Ever Truthful Word

Posted on December 8, 2007 by clay

Part of my one year bible reading plan, i’m supposed to read my whole bible in a year. And the time came for the book of Hosea. Well, i studied the book just recently, even lead some studies, and most probably remember it by heart already. Can i skip this part and can those studying counted as i’ve read the book?

Then i decided that i should not be lazy. The more i read the better it will be. 🙂 So i read chapter 1, 2, till i read the following verses:

And she (referring to nation Israel) did not know that it was I who gave her

the grain, the wine, and the oil,

and who lavished on her silver and gold,

which they used for Baal.

And I will punish her for the feast days of the Baals

when she burned offerings to them

and adorned herself with her ring and jewelry,

and went after her lovers

and forgot me, declares the LORD.

~ Hosea 2 : 8, 13 ~

The word was addressed to the nation of Israel. God judged them because they didn’t acknowledge God for the gifts they received (grain, wine, oil, silver, gold, etc) both the crops from fertile soil and natural resources from the ground underneath. Instead they use those gifts to worship other gods (Baals in their case).

Those words of judgment to them then and warning to us now (of forgetting God) were not very relevant to me then to now. At least that time when i studied few months back…it didn’t speak much to me. All the dangers being mentioned (cars, condos, money, children, relationships……honestly i didn’t have any of those things) 🙂 And i was wondering how could those things lead to sin.

As compare to now, i know it well…good enough….that yes, i could forget God because the gift is so good. Indeed God gives good gifts. And i’m in danger to forget God and worship this new relationship 🙂

Thank you Lord for reminding me 🙂

And indeed His Word is always true.

There’s no one so expert that he/she doesn’t need to read it again and again. There’s no one who truly humble him/herself to listen and go away unchanged. For it’s living and active to test our hearts:

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ~Hebrews 4 : 12~

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From Grace to Grace

Posted on December 7, 2007 by clay

It took just less than 1 week … and there’re so many misunderstandings led to unnecessary hurting feelings

Thank God who keeps us

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Thing that Matters

Posted on December 5, 2007 by clay

It happened 3 years ago. Almost the end of our studies. I asked them this question: “What have you learnt so far?” – referring to the book of 1 Peter. And as normal as children, they can’t summarize thing yet, so they will tell the recent things they know / heard / learnt.

I was not very surprised when their answers around the things we’ve taught them or things they just heard recently. Until one girl told me the thing she learnt: “God cares for me” ~ 1 Peter 5 : 7 ~ . And it surprised me….because we didn’t stress that point and how could she get that when nobody taught that / mentioned that earlier on? 🙂

I guess the surprise still linger in my mind. Till 3 years later my mind came back to this, and i’m very glad that she got the point earlier than I . 🙂 Often I tell people and myself the need to be at chidren’s level whenever we’re dealing with them. And yet, actually i’m still not yet downed at their level. I’m still so tall & high with adult minds…that i missed out the small & simple thing that a child sees.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. ~ 1 Peter 5 : 7 ~

It may not the “big” thing that adults talk and discuss about. For certainly there’re many “big” things adults like to discuss in 1 Peter. But it’s a big thing for a child (that God cares for him/her). And i think now, it’s a big thing even for adults. 🙂  For adults do have their troubles and anxieties….and knowing that even big God cares for little us….that matters, a lot.

Thank you Jezreel 🙂

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2nd Grace

Posted on December 2, 2007 by clay

🙂 🙂 🙂

I’ve been waiting very long to write this title 🙂

And God’s so gracious to give the date 2nd also 🙂

I do pray that this beginning will end beauitfully.

In that sense…then it will be real 2nd grace.

The 1st grace referring to my salvation. The pardon of sins and the hope of eternal life. The best thing ever and forever will be. The greatest gift God gives me. It’s grace because i don’t deserve. And it’s the 1st because it’s the greatest thing.

The 2nd grace…referring to the day she said ‘yes’. And grace because i don’t think i deserve. And 2nd because God entrusted me with so precious thing …. another person. 🙂

And i pray that i’ll forever remember … that they’re costly. Bought with a price. The first is the death of JEsus. The second is bended knees.

