The Servant of God

29 07 2008

1Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

1Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Philippians 2:13-16 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (14)  Do all things without murmurings and disputings: (15)  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (16)  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

As I meditated on these few verses, I was once again reminded of what it means to be a servant of the Lord. The servant of Lord has been saved by grace and realizes he is nothing apart from the grace that was bestowed to Him by His gracious God. His life is typified by a work of grace at work in Him. Knowing this, he is then one who joyfully busies himself in his Lord’s business. He looks to no other surer return for his service other than that which His master would duly reward in due time. Now, his master is not some disattached monarch who sits back and watches the hired hands do the work while he lays back on an easy chair. Certainly never, this is a gracious master who Himself works (John 5:17) and supplies His servants with the full furnishing of strength for the task. And the servant is empowered by his Lord to do so, and recognizes that apart from supernatural in working power, every desire and attempt to accomplish anything worthy will surely fail.

Oh, but there are realities a servant will have to face and endure. Stern tests amidst the labour as there are the times (often times) that the work proves laboriously difficult when circumstances, conflicts and cares arise. And in those times, the servant must endure and persevere. There will also come the points where the loving Master chastens and disciplines the servant to make right that which is not, and it seems grievous and hard at that time. However, after peaceable fruit of righteousness is yielded forth, the servant is to “lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees” (Heb 12:12). He picks himself up and picks up the pace once again. He learns and moves on. Another distinguishing mark of the servant of God is that of utter and total submission whereby it is marked without a complaint. No murmurs, no tantrums, no whisperings. Certainly easier said than done, but it is an attitude whose will is in submission to His Lord.

The servant’s greatest joy at the end of a hard day’s labour is to see the warm approving smile of his master. It is the master who keeps record and duly reward, therefore he need not be concerned of tally or score. Only that he shun being the unprofitable servant, and instead shine as the servant who will one day rejoice in his labours on that glorious day of rejoicing (Phil 2:16) so much so that he can joyfully testify that he neither ran nor laboured in vain. This is the life work of one whose commitment is to serve, one who presents his body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is his reasonable service (Rom 12:1). We are reminded that it says … ‘living’ sacrifice not a ‘dead’ one. Therefore, the time is now if it’s time to serve.

Oh my dear fellow servants of our almighty God, it will be said of us … that His grace was not in vain, that we laboured not in vain, and that our hope was not in vain. I pray this encourages our hearts to be steadfast to God, “Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” Ephesians 6:6 . We follow the example of the perfect servant of God our Lord Jesus who uttered “Not my will but thine be done”. The servant has willingly relinquished his will and is given to the will of the one he owns as Lord.

Just over the weekend, i was chatting with my dear old and aging elder Mr Kong Lam. He is still vibrantly serving the Lord in his very old age and has never looked more committed. In his frail voice I believe it went something like this “Nevermind … nevermind all that … we serve the Lord.” It made me realise once again … that the servant of God never stops serving.


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Categories : Meditations, Service, Spiritual

In Visibility

24 07 2008

* Good to know you found the simple way to see the contents of this post *

Just because something is not seen by the visible eye doesn’t mean it isn’t there. We can’t see the wind, but we certainly feel the effects of the wind. The same can be said about electricity and radio waves. Just think about the oxygen you breathe in moment by moment and i think you’ll see the reality of this. Many of these things are unobservable to the naked eye, but when the appropriate device is used, we are able to apply understanding and even put meaningful qualitative measurements to it. At times, our five senses may not be able to detect something that is very much there.

The same can be said in relation to God. We can’t see God, but the bible tells us that God is indeed real and He created all this.

Colossians 1:16-17 tells us “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

The things we see and don’t see. Visible and invisible. Feel or don’t feel. Known or yet be known. Laws of nature that apply which give order and sense to life. All the amazing things that we have yet to discover about this magnificent creation in all it’s length, breadth and height. It’s real whether we understand it or not. The fact that you and I may not have knowledge about a lot of things, doesn’t make the reality of it any lesser. I may not understand the mechanics of all this, but my inability of comprehension doesn’t diminish it’s reality. In fact it only showcases how in many ways I’m ignorant of things.

