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

Wind, fire, and the golden dove

Wind, fire, and the golden dove

Meditations from Psalm 68

Psalm 68

 ¹ May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
       may his foes flee before him.

 ² As smoke is blown away by the wind,
       may you blow them away;
       as wax melts before the fire,
       may the wicked perish before God.
 ³ But may the righteous be glad
       and rejoice before God;
       may they be happy and joyful.
 ⁴ Sing to God, sing praise to his name,
       extol him who rides on the clouds—
       his name is the LORD—
       and rejoice before him.
These 4 verses give us the picture of God rising up before the enemies of Israel. The Psalmist first describes the presence of God as a wind that blows the enemy away. The wind is symbolic of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus likened being born of the Holy Spirit to the wind, coming and going wherever it pleases, and no one knows where it is going or where it is coming from. The fire also is symbolized by the Holy Spirit, who showed Himself in tongues of fire residing on the heads of Jesus’ disciples during Pentecost.
The righteous are destined to be happy and joyful before God, praising Him, singing to Him. Elsewhere it is written that the righteous shall live by faith. We have a righteousness in Jesus Christ that comes through faith in Him and not by works. How easily we worship and praise God is often indicative of our righteousness before Him in the Lord.
 ⁵ A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
       is God in his holy dwelling.
 ⁶ God sets the lonely in families,
       he leads forth the prisoners with singing;
       but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
These two verses speak of the heart of God for the helpless. He is always concerned about the orphans and the widows, those that are weak and need help. We who follow God must have His heart and care for the weak as well!
 ⁷ When you went out before your people, O God,
       when you marched through the wasteland,
       Selah
 ⁸ the earth shook,
       the heavens poured down rain,
       before God, the One of Sinai,
       before God, the God of Israel.
 ⁹ You gave abundant showers, O God;
       you refreshed your weary inheritance.
 ¹⁰ Your people settled in it,
       and from your bounty, O God, you provided for the poor.
In these verses, we get the picture of God sending and earthquake and heavy rain, making fruitful a wasteland and letting His people settle in it. No matter how dire our circumstances or bleak they may seem, God is able to brings showers of blessings and make even a wasteland fruitful.
 ¹¹ The Lord announced the word,
       and great was the company of those who proclaimed it:
 ¹² "Kings and armies flee in haste;
       in the camps men divide the plunder.
 ¹³ Even while you sleep among the campfires,
       the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
       its feathers with shining gold."
Here the Psalmist speaks of the Word of the Lord, and a great company proclaiming the word of the Lord. And again, the dove reminds of the Holy Spirit, with wings sheathed with silver and with feathers of shining gold. God calls many to proclaim His Word, and always it is His royal Holy Spirit that goes with His people and enables them to speak His Words.
May the Lord enable us to:-

(i)                  Be happy and joyful before Him in faith

(ii)                Be concerned for the poor, widows, and orphans

(iii)               Trust in Him even if we are in a wasteland

(iv)              Depend on His Holy Spirit to speak His words in season

God bless, Jason

The Slanderers and the Proud-Hearted

The Slanderers and the Proud-Hearted

He who slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence. He who has haughty eyes and a proud heart, him will I not endure…….. Psalm 101:5

Last night, while watching a few minutes of a movie called “Mean girls” starring Lindsay Lohan, I was struck by a very typical facet of human nature – the tendency to say something bad about a person behind his back. In the movie, there was a scene of utter chaos in the high school, when a book containing gossip about almost each and every girl student was revealed for all to see.

No one fully understands this part of human nature. Perhaps it makes one feel better about himself to put someone else down, or maybe it’s just a way to grab the attention of a friend. Newspapers depend wholesale on stories of gossip and negativity, scandals sell like hotcakes, and bad news always hits the headlines.

However, Scripture is clear that we must not follow this path, and the first part of the verse clearly shows God’s contempt for the practice of malicious gossiping.

Psalm 15:1-3 reads:-

  LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
       Who may live on your holy hill?

