From Prison to Palace or From Sodomy to ...?

The symbol of justice as in the picture has been internationally recognised as the icon of law and justice. Of late, in Malaysia, we really do not know what is right or wrong, what is truth or a lie anymore. The recent sodomy allegations against the de facto Opposition Leader is one such episode where we witnessed the 'ugliness' of politics and the deceitfulness of man in full swing.

There are so many theories of this "sodomy episode" ranging from an old theory being re-hatched, a conspiracy to stop Anwar at all costs, a self-concocted act, etc and the list goes on. Whatever it is, as responsible citizens of Malaysia we cannot be indifferent anymore. We have to make a stand and stand we must on grounds of righteousness, justice, peace and deliverance for a safer, peaceful and prosperous Malaysia.

These 3 months have seen major shifts in the political scene and we are sick and tired of all these political charades. There are even postings on the internet that the country is no longer a safe place anymore nor is it a good place to invest. In the absence of knowledge of the whole truth, we as mere citizens can only discern with our spirit and whatever little wisdom that we have, on who the "bad guys" or "good guys" are. We need to pray like never before for God to deliver Malaysia from the current mess.

And this is my prayer : "If Anwar is innocent of these allegations, may he rise from prison to the palace (Putrajaya) but if he has indeed committed the act, may justice be served...".

My take is that Anwar was like Joseph of old in Genesis 39 where he was wrongly accused of seducing Potiphar's (his master) wife when in actual fact Joseph was the victim here and he ran away from Potiphar's wife for fear of God. Joseph was thrown in prison but God was with him and he later interpreted Pharoah's dreams and was made Prime Minister over Egypt.

May this Bible story be Anwar's as well and may we see his change of position from prison to Putrajaya with a caveat (i.e. if indeed he has turned over a new leaf and is innocent). May God help us all. Let us P.U.S.H. (Pray Until Something Happens) !

Life For Sale

A Briton living in Australia has agreed a bid of more than £192,000 after putting his "entire life" up for sale on e-Bay following a split from his wife. Ian Usher, 44, who left Darlington six years ago, included his house, car, job and friends in the online eBay auction, in an effort to make a fresh start.

The lot attracted a peak offer of 399,300 Australian dollars (£192,276) when bids closed early on Sunday. Despite expecting higher bids, Mr Usher said he had "no regrets". Up for auction was his three-bedroom home, in Western Australia's capital Perth, and everything inside it, including his Mazda car, motorcycle, jet ski and parachuting gear. He also sold an introduction to his friends and a trial run at his sales assistant job at a rug shop.

Mr Usher decided to cut ties with his current life after realising almost everything reminded him of his relationship with his wife of five years. He said: "I've got some ideas. Once it's finished and confirmed, I'd like to do some travelling. I'd like to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, it's one of a huge list of things I want to achieve."

What Mr. Usher did may not be the norm and borders on being eccentric. In a split-up, to remain bitter or better is really a personal choice. He chose to “sell his life” to start afresh but there is a better way. The Bible in 2 Corinthians 5 : 17 states that : “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” We can have a fresh new beginning in the Lord Jesus Christ

He is also our Good Shepherd who cares for us (His sheep). He cares for the broken-hearted as a Shepherd tends his sheep. In Isaiah 40 : 11 we read : “He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those with young.”

The Lord Jesus Christ offers us life and life more abundantly (John 10 : 10). We can cast all our cares on the Lord Jesus Christ for He cares for us (1 Peter 5 : 7). In Isaiah 55, The LORD says, "Come, everyone who is thirsty--- here is water! Come, you that have no money--- buy grain and eat! Come! Buy wine and milk--- it will cost you nothing! Why spend money on what does not satisfy? Why spend your wages and still be hungry? Listen to me and do what I say, and you will enjoy the best food of all. "Listen now, my people, and come to me; come to me, and you will have life! I will make a lasting covenant with you and give you the blessings I promised to David (a former king of Israel)”.

Why sell your life when you can come to the “Life Giver” Jesus Christ ! He will give you fullness and newness of abundant life in Him. Come my friend to the Living One ! He can give you new life. Amen !

Broad Way or Narrow Way ?

Last week, one of my Bible class students asked me : "What does it mean by the "Narrow" way ?" and in a hurried moment, I just explained what I could to her at that point in time. Well, now that I am relatively free, this topic is worth "blogging" and here is an exposition of the "Narrow" way.

The Bible in Matthew 7 : 13 - 14 states : "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Jesus was continuing on His sermon on the Mount, better known as the "Beatitudes" or "Beautiful Attitudes" and this teaching on the narrow and wide gates are an extension of His teaching.

