For the first time...

Yap!! For the first time, I lost my mobile phone, wow... what a nightmare. I left it on the table of a restaurant late at night on Tues.

Amazing impact on me when I realised it as I reached back home. The govt campaign: "Lose your handphone, Lose your connections" keep ringing in my mind. Oh No!! My precious biz contacts, I got no backup... What if customers call me tomorrow??

Of course sleep is tough, I was on my bed pleading with the Lord... Oh God, I can't lose my phone Lord, help me... What shall I do? Maybe storm down to the restaurant tomorrow. If they don't have it, I will make a scene and threaten to lodge a police report...

I "woke" up early the next day... called my friend, finally checked out the restaurant number on the web. Then called them during lunch time, and Yes... they have my phone in their office. So I flew down and collect, with such a relief in my heart.

But it is interesting how great my reliance is, on my tiny little i-mobile handphone. Guess I will not let it go out of my sight for a while...

The Prophetic Ministry

(Ezr 4:24) "Then the work of the house of God at Jerusalem ceased. So it ceased to the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia."

(Ezr 5:1) "Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them."

The work of the house of God ceased in Ezra (4) because of a decree from King Artaxerxes and their enemies went up against the Jews, and by force of arms made them cease.

When we are pursuing the will of God, opposition from our adversary is to be expected. False help and Discouragement will come... Finally for the Jews, the governmental authorities ruled against them, and their enemies stopped the work through violent means.

But what a difference the prophets make... Ezra (5) is a new beginning, not because of any change in the circumstances but, then the prophets prophesied to the Jews. So Zerubbabel and Jeshua rose up and began to build... Afterwards, they sent a letter, through the governor, to the new King Darius... and the rest is history.

Definitely, all Christians can flow in the prophetic, and I believe that Zerubbabel and Jeshua must have understood the prophetic purposes of God even before they returned to Jerusalem. But when the going gets really tough, the prophets of God were with them, helping them.

The prophetic ministry will be critical as we enter this new season of building and warfare. True prophets of God must be allowed opportunities to mature and to make mistakes. After they are tried and tested, they have to also obtain a platform to speak to the people so that their words can take effect.

"But that you, speaking the truth in love, may in all things grow up to Him who is the Head, even Christ; from whom the whole body, fitted together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of each part, producing the growth of the body to the edifying of itself in love. " (Eph 4:15-16)

Inspired by His Word - a time to build...

"But after they had rest, they again did evil before You..." Neh (9:28)

It is amazing to me that just after 70 years of exile, the children of Israel were so settled in Babylon that only a small remnant chooses to return to Jerusalem, to build the house of God. Although God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to make the proclamation, His own people refused to be moved.

Somehow there is something addictive about rest, not that the Lord wants us to be workaholics, but we need to be mobilised as God leads. It is when David stayed back at the time that kings go out to battle, that he got into trouble. Solomon had rest from all his enemies all around, but he went after many foreign women.

God deems it so important that the people of Israel who came to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel were listed twice in the Bible, in Ezra (2) and Neh (7). So let us be counted in this labor and fight to rebuild the tabernacle of David as in the days of old. Be encouraged!! The Lord is sending His prophets and His angels to aid us in the work...

"Decriminalising homosexual acts would be an error"

There is an excellent article by Yvonne Lee in The Straits Times Review section today. Pls take time to read it. She is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Law, NUS.

Learning to be a good steward of our finances

Our perspective of the kingdom must be based on knowing the King. As I have contended that much of the biblical teachings on righteousness deal with stewardship, which is management, there is a sure biblical witness that the Lord cares deeply about this. It was this issue in the Parable of the Talents that determined which servants heard "Well done," and which heard "You wicked, lazy slave!"(see Matthew 25:21-26 NIV) That is how important being a good steward is. Whatever He has entrusted us with, we want to see it used to its maximum efficiency and fruitfulness.

This covers everything from spiritual gifts to other resources, including our money. Money is our least valuable resource, but it is an important one because the Lord said that until we learn to handle it correctly, we will not be trusted with the true riches of the kingdom. It would be great to have enough money to feed 5,000 poor people every day, but it would be even better to have the authority to multiply one hamburger to feed 5,000! That is the difference between the riches of this world and the riches of the kingdom.

