The conclusion of the matter

The conclusion of the matter

Scripture:- Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13

Observation:- At the end of Ecclesiastes, this is the final thought and conclusion that King Solomon leaves with us. There is no point in doing anything else really except for 2 things:- Fear God and keep his commandments. This is the whole duty, the whole purpose of man and only in doing these will we be content and fulfill our purpose in life.

What does “fear God” mean? God is a God of love, who loves to gather us like a hen gathers her chicks, like a shepherd gathers his lambs. In another place, Paul writes “In perfect love, there is no fear”. Jesus also said freely “Come to Me”. Even little children came to Jesus without fear. Where then is the place of fear?

As I thought about it, I realized that of course, there is a place for love, and freely coming to God and enjoying His presence and His kindness. However, there is also a dark side to each one of us as human beings, a compulsion to sin, a desire not to walk by the Spirit but to walk by the pleasures of the flesh which we know are wrong but still desire to do. It is in that place, that the fear of God protects us and keeps us from following the wrong paths. Men without fear of God engage liberally in as many sins as they want.

The fear of God also keeps us from thinking too highly of ourselves. Job, who had felt he had been righteous enough in the sight of God was humbled and fell down in repentance when confronted by the holiness and power of God. Therefore, we need to keep the fear of God with us as a base to keep us from sin, and thinking too highly of ourselves. Nevertheless, we should not live moment to moment thinking that there is an angry God waiting to punish us which is not a true reflection at all of who God is. God is holy, yet God is loving. We need to fear Him yet love Him and draw close to Him. As we get to know Him deeper and deeper, we begin to fear less and less, but love more and more, but we should never lose our reverence and awareness of the great glory and holiness of God.

The second thing we must do is to keep God’s commandments. The people of Israel tried and failed to keep God’s commandments. It is impossible for us to keep the whole law and even when we break one commandment, we break the whole law. How then can we really, perfectly keep God’s commandments in our human weakness?

Under the new covenant of grace, Jesus has justified us by His righteousness and given us the Holy Spirit to help us live according to God’s ways. When we walk in the Spirit, we will exhibit the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Hence, we should seek the Holy Spirit every day and seek to live by Him and we will automatically keep God’s commandments.

Application: Carry the fear of God with us to turn us away from sin. Love God dearly and deeply, but also revere His holiness. Obey His commandments not by our own strength but depend on His Holy Spirit, and seek to live being constantly guided by the Holy Spirit whom Jesus gives us.

Prayer: O Lord, let me always fear and revere Your holiness yet also draw near to You in love and know You more and more. Help me seek Your Spirit that I may obey Your commandments and please You in what I do. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

Cast they bread upon the waters

Cast they bread upon the waters

Scripture:- Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. Ecclesiastes 11:1-3

Observation:- In this portion of Ecclesiastes, we see a curious series of sayings. The first part exhorts us to cast our bread on water as we will find it again after many days. What happens when we throw bread on water? The bread may float for a while, but fish of the sea or birds of the air will quickly come and feast on the bread. However, Solomon writes that after many days, bread will come back to us again. What does this mean? Won’t the bread be gone forever? However, when we look deeper, there is an underlying principle that whatever we give away to the poor will come back to us again. Later Paul taught the same “Whosoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and whosoever sows generously will also reap generously”. When we give generously to others out of a heart of compassion, God has written a law in nature, that we will also be blessed back. The Psalmist writes “Blessed is he who has regard for the weak, the Lord delivers him in times of trouble” and the Proverbs say “but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he” and “he that hath pity on the poor lends to the Lord”. Interestingly, even financial guru Robert Kiyosaki believes in the principle of the blessings associated with giving and encourages his readers to give to the poor. The blessings could very well be financial, but more importantly in other areas such as health, spiritual maturity and peace.

The second proverb exhorts us to give a portion to seven or eight, not knowing what may befall us in the future. This brings to mind Jesus’ teaching on the parable of the shrewd manager which teaches us to use our worldly wealth to gain friends for ourselves. The general teaching is the same, to be generous and help others whenever we can, as we never know when we might need help in return.

