I will risk myself on you

When Wai Jia and I planned our wedding a few months ago, we wanted to share with the world our story.  A friend introduced us a very talented videographer, Josiah Ng.

If you haven’t watched it, I hope you can take the next 13 minutes to watch the video below.  It is God’s story weaving into ours.

 

 There was a sentence at the end of the video; I will risk myself on you.

The video is a story of me risking everything to come to Singapore.  At the same time, I see a bigger dimension of risk.  It is God’s risking Himself, His Son, onto the world (John 3:16).

It is the Father saying …

Cliff, I risk my very own son to come to save you.  He is my beloved. He has to come to earth and to die on the cross to save you.  

Wow.  Our God is a risk-taking God.   He takes huge risks to save those who rebel against Him.  And I am still in-awe.  All the things happened within the past year since I left Canada, it is all from Him.  He provided a way to Singapore.  He provided the provision for the wedding.  He provided a Josiah to help us.  It is all Him.  What this means is that He is trust worthy.  Even right now, Wai Jia and I don't know our future.  We can have peace because we know He is faithful.


In the Old Testament, whenever God did something great, the Israelite would build a landmark to commemorate God’s faithfulness and remembered His goodness.   Like in Joshua 4:4-9, the Israelite placed twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan to remember it was the Lord who stopped the river so they could cross.   And this wedding, it is a landmark in my life of God’s provision and His Guidance.

Note: I've been meaning to write a blog post on our wedding.  Very sorry!  I've been busy with settling down ever since our very special day :)))  Will post it soon!

Marriage Vow

I promise to love you, to comfort you, to honor and protect you, forsaking all others and remain faithful to you for as long as both of us shall live. 

I acknowledge you, Tan Wai Jia, to be my wife, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and honour, according to God's Holy Law and this is my solemn vow. 

I give you this ring as a symbol of our marriage, with my body I honour you, with all that I am, I give to you, with all that I have, I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

This is not cut and paste. I spent the past few days memorizing this.  We decided to memorize the wedding vow because we both believe this is important.

And I never realize how serious this is until a brother prayed for me a few days ago in which he said,

"Pray for Cliff as he will be making a vow before You, Holy One.  How can a mere man make a vow before You."

What's a vow?  Didn't Jesus says don't make a vow or swear before Heaven?  I don't want to get too deep into analyzing this (at this not in this post).

For me, a vow, is made before the Lord a promise that you will do in His Name and for His Glory.  It is serious because it is a contract in which I made with the Lord.  It is almost like a covenant.

The only other time I made a similar promise like a marriage vow was in Dec 25, 2007 when I signed a contract with the Lord that I will seek Him first in everything I do.  It was a declaration that my life belongs to Him. I am heading my life over.   I no longer belong to myself.  He's my witness.  He's also the one I am making the contract with.  This is like a covenant. Except that a covenant is an agreement God made with man (not vice versa).

The instant I signed the contract, I was scared.  I was scared because I know there will be moment when I am weak and I will want to back out.  Then God will throw the contract in my face and tells me, "Look, Cliff. I keep my end of the bargain.  Why are you not keeping yours?"

You might think, Cliff, isn't it better not to make a promise you can't keep? Don't you feel trap?  God never ask us to sign anything.  We should live freely and enjoy all His Blessings.

This is an incorrect way in  following God. The contract I signed, though at times it is painful, it helped me laid a stronger foundation to seek Him and follow Him.  The reality is that I am not strong.  There are times when I am like Jonah. I want to run away. I want to live my own life. I want to be independent. I want to be happy. I love stuff.  I want to dictate how I live and how I serve.  In another words, I don't want to be a disciple.  I want to be disobedient.

It is exactly because of this contract, I am reminded and re-evaluate those situation where I have to make a choice to seek Him or not.  And this contract helped me walk His ways.  Not mine.

I am not here advocating every Christian must make a vow or a contract with God.  But I am here to say if we are to say we follow Jesus (aka being a Christian), then we better walk the talk.  If we are to walk, we better surrendering everything.  Everything means everything.  It means our lives.

I looked at John Piper, Tim Keller and D A Carson in this article about marriage vow and is encouraged.  These great role models of faith shared the vow kept their marriage strong.