Many Christians have been claiming the biblical prophecies which talk about the wealth of the wicked being given to the righteous. But we need to first consider who the "wicked" and "righteous" are (see Proverbs 13:22). As so much of the teaching on righteousness has to do with good stewardship, could the "righteousness" that enables one to be trusted with this be a devotion to and skills in good management?

Just as there are four kinds of grace in Scripture, one of which is "common grace" that the Lord gives to all whether they acknowledge Him or not, there is a righteousness which is not really related to our redemption or salvation, but simply doing things right. No amount of this could ever earn anyone the salvation of their soul, but in the area of "common grace," it does enable the Lord to trust them with more things in the natural realm.

Without question, we should esteem righteousness, which leads to salvation, far above just being good stewards of earthly things. However, we are coming to a time when those who are heirs of salvation will also learn to be good stewards in everything and be given authority commensurate with this. We should esteem cultivating and growing our faith above the material, but that does not mean we should not devote ourselves to being the best stewards possible of all that we have been entrusted with. In truth, these are linked. If we are truly growing in faith, we will become better stewards of everything, esteeming and honoring everything God entrusts to us enough to manage it well.

In this "common grace righteousness," as we have discussed, we would have to include Bill Gates and Warren Buffet as two great examples. Both made tens of billions of dollars and both determined to give away their fortunes. Warren Buffet did not have anyone else to give his to except Bill Gates, who he knew would manage it right, and would gain the maximum benefit from it. If the church were operating as it should, his first consideration of giving it to a place where it would be managed well would have been the church. Sadly, it was not, and for a good reason. However, the church will get there. When we come to maturity, we will be the best stewards of everything on the planet.

Again, this is not to imply that all of these billions given away by Gates and Buffet could buy one moment of eternal life, which the cross alone has paid for. All of the earth's riches would not measure as being worth even a penny of purchasing power in eternal matters. Money is simply a tool for our training.

In Matthew 6:24, the Lord declared, "You cannot serve God and mammon." This has been interpreted by many to think it is not spiritual to give attention to managing money, but I submit that this is not the way this should be taken. If we do not learn some basic issues of money management, we will spend our lives serving money instead of having it serve us and our purpose.

To be practical, get control over your finances or they will control you. Every Christian should be financially independent. This does not mean we should be wealthy, but that we should never have to make a major decision on whether we have enough money or not, but on whether it is the will of God or not. Financial independence must be our goal.

Those who have obeyed this will never have to worry about the mark of the beast, because they will have another Source and will not care if they have permission to buy, sell, or trade in the systems of this world or not. That can, and should be, an important goal, but our main purpose should be to be the best stewards that we can of all that the Lord entrusts to us. This is basic to truly honoring Him, which is basic to true worship.

So, before proceeding, I would like to propose a simple budget for those who do not have one. Here it is:

FIRST YEAR

10% first fruits tithe to the Lord
5% to offerings and good works
5% to emergency reserves/savings for major purposes
5% to recreation/entertainment
75% for living expenses including mortgage, rent, taxes, transportation

SECOND YEAR

10% tithe
6% offerings
6% to reserves
5% recreation
73% living expenses

THIRD YEAR

10% tithe
7% offerings
7% to reserves
5% recreation
71% living expenses

FOURTH YEAR

10% tithe
8% offerings
8% to reserves
5% recreation
69% living expenses

FIFTH YEAR

10% tithe
10% offerings
10% to reserves
5% recreation
65% living expenses

With increasing income, resist increasing your standard of living, but rather increase your standard of giving. Resist free spending and invest the money that you would normally spend on things you do not really need. Things will change if you do this.

The Lord promises to those who are faithful to give Him the "whole tithe" that He will "rebuke the devourer" from their lives. Most people do not need more income to get by—they just need the devourer rebuked from their lives. Personally, I have never met anyone who is faithful to tithe to the Lord who has chronic financial problems. There may be some, for other reasons of disobedience, but I have not met them.

