When we are mocked

Hear the insulting words of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, to Hezekiah, king of Judah:

¹⁰ "Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, 'Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.' ¹¹ Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered?" (Boldface mine).

As the self-confident king of Assyria boasted and bragged of his conquests, I wonder how Hezekiah felt: probably downcast, discouraged, and yes, intimidated. Sennacherib's might was known to all. And tiny Judah was no match.

What Hezekiah did next, is worth emulating: He marched to God, spreading out the insulting letter from Sennacherib before Him, saying: "Look, God, this is what Your (and my) enemy says: Are you going to stand for it?" (My paraphrase).

But for my readers who desire greater accuracy, let's go back to the bible, which quotes Hezekiah saying:

¹⁶ "O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. ¹⁷ Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.

¹⁸ "It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. ¹⁹ They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. ²⁰Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God."

If there's one prayer that God answers, it's impassioned, heartfelt, honest prayer. I can't imagine Hezekiah going up to Him in some kind of groveling manner. Instead, I see Hezekiah going up to God, angry, shaking Assyria's threatening letter before Him, and pointing out that it's not only insulting to Hezekiah, but also to God. And ending with an impassioned plea for God to deliver Judah from the hands of insolent Assyria.

And, of course, God answers.

When we are real with Him, He answers.

Be content

I became a leader quite young in the faith. A year after I received Christ, I started a prayer group which in hindsight, taught me spiritual warfare. Extremely inexperienced as a leader, yet aware of the dramatic entrance of the Lord and His Holy Spirit into my life, the gifts of the Spirit were very much in action (See 1 Cor 14).

An episode stands clearly in my mind. In my group, as there are in many groups, was a control freak. He sought to take control whenever I was leading, and yet, when asked to lead, he would decline. In one of those tussles, a vision flashed across my mind.

Instead of the chairs that we were sitting on (we were seated in a circle), we were seated on thrones. We were all seated in the heavenlies, on thrones. And the rebellious one, had vacated his throne to bait me to leave mine, so that he could take my place -- while his own seat remained empty, vacant, powerless.

Such is the power of discontent. God had given him his place of ministry, where he could minister in the gifts given to him, and where he could excel. But he sought my place of leadership, thinking it was better than his.

In a flash, I knew what to do -- to stand my ground (as in Ephesians 6). I remained calm, seated in the heavenlies, in the place God had given me.

He, on the other hand, had episode after episode of mental and spiritual torment. Such is the power of discontent.

The group eventually dissolved and we went our separate ways. Prompted by the Lord, he wrote me a letter asking for my forgiveness some years later. Of course, I forgave him. We were all immature, anyway. But the group was invaluable in teaching me lessons of spiritual warfare which I would later apply when the Lord called me into full-time minstry.

I'm not sure why I'm writing this. Perhaps someone needs to read it.

Blessings, all.

Be strong, be alert

"With this in mind, be alert" Ephesians 6:18

We are a country that's always on the alert. Our train stations repeatedly play gory scenes of the Mumbai train bombing, to warn our commuters that there are people who mean evil to us, not good. We have police officers patrolling in groups of four, questioning lone men of their intentions. We are always updated on the latest terrorist captured, or killed.

In the natural, so in the spiritual. Are we on the alert, or are we asleep?

Are we aware that our struggle isn't so much in the natural, but in the spiritual?

Most important, are we strong in the Lord? Paul knows what being strong in the Lord is all about, and he enumerates seven points (Eph 6: 10-18):

1. Are we walking in truth? We can't be strong if we're living a lie, if our walk doesn't match our talk. If we're living a lie -- a life that lacks integrity -- that's a pretty big hole in the armour.

2. Are we walking in His righteousness, or self-righteousness? As the saying goes, Pride comes before a Fall. It's hard to define what walking in His righteousness is all about, but part of it is knowing that we aren't right all the time, and being open to correction. It's trusting Him to come through for us, when we are being attacked. Or gently stating our point of view when challenged, not taking things personally. Else, we may win the battle yet lose the war. Self-righteousness does that.

3. Do we have peace in our hearts? Are we at peace with God, with others, with ourselves? Are we willing to make peace with all parties, including ourselves?

4. Do we trust God? Do we trust Him to guide us to work things out, or do we strive to handle things ourselves because we doubt He's ever going to come through for us?

I have found that the more I strive to work things out, the worse things become. So I'm learning to let go and allow Him to guide.

5. Are we assured of our salvation? In other words, are we assured that we belong to Him? If you aren't, ask Him to come through for you in this area.

6. Do we know the Word of God? Have we read through the whole bible in context, from cover to cover? If you haven't, that's another big hole in the armour. You will be defenseless against the lies that come your way.

7. Do you have a prayerful heart? Do you lift up in prayer everything, big and small, to the Lord? Or do you believe He's too busy to be bothered with your prayers? That's another lie from the pit.

May all of us who know Him be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

Tithe to avoid the curse?

"Everything is cursed!" declared this controversial preacher. "From Gen 3, we know that the ground is cursed! Trees grow from the ground, from which we make paper, and money comes in paper form! So, your money is cursed! Your salary is cursed!"

