other towns or cities. My heart is blessed as I know it’s hard to find young people who are sold out and having that burning passion for Jesus, in view of the pattern of this secular world filled with temptations and excitements. Graduated from university with most of my time invested in the student movement, I couldn’t be more convinced that the best years to give to God is when one is young, energetic, kicking strong and vibrant – teenage years & uni years. Praise God for this bunch of youngsters, may God bless and guide your step ahead!

Later on, on the same court I joined a bunch of adults for another game. Not sure about other places, but it’s on this court that someone will lead a prayer prior to the commencement of every game and often some pastors will be joining, and surely not to forget that there are non-believers participating as well. I love playing on this court because it’s the place where no harsh languages are allowed, no spitting and people play with good courtesy and attitude, as the pastor who joined today led the prayer said “Let us play with grace and joy, and may God be vivid in every facet of our lives, that we will glorify God in all that we do.”

Love the basketball board – “Glorify God” as painted. This is how we shine.

Speak Faith

Dedicate this post to a friend who is battling through faith crisis, and perhaps many out there. 

I know it’s tough, and I will never fully understand what you are going through but let me speak faith into you. The turbulence that I have gone through in life might not be as huge as yours, and the storms that hit me might not be as raging as yours, but the same faith from the same source is that one thing that can sufficiently soldier us through. Trials might come, but never allow trials to rob our faith – that one thing we all need to live through every day filled with uncertainties and challenges.

You might have a hundred and one questions that you would like an answer from God, uncountable grudges and complaints buried deep down in your heart or you literally cried out day and night unto God yet He remains silent, not even a single word being whispered. You might feel that God is so distant, and what had happened seems to contradict tremendously with the just and gracious God that you grew up knowing, especially when you begin to look around and compare your situation to others, those who seem to sail on smoothly without beating through the waves of life, and good things come prospering to them without much toiling. And you question God if He is truly the Jehovah Jireh – the God who will provide, when is he going to grant you the special request you have been asking for a dinosaur years.

Let me be honest I am just like you, too many times I stood at the crossroad asking God a thousand questions, to a point I asked God what does he really mean by “God does not show favoritism.” With my partial understanding and finite knowledge, there is just too much unfairness and unjust in everything I demand an answer. For instance, I once questioned God why not everyone being born with a silver spoon in his mouth, that there will be no comparison, there will be no jealously, there will be no embarrassment, they will be no hatred. That everyone will drive the same big SUV and live in the penthouse. I once questioned God why not let everyone live healthily, that there will be no sickness, no illness, that there will be just pure happiness without a milligram of sadness. I once questioned God why I put in so much effort in certain things yet achieved so little, while others who took it lightly attained much more. Travelled to a first world country and returning to a developing country, I questioned God when is he going to uphold the justice he promised, that why the wicked and corrupted seem to enjoy the riches while the poor remain poor, being violated in their every right and punished for what they don’t deserve. And a very personal experience, something I thought I have secured and given yet it was taken away during the most intense and crucial period of my uni life, messing up my initial plan and left stunned, shipwrecked. Till today, too many whys I asked. Too many tantrums I have thrown. Sometimes I walked away unsatisfied with God. But despite all that, when I truly looked back and pondered, I would like to quote what Mark Altrogge once said, which I fully concurred, that when I became a Christian, I signed on for an adventure of trust. Like getting on a roller coaster without seeing all the drops, dives, twists and turns ahead. I signed on with no idea of the blessings I’ll receive, afflictions I will endure, fruit I will bear, friends I will make, enemies I will face, places I will go, ways I will change. No idea of how God will humble or lift me up. Not knowing details in advance. Not knowing, not knowing, not knowing. All I have is the Scripture, everything that being said. The whole chapter of faith in Hebrews 11, what the ancients were commended for, like Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. It is said that many were commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God has planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect (Hebrews 11:39). Is your encounter the worst ever? There’s always someone else, the least to say, Job in the Bible.

Sink or fight. Sink into self-pity, sadness or turmoil or fight to hope in God. Tell ourselves that we will again praise God, that the story isn’t over yet. Keep up the devotion. Keep reading the word and repent on our unbelief. Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” We dwindle in faith when we neglect God’s Word. Rehearse God’s promises. Recall God’s past faithfulness in our lives. Get back into fellowship, encourage and build up one another. Surely, it’s hard to praise God in tough times. But, tough praise is still praise – to the one worthy to be praised despite the changing seasons in life, for he deserves it all.

We don’t know how Jesus will get us through storms, but we know he will. We don’t know how he’ll provide, but we know he’s the one who can multiply loaves and fishes. I’d have fainted if I’d known the many onion-layers of sin God would peel back and change. If I’d known in advance all Jesus would take me through I might not have signed up. This is why Jesus doesn’t give us the details but says, “Trust me.” ~Mark Altrogge.

