Tag God

God’s Covenant with Us

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Recently, I had a revelation that provided more insights about God’s covenant with us.

The seriousness of His covenant

The word “covenant” in its Hebrew meaning berith refers to something that has been “cut”.

This may explain why we have observed people cutting themselves when they enter into an oath or become sworn blood brothers.

That is why when the apostle Paul shared about the new covenant that was found in Christ, he was referring to Him as the ultimate sacrifice for the redemption of mankind.

It is through Christ with the shedding of His blood, that man is reconciled with God; altering man’s eternal destiny.

With a covenant requiring to cut or even to the extent of sacrificing one’s life, that shows how serious it is. Hence, a covenant serves as a seal between two parties that cannot be broken under any circumstances.

The paradox of His covenant

The amazing part of His covenant is when we consider the seriousness of a covenant, it seems entirely absurd that our Almighty God would even make an agreement with man.

I think we would agree that we would only go into an agreement with someone if we are confident of that person’s credibility which may be measured in terms of character or competence.

Taking into account the fallibility of man, it is obvious that God was taking a huge risk in trusting us to keep our end of the agreement when He initiated this covenant with us.

In fact, God was and is pretty much on the losing end.

But against conventional wisdom, we find that God trusts us. And more than that, He has remained faithful in spite of our shortcomings!

The message behind His covenant

Reflect for a moment on the fact that we or the Church have disappointed and grieved Him incessantly over spans of generations since the patriacrh Abraham, but yet He has remained true to His word.

Don’t you think it is mind-boggling that God would even intiate to establish a covenant with us?

“The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations!

Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors.”

Deuteronomy 7:7-8

The establishment of God’s covenant with us reveals the depth of His love for us. And it reminds us that He is faithful even when we may fail Him.

When we consider the extent of God’s love and magnanimity through His covenant with us, it also provides that much needed perspective for us in becoming more gracious towards others (even the Church) who might have hurt or even disappointed us.

Just as God displays unconditional love through His covenant, so should we as He is.

Religion, God & Other Separate Matters

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Below is a blog entry from Mr Wang Says So. He provides an excerpt from a book that provokes thought and demands soul searching especially if we are Christians.

I shall quote a conversation between a certain old man and a certain young man, in a novel which I shall not name. What the book title is, and who the author is, is less interesting than the point which the fictional old man makes:

“Four billion people say they believe in God, but few genuinely believe. If people believed in God, they would live every minute of their lives in support of that belief. Rich people would give their wealth to the needy.”

Everyone would be frantic to determine which religion was the true one. No one could be comfortable in the thought that they might have picked the wrong religion and blundered into eternal damnation, or bad reincarnation, or some other unthinkable consequence. People would dedicate their lives to converting others to their religions.

“A belief in God would demand one hundred percent obsessive devotion, influencing every waking moment of this brief life on earth. But your four billion so-called believers do not live their lives in that fashion, except for a few. The majority believe in the usefulness of their beliefs—an earthly and practical utility—but they do not believe in the underlying reality.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “If you asked them, they’d say they believe.”

“They say that they believe because pretending to believe is necessary to get the benefits of religion. They tell other people that they believe and they do believer-like things, like praying and reading holy books. But they don’t do the things that a true believer would do, the things a true believer would have to do.

“If you believe a truck is coming toward you, you will jump out of the way. That is belief in the reality of the truck. If you tell people you fear the truck but do nothing to get out of the way, that is not belief in the truck. Likewise, it is not belief to say God exists and then continue sinning and hoarding your wealth while innocent people die of starvation. When belief does not control your most important decisions, it is not belief in the underlying reality, it is belief in the usefulness of believing.”

“Are you saying God doesn’t exist?” I asked, trying to get to the point.

“I’m saying that people claim to believe in God, but most don’t literally believe. They only act as though they believe because there are earthly benefits in doing so. They create a delusion for themselves because it makes them happy.”

“So you think only the atheists believe their own belief?” I asked.

An Illumination of His Word & Love

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Some time ago, God encouraged me with His word from Psalms.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”

even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

Psalm 139:11-12

Though these two verses are not unfamilar to me, but I never quite made sense of what the psalmist meant.

But that day, the word was illuminated. I understood the essence of it.

The illuminated word

Despite being surrounded by the doom and gloom from the global financial crisis to my personal challenges in life, there is reason to be at peace.

God is bigger and above everything in this world. He is sovereign and is in my life. He lives in me. I need not fear as He loves me.

