Tag Isaiah

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.

Pushing the Frontiers

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“Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.

For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations
and settle in their desolate cities.

“Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.”

Isaiah 54:2-4 (NIV)

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.

Putting our Hope in the Lord

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“He gives strength to the weary 
    and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary, 
    and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD 
    will renew their strength. 
    They will soar on wings like eagles; 
    they will run and not grow weary, 
    they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:29-31 (NIV)