Have you ever wondered why Hollywood is also called "Broadway" ? What values do we get from Broadway ? We have movies like "Sex & the City", values on "it is okay to kill, steal, sleep around, lie, cheat, etc..." being churned out from the Hollywood factory. No wonder the Bible says that "broad is the road that leads to destruction". How true it is in today's society to follow the "Broadway" ! We want to be rich fast, we want an easy life without the hard work, we want immediate gratification to our wants. All these are elements of the broad way that one chooses.

The way to Jesus is a through a narrow way or gate. Why is it a narrow way ? Because it is a road less traveled and one which is not filled with rose petals and everything nice. The way of Jesus is one of being an overcomer. It is narrow because it talks of "focus". When it is narrow, we can focus on Him alone and be not distracted by the things on either side of the road along the way.

There was a rich young man who asked Jesus : "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life ?"

Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?". Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first."

Jesus said in John 14 : 6 "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" and in John 10 : 9 - 10 "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Friend, enter into life, abundant life through this narrow gate for Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Amen!

See Jesus, Serve Jesus, Speak Jesus !

A Leader's Credibility

In recent days, we have seen many leaders who have lost their credibility by virtue of the things they said, do or did not do. They seem to be like the "Transformer" in the picture, transforming from a leader with the people's interest at heart seemingly, to one who are careless with their words and actions.

The Bible in Proverbs describe such leaders as messengers :

"An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing."
Proverbs 13:17 NLT

Peter Kuzmic wrote :

"A credible message needs a credible messenger because charisma without character is catastrophe."

We are not short of leaders who are good orators and charisma and I think you know who I am referring to. However, as Peter Kuzmic rightly pointed out : "Charisma without character is catastrophe." Does Malaysia needs another "charismatic leader" ? He may turn out to be a "charis-maniac" and be puffed up with pride once in power. That is the curse of leadership in this country. Do the acts and words of the so-called "government-in-waiting" or the present government reflect the very manifesto of a people-oriented agenda or is self-interest the order of the day ? When the so-called leader acts, does his deed reflect on the country or people he represents ?

Similarly as Christians, we are Christ's ambassadors and therefore his messengers. Too often we think that the message we preach reflects our faith. However, on a much deeper level it is the message of our everyday words and actions that are influential. We are the letter from God that people read. We become unreliable messengers when we speak crudely, gossip about a neighbor, or act dishonestly. May we not be like the leaders of our day but may we raise the standard for God and pray that He will raise God-fearing leaders who will lead with credibility, integrity and much wisdom.

Our words and actions reflect God, who lives inside us, to people who never open a Bible or enter a church. Never forget that you are an ambassador for Christ and a messenger of hope. Ask his Spirit to empower you to deliver the Good News with your life and words.

LORD, thank you for allowing me to be your ambassador. Let my message be honest and true. Help me to encourage others and to go out of my way to speak a kind word. Forgive me for times when I have spoken without thinking. Let me live in such a way that my words and actions represent you so that my message may be one of love and hope.

The “Fu-Bu” Culture : Re-emergence of “Jezebel Spirit”

In the Sunday Star newspaper recently, I read with disbelief an article written about a disturbing culture/trend amongst young adults and teens today termed as “fu**-buddies” (censored) or in short “fu-bu” culture. In the Wikipedia, the term "fu**-buddies" is defined as a term to describe a type of casual relationship (sexual). These are young adults or teens who engage in free sex with different partners and even same sex partners who are not at all afraid of sexually transmitted diseases as they claim : “We take precautions you see !”

These “fu-bu” practitioners are not from broken homes but most are from highly respected families, professionals and would you believe it, the more aggressive ones are the girls who have no reservations at all in buying the guy a drink, inviting him over for a full night of sex romp and often ending up in an orgy which could be easily arranged via a few short messages sent via the mobile. This is indeed frightening and what comfort does it give parents with teenage kids who may be susceptible to such bad influence ?

I believe this “fu-bu” culture is the re-emergence of the “Jezebel spirit” in our midst as prophesied and forewarned by many modern-day prophets like Chuck Pierce, Cindy Jacobs, etc in recent times. Who is this “Jezebel” ? In the Bible, we read from 1 Kings 16 : 30 “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him. 31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. 32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria.”

Jezebel was a “seducer” and married King Ahab who turned from the worship of Yahweh (God) to the worship of Baal (idolatry, witchcraft, sexual promiscuity, etc). She engineered the slaughter of God’s prophets and the Bible further described how King Ahab was so influenced by her in 1 Kings 21 : 25 “There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife.” What is this “Jezebel spirit” ? It is the embodiment of sensualities, self gratification, sexuality, lust, witchcraft, manipulation and everything to do with the flesh.