(However, his illustration doesn't quite fit, as our money is now plastic. Nevertheless, I shall continue his illustration).

"The only way to turn the curse into a blessing is to tithe! If you give your 10 per cent to the Lord, the 90 per cent of your salary will be blessed!" he finished dramatically.

After hearing all that, I decided to use Bible Gateway to look up passages on the tithe.

The first instruction on the tithe comes form Lev 27:30:

A tithe of everything from the land...belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.

That's pretty clear. Ten per cent of what we earn belongs to Him. No argument about that.

But God doesn't need the tithe -- He owns everything! What's the tithe for?

In Deuteronomy, we learn more: The Israelites are instructed to bring the tithe "to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name", and

There, in the presence of the LORD your God,
you and your families shall eat (the tithe)
and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to,
because the LORD your God has blessed you. (Dt 12:7)

First, the tithe is a reminder that God is the source of all our material blessings. We are to rejoice that He has blessed and provided for us. We are to have an attitude of gratitude.

Second, it's a reminder to learn to "revere the Lord your God always" Dt 14:23.

Third, the Israelites are to share their tithe with their family, their servants "and the Levites from your towns, who have no allotment or inheritance of their own".

Our present-day Levites would be those who have given up secular employment to serve Him in the church and in the mission field. This includes the church secretary, the administrator, the pastor preaching from the pulpit, and the missionary way out there.

Dt 14:28 expands the list of beneficiaries of the tithe to include the aliens, the fatherless and the widows -- all those who are marginalised in society.

We are to provide for them, "so that they may come and eat and be satisfied," so that the LORD "your God may bless you in all the work of your hands".

It's pretty clear. If you use your ten per cent to bless the Church as well as those who are marginalised in society, God Himself will bless you.

So, don't tithe out of fear, an emotion which the controversial preacher seems to be inspiring. Tithe out of love and obedience to God.

Job is about Faith

Job, says Philip Yancey in "The Bible Jesus Read", is NOT about suffering. It's about faith.

Will Job trust God, or deny God in the midst of intense suffering? Job spends his time trying to figure out: "Why me? Did I do something wrong? What is God trying to teach me?" Questions that people in pain ask.

These are right questions. I believe that if we're in a fix, it's helpful to go through this list:

A. Perhaps I did something wrong. God, please search me.

Very often, it is our fault. And when we change, the situation changes. Problem solved.

B. God, are you trying to teach me something? God, please show me.

Then we get on with life & leave it to Him to show us. This often works too.

C. And then, there are those bad things that happen to good people. To children, even. And that stun you and me. And there are no answers. And it's definitely not our fault.

Job belonged to Category C. And I'm very sure that we have all belonged -- or are going to belong -- in that category, one time or other in our lives.

And my caution is, that we don't immediately lob all those who're in difficulties in Categry A. Be aware that Category C exists.

Only with careful prayer & discernment & a real setting aside of our own prejudices & pet theories will we be able to be a real friend to one in need, not a Job's friend.

God chose Job as the best example of one who had selfless motivations in following Him. Satan disagrees, saying that people serve God out of self-serving motives and a cosmic struggle ensues, with Job as the guinea pig, to put it bluntly.

In the end, I believe that while it's a test of Job's faith in God, it's also about God's faith in Job. God had faith that Job would pass the test.

We could be in the difficult situation we're in right now, because God has faith that we're going to make it. Even if we don't get any answers. Just like Job.

God's invitation

Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together,'
says the LORD"...

I love this invitation to reason together. God is approachable, He invites us to approach Him & just...talk...argue...grumble (you may grumble to God, but not ABOUT God -- there's quite a difference there!) I've complained TO God a few times, and the wonderful thing about this is, not only does He hear, He responds.

Recently, I complained to Him about a friendship that I felt wasn't really working out --and I sensed sadness as I spoke to Him. The God of all creation was empathising with me. In a gesture of release, I gave the burden to Him. Perhaps 15 minutes later, He gave it back to me, together with a deep conviction in my spirit to call my friend & sort it out. And so, I did. And it was really a miscommunication. The friendship was restored, better than ever.

Some weeks before, I complained to Him about another friend, and gave Him the burden. He took it. It never came back.

Through these experiences, I'm learning to trust Him more & more; learning His ways more & more; trusting Him to judge, and trusting His judgments.

He isn't a one-size-fits-all God. I've learnt through the years that pat answers from the Bible isn't what it's all about. But rather, a constant abiding in Him & in His Word, and a trust that He'll work things out.

Timing is everything

Esther 5-7

1 Chronicles 12:32
...men of Issachar, who understood the
times and knew what Israel should do

When I first read Esther, I wondered why she didn't just up and ask for what she wanted -- Haman's head. After all, it was an urgent situation and the lives of her Jewish people were at stake.

But, when the King was ready to give her anything during the first banquet she threw, she doesn't ask for what she wants but invites them (the King and Haman) to attend a second banquet instead.