 He whose walk is blameless
       and who does what is righteous,
       who speaks the truth from his heart

 and has no slander on his tongue,
       who does his neighbor no wrong
       and casts no slur on his fellowman,

Whoever wishes to live with God must not have slander on his tongue or speak bad things about his fellow man.

How then can we control our tongues? Although man has tamed almost every creature on the land and in the sea, he cannot tame his tongue. With our tongues, we praise God and we curse men, it has the power of life and death…. Yet, we use it, oh so flippantly. What we speak is from the overflow of our heart, and our heart is deceitful indeed. However, with God, nothing is impossible, and if we continually submit our hearts, our minds and our hearts to Jesus, we will be transformed into a different person.

Still, first of all, we must acknowledge this sin in our lives, and make a firm decision in our hearts to stand up against it. The Bible says that no temptation has seized us beyond what we can bear, and that with Christ, we can do all things, including controlling our speech.

The second part of the verse also helps us do that. If we are proud and impatient, we will be quick to accuse and complain and slander. If we are humble and patient, we certainly have more control over ourselves. Let us then, pray for and cultivate humility and patience, for when we consider others as better than ourselves, we will be less inclined to slander them.

May our Lord Jesus be with, and transform us by the renewing of our minds each day, as we continue our walk with Him.

God bless,

Jason

The Priestly Blessing

The Priestly Blessing

Reflections from Psalm 67:-

Psalm 67

 ¹ May God be gracious to us and bless us
       and make his face shine upon us,
       Selah

 ² that your ways may be known on earth,
       your salvation among all nations.
The first verse reminds us of the great priestly blessing the Lord gave the Israelites which goes “The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.” I once read a book that encouraged each father or mother to declare this blessing on their children and each other. We are called to be a kingdom of kings and priests in Christ Jesus, and we can and should use our authority especially for fathers of a household to bless the family in this way.
God’s face shining on us brings to mind the life and warmth that the sun brings to the earth. It is the rays of the sun that enables plants to live and ultimately sustain all life. It is the heat of the sun that brings warmth to all creatures and men. In heaven, it is written there is no sun because God Himself radiates life-giving light. The next time we feel the warmth of the sun upon us, imagine the blessing and grace and favor of God upon us and take a moment to thank God and praise Him.
In the second verse, we learn that the reason that God blesses us is so that He may be known. In his message to the Gentiles in Lystra, Paul declared that God did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, giving mankind rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness. All good and wonderful things that happen to us in our lives are God’s way of revealing Himself to us.
 ³ May the peoples praise you, O God;
       may all the peoples praise you.
 ⁴ May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
       for you rule the peoples justly
       and guide the nations of the earth.
       Selah
 ⁵ May the peoples praise you, O God;
       may all the peoples praise you.
 ⁶ Then the land will yield its harvest,
       and God, our God, will bless us.
 ⁷ God will bless us,
       and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Verses 3-7 speak of peoples from all nations praising God. In an age when the Israelites were primarily consumed with themselves, they often failed to appreciate their destiny as a light to the Gentiles, the ultimate purpose of God to be known and worshipped by people in all the world.

Some may be disheartened and question how it can be said that God rules the people justly and guides the nations of the earth. There are so many countries with terrible injustices, and there are many countries and peoples who do not know God or fear God. Yet these verses are in fact pointing to a time in the future where God will in fact come down physically and rule the earth in all justice and guide the nations. This time is spoken of in the book of Revelation when Jesus Christ will come down and rule the earth with an iron scepter and all the kings and nations of the earth will come before Him and bow down to Him as the Great King of all the earth.

May the Lord help us

1)      Remember to bless each other with the Priestly Blessing

2)      Appreciate His grace each time we feel the sun or rain

3)      Look forward to the coming reign of Jesus

God bless,

Jason

The nearness of God’s presence

Meditations on Psalm 75

Psalm 75

 ¹ We give thanks to you, O God,
       we give thanks, for your Name is near;
       men tell of your wonderful deeds.

