Weeks 45 & 46 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

I was in the Netherlands last weekend, ministering in Hope Utrecht. It was a joy to see Bro. Albert fervently building God's church while working full-time and raising up 2 young children with his wife Sis. Claire. God blesses them with 2 lovely kids, Samuel and Salome who will be respectively 3 & 1 year old on the same birthday of 14 Dec.!

I witnessed firsthand the challenges they face on a daily basis - 2 very demanding kids, a full-time job and church work. I am humbled by their persevering spirit and fighting attitude . Besides building the church in Utrecht, Albert & Claire are also blessing Hope Europe by respectively leading the IT & Intercessory Departments. God's love must have touched them in a very deep and special way, causing them to love God with all their might and to suffer for Him joyfully!

I salute men & women like them, trying their utmost to build God's church under very trying circumstances, esp. in a tough ground like Europe. I am thankful to be a part of the Hope family where we see countless examples serving God with the same dedication. God must be so real in their lives!

When God is real in our lives, we cannot help but to praise Him. "Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above......Praise the LORD from the earth.......kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and maidens, old men and children. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.......Praise the LORD." [Ps 148:1-14 NIV] Let every man and woman praise Him.

When God is real in our lives, we should take His word seriously. To me, the 10 commandments are both timeless & universal. They are so simple, yet so profound. "I am the LORD your God.....You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything........You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.........Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy......Honor your father and your mother.......You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. You shall not covet.....anything that belongs to your neighbor." [Exod 20:2-17 NIV] Let every man and woman obey Him.

Apostle Paul has lived a life of obedience in Christ. Towards the end of his earthly life, he reminded his disciples how he has laboured for God's church, as an example for all of us who are church leaders. ".....You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you.......I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood." [Acts 20:18-35 NIV] No wonder Paul challenged us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, because the Lord has paid for it with His own blood!

Let us be a fool for Jesus, but not a fool of the world because "A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions. A fool's lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating. A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul." [Prov 18:2,6-7 NIV]

Amen.

Weeks 42 - 44 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

Sometime ago, I made a pledge to train for the London Marathon in May 2009, after I turned 60. You may wonder about my progress. It is about 6 months since I started "running" (at jogging pace) again. My training is done on a 4 km route near our house. The first time I had to walk home. Then I did it within 30 minutes. Now I train every morning, and my best time was 27.5 minutes (quite slow by most standards - but speed to me is not important). My goal is to do the Marathon in under 5 hours. This works out to be just under 28 minutes every 4 km. It is easy for 4 km :o). It is something else for 42.18 km :o(.

The training gives me great insight into our human nature. When I attended the Apostolic Fellowship International in Italy at the end of September, I stopped training for a few days. After I came back to London, my first "run" was a real struggle. It took me a few days to get back to normal.

I once shared that our walk with God is like a salmon swimming upstream against the current. We need to keep moving forward. Stopping results in backsliding. My marathon training proved it. Moving forward requires determined and conscientious efforts!

I know not everyone is mad like me, trying to run a marathon. But I do encourage everyone to have a sustainable walk with God. God's word in [Rom. 5(3-4)] "......rejoice in our sufferings, because.....suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope" come to mind. God has a purpose in everything, including suffering!

Hence it is good to praise the Lord. ".....How good it is to sing praises to our God......He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit......The LORD sustains the humble.........." [Ps 147:1-6 NIV]

God truly sustains the humble. When "The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."........As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up-- one on one side, one on the other-- so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.......Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner." [Exod 17:8-15 NIV]

The Lord is our Banner and He gives us victory. We see many examples of the Lord giving the apostles victory over the enemy in the Book of Acts. The worst enemy is death. The story goes that "In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha.......who was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!" Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying.......Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up." [Acts 9:36-42 NIV] Peter's faith gives me hope to persevere. If the Lord can raise the dead, He can help me to "run" 42.18 km in under 5 hours. :o)

God says ".......listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to my instruction and be wise......Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD......." [Prov 8:23,27,30-36 NIV]

Amen!

Weeks 40 & 41 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

We celebrated our 9th Church Anniversary last Saturday in a very nice hotel. The theme was Go for Gold. It was a glittering affair as the people turned up in fancy dress or formal attire. You are welcome to view the pictures online http://picasaweb.google.com/hopelondonchurch/13October2007HopeLondon9thAnniversary

It is amazing that we have been building this church for nine years. It seems like a long time, yet at the same time, I can remember the early meetings in our small flat in North London. So much memory......so many people have passed through the church.....now back in their home countries....Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Africa, Canada, USA, Australia.....all have left their mark in the history of Hope London and in my heart!

Building God's church is both hugely difficult and rewarding at the same time. The joy of seeing people coming to the Lord and being transformed by Him far outweigh the challenges. No wonder the Lord went all the way on the cross for our sake because He saw the value of each individual soul! Indeed, quoting the theme of the Women Conference that our dear Jo is organising for all the girls ...."Because You Are Worth It". :o)

I am excited in my spirit to believe that the Lord will move in a big way in Europe in the not too distant future. We will use the next year to prepare the church for harvest. I shared with my leaders that the keys are personal holiness, discipleship and ownership. I have already chosen the theme for our 10th Anniversary as "Enter The Land". I believe in a time of fightings and victories in the years to come for God's people. God's Kingdom will advance forcefully in Europe when His people are ready!!!

I echo the cry of the Psalmist "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.......Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant." [Ps 143:1-2,7-12 NIV]

"......With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.........So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle........By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night." [Exod 13:14-22 NIV] Just like the God of old delivering the Israelites out of slavery in Eygpt, leading them in the wilderness and preparing them for battle in the promised land, He will do the same to God's people of our time. We will experience the same victories if God is with us.

