Abundant Life

It's been a long while. A good few months. And so many things to pen down, yet so little time to do so.

Life... it's interesting how differently people can describe it. Some enjoy it immensely; every day is full with purpose and meaning. Some are lost and still searching without looking at the right places for answers, or just too stubborn to accept answers that do not fit their agenda. Some are literally the walking dead; they are alive in the flesh, but not necessary so in their soul and spirit. Or maybe they have just numbed all senses, because of various personal reasons... Anyhow, this piece is not for judging or condemning anyone. If you ever fit into any of the categories above, I pray that you will be the first. We are all meant to be of the first category, because Jesus has given us an Abundant Life.

However, if you are like me, who sometimes are in the first, but some other times think you are of the second or third categories -- let us all tap into the grace of God and look unto the cross again. When things come weighing down on us, when life is hard going and it seems like an uphill climb, when you hardly have any time to just be still and listen to the voice of God, when 'rest' seems to be an alien word -- it's during these times that we ought to do our best to enter the rest of God.

Sounds like we have to strive again? Well, in a way, yes. Because we are bombarded by so many things every day, how do we shut them out, keep our hearts pure and our focus on God if we don't do our best to make sure we enter the rest of God? We have so many activities and responsibilities daily; if we don't make an effort to reserve time and come before God in worship and prayer, how will we ever find the time? But the commandments of God are not burdensome. If you really love Him, you'll know what I mean. I'm not saying this merely because this is what His word says, rather because coming to Him is not something we could ever do, but it's because He has already done it for us that we are able to enter in. If people of other religion could be so devoted and fulfil their religious obligations every day without fail, yet worshiping something that cannot save them, how much more we Christians ought to gear ourselves up and enter into the love relationship with the One True God?

Be Strong and of Good Courage ... this is the title of today's sermon by Ps. Gloria. It's such a timely word for me. Every stage of life is a challenge. I've said before that life from 18 to 30 years old has the most changes and stages. We grow the most, we learn the most, we discover the most, and we become who we really are by the various choices and decisions that we make. Yet, there are times we really need the courage and strength to go on. Sometimes we are deep in a situation and there seems to be no way out but to go through it, but we are afraid and we 'beg' God to let us out the easy way. Knowing our loving Father, He will answer us when we call, but are you ready to hear His reply that doesn't seem to answer your question at all? I think He sometimes does that because He knows we already know the answer and solution to the challenge, but we don't want to face it; we want to escape, to find an easy way out. He says, just be strong and of good courage. I will give you My wisdom, for it is foolishness to people of the world, but you know very well that it is life and peace. Thank you, Jesus.

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Further reminders from the Holy Spirit: Isaiah 43:18-19 ~ Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Only when you let go the old will you be able to enter the new. Only when the Israelites let go their Egyptian-slave mentality could they enter the Promise Land.

It's almost one year now. Fans of Michael Jackson will be mourning / celebrating about him again. Americans will celebrate their Independence Day according to traditions. Today is Father's Day. How are you, Dad? I've always wanted to believe that you're in a better place, but I will never know that for sure, and I guess it's no point still holding on and not moving forward. Regrets and memories will always be there. I will always wish I have more time spent with you, but I will always remember every moment we have shared. I will move on. God, thank You for taking me higher. Dad, I believe I will see you again.

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Tomorrow is Monday again. Lord, I just want to embrace You and lean on You, because You will give me the strength and courage to fight on. The battle is Yours, but the victory is mine. Your love is the answer. Your wisdom is all I need. I shall not be wise in my own eyes, but Holy Spirit, come have Your way in me. It's You I live for every day. Because the Abundant Life comes from You.

Reminders of Love

The Word of God is beautiful, wonderful, powerful, prophetic, poetic, and every other good adjectives you can think of to describe it. It is life to our spirit and soul. It's the Love Letter from our dear Abba Father. Many times we believers, when we were newly born-again, we suddenly had a very strong desire to read the Bible, to study His word, even though many a times we may not understand it fully. And then, we get busy with various stuff in life, and sometimes you tell yourself that it's time to read the Word, but you're flesh is not willing to put down whatever that you're doing. And we grow cold, gradually, unconsciously succumbing to the devil's scheme to cause us to forget the Word. The very Word that has first saved us...