Most people are thrown into financial stress because of unexpected expenses, but they will not throw us into crisis if we maintain adequate reserves. Once the emergency reserves are adequately funded, we should turn what we were setting aside for them into investments. If you do this, and learn to control your spending, your investments will provide more income for you than your job. This too should be a goal.

This is a simple draft of a budget, which may need to be adjusted some for each individual, but the goal is to decrease the percentage of our income that we are spending on living expenses, while increasing what we give and what we invest. The Lord does tend to bless the faithful and diligent so that things can happen much faster. However, if He was to give most people enough to pay off all of their debts in one lump sum, they would be right back in debt in short order because they have not learned to correct their bad management practices. Develop a plan that is right for you, be faithful to it as unto the Lord, and things will happen faster. However, we must resolve to do what is right whether He rewards us quickly or not.

This is not some theory that I am laying out for you. It is sound biblical truth, and I have personally experienced what I am teaching here. I do not want to take the time to go over the details of my personal life, but I am sharing what I know to be the truth and what works.

However, for biblical principles to work, we cannot think short-term, but long-term. Set your heart on faithfulness—forever, because it is the right thing to do, not just to get out of your mess. Remember, Satan is always in a hurry because he knows that he has but a short time. The Lord is never in a hurry because He knows that He has eternity. If we are abiding in Him, we will think long-term. DO NOT succumb to "the tyranny of the urgent," but give yourself to the eternal principles of the eternal kingdom. It takes both faith and patience to inherit the promises. Impatience is not a fruit of the Spirit, and the way of the Spirit will always reflect patience.

Last week I promised a statement about global warming, and I will cover this in more detail later. I do believe there is some truth to global warming, though I feel there is also a lot of evidence that some "evidence" for this and its source, seems to be contrived and/or exaggerated. However, no one should be more concerned about preservation and conservation than Christians.

God entrusted the world to man to take care of. It is a gift of unfathomable beauty, glory, and value, and to not take care of it as we should is an affront to the Giver. For now, I just want to say that we should do the right thing by the environment regardless of global warming, and it is a God-given mandate to us. Christians are called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth, which means we should have the answers to every important question. I will have more to say on this later, but we have been made stewards of the earth, and we will be accountable. The Lord even said in Revelation 11:18 that He will "destroy those who destroy the earth." We should be wondering why Christians lag so far behind in addressing the important issues that face our world when we are called to be far ahead and showing the way.

I am praying for all who read this Word for the Week to hear on that great judgment day, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" (see Matthew 25:21 NIV) Those who will are those who take what they believe to be the word from the Lord and apply it to their lives. They do not just hear the words of the Lord, but they obey them. Such are the ones who are building their houses, financial and otherwise, on the Rock that will endure any flood that comes. If you think the Lord is speaking to you about any of these things, do them.

Learning to cut off the unnecessary...

For the past few months we have been addressing the subject of our time, especially as we prepare the way for the kingdom by taking up the call to preach the gospel of the kingdom. As we see this present world collapsing into increasing discord and disorder, the kingdom will be marked by increasing peace and order. We must therefore order our own lives according to kingdom principles and be a demonstration of the kingdom. We will see an increasing contrast between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God, and between the lives of those that have been built on each.

As we have discussed, the whole nation, and much of the world, was traumatized by the mismanagement during the Hurricane Katrina disaster. However, it was not just the government, but the large charities as well. I received some heated emails from leaders of a couple of these large charities, which I had named in this Word for the Week, wanting me to apologize, but I do not apologize for the truth. I said what I did to try to help them, not hurt them, but the defensiveness with which they took my comments told me that it was unlikely they would acknowledge their problems, much less correct them. However, that can change and it must. Inefficiency, or burying our responsibility, is a sin, and it is why the one servant in the Parable of the Talents was called a "wicked, lazy slave" (see Matthew 25:26).

I also know that the leaders of these large charities may have been honestly offended by my comments. By this I mean that they really do not see the inefficiency in their own organizations. I believe many in government positions are the same way. In fact, I have almost never witnessed bad intentions on the part of anyone in government charities which are being run inefficiently. Many really do not know how to do it any better, and sincerely think they are managing their operations as well as they can be managed. This is an honest, understandable mistake, which is why I do not get offended by those who get offended at me for trying to address these things. However, we must do better. The church and Christian charities can and should lead the way in this.

