Weeks 19 & 20 (08) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

I read somewhere that the strength of the human body peaks at the age of 20, followed by a slow decline up to the age of 60. From 60 onward, the strength will decline sharply!

With 60 approaching fast, I can testify to the above statement. Whilst maintaining a disciplined life helps, it will not alter the trend.

Before I travelled to Asia 2 weeks ago, I was suffering from hay fever. The long flight to Hong Kong did not help. The change of weather in Hong Kong added to the battle. It took me almost a week to get to some kind of normality. But before I settle down to the warm climate in Hong Kong & Malaysia (where we had our Leaders Conference), I was on my way back to London!

Landing at Heathrow yesterday in the early hours, I was determined to re-adjust my body clock back to GMT. By sheer will power, I managed to stay awake till 10pm. Bedtime was extra sweet. This morning, I went for my 4.2k run. I was happy with the very modest time of 29 min., and I found the soak in a hot bath afterwards quite heavenly.:o)

I learn so much about my spiritual condition through my body. Whilst the condition of the body is controllable, I cannot say the same about the spirit. It is a battle of the mind, which is much harder!

I often ponder about what is pleasing to God as a witnessing Christian. The answer is in [Rom 12:2 NIV] "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will." However, I find "the renewing of the mind" bit easier said than done. I guess it will remain "work in progress" until the Day of the Lord. But I am willing to give it a go and press on. With God's help, I will get there one day. :o)

Spiritual warfare or "battle of the mind" will continue to be a big part of the life of every Christian who seriously live for God. We will need to continually cry out to God for help in this fight. 'O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you......Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. They who seek my life will be destroyed......all who swear by God's name will praise him.....'. [Ps 63:1-11 NIV]

For us to be victorious, we need to be constantly mindful of God's goodness in our lives, just like God's reminder to the Israelites. 'The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD your God."' [Num 15:37-41 NIV] God's blessing is a circle. When we rememember God's goodness, it will in turn remind us to obey His commands. When we do obey God's commands, we end up with more of God's blessings. Its an amazing circle of truth! But are we buying into it?

Apostle Paul understood the battle of the mind very well. He adminished the Ephesians with these strong words from God. 'So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.......do not give the devil a foothold.....'. [Eph 4:17-28 NIV] But how many of us are heeding the Word of God?

Do not be a fool.'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] Let us pay attention to God's opinions and heed them instead.

Amen!

Weeks 17 & 18 (08) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

3 pieces of news grabbed the headlines in the UK in the past 2 weeks - the tragic cyclone disaster in Burma, an Austrian man fathered his own daughter's 7 children and the "clown" of the Conservative Party Boris Johnson became Mayor of London. I firmly believe that what happens in the natural reflects the spiritual. Whilst the first 2 pieces of news are merely confirming Matthew 24 (Signs of the End of the Age) respectively in v.7b and v.12, I find the 3rd one particularly revealing.

The choice made by the people of London of a man who very few people take seriously as the Mayor somewhat perplexed me. I pondered on it and I asked God what this means for this city at this time. The impression I got was found in [Prov. 29:18] "Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint...". It reminded me of the rebellious spirit the Israelites that we see in [1 Sam 8:1-22] "When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel......But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.......When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." ......"

We know from history that God gave the elders of Israel Saul as their king. So let us understand that THE PERMISSION OF GOD IS NOT ALWAYS THE WILL OF GOD!

Man is the crown jewel of God's workmanship. But if we reject Him, He will reject us. Even King David, one who was after God's own heart knew it well when he said "You have rejected us, O God......you have been angry-- now restore us! You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fractures, for it is quaking. You have shown your people desperate times.......But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow....Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered. 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 60:1-5,11-12 NIV] So, why should we be surprise when disaster strikes some people. Why should we not understand when some people experience desparate time and failure. But let those who fear God be assured that victory is on their side!

We are living in a time that demands our faith to be strong and courageous because the natural is challenging the spiritual."They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community.....they reported to them.....and showed them the fruit of the land......it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large......Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." [Num 13:26-33 NIV] We can choose to have the faith of the timid spies who were scared of the enemy that APPEARED to be powerful, or we can be like Caleb who believed in the promises of a mighty God.

Also, we will eventually be standing before God and each will have to give his or her accounts to God. "Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load. Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." [Gal 6:1-10 NIV]

Indeed let us work hard to please the Spirit. Let us ask God to grant us the strength and hardwork of an ox trusting that ".........from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest........The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good man rewarded for his....... All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." [Prov 14:4,14,23 NIV]

Amen!