Hola, Revival of my soul

Many has changed since my last post. It was a spark of a moment that i was inspired to look for my blog. One of the biggest event was moving out of Zion to Glory. 🙂

I was at a christian bookstore yesterday searching for gifts and browsing when it was at their last hour before closing. I noticed that the air con was switched off and i quickly rounded up to make payment. Unfortunately, i made a wrong purchase by buying an Isaiah commentary by New International Biblical Commentary that i’d already bought in e-version in Olivetree. That commentary that i picked up yesterday was a series that i subscribe to and i was choosing between that and the commentary by The Crossway Classic Commentaries. So in a hurry, i took what was familiar. When i went home to open up the inside, it looked oddly similar and when i compared it to my e-version, it was exactly the same!! Well, but there were a bit of different.

So i went back to the christian bookstore today, hoping that I would be able to exchange. First i approached the cashier, when there was no one, she turned me down and said strictly no exchange. Then i went to this other staff and she directed me to find another staff in red uniform. So eventually, i spoke with this lady. She started off firmly saying strictly no exchange even though and it’s a strict policy and i kept on pressing that i really bought it in a hurry and i already have the same book and on and on… so when i relented and sounded upset, she relented as well. The rest was history and i thank God i managed to get it exchanged. So i’m preparing some bible study question basing from a few good sources.

 

This commentary is a verse by verse commentary. Each verse’s commentary made me ponder and refer back to that verse once more to internalize. It’s quite a good compliment to the New International Biblical Commentary that i have in my Olivetree.

I bought this other book to compliment the study of Isaiah as a lot of Name of God was mentioned. I haven’t got the chance to flip it though but it’s one of the most comprehensive read that i found from what was available in the christian bookstore.

 

 

Wei!!, compassion speaks

I was queuing for my turn for lunch when I heard a very unkind reprimand from the opposite economic rice stall owner to a Chinese worker who was in the queue to select his dish.

The stall owner shouted at the man, “why are you still looking at the options now? You should have chosen when you were in the queue!!” I looked up to look at that ugly unkind stall owner and gave him my look of disdain for his ugly unkindness. In the queue is a dark tanned Chinese man who looks undecided but had eventually chosen only two vegetables with rice. The meal costs him sg$2.50. Probably the cheapest that can be found in this area considering that it’s mostly office buildings here, except for the circle line and hotel construction.

I feel sorry for the Chinese man as he’s obviously a construction worker. Why should he be treated with such inequality? Is Singapore really that cultured (文雅）after all? What I saw was a stark reality of no compassion towards this man who was looking at meat options but only can afford veggies and carbs hopefully enough to weather through the scorching hot afternoon till the next meal.

May God have mercy.

The Glory of God

Indeed, it was spiritually fulfiling to be back at BSF after the June holiday break. I was dreading to attend it as i was already tired out after a long day at work. I’m glad i went, as Sam encouraged me.

~

Moses met God in the burning bush & heard God calling him.

Moses met God in the pillar of cloud and spoke at great length.

Despite the encounters with God, Moses yearned to see God face to face. But who could see God and not die ? (Exodus 33:20)

Moses did not go disappointed. God showed his goodness to Moses & Moses saw the back of God..! (Exodus 33:23)

~

It makes me realise how bold it is to ask to see God face to face. I don’t think my righteousness surpass that of Moses to be able to see God and not die. But of course, we cannot measure righteousness in the first place. But like Moses, i need a fresh vision of God as His presence is essential in all service. He is to be my perspective.

It is timely to be reminded in His word that He said,

“My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14

His glorious face i can’t behold but His assuring Presence i know i can depend on.

Proverbs 10:2 Wisdom

Proverbs 10:2 (New International Version)

 ² Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,
       but righteousness delivers from death.

 

Will you give up treasures? Will you split the cash in a wallet that you know that your friend picket up on the streets? Will you accept praises from stolen glory?

 

For that moment, you might think that you are all out to lose by not gaining that material wealth or treasure if u would like. But! What we gain is life.. we are delivered from death, victory over sin when we choose to win the battle against lies. The lie that the treasure is of great value but when compared with eternal life, it’s of no value.

