Friday, 19th January 2007
Dear Theophili and Theophilae
I have been worshipping in the same church all my life. My great-grandfather, the late Rev Wee Chin Kam was a pastor of this church. Since then, my grandparents, parents, siblings and now children have been faithfully worshipping in this church.
Having grown up in this denomination, I was led to believe the Bible to be full of paradoxes and contradictions. I struggled but finally just had to accept it without questioning God, because “His ways are higher than our ways”.
Recently however, I have begun to understand that the Bible should be a consistent message throughout of God’s redemption plan for mankind. Because God is a God of order and not confusion, He will not contradict Himself in His Word. It is often our misinterpretation of His Word that leads us to believe otherwise.
One topic close to my heart is that of the "fear of the Lord". The fear of the Lord has been interpreted as the "reverence of the Lord" by some people, and being "afraid and terrified of the Lord" by others. What may be helpful is to see how our Lord Jesus Christ Himself interprets it.
One of the passages which mentions the fear of the Lord is found in Deut 6:13, which says “Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.” Jesus quoted this part of Scriptures when He was faced with temptation in the wilderness by the devil. In Matt 4:10, He said 'It is written ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only’.”
Is it not amazing that Jesus uses the word “worship” to interpret the word “fear”? That immediately dispels the notion of a person being scared or afraid of God, and ending up running away from God (like how the Israelites reacted when Moses just came down from Mt Sinai with his face aglow after meeting with God). Rather, it is the worshipful reverence of the Lord, and this should then draw us towards Him.
I was also meditating on Luke 12:5 where Jesus told "a crowd of many thousands" (Luke 12:1) to fear God who has the ability to punish them in hell. The crowd would have included both believers and non-believers. Believers like us do not need to fear because we are going to heaven. Rather, the fear was meant for those who were not.
Another passage (1 John 4:18) talks about the fear of punishment. John, apparently writing to believers, reminds them that because of God's love, “we will have confidence on the day of judgment.” In other words, "perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.” Those who love God and believe in Him know that He loves them and can trust in Him to save them. Thus unbelievers have reason to be afraid of God; believers are not to be afraid because of their trust in God's love (fear on the part of believers is a sign of doubt or inadequate knowledge of God – “the one who fears is not made perfect in love.”).
Yet another frequently quoted passage is Phil 2:12, where we are being told to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling". Eugene Peterson's The Message paraphrases this as "be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God". This makes it more consistent with what Paul wrote in Eph 2:8-9 where he said that "for by grace, you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast".
Let us draw near to God! As believers, there is no need to fear Him because perfect love casts out all fear! Instead, we should love, revere and worship Him!
Friday, January 19, 2007
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Positive Thinking vs Standing on God's Promises
Thursday, 18th January 2007
Dearest Theophili and Theophilae
There are some Christians who dismiss the "word of faith" circle as another type of “Positive Thinking”. The secular concept of positive thinking is based on one’s own will-power and human effort. It is devoid of God, and the concept of a Divine Being. On the other hand, "Standing on God’s Promises" is being assured because we know that God is not a liar, and He will fulfill whatever He has promised us in His Word.
Well-meaning people will ask me things like “What if God doesn’t answer your prayers for healing and blessings? Will you lose your faith in Him?”. I used to have thoughts like that as well, but I thank God that He has taught me to practice what Paul asked the church in Corinth to do as recorded in 2 Cor 10:5, and that is to to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ”.
For example, I used to have thoughts like “This situation is happening because God is punishing you”. I took captive of them and made them obedient to Christ by examining His Word and remembering Scriptures such as Heb 8:12 and Isa 43:25 that God remembers our sin no more. God meted out all the full punishment of our sins on the body of His Son at the cross 2000 years ago, and will not punish the same sin twice. So once we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour, we become the righteousness of God. I thus began to realize that such thoughts were not from God but from the evil one.
Because of what I went through in the last 4 years (which I have testified to quite a number of fellow members in my cluster and cell), the verse that became a rhema word for me and ministered the most to me is 2 Cor 1:20 “For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.” This has become my favourite verse now.
To understand what Paul was trying to emphasize, we should read the 3 preceding verses:
17 Are you now going to accuse me of being flip with my promises because it didn't work out? Do you think I talk out of both sides of my mouth—a glib yes one moment, a glib no the next?
18 Well, you're wrong. I try to be as true to my word as God is to his. Our word to you wasn't a careless yes canceled by an indifferent no. How could it be?
19 When Silas and Timothy and I proclaimed the Son of God among you, did you pick up on any yes-and-no, on-again, off-again waffling? Wasn't it a clean, strong Yes?”
What Paul was telling the Corinthian church was that he was very sure about the gospel he was preaching to them. It was not “yes” one moment and then “no” the next. If Paul was so affirmative and assured in his preaching of the Word, how much more affirmative are all the promises of the One that he preached about.
Standing on God’s promises to me means not entertaining thoughts like “what if He doesn’t do this” or “what if He doesn’t do that”, because it is wavering on the “yes” and “no” like what Paul was telling the Corinthians. If God says in His Word, that by His stripes, we have been healed, He means it! If God says in His Word that "we are above and not beneath", He means it! It is “Yes” and “Amen”. Amen?