Even in her dying moments before she was killed, guess what Jezebel was doing ? She was making up to look pretty even in death ! We read this in 1 Kings 9 : 30 - 33 “Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she painted her eyes, arranged her hair and looked out of a window. As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, "Have you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?" He looked up at the window and called out, "Who is on my side? Who?" Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. "Throw her down!" Jehu said. So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot.

In the last book of the Bible, Reveleations 2 : 18 - 25, Jezebel is mentioned again prophetically when the Church in Thyatira was admonished for tolerating her :

"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): Only hold on to what you have until I come."

We are in a spiritual battle dear friends. A battle against the evil forces which robs our teens and young adults of the sanctity of marriage, which robs them of having sex the proper way i.e. in marriage and which stirs them to want immediate gratification to meet their sexual urge and lusts. There are many bad consequences for the "fu-bu" practitioner. He/she will never ever be satisfied again with just one partner and even if they do get married, the marriage in itself would only be ceremonial. There is no joy for the groom in discovering that the one he has married is indeed a virgin. He would possibly be wondering how many men has my wife bedded previously ?

For the woman, the wedding night would no longer be sacred and it would be just another "night of sex", only this time with my legally wedded husband. What if the husband could not satisfy and what if the husband still practices "fu-bu" ? What chance does this marriage has of survival ? And it has been medically proven that for such ladies to conceive, the chances would be slim as the abuse to their body in the sex romps prior to marriage would render her to have a weak womb and reduce the production of eggs in the ovaries.

My prayer is that this "Jezebel spirit" be removed and that the practice of "fu-bu" be totally eradicated. Join me as we pray against this in Jesus' Name ! Amen !

Power Of A Father's Prayer - Happy Father's Day

A story was told of how one Elsa Sturit Kint's father who have been constantly praying for her and her cousin's safety reluctantly sent them off to sail on the maiden voyage of the ship "Titanic" to America. Here is her story :

Saved by a Stamp
"God's answers to prayers can affect generations to come. In fact, if not for His gracious answers to a prayer offered many years ago, my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren would not know His blessing today. The story is simple. My cousin Mirea and I wanted to visit friends in America. Sensing that we would not abandon our grand idea, my father sent us on our way with heartfelt prayers for our safety.
Our trip across Europe took several days. Finally we arrived on the western shores of England. But as we prepared to set sail for America, we were told there was a problem with our papers. Officials at the immigration office said Mirea was missing a stamp on a paper that would allow her to leave the country. We would have to stay in England for another week until Mirea's papers could be corrected, they said.

Mirea and I went to the steamship office to ask if we could exchange our tickets for a ship leaving later in the month. The man at the window was glad to make the exchange. He was sure he could resell our berths. People were eager to sail on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. As we wandered back to the hotel, Mirea and I were disappointed that we had to stay in England. But, when the news reached us a few days later of the sinking of the Titanic, we both began to cry, in sadness for our lost shipmates, but also in relief, realizing how close we had come to death ourselves. God, in His mercy, had answered my father's prayer for our safety with something as small as a missing stamp. How good is God! (Elsa Sturit Kint)".

Even as I read the story of Elsa, how many a times I thank God that He has answered my prayers as a father when I prayed for the protection of my kids, their healing, their studies, etc and indeed He has been a good God. Even as we celebrate the fathers this weekend on Father's Day, may we remember our Heavenly Father God who loves us and gave His only begotten Son Jesus to redeem us back to Himself through His sacrifice on the cross. Oh, what love..Oh, what grace the Heavenly Father has lavished on us that we should be called the sons and daughters of God !

Happy Father's Day to all Dads out there !

Remedy For "Heart Failure"

Man is getting very jittery and nervous nowadays due to the uncertainties of life and prevailing harsh conditions in the world. For those who just survived a typhoon, a change in weather conditions to a stormy day will get them scrambling for shelter. Yet, for those who survived an earthquake, the slightest rumbling in the deep of the night will send their hearts fleeting fearing another big quake.

For those who are affected economically by rising costs of living and unemployment, we fear for our future and how far our next dollar will bring us. Man is literally dying of "heart failure" as fear grips them. The prophet Isaiah described Man in fear as such :
Isaiah 13:7
"Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man's heart will melt."

Even the Psalmist David described his "heart failure" as follows :
Psalm 40:12
For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.
Psalm 38:10
My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes.

But there is hope in God and as the Psalmist David turns to God, he proclaimed :

Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

God will strengthen us again. We need not fear as He will carry us through the storms of our lives. Ultimately, whatever grips us and whatever plans there are in Man's heart God's purpose will prevail.
Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

God's promises are "Yes" and in Christ "Amen !". He will not fail us nor forsake us. As written in Joshua 23:14 "Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed."