This verse speaks of thanksgiving to God for the nearness of His presence, and the remembrance of His wonderful deeds.

We are called to give thanks in all circumstances, to always praise God with a thankful heart. The number one reason for our thanksgiving is the nearness of God’s presence, and that itself is more precious than gold. The second reason for our thanksgiving is because of the great deeds God has done – with the most important deed the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross that we might be forgiven and raising Him to life that we too may have everlasting life.

 ² You say, "I choose the appointed time;
       it is I who judge uprightly.
 ³ When the earth and all its people quake,
       it is I who hold its pillars firm.
       Selah
Verses 2 and 3 speak of God’s timing, God’s judgment, and God’s holding together of all things. The whole earth moves and continues depending on the timing of God, and as the last days draw near, there are signs that show that the end is near. God is always just, and He will judge each man according to what he has done. We need Jesus, for only by His righteousness can we be saved in God’s eyes. I picture a great earthquake as the earth shakes, with buildings and people trembling, but at the end of the day, when stillness comes, it is because of God, who holds all things together. The Word says of Jesus, in Him all things hold together, and in Him they find their meaning.
 ⁴ To the arrogant I say, 'Boast no more,'
       and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up your horns.
 ⁵ Do not lift your horns against heaven;
       do not speak with outstretched neck.' "
 ⁶ No one from the east or the west
       or from the desert can exalt a man.
 ⁷ But it is God who judges:
       He brings one down, he exalts another.
These verses speak of the need for humility on our part, to realize that any success or lack of success we have depends on God. We are called not to despair at the arrogance of wicked men, but to trust God as having all things under His control.
 ⁸ In the hand of the LORD is a cup
       full of foaming wine mixed with spices;
       he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth
       drink it down to its very dregs.
 ⁹ As for me, I will declare this forever;
       I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.
 ¹⁰ I will cut off the horns of all the wicked,
       but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.

In conclusion, the last few verses speak of the wrath of God descending upon the wicked, and the righteous rising up to receive the reward due to them.

May the Lord help us:-

(i)                  Always thank Him for the nearness of His presence

(ii)                Remember the Good deeds He has done for us

(iii)               Trust in God’s timing and God’s judgment

(iv)              Remain humble, and trust God in all things

(v)                Look forward to the coming of Christ where righteousness will rule the earth

God bless,

Jason

The Futility of Man

The Futility of Man

The LORD knows the thoughts of man;
       he knows that they are futile. Psalm 94:11

Man dreams of great things. A great tower that reaches to the heavens. A great empire that can never be broken. Immeasurable fame that will last forever. How man dreams and desires to make a name for himself. From the Tower of Babel to the Empire of Rome to the fame of the Beatles, and the great financial empires of today, man has always been the same. Always wanting, always accumulating. More fame, more money, more treasures, more empires. Greed drives the thoughts of man. Pride clouds his eyes and dims his inner vision.

But the Lord knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile. He gave ultimate wisdom to one man. Solomon was his name, and he knew almost everything under the sun. But in his knowledge, he became corrupt, and sought no longer the glory of the Lord but his own. He sought out to achieve everything, enjoy everything, do everything that could bring a man fulfillment and happiness, but his conclusion at the end was that everything in all the world was meaningless, an empty chasing after the wind.

All that is left for man to do is to fear the Lord and shun evil, and that is sufficient. Humility before the Lord is an important thing, and what will keep us safe and give us meaning in life. A close relationship with God is far more important than great achievements or wealth or beauty or possessions. Everything else will pass away but our relationship with God will always be of value.    

The Lord says “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and your thoughts than my thoughts.” We need to realize that our thoughts are inferior to that of the Lord, and our plans are meaningless if not blessed by Him. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” The Proverbs advise us.

May the Lord teach us to depend less on our own human wisdom and strength but seek His will, His thoughts, and follow His purposes as best for us.