This is the point to this post (depending if you ‘see’ it or not). Just because you and i can’t see (or maybe even understand) God doesn’t make the reality of His existence or who He is any less real. This is because the bible tells us that God is “eternal, immortal, invisible..” (1 Tim 1:17). We may not see Him with our eyes, but the evidence is staring right at us. The scriptures also tell us that we can indeed get an understanding of God if we opened our eyes just a little. This was what the apostle Paul meant when he said “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20. God clearly thinks He has done enough to show Himself to mankind.

When cynical philosophers, politicians, evolutionists, scientists, scholars deny the existence of God by putting forward fancy theories dressed in garb of human eloquence, they suppress the weight of evidence that says the very contrary. Big Bang, natural selection, spontaneous regeneration, hopeful monsters, primordial soups .. etc .. are some of the vain attempts of certain men talking with certainty about things with they certainly know nothing about. They were never there when all these things apparently took place but speak as though it were observable science. Nothing could be further from the truth where their theories defy simple logic and the basic rules of science, yet they carry on in their delusion. Ultimately one day when they have to stand face to face with their Creator at the great white throne, they will be without an excuse. As the evidence of creation testifies, the witness of their conscience, the many opportunities God gave them to believe and repent .. when all those have been put forward, the final verdict will be passed. It will be a day of reckoning, a day when that which was hidden will be revealed and they will be exposed for who they are.

Dear friend, have you come to a personal knowledge of the God who made the heavens, the earth and more importantly .. you? And maybe just like this post which originally did not seem to be there, God too will prove to be clearly seen if we are earnest in seeking Him.


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Categories : Creation, Evolution, God, Spiritual

Joy

19 07 2008
Wang Wang shows his affection

Wang Wang shows his affection

Bundled joy

Bundled bundle

Ryan loves piggy back

Ryan loves piggy back with maw-ma

Ryan with his smiling father

Ryan with his smiling paw-pa


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Categories : Babies, Family, Life, Photos, Ryan

Young Men Shall See Visions..

15 07 2008

Is the tube safe for consumption these days?

The amount of violence, profanity, lust and immorality on display these days seems to come unabated. Let me relate a personal example of this. I remember when “Heroes” was just hitting the screens, we decided to record just an episode so we could see if there was something to all the hype being generated. When i got back, and hit ‘replay’ i was in a daze. We had to stop the show midway when the reality dawned upon us. In the span of a single episode, what we saw was almost every taboo broken and evil imaginable being perpetrated. Violence, sexual content, suicide, murder, use of psychedelic drugs … (and possibly other elements i missed) were all rolled up into one highly charged episode. Now, I’m a huge fan of super hero themed shows, but i knew that allowing this one would be a major compromise. The result: the people i know who watch the series think I’m too sensitive when I tell them what i think of it. The common phrase i get back goes a little like “Oh come on, it’s just a show”.

It’s not just the shows that are on these days, but it’s also the time fillers in between that are equally as provocative and damaging. They give you bits and pieces of the most tasty sections of the tv serials which are really with the intention of getting people to be committed to watching episode after episode. These guys know what they’re doing, and like it or not many fall for it hook line and sinker.

Dear believer, sin and satan are alive and well. But are we ignorant of his devices? I think it’s very possible many of us are. And some of us think we can pile in the hours of watching these things without it affecting our spiritual lives. How much did we gain after that few hours we spent in front of that glowing screen? What and how much did we lose? If it did not add to our spiritual lives (which i am pretty sure about), was it neutral such that we were unaffected by it?

This is what i have come to realize. Innocency is taken away at a moments glace, and many of us have been robbed of it by the media’s corrupting influence. This is not neutral ground, it certainly isn’t.