The prophet Isaiah wrote :
Isaiah 35:4
say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."

Yes, God will come and save you. Do not fear or be dismayed, for God is the strength of your heart. Keep your focus on Him. He will carry you through.

Man Professing To Be Wise Becoming Fools !

Over the past few days, ever since the hike in petrol prices and rising cost of living generally, we have heard and read so many advice from so-called "wise" leaders. It really makes one wonder where their "wisdom" came from. Most of these advice came from the ruling BN ("Barang Naik") Leaders.

"Take the public transport" said one BN Leader, who later complained that there is no feeder bus from the station and his driver had to fetch him from the station. His driver ? Come on ! Then another advised that we can have a second job. Hello ? As what ? Sell "goreng pisang" ? Yet, another (this is classic) asked us to plant our own vegetables or eat potatoes to supplement the rice that we consume. All these advice given by so-called "wise men" reminds me of a Bible verse in Romans 1 : 22 "Professing to be wise, they became fools,"...How true this verse is !

The general public is already sick and tired of the government's inconsistencies and many were caught unawares when there was a hike in petrol price as just a couple of days back, Ministers were assuring the public that only in August will there be a hike ! Many are not so much angry by the price hike per se but more so at the way it was announced and implemented. The wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon, in his Book of Wisdom had these verses to describe foolish men :

Proverbs 12:23
A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.
Proverbs 15:2
The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.
Proverbs 15:14
The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Ecclesiastes 9:17
Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard rather than the shout of a ruler of fools (sounds familiar ?)

Even his dad King David wrote in the Psalms and admonished the fools :
Psalm 94:8
Understand, you senseless among the people;And you fools, when will you be wise?

Yes, when will these leaders of ours be wise ? Perhaps, it is really time to change ? Until such time, let us who know God be not like them : "Men professing to be wise becoming like fools" but instead, let us heed what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesian Christians :

Ephesians 5:15 "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,"

Walk wisely my friend and stay clear of fools !

Surviving the "Storms of Life"

2008 has not been an easy year so far. Over the past months, we have seen calamities after calamities besetting people from all walks of life. The "storms of life" ranges from natural disasters to financial woes to a decline in security in the country.

On the economic front, the U.S. mortgage crisis and high petrol and food prices have squeezed families to a breaking point. On the tense political front, we’ve seen a political "tsunami" which saw the Opposition taking 5 states and most of the Federal Territory (to most, this is a good change). However, another "political storm" may be brewing as the Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim claims to be able to form the next government by September 2008.

The book of Hebrews in the Bible offers keys for survival when times are tough. These sobering words, penned by an anonymous apostle, challenged early disciples (who were considering leaving the Christian faith) to hold tightly to the Lord Jesus Christ amid disappointment, discouragement, persecution and apostasy. The author of Hebrews exhorts us to take several steps to avoid shipwreck in the midst of our storms :

1. Stay in the stronghold of God’s presence. Hebrews 4:16 says: “Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (NASB). No matter how hard the winds blow outside, the throne room is a secure place. We must learn to abide in the only true stormproof shelter.

When David was fleeing Saul, he endured his trials by making the Lord’s presence his daily habitation. David wrote most of his psalms while battling fear, frustration and despair. Yet he maintained his authority (and eventually inherited the kingdom) because he maintained his praise, worship and intercession. So we must spend more time with the Lord when our circumstances tell us to work harder, worry more and pray less. Only in His presence do we see an accurate picture of how big God is compared to our problems.

2. Throw out your anchor and set your heart on Jesus. It’s interesting that no one really knows who wrote Hebrews. Some scholars have suggested Paul (even though it differs from his other writings), Barnabas, Apollos and even Priscilla.

I doubt we will solve this mystery until all of heaven’s secrets are revealed in eternity. But although we may not know the author, we know the Author. Jesus is described in Hebrews as “the author of [our] salvation” (2:10) and “the author and finisher of our faith” (12:2, NKJV). He must become our central focus if we intend to complete this journey.

Hebrews tell us that our hope in Jesus Christ is “an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil” (6:19, NASB). Are you anchored in Christ, or are you tossed here and there by people’s opinions, waves of doctrine or emotional highs?

Many Christians today run from one meeting to the next, or from conference to conference, to get a word from a prophet or to spend yet another 10 minutes on the floor getting another dose of the anointing. Yet when high winds come, will we stand? Hebrews says our ability to endure is directly tied to our grounding in Jesus alone.

3. Offer a lifeline of encouragement to others. In warning the early disciples about the perils of unbelief, the author of Hebrews says: “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (3:13). In other words, when the storm is blowing we should not only find shelter ourselves but also work to protect our brothers and sisters.