In a few days (27th October), I will be standing before my family, before my friends, before the church, before the Holy One, and make a declaration that I will love, cherish and honor my wife to be.  Like the contract that sustained my walk with Christ.  This declaration will sustain our love and our marriage.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer told a young couple about to enter into holy matrimony: “It is not your love that sustains the marriage, but from now on, the marriage that sustains your love.”

God's Will for whose life now?

This post is a thinking and a reflection....

For the past few months, a few brothers and sisters, sometimes during praying times and sometimes during fellowship, will share they like to know what's God's Will for their lives.

After doing daily devotions from Oswald Chamber's My Utmost for His Highest, it dawn on me that Oswald will often reflect that the very circumstance that we find ourselves in is the event where God wants us to be at.

This might be mundane work at 9-5.
This might be boring school classes everyday with exam at the end.

Sometimes we have a deep thinking or a desire that God will miraculously place some super burden in our heart and we will go on this magical journey of mission (maybe some where in Africa where we see miracles everyday or see conversion everyday).

And many of us don't.  We work everyday, 9-5, go home, do our own thing (or school everyday if you are a student).

The reality is not that God is not with us.  It is more likely that we do not see that God is among us working in the most ordinary way.   God is ordinary?  How can that be?  Well, Jesus was born as a baby in a manger.  He gets tired from travelling.  He does not bring fourth all his heavenly authority and might against the Pharisees.

When we are transform, or being born again, we see with a new set of lens.  We see that God is dwelling among us.  We see His presence in everything we do.  In work, in dealing with tough customers, in being treated unfair, in grocery shopping etc.

This does not justify that a born again Christian remain the same as if they are like their earthly neighbours who do not know Jesus and live an ordinary.  No, a Christian transform by the God's Grace, will transform his (or her) influence to Kingdom values.

God's Will for my life does not wait until God implant a grand scheme or vision before we start. It starts by us seeking earnestly in the simple and ordinary life that we live. Through this deep desire to seek His Kingdom first (Matthew 6:33 anyone?) we will see God dwelling among  us.  We will see and be joyful in His Kingdom to come.  

Why do we have to die to get to heaven?

D asked me this question...

Why do we have to die in order to get to heaven? Why do we have to die in order to attain a good life?

I stopped eating my pho, put my chop sticks down, looked squarely into D's eyes in which I replied....

You are asking the wrong question.  The question we should all be asking to ourselves is why do God willing to let His Son died for us to get to heaven?  

Then I go on explaining God's Grace.  Ridiculous Grace.  As Tim Keller called it, the Prodigal God (Prodigal meaning someone who spends recklessly, freely, extravagant).

This is how we are saved.

Though pho might not be spiritual food....I am thankful for a spiritual conversation among a Vietnamese dish!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Chat: Workmanship

A chat with a non believer yesterday.  We were talking about my liver transplant and my triathlon story.

This morning I was reading Ephesians for my devotion.  All I can focus on is God's Workmanship

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:8-10

J: No.. you didn't go risking your life.. u trained hard to keep your body healthy
 
that's all u too
 
u could have been like the other unvi. peeps and drink till the cows came home
 
but you choose not to

me: ...who said i didn't :)
 
i got drunk a lot in university

J: hahhaa.... oh u did

me: it is not like i chose a liver
 
or i heal myself
 
i am more of a witness....like a observer than a participant

J: lol I highly doubt that

me: so i can't really take much effort for my part

J: do you eat lots of junk food.. does that put a strain on the liver too?

me: b/c my part is so minute..compare to what's everything that's ahppening
 
yup!
 
i see more Him working in me.than me working in me
 
i didn't pick the hospital..i didn't choose to come to canada
 
or the doc ...and his team
 
or the care..
 
etc etc....
 
or the organ :o

J: no

me: so i think..it is more of a miracle..
 
compare to my triathlon.....i think the operation is much cooler...

Repost: Eat Pig Slop

A repost from Hagar International.

My parents used to make me eat pig slop. You might wonder what pig slop tastes like, but it's not as bad as it sounds. To be honest, I got used to it. But what was worse was when my parents would yell at me. Or they'd hit me. Or they would dip my clothes in pig manure because I wanted to take a school exam. That hurt a lot. Because eating pig slop is nothing really, lots of people eat worse things. What's worse is my parents treated me like a pig - like an animal - for years.

