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.