People of God in Joshua's time had tremendous courage and determination in fighting the enemy and conquering territories for God. God's people in the early church had that same boldness and perseverance in facing adveristy. "It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also.......After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each......but the church was earnestly praying to God for him." God came to his rescue. "Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up.......the chains fell off Peter's wrists.......Peter followed him out of the prison.......They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city......" [Acts 12:1-11 NIV] Peter was supernaturally helped by God. So take courage, God will do the same to us!

The day of wrath will come before the return of the Lord. And "Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward." [Prov 11:4-6,18 NIV]

Weeks 37 - 39 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

I was in Italy last week attending the Apostolic Fellowship International conference [see pics]. It was a joy and a blessing to meet so many great servants of the Lord. It was particularly encouraging to see God moving mightily in Latin America, Africa and Asia. Great works are also being done in Australia and Europe, and we shall see a greater move of God in this continent soon.

I have learnt many things from the teachings and sharings of the Apostles at the AFI. One thing that stands out is a life of holiness in them that precedes successes in their ministries. It is the single most important pre-requisite for God to anoint and bless their work!

Yesterday, I shared a prophetic vision with church leaders in Europe and I believe that God is encouraging holiness in His Church, esp. so in the next year. I prophesied that when His Church in Europe grows in holiness, we will see revival coming to this continent. We will see a greater move of God in Europe! (If you are interested in the details of the Prophesy, let me know and I will send you a copy).

The Holy Spirit inspired King David to write "O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely.......Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." [Ps 139:1-6 NIV] This is the attitude of someone who desires after God and His holiness. Let us aspire to do the same.

The miracles that God performed in Egypt through Moses cause me to think that God can use us to do the impossible for God too. "Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields-- both men and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree. The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were." Even a hardened soul like the King of Eygpt had no choice but to repent of his sins. "Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he said to them. "The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong......". [Exod 9:25-35 NIV] I believe God is looking down from heaven for clean vessels whom He can channel His power & His blessings to our communities & nations! Let us get our lives right before God and we shall see great advances in His Kingdom in this land.

The work of the Apostles recorded in The Book of Acts give us great hope and expectation of what God can do in Europe in the 21st Century. "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city." [Acts 8:3-8 NIV] How I long to see this same great joy coming to our cities. :o)

So dear brethrens, "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." [Prov 3:1-10 NIV]

Weeks 35 & 36 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

Having spent the holydays (literally) in two church camps in August, I started work in a new environment in the last two weeks. Although I have worked in our Stevenage Office one year before, I now see a lot of new faces, the result of a fairly large turnover in staff. The office is strangely quiet, with eveyone staring at his or her computer screen, working away as if there is no one else around. The atmosphere is so different from that of the camps!

Although I do not expect the work place and the camp to be the same, and it would be silly of me to exect them to be, I still think that it does not need to be so "cold". I suppose most people are there for the purpose of making a living, and their lives & friends are elsewhere. Without sounding judgemental, if a third of our time is spent in a world of isolation, no wonder life is not as abundant as it should be!

God created us to be relational beings. Problems begin when people live in isolation.......physical, emotional, mental...ones. Hence God encourages us to "live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore." [Ps 133:1-3 NIV] A concept and blessing that the world do not understand!

People in the world are slaves, whether we live in a democratic society like the UK or under a dictatorship like North Korea. Slaves all the same. Everyone's purpose in life is to make the most of one's life before one dies, whether one is making billions or simply making ends meet. One's life begin in the womb and ends in the tomb. I was one of them before I know Christ. Christ changed my values and perspective in life. Christ set me free from the misery of "slavery". In the same way, God set the Israelites free from slavery in Egypt.'The LORD...have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And ....promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land......flowing with milk and honey.'[Exod 3:16-22 NIV]

There is a hunger in the world today to make sense of the purpose of living. Life is empty without finding that answer. The answer is the Good News of Jesus Christ. A time will come when many will come to know Christ, just like when Peter shared Jesus in the early church. "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins....... and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." [Acts 2:37-41 NIV] Lets pray for that day to come!

How I wish I know God better. How I wish I can present Him in a way that all people will understand. ".........I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!........" [Prov 30:2-6 NIV]

Now I know in part :o( ........... then I shall know fully :o)

Weeks 33 & 34 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

August was a triple blessing for me, having attended the Hope Euro Convention in Prague and the North America Annual Camp in Seattle. I also combined my NA trip with visiting my relatives in Vancouver.

It was a good opportunity to visit my Dad in Vancouver, who, by God's grace, is still very active. Together with my family members, we celebrated his 96 year birthday (see attached pic). May be I still have quite a few more years left to serve the Lord, if He did not come back before I went home. :o)

The NAAC was held in a beautiful camp site on the outskirt of Seattle. It was great to meet up with all the pastors from NA & Canada churches, encouraged by their determination and zeal in planting churches in that part of the world. We also had fellowship with the HGI Elders and quite a few international pastors. I also had the opportunity to lead a team of young people, taking part in a very creative Experiential Learning Programme. We had 2 days to work together as a team, coming up with a team name, a team slogan and a team act. On the final day, we also competed against 7 other teams in 4 game stations. I was utterly amazed by the talents and teamwork we had, winning all the games! Herewith a few pics to show the Anointed Warriors (our team name). Judy, Simon, Hai Eng, Orn, Praew, Kang, Alex, Derek, Tom, Rachel, Rebecca, Brian, Sek - you guys are awesome :o).

After the camp, Kim & I shared a car with Ps. James & Christine, driving back to Vancouver. We had the privilege of spending a day of their 1st Anniversary celebration, eating & sight-seeing together in Vancourver. It was good to see two long-time friends genuinelly loving and caring for one another!