God bless,

Jason

The sins of our fathers

The sins of our fathers
Meditations from Psalm 79
 8 Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers;
       may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
       for we are in desperate need.
Sometimes, there is an important need for us to confess the sins of our fathers, our ancestors, for idol worship, for hidden sins, for hurts and grievances caused to others. When there is forgiveness of sins, there is a wonderful release, and freedom to receive the mercy of God. God is merciful, and His mercy is new every morning. Call out for the mercy of God in time of need.
 ⁹ Help us, O God our Savior,
       for the glory of your name;
       deliver us and forgive our sins
       for your name's sake.
The purpose of God forgiving us is so that His name may be glorified as the good and merciful God that He is. Forgive us Lord, may Your name be glorified. Deliver us, let Your name be great.  
 ¹⁰ Why should the nations say,
       "Where is their God?"
       Before our eyes, make known among the nations
       that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.
 ¹¹ May the groans of the prisoners come before you;
       by the strength of your arm
       preserve those condemned to die.
We were prisoners to sin, condemned to die for the wages of sin is death, but by the strength of the name of Jesus, we are now redeemed and saved and look forward to our glorious future with the Lord.
 ¹² Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times
       the reproach they have hurled at you, O Lord.
 ¹³ Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
       will praise you forever;
       from generation to generation
       we will recount your praise.

The Lord is our Shepherd from generation to generation, and it is our role and destiny to praise Him from generation to generation.

May the Lord help us:-

(i)                 Confess the sins of our fathers

(ii)               Call on God’s mercy which is new every morning

(iii)             Glorify the name of Jesuss

(iv)             Lean on the strength of God’s mighty arm

(v)               Praise Jesus as the Great Shepherd who watches over us.

God bless,

Jason

Remembering God’s goodness

Remembering God’s goodness

Meditations from Psalm 74

 ⁹ We are given no miraculous signs;
       no prophets are left,
       and none of us knows how long this will be.
 ¹⁰ How long will the enemy mock you, O God?
       Will the foe revile your name forever?
 ¹¹ Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
       Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!
Psalm 74 speaks of a time when Jerusalem has been destroyed and God’s people scattered. It speaks of a forlorn time, when God’s people and country have become a subject of ridicule. Worst of all to the Psalmist is reflected in Verse 9 which basically says there is no more Word or Signs from God. The absence of God’s presence and Words is what hits the people worst of all, and they long for the time of the Prophets and the miracles God helped them perform like Moses, Elijah and Elisha.
For us too, there may be times of desolation and dryness, where God seems to be absent from our lives, and in those time, we would really miss the Words and Presence of our God in our lives. Hence, in times of refreshing, when we feel God’s presence and hear His Words deep in our hearts, we should really treasure it!
 ¹² But you, O God, are my king from of old;
       you bring salvation upon the earth.
 ¹³ It was you who split open the sea by your power;
       you broke the heads of the monster in the waters.
 ¹⁴ It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan
       and gave him as food to the creatures of the desert.
 ¹⁵ It was you who opened up springs and streams;
       you dried up the ever flowing rivers.
 ¹⁶ The day is yours, and yours also the night;
       you established the sun and moon.
Suddenly in the next few verses, the Psalmist brings to remembrance the mighty deeds of God, in particular the parting of the Red Sea. Leviathan could well be a reference to Egypt, to Pharaoh and his captains. When the Israelites had their backs against the sea and had no hope of salvation, the Lord saved them by splitting open the sea by His power, and bringing the waters back down to destroy the Egyptian army. And God was with His people by day in a great cloud and by night in a pillar of fire.
For us too, in our times of distress, we should Remember the greatness of our God, how He saved us from our sinful selves, how He lifted us up from the miry clay and gave us peace and purpose.
 ¹⁷ It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth;
       you made both summer and winter.
 ¹⁸ Remember how the enemy has mocked you, O LORD,
       how foolish people have reviled your name.
 ¹⁹ Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts;
       do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever.
 ²⁰ Have regard for your covenant,
       because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.
 ²¹ Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace;
       may the poor and needy praise your name.
 ²² Rise up, O God, and defend your cause;
       remember how fools mock you all day long.
 ²³ Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries,
       the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually.