Doha

I will speak of God’s blessings and give all glory to Him.

It had always been my ambition to travel for work. That was my motivation when i took up accountancy. Sam told me that if i want to travel for work or relocate, i have to do it within these 2 years before we settle down. There were a lot of times when i poured through job search engines to lookup for “relocation”.  I was that desperate. I know that despite my own efforts, if it is not in God’s will, i would not be able to fulfill my heart’s desire. 

i sincerely believe that this chance is God given.

Psalm 21:2

Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah

MountainTop Experience

BSF encouraged me alot today. It came from both the seminar and the notes for reading.

We studied Jesus’s transfiguration on the mountain-top in the presence of Peter James & John.

I cant quite put thoughts into words but there are a lot of challenging questions that i am encouraged to live out.

• how can i transform my mountain top experiences into my daily life. If i am living like crap, being short-fused, unforgiving, bitter, doesnt it also mean that i’ve not been having mountain top experiences? How often we meet Jesus is reflective in our life.
• Jesus set the example in the gospel on how He had often retreat to quiet places to pray. He never delay having to go to God for supplications and thanksgivings. How more should i also keep praying and asking for grace & strength in meeting difficulties & trusting Jesus.
• Jesus was met with a demon possessed boy & his father. The 9 other disciples were not able to cast the demon out of the boy & Jesus rebuked the disciples to be faith-less. Later, Jesus said that even faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. It is the presence of faith, not the amount of faith that can work miracles. No matter how small our faith is, God can use it to work in us.

It’d been a wonderful mountain top experience.

Many lessons

Storms

A timely reminder came during BSF on how Peter’s wavering faith caused him to fall into the water. Yet, Jesus did not leave Peter in lurch because of his doubt. Jesus saved Peter when he called out for help. I was facing with a huge storm and almost went out of control. But i am leaving it at Jesus’ feet and trusting Him to take care of it.

Half truths

I taught the girls in class that half truths are lies and white lies are lies too. God sure knows how to make me learn every lesson that i teach. That’s His way of teaching me personally. I thank God that i chose to tell the truth today.

2 specific ones not too little.. Just a few more but too tired to blog them down. In a different light, lessons are ways of experiencing God, which i am thankful for. (:

Eyes to see, Ears to hear

I traced to find when this verse was first mentioned in the bible and was brought to Is 6:1-13, when Isaiah was commissioned. God was very angry then.

9 He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ 10 Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. ^F12 Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” 11 Then I said, “For how long, O Lord?” And he answered: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, 12 until the LORD has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken. 13 And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.

The exact same words were found,

For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. Mtt 13:15 

 And here,

For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. Acts 28:27

I learnt reverent fear this week from Mtt 10 ‘s BSF readings. What especially struck me was Mtt 10:28

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

He who lovingly feeds the sparrows is also He who has power over wind and the waves.

God flooded earth but spared Noah because God saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. (Gen 6:5)

Do we have ears that see and eyes that hear?  I pray that God have mercy..

And we ought to  be like John the Baptist in every possible way..

Running again!

A.S.K

I am again amazed by God’s Word. Whenever we think that we are done reading that passage cos it’s the fifth or sixth time we visited it, God uses it to refresh and enlighten us again.

Ask Seek Knock

I was asked the question in the BSF notes, of what had i been praying for in that manner that i ask seek and knock? I was stunned for a moment, trying to have an answer for it. But i dont! There was nothing that i am consciously praying fervantly for that i ask seek and knock on Jesus’s door to have an answer. I didnt feel guilty. I didnt feel sad. My response was, oh..! I felt a sudden realisation that my prayers had all been asking. I had not live out the part on seeking and knocking. Then i asked myself, i know how to knock. But how do i seek?

I’m not exactly sure of what is seeking. But i think seeking is what we have to do on our part as we pray and ask God for that certain thing.

My mum’s salvation had been on my mind. I’ve heard of many other believers whose parents eventually are saved. I know that i need to start praying for it. To apply,

Asking – Praying daily for my mum’s salvation

Seeking – Be a good testimony for Christ and bringing my mum to church events whenever possible

Knocking – Keeping her in constant prayer that she might be saved.

Why dont you start by asking too? (: