Dear....
And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
1 Chronicle 21:1
God is faithful. He provides. But why do I often do a stocktake of His provisions just to reassure myself? Like King David, do I need to be rebuked by our Lord to realize and repent of my folly? It is God our Provider Who matters, and not His provisions.
It is good to be sick. Not mentally but rather physically. For it is in the midst of our bodily discomfort and weakened constitution, one's spirit tend to be by default stilled, and if we are willing, a rare opportunity to take time with our Lord during this period of convalescence.
And much as I am temporarily half deaf, from the air pressure lingering in my blocked nose, the enforced two days medical leave, from a weakened constitution from partaking albeit from a mere street away in the recent pre coup Bangkok protests, and followup two weeks later with a visit to the riot torn industrial site in Ho Chi Minh City, was a God given respite.
I am the vine, ye are the branches:He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:5
And I want to use this God granted down time to seek Him, to wait upon Him, to realign my will to His, and I know God will imbue in me the peace and joy, and empowerment to continue this present phase of my journey of faith, that He first called me to in Nov 2011.
And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Matthew 14:29-30
I walked on water every day. Unlike many, I am well aware of the omnipresent God. But like many, I find it difficult to ignore the challenging elements in my midst, and sadly I often take my eyes off Christ. But He has never removed His hands from the sinking me.
Tomorrow? What should I be doing and what do I hope to be?
But it is today that God wants us to focus our all on.
What is the will of God for me now and how can I honor Him in my response?
The imperfect man looks for vestiges of certainty. The man of faith look to Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. The man of faith is certain of what God has spoken to him on, much as the circumstances does not seem to concur.
He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 8:3
Indeed, it is in the harsh climes of the desert, or the overwhelming storms of life that we begin to be cognizance of our limitations. It is also in the midst of our inadequacies that our hunger for the Word of God , for God Himself, takes on a decided more determined tone. And God much as He might not take us out of our circumstances, will walk with us and sustain us throughout.
And His Word not just sates us spiritually, but enables us to translate that into life giving sustenance, even as He transforms our very being
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it:cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Genesis 3:17
Adam, from the moment he ate the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge seek to be independent from God. And the yoke of sin continues to weigh on us all. But it need not be for God has forgiven us through the sacrifice of our lord Jesus Christ.
It is better to trust in the Lord
than to put confidence in man.
Psalms 118:8
God dependence. God must increase, and we decrease. This must now define our every living moment. It is indeed contrary to the ways of the world where most strived and strife to be masters of their own destiny, bringing much grief and angst upon themselves and others. Only to realize that it is fleeting and unfulfilling.
Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning;
for in thee do I trust:
cause me to know the way wherein I should walk;
for I lift up my soul unto thee.
Psalms 143:8
God blesses
Eng Hieang
7 June 2014
An afterthought - Efficacy of the Word of God
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
John 15:7
Can we truly afford to take time with God when our circumstances is screaming at us for a response? Are followers of Christ evading the issues of life by hiding behind the literal "skirt" of God? The Bible says faith pleases God, but will it satisfy our needs?
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.
Scripture tells us that faith comes from hearing God. And hearing comes from the Word of God.
God indeed often speaks to us who seek Him through His Word. And He will affirm His call to us in ways that leave no doubt as to His will.
So in obedience we respond. But oft then not, matters don't seem to work out the way we thought it would. Should one hold on stubbornly to God's call in this trial of faith, or would it not be easier to just jump ship and forget about the "absent" God Who seems to have left us in the lurch?
And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water:and they ceased, and there was a calm.
Luke 8:24
'And he said unto them, Where is your faith? ....'
Luke 8:25
God's command to all is simple. Always to His presence and His Spirit will
- align our perception of issues to His perspective, for is not He Sovereign?
- cleanse our cluttered hearts to be ready to receive the fullness of His Spirit
- empower us to move boldly, yet humbly in victory
In all circumstances, God will always show us the wonders of His ways, that none can deny His glory and grace. This happens only when we let go and let Him every moment of our life. Letting go is not a mere mouthing of the words, but a willingness to be like Christ, to think of the interest of our neighbors and to love them in action.
We can put aside our needs, and serve others because we know God will provide, and He will.
The Bible tells us that Jesus came to give us life abundantly and to give us a purpose, a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11 and John 10:10). It also says that Satan came to steal, kill and destroy our lives (John 10:10)
这一生最美的祝福就是能认识主耶稣
Do watch this video titled "The faith factor"
http://youtu.be/nmbaE8A84BM
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