So my friend, don’t lose faith. Have faith in the unseen. Whatever you are going through, remember that our Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalms 34:18). For me, I have learnt the art of losing myself in his unfailing love, unchanging truth and unwavering faithfulness. I am convicted that, for now I see only a reflection as in a mirror; then I shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully (1 Cor 13:12). Remember, every cloud has a silver lining. God will bring you through for He loves us. I am praying for you. I never know, may be one day I need your prayer, and speak this to myself.

Stand Unswervingly - Proven Faith

4 years I tried to discover the essence of my Christian beliefs, 4 years I was withheld but not oppressed by a particular structure and system of beliefs. I could vividly remember I was once told I am too stubborn, that my defence towards my stand is a reflection of my rebellion and hardheadedness. Today I have turned that agony into purpose. I fought for it because persuasion does not build up one’s faith, armed with the uncertainty if the other party has a stand in what he believes, or he took his stand merely someone once convinced him. You shouldn’t believe something if you yourself are not convicted, risking yourself to fall into the danger and shakiness of rooting on a secondary faith. More so, you take the risk to loose your integrity to proclaim and believe in something which you are personally unconvicted when being questioned. 

Brothers and sisters, I urge you to be convicted and stand unswervingly in your personal beliefs and ground yourself on a set of doctrine. Never take the blind faith path. Be aware that within the Christianity realm, there are doctrines that have segregated many believers and triggered disunity. It might not be well for me to table what I have in mind right now, wishing not cause another hurt to the already-stricken Christian influence, especially to trigger your doubt in what you believe. Each has a claim and defends what he believes. It’s all good. But let us acknowledge the differences of understanding towards different teachings and doctrines yet wholly accord Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), in view that no one person nor one group of believers has the complete and perfect comprehension of spiritual truth while here on earth. As written in 1 Corinthians 13:12 – “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” We are told we will not know everything while on earth. The end goal of our faith is salvation, being saved. Therefore, know solely what is the evidence that a person is truly saved. 

Seek not to get away with your Christian faith. Be a good example and model to your fellow disciples and believers. If you are challenged and questioned, don’t shut them off. Dig in and search what your faith is made of and based on. Ultimately, brace ourselves for the end time where a rise of false teachers who seek to deceive is imminent, and if we are determined to differentiate truth and falsehood. Study your Scripture, hold steadfastly to the Word and take a stand on your beliefs. Abort tolerance, for tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions. 

4 years are not wasted, I believe it is made in such a way for a reason, for a greater purpose. It has solidified my convictions, that I will not be easily shattered and shaken. I want my faith to be proven genuine. 

Lastly, let me throw you some good principles worth considering, shared by a dear brother of mine.

- To hold unswervingly to the core and essential doctrines and to learn to agree to disagree on secondary or peripheral matters (e.g. where the gospel is not threatened)

- To discern between areas of Conviction and areas of Command and not confuse the two (e.g. by imposing my convictions on others when they are not commands from Scripture)

- To not exchange the freedom I have in Christ to become a slave to some human tradition

- To let love be the governing principle in all I do, say, or think, and even in the pursuit of our Christian faith. As it is written in 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3 “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” ~ 1 Peter 1:6-7 May it be so. 

I see a break through today.

Transformation Doesn't Occur Overnight

I was reminded of this verse at prayer meeting tonight. 

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 (NIV)

But I love how the New Living Translation puts it, “Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Again, it is another revelation as I look at the verse this round. Allow me to put it in another form yet doesn’t diminish its meaning, “If we conform or follow the pattern of this world, we will NOT be able to know what God’s will is.” 

I always thought that the price that Christians have to pay for the sake of following Jesus is always about tough and scary situations and persecutions, like being stoned for proclaiming Jesus, being put behind bars, being sacked for upholding what is right and uphold integrity, cold-wars, rejections, and hardpress from family and friends... Today I was knocked awake that a huge-and-not-easy-at-all price that we have to pay in our walk with God is to renounce the world and put the world behind us. Too easy to say, difficult to attain, yet it’s what we are asked to do. 

It’s about putting the old and worldly self behind, and embrace and be clothed with the new self in Christ. It is about being transformed by the way we think, relate and view this world. Yet, a Christian’s life transformation doesn’t take place overnight. It requires a daily decision, a daily determination, a daily discipline, a daily sacrifice, and accompanied by a daily portion of grace. It is a process, a journey, perhaps an arduous journey. Take for an example to be a world-class athlete. It involves a decision to say this is what I am going to take up in my life. Determination to say no matter what occurs along the way I am so gonna achieve this, perhaps setting a time frame, goals, objectives etc. Discipline includes specific daily intake, sufficient rest, solid schedule and training programme, employ a personal trainer, etc... Sacrifice includes giving up unhealthy fast food, to go somewhere afar from home for better training, missing out other entertainments in life, etc… And by God’s grace, after years of training with no mishap or unfortunate event taking place, one can make it there. 

Yet following Jesus is a life-long thing. Easily we will get distracted along the way, especially when we are walking through faith crisis and knowing the fact that we are imperfect and weak beings. We can easily opt out. However, it’s our choice to make yet knowing we can ask the Spirit to guide and lead us on. 