This passage tells us that some people actually walk away from the faith because of discouragement. The storm can get so dark and the clouds so heavy that people faint. Temptation can become so intense that those in isolation become casualties. It is in our power to speak a word that will lift their spirits, overcome fear, vanquish the devil’s lies and inspire fresh faith. If you need encouragement, try giving some away. It will come back to you.

4. Weather the storm to the end. A lot of Christians I know are becoming weary. The normal trials of life have been multiplied in the current season. Everywhere I look people are being battered by life’s hardships.

The book of Hebrews exhorts us: “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses, surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (12:1). Heaven cries out: Hang on no matter what!

I want to encourage you today: This storm will not last forever. You will emerge on the other side of this trial, and you will be stronger because the Lord stood by your side. Don’t give up. His promise is guaranteed. If you will praise Him in the midst of the raging tempest, and wait patiently for His intervention, He will send His grace, fight your battles, slay your giants, rebuke the devourer, grant your inheritance and reward your faithfulness.

The Lord is Your strong Tower and anchor in the midst of the storm. Ironically, in a physical storm the most peaceful spot is in the eye of the storm. Stay focus on Jesus !

100 Years of Accelerated Advancement of Man

100 years is a short time in human history, considering that from the first recorded history of Man till present time, it has been more than 6,000 years. I have often wondered why Man, who just 100 years ago was still riding horse carriages before Henry Ford invented the first commercial automobile the "T" model in 1908, could have advanced so fast. Here is just a quick summary of the advancement of Man through modern inventions that we have seen the past 100 years or so :

1. 1452 - Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press which started modernism and modern communication. This helps to accelerate Man's progress and information become more easily available through the newspaper.
   
2. 1876 - Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.
3. 1895 - Guglielmo Marconi sent the 1st radio signal in Italy.
4. 1903 - the Wright brothers flew an airplane at Kittyhawk.
   
5. 1908 - Henry Ford released the For Model "T" commercially.
6. 1927 - Philo Farnsworth invented modern T.V.
7. 1976 - Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniak created a homemade microprocessor board called Apple 1.
8. 1992 - yes, just in 1992 (16 years ago) internet access was made available to general public for the very first time.

The last 100 years also saw two World Wars which witnessed the slaughter and massacre of millions of Jews and brought about a return of these Jews from all corners of the world to their homeland and the formation of modern Israel in 1948.

Back to my earlier question : why only in these 100 years or so, did Man advanced at such an accelerated pace ? My take is this, it is all in God's time. There is a time and season for everything and it was not that Man was "less clever" for the past 5,900 years previously and are more "clever' now. In fact, scientists tell us that Man use so little of our brain matter and yet could be so creative. I believe that this wisdom and creativity is from God as He is in a hurry to redeem back the world unto Himself.

You see, with all these modern inventions especially Internet, the satellite broadcasts and modern media, the world could be reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ at an accelerated pace. In Matthew 24 : 14 it reads : " And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." As modernization accelerates the pace where information can be transmitted, the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be preached to the whole world through all these modern means and then the end will come where God in the form of Jesus Christ will come back to redeem the world from all its corruption and decay (read my earlier article on "Shaking").

Even so, we as Christians say : "Come Lord Jesus !" and we eagerly await the revelation of our immortal bodies as we are raptured (caught up) to meet the Lord in the air. One more question. Have you ever wondered why there are so many movies on UFOs and "Body Snatchers" ? Perhaps, this is the scheme of Satan to deceive the world to believe that when Christians are "raptured", Satan will probably say that the UFOs have abducted us. But we are not fooled for we know the timings of the Lord and as in 1 Thessalonians 4 :14 - 18 "We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words."

Time is fast fleeting, let us use it wisely and ask God to redeem time for us to use it for His Glory ! We are living in exciting times !

P/S History is my favourite subject ;-).

Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow

I finally got to watch "Kung Fu Panda" with my kids and it was a very entertaining movie ;-). One of the memorable quotes, out of the many in the movie, was one made by Oogway (US version of the Chinese tortoise) the Grand Master SiFu who said : "Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery and Today is a gift; that's why today is called Present."

We human beings are natural "worriers". Most of our worries are need driven and concerns our physical needs. The recent mad rush for petrol at the old price is testament to this fact. Well, RM1.92 per litre for petrol is history, and tomorrow's petrol price remains a mystery. So, be thankful for today that is is still RM2.70 ! There is wisdom in Oogway's quote and in the Bible we are also lovingly admonished by the Lord Jesus Christ to not worry about tomorrow.