I thank the Lord for bringing me into the Hope family 14 years ago. I have since met so many wonderful people committing their lives in following Jesus and doing His will. I think this is probably as close as one gets to carrying His cross!

When we have the heart-felt thanks for what the Lord has done, we can comprehend what the psalmist says. "When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy........The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy......Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him [Ps 126:1-6 NIV]." Keep going brothers and sisters. We may be sowing in tears now, but the big celebration awaits us at the end!

We should have Jacob's mindset of not wanting to be buried in Eygpt. "Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number. Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven. When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, "If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt.......[Gen 47:27-31 NIV]." We may be living in spiritual Eygpt. We may even have earthly riches and property. Our heart should not be in it!

Jesus has warned us that ".......a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.......[John 16:1-4 NIV]." The time is already with us. Be strong & courageous. Put on our seat belt and ride the wave of persecution, which will only get worse towards the end!

All earthly possessions are temporal, "for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations [Prov 27:23-27 NIV]." Lets embrace things that are eternal and pour our all into them!

Weeks 30 - 32 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

At the beginning of 2007, I sensed that it was going to be a crucial year for the Church. I shared that The enemy would work overtime in hindering the work of God's Kingdom. Through sermons & teachings, I kept reminding the people the need to be alert & vigilant. By the middle of the year, a few Hope churches in Europe have suffered setbacks in different degrees, with one, a new starter, closing down completely!

Before the Euro Convention, I felt in my heart that God would give us a breakthrough and the chosen theme of Mission Possible was a fitting one. We prepared for it with a 21-Day Pre-Convention Fast. God indeed showed Himself faithful throughout the whole Convention held in Prague, the Czech Republic .

As a start, the weather was perfect for the whole duration, despite of the not-so-good weather forecasts. Hope Prague did a great job in the opening and closing ceremonies, despite of their limited manpower resources. The praise & worships sessions, led by different Hope Europe Churches, were all very uplighting and empowering. Many lives were also touched by the Word of God and responses to altar calls and mission were enthusiastic. The people were strengthened and encouraged to continue running the race!

We also spent an afternoon doing street evangelism. Different teams were using creative presentations to attract the crowds. Hope Prague and Hope Berlin did break-dancing whilst Hope UK performed a series of Thai dances (see photo). Both attracted huge crowds and our people managed to talk to many of the onlookers. Many contact details were collected, including a few who came to our evening evangelistic service. The enemy did try to stop the presentations by challenging the licenses held by us, but the Lord miraculously intervened and allowed the performances to proceed!

It is worth mentioning that through out the whole Convention, a dedicated team of intercessors were faithfully taking turns to interceed for all the activities. So I would conclude that God was with us and, through the different programmes, I believe He has done a deep work in the hearts of everyone. He alone gets all the honour and glory!

Having been walking with God for over 16 years, I am totally convinced that "My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber; the LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore [Ps 121:1-8 NIV]."

It is amazing that God sometimes use an unfortunate situation to fulfill His longer term objective. Although Joseph was sold into slavery, it turned out that God used it to preserve a remnant of His people on earth. "Joseph said to his brothers...., "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance [Gen 45:4-7 NIV]." Thats why we should thank God under all circumstances [1 Th. 5:18]; faith and trust are built in difficult times!

We must understand that the devil hates every man & woman created by God. His plan is to deceive them and eventually destroy them. Jesus said "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first......I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. They will treat you this way because of my name....He who hates me hates my Father as well.....[John 15:18-25 NIV]". This is a fact we cannot deny. The good news is that God will one day redeem all that belongs to Him. He calls us to this mission and we will succeed with his help!


"......when a wise man is instructed, he gets knowledge. In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil.....A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust [Prov 21:11,20,22 NIV]." Let us seek God's wisdom in pulling down strongholds in our cities and advance God's Kingdom.

Weeks 27 - 29 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

I have been preaching on the 7 "D"s of Kingdom People. Last Sunday, it was on "Discipline Our Whole Being" i.e. body, soul (mind, will & emotion) and spirit. Paul says in [1 Corin. 9:24-27] that "...in a race all the runners run.....everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training...for the prize". It is amazing how the health of one faculty of our whole being can affect the rest. We cannot be spiritually strong if our body is tired easily or sick often. All parts of our whole make-up need to be healthy if we desire to perform at our fullest potential in God.

So often, I see Christians with great heart & spirit handicapped in serving God due to poor physical health. Food, exercise and rest all play an important part in our physical health, which in turn impacts the health of our soul and spirit.

This week I stumbled across a booklet titled "Nutrition" in a bookshop. Nutrition is of a Latin origin meaning to nourish. The 2 basic function of nutrition are:
1) to provide individual building blocks enabling the construction of and renewal of the body
2) to supply the necessary fuel for our bodies to perform.

The booklet says that the dietary habits of today are not encouraging good health. Good health means a state of permanent well-being in which we are full of energy, with a strong able body, alert mind and balanced emotions. Together with a strong immune system that wards off infections and disease. A part of the foundation of good health is good nutrition.

A nutrient is a chemical substance in food that is used by the body to promote normal growth, maintenance and repair, and it assists in the metabolism (chemical process) of the body. Six categories of nutrients include water, carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamin and minerals.

I was a little surprised to learn that increasing our water (which can just be tap water) consumption is an effective way of nourishing our body's needs. Water is involved in nearly every bodily process including digestion, absorption, circulation and excretion. Water is involved in the function of transportation of all nutrients throughout the body and assists in the elimination of waste products out of the body. The body's utilisation of water is at least 3 litres a day to perform its required functions. And an essential part of our diet is the consumption of water. It is important to drink A MINIMUM OF 8 GLASSES OF WATER every day. I wonder how many people do that. I for one was not doing it. I am now :o)

Besides drinking plenty of water, a healthy diet means an ABUNDANCE of fruits, vegetables and grains; a MODERATE amount of dairy products, nuts, eggs, meat; a REDUCTION in fat, salt, sugar, butter, cream, alcohol, tea (herbal tea is fine) and coffee. Hmmmm, a lot of food for thought and action!

