They arrived!

A month ago, I purchased ten Bibles and shipped them to Nigeria to help a Christian brother out.  I blogged about it and shared how hard it was for me to do so.

The Bibles took a month to get to Nigeria.  Since I ordered it, I often wondered if they would get there.  Because you never know if they shipped it to the wrong place.  Or hold up in customs.

As I continued to live my busy life in Singapore, this morning I received a pleasant email....

Dear Brother Cliff, 

Greetings in Jesus name. I am happy to let you know that the bibles you sent have arrived. What a great Joy! They are very precious types.  I am short of words but I want to tell you that this bibles are greatly appreciated. We paid some charges to collect them. God is aware of this great service and hand of fellowship you have extended to us and great is your blessings. Tears of joy flows out of my eyes as I opened and saw the wonderful bibles. I wish I could see you face to face to shake your hands but I know we shall meet in Heaven if not here on earth. We spent much time interceding for you and your church yesterday evening in our evening Bible Study. We are greatly blessed, Glory to God! 

The brother was thankful and grateful.  He shared about his ministry and helping Muslim neighbors (despite some other churches don't want to help the Muslims as they killed Christians).  Yet because of Jesus said, you shall love your neighbours as yourself, the brother and his church continued to offer help in cleaning up debris after the flood.

To love our neighbors.  Here comes a bit of a rant.  Or frustrations at times.  We talked about it.  But how often we love those who are our friends. Last Sun, the preacher shared if you can't even love those who love you, there's something wrong with you.  We shouldn't get a medal or an award because we love those who love us.  That's just normal.  He went on preaching about to love those who are marginalize and who you do not really care.

And this message, I also preach often when I shared.   Back in my church in Canada, I often told the kids to love those who hate them.  Like those who bully them at school.  Or the person in class that no one wanted to talk to.  Yes, we can make up excuses and say it is hard and sometimes, consciously or unconsciously, disobey what Jesus taught.

But reading this brother's email.  Where he live so far away from me, brought me much encouragement and hope.  To which I wrote a heartfelt email back:

Hi Brother,

Praise the Lord for He provides more than abundance in what I need. I am so happy and joyful to get up this morning and read your email.  To hear that you receive the Bibles make me joyful. I pray that you will continue to strengthen the brethens around you as you teach them the Word of Truth and obey them in everything in Christ. I am so thankful to be part of this and to help your ministry grow.  I do not think I am special in this manner, as I struggle whether or not to buy the Bibles.  Then I realize this is a worthy investment.  Since I ordered the Bible last month, I often wonder when it will arrive and whether you will receive them. I am glad you have them in your hands. 

I thank you for sharing how your church love your Muslim neighbors and helped them in their needs. I, too, advocate and preach to love our enemies and to bless them.  As Jesus has said in Matthew 5:43-48.   Of course, this is not easily done. But our lives, living in the Kingdom of Heaven, is to act to bring the Good News. And yes, many will focus mainly within the church.  Those of us who see the greatness of His Kingdom will be able to open our eyes and our hearts to see those who are in need and reach those who Jesus desire to reach. 

I hope this will encourage you to continue to live in His Faith and by His Grace, strengthen you in all that you need. I, too, in Singapore, reach those who are marginalize and those who are on the outskirt of society.  Not because I am qualify to do so.  But because Jesus commanded us to go and seek the lost, preach the Good News and restore them back to Him. 

You never know if I will come and visit you. My girlfriend (soon to be my wife as we are getting marry later this year) have a big heart for Africa.  The church I attend to have a ministry in Uganda as well.  Who knows, maybe in the future, I will come and see you. 

Take care and God bless!!

Read the Word.  Live on them.  Then preach others to follow Him.

Ten Bibles and Seeking His Kingdom

Earlier this year, an email came into my inbox...

Greetings in Jesus name,

May this letter find you blessed in Christ. I am writing from West Africa and it is a blessing getting to you in the other part of the world. It is my prayer that you become a friend of me and the local church here.  I got your email when I surfed into the web site and I know that it is God’s arrangement......

It came from a pastor in Nigeria asking for Bibles.   To be honest, I am more skeptical than willing to help at the beginning.  I am busy. I have to settle down in Singapore. I am calling to do this role in OMF.  I have other ministries I am part of.  Plus, I am living off nothing.  Where do I find money to ship Bibles to Nigeria?  Isn't that expensive to ship there?

So a few weeks go by.  I put this email in the back burner.  Got to do this. Got to do that.....

And a few more weeks go by.  I check my Gmail and the email is always there. Sitting.  Waiting.

If you search 'Nigeria bible' in Google, you will find the following:

Scams.  What? What if he is trying to scam me?   I need to protect myself.

After some contemplation, I decided to try and see a way to send Bibles over.  I figure even if this is a scam, it is just Bibles.  Someone can put into a good use and others can be saved.  

And money,  it might be expensive to ship over.  Money can be saved for wedding or other use.  But here we are talking about investing in His Kingdom. 

Isn't that what Jesus said in Matthew 6:33?  First seek His Kingdom.  Don't worry about food, clothing, the daily living.  Don't even worry about money.  

I tried ChristianBook.com.  They have the Bibles but they don't ship to Nigeria.  Then I tried Amazon.  They have the Bibles and they do ship to Nigeria!  Great.

So with much enthusiasm and joy, I ordered ten KJV Giant Print Bibles.

Yesterday, I received a shipping confirmation from Amazon.

It costs about $6/Bible for shipping.

It comes out to about $200.  

Perhaps it is from Francis Chan recent sermons (this one and this one) on how we should be living out what the Bible says, I don't think what I done as anything great. I am merely just doing what the Bible teaches.  When someone asks for help, you give.  Those who have give to those who needs.

This post is a more sober reflection of my own heart, I should have just sent it much earlier.  

As I was reflecting my lack of response this morning, I sent a SMS to my girlfriend.

Remember the two hundred dollars for the Bible.....that cost me something....a faith without cost is no faith at all.  I hope that I learn to have more faith. ...the way to have more faith is to give more (or cost more)...money, things and ultimately life.    

Those who follow me will have to die n take up their cross.
For those who want to keep their lives will die...those who give up their lives for His sake shall live. (ala Matthew 16:25)

I am praying for my brother in Nigeria for the Bibles to get to him so he can share it with his church. 

Also need to learn to let go more.  Freely receive and freely give.

  27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 

   32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:27-36