Was there a sensing of God's restraining her? We don't know, and the bible doesn't say. But the subsequent events prove her right.

In the interval, Haman prepares a gallows, ostensibly for Mordecai the Jew, whom he hates. Then, the King has insomnia and asks for the kingdom's records to be read to him, during which he realises that the very same Mordecai has never been rewarded for saving his life. Subsequently, Mordecai is rewarded for his service, and Haman, who is forced to honor him, is humiliated.

At the second banquet, Esther boldy reveals her requests, Haman is executed in the very same gallows that he built and the Jewish people are saved from massacre.

Timing, is everything. As a new Christian, I had prayed that I discern God's timing and seasons like the men of Issachar. That led to a new level of learning to discern His timing and His purposes and subsequently, a closer walk with Him. That, after all, is the goal of all prayer.

The perfect host

John 14
1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Jesus, our friend, is hospitable. He prepares a place for us to stay, and He's also part of the welcoming committee! Because we are His friends, He wants us to stay close to Him. We'll be His neighbours, and can pop in on Him at anytime, and be assured of a welcome! He won't be too busy to see us, or too tired to entertain us. Jesus is our perfect host.

In fact, after His resurrection, He even prepares a barbecue breakfast for His friends, who obviously would be very hungry after a night and day of hard work. How considerate, anticipating our every need.

What a friend we have in Jesus!

Being Jesus' friend

John 15:4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you.

I was reading Jack Deere's book, "Surprised by the Voice of God," and a chapter on being Jesus' friend intrigued me.

What is a true friend? A true friend is one who delights in you, alone; who enjoys your company; whom you can call anytime; whom, you can go to their house & it's okay to help yourself to what's in their fridge -- and they can do the same at your house. And who, when she rings up, just wants to catch up -- and not because she wants to ask you a favour.

True friendship, he says, is one where the motive to use the other is purged. We are friends, not because of what we can get from one another, or what we fear will happen if we don't give in to the other -- but we are friends because we just enjoy one another, as is.

Are we truly Jesus' friend? Do we go to him only if we have a need? Otherwise, we ignore him? Or, do we obey out of fear of what will happen if we don't?

Singaporeans, a person from the evangelism team said, tend to bring the "pai-sun" mentality to Christianity. We want something in return for our worship. We want Jesus and the good marks. We want Jesus and the career. We want Jesus and the dream spouse.

Guess what? He tests us by NOT giving us what we want. And in doing so, He exposes the intent of our hearts.

Are we content to abide in Him, even if we don't get anything from Him?

Your attitude

1Kings 11:9 The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD's command. 11 So the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you..."

What stood out for me was the phrase "since this is your attitude"... How often we need to watch our attitudes!

Solomon had everything he wanted, more than anyone in this planet, except perhaps Bill Gates. (But Solomon is one-up on BG though. BG can't have 700 wives, not allowed under law...)

It was the wives and concubines that undermined him. Imagine the 700 wives and 300 concubines all pulling at him, in the unconscious, spiritual realm -- 1000 soul-ties in all, clamouring at this one man. And each woman, worshipping different idols and channelling their influence over his mind and heart. No wonder he couldn't survive.

So the wise man became foolish. His attitude towards God lapsed. And judgement came.

PRAYER:
Father, help us to watch our attitudes. Alert us to the subtle influences of the world, the flesh, the devil, undermining our attitude towards You. Give us all, repentant hearts. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Sycamore tree

We are near a sycamore tree, said to be 2,000 years old. Of course, we can't be sure it's THE sycamore tree that Zaccheus actually climbed on, although urban legend claims that it's so. Near the tree is some artwork that depicts the Luke 19 scene.

You'll never know

I was reading a very good book for people who want to be relaxed about meeting new people, especially in unfamiliar social settings, and I enjoyed the author's insights. One of the things she said was, to be good to everyone, and don't judge by appearances. Then I thought of the following passage:

1Sam25:10 Nabal answered David's servants, "Who is this David? Who is this son
of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. 11 Why
should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my
shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?"
12 David's men turned around and went back. When they
arrived, they reported every word. 13 David said to his men, "Put on your
swords!" So they put on their swords, and David put on his. About four hundred
men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.

The proud Nabal snubbed David -- at the risk of his life and the lives of his family. Incensed, the warrior- leader David was going to take revenge. It was the wisdom of Abigail that made peace and stopped bloodshed.

In this society, we're going to meet high and low. We're going to meet the well-dressed, and the not-so-well-dressed. You may never know who-knows-whom, who are close friends with whom, who are related to whom, and what they can say about you. The person who can give the most accurate insight about a person's character may be the office cleaner.

Occasionally, I am asked to give character references, and I am glad to say that the times that I've been asked, I've been able to give good character references re the people in question. I hope I'm able to live life in such a way, that if anyone were to ask, a good character reference would be given to me as well.

PRAYER:
Father, help me to love others as myself. Help me to treat others, the way I would like to be treated myself. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

David's Waterfall

This is David's Waterfall at En Gedi. A good hiding place, as it has lots of water, in the middle of surrounding desert.