We read this in Matthew Chapter 6 : 25 - 33

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Let us be thankful for the present (today's gift) and as we know Who holds tomorrow i.e. God, let us not worry ourselves and be stressed out. Let tomorrow worry about itself. Stay Blessed !

BN = "Barang Naik" & Food Crisis - We Need More "Joseph Anointing"

Before the March 2008 General Elections, a joke was circulating that the acronym for the ruling party Barisan Nasional - BN means "Barang Naik" (everything increase). True to its election "nickname", the BN's leader, Abdullah Badawi today announced a price increase of 78 sen per litre for petrol and Rm1 per litre for diesel. Next, he announced an 18% increase in tariff rates for electricity. We are really in a time of chaos economically having seen price increases in price of rice, flour, petrol, electricity and what else ? (I have lost count). :-(

In today's TheStar newspaper, the United Nations Chief warns of a "Food Crisis". He says that production of food must be up by 50% before 2030 to avert a food crisis. Will the food crisis menacing the lives of millions ease up, or grow worse ? The answer may be both as the stomachs of the hungry must also compete with the empty fuel tanks.

If one earns less than RM1,000 a month and have a family of 4, they are close to becoming paupers even if they ride a motorbike to work. With the meager income which goes to rental, food and fuel, there would be a "struggle" as to where and how to stretch the ringgit. These are hard times we are living in and what comes to memory is a famine which happened many many years ago globally.

There was a global famine and prior to that happening, God gave dreams to an Egyptian Pharaoh who did not know how to interpret those dreams. In one of those dreams, he dreamt that out of the river Nile came 7 cows fat and sllek and after them came 7 other cows ugly and skinny and they ate up th 7 fat cows. The second dream was : 7 heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. After that another 7 thin and scorched swallowed up the healthy ones. He could not interpret but a man of God named Joseph could.

He interpreted that the dreams are one and the same. There will be 7 years of plenty (those fat cows and healthy grain) followed by 7 years of famine (the other 7 thin cows and thin grain). God was warning the most powerful King of that era and time to get ready for severe famine. As Joseph's interpretation sounded right, Pharaoh appointed him Prime Minister, 2nd in command, over the land to manage food production and stock up for the lean years.

Yes, in these "lean years", let us pray that the powers that be has the "Joseph Anointing" and that all the world leaders will have wisdom to manage food production, natural resources, economy and human capital well. God is still on the throne ! Do not lose heart !

Whole Lot Of Shaking Going On

Today, I am considering the topic on “The Shaking of the Earth” and not necessarily to mean earthquake. This writing is based upon a passage in the Bible from Hebrews Chapter 12: 25See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29for our "God is a consuming fire."

This passage tends to sober us, because it speaks of the shaking of the heavens and of the earth. There is something chilling about the thought of the shaking of the earth. The Scriptures speak of a time, as we draw near to the end, when there will be a physical shaking of the earth. I do not think there is any doubt that we are presently in one of those shaking times, and have been for several years. We have entered into one of those perilous times when all that we would normally have counted as strong and steady is being shaken and overthrown. I don't mean events such as we saw last March -- the “tsunami win” of the Opposition parties in the General Elections. Such episodes have been almost continual in the record of human history. The toppling of thrones, the changing of empires, are really incidentals, not the essential developments. When I speak of the shaking of that which seems to be permanent I am talking about far more important matters.

What are the things being shaken today? First, and probably most evident to us right now, is the great shaking occurring in people's confidence in human government. Men who were selected for high office and who people were confident would make moral decisions, have proven to be untrustworthy. Yet everyone knows that these wrongful decisions were ones that they themselves might have made, had they been put in the same offices. The inability of our government, and of other governments in the world, to control the inflationary spiral, resulting in terribly high prices and the undermining of our economic foundations, has shaken people's confidence in government. We see ourselves in the grip of economic forces too vast to manipulate or to control. Even with the best of intentions and the widest of knowledge, men seem unable to reverse the trend of what is happening today. This represents a shaking of that which we thought to be solid and dependable.

As you are well aware, a very definite shaking of our time is evidenced in the change in moral standards. What we once thought were irrevocable, steadfast standards, by which any decent people would live, are now being challenged, overthrown, and cast out. We see a tremendous shaking in the very foundations of the nation, as families are breaking up and the divorce rate is skyrocketing -- not only in those marriages of a few years' standing, but increasingly in those which have endured more than twenty years. And we wonder what is happening to our family life as, more and more, the philosophy of the day is that marriage is not important at all. "Unmarriages" are springing up all over, in which people choose to live together without any legal ties. There is widespread acceptance of this kind of arrangement. And sexual explicitness has come into the media, graphically portraying now what never would have been allowed in public even a few years ago. We see the shaking of the foundations in this area.