The last few verses are a call to God to remember His covenant, to take care of the poor, the needy, the oppressed, to rise up and defend the honor of His name which is found in His people. The new covenant of God speaks of a people who have the law of God written on their hearts, who are no longer under the old law for they live by the Spirit. Remember the covenant of God who will be faithful to us as we are faithful to Him. Remember God’s heart of mercy for the poor and the oppressed. Remember that we uphold the honor of God’s name!

May the Lord help us always:-

(i)                 Appreciate and treasure His presence and His Word

(ii)               Remember the good deeds He has done in our lives

(iii)             Value the covenant He has with us in Christ Jesus

(iv)             Call to Him for help for the honor of His name

O God, do not keep silent

Meditations on Psalm 83

O God, do not keep silent;
       be not quiet, O God, be not still. Psalm 83:1

Where is God when it hurts? Where is God when we face untold troubles, and sink into murky depths of despair? Where is God when a young mother hurts because her husband has left her? Or when a little child is left all alone because his parents have perished? Unanswered questions fill places and people all across the earth, and many wonder in these difficult times “Where is God?” “Is God really there?”

Some doubt the existence of God. Some think that God does not see all the suffering that the world endures. Or some perhaps think that He only sits and watches as mankind and history go by in the tides of time.

But the Scripture says otherwise, for the Scripture says that God cares. In the days of Noah, when morality had sunk to its lowest ebb, and the whole earth was filled with violence and every inclination of man’s heart was only towards evil, it is written that God’s heart was filled with pain. It is the pain of a father seeing his son go astray, or a teacher watching his student depart from the lessons taught to him. We could never fully understand the pain of the Creator watching his prized creation degrade into terrible deformities because of sin.

It is written that the eyes of the Lord range to and fro across the whole earth. He knows what is happening everywhere, and He knows the suffering that people face, and the atrocities that wicked men do. God is just and righteous and there will be a time when all deeds will be brought to judgment, but God is patient and gives time for men everywhere to repent.

But until that time, what about us, how do we face our day to day lives? Will God work for us and help us where we are? Here’s where faith comes in, where we are called to pray “O God, do not keep silent, be not quiet, O God, be not still”. We are called to pray and ask God to be real in our lives, to overturn the injustices where we are, to empower us to do His will in power and might and love. When we begin to believe, that we will start to see God answering our prayers, and we will start to really believe that God is real and working all around us like His Word says. We will watch Him change lives, and redeem lost souls, bringing healing to the sick, and hope to the despairing.

And all these starts with a little prayer for God not to be silent, for God not to be still.

May God be real in your lives, active and working, as you trust and hope in Him in all faith.

God bless, Jason

No good thing

No good thing

I said to the Lord “You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing” Psalm 16:2

As I meditated upon this verse, I am reminded once again about the futility of life without God at its centre, without God in the most important place. We could have the very best things life could offer us, the most money, the most loving family, the most achievements, the most fame, the best spouse, the best boyfriend/girlfriend, the best food, the best job, the best of anything at all, and at the end of the day, when we really look at it, we will find it meaningless, if our relationship with God is not there.

The most fitting example of this truth is from King Solomon himself who wrote the book of Ecclesiastes and found everything meaningless, every endeavor under the sun. He who gained everything found it all meaningless, with the final truth that there is nothing better for man in all the world than to fear God and to obey His commandments.

Many of us love the Purpose Driven Life, the beautiful book written by Rick Warren, which tells us that life is really all about God, and not about us. When God is the starting point of our purpose in life, then only do we begin to really live and enjoy life to the full. David in the Golden Psalm uttered these words from the bottom of his heart “Lord, You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing”. Nothing could even come close to David’s passion for God. Even after he became king and amassed great wealth and fame across the land, his heart still remained passionate to God above all else. He danced and danced before the Lord with all his heart, mindless of his royal status or great wealth. His love for God far exceeded anything of value to him, even his beloved Michal who sadly could not find it in her heart to share the passion for God David had.