The final part gives us a picture of clouds full of rain and a falling tree. The clouds of full of rain speak of the blessings that we store up as we do good and help others. It may take some time, but eventually, the clouds will pour forth rains of blessings upon us. The direction of the falling tree also has the same meaning. If we persistently do good and give to others, our deeds will fall towards blessing, but if we do otherwise, the consequence is also likewise opposite.

Some people may point to ill that befalls good people and blessings that befalls bad people. However, like the rain in the clouds, the blessings will come to those who do good, if not in this life, then in the life to come, and the same is true vice versa.

Application: We should therefore strive to give generously and help those who are in need for this stores up blessings for us in God’s eyes. In regard to salvation, there is nothing we can or cannot do to earn it but it is only faith in Jesus Christ that can save us. However, when we base our actions and deeds in faith and belief in the Bible, we will be blessed.

Prayer: Lord, help me have faith and be generous to others just as You are so generous to me. Let my ways be helpful and giving, that I may be a good testimon

Cast they bread upon the waters

Scripture:- Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. Ecclesiastes 11:1-3

Observation:- In this portion of Ecclesiastes, we see a curious series of sayings. The first part exhorts us to cast our bread on water as we will find it again after many days. What happens when we throw bread on water? The bread may float for a while, but fish of the sea or birds of the air will quickly come and feast on the bread. However, Solomon writes that after many days, bread will come back to us again. What does this mean? Won’t the bread be gone forever? However, when we look deeper, there is an underlying principle that whatever we give away to the poor will come back to us again. Later Paul taught the same “Whosoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and whosoever sows generously will also reap generously”. When we give generously to others out of a heart of compassion, God has written a law in nature, that we will also be blessed back. The Psalmist writes “Blessed is he who has regard for the weak, the Lord delivers him in times of trouble” and the Proverbs say “but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he” and “he that hath pity on the poor lends to the Lord”. Interestingly, even financial guru Robert Kiyosaki believes in the principle of the blessings associated with giving and encourages his readers to give to the poor. The blessings could very well be financial, but more importantly in other areas such as health, spiritual maturity and peace.

The second proverb exhorts us to give a portion to seven or eight, not knowing what may befall us in the future. This brings to mind Jesus’ teaching on the parable of the shrewd manager which teaches us to use our worldly wealth to gain friends for ourselves. The general teaching is the same, to be generous and help others whenever we can, as we never know when we might need help in return.

The final part gives us a picture of clouds full of rain and a falling tree. The clouds of full of rain speak of the blessings that we store up as we do good and help others. It may take some time, but eventually, the clouds will pour forth rains of blessings upon us. The direction of the falling tree also has the same meaning. If we persistently do good and give to others, our deeds will fall towards blessing, but if we do otherwise, the consequence is also likewise opposite.

Some people may point to ill that befalls good people and blessings that befalls bad people. However, like the rain in the clouds, the blessings will come to those who do good, if not in this life, then in the life to come, and the same is true vice versa.

Application: We should therefore strive to give generously and help those who are in need for this stores up blessings for us in God’s eyes. In regard to salvation, there is nothing we can or cannot do to earn it but it is only faith in Jesus Christ that can save us. However, when we base our actions and deeds in faith and belief in the Bible, we will be blessed.

Prayer: Lord, help me have faith and be generous to others just as You are so generous to me. Let my ways be helpful and giving, that I may be a good testimony and glorify Your name. In Jesus name, Amen.

y and glorify Your name. In Jesus name, Amen.

If the iron be blunt

If the iron be blunt

Scripture: If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. Ecclesiastes 10:10

Observation: This Scripture gives us the image of a blunt iron that has not been sharpened. As a result, the user has to put in more strength than necessary. There is a simple story I heard of two woodcutters, let’s call them Dan and Sam. The first woodcutter, Dan saw that Sam was felling more trees than him consistently everyday even though Sam was smaller than him. “Perhaps he works harder”, the Dan thought, and endeavored to work as hard as possible the next few weeks. Surprisingly, no matter how hard he tried, Dan still could not match Sam. Finally in great tiredness, he gave up, and asked Sam “I don’t understand, how can you fell more trees than me every time?”. Sam shrugged his shoulders and replied “After every few trees, I stop a while to sharpen my axe.”

The moral of the story and the proverb, is that we need to sharpen our axe regularly to remain useful and efficient. But how do we sharpen our iron? I can think of three ways.