The signs were there

1 Sam 15:23 "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry..."

As a young Christian, I used to wonder: "How is rebellion like the sin of witchcraft? What was it that rebels have in common with witches?" Now, a little more seasoned, I have come to realise that rebellion, like witchcraft, is an act of trying to seize control.

"And how is stubborness equal to idolatry?" Stubborness -- the desire to have one own's way -- is like idolatry because it puts Self before God. And that is wickedness in His sight.

The signs were there: Saul would repeatedly speak to Samuel about "the Lord Your God" -- in other words, the Lord was Samuel's God, not Saul's. He never fully accepted God's rulership over his life, and bent His commands to suit his whims.

Saul desired Self as King, not God. That desire drove him to become extremely jealous of David's popularity which led to him trying to kill David and all who sided with him. He threw his spear at his own son Jonathan, who tried to talk sense to him. He ordered the murder of the priests who had innocently helped David. Even his own officials would not stoop to that; it took a power-hungry Edomite to do Saul's dirty job.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, help us have humble hearts; give us the desire and ability to discern our motives correctly, that we may correct ourselves and do right in Your sight. Amen.

Beth Shean

This is Beth Shean today -- accessible now by climbing a few hundred steps up the hill. You can see why the tribe of Manasseh was intimidated by the prospect of conquering the inhabitants there (See Judges 1:27). I'm the small figure at the top, to the right of the tree. For a good overview of the place, go to http://www.bibleplaces.com/bethshean.htm

First choice

Judges 1:1 After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the LORD, "Who
will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?"
2 The LORD answered, "Judah is to go; I have given the
land into their hands."

What an honour to be on the top of the Lord's mind! Can you imagine a group of people asking the Lord, "Who shall do this for us?" and He gives to them your name! What an honour. I know that in kiasu Singapore, we have a bad tendency to be "paiseh" and shy off. But honestly, that is a cultural impediment to our personal growth. It's an honour to be chosen, and we need to be as straightforward as the westerners and just take it up. Because, whomever He appoints, He also empowers. And it's all part of His desiring to have us mature & grow & reach our destiny through the lessons we learn.

Prayer:
Lord, if I'm ever first choice in Your mind for any endeavour (confirmed by two or three witnesses, including my own of course), may I have the boldness to say Yes! and the confidence in You to know that You're going to bring forth the fruit, and in Your timing. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Bold love

Mk 14:3 ... Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. 4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5 ... And they criticized her sharply. 6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. 7 For you have the poor with you always ... but Me you do not have always. 8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.

What amazing discernment this woman had! To know in her heart of hearts what to do for Jesus, and why, and have the boldness to do it before his uncomprehending followers who "criticised her sharply"!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I admire this woman for being so in tune with You, that she knew what to do, and why, and turned a deaf ear to the criticism of others. I admire her boldness in a culture where women are expected to be neither seen nor heard. May I develop that same discerning and bold heart to do that which is right and pleasing in Your sight. Amen.

Pushing the envelope

Mark10:20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

I admire the rich young man for his brashness, even over-confidence. Jesus didn't slap him down for his boldness, but He did redirect him: "Sell everything you have..."

Okay, you want to push the boundaries, here's what you do, kid -- "Give up your earthly treasures, which you put so much store by...and follow Me." The young man knew his bible. But he didn't know his Jesus. So, he was humbled.

Which, in an odd sort of way, reminds me of the Hi-Lo aerobics class I attended last night. It was the first one I'd attended with this instructor. I saw a rather overweight girl come in for the class, and she stationed herself behind me. She was almost twice my size. I was wondering how she was going to cope.

But, it looked like she was a veteran: she swirled, high-kicked, hopped and jumped as well as the rest of the skinnier girls. We had to get out of her way. Actually, I had to get out of her way. I remembered thinking: "This is an accident waiting to happen." By God's grace, nothing happened. I was left quite breathless, and ready to give up, but boy, she was ready for MORE.

Well, we think we know. But there's so much more that we don't know.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for the humbling experiences. Thank you for showing Your perspective. Indeed, I admit, sometimes I think I know. And then, You show us what we don't know. You widen our horizons, Lord. Thank you.

Caesarea Philippi

The place where Jesus was first proclaimed as the Christ. Imagine Jesus and his disciples walking around this seaside village...

Mark 8:27Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
28They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."
29"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ."

Two kinds of complaints

Nu 9:1 Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused.

Nu 9:10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent. The LORD became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the LORD, "Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? 13 Where can I get meat for all these people? "

There is an acceptable way to complain, and an unacceptable way.

In verse 1, the people complained to each other ABOUT the Lord. They did not speak to Him directly.

In verse 10, Moses complained TO the Lord. He aired his grievances directly to Him, and He answered Him.

Complaining ABOUT the Lord isn't a good thing. It's like badmouthing someone behind his back. Only this time, it's the Lord they're badmouthing -- and He hears everything. Not a good move.