I often am amazed at God's creation of the human body. It is soooo complex and wonderfully made. It is up to us to take good care of it. The Maker's manual, i.e. The Word of God will give us the understanding we need. "Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them......I do not forget your precepts.....your commands are my delight. Your statutes are forever right; give me understanding that I may live [Ps 119:139-144 NIV]."

Joseph had also put God's promises and His Word to the test. His integrity got him into trouble with his master Potiphar, who "took him and put him in prison....But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there......the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did [Gen 39:16-23 NIV]." His obedience of God's Word finally yielded dividends.

God is no respecter of men. He does not mince word. He meant exactly what He said. As a result, "many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"....... He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him [John 6:53-70 NIV]." We should be glad that God the Father had touched us by His Spirit that we would come to accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour!

"A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.....A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul [Prov 18:2,6-7 NIV]." Let us be a fool in Christ, but not a fool in the world.

Weeks 24 - 26 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

Last week, we had a new Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown, replacing the most successful ever Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair. Under presssure from his Chancellor, Tony Blair reluctantly stepped down from power after 10 years. Gordon Brown, standing outside No. 10 Downing Street for very first time, boldly proclaimed "let the change begin". His tone in the first few days in office was certainly "conciliatory".

Tony Blair, at the same time, was appointed Envoy on behalf of the Quartet of United Nation, European Union, United States & Russia. His brief is to broker a solution and lasting peace to the Middle East conflict. His last official engagement as Prime Minister was to have an audience with the Pope.

Could this be the beginning of a new era in the human history? Could this be the beginning of the end of thousands of years of fighting between the descendents of Abraham's Children Ishmael & Issac [Gen. 16:12], Esau & Jacob [Gen. 25:23] - Muslims & Jews? Could this pave the way to a One World Government and a One World Religion? Could this lead to the persecution of the true Church in the western world? Could this eventually launch the antichrist onto the world stage? Developments in the next few years will give us better indications of when all these will happen.

This is a time for the Church to be extra vigilant. The key is to remain faithful to God's Word. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. [Ps 119:105-108 NIV]"

"God said to Jacob, "Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau." So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves........let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone. [Gen 35:1-5 NIV] " Let us build an altar in our churches to worship the true God Jesus alone and get rid of all idols. Let us be in the world, but not of the world. May our God answer us in the day of our distress and be with us wherever we go.

The royal official in John 4 understood the principle of taking God at His Word. He believed and then saw the miracle coming true. He went to Jesus "and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death......Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. [John 4:47-54 NIV] " It is time to take God at His Word and believe. It is time to trust in Him fully.

God says that "Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires........[Prov 11:4-6,18 NIV] "

God, help us to heed Your Word at a time such as this. Amen!

Weeks 22 & 23 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

Recently I was reading a Guide on "Your First Full Marathon" (yes I am seriously considering doing the one in April 2009), it suggests that it is all about endurance and that preparation is key (surprise, surprise).

Near our house, there is a route comprising running on the road for a mile, followed by a path through a field for another mile and back on the road again for a third mile coming home. The final half a mile or so is uphill (hur.... hur....)!

The first few times when I did it, I had to walk the final uphill stretch. Now, after about 6 weeks, I could run (very slowly) all the way. It took about 30 minutes and by the time I got to the bathroom, I would have worked up a healthy sweat and suitably exhausted.:o)

But a full marathon is 26.2 miles. That means doing 9 times my regular distance in one go!

The Guide also suggests that the preparation means a weekly total of 65 to 80k (40 to 50 miles), and having the ability to comfortably cover 25k (15 miles) in one go! This means running two times my regular distance 7 times a week and having the ability to comfortably cover 5 times my current distance in one go!!! A looooooonnnnnnng way to get ready yet. :o)

I thank God that I am a plodder. That has been my experience walking with God. Many people would find that boring. But I am happy just making it to the finishing line. Speed to me is not that important. It is interesting to note that the shortest book in the Bible, which occurs in the centre of the Bible, says that "........the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever........". God is also a plodder when it comes to His faithfulness towards us - it ENDURES FOREVER. That is why the psalmist says "Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples...." [Ps 117:1-2 NIV].

In life, we also need to be patient in our decision making. It is our human nature to run away from difficult situations. Right now I am feeling the same with my boss at work. But when I look at Jacob, who had to work 14 years for his uncle Laban to get the woman he loved. And he had to continue to endure Laban's unfair treatment for another 6 years. My situation is nothing in comparison. And it is good to see that in God's time, "Jacob noticed that Laban's attitude toward him was not what it had been. Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you." [Gen 31:1-3 NIV] Jacob would only leave Laban when God says so. So be patient PK. :o)

Jesus once warned His disciples about their hearts not to be ".......weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life.......Be always on the watch.......and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you be able to stand before the Son of Man." [Luke 21:29-36 NIV] The same warning applies to all believers. But praise God that we are in the Body of Christ. We have one another for encouragement and support in running the marathon.:o)

It is a huge encouragement to hear God says "Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD." [Prov 8:32-36 NIV] Yes Lord, I am more than happy to wait at your doorway. :o)

Weeks 19 - 21 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

In our leaders' meetig of 21st May, during worship time, as we were singing "......we are the people of the Lord.....", I saw a vision of a scene in mid-air. A bright light symbolizing the throne of God was in the centre, with a brilliant light of rainbow colours radiating outwards. Multitudes of people were marching towards the centre from north, south, east and west. They were dressed in white, yet reflecting the colourful lights - a glorious sight. I was encouraged to see that the people of the Lord were coming from ALL directions as mentioned in [Luke 13:29] "People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God."