To get where you are supposed to go, you have to know where you are. In general, I think the church is one of the most inefficiently run organizations in the world. The simple fact that we tend to build these huge, expensive buildings to be used for just a couple of hours one day of the week, and then mostly sit empty the rest of the week, should tell us something. This expense would certainly be worth it to reach one person with salvation, or to help one family stay together, but why not use our resources to help many more?

We at MorningStar are also wrestling with the same issues. We know that we can do things much more efficiently than we are, and we also realize that it usually takes time to implement needed changes. The first thing that must change is attitude. If all of our staff and employees begin to look at waste as their own tithes and offerings being thrown away, they become diligent. For the most part, I think that attitude has been permeating our organization, but we are also constantly finding bottlenecks and people who are very busy doing things that we don't really need done, or at least are not priorities. That is a key to efficiency—prioritizing. This is needed with our time, our jobs, and the duties within our jobs.

I have come to believe that without engaged, proactive, wise leadership, most organizations will quickly gravitate to spending 90 percent of their time on what bears less than 10 percent of the fruit. It is just as true of churches and ministries as any other organization. We must learn the lesson of pruning. Well-managed fruit trees are pruned of branches that do not produce fruit so that they do not sap the resources that would otherwise go to the branches which are bearing fruit.

As we address budgeting, we need to look first at what needs to be cut off totally. Think about this—almost 100 percent of the people who become wealthy through investing start by learning to not buy anything they do not really need, and putting what they save into an investment. Most of these have a goal within a certain period of time of making more off of their investments than they do from their job, and those who are disciplined in keeping to their plan usually get there much faster. However, the key that most investors attribute to their success is first learning to control spending.

Many people buy cars to carry the maximum people that they will need to carry when they only carry that number of people a couple times a year. They would do much better to drive a smaller car and just rent a bigger one when they really need it. People build homes the same way. They live in huge houses that must be heated, cooled, and maintained, for the once or twice a year when the whole family comes. Instead, they could rent a much nicer resort for a lot less for those times.

Of course, there can be emotional ties to the homestead, but are these brief, fleeting feelings of nostalgia worth what we are paying for them? Maybe they are to you, but perhaps if you and the family thought about them in relation to their actual cost, and how much more you may be able to do for yourself and your family if you were not bearing these costs, everyone would probably vote to sell.

Much of our lives are spent cleaning and dusting things that we really do not use and may not even really like—get rid of them. Prune back. If you are a "pack rat," you are an inefficient person and a lot of your time, energy, and resources are probably being needlessly consumed by this stronghold of insecurity. You will be amazed at how much better you feel when you get rid of some things.

Of course, efficiency is not everything. Sometimes love requires us to be extravagant, as the Lord is sometimes with us. However, inefficiency probably hurts more people than most of our other big social problems combined. Here is something for you to consider: I cannot prove it, but I feel sure that many church splits are the result of the Lord allowing things to happen to prune those churches of things they would not deal with themselves. Let me elaborate a bit more.

One of the enemy's main strategies in the last days is to "wear out the saints." Many are being worn-out by the multitude of projects and causes they are pressured to join out of guilt, but these really are not accomplishing anything for the kingdom. Again, a car can have 300 horsepower, but what good is it if it is stuck in the sand and not going anywhere? Many are putting out a lot of effort and consuming a lot of energy, but they really are not accomplishing anything except expending time and energy that could be going to what really bears fruit.

Again, we were bought with a price, and we do not belong to ourselves, but to Him. We are servants, stewards, and we will be judged by how well we have managed our lives and the resources entrusted to us. The Scriptures are clear that this is a big deal to God and should be to us. It starts with us. We are called to be the light of the world, which means we should be showing the way.

Next week we will continue to address how this should affect us personally, and we will tie it together with global warming, which is becoming one of the biggest issues of our time. I am not saying yet whether I think it should or shouldn't be such an issue, but it is, and if we are the light of the world we should be able to address it with clarity and wisdom.

But the Cowardly...

