A letter to my Sunday School Class of 2010 (2 Tim 3:16 - 4:8)

Dear Sunday School class,

I have enjoyed teaching you all tremendously for these past two years. Teaching you brought me great joy as i see many of you growing both steadily in stature, and more importantly, in truth. I am also thankful for my fellow teachers, bro Jimmy and Moses helping to share God's wonderful truth to you all. I am most confident that the class will reach greater spiritual heights in 2011.

I wish to just use the scripture used for sun sch sun memorization as an exhortation to us all. Its Paul's last words to his fellow worker in Christ, Timothy to whom he has treated very much like a son, and always been a mentor to him.

Being Paul's last words and knowing that he was soon to be executed for the cause of Christ, you can be sure that it will be his heartfelt words that he wants communicated to him.

Be Equipped for Good Work

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The reason for scripture towards is to equip us to do the good work that God wants us to do. Scripture is not to be just academically understood, intellectually analyzed and left there. Its purpose is to prepare us that we are to live it out by doing good works that glorify God and edifies men.

It prepares us by teaching it to us. But we so often disobey or ignores its teaching. Hence, God through His servants rebukes and corrects us to obedience. We in humility should both accept such rebuke, and have the courage to rebuke others in wrong, that they too are trained to do righteous acts, to be equipped for the good work of God.

Be Prepared to Preach, Correct, Rebuke, Encourage that Man will come to Christ

1 ...I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

Part of the good work that Paul wants us to do is to preach the word. We are to prepare ourselves to preach at anytime. Do we know how to share the simple gospel facts to a friend? Have we ever done it? Most often, we do not know and we dare not do it. Because we are not prepared. Before an exam, before an interview, we prepare ourselves well. Why not before sharing the most important truth to a friend? Be prepared, and naturally, God will lead us to be able to share powerfully and courageously to someone in need of the truth.

Being prepared enables us to preach powerfully. Preaching involves telling. However, we cannot just stop there. Reflect on our own spiritual lives. Yes, we may understand the gospel facts after being told. But many times, we have fallen and disobeyed God's teachings. That is when we may need to correct and even rebuke someone who is still struggling to acknowledge Christ as Lord. The process of preaching includes telling, correcting, rebuking.

And the last component, encouraging. We tell, we correct, we rebuke and we encourage someone to come to Christ. Continue to follow up with someone by encouraging him to pray, to read the bible, to attend worship service, to come back to biblical truth. This is the entire spectrum of preaching God's truth.

The Problem Today – God's truth compromised for itching ears

3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

We are to preach, by telling, rebuking and encouraging. This is importantly so today, where we see that indeed where many are not putting up with God's truth but instead wants to hear a message that they think its from God and yet fitting for their own lustful desires.

Today, people wish to hear messages of undeserved favour, victorious living, living our best life now. These are mainly achieved through freedom from illnesses, being asset rich and having a successful career. They twist the truth for example, saying that when Jesus was born, because gold was offered to Him, He was rich from young. They turn aside, misinterpret and deny the verses that call us to deny ourselves and be willing even to the point of dying for the sake of Christ, DAILY.
God's truth is compromised, twisted, denied into a message of worldly hope, possession and freedom for itching ears.

Our Response to the Problem Today

5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Yes we have the problems of God’s truth being compromised today. But we are not to just sit back and despair at the situation. Paul exhorts us to respond, to endure, to discharge our duties, with an alert mind.

Regardless of what debates and defense against falsehood, we are called to have an alert mind. To keep our minds, convictions and actions rooted and steadfast in God’s Word, that we stand on an absolute standard instead of being swayed by waves of men’s words.

When we do this, there may appear hardships. We mind be rejected, criticised, ostracised by family, friends, society. But we are called to endure this. Not for a moment, a day, a week, but even till the end of our lives. And upon endurance, we are called to action. To continue to discharge our duties in the midst of falsehood and attacks.

It maybe certainly difficult to follow this. But we have an example in Paul. And Paul has an example in Christ. Paul continues to exhort us with the example of a living sacrifice.

Being Poured Out like an Offering

6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Paul here re-iterates that we should all be offered as living sacrifices. To be poured out like offerings unto God. To the point of death. Such is the weight of these words. To render all our thoughts, will, bodies, everything we owe unto God. Paul rendered all his thoughts unto God. His will all unto God. His previous riches forsaken for the sake of Christ. His body unto God that he knew he was going to be executed soon for the sake of Christ.

And because he has done these, he can truly say that he has fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. Such words should not be haphazardly used on anyone’s grave unless he has truly earned it. And more importantly, he has earned the crown of righteousness bestowed upon by God Himself.

The Reward in Store for Paul

8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

When such has lived a life like Paul, there is a reward in Heaven. The reward is a crown of righteousness, given to a good, faithful servant of God. We might give up temporal earthly rewards, but let us fix our hopes upon the ultimate reward awarded by God. This reward is not exclusive only to Paul but all who longed for God’s appearing.

Yes, by God’s grace we are freely saved. But let us not be saved like a man escaping from a house in flames. But let us be saved, with full confidence, with God’s rejoicing in us entering His kingdom, rejoicing in awarding His crown unto us. Because we have served Him well in our current lives.

May this passage of scripture stay with us, to remind us, to mould us, to rebuke us, to encourage us, for the service of God, for the reaching out to unsaved men.

Jason

Tell, Warn, Exhort, Invite

The Word of God always demands a response. Any effective teacher of it must do more than just dispense facts; he must warn, exhort, and extend an invitation. He may have impressive knowledge of the truth, but if he doesn't have a passionate concern for how people react to it, he is not a worthy representative of Jesus Christ.