Thank you Lord.

Thank u my lil lady 🙂

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Can church without love??

Posted on October 29, 2007 by clay

There’re many things in the past weeks which trigger this thot. So it’s quite hard to go through all the background details and arrive at the point without losing more than half of interested readers :p

But here some the traces:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
– 1 Thes 5 : 16-18 –

The world classifies sin as big, medium, small, and perhaps insignificant. And often times, we buy the idea (thinking some sins are very serious and some others doesn’t really matter), including which sins belong to which category. And unless one really look hard into the Bible, we will never think that idolatery is a very serious sin to God. And God’s standard is even stricter than simply committing wrong thigs. For James writes:

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. – James 4 : 17 –

Hence, not doing the right thing / omitting right things to do, is also sin. With the above passage, to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and giving thanks in everything, which clearly stated as the will of God …….. how far can one really go wrong in God’s eyes?

It’s Fri nite talk by Carson that hit me hard on my face (even now still finding it hard to swallow and yet sweet to my soul). He reads from Nehemiah 9 and then drew up application from it for both personal and corporate level. The theme is simple ones, which is repentance. And yet he explained in such powerful way that it’s so clear that everyone is in such bad shape before righteous and good God. The righteousness and goodness of God shows the wickedness and terribleness of our sins….which affect all areas of our life without we notice most the time … and therefore eluding the need for humblying ourselves in truthful repentance.

And if the recent months / year issues is love in the church. Do we take it so lightly? The exhortion to bring this matter in prayers are sounded insignificant to many. The prayers itself is not regarded serious. There are many more bigger and more fantastic things/projects/campaigns to think, to do and to focus on. And even more about the lack of love. What’s the big deal? Lacking of visitors, lacking of man powers, lacking of helpers seem to be more urgent and bigger than the lack of love ….

Meanwhile verses after verses seem to suggest this lack of love is not the right direction to go ….

…, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Thes 1:2-3 –

Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love – 1 Thes 3:6 –

may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you

– 1 Thes 3:12 –

Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,

– 1 Thes 4:8-10 –

and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. – 1 Thes 5:13 –

Definitely it’s not easy to love. It’s a hard work, or as it’s described above, it’s a labor. Yet it’s not an excuse to say no. For it’s a sin by not doing it. A church without love? It’s unthinkable. It’s unbelieveable. Could it be because after 5-6 years, the first loving Thessalonians church has now become the unloving Corinthians church? Could it be because the years taking the affection and fondness away? It shouldn’t be and it must not be.

As Nehemiah prayed in the beginning of the book (lesson learnt with tjel, cok, and abe), may individuals begin with taking the shame and guilt personally. Not blaming the others and escaping the wrongs. But obey the commands, without reservation, and ask, plead, and pray without ceasing … God will work, and things will change. I am a part, and do have a role to play. I’d like to start with me first.

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Take heed

Posted on October 24, 2007 by clay

“Take heed to yourselves,” because the tempter will make his first and sharpest onset upon you. If you will be the leaders against him, he will spare you no further than God restraineth him. He beareth you the greatest malice that are engaged to do him the greatest mischief. As he hateth Christ more than any of us, because he is the General of field, and the ‘Captain of our salvation,’ and doth more than all the world besides against the kingdom of darkness; so doth he note the leaders under him more than the common soldiers, on the like account, in the proportion.

He knows what a rout he may make among the rest, if the leaders fall before their eyes. He hath long tried that way of fighting,’neither with small nor great,’ comparatively, but these; and of ‘smiting the shepherds, that he may scatter the flock.’ And so great has been his success this way, that he will follow it on as far as he is able.

Take heed, therefore, brethren, for the enemy hath a special eye upon you. You shall have his most subtle insinuations, and incessant solicitations, and violent assaults. As wise and learned as you are, take heed to yourselves lest he overwit you.