Complaining TO the Lord is something He accepts. When Moses complained TO the Lord -- and I must say, he was very honest -- the Lord gave him the solution to his problem.

Prayer:
Father, teach us to complain TO you, not ABOUT you. Teach us to be people who'll be honest with you. Help us un-learn sinful ways of dealing with our grievances, and learn YOUR way. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

2000 year old boat

Mark 3:9Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him.

Above, the remains of a boat, said to be 2,000 years old. It was discovered in 1986 at the Sea of Galilee. It could be that Jesus sat in one like it.

The paralytic

Mark 2:3

Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.

I visited a friend who was diagnosed with kidney failure just yesterday. It was not surprising that she was still struggling to cope with the news. Finding her in the dialysis centre having her blood cleansed, she spoke of the story of the paralytic. His friends were the ones who saw his need, carried him, and presented him to Jesus.

"I'm the paralytic," she said. Her friends were like his friends -- they were the ones who gave her moral, spiritual and other support at her time of need. As they came, listened to her, and prayed for her, each one of them, in their own unique way, was presenting her to Jesus. She knew that.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, bless us to be good friends in need. Give us the word in season; teach us what to speak, or to be silent, as the case may be. Teach us to know how to give the practical help within our means. Teach us how to pray. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Golgotha

Top picture: This is at "The Garden Tomb", one of the tombs in Jerusalem where Jesus is said to be buried. There are a few of these alleged burial places of Jesus in the city. The doorway is widened for tourists. Traditional doorways are half a man's height, and you have to stoop to go in.

Second picture: The reason why people think this is the burial site. It's near a cliff face which looks like a skull -- Golgotha is known as the "Place of the Skull" (Matt 27:33). This is an old picture. Due to erosion, the present-day cliff face doesn't look so skull-like anymore.

The Do Nots

Lev 18 & 20 have a lot of Do Nots when it comes to sexual behaviour. Our degenerate minds may think of God as a spoilsport, but all the Do Nots are actually manifestations of God's grace towards us. He desires that we might be people who are free from the lust that drives the rest of the world -- the lust for self-gratification that leads to sin upon sin, the dishonoring & perversion of family relationships & the defilement of those who are powerless and, the subsequent increased demonic oppression of both the abused & the abuser.

Lev 19:29: Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.

The above is both a warning and a prophecy. The lands that have not heeded that warning have suffered the consequences.

Prayer:
Father, may we be a generation that heeds your Word, and not the pressures of the world. Have mercy on us. We do not want our land to be filled with wickedness. Let our land be a safe place to bring up the young and innocent. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Cloud of Glory

Exodus 40

34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.

I'm learning about the glory cloud. Last Sunday, 8th February, I led 1130am prayer as usual. After inviting the Lord's presence, a still silence settled on us -- soft & palpable to those of us who are more used to the Spirit. There was no need to pray. We all felt it, except for Mei, who is new to Pray Team & is from the traditional service. I said to God: "Lord, you're plunging her into deep water! But... You're God, You'll know what to do."

After half an hour, Mei broke the silence. She admitted to feeling uncomfortable with so much silence. But we assured her, and we went into His silence again. And He ministered to each one of us. One hour after the cloud of glory came in, we could sense that His work was done. The cloud lifted. We broke the silence once more.

Mei was all smiles. She had broken through. "I feel so good. Can I come again for prayer?" Yes, of course.

A Tent of Meeting

Exodus 33:7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting"... 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses... 11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

Moses pitched a tent to meet with God. I imagine him, everyday, strolling out from the mass of tents in the camp to that ONE tent, that special tent. It was the call of God to meet with Him, and he responded, obediently. It was a call to fellowship, to intimacy. It was a friendship forged through tests & trials, and also through day-to-day conversation. And it became so well developed that Moses dared to ask of Him the most intimate questions. "Who are You? What are You really, really like? Show me." And God shows him.

Prayer:
Father, may I learn to be still before You and hear from You, just as Moses did. May I learn to fellowship with You constantly, just as Moses did. May I enjoy Your presence so much, that I, like Joshua, would stay on, just to bask in Your love. Amen.

Show us the tree!

Exodus 15:22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.

The tree was always there. It didn't grow there instantly. What was missing was the seeing. God had to show Moses the tree. I guess it must be a small, non-descript one -- small, because he could uproot it & cast it into the bitter waters. Non-descript, because Moses didn't notice it till God directed his gaze to it.

The solution is there, for God has provided it.

Prayer:
Lord, let us have the eyes to see the solutions that You have already provided in answer to the difficulties we face. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Hills of Judea

Matthew 19:1 Jesus...went into the region of Judea...

Letting God lead

Exodus 14:14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still

That verse always encourages me whenever I feel so pressured to "do something, anything!" It's good to know He always comes through, only if we're still enough to receive the solution that comes from, and through Him.