Redevoting ourselves

There was a powerful and touching testimony about how a pastor's kid came to really know of the Lord.

We would normally think that a pastor's kid would be saved definitely, having heard stories of Jesus from young. However, thus testimony will change your perceptions, that everyone needs to know of how Jesus died for you on the cross, for your sins, no matter who you are. Perhaps you are already a long time christian. But have we really experienced the love of Christ of the cross for us, till we are in tears?

There was a pastor's son who had average in primary and secondary school. He was the typical pastor's kid who was obedient, not to smart, yet not to stupid, but went regularly to church, served in fellowships. 

However, when he went to college, things took a turn. In college, kids typically went to colleges outside of their own state. And that meant that the student had to stay on his own in a hostel for the first time in his life, away from his parents. 

This kid moved out and went to college for his first year. He did ok for his first semester. However, for his second semester, his grades took a severe beating. He actually failed several of his subjects. 

When visiting back home to this parents and asked about his poor grades, he avoided the question and did not answer his parents no matter how hard they tried. He just kept it a secret as to what caused his poor grades. 

Semesters passed after semesters. He still suffered from poor grades. He still kept the matter from his parents. His parents were both angry and sad. Why was he suffering from such poor grades?

He finally graduated. However, it was a border line graduation of the worst degree. He scrapped through. His parents then asked him what he wanted to do in life. He answered that he had no idea. He even answered that he was content on just being a road sweeper. This infuriated and saddened his parents even more. His pastor dad asked him, don't you know that our purpose in life is to do something for Jesus? He remained silent. He didn't know what was his purpose in life. Neither was he interested in doing something for Jesus.

Two years had passed. This kid actually got a proper job and it was evident in his life that he was a renewed person. What had happened?

One day, with teary eyes, he went back to his parents house and told them all that had happened. The reason his grades dipped in college wss because he was addicted to japanese anime, online games and online chatting.

He indulged in them non stop. Even when he was sleeping, his computer wss still on downloading games and anime. He was addicted. He could not stop. All he could think of was about the computer. He devoted no time to his studies. That resulted in his failing grades.

However, just recently, he attended a church revival meeting. In that meeting, his heart truly was opened and he understood how jesus love for him was so great to the point of dying on the cross, he wept, he wept. He prayed for repentance and a renewed belief in Jesus.

That night, he threw away all his CDs containing downloaded material and any other things that caused his distraction. HE was a renewed person in Christ. He truly understood the love of Christ, and how he was to recipocrate this love by repenting.

Are we long term Christians whom have not truly grasped the love of Christ, the suffering of Christ? Let us redevote ourselves to him this very day. Grasp hold his love for us, on the cross. The lion of Judah. The slained lamb worthy of all our praise.

The importance of knowing a book in the bible's background

As we read books of the bible, it's useful to get the background of the book when it was written. Why did the author write the book? In what circumstances was the author in when it was written?

In doing so, we really can appreciate more strongly the author's point as well as get the intended meaning correct.

For example, when we read 2 Timothy, if we know that this was Paul's last letter before he was to be martyred, that it was written when he was imprisoned in a cold roman jail with chains, we would read it in a different light.

A man in his last moments would definitely say the most important points to his most intended recipient. So you can appreciate from thus that 2 Timothy was paul's most dire words to his young co laborer in Christ.

But though Paul was in such a hopeless situation as most would see it, we see that he had actually the ultimate hope in him. That he would be with God soon and be given the crown of righteousness, for he had fought the good fight, ran the good race and kept the good faith.

If you had been to Cambodia and visited the tuol sleng prison, where thousands of people were prisoned with the end in mind being execution, and seeing their tiny and dirty cells, you can never imagine that you will still have hope if you are imprisoned there.

Yet Paul had. When people of this world thinks that he gave his life for nothing, he actually gave it for everything, that while in chains, then Word might be preached even more fervently because of his example.

So with all this background, when we read 2 Timothy now, it would be in a different light and we can almost feel it coming to life.

The word of God is not just boring texts. Get a bible handbook or study bible that introduces a book's background, and the text will come alive, that we can understand it better, proclaim it better, defend it better, obey it better.

On a Lord's day

Went church in the morning for Sunday school with wife and Caleb. Though it's a nice Sunday morning for sleeping and indeed a chore to wash up Caleb, we still have to make it for sun sch as it's the least we can do for reverence towards God.

Too many people miss church because they think it's too early, or inconvenient, or just lazy. Often we are hypocrites when we say we want to serve God with our best when we do not even take the effort to at least be punctual for church. I am not saying this to pinpoint anyone but just a reminder to myself and all. That God is not to be mocked but revered in all specific aspects.

Glad that pris and Sion could join us today. It's a joy seeing them growing in love and truth towards God. Make God be with them continuing them to grow in faith, word and deeds.

Came back home and started preparing for school the following day. Excel vba. Also continued working on some flash cards iPhone app. Indeed I have to remind and avoid copyright issues for I should not indulge in dishonest gains.

Eat with mama in the evening and watched some shows with wife, mama and Caleb running around.

May God continue to comfort mama's heart and strengthen upon her the hope that she will meet gong gong again in heaven. Worshiping our great God together for eternity.

My Beloved Gong Gong

My beloved gong gong was called home to the Lord on the 26th of sept 2010. I loved him.

I still miss him very much now as I type this entry out ten days later. There is much emotions to talk about but I will not post it here as it is reserved for my innermost heart.

Though he has left, I know he has departed to a far better place, where there is no tears, sorrow, pain any longer. One day we will meet again just as David said that he will go to his son one day.

Gong gong is in paradise, together with the Lord. Thank you Lord.

The Saddest Verse in the Bible

I think one of the saddest passages of the bible is found below.