So, Pattern of the world or Pattern of Christ? True enough we can only choose one. We can’t serve two masters. We can’t be faithful to both. You marry one, you don’t marry two. We are born with flesh. And the Bible says the flesh belongs to the world. Allow me to say by nature, we are concerned about the world, what the world says, what the world thinks, what the world does, what the world believes, instead of being concerned of what God … what God … We are concerned of how to gel in this world, our acceptance and approval by the world, our position and status in the world rather than dwelling, acceptance and status in the Kingdom of God. But at the same time, we want to know the will of God, we want to know God’s plan for us, we want to be blessed, we want to receive anointing, we want our requests and petitions to be answered and granted … But it is like wanting both darkness and light to coexist at the same time. Both evil and good to rule at the same time… Hard hey? Let’s take a look at what Paul urges us the children of Light in Ephesians 4:17-24. 

“So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

We can’t attain it by our own. But “For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.” ~ Psalms 18:29

I am learning, I am growing!

Kill Your Unbelief

I have the privilege to lead several seekers group in my journey in Brisbane. It is always exciting to share with the pre-believers about God. There are several things I always share and try to analyse with them. It’s very simple. It’s all about taking that little step of faith to make a decision, yet a decision that can turn a life upside down, too significant and important it is. 

A friend recently asked me “How can I know God? As in, how to accept God into my life?” Hmm… quite often we will use the Christian jargon to share with them about Sinner’s Prayer, and explaining to them the step by step progress etc… A thought came so I shared. To me, it’s all about making a decision “loh”. Just like today you meet a gal and you are interested in her, so you sing out, “Hey I just met you and this is crazy! Arghh soo crazy!” And from there on some love-at-first-sight people will be like “Can we be gal and boyfriend?” You see, it involves an approach, an offer, and an acceptance. See, when you decided to date someone, most likely at that point of time you don’t know everything about the person, perhaps just a little, just a side of him or her, and it takes a life long journey to know your spouse and you gotta put in effort. That’s how interesting a marriage is, that’s why it is exciting. Likewise, knowing God to me, is more likely the same. Just the difference is that an offer has already been made since the moment Jesus went onto the Cross and died for the whole world, that salvation and acceptance has been made available since then. An offer already exists. What we need to do is to take up the offer. And our life with God is the same. A life long journey, and we get to know God more and more as day goes by. And Christianity is a relationship. Our bond and relationship with God gets stronger the more we interact and communicate. We communicate, we talk to God. And God speaks to us through the Scripture, through His creation such as the nature, through Holy Spirit when we spend time with Him, when we worship him and perhaps through someone around us where God drops a word in them to speak into our life, or through books and resources that we read etc. You see God travels beyond space and time, He is limitless, and He is a God of creativity, so many ways He can interact with us.

Taking the step to experience is so crucial. Let me throw you an analogy. Person A says Restaurant Fulham offers the best Char Kuey Tiao (a Malaysian cuisine) with Ham in Brisbane. Person B argues and defends that Restaurant West Ham offers the best Char Kuey Tiao with Ham. But Person A has never tried Restaurant West Ham, likewise, Person B has never tried Restaurant Fulham. While Person C actually tried both Restaurant Fulham and Restaurant West Ham before. If you are asking for a recommendation, who will you believe? You see, experience matters. But if you never choose to taste the goodness of God, you will surely never know how good He is. All you need is a decision saying I want to know, I want to experience! The remaining story, ensues on. Another example will be, you tell your friend that you are better looking than Sing Hoe. I say that is not true because your friend never gets to meet me in person. And when your friend finally gets to meet me, he or she will say, hold on a minute - you are wrong, Sing Hoe is actually better looking. You see, experience matters. But it requires a decision to lead to that (your friend’s decision saying I want to meet Sing Hoe and see who is better looking). :P

You see, everything about me and us are fleeting, they will all pass away one day, my handsomeness, your prettiness, my height, your plumpness … but everything about God will not, because He just can’t! That’s why in our temporariness, we need everlastingness, and that can only be found in God. We are just finite, feeble, so powerless beings yet often being so proud about ourselves, bragging about how capable we are. You see, to humble ourselves means to acknowledge that we are powerless. That we don’t control lives. To humble ourselves means we surrender fully our lives and wills unto God. Yet so often, we attempt to be God, trying to take everything in our hands, and when life is not going the way we want it to be, we blame and curse God, we get angry, we talk about how God doesn’t love us, that He doesn’t care, that He is absent, that He is not real.

People talk about things and attempts in life they must do so that they will have no regret when they die, ie, bungee jumping, skydiving etc… and they will actually go all the way for it… Why not going for something which is free and eternally rewarding – knowing God?

Most people are so frenzied seeing a shooting star that only last for seconds. If that can give them the excitement, why not capture a God that is everlasting and bring so much good to one’s life?

You use your life to tell me about your unbelief, I use mine to tell you about God.

Do you think your heart can live again? Do you think it's time to cast out the unbelief in your heart? Do you think you can give God a chance (He has given you so many chances to know Him)?