The first commandment Jesus declared, is to Love the Lord your God with all your soul and with all your heart and with all mind and with all your strength. One way we can begin to understand this is to know that apart from the Lord, we have no good thing. That is not to say that the gifts and blessings God has given us are not good, but they are nothing in comparison to the greatness and value of knowing our living God and His precious Son our Lord Jesus Christ.

May we, like David, learn this truth, and keep it close to our hearts, always remembering that the Lord must be first in our lives, all other things come a distant second. 

God bless, Jason

Love and Faithfulness

 Love and Faithfulness: Meditations on Psalm 89

 ¹ I will sing of the LORD's great love forever;
       with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

 ² I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
       that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
The Psalms teach us to worship, and the Psalmist sings of God’s great love and God’s faithfulness. Love and faithfulness always come together in the ways of God. For the world, love is often fleeting and passes. Husband and wives divorce because they say, they don’t feel love for each other anymore. However, true love goes beyond feeling. True love is faithful even when the other party is unfaithful. Even though the Israelites turned away time and again, going after other gods, the Lord did not destroy them totally but always kept a remnant. God was always faithful even when His people were faithless. And this same God who is our God will continue to be faithful to us, staying true to His promise that He will receive us if we repent and come back to Him. Let us remember Love and Faithfulness throughout each day, and we will remember God and learn to love others like He loves us.
 ⁵ The heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,
       your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.
 ⁶ For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD ?
       Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?
 ⁷ In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;
       he is more awesome than all who surround him.
 ⁸ O LORD God Almighty, who is like you?
       You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you.
 ⁹ You rule over the surging sea;
       when its waves mount up, you still them
The Psalms speak of the greatness of God, the wonders of the heavens He has made, the surging seas, the mighty mountains, great creatures and little lambs. The appreciation of God’s handiwork in nature is seen throughout the Psalms, and we too should learn to appreciate God’s work like that. Even staring at evening skies, or lush, green trees, one can really feel the presence of God if we still ourselves.
 ¹⁴ Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
       love and faithfulness go before you.
 ¹⁵ Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
       who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.
 ¹⁶ They rejoice in your name all day long;
       they exult in your righteousness.
 ¹⁷ For you are their glory and strength,
       and by your favor you exalt our horn.
 ¹⁸ Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD,
       our king to the Holy One of Israel.
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim God, and walk in the light of God’s presence. Is God’s name always on our lips, thanking God for the good things He has done for us? Walking in the light of God’s presence is living life under a spotlight – God’s spotlight. Whatever we do is open to Him, and thus, we are careful to do what pleases Him. In contrast, if walk in darkness, we hide and do things hoping others do not see, but God sees everything. The righteous see God as their great Shield. In times of trouble, they run to God for protection.
 ⁴⁶ How long, O LORD ? Will you hide yourself forever?
       How long will your wrath burn like fire?
 ⁴⁷ Remember how fleeting is my life.
       For what futility you have created all men!
 ⁴⁸ What man can live and not see death,
       or save himself from the power of the grave ?
       Selah
 49 O Lord, where is your former great love,
       which in your faithfulness you swore to David?

The Psalmist begins by praising God but then goes into a solemn cry to God for help. In a time of trouble, we are reminded of the shortness of our lives, the futility of it all for all must end in death. But God Himself provided a way for us to be saved from the power of the grave. It is the cross, on which Christ Jesus died, by which all people may receive eternal life if they only believe in Him. In times of trouble, cry out for God’s faithfulness, for His mercy. He will deliver us.

Psalm 37:Life is Unfair

Psalm 37:Life is Unfair

This Sunday, we were privileged to have our Chairman and Elder Quah speak on the message “Life is Unfair” from Psalm 37.

Starting from verse 1, “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong” Elder Quah drew our attentions to four important points that he had picked out from the acronym FRET.

FRET NOT

REALITY CHECK

EXTEND YOURSELF

TRUST GOD

Firstly, FRET NOT. David reminds us that God is against the wicked lest we be angry and allow our anger to eventually lead to evil.