The devil is a greater scholar than you, and nimbles disputant; he can ‘transform himself into an angel of light’ to deceive. He will get within you and trip up your heels before you are aware; he will play the juggler with you undiscerned; and cheat you of your faith or innocency, and you shall not know that you have lost it; nay, he will make you believe it is multiplied or increased when it is lost.

You shall see neither hook nor line, much less the subtle angler himself, while he is offering you his bait. And his baits shall be so fitted to your temper and disposition, that he will be sure to find advantages within you, and make your own principles and inclinations to betray you; and whenever he ruineth you, he will make you the instrument of your own ruin.

Oh, what a conquest will he think he hath got, if he can make a minister lazy and unfaithful; if he can tempt a minister into covetousness or scandal!

He will glory against the church, and say, ‘These are your holy preachers: you see what their preciseness is, and whither it will bring them.’ He will glory against Jesus Christ Himself, and say, ‘These are thy champions! I can make thy chiefest servants to abuse thee; I can make the stewards of they house unfaithful.’

If he did so insult against God upon a false surmise, and tell Him he could make Job to curse Him to His face (Job1:2), what would he do if he should indeed prevail aginst us? And at last he will insult as much over you that ever he could draw you to be false to your great trust, and to blemish your holy profession, and to do him so much service that was your enemy.

O do not so far gratify Satan; do not make him so much sport: suffer him not to use you as the Philistines did Samson-first to deprive you of your strength, and then to put out your eyes, and so to make you the matter of his triumph and derision.”

~by Richard Baxter~

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Real Faith

Posted on October 19, 2007 by clay

“… I prayed to the LORD, saying: ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you …’ – Jer 32 : 16-17 –

It’s a humbling lesson for me listening to Jeremiah’s prayer. He started with description of the greatness of God. God who’s so great and powerful. God who created heavens and earth. God who has proved in history of his great actions (saving Israel from Egypt with many miraculous signs). And God who settled the numerous people of Israel in the promised land. Surely then, in view of such power, nothing is too hard for God. Nothing.

Yet you, O Lord GOD, have said to me, “Buy the field for money and get witnesses”—though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.'” – Jer 32 : 25

Now he’s questioning whether God made a mistake. Did something slip into His mind? How can God said houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land (v.15), when before He also said that He’s going to destroy the city? How could it be possible?

The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: “Behold, I am the LORD,the God of all flesh.Is anything too hard for me? – Jer 32 : 26-27

There is a long answer from God (v.26-44), and He assured Jeremiah of His purpose. He never make mistake, and what seems impossible, it’s possible, because there is nothing too hard for God.

It’s a great reminder for me personally. Seems that i’ve sinked like Jeremiah. Although in my mind I know it, yet in my heart I may doubt it. The 100 questions: Could it be possible? Could this really possible? Can i do it? Did God make a mistake somewhere?. Yet the simple answer is God never changes. He did it in the past history. His words through Jeremiah came true. And what more proves do i need that nothing too difficult for Him?

🙂 I heard the rebuke…ye of little faith, why do u doubt?

No more Lord.

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A Short Story on Saturday Morning

Posted on October 14, 2007 by clay

I brought a water of bottle as usual. As usual i placed it just besides the track. Only few rounds later, i noticed the bottle is no longer there. Haha…what a joke. Who’s going to take a plastic water bottle on such big field? Except the old uncle who i suppose a cleaner thot it’s a rubbish and decided to take and therefore keeping the field clean. Ok…just a short unhappiness that i’ve to buy another one, and wasting my time to get a new one.

Few more rounds, and i decided i need a drink. So went to the nearest shop. A young lady was there and she speaks in Chinese which i didn’t understand full. My guessing she said it’s not yet 9 am, so the stall is not opened yet. Ok nevermind.

I went further to stall that i think would open earlier than 9 am. Maybe because it’s quite early in morning i didn’t suspect the quietness. Almost all the stall still closed, and when i arrived at the canteen, everything is closed!!

I just realized then that today was public holiday Hari Raya. 😉

Thank God there’s 24/7 store and they opened 🙂 So bought a water bottle as well as a chocolate.