"He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Rev (21:7-8)

It is clear from Rev (3:5) that for those who fail to overcome in this life, it is possible that their names be blotted out from the Book of Life. Therefore, I conclude that not all Christians will be saved, or put in another way - Christians do go to Hell...

The promise in the above verses is for every Christian to overcome and enter into sonship. But the two biggest obstacles for us, are being cowardly and unbelieving. To overcome our sin nature, we will need to tap into the grace of God in faith, like when we first receive our salvation.

"Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb 4:16)

"Therefore, brothers, having boldness to enter into the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He has consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies having been washed with pure water." (Heb 10:19-22)

We must have great boldness to draw near to Him, to confront the little foxes in our lives, for the Lord is not pleased with anyone who draws back. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope, stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of the brethren, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the Day approaching...

Please do not stay in the outer courts, there is no guarantee that you will survive the trampling of the Gentiles.

The Cry of the Martyrs

"And when He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying,"How Long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" Then a white robe was given to each one of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed" (Rev 6:9-11)

At the back of our minds, we do know that Vengeance belongs to the Lord and we should not avenge ourselves. And we are also looking for speedy justice in the various areas of our lives, hoping that God will indeed give us a mighty deliverance. Maybe we will be like Job, having twice as much as he had before, after his trial. Unfortunately, the Lord don't always work according to our time-table or our desired outcome.

I constantly remind myself that all the men of faith in Heb (11) died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off... that they should not be made perfect apart from us. There are certain promises and certain vengeance that will only be fulfilled after we are dead on the earth. I am not sure if I will be understood, but our faith abides with us after death. If we die before the 2nd coming of the Lord, we will join the cloud of witnesses in heaven, cheering the rest on in faith...

All the Martyrs are still waiting for the final judgment on Babylon and Satan, from Abel onwards and still counting... I will be glad if God will count me worthy to be part of those who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, in Rev (7:14). We will need extraordinary grace for the days ahead, cry out to Him day and night for it...

"And shall not God avenge His own elect who cry day and night to Him, though He has been long-suffering over them? I say to you that He will avenge them speedily. Yet when the Son of Man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?" (Luk 18:7-8)

The Doctrine of Christ

"For many deceivers have entered into the world, who do not confess Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the anti-christ. Look to yourselves, so that we may not lose those things which we worked out, but that we may receive a full reward. Everyone transgressing and not abiding in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house, nor speak a greeting to him." (2Jo 1:7-10)

As we are entering into this period of the beginning of sorrows, the beloved apostle John warned that love must be discerning. We must not receive or speak a greeting to a person who does not abide in the doctrine of Christ. We should not have fellowship with "Christians" who deny the 1st or 2nd coming of the Lord or those who don't believe in the resurrection.

The critical thing here is that we ourselves must be sure of the doctrine. We can be in Cornerstone for 10 years, but yet unable to explain adequately the 6 foundation truths of God. (Heb 6) My appeal to all of us, be grounded and skilled in the Word of God, lest we be deceived and fall...

The Beginning of Sorrows...

And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must occur; but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to be afflicted and will kill you. And you will be hated of all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another. And many false prophets will rise and deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will become cold. But he who endures to the end, the same shall be kept safe. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come. (Mat 24:4-14)
I am so glad Pastor Yang shared on the accuser of the brethren last sunday. It is really about time we understand more about the schemes and devices of our adversary. He knows that his time is short and is working doubly hard now to thwart the purposes of God. Lets not under-estimate him, for he is really wise and have many years of battle experience.
Thus, be sure that we can't out-smart him using our own ideas or wisdom. Log on to God and go according to His battle plan and it will always lead us to victory...
If you are alert, you can see the many assaults of the enemy on the church and this nation. You may have already heard of the troubles our 2 sisters in China got into. Praise God for His speedy deliverance!! Another front of assault is on the governmental authorities. Just last Fri night, 2 officers from the Police Coast Guard died after a high-speed chase in the sea, pursuing after suspected illegal immigrants. This is their first fatality in decades.
In this critical time, Watch & Pray... also for the United States, after the horrendous college massacre. Unsheathe your double-edged sword, prepare to fight the battle of the ages with the Word of Truth...