Prayer:
Father, forgive me for the times I've hastened ahead, and as a result, taken a longer time to arrive at the destination than expected. It has been my fault, not to trust in You, trustworthy God. But I'm also thankful for the many times I've learnt to still myself, not rushing ahead, and as a result, seen Your hand at work, sorting & smoothing things out. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Only after the blood, frogs and lice

Exodus 8:22 " 'But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the LORD, am in this land. 23 I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow.' "

As I read that, I would wonder: How come the Lord made a distinction only after the first three plagues -- of blood, of frogs and of lice? Couldn't he have made the distinction from the start?

Was there a law of sowing & reaping at work? The Israelites in 5:21 blamed Moses & Aaron for Pharoah's harshness, saying they were the cause of their sufferings -- that their actions have "put a sword in their hand to kill us." Even though God spoke further encouraging words through Moses, the people would not listen "on account of their despondency and cruel bondage" (6:9). Because of they had indeed, gone against the Lord in their rejection of Moses, they suffered as the ungodly Egyptians suffered, through three plagues.

Perhaps, sufficiently humbled at seeing the power of God, they could have repented. And so, God spared them the rest of the plagues.

I can only speculate. But mysteries like these make the bible so much more interesting.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, when unfortunate things happen, help us to see how Your hand is at work to bring us to a better place. Help us not to grumble & complain, but to see your faithful providence in action. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Bricks out of straw

Exodus 5:17-18 Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.' 18 Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks."

Ever felt a drive to produce more & more, while what you're able to actually get done seem to get less & less? Ever felt the condemnation that you're not doing enough -- and that even though you don't have the resources, you have to meet the quota set for you?

That's what the "Pharoah spirit" is like. It takes more & more out of you, consumes more & more of your energy & resources, and when it is done, you're thrown aside.

Prayer:
Father, I pray for those of my brothers & sisters who are being driven by this spirit, too tired to continue, but too hopeless to find a solution for themselves. I pray that You give them the boldness and courage to make the necessary changes in their life situation. Help them face their fears, and help them know that You are their provider, they don't need to fear. Mark this on their hearts, I pray in Jesus' Name, Amen.

Blessing or cursing

Matthew 12

"...For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

Also see James 3:9-12.

Curses are negative words spoken that "limit" or "wish harm" on a person. We can readily recognise the latter, but are we as ready to recognise the former? When I spoke to my RTF trainer to elaborate more on curses, she said: "A curse has power to limit a person from moving to her destiny."

The power of a put-down
I remember a story of a child being repeatedly told he was "a failure," and "good-for-nothing" by his father. Guess what he grew up to be? How about "harmless" words, such as "you're forgetful"? Said often enough, the person starts being forgetful. She is bound by the words spoken over her.

The power of a put-down is given through:

a. the emotional energy of the person doing the cursing -- anger, hostility -- all these negative emotions give power to the spoken word. This can be disguised as "playful teasing" unless you're the object being teased -- you know subconsciously that someone is trying to paste labels on you. Labels and libel aren't too far apart.

b. Constant repetition. Someone repeatedly told that she's "too emotional" over time can bring about the very thing that one wants to correct.

c. People, even Christians, who have undealt with occultism in their generational line. There is demonic oppression behind their words.

Christians are generally careful not to use obvious curses. The more subtle ones are harder to spot.

These can come in the form of comparisons:
"Your sister is so pretty." The message given to the other sibling is, she's not.
"Your brother is the smart one." The message given to the other, is that he's not.

Often, we curse ourselves:
"I can't pray aloud in front of others."
"I'm shy."
"I'm clumsy."

All the above seem to be statements based on "fact." Repeated often enough, it binds a person to a certain set of beliefs and behaviours that limit her from moving onto her destiny.

Prayer:
Father, this is a vast and nebulous subject which I'm trying to make concrete & to condense in a few paragraphs. Teach us, I pray, about the power of the spoken word to bless, or to curse. Let us be a people free to always bless others, and careful not to curse. In Jesus' name, amen.

P.S. You can also read "Blessing or Curse" by Derek Prince.

For such a time as this

Gen 45

4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.... 8 "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God".

Esther 4:14 "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

God's ways are not man's ways. Joseph, brought up as a favourite, with nice clothes & specially loved by his father Jacob suddenly has everything torn away and is flung, as it were, on the rubbish heap -- the victim of his jealous brothers.

But he had certain characteristics that helped him survive, and even thrive -- he was close to God, he had administrative ability, and favour with people in authority. Wherever he was, he was able find favour, whether it was in the captain's house or the prison. It was hard training -- he had to face injustice after injustice -- first, brutalised by his brothers; then, falsely accused by Potiphar's wife who must be having some kind of mid-life crisis, thrown into prison, and just when he thought he might get out by doing the butler a favour, had to languish another two more years in his dank cell. But God had his purposes. When the time was right, Joseph again, rose to the top, this time to rule Egypt.

By learning to obey God in all things through the school of hard knocks & not giving in to bitterness, he was able to forgive his murderous brothers when they presented themselves in front of him -- although not without giving them a taste of the terror he must have felt, to be handed over to slavers to an unknown fate. (Honestly, he could have taken revenge & killed them all for what they did to him). By this time, God knew he could trust Joseph not to abuse his power.