And another subtle development today is the rise of the occult, the return to witchcraft, black arts, and the open and acknowledged worship of demons and dark powers which influence and possess men. The rise of outright demonic possession is being found on every side. As we look ahead we tend to be shaken ourselves by these shakings of the earth and of heaven. But this passage is intended to comfort us, for it says that this shaking comes from the hand of God. It is God who shakes the heavens and the earth, not the devil. He is only the instrument of God to do this. God is doing the shaking, and he is doing it for a very great purpose described for us in this passage:

"Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. {Heb 12:26b-27}

This is what God is working toward. He allows the shaking to come in order that what cannot be shaken may again become visible to men. One of the great encouragements of this day is to see that this is exactly what is happening. As the writer of Hebrews goes on to say, "28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful,," he underscores one of the things that cannot be shaken today: the sovereignty of God.

This truth is emerging today in a new and fresh way, more than at any time in my memory, as men are beginning again to see God's hand in history, God at work among men. You can see this fact emerging in all these areas I have just covered. For instance, in the nation, as a result of the shaking of the confidence in men who were elected to office, and the resulting distrust of the democratic process, there is gradually coming into this nation once again a consciousness that righteousness and truth are important, and an acknowledgment that no nation can really stand unless it is based upon a people who love justice and righteousness.

Even in the realm of morals this shaking has produced tremendously helpful developments. The shaking of the foundations of sexual morality is now beginning to produce an awareness of the true purpose of sex. Even churches, which have been so dead and dull in this area are now beginning to take a healthy view of sex and to teach their people what it was intended to be.

Out of the shaking is coming a realization of the things which remain and which cannot be shaken because they are based upon the fiat of God, the decrees of the Creator. One of the things which cannot be shaken is the realization again of the true nature of the church. It is so encouraging to see that Christian people are finally beginning to realize that the important thing about a church is not the building program. Just a few years ago churches were knocking each other over to see who could come up with the most expensive, luxurious building. They were bragging about the softness of their carpets and comfort of the pews, the lushness of the furnishings, and the newness of the electronic marvels available for amplifying voices. Now, fortunately, we hear very little about this, for there has come a return to the fact that the church is not a building but people. A church is not functioning properly simply because it pays its bills on time and is able to send money to support a missionary program. It functions only when its people share a real and genuine faith, visible in their neighborhoods, when homes are being healed and families are coming back together, when long-standing arguments and divisions between church members are being broken down and love is being manifested.

And this is true in the whole realm of righteousness. People are coming back again to an awareness that the only righteousness God will accept is that based upon his forgiveness. If there is any area of our life in which we have never been forgiven, it is there we are offending the Spirit of God. If there is an area about which we are saying, "Well, I've never done that kind of thing; I wouldn't do that!" it is there we are grievously hurting the Spirit of Truth. Righteousness consists of that gift of forgiveness which comes when one has known himself to be a sinner before God. That is why our uptightness about hair styles and modes of dress and ear plugs is disappearing. We are beginning to realize that these externals are not important; it is what we are in our hearts before God which matters. So the sovereignty of God and the centrality of the cross remain unshaken. The fact emerges again and again that human life is never realized until it comes to the end of itself.

That is what is emerging more and more in the shaking of our time -- that there is no hope in man, and there is no power in self, that dedication and discipline are not enough to find answers to the problems we face, that merely knowing the principles of life by which to act is inadequate, that the proper actions cannot be carried out except by a reliance upon the power of God at work within us to motivate us and empower us to do it.

Jesus assures his disciples again and again: "Be not troubled." "Let not your hearts be troubled." "Be not afraid." "Fear not, for I am with you."

This is the word which cannot be shaken today. What should our response be? The writer of Hebrews says two things: First, "Therefore let us be grateful" -- grateful hearts, praise and thanksgiving to God that we have a place to stand when all around is being shaken. Has your home been shaken this year? It is great to have a place to stand which cannot be shaken. When everything else begins to rock and shake, when our foundations are trembling and there is upheaval on every side, how grateful we ought to be for things which cannot be shaken.

Then the second thing -- not only grateful hearts, but responsive wills: "Let us offer to God acceptable worship”. Worship is the whole man aimed at God, the whole man looking toward him in thanksgiving and praise. And not occasionally, but continually. As Paul puts it in Romans 12, "... by the mercies of God ... present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual [acceptable] worship" {Rom 12:1b} -- bodies available to him, ready to respond to needs around us. That is what the acceptable worship of God is all about. "Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire." He envelops life like a great flame, burning away -- either destroying us or purifying us. Love is a fire. The love of God, touching our lives, is either going to burn us up and destroy us, break us apart in the shaking of the foundations, or it will steady us, strengthen us, establish us, and purify us, burning up the dross in our lives. This is the God with whom we have to do. So let us come to life with grateful hearts and responsive wills in the name of Jesus, in this hour of the shaking of earth and of heaven.