I pray that Thi will realize that there is heavenly Father that cares for her, treats her as one of His own and will never abandon her.

Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father. 

      "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."

Luke 15:15-20

God doesn't need me

Something I've been mulling over.

I come to a conclusion that God doesn't need me to run His church.
God doesn't need my skills, talents, expertise, resources for His ministry.

If there is something that needs to be done, God can do it with or without me, regardless.

...

At the thought of this, it humbles me....(granted, one ain't really humble when they admit they are humble).  It changes my thinking that the church doesn't need me.  And in times when I have negative feelings toward the church (the organization, building, people etc...), I am greatly reminded that no one, no brothers and sisters, owns me anything.  Not even God.

He calls me to come to serve.  That's what the word, deacon, stands for.  To serve.

And to serve.

A role to serve is a privilege.  Not a right.

....

Good reminder indeed.

God doesn't need me.
God doesn't require me to do many things (or anything).
God can make things happen with or without me.
Yet, He is so caring to give me a role in His ministry....

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 1:12-14

[Side note: Notice Paul wrote he is shown mercy because he acted in ignorance and unbelief.  Mercy, in this case, is shown to those who are wrong.  Is shown because he was wrong...]

God is...

Some ideas from reading an interview of Tim Chester on his book, You Can Change.


In one of the questions, he mentioned that God is great, God is glorious, Good is good and God is gracious.  These are some of the common characteristics of God which as a Christian I learnt quite often at church, fellowship, Bible Study and Sunday School.


What I enjoyed reading from this interview is that Tim took it one step further.  He stated one of God's characters and how it should impact the way we live.

• God is great – so we don’t have to be in control
•  God is glorious – so we don’t have to fear others
•  God is good – so we don’t have to look elsewhere
•  God is gracious – so we don’t have to prove ourselves

This is something I had been discerning about.  Often I see we talk about these features..yet not able to apply them into our lives.  Or do not find them relevant to us everyday.  Yes God is great and He is in control but on Monday I have to get up early to work and have many projects to do and I am not sure if I can finish all of them......

Perhaps a better way to look at it is..yes God is good and He is in control.  On Monday, no matter how much projects are coming down the pipe, He is still in control. Thus, I shouldn't worry as He is the one who will be in charge of these projects....

...hmmm....ok..need to brush my teeth and head to work :)))

Minding God's Business

I still keep in touch with my university friends.  We meet up once in a while.

One of us is getting married.  She is the first one from the group.  All of us were very excited.  We asked a lot of questions and a lot of laughs over sushi tonight.

On the way back home, I was talking with a friend how lately I felt like God is preparing me for something and it is related to my work experience.  As such, there is a heighten sense of professionalism in what I do.  Be more proactive in matters.  Don't be sloppy. Finish well and polish everything.  Fix the problem and not the symptom. Take that extra effort to organize things and wrap it up.  Continue to learn even when I am swamped and overwhelm.

I read a story about a cobbler asking Martin Luther what to do after converting to Christianity...the story goes like this:

The story is sometimes told of a cobbler who was converted to Christianity came to Martin Luther and full of zeal for the faith asked him, “What should I do now that I’m Christian instead of being just a cobbler?” Luther asked him, “Are you a good cobbler?” The man reportedly replied, “oh yes Herr Luther, people say I’m one of the best!” To which Martin Luther replied “Then be a cobbler to the Glory of God!” 

(Source) 

I am reminded of Luke 3:11-14 when John the Baptist started his ministry.  As the crowd gathered, he gave practical advices to two group of people.

And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?"

And he said to them, "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to."

Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, "And what about us, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages."

===

Side Note: I am surprised to see the tax collectors are getting baptized.  The Jews considered them as traitors and sell out.  The reason is the tax collectors were Jews who worked for the Roman empire.   Pharisees, to keep themselves pure, never wanted to deal with them.  The tax collectors were 'sinners'.  Dirty people.  Certain Jewish Sect would kill them for betraying their own people.

===

Anyways, the point I like to make is that the two groups asked John what to do, John gave them advices revolving around their work (also how they live as well).

The first group is the tax collectors, he told them:

"Collect no more than what you have been ordered to."

The second group is the soldiers, he said:

"Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages."

