Dec. 2012 - Blessings of Divine Guidance

Christmas greetings from Hong Kong in the wonderful name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! 

In my message in Dec. 2011, I wrote about 2012 as a year that would mark the beginning of the end of the world, and a 7-year Tribulation would precede the end. Some said that the Tribulation was imminent, whilst some said it had already started, by judging recent disastrous events happening in the world, be it economic or natural. I said it was without doubt that the end was near.

As we come to the end of 2012, people of all faiths and atheists in the world talked about the 21^st December with great interest, the date regarded as the end-date of a 5125-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar (Maya calendar).  

The date is not the end of the world, as many speculated, but it is certainly a key date starting what are to come.

Going forward, we can expect all of the signs foretold by Jesus to occur in greater frequency and intensity:

[Matt 24:4-8]

4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no-one deceives you.

5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.

6 You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.

7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

8 All these are the beginning of birth-pains.

9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.

10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,

13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

21 For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now — and never to be equalled again.

22 If those days had not been cut short, no-one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.

The birth-pains have started. They will build up progressive to the moment of birth (return of our Lord Jesus). Unfortunately, the worst (the greatest pain) is yet to come!

God is a God of love and mercy. He has demonstrated this through the sacrificial death of His Son our Lord Jesus Christ some 2000 years ago.

God is also a God of righteousness and justice.

He has patiently waited for men to repent in the last 6000 years. But, to be fair to the faithful, He will not wait forever. As far as I can see, God’s final judgment has already started.

1)    Many will come in my (God’s) name

[Ps 125 NIV]

1 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures for ever.

2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and for evermore.

3 The sceptre of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil.

4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart.

5 But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers…..

Christian or Christian-in-name leaders beware, be they in the church or in the world, no one can fool God or use His name to do evil.

[Ex 20:7 NIV]

"You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

2)    Nation will rise against nation / kingdom against kingdom / famines / earthquakes

[Hag 2:5-7 NIV]

5'This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.'
6 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.
7 I will shake all nations…….

God is shaking the nations through wars, famines and earthquakes. The purpose of His shaking is two fold:

a)     Wake up call for believers and not-yet-believers alike

b)     Punishment for the wicked

3)    Hated by all nations because of me (Jesus) / turn away from the faith / betray and hate each other

[Rev 13:1-10 NIV]

1 And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.

2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast.

4 Men worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshipped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"

5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months.

6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling-place and those who live in heaven.

7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.

8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast - all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.

9 He who has an ear, let him hear.

10 If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

At the same time Satan the Devil will battle with God for the souls. The final battle will be for 42 months during the Great Tribulation. The Devil will have authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. He will war against the saints, causing the weak in faith to fall and worship the devil instead of God. “This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.”

Personally, I believe and know by faith that everything happens for a reason. They include all kinds of suffering, senseless killing and death (including that of infants) etc. etc.. A lot of things do not seem to make sense. But I know with certainty that we can get a satisfactory answer on every single case from God when we see Him face to face one day.

4)    Son of Man will appear in the sky with power and great glory

[Prov 16:1-11,20,33 NIV]

3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
4 The LORD works out everything for his own ends — even the wicked for a day of disaster.

5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.
20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

The good news is that God will punish the wicked according to His principles of justice and righteousness.

The good news is that God will watch over the faithful and bless them accordingly. 

The good news is that God (Jesus Christ) will return in glory and power at the end of the Great Tribulation.

Be encouraged to know that “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD”

August 2012 - Blessings of Divine Guidance

"The Party” is over. On August 12^th, the curtain fell on the London 2012 Olympics. The Closing Ceremony, showcasing the best of British musical performers, was described as a warm, inclusive affair. Everyone appeared to have enjoyed “The Party”. The host country, shrunk from an empire on which the sun never set, expressed disbelief at coming 3^rd in the medals table after USA and China, amassing a haul of 29 gold medals!

The Book of Daniel in the Bible outlined the major Kingdoms that ruled the world since the Fall of Man:

[Dan 2:31-35 NIV]

31 "You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue — an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance.

32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze,

33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay.

34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them.

35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing-floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.
 

Whilst the British Empire (Kingdom), symbolized by the legs of iron, conquered a large part of the world, the last Kingdom will conquer the whole world, admittedly briefly. It will be headed by the AntiChrist. This last Kingdom on earth, before the return of the Lord Jesus, is symbolized by the feet of iron and clay; it will be smashed by the rock (Jesus Christ).

Whilst the Olympics events push the boundary of human abilities through sporting events in the natural, spiritually, they honour and exalt the god of the world.