The Passover, A Message by Beth Moore

Passion Conference 2013 - Session 2 - Sermon by Beth Moore, Founder of Living Proof Ministries 

Beth Moore was sharing about the significance and importance of Passover Meal. She started off by saying some of these astounding words:

- Only God can bring this many people together with that kind of initiative of faith.
- I'm hoping for God to do something so dramatic in our life that you flat out never get over it.
- I felt the call of God over my life when I was a sophomore in college.
- It can only be God. We can't fire ourselves up year after year. Jesus did that!
- What would happen in the coming generations if every one of you be set aflame for the word of God.
- If you have the kind of passion you do for worship and put together with the love for his word..

Sermon based on Matthew 26:17-30

This was the most important meal [The Last Supper] in all of human history. This Passover meal would have taken about 3 or so hours to celebrate. It's very important to know that they [the disciples and Jesus] were going throughout the entire Passover meal. The Passover feast is the longest existing celebrated feast year after year in human history. By the time we come to the Passover meal [described in Matthew 26] it had already been going on for thousands of years. It very much had an order to it. Jews call it 'seder'. The word 'seder' means order. Jesus himself told the whole Passover story as the father at the table to all those who were listening. The Passover would have been celebrated around Easter and the table was full of food. What had to be on the Passover table: Unleavened bread, roasted lamb, bitter herbs, parsley… Everything is really symbolic sitting on the table. The Father would pour the wine to everyone at the table then say the opening prayer.

The wine on the table could not be of greater significance. There are four liftings of the cups of wine, which coincide with the promise of God in Exodus 6:6-7.

Cup 1: I will bring you out.
Cup 2: I will deliver you from slavery.
Cup 3: I will redeem you.
Cup 4: I will take you as My people.

Technically: The first cup is for Kiddush, the second for the Exodus, the third for Birkat Hamazon, and the fourth for Hallel.

The next step of Passover is traditionally the washing of the hands Instead of washing the disciples hands, Jesus gets down on his knees and begins to wash their feet. Everything has changed. John 13:6-8 The next step is the asking of the four questions by the youngest child at the table.

How many favors has God bestowed upon us? DAYENU!

Had Jesus had just been born to a virgin, it would not have been enough. Had Jesus caused the deaf to hear, the blind to see, the mute to speak, it would not have been enough. If Jesus had only raised the dead, it would not have been enough. Something had to happen. In those next hours that would answer to the question of, what will be enough?

They begin going back to Psalm 113 to Psalm 118 and read them in antiphony. When they take the bitter herbs, they are acting out the bitterness of slavery. They are going through all of this mourning. Jesus knows he is the lamb.

Luke 22:20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup saying "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." Does it suddenly make sense that the bread was broken?

Jesus broke the bread just like his body would be broken. He takes the third cup and instead of pouring it around to everyone, he pours his own and says take my cup. At the new covenant, Jesus says you have to ingest this. It's the offer of salvation and complete redemption. We don't even know if Jesus sips from the cup. Look at verse 39 in Matthew 26 When Jesus got on that cross, he not only took the cup, he became that cup. When Jesus gets to cup four, he says I will not take of this cup until we take it together in my kingdom. At the end of it, they sung a hymn. We know what the hymn was… The hymn sung was Psalm 118.

"This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." Jesus is singing to them, all of days is made for this day, all of time is made for this time. Psalm 40 verse 9 says something gloriously significant for us today. "I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart."

The gospel means good news and it is good news… but it's not only good news, it's glad news. Jesus has set us free from all the bondage and depravity and foolishness of our past. Glad always has a reason to it. Glad always has a why. I'm glad because Jesus Christ has saved my scrawny neck. This is the day I will redeem you with an outstretched arm. It is enough. He is enough.

I am glad. God has not just done something good for me. I am glad about it. I am glad God's mercy is anew every single morning. The evil one will not get the last say and I am glad about that. For all those who love God and are called according to his purpose... I am glad about that. Christ will come back and he will claim his kingdom and I am glad about that. There is a world coming where there will be no more bad news, no more crying, no more sickness and no more death and I am glad about that. The Lord has done great things for us and we are glad.

What is glad to us today?

Snapshot taken from Live Stream #Passion 2013

God Wants To Do Immeasurably More In Our Life

Passion Conference 2013 Session 1

If you missed out the First Session of Passion 2013 Conference by Louie Giglio, below is the little sermon note I gathered. God bless.

Louie Giglio started off sharing the vision he caught for Passion Movement back in 1996. His sermon is based on Ezekiel 37:1-14 - The Valley of Dry Bones, centering on the message that God alone can bring life and bring immeasurably more into our life if we believe, setting us free from ALL captivity.

His message (Not complete):

In 1996 I saw a stadium in Korea FILLED with students [on fire for Jesus]. We prayed that God would do that in our generation. Here we are, 16 years later and I'm looking at another stadium, full of 60k people.

We didn't know… we had seen 1,000 students on a Monday night in 1996. That was amazing, but we didn't know what to ask. God just said GO.