So, it is not mere “positive thinking”. Rather, it is being aware of what God’s promises to us are in His Word and standing firmly upon them with the attitude of Yes and Amen. This is what is meant by exercising faith, which is the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen (Heb 11:1).
Shalom
Dearest Theophili and Theophilae
There are some Christians who dismiss the "word of faith" circle as another type of “Positive Thinking”. The secular concept of positive thinking is based on one’s own will-power and human effort. It is devoid of God, and the concept of a Divine Being. On the other hand, "Standing on God’s Promises" is being assured because we know that God is not a liar, and He will fulfill whatever He has promised us in His Word.
Well-meaning people will ask me things like “What if God doesn’t answer your prayers for healing and blessings? Will you lose your faith in Him?”. I used to have thoughts like that as well, but I thank God that He has taught me to practice what Paul asked the church in Corinth to do as recorded in 2 Cor 10:5, and that is to to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ”.
For example, I used to have thoughts like “This situation is happening because God is punishing you”. I took captive of them and made them obedient to Christ by examining His Word and remembering Scriptures such as Heb 8:12 and Isa 43:25 that God remembers our sin no more. God meted out all the full punishment of our sins on the body of His Son at the cross 2000 years ago, and will not punish the same sin twice. So once we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour, we become the righteousness of God. I thus began to realize that such thoughts were not from God but from the evil one.
Because of what I went through in the last 4 years (which I have testified to quite a number of fellow members in my cluster and cell), the verse that became a rhema word for me and ministered the most to me is 2 Cor 1:20 “For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.” This has become my favourite verse now.
To understand what Paul was trying to emphasize, we should read the 3 preceding verses:
17 Are you now going to accuse me of being flip with my promises because it didn't work out? Do you think I talk out of both sides of my mouth—a glib yes one moment, a glib no the next?
18 Well, you're wrong. I try to be as true to my word as God is to his. Our word to you wasn't a careless yes canceled by an indifferent no. How could it be?
19 When Silas and Timothy and I proclaimed the Son of God among you, did you pick up on any yes-and-no, on-again, off-again waffling? Wasn't it a clean, strong Yes?”
What Paul was telling the Corinthian church was that he was very sure about the gospel he was preaching to them. It was not “yes” one moment and then “no” the next. If Paul was so affirmative and assured in his preaching of the Word, how much more affirmative are all the promises of the One that he preached about.
Standing on God’s promises to me means not entertaining thoughts like “what if He doesn’t do this” or “what if He doesn’t do that”, because it is wavering on the “yes” and “no” like what Paul was telling the Corinthians. If God says in His Word, that by His stripes, we have been healed, He means it! If God says in His Word that "we are above and not beneath", He means it! It is “Yes” and “Amen”. Amen?
So, it is not mere “positive thinking”. Rather, it is being aware of what God’s promises to us are in His Word and standing firmly upon them with the attitude of Yes and Amen. This is what is meant by exercising faith, which is the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen (Heb 11:1).
Shalom
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Can someone be inspired by both God and the devil?
Wednesday, 17th January 2007
Can a person be inspired by God one moment, and then by the evil one the very next?
Dearest Theophili and Theophilae (which means lovers of God, by the way)
I happened to be meditating on Matt 16:13-23 recently, where it dawned upon me that at one moment, Simon Peter was inspired by God (v17: And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”), yet shortly thereafter by the devil (v23: But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's.") What also struck me was that Peter actually meant well – he did not want our Lord to suffer and be killed.
What this passage reminds me is that a well-meaning person may bring a word of knowledge from the Lord one moment. Yet the very next moment, the very same person may be used by the evil one to bring about words that discourage or condemn. We thus have to guard our minds at all times.
For example, a well-meaning person (let's call him Mr. A) recently pointed out that I was not displaying the fruit of the spirit in my conversation with another person (let's call him Mr. B). As I reflected upon what Mr. A said, I repented before the Lord, and asked both Mr. A and Mr. B for their forgiveness.
Yet, Mr. A also questioned me as to why I am still wearing spectacles, and why God has not healed me of my short-sightedness. This caused me discomfort momentarily, but I realized that I have gotten used to wearing glasses and the thought of asking the Lord for healing in this area has never crossed my mind. (However, my wife and I will always “speak against it” under our breaths whenever people pass comments like “both of you wear specs, your children sure to wear specs”. Praise God that both Rachel and Mark have perfect eyesight).
We have to remember that anyone of us can be used by God and also by Satan, so let us be vigilant and watchful at all times! Amen?
Can a person be inspired by God one moment, and then by the evil one the very next?
Dearest Theophili and Theophilae (which means lovers of God, by the way)
I happened to be meditating on Matt 16:13-23 recently, where it dawned upon me that at one moment, Simon Peter was inspired by God (v17: And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”), yet shortly thereafter by the devil (v23: But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's.") What also struck me was that Peter actually meant well – he did not want our Lord to suffer and be killed.