John didn't told them to go give all their belongings to the temple or a religious ritual (like...going to Sunday School, go to church more often, go to prayer meeting, join a fellowship etc....) He emphasized on working fairly and don't cheat the system.  All for the Glory of God.

This is where I want to focus on.  I work for my supervisor and also work for a higher boss, my Lord.  This is a job that God place me and craft me with the skill set to perform this role. As such, I have to strive to work as hard as I can and the best that I can (this is not a reason to over work).

Back in the university days, I love reading about successful people who started their own companies.  Michael Dell, Jack Welsh, Bill Gates, Sam Walton...I admire their passion and their entrepreneurial spirit.  Though, I never consider myself as an entrepreneur.  I don't think I make a great business person because I never very good at managing numbers and making a profit.  I can sense God is bringing these experiences and lessons back.

When I read about Hagar International how they create jobs in Cambodia for abused women and teach them how to make a living through businesses they started, that got me very excited.  Business can be a good  (Godly) thing.  I lose sight of that when we are bombarded with corporate greed and unethical behavior.  I am ever encouraged to see an organization using business to combat poverty and transform a community.

And so here I am at my work.  Learn Internet Marketing.  Learn product management.  Working with clients and suppliers.  All these are training ground for my future ministry.  All will be done for the Glory of God!!

AMEN!

The Book of Job: Settings and Introduction

In light of what's going on in my life, I decided to pour over the Book of Job. It is wonder how I started reading this book in my meditation. There is struggles I am going through right now and there are many Scriptures I can select for discernment. Heh, of all the passages I choose, I choose this book to discern...

Last Monday, I posted the song, Blessed Be Your Name. The title of this worship song is taken from Job 1:21:

He said,

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,

And naked I shall return there

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.

Blessed be the name of the LORD."

This is Job's response when he found out all that he has is taken away. How can a person say to Bless the name of God in his situation? What is the book of Job all about? Why did God took all that he had? Was it simply a trial? Did Job committed any sin? Did Job's friends committed sin? If so, what were they and why was God so angry at them?

Lastly, more importantly, what can we know about God and His character...hmmm

I heard the Sunday School answers before and read the wiki. Granted they are probably the real answers. But I ain't satisfying in just 'knowing' the answer. I want to go through the Scriptures. Dig around. Observe. Digest. Consume. Reflect. Feed them against my own perception on who God is. Refine me.

I find this book to be extremely refreshing. When I led fellowship and were studying this book, I thought it was hard. So much words and long boring dialog! Perhaps it is only after going through struggles did I ever appreciate this book. Those suffering that Job has to go through...hmm...it hurts! Yet the book is so attractive...

This post and a series of posts will be my digging and my thinking in digesting book of Job. I love the way the conversation flows between Job and his friends. They are poetic, full of imagery and extremely beautiful. As my friend said, this is very well crafted. Artistic as its best!

This post will set as an introduction of the story of Job. The first few chapters will set the stage for the rest of the book. I do not recommend to read book of Job like one or two chapters a day. You will miss out. The format of the book is more like a play. It makes more sense to read in sections of conversations. For a breakdown on how the structure of the book is breakdown, go to the wiki.

Ok...so let's start digging around. I pray that God will reveal to me what book of Job is all about. May it not just enter my head but changed my heart. Transform it so I can bless His Name even when darkness crashes in.

Note: This is my interpretation of the book of Job. So there might be certain aspect of my interpretation that is out of context. My scope is within the book of Job and will not bring in Scriptures and texts outside of this book. The objective is to learn how to read the Bible as is. The lesson lies not in the lesson as an end product. Rather it is the preparation of the lesson which will deepen my relationship with God.

Who is Job?

The author stated clearly that Job was a Godly man. He was described as blameless, upright, fear God and turn away from evil (Job 1:1). He is also a rich man, has a lot of possessions and consider to be the greatest of all the men of the east (Job 1:3).

He also Godly in his desire to please God. When his sons and daughters hold a party, Job will always sacrifice to the Lord afterwards.

When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, "Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.

(Job 1:5)

Why? Just because maybe his children might sinned and cursed God in their hearts. I say maybe because the author used the word, perhaps. Job didn't even know for sure but just in case his kids were sinning against God, he would offer sacrifice on their behalf. Not only that, he did it continually (often) . He also sacrificed early in the morning, a sign that he was serious about this and would offered the best to the Lord (or else he won't rise up early).