When I read his story, I have hope -- hope for those of us who feel that they've been given a hard lot in life. When we trust God in the midst of the darkness & learn our lessons well, He'll raise us up to be light for others.

Prayer:
Father, I pray for those of us facing a hard time now, or struggling with past injustices dealt to them. Father, may you show yourself faithful to Your Word, to lift them up from the pit, and to give them a new song to sing, a song of praise to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Baby race

Gen 29-30

As a new Christian, when I first read the passage of Rachel being favoured by Jacob over Leah, I naturally assumed that Rachel would get all the babies first. (I have English Lit background & novelists always have a beautiful heroine who'd be witty, wise, & always gets her man, plus everything she needed in life. ) I was astounded that GOD chose to give Leah the babies first! This went against all that I'd been taught about life from the novelists!

Lesson No: 1
Man (in this case, Jacob), may practise favouritism, but God, in His kindness & mercy, favours the "weak-eyed" wife with the babies first. Not that it helped Leah to win Jacob's love, although she hoped and hoped with baby after baby.

Rachel, of course, green with jealousy, says to Jacob, "Give me children, or I'll die!" I actually felt pity for poor Jacob, to be faced with such an impossible demand. "Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?" was his indignant reply.

Rachel's subsequent ploy was to give her maid Bilhah to Jacob, and so through those means, she got two babies.

Score: Leah:4, Rachel:2

Leah, seeking to keep the lead & taking a leaf from Rachel's book, gives her maid Zilpah to Jacob. Through these secondary means, she got 2 more children.

Score: Leah:6, Rachel:2

Rachel, now desperate, resorts to magic & superstition & she bargains with Leah to have Reuben's mandrakes (there was an old wives' tale that eating mandrakes could induce pregnancy). In exchange, she gave Leah the right to sleep with Jacob.

"I have hired you with my son's mandrakes," Leah tells Jacob as he returns, weary from working in the fields. I wonder what Jacob felt...

But, Rachel was to rue the day she allowed the bargain, for Leah got another son --in fact two more. And after that, a daughter. (By this time, Rachel would have deduced that eating mandrakes doesn't work).

Nevertheless, at long last, "God remembered Rachel" and she became pregnant and gave birth to Joseph.

Score: Leah: 8, Rachel: 3

As we know, Rachel later conceived again, and she gave birth to Benjamin before she died.

But Leah had won the race long before.

Moral of the story:
Man may practice favouritism, but it is God who decides whom to favour.

As a young Christian, I was also astounded to discover from reading the Word that the line of Judah, from whom Jesus descended, didn't come from the loved wife, Rachel, but from the unloved one, Leah. (God doesn't follow the usual story line of the English novelists I used to read.)

Lesson No: 2
God's ways are not man's ways.

Prayer:
Dear Father, let me not judge by what I see, but by Your Holy Spirit. Give me Your wisdom, I pray. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

No longer tongue-tied

Matthew 10

19...do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

I love these assurances. Time and time again, God has proved this promise to me. He truly guides me in what to say, and how to say it. He gives me a thirst for him, to seek after Him, to read His word, to pray, to reflect, to learn to continuously lean on Him (I am constantly practicing the last part).

Prayer:
Dear Father, I am thankful for this promise of Your constant guidance. Indeed, time & again, You have proved yourself true. Thank you for teaching me to rely on You each day. In Jesus' name, amen.

Discerning true from false

Matthew 7-9

7:15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."

How necessary discernment is nowadays, especially for people involved in inner healing & deliverance ministries! Sometimes we need to test a vision of Jesus received by the person we're ministering to, especially when the Jesus behaves differently from the Jesus we know in the bible. How essential it is for us to know the Word, in SPIRIT and in TRUTH.

Prayer:
Father, continue to help us be faithful in reading your Word, especially for those of us called to the inner healing & deliverance ministries. Give us a discerning heart and a quick & sharp mind, to challenge & overthrow the schemes of the evil one against our lives & the lives of those we're ministering to. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Gen 23 -- Singlish version

This chapter never ceases to fascinate me. The custom of polite bargaining and reading "between the lines" is so Chinese! And so Singaporean. So, this is the Singaporean (irreverent) version:

Abraham: "I want buy land bury my wife. Can sell me?"
The Hittites: "No need pay, lah! Can give you free!"
Abraham (pretends not to see Ephron, who's sitting among them): "Oh, let me buy... Can talk to Ephron for me? I can buy -- full price, no problem!"
Ephron: "No need, no need. Can give you!"
Abraham: "Can pay, can pay. No problem, can pay."
Ephron: "Aiyah, worth 400 shekels only. No need to talk anymore ah."
Abraham: "Oh, must pay. Must give you... I insist..."
Ephron (reluctantly): "Aiyah, give also don't want. Okay lah... if you insist..."

So amazing, this save-face procedure, which continues until today, at least among the Chinese. I don't really know any Mid-eastern people, so I can't say if it still continues among them, although I suspect it does.