What this passage reminds me is that a well-meaning person may bring a word of knowledge from the Lord one moment. Yet the very next moment, the very same person may be used by the evil one to bring about words that discourage or condemn. We thus have to guard our minds at all times.
For example, a well-meaning person (let's call him Mr. A) recently pointed out that I was not displaying the fruit of the spirit in my conversation with another person (let's call him Mr. B). As I reflected upon what Mr. A said, I repented before the Lord, and asked both Mr. A and Mr. B for their forgiveness.
Yet, Mr. A also questioned me as to why I am still wearing spectacles, and why God has not healed me of my short-sightedness. This caused me discomfort momentarily, but I realized that I have gotten used to wearing glasses and the thought of asking the Lord for healing in this area has never crossed my mind. (However, my wife and I will always “speak against it” under our breaths whenever people pass comments like “both of you wear specs, your children sure to wear specs”. Praise God that both Rachel and Mark have perfect eyesight).
We have to remember that anyone of us can be used by God and also by Satan, so let us be vigilant and watchful at all times! Amen?
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Coincidence? Hardly! It is a case of "qarah"
Tuesday, 18th July 2006Dear brothers and sisters in Christ
I have just finished reading a booklet by Pastor Joseph Prince of New Creation Church entitled "Right Place Right Time".
In this book, he tells us that as Christians, there is no such thing as "coincidences", or "it just so happened". Rather, it is the Lord God that causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him (Rom 8: 28).
Pastor Prince cites 2 examples in the scriptures of "qarah", or "right happenings":
(i) In Genesis 24, we read about how Abraham's servant was tasked to look for a bride for Isaac. In verse 12, he prayed "O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham." The word "success" in that passage has been translated from the Hebrew word "qarah". The servant asked God to grant him "qarah" or "right happening". Sure enough, God caused Rebekah to be at the right place at the right time, and she was the one selected to be Isaac's bride.
(ii) In Ruth 2:3, we read about how Ruth "went and gleaned in the field of the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz...". The word "happened" in that passage is again translated from the Hebrew word "qarah". Ruth ended up marrying Boaz and they became the great-grandparents of King David, the lineage through which came our Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.
When I reflect upon my own life, I also thank the Lord for such "qarah" events. How I met Sock Pin, my wife, was really a case of "qarah". We were classmates for all our 3 years in NTU. I remember 2 weeks into our first year when we had our first tutorial lesson. That morning, Mrs Angela Tan, our Financial Accounting tutor informed us that we had to form discussion groups of 4-5 persons to handle tutorial assignments and class presentations.
That very same afternoon, I had just finished lunch with a classmate called Joseph Lee when 2 girls approached us outside Canteen 2. One of the girls told us that everyone else in the class had already formed discussion groups (talk about kiasu Singaporeans), leaving only the 2 of them, and the 2 of us. There was therefore "no other choice" but for the 4 of us to form the final group.
Unlike Adam who exclaimed "flesh of my flesh, and bones of my bones!" when he first saw Eve, or Isaac who lifted his eyes to behold the beauty of Rebekah, the first thing I said to that girl was, "Are you in my class?".
Thankfully, God was gracious and merciful to me and gave me several subsequent chances to get to know that girl better. She became my girlfriend at the end of our 1st year in campus, and has since become my wife for the past 14 wonderful years!
"Right Place Right Time" is only about 80 pages thin, and can hence be read in less than an hour. It however gives very practical steps on how to enjoy and experience God's presence by just "sitting at Jesus' feet" the way Mary did, and allowing God to then fill our days with divine appointments.
Speaking of which, there is no such thing as "luck" from a Christian's perspective, but rather God's blessings. This is probably why we call our makan sessions where each person brings a dish as "potbless" rather than "potluck", and we wish one another "God's Blessings" rather than "Good Luck".
If you would like to borrow the booklet, just drop me an email. Alternatively, you can also get it for S$12 from the Rock Gifts & Books Store at Suntec City (located above Carrefour) or order it online from New Creation Church's website (www.newcreation.org.sg).
Shalom
Monday, July 17, 2006
ROOTSS: Reflections of One That Says So
Monday, 17th July 2006
Dear friends
Having drawn inspiration from Mr Ang Eng Hieang (a fellow member of the ACSJ Fathers' Prayer Group) who has a website http://www.hieang.com/ where he journals what he terms "My Walk with the Lord", I have decided that "imitation is the best form of flattery" and will likewise start a journal which I will call ROOTSS, an acronym for "Reflections of One that Says So".
In Psalm 107:2, David wrote, "let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary". I am one such person who has been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and I say so. Hence, what I pen down are "reflections of one that says so" or simply "ROOTSS..."
Shalom
Dear friends
Having drawn inspiration from Mr Ang Eng Hieang (a fellow member of the ACSJ Fathers' Prayer Group) who has a website http://www.hieang.com/ where he journals what he terms "My Walk with the Lord", I have decided that "imitation is the best form of flattery" and will likewise start a journal which I will call ROOTSS, an acronym for "Reflections of One that Says So".
In Psalm 107:2, David wrote, "let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary". I am one such person who has been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and I say so. Hence, what I pen down are "reflections of one that says so" or simply "ROOTSS..."
Shalom
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