Jesus is THE WORD. And we are to declare Him, not just remember Him. Because you can remember something but never talk about it, and no one would know that you actually do remember it; it becomes a mere memory, sometimes even like a figment of your imagination -- you know it, yet you don't really know it.

In this post, I just want to list down some of the verses that has been speaking to me lately. If I were to share with you just what each and every verse meant to me, it would be a really, really long post. But I'll try wherever I can, yet the Word speaks for itself without the need of an interpreter, so read it as it is, and let it speak to your heart, just as it did to me.

I just flipped open my Bible and it landed on Zephaniah.

Zephaniah 3:17 -- The Lord your God in you midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

Remember the song "Amazed"? He dances over us, rejoicing over us with singing. He quiets us with His love -- when you are embraced in His amazing love, you will just be in awe, without the need to say anything at all.

John 14:1, 27 -- Let not your hearts be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me... Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you, Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

Phil 4:7 (Amplified) -- And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 23 (Amplified)

     ¹THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.

    ²He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.

    ³He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake.

    ⁴Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.

    ⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.

    ⁶Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.

Psalm 84:11 -- For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Rom 5: 1-5 -- Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Be reminded of His great love. When we start to focus on His love, on the very Person of Jesus, when we behold His glory and grace, He sees us in faith. All the things that surround us are mere shadows in His lovely presence.

Look at Me

In one of my previous post, I have made this comment, that "There are times when you really doubted on the authenticity of what you've believed in, or how much your belief would matter now..." Blessed are you if you have never been through doubting God.

Sometimes we go through times of "valley of the shadow of death" or challenges that are so huge we think that there's no way out, or we are so short-sighted that we can't see beyond our situations. We keep feeling so trapped in our own minds, and that keeps translating into "there's no way out... there's no way out... there's no way out..." Suddenly, you doubted whether your belief would matter, because if it does, how come you're not believing in it? How come there's nothing coming to you or nothing within your spirit that causes you to rise up? How come there's no answers to your questionings?

I remember a sister-in-Christ shared her testimony to us and she ended it with these words: "Jesus said, 'Look at Me. I have all the answers and solutions to all the troubles in this world. Just look at Me, please.' " I only understood it recently.

Jesus does have all the answers in the world, He has all the solutions to every trouble, but why aren't we getting our answers? Why aren't we getting them now? I think one of the reasons is because we don't want to hear them. Although God has already answered us, we don't receive them because it didn't come the way we wanted it to come, the answer didn't satisfy our stubbornness to hold on to doubt.

Job is a very difficult book to read, because Job and his friends kept arguing for like 3/4 of the book and so by the time you reach the part where God answered him, you're like... hmmm.. whatever... There's been a lot of commentaries on the book and it's always noted that God came and answered Job not telling him that "oh My good man, it's because Satan said you will curse Me to My face if I let him make you suffer, but I know you won't, and I'm just letting all this happen so that Satan will know that you truly are a good man." God also didn't sympathize with Job and say, "oh Job, I'm so sorry that I let this happen. I know you are suffering, but it'll be over soon, don't worry. I will 'sayang' you back, double portion." God also didn't punish Satan in the end, which actually was the main cause of Job's suffering, and tell Job, "you see, this is your adversary, I'm punishing him to bring justice to you." Nope. None of the above. God just showed Job His glory and majesty, His creation, His beauty, His attributes, His works. God told Job, "Shut up and look to Me! I've got all the answers in the world, and here they are."

But was God's answer what Job wanted to hear? Did it answer the question about Job's suffering? No. But it did make Job shut up. And Job looked up to God to restore him in all that he has lost.

I was browsing at Canaanland Christian bookstore the other day and I chanced upon this book called "From Mourning to Morning". There was a chapter by Kenneth Copeland and he gave this definition on 'Rejoice'. It's actually 're-joy', to let joy restored to you, and to come to God and let Him 're-joy' you. As the author said, there's only a U difference in the words Mourning and Morning. YOU make the difference. YOU make that choice. YOU bring yourself before God and let Him 're-joy' you. YOU stop whining and look up at the Morning Star, aka Jesus.

God, help us not to be led by our emotions, but by your Holy Spirit, always looking and beholding Your beauty, so that we will receive Your beauty for ashes.

Verse to Remember:
James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

The Best is Yet to Come

Keep Your Fork -- Author Unknown


There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and was given 3 months to live. As she began getting her things 'in order', she called her pastor and asked for him to come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she wanted read, and what dress she wanted to be buried in. She also requested to be buried with her favorite Bible in her left hand.