13 But see, there is joy and revelry,
slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep,
eating of meat and drinking of wine!
"Let us eat and drink," you say,
"for tomorrow we die!"

14 The LORD Almighty has revealed this in my hearing: "Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for," says the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

The Lord was describing Jerusalem in this instance. That though they were in idolatry, sexual immorality, and paganism, they did not feel that they had offended God. They were not conscious of the presence of God and His commandments which if disobeyed, brings upon wrath.

They indulged in their sin, feasted, drank to their hearts content, committed immoral acts, just to 'enjoy life to the fullest' for tomorrow, we die. Life is short.

Sounds familiar? Isn't this what the world is doing right now? Enjoy now, for I have only one life. Isn't this what the world says?

What does the Lord say about this? He says. That till the day of your deathbed, your sins will not be cleansed. With sin, we depart into the hell, sheol, awaiting the judgement of the heat white throne, and then thrown into the eternal lake of fire.

Don't believe this article? it's not from me, it's from the Word of God, weigh your options. Continue to live in your life of sin and indulgence and risk eternal torment. Or, turn toward the savior Lord, and commit your lives to Him. Let me know if you choose to do the latter. With my fullest of energies, I will help you.

This verse doesn't have to be the saddest verse. It can be the happiest verse leading you to Christ.

God is the creator, redeemer and sanctifier.

We have been created by Him.
We want to be redeemed by Him.
But do we want to be sanctified?
Are we willing to be sanctified?

We want to spend time for ourselves.
We want to do things that our lusts wants.
We do not want to count the costs of following Christ.
We want to live in comfort more than bear His cross.
We want to walk in our wilful and sinful ways.

Are we willing to be sanctified? If we are not sanctified, we are but hypocrities, lukewarm, false prophets, being spit out from Christ into the place of brimstone and burning lake.

Let us re-examine ourselves, our faith, our lives, our minds.

True Wisdom

"This is the whole duty of man, to fear God and keep His commandments."
Ecclesiates 12

We often sought wisdom. We try to find in the world, in books, through seminars or through networking with people.

But we forget about God's revealed source of wisdom for us. More specifically, the books of proverbs and Eccelesiates.

Read it. There can be no greater gain of wisdom through these. And know that, wisdom, comes from God, is for us to fear God, is for us to love God, is for us to obey God.

Zeal

Romans 9:11
Never be lacking in zeal, but serve God zealously.

Never be too piled up in excelling in academics that you lack zeal to serve.

Never be too tempted and chasing after profits, that you lose the true blessings of God.

Never be too envying of people, that you forget the graces of God on you.

Never let anything, diminish your zeal for God.

Overcoming evil with good

Romans 12:9-21
Repay evil with good.

Love those who shame you.
Love those who suspect you.
Love those who criticize you.
Love those who gossip about you.
Love those who who shame you.
Love those who hurt you.
Love those who take advantage of you.
Love those who kill you.

Paul did this. Stephen did this. Jesus did this. God commanded this.

Blessed is he who hears, and DOES the Word of God.

Turning away from a life of sin

Living as Children of Light

Sermon preached on 15 aug by rev Teo kiak hock. My sermon notes.

There was a recent news article on husband and wives. Wives attempted to wake their sleeping husbands up but on several attempts, the husbands continue to sleep. However, when the wives mentioned that they are checking their husbands SMS, immediately, they woke up with some even responding if they had seen the photos.

Some of the husbands were Christians. Now how can this be? Why is it that professing Christians can still be leading a life of such sin? Using paul's terms, we have not put off our old self and put on the new self. We keep going back to our old sinful ways. That is why Paul said in Ephesians 4:17-19

17So 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. 18They 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. 19Having 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.

Paul is giving us a warning here. A warning not to go back to our old ways of sin. For the consequences of that is separation from God. And with separation, our sinful selves will harden itself and we will continue to lust for more and more sins.

The downfall of a Christian is not sudden but slowly, progressively degrading. You start initially to console yourselves that skipping a service is ok, then skipping two, then more, and finally, the only service you go to is the funeral service. Sin slowly creeps in unnoticeably. Be warned against this great danger.

Paul proceeds to tell us practical examples on how we can avoid turning back to a life of sin.
First:

25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

We should not tell lies. We lie for two reasons. First, we lie because we are afraid. Second, we lie because we are greedy. Ananias and sapphire lied for greed of money and face. They envied barnabas who offered everything he had and sought to earn the same respect. We should not lie because God is truth and we should live in truth which includes telling the truth.

The other practical lesson Paul teaches is about anger.

26"In your anger do not sin"[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.

It is not wrong to get angry. What is wrong is to sin in your anger. Many great man in the bible got angry. Moses got angry when he saw the Israelites worshipping the golden calf. Jesus got angry when he saw his temple being exploited as a market place for people to make profits.

Also, we should rage for a prolonged period as it gives rise to rage and bitterness.

Hence, how do we turn away from a life of sin?

21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Be taught the truth. Know the truth. Meditate on it, flush it constantly into our minds. Like how flushing clean water into any polluted source clears it.

Also, be made new in our attitudes. In our emotion. To thirst, to love, our God. Understand how much he loves us. Finally, renew our will to serve Him.

1 John 1

True joy. Complete joy.

1 John 1
1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4We write this to make our joy complete.

True joy. Not money, promotion, human relations. But knowledge and fellowship with God. To do His will. To share with others His grace. To put things of eternity before earthly.

All things work for the good of those who love Him.

I was fetching a preacher back home yesterday. He recently had an accident where a bus ran over his feet. His was utterly crushed and all the muscles and nerves were crushed to death. Till today, about two months after the accident, the dead skin and flesh has to be scrapped out from his feet. His mobility is of course affected and needs to take the cab more often.