Secondly, REALITY CHECK. Sometimes, the downfall of the wicked can be painfully slow. It is not easy not to take matters into our own hands.

Thirdly, EXTENDING YOURSELF. Sometimes, we may seem to suffer deprivation when the wicked flourish and it is not easy even to turn away from evil when we are wronged. However, Jesus calls us to do even more: to bless our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us.

Finally, TRUST GOD. When we spend time with God and pray to Him, we will learn to be still and trust Him even in the worst circumstances. When we keep His ways and not our ways, we will see that although life is sometimes unfair, in the end, God is faithful!

David himself lived these truths literally. When Samuel came to the house of Jesse, no one had even considered David, but God chose him and he was anointed as king. From then on, things quickly became promising when David killed Goliath and achieved instant fame. He never planned to be king, but King Saul saw him as a serious threat and sought to kill him. And because of this evil man, David lost everything, his job, his home, his wife, everything! He was forced to run into hiding as a fugitive and even had to send his family to the Moabites for their own safety. He even lost his mentor, Samuel, and most importantly, the privilege of going to the temple to worship God! And David waited 14 years before he became king.

Taking a REALITY CHECK, we see that David did stumble. He lied to the priest Ahimelech and King Saul killed dozens of the Lord’s priests as a result. He lied to the Philistines and pretended to be a madman to save his life. He continued to live a lie in his service to the Philistines, pretending to attack Israelites when he was actually plundering others. Worst of all, David later had Uriah murdered to cover his own shame.

Yet, David EXTENDED HIMSELF. When he had the opportunity to kill King Saul twice, he did not. Later, David showed kindness to a grandson of King Saul,  Mephibosheth and even had him sit at the king’s table. David was able to let God deal with Saul in His own time. Time and again, David found strength in the Lord His God, even at his darkest moment when enemies had plundered and taken away his family and the families of his men. At that time, even his own men had been ready to stone him.

Jesus Himself understood what it means to be treated unfairly. Born in a smelly manger, and dying the worst kind of death on the cross, Jesus was rejected by the very people He came to save, and all his disciples deserted Him. Elder Quah referred again to the story of Jonie, the diver who became paralyzed in an accident. She appeared to have lost a lot of things, but God met all her needs, even her fear of never being able to be married. In the end, she married her physical trainer, a strong man. She learnt to paint with her mouth, and became an inspirational speaker of hope, touching the lives of hundreds of people. Her accident was a turning point in her life, but it all turned out for the best, as the Word says “All things work out for the good of those who love Him”.

In closing, Elder Quah asked two our own members to share their testimonies of how God turned what seemed unfair into a great blessing. Sister Evelyn shared how she was terrified when her newly born son was found have several defects. She watched helplessly as he struggled for his life, and persevered year after year in bringing him up as best she could. Looking back, sister Evelyn realized that the experience really humbled her and enabled her to enter a deep and meaningful relationship with the Lord, making her a much better person than she would have been otherwise. She learned to treasure life, and enjoy even the simple things that her son could do. Brother Loh shared how he was very unfairly sidelined despite excellent service in his work for the government. Still, looking back, he shared how he found strength in God and continued to have great hope for the future, inspired by the many heroes of faith in the Bible.

Let us all indeed not fret because of evil men, but be patient and sow love where there is hatred, and pardon where there is injury. In the end God will make all things right.

God bless,

Jason

Psalm 46: How to face Crisis

Psalm 46: How to face Crisis

On Sunday, 1^st June 2008, we were privileged at CDC to have our Pastor Terry Tan preach the message on “How to face Crisis” from Psalm 46.