Everything was in order and as the pastor was preparing to leave, the woman suddenly remembered one final request that was very important to her. "Please Pastor, just one more thing," she said excitedly. "Sure, what is it?" came the pastor's reply. "This is very important to me," the woman continued ... "I want to be buried holding a fork in my right hand." The pastor gazed at the woman, at a loss for words.

"That surprises you, doesn't it?" the woman asked. The pastor replied "Well to be quite honest, I am puzzled by the request".

The woman explained. "You see, Pastor, in all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I remember that when the dishes were being cleared after the main course, someone would inevitably lean over to me and say, 'Keep your fork' ... it was my favorite part of the meal because I knew that something better was coming, like velvety chocolate cake or deep dish apple pie. Something wonderful to end the meal!"

The pastor listened intently and a smile came upon his face. The woman continued, "So, I just want people to see me there with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder ... 'What's with the fork?'... then I want you to tell them: "Keep your Fork ... the best is yet to come".

The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the woman good-bye. He knew that this would be one of the last times that he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the woman had a better grasp of Heaven than he did.

She knew and trusted that the best was yet to come. At the funeral, everyone who walked by the woman's casket saw her wearing a beautiful dress with her favorite Bible held in her left hand and a fork held in her right hand.

Over and over the pastor heard people ask the question, "Why is she holding a fork?" and his smile began to get larger and brighter each time.

During his message, the pastor told the people about the conversation that he had with the woman shortly before she died. He explained the fork and what it symbolized to her. The Pastor told everyone how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.

Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us. Show your friends how much you care. Remember to always be there for them, even when you need them more. For you never know when it may be their time to "Keep your fork."

Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share... being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.

Quote to remember:
Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind. -- C. S. Lewis

Reaping What You Sow

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony
If you plant hard work, you will reap success
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.
But...
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation
If you plant greed, you will reap loss
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt
So be careful of what you plant now,
it will determine what you will reap tomorrow.

Verse to Remember:

Matthew 7:12 "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

Luke 6:13 "And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise."

Proverbs 18:12 "Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honour is humility."

Narnia: The Silver Chair (1)

I've just finished reading the 6th book, Narnia: The Silver Chair. Love it! There are many defining moments in the book -- the most of all the books, I feel. Right from the start, there is just the message of God's nature and Spirit there. I shall comment on all the defining moments separately. So here's one:

At the climax of the story, Eustace, Jill and Puddleglum rescue Prince Rilian from the Lady of the Green Kirtle's spells. But just as they planned to escape from the Underland, the Lady returns and tries to bewitch them all into forgetting who they are and where they are from. It was quite a long struggle, until Puddleglum stamps out the enchantress's magical fire with his bare feet and breaks her spell.

Then he said to the enraged enchantress:

"One word, Ma'am," he said, coming back from the fire; limping, because of the pain. "One word. All you've been saying is quite right, I shouldn't wonder. I'm a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won't deny any of what you said. But there's one thing more to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things - trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a playworld which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play-world. I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we're leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland. Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that's a small loss if the world's as dull a place as you say."

Satan does the same today in our lives. He lies that this world is no more than it is, that there isn't anything higher than this world, there isn't a spiritual world. He doesn't want people to believe in God, even better if you believe in false gods. He even deceives Christians so that we pursue things of this world and hold on to them so tightly that we forget about God.

But truly, Puddleglum has strike a point: if there isn't anything higher that we ought to pursue, if heaven is just a made-up idea, if there is no God -- then it's just a small loss that we pursue all these 'imaginations' with our lives, since this world is not going to become any better than it is now.

Someone once said that by probability, it is true that either heaven is real, or it isn't. The fact remains that we will only find out the answer when we die. If we believe that heaven is real, but it turns out that it isn't, then it would be but a small loss, because whether or not you have believed, the outcome is the same, no one goes to heaven.

However, if we don't believe heaven is real, but the final truth reveals that it is, then we would be the more foolish one because we have been pursuing what is unreal for a whole life, when we could have done otherwise. And the unbelief will watch in regret and despair as the believers enter heaven while they are left out.

This world will fail and it will not last. Verse to Remember:

Col 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on
the earth.

Footprints in the Sand

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.

For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it:

"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied: "My son, my precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

Deut 31:8 "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."