Our Lord spoke these words:

Matthew 6:23 “But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”

Mark 7:20-23 “And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. (21) For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, (22) thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: (23) All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”

Christian, I think we’ve got to give serious thought to the things we allow our eyes to see. Me, myself and I included. Oh be careful eyes, what you see.

(And for my slightly ambiguous title, and it’s definitely not in context … it seems Joel 2:28 might have found a different sense of fulfilment these days amongst professing believers)


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Categories : Entertainment, Media, Spiritual

Play of Words

10 07 2008

I found this to be pretty witty.

Q: What do you call a midget fortuneteller on the run from the law?

(Think about it for a while. Answer can be found in the comments section)


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Categories : Humour

Pairs of Two

8 07 2008

I found that sometimes they come in pairs. Consider the following from Paul’s letters written to Timothy.

1 Timothy 1:20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

2 Timothy 1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

2 Timothy 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

2 Timothy 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
2 Timothy 3:9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all [men], as theirs also was.

Here were partners in crime. And it gives us a lesson to be learned if there is an association of two. Often times it takes one to encourage another to do things that they themselves may not have been bold enough to do alone. But it’s a different story when two of such people meet, and ‘click’. We’ve seen this happening time and time again where if one is on the edge of a weak conscience and happens to meet someone in the same disposition, that both can strike it off as a pair. Unfortunately, only for the worse. It’s the proverbial “birds of a feather flock together”.

That’s for the case where both are somewhat like each other. But we also see that in the case where both are initially not like each other. In relationships, it’s usually the weaker spiritually that brings down the stronger. If we are not careful, the less spiritual can influence the more spiritual believer and bring him or her down to the level and both be caught in the same mire. The bible declares: “Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals.” 1 Corinthian 15:33. Therefore, we ought to be constantly, carefully evaluating and be very selective of who we align ourselves with.

We’re not sure how the pairings Paul brought up in his epistles to Timothy were formed. But whatever it was, it degenerated into something detestable in God’s eyes. It’s a tragedy. But we can purpose in ourselves that we do not want to receive such a commendation at the end of the day, and we still have time to make things aright.

Fortunately in the epistles to Timothy, there was a bright spark. It was refreshing to see Paul’s salutation to a pair who were truly commendable, Priscilla & Aquila (2 Tim 4:19)! Now, that’s what we call a partnership! They wonderfully depict the words in Ecclesiastes 4:9 “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.” Here we have a pairing who were fellow workers with the apostle Paul and had the sterling commendation that they were to him, “my helpers in Christ Jesus” (Rom 16:3).

In our friendships with people, our relationships, we ought to be careful of our alliances to see if it is pleasing to the Lord. Is it for the better or for the worse? And for those of us who have uttered ‘for better or worse’, we ought to take a good look at ourselves to see if our marriages are mutually encouraging in the things of the Lord and for effective service for Him. Also, may those of us who are searching for life partners (and this is for the youth reading this), may you desire to please the Lord in your decisions of choosing the suitable person who loves the Lord and where both can encourage each to give themselves more totally to Him. By God’s grace, we’ll make a good pairing.


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Categories : Friendships, Spiritual

Public Rally

2 07 2008

With all this talk of a “one million” rally, I’m joining the fray.

Announcement !

Antioch Agent is calling for a rally, to rally in prayer for this little nation in the midst of social and political revolution turmoil. It’s a rally of 1,2 or 3, slightly more modest than the one being called for in Padang Timur this Sunday. But we can have certainty that our voices will be heard because God is in our midst and listens to His people more than the shouts of dissent of a multitude.

Venue: Your local assembly prayer meetings and behind closet and room doors.

Purpose: Let us pray for peace to reign in this country, wisdom for the rulers, common sense to prevail, that pride will not prevail, freedom for the gospel to be sounded and for men to turn to the true Lord.

Believers, let’s uphold this nation in prayer.


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Categories : malaysia, Prayer


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