Inspired by HIs Word

"There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you who judges another? Come now, those saying, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and spend a year there, and we will trade and will make a profit, who do not know of the morrow. For what is your life? For it is a vapor, which appears for a little time, and then disappears. Instead of you saying, If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that. But now you boast in your presumptions. All such boasting is evil. Therefore to him who knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin." (Jam 4:12-17)

There are some things in the Kingdom that seem paradoxical to us. God is the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation of shadow of turning. Every good and perfect gift comes from above and He is not partial.

Yet He relates and responds to us differently, depending on our openness to the Lord and the price we pay in our walk with Him. Certain principles will always apply like, He will give grace to the humble, and for whoever has, to him more will be given.

In the above passage, we are warned not to boast about tomorrow. Although we all have a destiny in God and have our individual mountains and inheritance to possess, but we must not be boastful. For our life is like a vapour, we are able to continue doing His will, is just because of His grace constantly working in us. Once we become proud, God will start to resist us.

It is also important to note that there are two kinds of wisdom that we can operate in. The wisdom from below may be effective in achieving quick results, but what comes with it is envy, boasting and self-seeking. The wisdom from above is pure and gentle, defying all worldly definitions.

So when we look at successful ministries or even our own lives, we must be careful to check the fruits and the spiritual disposition. Lets not make the mistake of Eve, eating from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because she desired to be wise...

Dealing with Limitations

I remember many years ago, I was moved to tears by the animated movie: Prince of Egypt. I was so touched by the part when the song was played, Deliver Us...

I guess we have to learn how to deal with limitations all our lives. God created us with many inherent limitations. For example, we are limited to our current fleshly body that is depleting everyday, at least for before the resurrection.

But for some limitations, God is only allowing the enemy to restrict us for a season. The children were in bondage in Egypt until Moses were raised up at the appointed time. Thus, we need to understand the times and seasons of the Lord. When the kairos time comes, we must cross our Red Sea and break out of the confined space. Anyone who looks back, is not likely to be spared.

Let the Reformation begin!!

Gen 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, in the seventeenth day of the month, in this day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of the heavens were opened up.

Inspired by His Word

"But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?" James (2:20)

James is one of my favourite books in the Bible, because it emphasizes on practical living. As mentioned previously, the battle is over the hearts and minds of men. We cannot effect change by just prayer or words, but our faith is made complete and demonstrated to others by our actions.

Let us seek the Lord regarding the good works that are prepared in advance for us to do, that we can shine forth in the various arenas we are placed in.

A Song: This is my story, this is my song... praising the saviour all the day long...

Singapore F1 race? - Hip Nation

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/182184.asp

I was joking with some friends, how we can't say Singapore is not hip anymore. We got the Durian, the Wheel, the Casino in 2 years times and now probably (99% chance) F1 cars zooming us by in town... Lets have a wonderful marketing blitz, have Jay Chou make a guest appearance in his Initial-D costume, and have the whole Asia coming in to boost our tourism numbers.

Something more sobering also appeared today on the front page of The Straits Times: S'porean F-1 fan dies after go-kart crash - A Singaporean Formula One fan seeking a thrill met with tragedy on Saturday when the go-kart she was driving flipped over and crashed into a track divider...

My Opinion: If our nation continues to drive in her current direction, we are headed for a horrendous crash. Even since the Casino approval, we are caught in a downward spiral, with more bad decisions following one another.

The message we are sending to the next generation is that as long we achieve the objective of continued economic prosperity, it does not really matter by what methods it comes. It may come from the world of virtual reality - we are sponsoring and sending our kids to international computer game competitions cos it is the "in" thing now and it makes money. How our children slash each other online and lose their sense of reality, is of secondary importance.

It is also acceptable to have Gambling (oops, it is re-branded as Gaming now) and F1 racing (the senseless but thrilling game of wasting precious fuel and tires), as long as our economy and jobs are preserved. And sometimes, we have no choice but to adjust the salaries of our civil servants, in case they get poached.

Inspired by His Word

"By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days." Heb (11:30)

Faith is foundation of everything we initiate and respond to the Lord. For without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

The walls of Jericho in our lives seem to be intimidating and insurmountable. And God's instructions to us are so ridiculous... no one has done this before... The enemy is mocking and even our friends are giving us suspicious glances.

