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!