The China Earthquake…Karma In Action ?

By now, we could possibly have read about the actress Sharon Stone's comments made last week during the Cannes Film Festival red carpet interview concerning the earthquake in China : "I'm not happy about the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans because i don't think anyone should be unkind to anyone else," Sharon said. "And then this earthquake and all this stuff happened, and then I thought, is that karma ? When you're not nice that bad things happen to you ?"

That statement from her stirred a lot of reactions from various quarters with some sponsors/magazines calling for the immediate withdrawal of any advertisements featuring the actress. Well, as in real “Hollywood-styled” response, she apologized the next day but it was a wee bit too late. What does she know about “karma” or rather what has “karma” got to do with the earthquake anyway ? Karma is a Sanskrit term meaning action or deed, either physical or mental in Indic religions understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect (i.e., the cycle called samsara described in Hindu, Jian, Sikh and Buddhist philosophies.

From the natural or nature perspective, the earthquake in China was a result of a fracture in Earth’s rocky outer shell where sections of rock repeatedly slide past each other. Fault occurs in weak areas of Earth’s rock. Most faults lie beneath the surface of the Earth, but for some, like the San Andreas Fault in California, are visible on the surface. Stresses in Earth cause large blocks of rock along a fault to strain, or bend. When the stress on the rock becomes great enough, the rock breaks and snaps into a new position, causing the shaking of an earthquake. With the constant massive and accelerated developments happening in the world, earthquakes are just “time bombs” waiting to explode.

A simple analogy is this : imagine you stay in a huge bungalow on top of a hill with green trees and nice landscapes. Then, a highway is constructed by the side of the hill which involves piling work. Then, the Water Department comes and dig about 5 feet into the hill to lay pipes to supply water to a nearby housing estate. Next, a developer develops a block of condominiums right next to your bungalow and cuts the slope of the hill. In no time, there will be cracks or at least hairline cracks on the walls of your bungalow and if there continues to be more development around your bungalow, in no time, it may even crumble !

So, earthquakes to a great extent are caused by Man and through the years, Earth has suffered a great deal because of Man’s constant development and rape of “Mother Nature”. The Bible even predicts that in the last days (present time), as we read in the Gospel of Luke 21:9 “But when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified, for all these things must first occur, but the end is not at once.

Luke 21:10 And He (Jesus) said to them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

Luke 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in different places, and famines and plagues. And there shall be terrors and great signs from Heaven. “

In the past few years, we have seen numerous earthquakes, seen famines and plagues (remember S.A.R.S. ?), happening on our planet Earth. The Bible further states in Romans 8 : 19 - 22, “The creation waits in eager anticipation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” There will be more earthquakes to come as the earth groans for its liberation when the Lord Jesus Christ will come to restore her back to its original form. No more holes in the ozone, no more global warming, and no more tsunamis and we won’t be needing air-conditioning either !

Why does God allows these calamities ? We live in a “fallen world” plagued by sin and these are the consequences of our own doing to a very great extent. For example, if you jump off a 10 stories building, the only way to go is down due to the law of gravity. And, if you engage in sexual relationships with a prostitute with AIDS, you will be infected and even if you repent and God has forgiven you, the consequences of what you have done is that you will die of AIDS. Earthquakes will continue in greater measure and frequency as predicted in the Bible but there is hope as we know whom we have believed (i.e. the Lord Jesus Christ) and He will Deliver us through and even in death we still have the victory as we will immediately be ushered into His Presence.

God does not delight in the sufferings nor the death of Man but at the same time, He has given us the gift of “free will” as human beings. As in the original sin, Man continues to exercise his own free will and live out his life without God in the picture. Most of the deaths of the earthquake in China are that of children and we can take comfort (if at all) that when a child who is still in the age of innocence (i.e. he/she is incapable of deciding what faith to follow) dies, they will be automatically ushered into God’s Presence. Even those who died without knowing God, He is a fair and just God and will judge them very fairly. It is God’s desire that none of us human beings should ever perish as in the beginning in His plan of creation, we are to have an eternal life of fellowshipping, friendship and worship of Him.

For the Christian, we consider our present sufferings insignificant compared to the glory that will soon be revealed to us (Romans 8 : 18). Friend, you too can be His and reverse the curse of sin and decay of the world. Just invite the Lord Jesus Christ into your life and He will be your God and give you life and life more abundantly. I pray this will be your decision today.