Application:

Firstly, we should spend time with those who are good in that particular area. For example, for us to grow in the Lord, we should spend time with godly brothers and sisters we look up to. Their testimony and words will enrich us and spur us on in our Christian faith. Going for conferences or reading the books of godly men and women of God also is important. As the Proverb goes, as iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens his friend. 

Secondly, we should have an attitude that always wants to learn. This does not mean we should accept everything blindly, but to be open and assess everything, expecting to learn something always, even in unexpected places.

Finally, and most importantly, we should spend some time in prayer, and commune with Jesus and reading His Word for that will really keep us sharp and useful. The Word of God is after all sharper than any two edged sword.

Prayer:

Lord, give me a heart that yearns to learn and improve all the time that I may serve you better. Lead me to friends and leaders who will teach me and draw me closer to you. Give me a heart which loves Your Word and loves to spend time with You and hear Your voice. Bless You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

Live joyfully with thy wife

Live joyfully with thy wife

Scripture: Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. Ecclesiastes 9:9-10

Observation: In these verses, King Solomon first of all exhorts men to live joyfully with their wives all the days of their lives. Secondly, whatever we do, do it with all our heart.

In examining the first part, it is curious that King Solomon who married a thousand wives should advise a man to be loyal and content with one. Amidst the throng of women that he married, it seems that King Solomon actually only loved one, perhaps the one that he wrote the Song of Songs for.

When Jesus came, the Pharisees tried to test Him, asking if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife for every cause. Jesus replied  “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” Matthew 19:4. Therefore it is God’s will that husband and wife should remain loyal and committed to one another till the end as enshrined in the wedding vow.

In many homes today, it could be hard to imagine how a husband can live joyfully with his wife when there is quarreling and anger and distrust in the home. How do we live joyfully with a spouse that is not joyful towards us? The key word in the verse is “love”. The greatest love one can show is to continue to love even when that love is not returned. Joy and love put together is not a pretense that we are always happy and ignore our hurts. Instead, it is a choice to remain positive and hopeful even in the face of negativity, anger or plain passivity.

In respect of the second part, King Solomon is asking us to inculcate an attitude of excellence in whatever we have set our heart to do. It could be our regular daily work, serving in church, housework at home or taking care of our children. The message is, since life is short, and while we have breath in our mouths, be the best that we can be.

Application:- Make it a point to work towards being joyful and loving in our marriages no matter what circumstances befalls us. In whatever we do, do it will all our heart, as to the Lord.

Prayer:- Lord, give me a heart of deep joy and love that I might always appreciate and love the one you have given me for life. In whatever I do, give me a heart of excellence, to glorify Your name in all that I do. In Jesus name, Amen. 

Some thoughts on Law and Grace

Some thoughts on Law and Grace

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel Galatians 1:6

Revisiting Galatians, it is important for us to study carefully and have a rethink of the meaning of law and grace.

1. Why did Paul write this epistle?

The Galatians after receiving the gospel of grace had been turned by evil men to again try to incorporate law into their gospel, that is a gospel of works. Paul was so incensed, he declared that cursed be the man who teaches any other gospel. But has law crept into our church today? Does our church give us a set of rules that we must read carefully and try to abide by every day? Do we feel guilty and condemned when we fail to fulfill Jesus’ commandments? Is it the law creeping in when we are asked to set rote practices– you must pray 1 hour a day, you must pray the Lord’s prayer every day, you must read 3 chapters a day, you must finish the Bible in 1 year, you cannot miss home fellowship more than 3 times a year, you must serve in 2 ministries.  Where we feel obligated to do something, and feel tired and dry in our service, there is something wrong. Our service to God must be from a free spirit, for we are free, and the Spirit of life will give us life and passion when we serve God.

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Galatians 2:16

This is a truth we must remind ourselves time and again, no matter how hard we work to serve God, we cannot be justified by what we do. We are solely justified by faith in Jesus Christ. What is faith? Simply believing in Jesus, believing that He justifies us. Jesus cleanses us of our sins, He makes us right before God. This we must believe simply, in faith and thank God. We are first saved when we believe, and that is the most important and central thing.