God is building a global army.

We wanted [Passion] to be solely focused on the fame, the glory of Jesus Christ.

I believe that God is the God of immeasurably more than what you can ask or imagine.

Let's be honest tonight, many of us came into the door in captivity. Something has a grip on us. When you trace that back there could be events, sure… but at the end of the day it's our foolishness that forgets who God is.

And He asked me (Ezekiel), "Son of man, can these bones live?" Ezekiel answered, "Oh sovereign Lord, you alone know…" ~ The wisest answer. Ezekiel knew the power of God.

Whenever God asks us a question, the best answer is "Oh sovereign Lord, you alone know…”. Do we believe that God can do immeasurably more?

Mark 9:14 is the story of Jesus when he heals a boy possessed by an impure spirit. Insight to this: “Things could be going crazy, but Jesus has an amazing ability to focus in that moment.”

Everything is possible in he who believes. The boy’s father exclaimed, When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. 'I do believe! He lifted [the boy] to his feet and he stood up.

God, I do believe you can immeasurably more, but help the part of me that doesn't believe. And I think God loves that prayer.

When the Lord appeared to [Ezekiel], he fell down, face down, astounded in the glory of God. So when he was asked the question if these bones can live, he said only you know, Lord. What we want to say in these days is that Jesus is great. There is no one that rivals him in any way. Jesus is coming here, he is speaking, he is posing the question, he is saying do you think I can immeasurably more in your generation? The first thing God said he was going to do was speak the word of God into the death, into the valley, into the dryness. We just want to say keep receiving the word of God. All of us together in the community groups, the same passage of scripture. Here's what he said I'm going to do… I am going to make breath enter you and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you… that's all about repair. God says don't count me out, I can repair. I can make ligaments, I can make skin, I can repair what is gone. You will come to life then you will know that I am the Lord. That is our prayer, that at the end of these days you will be astounded by God. At the end we'll know he did something in our lives that no one else can do. He healed something, repaired something, feed something…

Please speak the word, breath into me, reconnect all this brokenness and I will know that you alone are God. I need you Jesus to come into my valley of dried bones… when Jesus comes it's always true. Jesus come.

People have come in here with chains and addictions, but when Jesus comes the bound go free. When Jesus is on the scene the dead come to life. The gospel moves in action. He who has the son (Jesus) has the life and he who does not have the son does not have life. When you are dead you are hopeless and helpless apart from the intervention of the almighty God. It's not because of Passion. It's because of Jesus that you'll see. The poor in spirit in this house and the nations will be lifted. We're going to fight for justice, we're going to shine a light on modern day slavery. We're going to bring freedom to the 27 million women and men and children trapped in slavery. People are going to be sent. That always happens when Jesus shows up.

When Jesus comes, he sends us out. When Jesus comes, God is glorified. God always gets the glory when Jesus comes. Every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father. Every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father. If Jesus is here, then we're going to leave this place and we're going to walk out to live our lives for the glory of God. And it all has to do with the voice of God.

Jesus, we thank you that you are the living word of God. We thank you that you are immortal, invisible, yet word made flesh. You are the living word of God, you speak the word of God. We ask that you would come and speak to everybody in this building. #Passion 2013

Do you think your dreams can live? Do you think your heart can live again? Can the stone in your chest be replaced with a beating heart?

Can you believe in the fact that God believes in you?

Can you be healed of the wounds that have been inflicted on you?

Just say back to Him… you are God. Only you know what you can do, but you are God almighty...

"Here's my heart, Lord. Speak what is true." - David Crowder (Closing)

"Promise maker, promise keeper. You finish what you begin." - Kristian Stanfill (Closing)

Snapshot Live Stream from Georgia Dome

Share in Life

Year 2012 is winding up. Reckon most of us are reflecting on the past 364 days, 364 days of life breathed walking on this earth. Many are busy planning for the year ahead, resolutions, plans, strategies, bucket lists, etc.

For me, it has been a tough year, but undeniably the most happening year in my 23 years of journey thus far. I couldn’t pen down every single event, but surely there are ups and downs filling up my days. Certainly, it has been another good year walking with God. I am not ashamed being persistent in telling the world about this God that I believe in, because I believe everything in life revolves around Him, and is about Him. From the beginning of the world to the end of the world, He paints it and He has the full view of what is and will be to come. I have also tasted the wondrous love, goodness and faithfulness of God, especially how He has provided sustained me through my final year degree juggling with compulsory internship, a full ministry on campus to lead and take charge, lifegroup, church ministry, social life, family, etc… wow! It’s very surreal, but again, testimony is the most powerful tool of communication because what one goes through and experiences, can never be denied or overturned by another individual, that’s why, testimonies are crucial in court. :P

My life aside, how have yours been? Has life been tough, bittersweet, too wonderful? You see, we all have just one life to live on and the way we tailor our life is just very different to one another. We have our very own dreams, goals, determinations, plans and even motto that we live with. What is my cup of tea is most likely not yours. Despite all the differences, there is a God we all can get connected and related to. A God who have examined us and know all about us, who knows us when we sit down and when we get up, who knows our thoughts before we think them, who knows where we go and where we lie down, who knows thoroughly everything we do. A God that we can’t run away or hide from. Everywhere we go, He is there. But at the same time, a God who would guide us, holding us with His right hand through thick and thin, every season of life. 