Prayer:
Father, may we continue to be sensitive to the cultural mores of the different peoples we meet in our lives. May we demonstrate the tact & sensitivity of Abraham wherever you send us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Restitution

Gen 20-22; Matt 6:19-34

Gen 20:16 To Sarah he said, "I am giving your brother a thousand shekels of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated."

Do we make restitution when we offend someone? Is a "sorry" enough? I guess it depends on the severity of the offence. The king took Sarah publicly, and so, there had to be a public restitution to compensate for the slur on her reputation. He ensured she was completely vindicated, not only be his words, but by his deeds. He had the fear of God.

Prayer:
Father, may we have that same honesty and integrity that this person displayed when he found out he had dishonoured someone, albeit unintentionally. If necessary, may we make the proper restitution to the one injured by our action. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Let us reason together

Gen 18-19; Matt 6:1-18

Gen18:23 Then Abraham approached him and said: "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?

Gen 19:19 "But I can't flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I'll die. 20 Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it—it is very small, isn't it? Then my life will be spared."

Isaiah 1:18: "Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord...

Isn't it wonderful that God is open to us reasoning with Him? He can be reasoned with. And He can modify His plan, without compromising His purpose. He's not a Dictator. He is Father.

Prayer:
Dear Father, thank you that I can approach you with my prayers and petitions without fear. Thank you for the knowledge that You are willing to listen, and even modify some of Your plans, when we pray. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

A reason for the season

Gen 16-17; Matt 5:27-48

Gen 16:9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10 The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count."

A strong instruction to Hagar, fleeing from Sarah -- "Go back to the one persecuting you!" And yet, comfort -- "I will increase your descendants..."

This is so, so God... Strong in His commands, yet tender when it comes to His promises. With one, comes the other. Our obedience is temporal, but the reward, eternal.

Prayer:
Father, may I obey you, even in the "hard" things, for your heart is one of Love, one of Blessing, one that desires the best for us. There IS a reason for the season.

Mount of Beatitudes

Matthew 5

Imagine Jesus sitting at the Mount of Beatitudes & teaching his disciples. What a beautiful view they all had! The present Mount is occupied by the Catholics. The first two pictures were taken in 2004, during the off season -- can be wet, but it was quiet & lush. The Catholic church is in the background. The third picture was taken last year, during the peak season. You can imagine what it was like then!

No quarrels, please

Gen 13-15; Matt 5:1-26

Gen 13:8-9 "Let's not have any quarrelling between you and me...for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you?"

Matt 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

What impressed me was that Abraham was very rich, with livestock, silver & gold -- our modern equivalent will be our houses, cars & country club, etc -- but he wasn't greedy. He could have used his authority as the elder uncle & told his nephew, "hands off!" but he didn't. When he looked, he didn't see a limited amount of resources that needed to be fought over, like the herdsmen did -- he saw that the "whole land" was before him. So, let's share, he says.

Prayer:
Father, forgive us for our short-sightedness & limited vision. Help us to see that the "whole land" is before us -- whatever the land is; the market for our various businesses; the ideas that we have; the ministries we run. The whole land is there. There's enough to go round, so let's not fight. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

These stones heard Jesus

Matt 4:12 "When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. 13Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum..."

This is a corner of the synagogue in Capernaum, where Jesus had preached to the Jews. When I was there last year, the place resonated with me, and I took the picture. Excavations are still going on at the synagogue, which is below the present-day ground level.

Two kinds of unity

Gen 10-12, Matt 4

Gen 11:6 The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them."

John 17:20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

Two kinds of unity. The first one, the purpose is to glorify Man, to "make a name for ourselves." The second, to glorify Christ.

If it's to glorify Man, the plan is likely to come to confusion. If it's to glorify God, the world is more likely to believe that Jesus is sent of God.

Prayer:
Father, whatever we do, let us do it under the inspiration and direction of Your Holy Spirit, that Jesus Christ may be glorified. Strip us of selfish & self-serving motives, that what we do will be an offering pleasing to you. Amen.

Spiritual warfare 101

Gen 1-6; Matt 1-2

Gen4:6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

It's spiritual warfare right from the start. Adam & Eve fell. Heh, even the snake fell (see Gen 3:14) Then, it's the turn of the next generation. Cain -- he got tested as well. And yup, he fell too. What about us?

Prayer:
God, grant us the grace to discern the schemes of the evil one against us, and the will to dismiss his "ideas" from our minds and the wisdom to adopt your thoughts, and your ways. In Christ's name, Amen.

The problem, the solution

Gen 1-6; Matt 1-2
God has a plan; satan has one too. God has Adam & Eve; satan has the snake. And it all takes place in a beautiful garden. Eden. We know the outcome of the tussle. But God also has the solution -- a baby in a manger.

Luke 2:7 "and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

Prayer:

Father, whenever we have a problem, may we look to Jesus for the solution. We know He lives and moves amongst us. Jesus, living God, the one who rose from the dead, You have the wisdom we need for the challenges in our lives. In exchange Lord, for our worries, confusion, perplexity in our lives, let us now receive Your wisdom. Amen.