I personally believe that the 2012 Olympics was fittingly held in London as the last “Party” on earth. In its conception, demonstrated beautifully in the design of the Olympics torch, uniting the nations of the world in the opening ceremony, signifying an altar for the god of the world. In the Closing Ceremony, we saw the design of a phoenix rising from the ashes, resurrecting a Kingdom that exalts human endeavors and achievements. Spiritually, the god of the world is making an attempt to unite the world and prepare for the rise of the AntiChrist. 
 

This is the time for all believers of Jesus Christ to be alert as the greatest deception sets in. Watch out for all the signs mentioned in Matthew 24:

[Matt 24:7-8]

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

Whilst we are witnessing Matthew 24 before our very eyes, the Book of Revelation gives further  insights as to what are to come:  

[Rev 12:8-9]

The great dragon was hurled down - that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
 

The devil and his angels, who used to roam in the 2^nd heaven, will be hurled to the earth. They will go on to rule and reign in the last Kingdom on earth with great deception for 42 months.

[Rev 13:15-17]

15 He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.

16 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead,

17 so that no-one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

This is the biggest challenge for all believers: NOT TO RECEIVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST, a computer chip that will be needed for buying or selling. Our very salvation will be at stake!
 

Our God is righteous and everlasting; His precepts are forever right.  “Righteous are you, O LORD, and your laws are right. The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy. My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words. Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them. Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts. Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true. Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight. Your statutes are for ever right; give me understanding that I may live. [Ps 119:137-144]

We will see the power of our God being displayed before our very eyes; He will punish the guilty with whirlwind, storm, earthquake and flood. “The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet……The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him…..with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of…….his foes……” [Nah 1:3-13]
 

“These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you………He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. [Rev 3:1-6] Let us endure in our faith and overcome the plan of the AntiChrist. When we do this, our names, found in the book of life, will be acknowledged by Jesus before the Heavenly Father and His angels!

“My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching. Bind them upon your heart for ever; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,” [Prov 6:20-23]

May 2012 - Blessings of Divine Guidance

The famous Sermon on the Mount described a scene when Jesus taught His disciples on the 8 Beatitudes. He went on to teach them about being Salt & Light in the world:

[Matt 5:13-16]

13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

I feel that churches today do not teach enough on this particular teaching. As a result, most believers are church-based Christians with little impact in the world they live in. As a Christian leader who is also working full time in the marketplace, I witness this first hand!

This can also be due to a lack of understanding about the Kingdom of God.

 

The Kingdom of God comes to where the principles of God (righteousness and justice) are practiced. So often, they are confined to the church environment.

If we truly obey Jesus teachings to be Salt & Light in the world, we need to understand that the Kingdom of God encompasses the entire Universe. We need to start bringing the Kingdom of God to wherever we are – in our homes, universities, workplaces, society…… The wisdom of how to do it would be taught through the local churches [Eph. 3:10].

I believe that if we persistently and conscientiously advance God’s Kingdom wherever we are, God will grant us His favour and help.

As I shared before, besides building God’s people in church on Sundays, I also treat my engineering consultancy job as a ministry. After one year, I am seeing the following results:

   1)    My boss introduces me to everyone as an engineer and a pastor

   2)    The company was awarded Caring Company for providing free service to a Charity which employs the “disabled”.

3)    I am the Chairman of the company’s Sports & Social Club which runs a number of interest groups including Putonghua, photography, cake-making, sports, picnics, Bible study, prayers. This helped to transform the image & atmosphere of the company and the spirit of the staff.

4)    We hold monthly birthday celebration for birthday staff. The cakes are made by members of the Cake-making Interest Group. This helps to promote love & care in the company.

5)    For our company brochure, I helped to draft the Company Philosophy (Vision) Statement as follows: “

{Company Name} always aspire to excellence. We value and practice teamwork in all our projects, encouraging and promoting team spirit in our own staff and in our business associates and clients. We believe in the creation of optimized, context-responsive, tailor-made services through clear communication on Day 1.

Our company strives to achieve success through our core values based on our philosophy of “DREAM” – a “dream” company, a “dream” team and a “dream” workplace:

D for Dedication 

We remain dedicated in all our commissions, both during the consultancy and  any post consultancy
services required, giving peace of mind to our clients.

R for Reliability   

We understand the importance of reliability in the delivery of our services in terms of both quality and programme, and we aim to meet such expectations from our clients.

E for Excellence 

We cultivate excellence in our staff through continuous professional development (CPD), equipping
them in state-of-the art technical knowledge and good project management techniques in our services.

A for Authenticity  

We appreciate the need to be genuine in our relationship with our business associates and clients. We firmly believe that honesty is the best policy.

M for Market-leader

We aspire to become a market leader in our fields of services and we shall continue to develop our
companies to achieve this goal, delivering excellent services to our clients and business associates
and a sense of pride in our staff.