2. What then is the purpose of the law?

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:24-26

In explaining the purpose of the law, Paul gives the example of a schoolmaster who takes care of a child while his parents are away. However, when the child grows up and the parents return, the child is no longer subject to the schoolmaster or his rules. The child is free and destined to be an heir to his parents. Basically, Paul says we have two choices, to live as a slave that is to be under the law or to be free that is to be under grace and live by the Spirit.

3. Once we are saved, then what? Do we go back and try to follow the old law again in our own strength to keep our salvation? Does a student who has graduated go back to school again?

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ Galatians 4:6-7

No! Paul calls us to follow the new way, which is to seek the Holy Spirit constantly, to want to do what God wants. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we are essentially adopted into God’s family as His legitimate children. Our status is different now. We have God as our Father, Jesus as our Brother. We are no longer condemned, we are free of the law.

4. Are we free then to sin?

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Galatians 5:13-14

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God Galatians 5:19-21

If we receive the salvation of God and then turn back and purposely do things that are evil, Paul says clearly that we will not inherit the kingdom of God. Instead, we are called to walk in the Spirit so that we will not follow the works of the flesh.

5. How do we know we are following the Spirit?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

We look at our works, is what we are doing showing that we love God, and love our neighbor? The new way is based on a relationship between child and Father, through the Holy Spirit, with Jesus and with God the Father. As we grow in this relationship, we can look at what we do and see that its consistent with what Jesus taught us. If we follow things that are clearly wrong as stated in the Bible, we are not following the right spirit. If we are led by the Holy Spirit, we are not under law, but if we are led by another spirit, we are again under law and condemned. The Holy Spirit will lead us to do what pleases God and pleases Jesus.

6. If we are under grace and not under law, is there any point in reading the commandments of Jesus? Won’t we just automatically live rightly by following the Holy Spirit?

The establishing of the Word of God in our lives strengthens our ability to listen and follow the Holy Spirit. The Word of God is after all called the Sword of the Spirit. That’s why it is important for us to read the Word, but we must do so in faith, expecting God to speak to us.. We must have faith, we must believe that God is at work within us. We must believe that as we seek His Spirit, He will lead us to do what is right in His eyes. We need to find that place of freedom and grace and faith that the Holy Spirit calls us to.

7. Conclusion

Most of us haven’t really grasped the magnitude and the preciousness of the grace that God has given us. Grace really means undeserved favor. Imagine a beggar who is called into a home of a very rich man and told “Today, I adopt you as my son”. Once we receive Jesus, we have a new status, as a real son of God, destined to reign with Him in the future. Knowing this, we should no longer live under fear like a student being careful not to break the school laws for fear of being punished. Instead, with our new status, we should be seeking to please our Lord Jesus and our Heavenly Father by listening to the Holy Spirit that He has given us. Generally, our aim day by day is to love God and to love others. No longer fix specific rules that bind us and take away God’s grace. Live life freely, simply, believing the power of the cross, thanking God for the status He has given us and helping those we can.

May the Lord help us really understand His grace, and lift us up to live freely by the Spirit and glorify Him in faith and in freedom. God bless, Jason

Is Sorrow better than laughter?

Is Sorrow better than laughter?

Scripture:- Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth

Ecclesiastes 7:3-4

Observation: In this Scripture, King Solomon observes that sorrow is better than laughter, and sadness good for the heart. He goes on to say that the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning while the heart of fools in the house of laughter. Another famous Proverb comes to mind that seems to contradict this verse at first glance– A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. However, upon deeper reflection, we need to realize that there is a time for everything, a time to mourn and a time to laugh. It is true in general that we should have a happy heart, and laugh easily, and this is good for our health. Nevertheless, there are many times when we need to mourn and it is inappropriate for us to laugh.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus said “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, and blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” If the sinner does not realize his own sorry state and lack of hope, he will never be any closer to salvation, but when he realizes he is lost in his sin and needs a Savior, he is on the threshold of being saved. That’s why the tax collector who beat his chest and exclaimed to God “Have mercy on me a sinner” went home justified before God rather than the Pharisee who thought highly of himself and scorned others.