My confidence does not come from the economy, my job or my capabilities. It comes from walking with God and knowing his deep love for me.

I am discovering more with each new day that this intimacy with God helps me put life in its proper perspective.

In Him and with Him in control, I know that I am well-taken care of. Amen.

Found Faithful

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Below is an excerpt taken from one of Kong Hee’s daily devotions. This particular entry spoke to me- now I’m in a period of preparation. I have to be faithful. Amen.

“Many are called, but few chosen” (Matt. 20:16). It is one thing to be called of God, it is quite another to be chosen by God.

But Revelation 17:14 says, “Those who are with [the Lamb] are called, chose, and faithful.”

Moses wasn’t just called and chosen by God, he was found faithful in everything he did for the Lord in His house (Heb. 3:2).

Similarly, there will be three distinct divisions in your life. You must have the call of God. Then there will be a preparation period.

If you pass that preparation period, there will come a time when God will choose you and put you into a ministry. But for that ministry to flourish and bear great fruit, you must be found faithful in serving God in His church.

Crossing the Two-Year Mark

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This week, I’ve crossed the two-year mark in being with  my present organisation.

Though two years doesn’t seem long, but it does feel very long.

Since my first day, I have been through many turbulent phases with the organisation.

Presently, I am relieved and thankful that we have turned the corner and are climbing to prominence.

The turn around truly taught me what a difference a committed and competent leader can do for an organisation. And the reverse being also true with an undedicated and incompetent leader.

Connecting the dots

It has been a very fruitful two years. God has used this particular environment to stretch my vision from a “B2C” to a “B2B” mindset.

Being thickly involved and in tune with the business community has also enriched my perspective in what God is doing in the marketplace and enhanced my business acumen (c.f. Matthew 10:16)

From the social service sector, then to an e-commerce set up and now in this business federation, each working environment has provided me with unqiue experiences, aquired knowledge and honed my skills.

Upon analysing, I do see a pattern or the dots that are connecting each one of these phases of my work life towards my vision.

Being where God wants me to be

Though from a worldly standpoint, I can honestly admit that my resume or portfolio may not be classed with the “elites” in Singapore, but I know I am where God wants me to be and that’s my definition of success.

I think being given a vision beyond what I can see has helped me see my life in His perspective in the light of His plans for me. And knowing God gives me the confidence to face my tomorrows.

At where I am now, I am more excited than I ever was about the future ahead with Him, even in this downturn.

Moving forward, my prayer would be for me to learn patience and stillness in waiting upon God even more; that I may be faithful in all I do and also rely fully on Him. Amen.   

My God Sees Me Up

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I believe many can identify with me when I say that I often question God on “why my life so difficult?”

When I compared myself with my peers, it seemed as their lives were far more rosier or blessed.

Mine seemed to be constantly peppered with obstacles after obstacles. Negative thoughts were not uncommon too.

Why bad things always happen to me only?

Why can’t I have a stable relationship?

How come my family must be in this divorced state?

Why wasn’t I born in a rich family?

When and why can’t I have a stable career and earn more money like others?

But all these negativity have gradually become a thing of the past as I grew to embrace my identity and found my security in Him.

God loves me and believes in me

Recently,  in a light-hearted small-talk session with the Holy Spirit, the same question about “why my life is so difficult?” popped up again.

This time, I got a reply.

“God sees you up.” (Woooowwww…)

In other words, He believes I can make it to where He wants me to be simply with me fully relying on Him.

Any ‘special favours’ apart from God’s favour would have or could robbed God of His glory in my successes.

Yeah… God, let your love and power shine through me! Amen!

Growing Irreligiously

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It’s been almost three months since my move of church.

I must admit that there had been ‘wobbling’ experiences as I detached myself from the ‘comfortable environment’ and ‘safety structures’ of my previous home church.

Spreading out

But like how it is necessary for a butterfly to break out from its cocoon state in strengthening its wings for flight, that is how I would describe this phase.

God-incidentally, that was the prophetic vision He gave to me amid my decison-making.

I know He is preparing me for the challenges that lies ahead. And I need to be close to Him; plugged in with Him to flow with His plans.

In a relationship, not religion

Launching out from where I was has taken my faith in God to another level of trust and reliance in Him towards His will for me.

This transitional phase has somewhat strengthened my relationship with God. I am more secured in who I am as His child based on my relationship with Him and not only because of my involvement in ‘spiritual’ or church-related activities.