For Job, this was no small manner. He feared the Lord and would stop at nothing to offer the best to Him to consecrate for the sins his kids MIGHT have done.

Who else consider Job as worthy? The Lord. In His first conversation with Satan, the Lord told Satan to considered Job because...

"...For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil." (Job 1:8)

The Lord confirmed what the author described Job.

We see Satan challenging the Lord in verse 1:10. And already we see God is at work.

Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. (Job 1:10)

Satan is saying that it is the Lord who protected Job and all that he has. Not only that God is the one who blessed Job and made him rich in possessions.

Lesson? Lord is the one that provides!

Not only that, Satan challenges the Lord to see put His hand on Job and touch all that he has and see if Job will curse the Lord (Job 1:11).

Second lesson? God can take away just as much as He provides.

In the next few verses, God let Satan to put his hands on Job....when the 'calamities' hit Job, it took everything from him.

In the intro, the author told us that Job owned the following in verse 3:

- 7,000 sheep

- 3,000 camels

- 500 yoke of oxen

- 500 female donkeys

- many servants

- sons and daughters

From Job 1:13 - 19, we see that everything Job had was taken away from him.

1. First strike (Job 1:13-14), his donkeys, oxens, and servants were taken away
2. Second strike (Job 1:15-16), his sheep and servants were consumed by 'fire of God'. I quoted fire of God because the servant assumed it was from God (not Satan..hmm)
3. Third strike (Job 1:16-17), camels and servants were gone.
4. Last strike (Job 1:18-19), sons and daughters killed.

How did Job response?

Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.

(Job 1:20)

I highlighted worshiped because this was least expected. How can Job worship at a time when everything he owned was gone. Even he thinks it is the Lord who is at work (not Satan working) in his response....

He said,

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,

And naked I shall return there

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.

Blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21)

The author likes to add that despite all these 'calamities' or trials....Job did not sin or blame God (Job 1:22). This is important because we see all the attributes that described Job (blameless, upright, fear God, turn away from evil etc) shown in his actions and in his refusal to sin or blame God. Job recognized that everything was given by God because he was born with nothing.

And we also see a picture that Job and his servants think it is the Lord, God, at work and not Satan. I like to highlight this because it just to show a few things. First, it shows that the people thinks God is at work. Second, it is to show that even Satan has to asks God to touch him. Satan first suggests God to touch Job, not to do it himself (Job 1:11).

What does this mean? This is the sovereignty of God. Not even Satan can take action without God approval. He is always always in control.

Enough for tonight...more to come!

Book of Job

"This book is tough" - I said that a few years ago when I was leading Fellowship and we decided to tackle this book.

Since I led then till now, my perspective on the book of Job changed...

A few things book of Job is not about:

- it ain't about Job getting twice as much stuff after he suffered (we can discount..oh if I suffer b/c of God, He will provide me more rewards)

- it ain't about his friends who accuse him for sinning (though we see often in human nature)

- it ain't even about asking why Job has to suffer and how we can avoid suffering if we can learn from what Job did right and wrong

It simply it is about the Sovereignty of God. I need to read the book again.

Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

(Job 42:3b)

Seek the Lord..

Yesterday at Sunday School we were studying the passage Acts 13:1-3:

In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

It is interesting to see that they worshiped and fasted first then the Holy Spirit directed them who to send. The church in Antioch didn't chose Saul and Barnabas and then asked Holy Spirit to bless them. No, they waited. They seek the Lord first.

It is vastly contrast compare to most often when I pray I already have an agenda in my head.

Lord, I want this, this is my plan. It is for Your Will. So let me pray and can You bless this?

How's the Lord, the Sovereign God, the creator of the whole universe, the one who breathe life into me. Who already know of my name before I was born. Know me so intimately, different than a genie in a bottle?

When Tim Keller, in his sermons on the Prodigal Son, he mentioned that to believe and have faith is to follow the Lord regardless He answers our prayers or not. I come to seek the Father, not the things He provides.

Going back to the previous post....

He gives and takes away.

Still I choose to say...

blessed be Your Name!!

On a side note....right after Sun School, I remembered the time when I was looking for a job and the times where instead of passing out resume, I went to park and just pray. To seek Him. And He answers and provided.