In spite of all these, he shared with me that if he was not a Christian, he would be filled anger and impatience. Why did this happen to him?

But he carries on saying that because he is a Christian, he is instead filled with peace and joy. I immediately wondered if I would feel the same thing if it happened to me as well. I have read many times o experience joy and peace from God. But how exactly can I do that when it's a time of trial like what happened to the preacher?

I asked him. He answered. All things work for the good of those who love him. All things. Yes, even bad things. In each bad thing, there is God's wonderful will for us. That it would be good for us. Once you know this, you are at peace cause you know that God has in store goodness for you through the trouble and also joy because it's the best way for you given that it's God's way.

And it's that simple. Trouble, trials, tests? All work for the good of us.

Lessons from Jonah Chapter 1

Lessons from Jonah Chapter 1

Ever heard of the story of Jonah? Its the story where a great big fish swallowed a man and kept him in its stomach for three days and three nights for he had disobeyed God's command.

Perhaps you might have heard of the story before, in children sunday school, in stories, television programs, but let us take a closer look at the story of Jonah, as recorded in Jonah chapter 1, and learn valuable lessons.

Jonah 1 

1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me."

 3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.

 4 Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.
      But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish."

 7 Then the sailors said to each other, "Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity." They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

 8 So they asked him, "Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?"

 9 He answered, "I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land."

 10 This terrified them and they asked, "What have you done?" (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.)

 11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?"

 12 "Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you."

 13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried to the LORD, "O LORD, please do not let us die for taking this man's life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O LORD, have done as you pleased." 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him.

 17 But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

We see that God commanded Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh to repent before God punishes them, for Nineveh was a city that committed great sins detestable to God. However, Jonah disobeyed God's command. This was because he was a Jew, and the Jews were sworn enemies with the people of Nineveh. Jonah was not happy that God wanted to spare Nineveh. He wanted God to inflict punishment on them.

However, God is a loving and merciful God, not willing that anyone should perish. He does not want sinners to perish, does not want evil do-ers to perish and will give ample chances for them to repent, and have faith in Him. However, when sinners choose to go their way to such an extend that God can no longer extend His merciful hand, God has to give them over to their sin. In this case, God still is merciful over Nineveh. It is however Jonah that does not sympathize with the people of Nineveh.

We see that due to one man's in-submission to God, an entire city can fall into God's wrath. (Of course God can choose to use other servants for His purpose.) Remember that there are several tens of thousands in Nineveh, including innocent young children. Yet Jonah was unwilling to preach the message of repentance to Nineveh.

Jonah fled away from God. Went to Joppa, bought a ticket to board a ship heading towards Tarshish. Tarshish was in the West, just in the opposite direction towards Nineveh which was in the East. The ship had to sail across the Mediterranean Sea.

While across the sea, God sent a huge storm, so huge to the extend that it threatened to tear up the ship in two. Even the sailors who were experienced in sailing were afraid. It was the most fearful storm they had even seen. So fearful till the extend that they cried to their own god. They also threw their cargo overboard in a bid to lighten the ship's load that it would not sink.

In the midst of the storm, everyone on board the ship would be busy doing all they could for each of them would drown to death if the ship were to sink. However, Jonah was sleeping soundly below deck! It is incredible that we see the ignorance of Jonah to such an extend, that admist all the chaos, he still could sleep.

It took a pagan, a non-believer, the ship's captain, to wake him up. Furthermore, the pagan had to remind Jonah, a prophet of God, to call upon his true God, that they might not perish. How ironic that the pagan captain will use all his means to pray upon false gods, yet the prophet of God will not even call upon the true God.

It took casting of lots, to find out that Jonah was the cause of the storm. This does not mean that we should cast lots in superstition to find out God's will for He has clearly commanded us not to indulge ourselves in black arts and magic. But God used this means this time to clearly depict that Jonah was the cause of the storm, and He wanted to give Jonah the opportunity to repent and revive his commission to preach to the people of Nineveh.

Jonah, the believer in the true God, the God of heaven who created the sea and the land didn't call upon Him. But instead had to rely on the reminding of pagans who worshipped false gods to call upon the true God. It is indeed humiliating. At this point in time, he volunteered to be thrown into the sea, for he knew that he was the cause of it all. Yet, we instead see the love from the pagans who did not want to throw Jonah till they had tried their best to overcome the situation. They tried their best till they could try no more and prayed to the true God for forgiveness that they not he held accountable for Jonah's life for it is God who caused the storm due to Jonah's rebellion.

The pagans then threw Jonah overboard and a big fish swallowed him and kept him in its stomach for three nights and days. It would be dark, lonely and with great filth in the fish's stomach. It will resemble hell. Perhaps this provided the opportunity for Jonah to understand the consequences of the people of Nineveh if he does not abide by God's command to preach to them. And because of this, in chapter two, it records then Jonah said a prayer of repentance. To ask for God's forgiveness, and re-committed himself to God's commission to preach to Nineveh.

What homework can take away from chapter one of Jonah? First, to know that by one's in-submission, you can actually bring great harm to others. If Jonah did not preach the message of repentance to Nineveh, they stand the possibility of being in God's wrath. This reminds that if we refuse to preach the gospel, the salvation from Jesus, we bring harm to others. We are in God's grace, yet we refuse to extend this grace to others. A true friend will bring his friend, to Christ. The greatest good, if we do not introduce it to our friends, how can we call ourselves a true friend?

Second, know that if we are not right with God, we are heading downhill. We need a right relationship with God. Jonah's relationship kept going downhill form the point when he rebelled against God. From disobeying to go to Nineveh, to heading for Tarshish in the ship, to going under the deck, to being thrown into the sea, to being swallowed into the big fish, we see that if we disobey God's will for us, we will be heading downwards.