In this last week of 2012, I had the opportunity to share about God with two friends that I have met recently (you might be reading this). I am actually quite amazed at the softness of their hearts and the eager desire wanting to know more and hear more about God, His business, Gospel and what Bible is all about. Very nice and genuine people. I tried to link the Scripture to our down to earth daily life, principles, rules of thumb, etc and I believe they got a fair share how the Scripture is immaculately related to our day to day life. Yet again and again I am bringing them back to the most crucial fact that regardless of all, God is our portion and He is enough. If you want to see God in every picture, in every facet of our life, you can actually see it as clear as you want if you have been intentional. Just as someone commented over the mass killing at Newtown, Connecticut, “Have we taken God out of the school?” A good question to us, “Have we taken God out of our life?” With a month left in Brisbane, I told these two friends in their eyes, “Even as I leave, my prayer is that both of you will sometime somehow receive this great Saviour into your life. If it doesn’t happen when I am still in Brisbane, I will surely rejoice when I get to hear about the good news, somewhere.” 

Today at church this young married man took to the stage and shared his testimony about how his grandpa has left a legacy in his life. His grandpa’s death has shaken him to ponder about life - what he is chasing after in his life. I am reminded again that we live to inspire others, not just in living a good life but to inspire others to pursue and love God. I really love what Pastor Stephen Altrogge posted on his Facebook earlier today – “The person who will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven will probably be someone we’ve never heard of.” How true is that. A new year ahead, how are we determined to live it? For self-glory or sowing into the eternity? Just yesterday the world mourned the death of this 23 years old Indian female medical student who was a victim of a horrendous gang-raped incident. This incident not just stirred great anger from the public demanding the government to DO SOMETHING to protect the women in the society and look after their welfare, but also perhaps for many, where is justice? I have no answer. But one thing I am certain, God is watching and He will judge the rapists and killers in due time, for all will be held accountable on the judgment day. This incident is just a tiny tip of the iceberg of how sickening the world has become. 

As we gear up to welcome a new year ahead, be braced for both pleasant and unpleasant moments. Life will never be a bed of roses blossoming every day. Ecclesiastes said there is a season for everything. Things and people might change and fail. But we can find everlasting hope and love in Christ alone, who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. If you know Jesus and believe in Him, He is with you and He will go before you. There you should know who goes before you and who is behind you. Ain’t that utmost comfort and heartening to dawn upon? I love this sharing from a dear brother. Many know the word “Immanuel” means “God is with us”. But when we ponder about it, it is just mind-blowing and incomprehensible that out of all the creations in this world, God CHOSE to live in us. Amazing? So praise and thank God for that! 

Allow me to say that “A fair share in life are mountain high and valley low moments, but a FULL share in life is to have God with us through those moments.” Lets welcome 2013 with renewed visions and perspectives, seeing things with the kingdom mind and eyes. Stop dwelling in the past, and move forward. As Paul famously wrote in Philippians 3:12-16, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” And when you are going through unfavourable moments, keep the Word of God close to your heart and find strength in it, that God’s promise preserves our life. 

To end, allow me to share with you my favourite quote of the year which I have written two months ago – “I may be physically barred from approaching God, even when my enemy is at its best, but as long as my soul has the teeny-weeny will to pray, I know heaven is within reach, and my God will vindicate me.” Live for Him, He will vindicate us! Look to Him, He will uphold us. 

Happy New Year to all.

Perfect God vs Imperfect Beings

I came across and heard people saying "Stop telling me about Christianity and your God." There are numerous reasons given, particularly one which hurt them the most - "I had a bad encounter with a Christian friend...” “I got cheated by a Christian friend...” “A Christian friend betrayed me...” “How can my Christian friend treat me like that..." 

Or sometimes you get to hear reasons such as “Look at that Christian, you see his attitude? Is that the character a Christian should have?” “See that filthy rich so called Christian businessman? Detestable approaches in his tactics…”

If you are one of them, even though I do not know who and what you encountered, on behalf of those who hurt, offended, cheated, betrayed or disappointed you, I sincerely say sorry on behalf of them.

Yet I praise God that your encounter and experience has proven once again that we are all a Great Sinner in dire need of a Great Saviour. And proven again that Christians are not perfect beings, we do fall and stumble. We make mistakes. We screw up. Though you can reject man, but you can’t reject the Christian God. You can’t deny the love and hope He brought to this world simply because of what you have encountered. You can’t deny God just because of your unfavorable experience. That is, being blatant.