Likewise, Jesus too mourned and wept at times – when Lazarus died, in the Garden of Gethsemane, and even as He foresaw the future that beheld Jerusalem. I often wondered why Jesus wept when He knew that Lazarus would be raised back to life again. I believe Jesus wept because He felt the pain and sorrow that Mary and Martha were experiencing, and He too feels our pains and sorrows.

At the same time, Jesus was a man of great humor, as could be seen in His parables, and I’m sure He loved to laugh with the little children. Therefore, it is not wrong for us to laugh often and be merry, but to also be given to mourn and weep at times. As Paul writes, the Spirit who intercedes for us groans intensely with words that cannot be expressed. When we pray for the nation, for a family, for an individual, the Spirit may at times cause us to mourn and pray intensely as we pray in the Spirit.

In a preceding verse, Solomon also said “It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart”. At times we attend funerals, and it is good for us to take stock and remember that this is the destiny of all men one day. Hence, we should appreciate life, spend time on the things that really matter, and forgive easily, letting bygones be bygones.

Application:- Be happy usually, but at times, when we need to mourn, we should mourn. Sometimes, we have to mourn with friends who mourn. Sometimes, we need to pray intensely in sorrow for God to move. Every now and then, we need to sober ourselves and reflect on the shortness of life and set our hearts to do the right things, the things that matter, and let go of unforgiveness.

Prayer:- Lord, I thank You that You are the God of laughter, but also the God of sorrows, and You cry with us just as You laugh with us. May my heart be compassionate and given to mourn when it is time to mourn yet always have Your joy deep within my heart. Help me always be aware of the shortness of life, and lead me towards doing the right things, the things that matter, to love others and to forgive those who wronged us. May Your name be praised always. In Jesus name, Amen.

The sight of the eyes

The sight of the eyes

Scripture: Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. Ecclesiastes 6:9

Observation: In this verse, wise King Solomon says that better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. Two images come to mind:- A man who sees clearly and a man who wanders around seeking to fulfill his desires. Most of us in the world today have that wandering desire, always seeking to earn more money, buy bigger houses, drive bigger cars, get the latest gadgets, mobile phones, entertainment systems, check out the latest place to eat. The material world wants us to be that way, always wanting more, and modern advertising has never been better at bringing out the material longings within man. John warns us “Do not love the world or the things of the world. For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires will perish but the man who does God’s will lives forever.”

In the book of Revelation, Jesus exhorted the church of Laodicia “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white clothes to wear, so that you may cover your shameful nakedness and salve for your eyes, so that you can see.” The church of Laodicia thought they were rich and in need of nothing. They failed to see that they had fallen out of God’s favor, that their worship was no longer meaningful to God. Spiritual eyesight is very important indeed, and helps us know the true situation of things.

Once, Elisha prayed to God for his servant “Open his eyes that he may see”, and he saw that the mountain was full of chariots of fire and horses around Elisha. Paul exhorts us “Let us fix our eyes not on what is seen which is temporary but what is unseen, which is eternal”. Spiritual eyes sees beyond the natural.

Application: We should check our eyes, and determine whether we are always constantly focused on material things. Instead, we should practice using our spiritual eyes, to begin to see what God sees.

Prayer:- Oh Lord, open my eyes that I might see. Help me learn to look not at the physical and the outward appearance, but to look deeper, at the heart. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

When thou goest to the house of God

When thou goest to the house of God

Scripture:-Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Ecclesiastes 5:1

Observation:- In this verse, Solomon warns us to guard our steps when we go to the house of God, to be more ready to hear than to give sacrifices in vain. Fools are those who think too highly of themselves, who do not realize their own sinfulness and God’s holiness.

In church today, we often do not come with the necessary reverence. We often arrive late, and sing songs thoughtlessly. Going to church sometimes becomes like a chore, a duty that we have to get done and over with. Our world has become just too busy, too filled with different things for us to really concentrate or revere God on the day we are appointed to meet Him. More often than not, we simply go and come back without really meeting God at all.

Hence, Solomon’s words come as an important reminder to us. Before we go, stop and think, realize that we are entering the holy place and God is there, amidst those who truly worship Him. When we go to church, we must also be prepared to hear from God. There is a time to worship, a time to pray, a time to listen. Even in the midst of worshipping, God can speak to us, and through His appointed minister, there is always something that God speaks to us if we would only give ear and listen.