Thirdly, that God will discipline us if we continually go against Him. Jonah was disciplined by God, through the storm, through the reprimanding of pagans, through the throwing over into the sea, through spending the time in the fish's stomach.

May we bring the good news of salvation to people, have a right relationship with God, and be sensitive to His disciplining in the areas of life where we go against Him. For God disciplines those whom He loves.

Notes for 11th July 2010 sermon

The church is not a building. It's the community of christians. On Sunday, we congregate in a building to worship God. On Sunday, we gather in a church and we worship as a church.

However, come Monday to Saturday, each of us is a church. We are a church to the people we associate with. Whether you are a student, businessman, teacher, housewife, doctor or engineer.

We are told to manifest Christ who lives in us. To live out the imitation of Christ to those around us. To love, to care, to give, to rebuke, to feed. All this, that every good work be a revelation God's love to them. That the gospel be lived out for them to see, that when the opportunity comes, we may witness Christ to them.

Faith. Love. Obey. Preach. Love. Save.

Live - ers of the Word

No one really wants to hear what we have to say about the love of Jesus until they’ve seen it in our lives (Matt. 5:16).

Pastor visited grand dad on Wednesday. He also bought with him some gifts. The baptism certificate and also a large poster of the Lord's prayer.

It so occured to me that it really is the most perfect gift my grand dad cld have. The lord Jesus teaching him how to pray.
That God be glorified, that he be delivered from evil and temptation, that he will have God's daily bread with him. That he will have a part of God's kingdom.

Thank God for such messengers.
Thank you.

Interested in iPhone Development?

Will being writing a series of tutorials for iPhone programming. Visit the site below.

http://easyiphonedevelopment.blogspot.com/

Don't lose it

Blog blog blog... Think most people nowadays are content with reading and writing on facebook. Short quotes, lesser content. No more long blog posts.

Make sure that you don't lose the skill of reading, and writing！

Sexual Immorality, Homosexuality – We are in it TOGETHER

Dear friends,

We sinners are in NO POSITION to condemn the homosexuals of their sin for we ourselves, are sinners, committing acts that greatly angers God. We are wicked to the core, desperately wicked, no one can fathom what evil we can do. When the adulterous woman was brought before Jesus and the crowd, he only said one sentence. That whoever has not sinned can take the first stone to kill her. One by one the crowd left till there was no one left. Only Jesus was left, to which he said, “neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your lift of sin.” (John 8)

Yet, with a sad heart, I plead with anyone who is contemplating that homosexuality is not a sin to re-evaluate it in accordance to the Word of God. I plead with you, to just consider what a sinner, has to say. For I am no better than the worst of sinners, yet by the grace of God, I am saved and this is my hope for you as well, to have God’s grace and not His wrath, upon you. For it is only responsible that I should warn of the consequences of sin.

There are common debates on homosexuality, that it is ok, that its genetic, inborn, a psychological illness. One side argues this. Another argues that. Whose stand are we to accept?

I plead you to understand that the discussions and debates between pro and anti homo-groups DO NOT make an absolute stand. It is but an exchange between man to man, his principles, his standards.

We can only rely upon the Word of God as the ABSOLUTE STANDARD of everything including homosexuality. Its just like groups debating that 1+1= 3 and other parties debating that 1+1=1.5. But there are mathematical TRUTHS just as there are physics truths at work in the universe. 1+1 is equal to 2. Period.

Yet, there is an even more important and greater truth that we must know and that is the TRUTH of God revealed through His Word. The ABSOLUTE TRUTH. The Word of God, the BIBLE. The bible is clear about homosexuality.

Genesis 19:24 “The Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah” because of the great sin of the people of those cities. They yearned to have unnatural relations with parties of the same sex and often in orgies (19:5). A similar group of people is recorded in Judges 19:22-30 in Gibeah.

Jude 7 “Sodom and Gomorrah gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.”

Lev 18:22 “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable”

Lev 20:13 “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.”

Romans 1:27 “Man abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”

One day we will stand before God in judgment, giving an account of all our beliefs and actions whether you like it or not, believe it or not. Homosexuality is detestable to God.

As mentioned, we sinners are in NO POSITION to condemn the homosexual of their sin for we ourselves, are sinners, committing acts that greatly angers God. We are wicked to the core, desperately wicked, no one can fathom what evil we can do.

The apostle Paul says,

1 Cor 6:9-10 “The wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexuals offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

We might not be homosexuals. We do not fall into such temptations. Yet, we fall into other sexual immoralities i.e. to be explicit; pornography, or the seemingly innocent lusting after someone walking down the street. Question: If our thoughts were to be burned into a DVD, would you want to show it to anyone?

We all commit other sins as Paul mentioned, greed, theft, slandering, swindling, and many more by which you know because your conscience rebukes you. Before God, homosexual or not, we are sinners, deserving the wrath of God. We have no right to condemn the homosexual because we are but sinners ourselves.

But yet we are entrusted with the Word of God to warn others, that God’s wrath is true and will come upon those who harden their hearts and do not repent. We are made right in the blood of Christ. So can anyone, by faith in Christ, that you believe that He borne your sins unto the cross, shed His blood for you, nailed for you, died for you, and realizing His great grace, repent of your wrongs.