Despite all the shortcomings of Christians, you should see that God is reaching out to save His people. And in all the shortcomings of Christians, you should learn to see that no one is righteous, none is good (Romans 3:9-20), except God. You should learn that all have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). You should learn to see that we all need Grace, that we are not Born into grace but being Brought into Grace, and this Grace comes from God (Romans 5:1-2). You should learn that God’s grace is all that we need, His grace is sufficient for us, and His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Last but not least, you should probably learn a big lesson about forgiveness. Forgiveness first that being exemplified and demonstrated on the Cross along side with love. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32). Just as those Christians that you don’t have a good encounter with, I believe somewhere in life you would have offended and hurt someone. And all that you pleaded for is to be forgiven. Likewise, learn to forgive those who trespassed you. Those who are forgiven much, love much (Luke 7:47).

Christianity is about a perfect God reaching out to the imperfect beings; and the imperfect beings seeking a perfect God. Give others a chance (forgive), and give yourself a bigger chance to know Him (be forgiven).


Photo Credit: Tim Ngu

Thanksgiving Is The Highest Form of Thought

The scorching hot summer messes up my sleeping pattern nowadays. I nap a lot during day time and have trouble to sleep at night, turning me into a nocturnal creature watching the world rotates. Yet this gives me a reason to tire myself through night jogs so that my body can be quickened to demand a rest. All the jogs often lead me to reflections and thoughts, and I love it. 

So yeah just some thoughts I garnered as I was jogging tonight, and my favourite theme is always life and people.

Counting our blessings.

Henry W. Beecher once said, "The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!"

Looking at my life right now, I can only be overwhelmed whenever I count God's blessings upon my life, and these include blessings from family, friends and everyone else. Cultivating a heart of gratitude and thankfulness supremely to God draws my heart out to God and keep me engaged with Him. This is because I believe God is the source of everything, creations that are not directly created by Him can only be indirectly created by Him, and thus still, from Him. For example, He gives the creativity and innovation to mankind to explore and create. So ultimately, He is still the source. With that, if all things are from God, including ourselves, this life, then with all reasons, we should be thankful and give thanks to our Creator. Whenever I thank God for something, I am praising His greatness, goodness, faithfulness, gift of salvation ... all contributing to Him being self-glorified.

Lets learn from David in Psalms to give thanks to God for everything. Every furrow in the Book of Psalms is sown with the seeds of thanksgiving. There are so many times the Scripture highlights the urge, importance, need and just simply being thankful to God for everything.

Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Philippians 1:3
Paul said, "I thank my God every time I remember you."

Ephesians 5:19-21
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:14-16
...because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 147:7
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp.

Psalm 106:1
Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Psalm 69:30
I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

We don't need too big a reason to thank God for. Sin has taught us to be unkind, ungrateful, jealous and greedy. We will never reach full satisfaction on earth for everything in this world is mere passing shadows, they are created to be temporary and to serve us but not to be indulged in. I often wonder how people can actually find everlasting happiness from the world, and sometimes wasting the whole life trying so hard to grab all the lies of Satan. If everything in this world is just temporary and will pass away one day, is it worth for us to lose our life to gain them?

Lets cultivate the posture of thanksgiving in our hearts every single day. We have too many reasons to be thankful for.

If you think your life is in a pit and you don't have much, that too many wants go unanswered, that compared to others you are too little too low, remember those who are battling for a mouthful of food to survive; remember those who are born disabled; remember those never get to know the father's love or mother's love; and if you have an opportunity to study and to gain knowledge, remember those who are not as fortunate as you; remember those who live in constant fear especially those in unstable countries where guerillas and rebels are threatening their lives and in war zones ... be thankful.

Every morning when you wake up, if you still have breath and alive, that you still have a proper brush, toothpaste, facial cream, supply of clean water.. all that for your morning ablution, clean clothes to put on, that you still have croissant left in the fridge or bread with spreads sitting on the table, that you still have a job to work on, that your bank account is still positive, be thankful. Many don't have, some never tasted bread with Nutella spread, while all we think of is Big Breakfast, Eggs Benedict with Salmon, Pancakes ...

Every night before you sleep, if you still have the opportunity to gulp down a cup of warm full cream milk, that you still have a nice bed to sleep on, that your tummy is still full .. be thankful. Many don't have such opportunity. A still usable mattress that we throw away to some, might be a 7 stars hotel they can ever ask for.

In this festive season, lets remember the love Jesus lavished on us, and those who have received the gift of Salvation ought to be even more thankful than the rest. And if we are thankful, we will be compelled to spread this love.

Too much we have, too little we give thanks for. God doesn't need us to be thankful, but He wants us to be thankful, so that He can earn all the glory and be lifted highest among all creations. 