The Holy Spirit moved my heart to prophesy that the Lord has not forgotten the people in the West. Despite of what is happening in the natural right now - a tiny and weak Church in the West, it will change in God's time. But we cannot rush God. When we are ready God will move. The last thing we want to do is to manufacture a move of God and open the Church to deception. I know for sure that we will see a sovereign move of God in Europe at the right time!

One of God's tests for us is perseverance and endurance, not giving up too easily. To build up my endurance physically, I have started running again after a break of over 2 years. I am feeling better and my stamina is improving. I am actually contemplating running the London Marathon in April 2009, after I have turned 60. All things are possible with God. I may come to you for sponsorship in due time. :o)

God is touching the nations. We are seeing great things happening in many nations. One day, every nation in the world will have people of the Lord in big numbers. Yes in big numbers in Europe too. "Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised. The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens."[Ps 113:1-9]

As I was reading the story of Isaac, who would move from place to place, digging a well in each place, I thought of church planting. Where Issac's well was accepted by the local people, he knew that the Lord would bless it. " Isaac's servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen.......He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, "Now the LORD has given us room and we will flourish in the land."..........the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants........"[Gen 26:19-25]. As we continue to dig more spiritual wells in the UK & Europe, may the Lord give us room and allow us to flourish in the land!

I shared with the Hope UK people the 4 Ds in serving God. One of the Ds is "Dispense our all" - i.e. serve God with all our talents. Let us look forward to hearing God say "'Well done, my good servant!'......'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'.........everyone who has, more will be given,......."[Luke 19:16-27]

Friends, "if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD.....holds victory in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones."[Prov 2:1-8]

Weeks 16 - 18 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

In my last e-mail I shared about how God has blessed us with a wonderful Easter camp. It was also marvellous to see the excitement continuing in the church in the following weeks. That must have upset the devil, who would remind us from time to time that he is still the ruler of the present world.

The last two weeks have been very challenging in my work. A change in management (a new director) in my client's office has made life very difficult for everyone involved in the project. I submitted 14 tenders just before the Easter holidays, and under normal circumstances, I would expect to win a few. I was shell-shocked when I was told later that we have not won a single one. I have since found out that 2 new consultants were brought in and they under cut my tenders by up to 45%!

When I sent an e-mail to the client suggesting ways to make the tendering fairer, I was called in to meet the new client director with my boss. At the meeting the new director rebuked me for writing that e-mail and demanded the e-mail be withdrawn. The client implicated that my e-mail suggested unfairness on their part. Sadly, my boss sided with the client (surprise, surprise). I swallowed this rather large humble pie, wrote another e-mail to the client to withdraw my suggestions. What challenged me most was the fact that my boss felt that I should have tried harder to win the tenders. That really rubbed salt into the wounds! If I did not have God's purpose in my heart, I would have simply walked away from it all!

In the midst of the trail I received an e-mail breaking news of how 3 Christians were killed in Turkey. All they were doing was simply trying to share the love of Christ. They were tortured for 3 hours by 10 youth, before their throats were slit [full story in http://www.blogger.com/ ]. That really put my own trial in perpective. My trial bears no comparison to the suffering of these 3 men of God. Then God spoke to me in [Rom. 5:1-4] "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.....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 God used the story of these 3 brave men to illustrate His point!

I can smile again. I can "Praise the LORD......the man who fears the LORD.......will be blessed........who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely he will never be shaken.......He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes." [Ps 112:1-10 NIV]. The devil is a loser, merely hanging onto his power for a littlle longer.

When it comes to trully trusting in God, very few could beat Abraham. When "God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" ....Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering......." Early the next morning Abraham got up.....He took with him.....his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.......Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife.......When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son." [Gen 22:1-18 NIV] Wow! Wish I have a tenth of Abraham's trust in God!

Despite of the challenges that we will face in the world as Christians, Jesus encouraged us to "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door........People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God...."[Luke 13:22-30 NIV] What a party it will be. I can't wait. :o)

"Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech......whoever listens........will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."[Prov 1:20-33 NIV]

May the wisdom of God bless you.

Amen!

Weeks 14 & 15 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

We experienced a 10-day heat wave since Easter Friday. We had amazingly warm weather during the Easter Camp - the best since Kim & I came to London in 1998. The Camp itself was also the best one so far. Ps. PN and his family joined us during this time. It was their first visit to the UK and it was an added blessing to the whole event.

The theme was on A Bonded (Covenant) Church. God was with us all the way and I believe everyone was touched by God in different ways. One thing common to all is the bondedness (unity), even after the camp. The church is spiritually on fire, symbolised by the camp fire we had one evening (see pic). We had so much fun. All praises to God! For more pics, visit http://uk.new.photos.yahoo.com/neo21/albums.

As I shared in the beginning of the year, 2007 is a crucial year for the Church. Cindy Jacob called it The Year of Finishing. God will enable us to accomplish great things for Him. In parallel, the devil will work 24/7 to stop them from happening. Some of us have experienced some setback in our personal lives & ministries. I was therefore really thankful to God that, through the camp, He demonstrated that He has never forsaken us. It was like a mini revival!

God's love and faithfulness make me sing. "I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth.......Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies [Ps 108:1-6,12-13 NIV]." It is so essential to know that it is the help of God that will give us victory, not men.