A homosexual, just like a sex addict or pornography addict will definitely find the clutches of sin having a strangling hold over him. It will be very difficult to break or repent from the old ways. Yes, there will be temptations dragging him back. Yet, with man, things might be impossible. But with God, all things are possible. (Matt 19:26)

And by the grace of God, once freed from the clutches of sin, he will experience indescribable joy in God. The hope, the knowledge that God’s wrath is not upon Him. The Christian’s journey is not an easy highway. It is an arduous journey with temptations pulling us back into the pits and dangers entrapping us into new ones. Yet, our God will be with us, not giving unto us any temptation too much for us to bear. And step by step, He leads us daily through prayer, through reading the Word, through serving Him and His people, through bearing salt and light for Him in the world, to finally reach the wonderful place He has prepared for us.

The Christian church EMBRACES ANY homosexual that is willing to seek God. He might not have yet known how to or convicted himself to weaning off his act. There are many Christian ministries that especially cater to such individuals, eg.

· Exodus International

· Cross Power Ministries

· International Healing Foundation

· Homosexuals Anonymous

Ultimately, the Christian should love that which God loves AND hates what He hates. God loves the homosexual. God detests the sin but loves the individual. Let us not harden our hearts towards Him, but come unto Him, experiencing His love, grace, truth, hope, peace, joy and salvation.

This is very sad

Leviticus 10:1-3

1 Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.

2 Samuel 6:5-7

5 David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.

6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.

John 4:23-24

23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

1 Peter 1:16
"Be Holy for I am Holy"

Gospel Sunday Message

Many things around us will change. Physical environments, Economical environments, Social environments, they all change. Only one thing doesn’t. God’s love towards us has never changed. His truth has never changed. Since the beginning of time till now, and from now till eternally, this will not changed.

God’s love for us was shown most wonderfully yet tragically, two thousand years ago, when His son had to die by the most tragic and cruel means of execution then, Crucifixion on the cross during the times of the Roman Empire.

Yet now, the cross is worn proudly on necklaces, shown on ambulances, the least to mention a few. Why? Would you hang an electric chair, or hanging gallow around your neck or adore it on a vehicle or building? Then why this adoration and recognition of the cross all over the world throughout history?

This was because the cross manifested the love of God. On the cross, our sins were nailed to the cross, cleansed, forgiven, by the blood of Christ.

From the cross, Christ spoke words of grace. One of His last words referring to the multitudes whom has just earlier called for his execution were, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And by the blood He shed, indeed our Father has forgiven us of our wrong-doings, our sins.

When it comes to belief in God, people often take a cynical eye towards Christ. Yet so many embrace money as their belief. As their God. Believing in money. Or perhaps, just believing in one’s self. Yet when it comes to the last moments of one’s life, does believing in money or believing in your yourself, your achievements, your legacy help? Does the best luxuries help in easing the fear and loneliness of death?

Only words of grace as spoken by Christ can truly comfort. He told the robber was today and thereafter, the robber will be with Him in paradise. Now the robber was in the eyes of the roman law, an evil person, a thief, a murderer. Yet he believed in Christ, hanging beside him. And because of his faith, he was given the assurance of heaven by our Lord. He was comforted by Jesus’s words of grace and hope. This is the only thing that can truly comfort, the assurance of heaven.

If we are truly honest with ourselves, we know that deep in our hearts we search for a god. Animals do not do that. But man does. We do. We search for God in our hearts. And in our hearts, we know that we are unworthy people too. Sinners. Would you be willing to show a DVD containing all your thoughts, the things you said, the things you did, the things you saw, to anyone else?

In the limited eyes of the government, our family, we may be seen as good citizens, or good children. But what after before the unlimiting eyes of God?

All men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Only Jesus can save us. He invites us to the true and living way to God. If only we would accept His invitation.

God searches for man to save him and love him. He has been doing that since the creation of the first man. He searched for Adam the moment he fall into sin in eating the forbidden fruit. Yet, He searches for man not to judge him, but to save him. Only when man refuses this salvation, does God in His righteousness judge man when the wrath of God is terribly and regretfully unleashed unto the sinner whose sins have not been cleansed.

God searches for God saves, for God loves. He has prepared the path of salvation since the creation of the world. The path of salvation through Christ. For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten son to the world, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Christ died for us on the cross. Before His last breath, He said, “It is finished.” The saving path to God is opened.

Do not carry your own burden of sin. Leave it upon Christ. Follow Him.

Financial affairs

Citibank sg just made record profits this year. Is it going to transfer money to it's US counterpart to repay the Fed? Or they are keeping quiet and treating it as a low cost loan from them...or rather low cost loan from taxpayers...the same goes for the rest of the gang.

I guess they are too busy opening secret accounts for wealthy individuals to avoid taxes..btw that's supposed to be legal.

Or perhaps providing loans to sanctioned countries eg. Iran...

Biblical worship – God will be honored

Biblical worship – God will be honored

Worship has to be favored by God. Worship has to honor God. Nadab and Abihu offered the wrong fire contrary to God’s command and were struck dead by God.

Leviticus 10:1-3

1 Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. 3 Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke of when he said:

" 'Among those who approach me
I will show myself holy;
in the sight of all the people
I will be honored.' "
Aaron remained silent.

God-revealed means of worship and holiness of worship has to be observed, lest we end up doing irreverent actions like Uzzah who tried to support the ark from falling but was struck dead by God where just moments ago, David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might.

2 Samuel 6:5-7

5 David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.

6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.

Offering with a truthful heart has to be observed lest we end up like Sapphiras and Ananias, who offered with deceit.

Acts 5:3-5

3Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."

5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.

We see from these events that worship to God has to be favored by Him. Not by man. Worship to God has to be according to His ways, not our liking. With the joy of having God favor our worship, we are also reminded of the severe wrath of judgment upon worship that is not according to His will.

So what is the worship that God favors?