Singing thoughtlessly or giving tithes ungratefully is like giving the sacrifice of fools. It has no meaning. Before we even start singing, be quiet for a moment, seek the presence of God in our hearts, and then sing honestly, passionately to our Lord. If there is evil in our hearts, we need to repent. If we have not forgiven another, we must set it right and do so, or as Jesus said, our gift will not be accepted by God. The tax collector who beat his chest and asked God for mercy went home justified before God.

Application:- Revere the Lord when we go to church. Pray and be ready to listen to what God may say to us. Quiet ourselves before worship. Ask God for forgiveness and forgive others before coming to God. Throughout the service, have the attitude of seeking God’s presence always in humility.

Prayer:- Lord, give me a humble heart that honors You each time I come before You in worship at church and at home. Let my ears and heart be open so that I may hear You. Teach me to cleanse myself and forgive others that I may worship You in purity and truth. Thank You Lord for all things. In Jesus name, Amen

Two are better than one

Two are better than one

Scripture:-Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Observation:- This Scripture from Ecclesiastes speaks of unity and teamwork, meaningful of marriage, meaningful of members of a project team, and in various circumstances. Why is two better than one? Because they have a good reward for their labor. It has been proven that two horses combined can pull far more weight than the sum of their individual efforts. In this instance, 2+2 does not equal 4 but 5 or 6! As the saying goes, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Quite often, even in football, we see a team of average players working well together outplay teams with brilliant individual talents but lack of teamwork. In a marriage too, it is important for husband and wife to work together towards a noble common goal and God will reward their efforts.

All of us have bad days, when something gets us down. In those days, we really need a friend to listen to us, to support us, to tell us it will be ok. Depression in loneliness can be very dangerous indeed. This also teaches us the important of being a friend, to our spouse, to our children, to our colleagues and friends.

When two lie together …. Husband and wife come to mind. The warmth is not just physical, but also spiritual. There is a warmth in knowing that the other person is near, that there is someone to turn to, someone who cares.

Finally, in any conflict, having a friend beside is an advantage, and having three makes a strong group. In a marriage, the threefold cord gives us the image of God, husband and wife, united as a team. In prayer, Jesus said “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them”. There is power when even two or three come together to pray.

Application:- In a marriage, commit to be united with your husband and wife towards common goals for the good of the family, with God in the centre always. Be a friend, support each other during bad days, enjoy each other’s care and warmth. At work, be united for the common goal of the team. Be a friend to those who may be in need or having a bad day. Care for one another. Remember the strength of a three-fold cord. Come together often to pray even with 2 or 3.

Prayer:- Lord, bless our family with unity, care and love always, even in bad times. Help us always be a friend to those who need us, and let us always put You in the Centre of our marriage, friendships and work. In Jesus name, Amen.  

Eat, drink and be merry

Eat, drink and be merry

Scripture:

There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. Ecclesiastes 2:24

Observation:

There is a popular saying “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die”. Perhaps the saying was derived from Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes here. In a way, the perception given is that men is born, lives and then dies and disappears into the dust, after experiencing only a few short years on the earth. However, when we read the whole of Scripture, we know that this life is only just the beginning, and eternity beckons us beyond this life, for better or for worse. Deep down inside, each of us can’t help but sense that there will be a judgment of our deeds one day, and that wisdom stops us from just doing whatever we want according to our whims and fancies.

Hence, the concept of eat, drink and be merry with the idea of gorging ourselves, getting drunk and indulging in revelry is not what Solomon intends. Rather, it means learning to enjoy the simple pleasure of lives – enjoying our simple food, appreciating the water that we drink, and learning to enjoy the work and responsibilities that have been given us, which we often take for granted. Instead of complaining and wishing for better pay, better benefits, better bosses, we should thank God for the work that we have, and serve to our best ability humbly. If we have the opportunity to move on to something better, do so, but in the mean time, wherever we work, we should be happy and enjoy the good in our labor as Solomon says. Likewise, in our responsibility to our families, we should learn to appreciate the chores that we have and thank God.

Application:

Learn to savor and enjoy our food and even a glass of clean water. Be thankful for the work and responsibilities that we have and serve to our best ability.