When our faith is challenged in difficult times, we can find strength and resolve in God's Word, even when the Word sounded incredible at times. "Abraham.....laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"......Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him [Gen 17:17-22 NIV]." If we have to make a choice between man's wisdom and God's Word, let us put our faith in His Word.

It is interesting to know that God has kept His mysteries from the wise & learned but reveals them to those with child-like faith. ".... Jesus....through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure [Luke 10:17-24 NIV]." Indeed, when we approach the Word of God with child-like faith, we can understand God's plan & purpose for this world.

One of that plan & purpose is advancing the Kingdom of God through building His Church (God's people). "He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored.......Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds [Prov 27:12, 18 & 23 NIV];" God will bless and honour those who do just that.

Weeks 12 & 13 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

A historical moment took place in the UK a few days ago when Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams sat down and agreed to sharing power in governing N. Ireland starting 8th May (see pic). Ian is a Protestant priest turned politician, leading the Democratic Unionists Party (DUP), the largest political party in N. Ireland. Gerry Adams is leader of Sinn Fein, the 2nd largest party who used to support the IRA (representing the Catholics) arms struggle against British rule. Ian had always branded Sinn Fein as terrorists and did not accept them as a credible political party. It is a miracle that the two have agreed to rule N. Ireland jointly. It is the power of forgiveness!

This week echoes the most significant week in the history of mankind when Jesus entered triumphantly into Jerusalem riding a little donkey some 2000 years ago, preparing to pay the Price of Forgiveness on behalf of all men. The price cost God's Son's life. This wonderful act paved the way for receiving God's Forgiveness of our sins and empowers us to forgive others of their wrongs!

Forgiveness is the hallmark of Christianity and anyone who does not forgive cannot claim to a Christian, in the truest sense of its spirit. Broken relationship can be mended through forgiveness. Normal relationship can be enriched through a forgiving spirit. God understood its importance and He was willing to allow His Son to suffer for it. "Praise the LORD ..... who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion ...... he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities....." [Ps 103:1-22 NIV]


God is a God of blessings for those who obey Him. The obedience was initiated by God through His Son's example, even to the extent of dying on the cross. That same obedience was seen in Abraham when God asked him to leave home and go to a foreign land. "The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country...... I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." [Gen 12:1-3 NIV]. We are the offspring of Abraham and we are God's blessed people when we walk in obedience.

That obedience applies to following Jesus. It is a tough choice sometimes between God and our personal affairs. But Jesus made it plain. "Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." [Luke 9:57-62 NIV]. I can testify to God's tremendous blessings in my life, my family and my ministry when I follow Jesus fully in obedience.

May this Easter season renew our love for Jesus as we meditate on what He went through this week some 2000 years ago and what He has done for us on the cross. May this message be "like the coolness of snow at harvest time....refreshes the spirit.......like cold water to a weary soul.....from a distant land." [Prov 25:12-14,18-20,25-26,28 NIV]


Have a wonderful Easter!

Weeks 09 - 11(07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

For many years I have a burden for the city of Birmingham, the 2nd largest city in the UK with a population of over one million. At the beginning of this year, God opened a door for 2 brothers Nong & Kyu to study PhD there. I went to visit them last Saturday and we had a powerful time praying for the city!

Birmingham is a spiritual stronghold that needed God's power to have a breakthrough for the Gospel. I was so glad to see God moving in the city by blessing the growth of the Vineyard church there. They rent an old church building right in the heart of the shopping centre - the Bull Ring and is attracting a lot of interests. Praise the Lord!

We started the morning praying & worshipping God in Kyu's flat. Then we went praying at the 2 universities where Nong & Kyu studied, and met up with their care group visitor. We also prayed in the city - the shopping district and around the Government house. When we were in the Bull Ring, I saw the powerful looking bull. The Lord led me to put my hand on the horn and symbolically subdued the spiritual stronghold to His Lordship [see pic]. I felt that the Lord had shown me that He is far more powerful than the enemy, which is binding the souls of the city. I believe the souls will be set free one by one in the days to come!

More recently, I also felt the Lord telling me and the church to live in His presence and His power by leading a blameless life. 'I will sing of your love and justice....O LORD.....I will be careful to lead a blameless life.....I will set before my eyes no vile thing......I will have nothing to do with evil......' [Psalm 101:1-8 NIV]

I also encourage people in the church to believe in the miracles and power of God, which is throughout the whole Bible. One of them was when men became proud and tried to glorify themselves by building a tower that reaches to the heavens, God confused their language. 'The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other." So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.....the LORD confused the language of the whole world......'[Gen. 11:1-9 NIV]

Jesus demostrated God's power to Simon, the professional fisherman, by catching a lot of fish that Simon failed to catch. 'Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break......'[Luke 5:1-11 NIV]

Let us have faith to believe in a God of miracles and power. I have witnessed God's miracle in His provision in my life, and I am convinced that no children of God should live in lack. But we must be wise not to live beyond our means. 'In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has. He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.'[Prov. 21:20,21 NIV]

Amen!

Weeks 07 & 08 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

Our two offices in Croydon have recently moved into a new building - more central and of higher quality. The two offices have become one with a combined staff of about 140, occupying 2 floors. The Director in charge of the move did a great job and the move went like a dream. Then I learnt last week that he was leaving the company, because someone else has overtaken him in promotion!

In fact there is nothing new in this. People climbing the corporate ladder are in a rat race and I have been there before. When one gets to the top of the ladder, the view is no necessary better than that lower down! [Eccl 2:10-11 NIV] describes it really well - "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun."

Before I came to London for church planting, I wrote to about 300 of my business associates about my decision. I got about 30 replies back, mostly surprised by the news. But quite a few were really complementary, with one commenting that "as we climb the ladder, we could lead a better life but the main goal in life has always been questionable."