Fast forward…..huge rain came. I’ve no money left to take a cab. And it’s so quiet that i’ve not seen any cab passed by. I’ve lost track the time, but i know i should reach home quickly as meeting a friend in afternoon. Well, there seem only 1 option. I put on the plastic bag on my head…and thank God for the providence 🙂

I don’t care too much on how funny i must have look like to people on the street (bright green and black short, with white plastic bag on head)…thanking God for His arrangement, if i’ve not lose the water bottle, maybe i won’t have the plastic bag. Also for the rain i could train myself under such circumtance…:) Praise God.

The rain got heavier along the way. And the 30mins journey seems to me like forever. The road seems never end…and yah….i thot i’ve not appreciated home so much as then 🙂 The home seems so great in the midst of heavy rain and unending road. How i wish home, dry cloth, hot chocolate milk, and nice shower, with great lunch 🙂 I thank God for the run, the rain, and adding Spurgeon’s comment….the thunder as my Father’s vibration 🙂

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A Different Song

Posted on October 5, 2007 by clay

Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. – Ps 32 : 10

This time i’m trying to do something different. While i’m so used to write and share things have happened, i’ve been wanting :p to share or write something that’s happening, especially when it’s not pleasant. For i see within the Psalms … songs being sung out of different seasons in live. Some are songs of joy, deliverance, confidence, peace, victory, yet some are songs of sorrow, sadness, lost, and among those…there’re songs written in the midst of those experiences. May it echoes something fresh

Read it this morning the above psalm, and was puzzled. First read seems that it’s too good to be true, and in reality may not always happened. Not sure how many sorrows the wicked has, and also if there’re no sorrows for those who trusts in the Lord?

My simple encouragement is this. That we know the wicked has many sorrows (from God’s point), and it doesnt say whether the righteous has many or little sorrows. I know i’ve known many sorrows as well :p. But this is what i know, that the steadfast love of God surrounds one who trusts in Him. Regardless whether he/she is sorrowful or has many sorrows. The steadfast love of God is guaranteed for those who trusts

Similarly with the previous words:
You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. – Ps 32 : 7

Hiding place as Corrie Ten Boom wrote and experienced so real, doesn’t mean free from trouble. But even, in the midst of trouble and affliction, or sufferings, there’s a hiding place, preserves us, and surrounds us with shouts of deliverance. How is it possible? Those who’ve read her book will understand, and those who trusts the Word, they too shall see that it’s true. For hiding place doesn’t mean freedom from fear or disaster, rather an acknowledgement the presence of harm and perils, and yet there’s place to hide/taking refuge, there’s perseverance of something far precious than mortal body, and there’s deliverance/freedom even through difficult times.

So i believe, and therefore i sing, a different song. A song of deliverance. A song of his steadfast love that surrounds me, even going through very intense fear as i’m writing this. )

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! – Ps 32 : 11 

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Silly boy

Posted on October 1, 2007 by clay

2 days ago i met mitchie over a dinner function. Obviously i was greatly delighted to see him. For i didn’t expect to see him there, and he’s such lovely boy. He picked a small notebook from his pocket, and asked me to see that list of his games.

2 weeks ago when i saw him playing DS, i asked him what are the games he has. Simply interested with what kind of games nowdays children play. And never I realized he took it to such extent writing all his games to show to me…(about 30 games on 2 pages).

On my way home was thinking of that boy. He took joy on the things he could do / show me. While i took joy simply on him as lovely boy, simply on his being…and not on his actions. Of course his deeds are kind and heart-warming, nevertheless…his entire being to me is fascinating. I hope that he’d realize i take delight in him, regardless his gifts / deeds to please me. What a silly boy … but loved.

And i thot it’s perhaps true for me as well. I thot God is happy by what i’ve done for him. I’ve done this and that, and will continue to do this and that to keep him happy. What a silly silly boy! For God takes delight in me as person, and in all his people too.

For the LORD takes delight/pleasure in his people – Ps 149:4

What a silly boy. Thank you mitchie I will tell you about this next time we meet

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