Prayer:

Thank You, Lord for the food and drink and work that I have each day. Help me appreciate with joy all You have given me and serve You humbly. In Jesus name, Amen.

Zeal for your house

Meditations on Psalm 69

1 Save me, O God,
       for the waters have come up to my neck.

 ² I sink in the miry depths,
       where there is no foothold.
       I have come into the deep waters;
       the floods engulf me.
 ³ I am worn out calling for help;
       my throat is parched.
       My eyes fail,
       looking for my God.
Psalm 69 shows a weary King David calling out to God in his despair. His situation is akin to a man close to drowning in deep waters, with nothing to hold on to. He calls to God until his throat is dry, and he looks in vain for God. Looking and  Calling  are two important parts of our relationship with God. In our times of despair, we must never stop calling out to God for help in the honesty of our heart, and never stop looking for the evidence of his deliverance, just like David did.
 ⁴ Those who hate me without reason
       outnumber the hairs of my head;
       many are my enemies without cause,
       those who seek to destroy me.
       I am forced to restore
       what I did not steal.
 ⁵ You know my folly, O God;
       my guilt is not hidden from you.
 ⁶ May those who hope in you
       not be disgraced because of me,
       O Lord, the LORD Almighty;
       may those who seek you
       not be put to shame because of me,
       O God of Israel.
David continues to cry out to God to save him from enemies who assail him without cause. Yet even in his turmoil, David takes time to acknowledge his sin before God. And in his trouble, David is still concerned about others -  those brothers who might be disgraced. We need to learn to be humble and acknowledge our sins before God, and also even in our despair, be concerned about others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ.
 ⁷ For I endure scorn for your sake,
       and shame covers my face.
 ⁸ I am a stranger to my brothers,
       an alien to my own mother's sons;
 ⁹ for zeal for your house consumes me,
       and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.
The verse “for zeal for your house consumes me” was fulfilled by our Lord Jesus when He cleared the temple courts from the “den of robbers”. Passion for God’s honor must always be a key part of our lives.
 ¹⁰ When I weep and fast,
       I must endure scorn;
 ¹¹ when I put on sackcloth,
       people make sport of me.
 ¹² Those who sit at the gate mock me,
       and I am the song of the drunkards.
 ¹³ But I pray to you, O LORD,
       in the time of your favor;
       in your great love, O God,
       answer me with your sure salvation
Here we see that a period of genuine weeping and fasting makes way for a time of God’s favor, where God shows His great love and His salvation. There is a time always for us to fast and pray and weep before God and God surely will answer with His favor. 
May the Lord help us:-

1)      Learn to Look for Him and Call to Him in our time of trouble

2)      Acknowledge our sins to Him humbly

3)      Be concerned for others even in our troubles

4)      Be always passionate for God’s honor

5)      Learn at times to weep and fast before God

Your Ministry

Your Ministry: Pastor Leong Chik Kee

Pastor Leong’s entire sermon was based on two key statements which form the foundation of our ministry for the Lord.

(A) God is more interested in our character formation than our ministry for Him.

(B) Ministry must be a natural outflow of our intimate walk with God.

The main point of the message is that even though church ministry is important and good, our number one priority must always be our relationship with God. The danger is that we become so busy in our various activities and ministries in church that we substitute it for intimacy with God.

FGA encourages a one man one ministry focus, although in some cases, one leader may have two main ministries.

In Jesus’ ministry, He always took time to be alone and have communion with God. The whole source of power for His ministry were these moments of being with God. This brings to mind, Jesus’ words to some who said “Didn’t we do this and that in Your name.”. He said, “I never knew you.” Do we take time to know Jesus?

If we make spending time with God our priority, our ministry will be a natural outflow of our walk with God. Our ministry is no longer confined to church, but a lifelong ministry, where there is no retirement! Wherever we go, we will bring Christ’s love and kindness. Whenever the opportunity arises, we will do good! This is the aim we must go for!

Another reminder Pastor Leong gave was to consider our heart in any church ministry we are in. God looks at the heart, and He cherishes a servant’s heart. Therefore we must make sure pride does not cloud our eyes. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, just such a thing had happened, when Euodia and Syntyche, two leaders in the church had become embittered with each other and caused disunity. We must remember to in humility, consider others better than ourselves and do nothing out of selfish ambition and vain conceit.