I am glad that, although I am back in the business world, I am able to detach myself from the rat race. All I do is to be a good witness and pray for my colleagues that one day they will find true meaning and happiness in life when they know the Lord! "......the LORD......has done marvelous things.....The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations....."[Ps 98:1-3 NIV]

I was sharing in church last Sunday about God's sign of covenant through the rainbow - "God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature......I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth."[Gen 9:12-17 NIV] And you know what, as I looked out of the office window this week on Wednesday, there before my eyes was a rainbow [see pic]. It put a big smile on my face.:o)

It is my dream and hope that as we "go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation......whoever believes.....will be saved.....And these signs will accompany those who believe.......drive out demons.....speak in new tongues.......sick people..will get well."[Mark 16:15-20 NIV]

It is assuring to know that "the LORD works out everything for his own ends"[Prov 16:4-5 NIV]. Before too long, we will see the plan of God being accomplished before our eyes.

Amen!

Weeks 05 & 06 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

The word LOVE takes on a whole new meaning for a 58 year old Christian. [1 Cor. 13] begins to make sense. But to love God's way is a huge challenge. God's love is patient...kind....does not envy....does not boast....not proud....not rude....not self-seeking....not easily angered....keeps no record of wrongs.....does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. So far, only Jesus has demonstrated it fully by His own examples. It would be heaven on earth if more and more people would understand God's love and put it into practice. For myself, I still have a long way to go. But, although it is a struggle to love God's way, I will not give up because of the hope it brings to a broken world. :o)

As I write, Kim is 5000 miles away in Malaysia visiting her aging & frail parents. I cannot remember the last time Kim is away from me on Valentine's Day. But again, she needs to make the most of her school holidays, with our loved ones living in 4 different continents. It will be my turn this summer, visiting my 95 year old Dad in Vancouver.:o)

God's love enables selfish human beings to be more self-sacrificing. His love empowers us to love supernaturally. So, "Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song."[Ps. 95:1-7 NIV]

"When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God." Selfless innocent beings reflecting God's Character. Despite of the mistake made by the first man, God continues to create man in His image, maintaining a lineage that will one day restore God's original plan and purpose for man. "He created them male and female and blessed them......When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son.....and he named him Seth.....Enosh.....Kenan......Mahalalel......Jared......Enoch......Methuselah.......Lamech. When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. He named him Noah and said, "He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed."[Gen. 5:1-29 NIV} Thats love.

And that love is magnified in Jesus when He hung there on the cross for 6 long hours, starting at the 3rd hour. "At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice......"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?".....With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last."[Mark 15:33-39 NIV] He died for me and you and every man & woman ever lived - in the past, in the present and in the future!

"The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him. .......he hears the prayer of the righteous."[Prov. 15:8,29 NIV] May the self-sacrificing love of St. Valentine bring's hope to a selfish world. May our prayers for His church find favours in the Lord.

Amen!

To My Valentine

To My Valentine

I miss you 33,000 feet in the air,
I miss you because I care.
I miss you in Malaysia 5000 miles away,
I miss you on Valentine’s Day.

We may have known each other for 33 years,
We may have even been married for 30 years.
But I love you since the first day,
And I still miss you on Valentine’s Day.

I love because God first loves me,
I love because He gave you to me.
I must be the luckiest man on earth,
That I have you forever as my girl.

A True Story on Sex

As I was preparing my sermon on "Struggle is Good" based on [Rom. 7 (14-25) ] , I found the following illustration on sex:

When Apollo Mission Astronaut Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon, he not only gave his famous ‘one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind’ statement, but followed it by several remarks. Mostly are routine conversations with other astronauts.
Just before he re-entered the lunar lander, however he made the enigmatic remark, “Good luck, Mr. Gorsky.”
Many people at NASA thought it was a casual remark concerning some rival Soviet cosmonaut. However, upon checking, there was no Gorsky in either the Russian or American space programs.
Over the years many people questioned Armstrong as to what the “Good luck, Mr. Gorsky” statement meant, but Armstrong also smiled and dodged the question.
On 5 July, 1995 in Tampa Bay, Florida, while answering questions following a speech, a reporter brought up the 26 year old question to Armstrong. This time he finally responded. Mr. Gorsky had finally died and so Neil Armstrong felt he could answer the question.
When he was a child, he was playing baseball with a friend in a back garden. His friend hit a fly ball, which landed in the front of his neighbour’s bedroom windows. His neighbours were Mr. & Mrs. Gorsky.
As he leaned down to pick up the ball, young Armstrong heard Mrs. Gorsky shouting at Mr. Gorsky. ‘Sex! You want sex?! You’ll get sex when the kid next door walks on the moon!’

Weeks 03 & 04 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

You may remember that I shared about a 'Black Thursday' [02/11] last year when I experienced a few attacks from the enemy. Through different people [my boss, my M&E colleague, my Client and Committee members], I was either accused of wrong doing or refused cooperation. I was so tired and down at the end of the day. The worst one was on the financial loss of some £50,000 on my project!

God amazingly intervened since that dreadful day, and step by step restored my credibility in the comapny as a Project Director and in the Committee [of the Institution of Structural Engineers] where I served as Honorary Secretary. Although the financial loss was not of my wrong doing, God opened the way for it to be recovered in the near future. The work of the enemy was destroyed one by one!