It is not the worship of the Old Testament as revealed on the pattern of the mount. It is not the dancing and clanging of cymbals done when certain victorious events have occurred. It is not the worship that happened in the temple, holiest place, or holiest of holiest. The book of Hebrews records that when the new covenant of Christ comes, it has replaced the obsolete worship ways of the Old Testament.

Worship is not the pattern shown during the apostolic period captured mainly through the book of Acts where much of the worship did not have an orderly structure. But God in His divine will flourished the early church. And in AD 95, God revealed to the last surviving apostle John, the pattern of worship in heaven.

In Revelations 4 and 5, the circle of elders worship the slained lamb through the singing of hymns, and all glory was given unto the lamb. With harps and hymns serving praise and conviction to the Lord who was slained for us.

The worship was carried out in a holy manner. For our God is holy, and as the angels proclaimed, holy, holy, holy is the God Almighty.

Some questions to think about worship.

Is our worship holy? Or is it influenced by the attractions of this world?

Is our worship for the sole glory of God? Or it is to bring name and knowing to individuals?

Are we worshiping in truth or are we worshiping to our liking?

Are we worshipping in spirit or are we worshipping in unrepentance, continual living in sin and coming to worship with a hypocritical heart?

Are we sincerely pursing a worship that God favours and not a worship that man favours?

Is our worship for the edification of man that they are led to worship God and understands His Word of Life? Or are men being stumbled by distractions in our worship?

Worship is for the glory, holiness and favor of God, and the edification of man that they can in spirit and truth, worship God.

May God favor our worship.

Thanks and Praise

I thank and praise God. Tens of years of prayer have been answered. Prayer turns to praise. My grand dad and grand Ma were baptized last Saturday.

It has really been a miracle, seeing the seemingly impossible task turning into reality by the work of God. Grandpa's health has not been very good in the past years. In fact, many situations were near death if not for the grace of God. But God heard my cries. He delivered him unto safety many times, from the icu, back to the comforts of home. And the most wonderful thing happened. He delivered him unto salvation.

I praise and thank God. I thank God for the messengers of him showering care and concern over him throughout his period that has led him to open his heart. May God forever remember them who leads people to righteousness and shine like the stars forever an ever.

May God continue to strengthen their faith. That they will enjoy His peace, hope and joy for the ime ahead. Thank you O Lord.

Filled with the Spirit

As I read the last portions of Galatians, I am reminded again what it truly means to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Please find scripture below.

Galatians 5. 16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Summary:
Being filled with the Spirit is:

1. Not gratifying our sinful desires. We will oppose what we sinfully yearn to do. V16-17

2. You will not engage in acts of sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies,

3. Instead, you have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

4. Not becoming conceited, provoking and envying each other.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

When you feel alone

In the depths of your loneliness, where you feel that that no one else can help you, no one understands you, no one cares about you, that you are left to fend all by yourselves in this world, that you carry the weight of your sins on you, you have no one else but to turn to Him.

He is our helper, our comforter, our protector, our redeemer.

Reflections on fukuoka

I had the privilege of bringing 25 students to Fukuoka japan for a study trip recently. What was more fortunate was that Peixuan could join me half way and soaked in the nice innovation of japan.

The students enjoyed themselves as evident from their facebook statuses. I forged a closer tie with some of them and also made many friends in them during the trip.

The people of japan are diligent, pays attention to details, very intelligent, innovative, courteous, likes asthetics, and simply just makes top quality products.

I managed to meet up with missionary couple friend there. We met a couple of nights and they brought us around and also to their house and church.

Thank God for their ministry there. Though the numbers are few, Pr xiao Jian reminded us that it is God who works and brings salvation grace to people. Hence, he is not discouraged but continues to serve in the hard gospel soil of japan.

Indeed the gospel soil of japan is hard just as described in the parable of Jesus. Hard to take root and soon eaten by birds.

The people of japan need the gospel. They are in the best in many things, in culture, in technology, in science, in people. But yet, the many attacks of Satan manifest in their country. Publicly available are pornographic tv channels in the most private of places, in hotel rooms and homes. Lusts so easily take root in particularly a man's mind because of these.
The weapons of lust continue to manifest in pornographic magazines and newspapers sold all over.

Dear brethens, is this the reason that there are high rate of broken marriages or marriage that continue but both spouses have extra marital affairs?

I have certainly no say in judging them for I am a sinner myself. But it is the Word of God which condemns man of sin. And it is a real world out there. Real people who seemingly have good careers and lives but yet in the most depths of their hearts they are trapped by sin.

The Wors of God warns of adultery. She attracts us like a bed or roses with fragance do. But it leads one unto the path of death. Not only to himself, but his wife, family and to everyone dear to him. It happened to Jack neo. It happened to tiger woods.

Not only the people of japan, but all man, need the gospel to set us free from sin which leads to eternal death after a life on earth filled with sorrow, regret and pain.

Embrace the gospel. Repent. Believe in the saviour who died. Who redeemed your sin by the blood that he bled. Who gave us eternal life through his death.

What other hope do you have to reject Him? What other hope?

It is with this hope that we find hope in our lives, that we are assured of a better place, that God cares for us now and everything works for the good of us.

I love japan. I love the people of japan more. I pray for Pr xiao Jian and wife that God through them brings about salvation grace to the people of japan.

The 5 Ws of Good Friday

Who: Jesus

When: About 2000 years ago

What: Crucified to the cross. The most gruesome form of capital execution of the roman government then.

Where: Israel, Jerusalem, Golgotha

Why: To die in place for us. To redeem the sins of those who believe in Him

Sufficient grace

Caleb boy has finally learned to walk. It's such a joy seeing him walk on his own and having that smile on his face while walking.

This past one year has been stormy at times, doubtful at times, despair at times, dark at times. It seems like the ship has run aground. But God's grace is sufficient. The stormy, the dark, the despair, have worked for the good for us.

