Weeks 03 & 04 (10) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

I have just returned from a 2-week trip to Asia. I thank God for the blessed time in Chiang Mai, Thailand where we had our Hope International Ministries [H.I.M.] Global Conference. It has been many years since I was in Thailand and it was great to fellowship with our Thai brethrens again. They have always inspired me in their zeal and faith in serving the Lord.

I also spent a week in Hong Kong, catching up on many old friends, besides, of course, our 2 amazing sons and wonderful daughters-in-law. Among my friends were my old Technical College classmates of 40 years. We had a reunion lunch and had some very interesting conversations. Most of them have started enjoying their well earned retirements, after successful careers in civil/structural engineering. One of them, however, has just completed a Master Degree in Divinity and will start his ministry next month. We used to share a studio flat when we first went to the UK for our engineering training some 40 years ago. It is amazing that we both come to faith in Christ fairly late in our lives and both are now in ministry.

There were 8 of us at the lunch. There was one other born-again Christian and a Catholic. We tried to share our faith with the other 4 not-yet believing classmates. The exchanges were interesting and challenging at the same time. One of them has become a fervent Buddhist who believes in becoming a better person through hard work. He confessed to feeling depressed many times when he failed to attain his ideal of being good all the time. The Word of God in [Rom 7:18] “…For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out” came to mind. God certainly knows us better than we do. :o)

As I walked the streets of this tiny city (in size) of 7.5 million people, I really feel for the vast majority of them who live each day without knowing why they are here. Money becomes their god and main goal in life. I was like them 20 years ago, so I can relate to them. It will be great if they can have what I have now in Christ – peace that transcends all understanding!

I was jogging in a nearby park one morning and a young man caught my attention. He was sitting on a bench with his eyes closed and his head bowed in prayer. There was a bible on his lap. I ran past him a couple of times, and he was still deep in prayer. After my run, I purposely stopped close to him and kept an eye on him while I did some stretching. When he opened his eyes, I greeted him and started a conversation. He was uncomfortable with a total stranger disturbing his quiet time and he tried to decline my fellowship by telling me he had to leave for work soon. When I commended him on his quiet time early in the morning, he politely described his fairly long devotion as “fast food”. I told him that I was a pastor in London having my holiday in Hong Kong. He told me with a hint of sadness in his tone that less than 2% of the population is confessing Christians. I really admired his faith and I quietly asked God to bless him as he departed in a hurry.

This young man’s devotion reflected the heart of this psalmist who cried out to God. “O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief……I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land…..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.” [Ps 143:1-12 NIV]

Whilst I can understand the young man’s disappointment with the small Christian population, he should be aware of a deeper problem of Christians’ unwillingness in giving to God. Unlike the Israelite exiles returning from captivity, who gave generously towards the rebuilding of the house of God, out of the little they had. “Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town…..When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings towards the rebuilding of the house of God on its site. According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 drachmas of gold, 5,000 minas of silver and 100 priestly garments….... [Ezra 2:1,68-70 NIV]

But I am confident that as we faithfully give to God (in time, energy, talents, finance…) we will see His Kingdom advanced all over the world. “For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed — God is our witness……We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.” [1 Thess 2:1-20 NIV]

Finally, “….pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” [Prov 4:20-27 NIV]

Amen & amen!

Weeks 01 & 02 (10) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

The start of the new decade in 2010 has seen the United Kingdom and many countries in the Northern Hemisphere frozen in sub-zero temperatures for over 2 weeks.

The country was caught out in the supply of salt to grit the roads. Despite of lessons learnt last February when we also had unexpected heavy snow fall, the local governments and Highways authorities were unprepared for worse weather conditions this time. The low supply caused many minor roads un-gritted, resulting in slippery road surfaces. It got so bad that in places walkers had to crawl on the icy surfaces because walking was not possible!

Whilst many school children were pleasantly surprised by the extended Christmas holidays because of impossible transport / traffic conditions, a lot of businesses were badly affected by the deep freeze. Not an encouraging start for the UK economy as the country was hoping to come out of recession and into positive growth soon!

Then a detrimental earthquake shock the capital of Haiti on the 12th January, killing tens of thousands and adversely affecting millions of lives. In the word of President Barack Obama, it is “cruel” for this to happen to one of the poorest countries in the world that is not unknown to natural disasters!

In my quiet moments I could not help but looked to Heaven and asked God, “Why God? What are you trying to tell us?” God did not answer me with an audible voice. I was somehow assured in my heart that He was not blind to what was going on.

The Lord of the universe, our Lord God, is still the Lord of all. The world may be under the control of the evil one temporarily, the eyes of the Lord are watching over everything that is happening on this planet.

Please do not be angry with me if I say “God allowed all man-made and natural disasters to happen in order to get our attention.” This is what I sense in my spirit! Time is running out. This new decade is a time of ingathering of souls. The world events will quicken this process. Many will respond positively to the signs of the end of the age. There is no room for pride. It is not a time to reason against God.

I came to faith in Christ at the age of 42 when I finally dropped my pride and my human reasoning against the Lord of the Universe, the Maker of Heaven & Earth. “…… Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me. The LORD will fulfil [his purpose] for me; your love, O LORD, endures for ever — do not abandon the works of your hands.” [Ps 138:1-8 NIV]

The Lord admonishes the people of the world “……Do not be stiff-necked…..submit to the LORD. Come to the sanctuary, which he has consecrated for ever. Serve the LORD your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. If you return to the LORD, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him."
[2 Chron 30:6-12 NIV]

The truth is that “…..Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds….But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation — if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven……present to you the word of God in its fullness — the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” [Col 1:21-29 NIV]

My question is “……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?....Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” [Prov 30:1-9 NIV]

Amen and amen!