If we want to see God’s Kingdom on earth, may be all Christ followers need to have a paradigm shift in our mindset and start engaging the world as Salt and Light Christians on a 24/7 basis besides praying “may Your Kingdom come”!

This is my prayer – “Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness.” [Ps 119:33-40 NIV]

Do not do a Jonah, although we are in an environment that is hostile to the Gospel. Let us cooperate with God and He will help us. No one can run away from God’s calling any way! “The word of the LORD came to Jonah……"Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me." But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish…..Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea…..they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm……the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. [Jonah 1:1-5,11-17 NIV]

Know the time we are in, the end of all things are near – “The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him……..grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. [2 Peter 3:10-18 NIV]

The wisdom of God tells us that “Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool. Like cutting off one's feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool. Like a lame man's legs that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or any passer-by.” [Prov 26:1-2 NIV]

March 2012 - Blessings of Divine Guidance

On 27 Jan., by divine appointment, a sister from Shanghai (let me call her Sister E for security reason) visited the BBC School. I found out that she has a marketplace ministry in Shanghai. We met up a couple of times since to talk about her ministry and she formally asked me to provide spiritual covering for her. On Sunday, 12 Feb., I formally prayed for her in church and told her that I would visit her from time to time.

Three days later, on Wed. 15 Feb., I received an invitation from the Senior Vice President of the Institution of Structural Engineers, UK to be an Examiner for an exam. in Shanghai for 57 Class 1 Engineers from different parts of China on 19 & 20 Mar.. God’s timing was amazing!

Sister E went back to Shanghai on 19 Feb and started to plan for my visit at short notice! By God’s grace, she managed to put together two programmes, one each for the 17 and 18 Mar..

Kim and I landed in Putong Airport on Friday, 16 Mar., our first ever visit to Shanghai!

1)      Saturday, 17 March – Graduation Ceremony for 5 Alpha Course graduates.

It was held in a very nice club house restaurant where each attendee pay RMB 100 for a dessert buffet and had the use of the venue for free. I used that opportunity to share my testimony about coming to faith in Christ at the age of 42. About 25 people attended the celebration party and 7 newcomers signed up for a new Alpha Course due to commence on 21 Mar..

2)      Sunday, 18 March – Water Baptism for 11 new believers.

The venue was not found even a week before the meeting and a big turnout was expected. Miraculously God provided a venue 3 days before the meeting. A Christian business woman opened her 3-storey house for our use. Some 40 people attended.

The meeting was from 10:00 to 12:00am. A few of us went there early to water baptize a blind sister who had to go to work that morning. When she was young an explosion caused the blindness. Her face was also badly scared. The house maid witnessed the baptism and we could see that she was visibly touched. Tears run down her face!

At 10:00am, the meeting started with praise and worship. In my message, I shared about “Faith That Brings Victory” from [Heb. 11:30] based on the story of Jericho. I then dedicated a one year plus boy to the Lord. This was followed by a testimony of one of the sisters who was getting water baptized. She supplemented her testimony with a song she had written. It was a very moving song. I was led by the Holy Spirit to seize the opportunity to do an Alter Call. Five visitors responded and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Praise the Lord! I then water baptized 11 New Believers. It was a blessed and joyful occasion!

Kim and I then went to lunch with a few of the leaders. We decided to go back to the house to see if the maid would like to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord & Saviour. She did. I led her through the Sinner’s Prayer and also water baptized her!

I was amazed how ripe the harvest field in China was and how open the people were. God is definitely moving in the Nation! 

Upon our return to Hong Kong, I received a message from Sister E that the number of people signed up for the Alpha Course that was due to start on Wednesday 21 Mar. had increased from 7 to 13. I am truly humbled at what God is doing in China and I give Him all the glory!

I give thanks to God for the few days I spent in Shanghai. I give thanks for the six people (including the house maid) who came to faith in Jesus Christ. I give thanks for the 13 people who were water baptized. I give thanks for the 13 people who have signed up to join the Alpha Course. “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever……Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever."………The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. [Ps 118:1-9 NIV]

The Lord’s return to judge the world is near. In the meantime, He is patiently extending His Love to those who humbly accept His Lordship. But for those who reject His Love……"In that day," declares the Sovereign LORD, "I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your religious feasts into mourning and all your singing into weeping. I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads. I will make that time like mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day. "The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land- not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it. "In that day "the lovely young women and strong young men will faint because of thirst. They who swear by the shame of Samaria, or say, 'As surely as your god lives, O Dan,' or, 'As surely as the god of Beersheba lives'-they will fall, never to rise again." [Amos 8:9-14 NIV]

Indeed, “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen……For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" [1 Peter 4:7-19 NIV]

Let us be clear that “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart. To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice………There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD. [Prov 21:1-3,30,31 NIV]