Pastor Terry began by drawing our attention again to the recent natural disasters that came upon the people of Myanmar and China. He shared how he was particularly troubled by the image of a young Chinese boy who expressed hope that his parents could see him and find him because he was on TV. Sadly, the newscaster reported, his parents had died in the earthquake. Crisis comes when we least expect it, and when it happens, we look for security! But how can we be secure? The key is Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

The first point of the morning was this “Our security is in God, not in this world”. The motive of creation was very strongly described by the Psalmist here. Psalm 46:2-4 reads:- Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

We are to look to the Creator not creation. The Psalmist asks us to look to God as our refuge and our strength, our source of security. There was once a story of a couple who were very concerned about their own safety and traveled throughout the world to find the place least likely to be affected by war. They thought they found it in the Falkland Islands, and moved there with high hopes of a peaceful life. Ironically, the Falkland Islands became a war zone between Argentina and Britain. Nothing in this life is certain. There is no security unless we have placed ourselves in God’s hands.  Psalm 20:7 reads  Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. God is waiting to hear us call to Him for help.

The truth is, problems and crisis are part of life. The Bible says that there will be trouble, but also promises that God will be there to help us through it. Some people lose all hope when trouble comes. Some choose to deny it and pretend it is not there. We are called to be realist and confront the crisis but with our hope and eyes set on our God, our Deliverer.

The second point of the day is that “Our security comes from our faith, not from our circumstances.” The Psalmist says in vs.7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. God does not want us to depend on things. In His lovely words to His disciples, Jesus said in Psalm 46:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Our peace is knowing that our future home is in heaven. Some are rich but constantly worried. Some are poor but happy and at peace. Security is not the absence of trouble but confidence and courage in the midst of trouble.

Finally, our final point was “Our security is in eternity, not the present”. As Christians, we have an eternal dimension. One day, God will destroy all evil and the world itself. The truth is, there are no guarantees in this world for any of us. We are not immune from the harms of the world. However, we can be best assured that no matter where our journey takes us, God goes with us and His words promises in Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

In closing, Pastor Terry drew our attention to the rock badger or conies, creatures of little power who made their homes in the crags, where it was safe. Away from the rocks, they were completely vulnerable to predators, but in the rocks, they were safe. In the same way, our security is in the Rock of Ages, our Lord Jesus Christ, and as long as we remain in him, we need not fear anything at all in all the world, even death. As Paul wrote most beautifully in the Spirit “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39

May the Lord help us face all our crisis and troubles with confidence, knowing that we can overcome all things because He is with us.

God bless,

Jason

He judges the “gods”

He judges the “gods”

Meditations from Psalm 82

1 God presides in the great assembly;
       he gives judgment among the "gods":

 ² "How long will you defend the unjust
       and show partiality to the wicked?
       Selah
 ³ Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
       maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
 ⁴ Rescue the weak and needy;
       deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
 ⁵ "They know nothing, they understand nothing.
       They walk about in darkness;
       all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
 ⁶ "I said, 'You are "gods";
       you are all sons of the Most High.'
 ⁷ But you will die like mere men;
       you will fall like every other ruler."
 ⁸ Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
       for all the nations are your inheritance.

Psalm 82 has very close correlation to what Jesus Christ did in the clearing of the temple. The great assembly refers to the rulers of Israel, the judges and the priests. They were deemed as “gods” in the sense that they represented God. And in Jesus’ day, the Chief Priest and the Pharisees had the authority as the representatives of God and the rulers of the people. However, they had let unhealthy commercial practices creep into the temple of God and even benefited from it. The merchants they allowed in charged the people excessively for the animals and things needed for sacrifice. They were indeed “defending the unjust” and “showing partiality to the wicked”. But when Jesus came, He judged them as God’s True Priest. Jesus was concerned for the weak and the fatherless, about maintaining the rights of the poor and oppressed. Jesus looked to rescue the weak and needy and deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

As for the corrupt Chief Priests and Pharisees who abused their position, they were destined to die like mere men and fall like every other ruler. However, for Jesus, who judged the earth justly, all the nations will be His inheritance.

May the Lord help us:-

(i)                  Represent Christ in a way that is just and fair

(ii)                Stand up for the poor and helpless

(iii)               Look forward to the coming of Jesus as His inheritance

(iv)              Trust God is in control despite the injustices around us

God bless,

Jason