“We live by faith, not by sight.”

2 Corinthians 5:7

This new ground with its uncertainties that He has led me has activated my faith even more where I can further exercise my faith in leaning on His principles, not methods; led by His Spirit, not routines.

The Amazing Love of God (上帝)

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During last weekend’s Chinese New Year church service, we were introduced to the origins of ancient Chinese characters.

Interestingly, Chinese characters have been around for more than 4,500 years and are made up of picture symbols called radicals.

When examined, the different combinations of the radicals point to biblical truths, and suggest the ancient Chinese ‘Shang Di’ (上帝), who was referred to as the Ruler above all, was the same God (Yahweh) worshipped by the people of Israel.

Find out more on Chinese characters- God’s language here>>>

上帝’s love has no boundaries

With Christianity commonly regarded as a western religion in Asia, tracing back this roots of Chinese actually debunks this notion. And I believe this notion is particularly adopted by our elders or baby boomers.

Personally, I am really bowled over by the amazing love of 上帝. I was reminded about His common grace for mankind and was moved for His pursuing love for me.

No one loves me like He does. Even when I did not acknowledge Him as my God during my pre-believing days, He never stopped loving me.

Just like how He left His imprints of His unwavering love through the timeless Chinese characters to reach out to us, He also did the same to me with the various events that had happened in my life.

I love you 上帝.

After 12 years…

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Recently, I replaced my identity card with updated details and photograph.

The old one (on the left) was done near the period of my national service enlistment which explains the botak and beh song (not happy in Hokkien) look.

Now after 12 years, at least I’m smiling and looking more song (happy) in my latest photograph. Ha ha…

The years passed by

As I reflected on the changes, and especially my journey with God through those 12 years, I am amazed and humbled by His wondrous love. 

Like what the third line in verse 4 of Isaiah 54 (see previous entry) speaks of: “You will forget the shame of your youth.” I cannot refute His claims.

Over the years, I have indeed experienced how He has really done that for me.  

The years ahead

This year, my directive and anchor scripture is Isaiah 54:2-4.

God is making it clear to me- to enlarge, stretch, lengthen, strengthen mysef in order to grow towards His expansion over my life for the years ahead.

Though I know the road ahead will be challenging, but I’m confident that God is faithful and true.

I want not only to grow to know the word of God more, but to know the God of the word even more. I don’t want just to be informed, but be transformed. 

I’m not content in merely being inspired by His word, but I pray that I will see every promise He has for me come to pass in my life.

Entering into 2009

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Entering into the new year, God moved in a special way.

It happened during my first weekend church service of 2009.

He is faithful

I was in a posture of worship during the corporate worship segment and I was brought back to flashes of my journey in 2008.

God led me to re-visit the ups and the downs; the successes and the failures; the high-spirited and low-spirited moments I experienced last year.

Those flashbacks were mainly surrounding last year’s second major decision that I had made.

I felt God reaching in and taking my bundle of “emotional burdens” that I had carried for feeling that I had let others down and also from being felt misunderstood by some.

By then, my ‘dam’ was breached and I broke down. I teared uncontrollably because I was  moved by His faithfulness, love and belief in me; through it all.

I’m His precious

Standing where I was in His loving presence, God spoke these re-assuring words to me:

Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.

Isaiah 43:4

It’s one thing to know that you’re precious to God from reading the bible or from others but another to ‘hear’ it personally from Him!

God really spoke into my heart and affirmed what was my cry- to do His will. And His will and highest priority is in people especially those who are lost (c.f. Luke 15:4-8).

Though my original plans to church-plant have been pushed back by my move and coupled with other decisions that I have  made,  but more importantly, I now know that my plans have now become His plans.

The divine exchange

I’m convinced that if I truly want to plant a church, it has to be built to last right from the start as it deeply concerns the lives of people; not just their salvation, but  discipleship towards biblical kingdom-living.

His Church should not be built for a ‘flash in a pan’ season just to boost my own ego or to gain satisfaction by making a tick on my list of lifetime goals.

I believe that the Holy Spirit is raising up a new breed and generation of His leaders and churches in this 21st century and I want to be part of that. That is why I’d moved.

In taking this step of faith and obedience, I know He wants  to further equipped me and established me spiritually and practically too.

In exchange for people’s lives, I know I need to stretch myself and grow. The more I grow, the more lives (or at least the chances increases) will be saved.

Thank you God for first paying the price in exchange for my wretched life. Now my life is yours. Use me.