As I seek God's favours day by day and prayed for the Church, the Company, the Client and the Committee [4 Cs] for God's Protection, Provision, Prompting and Power [4 Ps] on a daily basis, I can see His help clearly. I have no choice but to "praise the LORD.....Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night,.......For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.......senseless man does not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed.......For surely your enemies, O LORD......will perish.......My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries........." [Ps. 92:1-25 NIV]

When God made the first man some 6000 years ago, it was not a haphazard act. God intended man to be successful and happy. He even thought about his needs for help and friendship. God "took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, ".........you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die...........I will make a helper suitable for him.......The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame." If "man" only trust God and listen to Him, we will not be in the mess that we are in ever since, including failures, unhappiness and shame![Gen 2:15-25 NIV]

When we trust in God and give our all [time, talents, finance, loved ones, career, study, needs, troubles.....] to Him, we will see His blessings beyond even our imagination. The poor widow in the Bible understood this principle and she applied it fully in action. She "put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.......Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-- all she had to live on."[Mark 12:41-44 NIV]

I can testify that "A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but the LORD condemns a crafty man. A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted......Wicked men are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm......A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.....No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble."[Prov. 12:2-3,7,16,21 NIV]

Amen!

Weeks 01 & 02 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

We are two weeks into the New Year. A tabloid newspaper suggested that all New Year resolutions die by the time we get to Week 3. Sales on "How to Diet Successfully" books would plummet and the ones already bought would be left to gather dust. Everyone is back to one's normal self - eating what one craves.

But for those who want to achieve greater things in life, we should aim to stick to our goals and game plans. So, for the first 2 sermons, I chose the theme "How To Live An Optimum Life". The sermons were "Planning is Key" and "Managing for Success". Time and tides truly wait for no man. We have to maximise our opportunities in making God's voice heard.

Having been back in the market place for a year, I can see the importance of being a voice for God in every sphere of the world, inside and outside the church. God's Kingdom is advanced when His Voice is heard in a fallen world through our deeds and speeches. I see so much wisdom in the servant of God Moses when he prayed "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.......Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days......May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us-- yes, establish the work of our hands."[Ps. 90:12-17 NIV] I can really relate to Moses heart cry. I need God's favour to go through each day!

I try to influence my boss and colleagues with Christian principles in business dealings. I stood firm when my boss tried to cheat our client for money that we did not earned. It may cause some strain between the two of us, but one cannot avoid tension when one is fighting against what is evil. I know integrity pays at the end because God will back us up. "Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall........." [Mal. 4:1-4 NIV]

Our holy God desires us to be holy. He does not mince words when He says "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,"[Mark 9:42-50 NIV] Scary stuff but true!

Be sure to know that "Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death. The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth."[Prov. 10:2-5}

Amen!

A Testimony of God's Faithfulness

As 2006 draws to a close, I have the opportunity to reflect on the past 16 years since I came to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. My growth in Christ had a very slow start. It took off when I started serving God with my all - time, finance and talents - 3 or 4 years later.

Walking with God is a journey that is both exciting and frightening. Exciting is when one sees God's blessings and help. Frightening is when one's prayer is taking longer and longer to be answered!

My greatest test has been in the area of finance. For one who used to have plenty is a greater challenge. It started when I decided to give up my full time engineering director job in September, 1996. At that time, I had plenty of reserve, property in Hong Kong, Melbourne and London, cash in the bank, golf club debenture and other investments. It did not take a lot of faith. God also provided 2 part-time jobs that met all our needs. Now, looking back, I can see that God used that time to prepare me to have greater faith!

The real test came when Kim & I responded to God's call to come to the UK for church planting 8 years ago. During the 9 months of preparation before the move in May 1998, God raised the bar by throwing in the Asian Financial Crisis. My wealth was reduced to a fraction of what I thought I had. I sold the Melbourne property at a loss and the Hong Kong one was on the market without a buyer. It was really scary then!

Upon arrival in London, we focused on pioneering the church and lived off our savings. Despite of the setback in our finances, I still held onto God's promises in [Matt. 6:33]. Soon the Hong Kong property was sold, also at a loss. I also liquidated all my assets in Hong Kong including the golf club debenture!

Two years into pioneering the church, we knew that we had to start bringing in some income. God opened a door for Kim to work, escorting special needs children to school. But the income could only meet 50% of our expenses. About 6 months later, God opened a door for me to do part-time lecturing at a London university. We were then able to pay all the bills. We could even afford to treat ourselves sometimes. God is always faithful!

Then came another test. My university suddenly stopped hiring PT lecturers in January 2005. Amazingly before it happened, God opened a door for Kim to work in the school as well. Her combined income was just enough to support us!

For a whole year in 2005, I have applied to some 30 jobs. But God was silent, except in guiding me in building the church. I introduced many changes to the church and the church moved to the next level of growth!

During that time, I was assured in my spirit that a job would come after the summer. Then came the end of autumn; I started to panic. I wrote to 2 full time posts, one of which was over 2 hours car journey from London. I did not even received any acknowledgement of my applications. I knew then it was not God's will!

In June, 2005 I became a committee member of the Institution of Structural Engineers and I got to know 2 company directors who were on the committee. When nothing happened towards the end of the 2005, a thought entered my mind to talk to them about job opportunities. I decided in my heart to speak to the one named John. After the Christmas busy period was over I called John, but his office was closed till the New Year. I picked up the phone in the morning of 2nd January, 2006. When John answered the phone, he told me that he was wanting to call me!!!

The next day, I was offered a job as an Associate, working 3 days a week. The test was finally over!

The past year was truly incredible. The job was tailored made for me. I started praying for my colleagues and my clients, and I have experienced miracle after miracle, which I will not go into details here. The amazing thing is the finances that the job brings. God knew all along the financial committments I had to make in 2006, including our younger son Ben's wedding. The Lord truly and duly provided "all these things"!

I know in my heart that the job does not only provide for our financially needs. God put me back in the market place for a greater purpose. I am prayerfully waiting for God's next move. :o)

Thank you for reading this rather long testimony. I hope you are encouraged by God's faithfulness!