How often I forgot about those times when He answers :)

Father, I come with no agenda. Nothing in my hand. I do not know what to do. There is much in my heart of desire and want. I count all those as a loss compare to knowing You. I choose where You want me to go. Even if You take everything away, I still choose You.

May the words I say, the actions I take and the life I live bring joy to Your eyes.

Job in replying to the Lord in Job 42:1-6....

I know that you can do all things;

no plan of yours can be thwarted.

You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'

Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,

things too wonderful for me to know.

You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak;

I will question you,

and you shall answer me.'

My ears had heard of you

but now my eyes have seen you.

Therefore I despise myself

and repent in dust and ashes."

A promise of God's Grace: A Prodigal God

I've been listening to Tim Keller's sermons on the Prodigal Son (Luke 15) for the past week. Today I loaded all of them up on my dad's iPod Shuffle (I am testing it for him :P) and hit the trails.

One of Tim's sermons was entitled, The True Older Brother (Luke 15:17-32).

To give a quick background of the parable, the older brother represents the Pharisees. Tim then pointed out that Jesus is speaking to his enemies (the Pharisees).

This is a transcript taken at around 26 min mark in the sermon:

The very end of this story is wonderful....because we don't just see the father pleading to his older son. We see Jesus Christ pleading with his enemies....to the people who are going to kill Him...and what does He do?

Does He say, 'you bast**d!'

Does he scream at them? Does he yell at them?

Listen to it, 'my son, my child. I know you try hard. I know you work very hard.

On the one hand, this parable is a punch between the eye.

You don't understand the very purpose of the Father. You think you are close to God.

Don't you understand everybody lost here. You have good people lost and bad people lost. Everyone is lost....

He is not pulling any punches. Yet He is so tender. He is so patient.

.....

Jesus didn't fight back. Just like the father react to the older brother in the parable, He pleaded with them. He asked them to come back.

And who else are Jesus' enemies? You and I.

Tim brought Romans 5:8-10

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Then it dawned on me. I can recall those times when I was the older brother. The smugness of being a Christian. Looking down at those who do not know the Lord. Or at church, looking down at others because they aren't 'strong' Christian. Or using my Bible knowledge to shot someone down to boost my pride. Asking the Lord, why is this person getting xyz when I have been so faithful.

Oh the anger of the older brother. The fury of the older brother. The rebellion nature of the older brother. I was there. I've been there.

And yet, what did Jesus do to me? He didn't scold me. Nor did He punished me. He didn't even struck me down. He didn't ask for me to pay Him back (not that I can). He was gentle. He was patient. He pleaded with me. He even gave me ministry for His Will.

What did the father say to the older son in the Parable?

..you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.. (Luke 15:31b)

Everything the Father has is mine. Wow. Materially I might not have much. But this is the heavenly Father we are speaking. The glorious riches that is hidden in the eyes of this world.

And really at the end of the day, what do I really seek...the reconciliation of a broken relationship with the Father. And Jesus already mend that. He mended it on the cross.

And here's the ironic twist. For God to reconcile us, His enemies, back to fellowship with Him, He had to severed the relationship with His very own Son:

Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)

When I heard that, I was filled with tears.

How can a God be so generous for the younger brother and the older brother?

It took one righteous man to die for the unrighteous. A innocent lamb has to be slain for the guilt of the world.

And I have the privilege of being in a relationship with a Father that have so much grace, it overflows.

At the sight of the Cross, I see my sins that cause Jesus to bleed and die such a humiliating death.

I cry.

Because there is no other way.

At the sight of the Cross, I see a reckless God that is willing to do anything and everything to bring me back to Him.

I rejoice.

Because He considered me more worthy than all the stars in the universe.

And who am I to deserve such riches beyond comprehension!

Humiliation and affirmation on the cross..nothing else!

A Creative God at play

D is a 70 yr old man that live in Mississauga. He is a competitive rower and since I am a triathlete, we have a lot in common in regards to racing and competition.

D is unemployed, struggling to pay bills and has family problems as well.

Through the years of hanging out with him, it is cool to see God working in his life. I remembered him asking me who Christians are how they are diff than Catholics. He frequents a fellowship at a Baptist church. One of his students invited him to go to a church. So God is working. No question about that.

I had been taking courses at Mac Div on a part time basis. I have to write papers and my grammar is horrible (you can tell by my posts :DDD). D use to be an English teacher, I asked him to proof read my papers. I paid D for it. Afterall, work is work.