God bless,

Jason

Year of the Bull

Unshakable praise plows through the hardest ground.  When the ground is hard, when the circumstances are adverse, God’s favor is on the one who will lead off with praise. Fallow ground will break up.  Declare the plow of praise will cut through ungiving earth and make a way for the good seed of the Word to be planted. Chuck Pierce

Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh; so I will put a yoke on her fair neck. I will drive Ephraim, Judah must plow, and Jacob must break up the ground. Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you. Hosea 10:11-12

We see a picture of a bull hard at work in a field, plowing through very hard ground. Hard ground speaks of difficult circumstances, like the situation facing us in 2009. However, the harder we plow, the more the fallow ground breaks up, and the more fertile the soil becomes for seed to grow.

Our hearts are like hard ground, always stubborn, always seeking to go its own way. The Scripture says that the heart is deceitful beyond all cure, who can understand it? Oh, that our hearts would be inclined to follow God’s commandments, that it may go well with us and our children!

The year of the bull speaks of a time of plowing, but who is the Farmer? It is our Lord Jesus Christ! “Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy and my burden is light” Matthew 11:28-30

When we let Jesus take charge, when He is the driver, we will begin to see results. We start seeing the fallow ground of our hearts breaking up, becoming softer, fertile, and ready for growth. In doing the work Jesus’ way, we can find rest even in our work, and our yoke is indeed easier, and our burdens lighter day by day. 

Jesus says “Follow Me!” As we start off 2009, let us start plowing and continue working, seeking the Lord, praising Him, facing every difficult circumstance with hope and faith, trusting Him to bring us through! Jesus said “No one who comes to me will I turn away” This is a year of growth, a year of learning and becoming stronger. Let us persevere and bear much fruit as we remain in Jesus Christ!  God bless, Jason

Worship and Fellowship

Dr Rosy Leong: Worship and Fellowship

We are called to be worshippers, it’s a lifestyle.

In the Old Testament, only Levites could enter the presence of God, but after Pentecost, we are all high priests.

⁶and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. Revelation 1:6

⁹But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Let us give him thanksgiving, worship and praise for that is all we are able to give Him. Thanksgiving relates to the goodness of God!

Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, Psalm 50:14

Thanksgiving helps us focus on the Lord.

Worship is the highest priority and helps us focus on the Lord.

   ⁷ Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,
       ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
    ⁸ Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
       bring an offering and come into his courts.
    ⁹ Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;
       tremble before him, all the earth. Psalm 96:7-9

In the inner court, we come into the holy of holies, and we must love the Lord our God with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind. The first and greatest commandment.

The tabernacle is a pattern, a road map, a model, the path of life for worship. Beauty and strength is found in His sanctuary.

²³Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." John 4:23-24

The Holy Spirit brings us to worship God.

¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— John 14:16

The Holy Spirit is a person! True worship occurs when we connect with the Spirit of God, spirit to Spirit!

¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect^[a] the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Chronicles 3:17-18

Where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty. Do not be like Lazarus who came out of the tomb still bound by the burial linen. Only after he took off the burial clothes could he be free.

We must also worship in truth, based on the Word of God! If we have too much Word alone, we dry up. If we have too much Spirit alone, we blow up. If we have Word and Spirit together we grow up!

In the Holy place, the golden lampstand signifies the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

  ²The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD Isaiah 11:2

The table and showbread signifies the living Word. The Altar of Incense signifies prayers and worship, and in the Holy of Holies, this is where God meets the High priest.

We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we must live a life of thanksgiving, praise and true Worship! We are anointed to worship, anointed to speak. Our tongues can release blessing or curses, God or the devil, good or evil, life or death, healing or hurt

   ³Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips Psalm 141:3

There is powerful dynamics in the speaking of tongues.

¹⁸I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 1 Corinthians 14:18

⁴He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 1 Corinthians 14:4

¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18-19

The Spirit of God was upon Jesus!

¹⁴May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all 2 Corinthians 13:14

We must seek communion with the Holy Spirit!

True fellowship is koinonia:-

⁴²They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴⁶Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, Acts 2:42,46

³We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. ⁷But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:3,7

²⁵Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:25