When I reflect back, the storms have cleared, the light of Christ have emerged victorious over the dark, hope has transcended over doubt.

My learning points. Count our blessings. Know others are suffering the same as you, if not, even worse. Unceasing prayer. Serving without reserves. Faith. Love. Obey.

Love is not proud

Why are proud in the first place? There is no reason to be. When we stand before God as mentioned before, how can we ever be sure that deep down in our hearts where God searches all things, that we are better than the person next to us?

We have no reason to be proud. But rather, when we might have more God given grace than others in some areas, seek to edify, impart, teach the other if possible.

Love does not boast

How often we only want to engage those weaker than us, that we feel we are better, have accomplished more, will be accomplishing more than them. In the pursue of being puffed up, we like to engage in conversations, activities with them and get the constant reminder that we are better than them. But are we?

Let’s not think too highly of ourselves lest it opens a door for the devil. The bible reminds us to think of others better than ourselves, reminds us not to think too highly of ourselves but think of ourselves in accordance to the faith that God has given. Even in matters of faith, we can be so convicted, so loving, so serving to God is because He has given us such a faith.

So let us not think of anyone worse than us. Because if the two of us were to stand before God now, who do you think God will favour more? God sees the heart. What is the state of our heart as compared to the person you think you are better than? Are we truly better than the other person before God?

Let’s not boast because, it we have truly nothing intrinsic to boast about. If we boast about things of vanity, in itself its vanity. Idle words, idle time. Let our speech be not of boast, but of edification. Edify your brother. Edify him every day, every way. God help us to do so. Remind us to do so.

The plunder from besor

In 1 Samuel 30, there is a magnificent story reminding us the riches that we have of this world are from God. Nothing we have is due to our works but solely through God's grace.

The ziklags plundered david's possesions as well as captured their children an wifes. But through God's providence, David mentioned to capture it back with 400 other men. Not only so, they retreived the ziklag's plunder as well. Before the battle, 200 men were so exhausted that they could not join in the battle.

Hence when the 400 returned with David, they said that the plunder was not to be shared with the 200 that stayed behind. But david's response was other wise. That all the plunder was given and not due to any works from any man. Hence, all 600 received an equal share. Many lessons to learn from this.

Firstly, to know that all riches are given from God and all brothers and sisters have a share for it. Because you know it's from God, you want to share it with others because you know it's not from your own. We offer because we know all good things are from God and the offerings are used for the edification of all.

Secondly, David stood firm on his godly principles and did not listen to the evil ones amongst his men. He was unlike Aaron, who gave in an made a golden calf, but remained true to godly principles.

Thirdly, there might be evil ones in your midst but that is for God to discern. We continue to render what they should receive, treat them, love them as we should to a non evil one.

Living a joyful, positive life in God

Joshua 15 teaches us a valuable lesson in the character of Caleb. Caleb though at 85 years old, proclaimed that he had the strength equivalent when he was 40 years old. He still had land to claim, enemies to defeat, not of his own accord but because God had promised him that it was the land that God had given him.

He was full of joy, and positive though he was 85 years old. How would we behave, think, feel at 85 years old? Would be depressed in our old age, thinking that we are useless, weak in health? Caleb at 85 was still full of vigour and joy because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly all the way since when he was the spy of a different spirit, reporting back that the land that God had promised could be conquered. Remember that wasn't an easy task to do. He faced opposition from his own people who even went to the extend of wanting to stone him. And these were the people who spied with him!

Let's be like Caleb, who even at old age, remembered God's promises. He followed wholeheartedly God and his promises. He had joy in serving him and giving thanks for the many graces.

Love does not Envy

Ah, one for the most powerful tools used by the devil to break a Christian. To break him down from within, the surest way to tempt him into evil, to forget the graces of God. To mock the graces of God.

Envy. In the 10 commandments, it says, do not covet. Envy springs forth coveting. Envy, looking at what you don’t have or the seeming lack of it, that you think is not comparable to others, and a sense of bitterness starts to spring off from inside.

A friend just got a new condo, or design to build flat, nicely renovated with great views. Or had just purchased a nice car, speedy, comfy. Or a great high paying job. Or a chance to be promoted. Or great results. Or a seeming great family life. Or great people skills. Or just received praises.

And we start to envy. It grows slowly into jealously. We start to self doubt ourselves, our graces, our abilities, our current situation. We become unsatisfied. We think, wouldn’t life be better if I hadn’t done this and this, and had done this and this? This is opening the door for the devil to step in.

Cain opened this door when he was jealous of Abel’s offering being favoured. Saul opened this door when he heard of praise given unto others other than him. Joseph’s brothers opened this door when they saw the nice color coat given to him. The Pharisees opened this door when they saw the number of disciples that Jesus attracted. The disciples opened this door when they argued who was the greatest. They opened the door and allowed bitterness to set in, and later on, some of the world’s most hideous crimes were conducted because of these.

Who did not open this door? Jonathan did not. Because he loved David as himself. Esau in my opinion opened but finally closed the door back when he received his brother in love. Barnabas closed this door when he received Paul with love and recognised that someone with a superior ability to minister was called. Abraham closed this door when he let his nephew chose the better looking land. And in the end, they were greatly blessed and remembered as heroes of faith.

We do not have to envy. We only have to give thanks. He is better, has better, is because God has planned it in such a way that His name, His will, His plans will be glorified and accomplished. He has given these good things to them. He was the source. If we disagree by envying, by being jealous, we are treating God in contempt. We should rejoice for our brother! Because we love him. Purging envy, we start to grow humility. Seeing nothing of ourselves. Making nothing of ourselves. But all together, tools for the service of God.