But the Breakthrough will indeed come suddenly!! The walls will come tumbling down in a moment. You just have to persevere and endure, for it is only after 7 days...

I Love PAP

I am using such a header, so that they can track me down easily. You will know what has happened if I vanish into thin air suddenly... 

 Anyways in this morning's Straits Times, the top article is "Put ministers' pay in perspective: MM". The caption declares: AN 'ABSURDITY' - "We are quarrelling about whether we should pay them $46 million or $36 million, or better still, $26 million. So you save $20 million and jeopardise an economy of $210 billion?" 

A speedy Google search is frequently the initial step potential customers take while looking for real estate agents in their general vicinity. By buying nearby property marketing, you can go up toward the highest point of those pursuits and get before more individuals who are prepared to make that stride. Visit at: coqnit.com

 If we don't increase their pay, MM Lee suggested that "Singaporeans' asset values would also disappear, your apartment will be worth a fraction of what it is, your jobs will be in peril, your security will be at risk and our women will become maids in other people's countries". 

 Ouch!! That sounds so threatening... Seems that any opposition to their plan is considered absurd and any alternative way will lead to loss of jobs, the maid outcome, etc... Sometimes I wonder if we are in a communist or democratic regime. 

 Of course, MM seems also to imply that our neighbouring countries that sends out their women as maids, has an incompetent govt.

The Battle Ahead

A Big Thank You to all those who are playing a part in my life, the actions of love and words of encouragement. They really add strength to me, spurring me on in this Fight of Faith.

Just a update, my Israel Sponsorship program has been suspended indefinitely. It should be confirmed that there will be no trip this year, coz Pastor Peter will be too tied up to host us.

As I had recently shared with a sister in church, the great battle ahead is for the hearts and minds of men, for both believers and non-believers. God is doing a New Thing in this final generation and we must not be Fossilized in our mindsets and what we used to do... There a time for peace and there is a time for war also.

Be reminded that Conflicts and Offences will definitely come, and it will probably start within the Church, for the judgement will begin there. We have to speak the truth in love, restoring with patience those who stumble.

The final confrontation will of course be between the mature Sons of Zion and the Sons of Greece. Oh, what a mighty encounter it will be... the peaceful silence now is but a moment of transition.

A Recent Prayer: Come Forth! You sons of glory, the whole earth is groaning for you... For you, the Lord Jesus endured the cross... Now make the Captain of your salvation perfect through your sufferings, your battles, your clashes with the enemy...

Inspired by His Word

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing..." Philip (4:4-9)

Like what Pastor Sunday had shared with us, the Great Commission is not just about mouthing some words and bringing people to evangelistic crusades. It is about exhibiting Kingdom values and lifestyle in our lives, that will make a lasting impact on others.

The above Scripture exalts us to adopt a certain disposition towards all men, that is pleasing to the Lord. We need to rejoice and at all times too, no matter what storms life or the enemy can throw at us. The next big challenge is to be gentle to all men for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

The keys to achieving these are found in the subsequent verses. In order to have the peace of God with us constantly, we must lift everything in prayer and supplication to God, with thanksgiving. We have to also guard our minds diligently, mediating on the true, noble, pure things of God.

Inspired by His Word

"finding out what is acceptable to the Lord... See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is." Eph (5:10 - 17)

This really sums up our new life in the Lord. We were once darkness, but we now need to walk as children of light. The whole idea of walking and finding out tells us that it is a journey of seeking & obeying Him, not being at a stationary point. We can be in the light, in the will of God for a short moment of our walk, but because of stagnancy, gradually move back into darkness.

Therefore, we need to examine ourselves constantly, all the more as we see the day approaching when wickedness will increase, sweeping us off our feet if we are not firmly established in His perfect will.

Inspired by His Word

"but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ" Eph (4:15)

This chapter talks about coming to unity in the church, each of us finding our place in the Body of Christ, where the Lord has given us grace for. We must not remain as children, but to grow up in all things into Him. To do so, we have to speak the truth in love.