While having pho tonight and chatting about some of his life problems, it dawned on me at how creative God is working among all this.

Look at the situation. He needed money and do not know God. I needed someone to edit my grammar ridden errors papers for seminary. I was given the opportunity to connect two and two together.

Now he get some money (for work, no charity case here) and my paper is a witness to who God is. I prayed that God can use this process to work on D's heart.

D added this in my paper:

Your experiences are gratifying I would think now you can put all this to future use in helping others, something you do well at and I'm sure will excel at in the future.

Your friend D

Thanx 4 being a part of my life

...

This is an example of a Creative God at play. I never planned this from the beginning. God worked through me without realizing it. Is ok. I am just a tool anyways. I was merely a spectator caught at the glimpse of a God not only going after the lost but also provide an avenue to reduce poverty. Praise the LORD!

D told me he had been reading about Hannah and the birth of Samuel...awesome!! :)

Remember the Lord Your God

Yesterday at Sun School I was teaching about Moses.

I ended off with telling the class that the people grumble a lot because they lost sight of who God is.

Moses' advice is to remember the Lord your God. The One who took you out of Egypt.

I relate this to my own life. How often I grumble about life when I should remembered what the Lord had done in my life.

Liver transplant, triathlon, Ironman...I can go on and on. I am not even talk about Salvation!!!

And so yesterday, I was riding my bike. All I remember is the Lord our God. The One who gave me a liver so I can live. The One who helped me when I was struggling with paying bills a few years ago when I got into a bike accident. The God that is loving kindness who did not let go of me when I run as far away from Him as possible.

AMEN!

Hope from the One who won't forsake

13 For I am the LORD, your God,

who takes hold of your right hand

and says to you, Do not fear;

I will help you.

14 Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob,

O little Israel,

for I myself will help you," declares the LORD,

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

...

17 "The poor and needy search for water,

but there is none;

their tongues are parched with thirst.

But I the LORD will answer them;

I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

18 I will make rivers flow on barren heights,

and springs within the valleys.

I will turn the desert into pools of water,

and the parched ground into springs.

19 I will put in the desert

the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.

I will set pines in the wasteland,

the fir and the cypress together,

Isaiah 41:13-19 NASB

A while ago, I told a friend that the ministry God has given me brought me the most joy and sorrow at the same time. Despite the end of year, Christmas and the holidays, there is a hole in my heart. Looking at Mississauga, a city of 700,000 and growing. And my guess that only 100,000 Christians in this city (100 churches with an average of 100 members). That means 6 out of 7 will go to hell. Indeed, this is an urgency.

Yet, where is the sense of urgency? Or am I wallow in complacency which I shamefully enjoy....

So who do I turn? Who can I turn to without being a burden to them? Who can feel the anguish and the magnitude of what's going on? There is only One I know. It is the One who sent me to go in the first place.

Today I hang out with some highschool friends. As I walked back to my car, the passage of 1 Peter was very vivid. None of them know Christ and I can really see the difference in our lives. My priorities are re-oriented. It was shifting slowly when I went to church. Now after the pressing desire to go hard being a Christianity, it shifts even more.

And I smile, my actions are different and I do not feel an outcast. For I am a children of God. Elected. And I will be scattered among a stranger on this world. Though I am different and at times of weakness, I want to belong. Yet, I now experience a new Hope which will never decay or perish. And this is not something I discovered. For it was revealed through the Holy Spirit from God's faithfulness.

How can I response to such an everlasting treasure?

I smile more. Reading over Isaiah 41, He is my comforter. His promise is made a long time ago. He won't forsake me. So for what should I be afraid of? For my inheritance is permanently etched in the book of Life. For what should I be distraught? He is the God who promise those who answers to the needy and poor.

Jesus, you are worthy. For knowing You and being called by You is worth more than the gold, the accolades, the accomplishments and the social status in this world combine. And He is the Hope which I long for and seek. Cause all the other hopes...no matter how flashy and attractive they might be...simply do not measure up.

♫ Jesus you are mercy, Jesus you are justice

Jesus you are worthy that is what you are

you died alone to save me, your rose so you could raise me

you did this all to make me a chosen child of God ♫

Jesus, You are Worthy by Brenton Brown