"How divinely full of glory and pleasure shall that hour be when all the millions of mankind that have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God shall meet together and stand around Him, with every tongue and every heart full of joy and praise! How astonishing will be the glory and the joy of that day when all the saints shall join together in one common song of gratitude and love, and of everlasting thankfulness to this Redeemer! With that unknown delight, and inexpressible satisfaction, shall all that are saved from the ruins of sin and hell address the Lamb that was slain, and rejoice in His presence!" ~ Isaac Watts

Hope in the Cross, Faith in the Unseen

I had a quick catch up with a friend today about updates in life. I can somehow feel the bursting desperation in waiting for a clear path and direction in life. It's true that the reality is that we are still human beings, we want instant answers, instant provisions, instant directions etc. In the midst of it we lose our patience easily because we are desperate, we are yelling out. We want to be informed, we want to know beforehand, we want a clear view, we want something smooth and straight forward; we dislike uncertainty, we dislike waiting, we dislike to feel unsecured. Gamut of emotions, facets of life. It is easy to know the Scripture, tough to live out what the Scripture teaches us especially when circumstances are not favourable, situations are not in our control, and when we are desperate for something.

While driving home from work, the phrase "hope to the hopeless" rang in my head coincidentally the audio was playing the song "Faith in the Unseen". It struck me how we can actually tell others there is hope in Jesus Christ and share with them about finding hope in God when we ourselves do not even know what we are hoping for at times, or sometimes, appear and seem to be hopeless, demoralised, dejected.

Ever ask yourself what are you hoping for? What does hope really mean to you? Where is your hope? What is hope?

I was reminded of this passage in 2 Corinthians 4:7-18, a passage that I think is immaculately written and beaming with hope for the future glory.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”Since we have that same spirit of faith,we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Astounding! My finite mind couldn't fathom and understand how on earth Paul can actually write this considering all that he had gone through - "I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with roads, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger from false brothers. I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked....." 2 Corinthians 11

Speechless. Paul is not a superhero with some God-given supernatural ability. He is just a mere human with flesh and mortal body, once a great sinner, great prosecutor of the Churches of God. And wait, how on earth he can spell 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 even after he went through all those .... You are joking!

The power of Hope. "... And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." ~ Romans 5:3-5

"... But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." ~ Romans 8:24-25

Therefore, in the midst of all uncertainty and turbulence, do not lose hope. Hope is what keeps you on track. Something great is awaiting those who are hopeful. God knows what we need even before we asked from Him, but we have to trust His timing and trust that He knows what is best for us.

If you ask me how certain is my future, I can't give you an answer. Ask my Driver. But I can tell you how certain my God is, how faithful He is and has been to me. Ask me about my life direction? Ha! I don't mind going anywhere, as long as I am walking with God, yet no place on earth is my home. I am heaven-bound yo! I can't lose hope, because I gotta bring this hope to those who are yet to know.

Hope in the Cross, have Faith in the Unseen. Read the Word, store it in our heart, and speak the Word over our life. Hope on.

Forgiveness

Someone once said, "To err is human, to forgive, divine."

Tonight my sister shared a fair bit of her journey in Ireland prior to her permanent return to Malaysia when she graduated several years ago. She mentioned about taking time to seek forgiveness from everyone that she once hurt or offended, be it small or big. 

Reminded of several occasions in the Bible where Jesus insisted on the greatness and urgency to forgive. The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant is perhaps one of the best examples we should keep in heart dearly.

Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (77???)

He continues, “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

“At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

Take note of verse 35!

“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

In Colossians 3:13 it says, "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

In Matthew 6:14, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." (ESV)

Often we are just like the servant that owed Jesus way way too much, too vast too insurmountable that there is no way we can ever pay back our debt. A life crucified and sacrificed for us. We in the very first position are not worthy to receive the forgiveness from Him, the Forgiver. There is no greater example, no greater demonstration of forgiveness and love other than the one vividly shown on the Cross.

We are forgiven of our sins, yet when we choose not to forgive others, we sin.

If we think about how great a sinner we are, yet freely we receive the grace and forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses us, as white as snow, how can we NOT forgive our fellow friends or believers who wronged us, either intentional or unintentionally? When Christ forgives us, there is no condition attached. When we choose not to forgive, there is a sign of bitterness and pride. Danger!

Remove the log from our own eyes. Dare one to boast that he is righteous and have never wronged others. The truth is that we are all imperfect beings, that in our imperfection there will always be occasions that we hurt or wrong others, be it small, huge, unintentionally or being negligent.

Reflecting on my days here on earth, way too many occasions I hurt or wronged someone, the worst is when I couldn't even remember what I have said or done. And surely I gotta forgive all those whom in their weakness did the same to me.

The next time when we struggle to forgive, remember what Jesus once did to us. Forgiveness that has been ready before we even asked for it. Remember the Parable in Matthew 18. Forgive as the Lord forgave us. Sometimes, we don't need a reason to forgive, if we have love. The perfect love doesn't seek a reason to forgive us the unlovable.

Christmas is here! Time to bless and to forgive! Time to say, "Arghh is alright! Don't keep it in your heart!" Time to say, "I forgive you!" Time to say, "I am sorry ..."! Forgiveness makes this world a better place to live in. Forgiveness lightens both the forgiver and receiver's heart. Forgiveness is the antidote to a bitter heart. Forgiveness is Christ's supreme mercy. Forgiveness allows us to find our way up. Forgiveness bridges our relationship with our Father. To forgive is to humble oneself.

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” ~ Colossians 3:12-14