That sounds easy, but is very difficult to practise in practical. Most of the time, we are not bold enough to confront people and specific issues, because it means to confront our own hypocrisy. We have to come out of our own wall of pretense, in order to speak the truth. Often we do not love the person enough to do it, coz it takes too much of us. Perhaps someone else will speak to the person instead...

Remember that everyone of us must do his/her share, for growth to come to the body, when there is edification of itself in love

Some Questions on Critical Thinking by a brother, do share your views...

Do share your views on whether critical thinking (CT) is biblical and encouraged by believer. Some questions that i'm seeking...

1. Can we resolve CT with Faith? Is blind faith = faith without CT? When martin luther nailed his thesis on the wall, was he challenging the blind faith of the roman church tradition to a new form of faith?
2. If CT is encourage in our faith, how can we develop it without feeding on a critical spirit?
3. If we have the Holy Spirit guidance, do we still need CT (logic/rational) since we can seek for understanding?

A Faithful Man who can find?

After going on many trips into China, it has become very clear to me that the work there need more than just new strategies or more finances. While men are looking for better methods and more money, God is looking for better men.

John 8:35 And the slave does not abide in the house forever, but the Son abides forever.

Once the Lord finds a right person like Joseph, He will place him in the place of authority, mobilise all the finances, pour out all His wisdom on Him, to accomplish the work of the Kingdom.

It is painful to acknowledge, but it is only sons who will have any inheritance in the Kingdom. No matter how much good works a servant does, if he is not discipled in his life (forsake all, take up the cross and follow Christ), he Will Not be staying in the house at all.

A sober reminder for us that we should pursue our leader / shepherd closely, be transparent and open for correction, so as to become true sons of God and be a father to many as well...

Weight Problems??

A Product testimony from my friend from Church of Singapore, pls contact me if interested:

Hi mommies,

Just wanna share with moms struggling with weight problems that we're all taking a fruit cleanse and a supplement that is coffee-flavoured (both are drinks) that is so effective. No need for fasting, and gains you better health. (We = my dh, MIL, staff and friends etc) In the Christmas week, cos my boutique closed late every night, my dh had 5 nights of roti-prata, steamboat and brazillian buffet and he lost 5 kg at the end of it all. We were totally amazed.

The most obvious case I have seen is my staff slim down and lose her "love handles" in 4 days. Another new mom could wear her pre-preg jeans after 2 weeks of coffee & cleanse, and only started 1 month after caesarian delivery.

SAHM or anyone else, for that matter, can do this as a biz too, cos it's seriously so effective that happy, slimmer people keep introducing this to their friends.

Benefits:
-- Reduces inches and weight
-- Prevents Fat Build Up & Burns Excessive Fats
-- No Rebound
-- Visible results in 3 weeks.
-- Works by converting fat into energy, and building muscles, and improving metabolic rate
-- Discharges Toxin, Cleans Internal System
-- Reduces cholesterol effectively in 3 weeks: from very unhealthy levels to very healthy levels-- Increases energy and alertness
-- Reduces blood pressure
-- Reduces blood sugar
-- Reduces uric acid
-- Reduces joint pains
-- Relieves insomnia

Ingredients: Certified by our local AVA (Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority) as totally a food product.
-- Whey protein is a good antioxidant, destroys free radicals and improves our immune system.
-- Red yeast rice can reduce fat and lower cholesterol.
-- Soluble Fibre reduces the risk of constipation and improves our digestive system.
-- Fructose can prevent diabetics and high cholesterol.
-- Grape seed extract: Inhibits potentially harmful enzymes as well as improves blood circulation.
-- Lingzhi : Improves the immune system, prevents heart disease and cancer.
-- Green tea is a good antioxidant agent and it can improve blood circulation.
-- Natto Beans : Helps clear blood clots in the blood vessels

Both fruit cleanse and coffee (as we refer to it in short) come in sachets. Coffee can be taken ice cold or hot, cleanse preferably cold, like fruit juice.
1 box = 20 sachets, $45
Wholesale price: 7 boxes for $200 (Free delivery) - can mix boxes of coffee and cleanse
Can combine orders if you want / find that it's effective.

Grace Ng