Mark 9:21-24
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
I can almost see the incredulous look of Jesus when he states "if you can?" to the father of the boy who is possessed by the impure spirit.
How tragic is it to have a child possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech, and frequently attempts to kill the child. I cannot imagine how miserable life would be for the family.
Yet, this is such a huge (HUGE!), complex situation that one can only understand how nothing short of a miracle from God can provide the required deliverance. Who on earth can comfort the father or guarantee a solution when neither medical science nor the priests/disciples could do anything.
It's very human for anyone of us to see life in the impossibilities, as opposed to believe in bold faith. But Perhaps we don't have to have bold faith, because as seen in this example, we only need to look to God to say, I believe but I need help to overcome my weak belief of you.
I must share, that in this last few days, I've constantly prayed like the father because I sense that this jobless journey is ending soon. Yet, because I'm not sure 100% if this is just some positive thinking of my own mind, I'm always troubled with being too optimistic. In fact, I struggle with even trying to claim in faith because I tell myself not to count the eggs before they hatch - for one, I haven't even had a phone call for an interview and my job applications have stopped in the last 2 weeks!
Still, with a sense in me, errorneous or not (time will only tell), I know deliverance from this jobless state will come from God. So with the troubled mind of faith and doubt, I've learned how to weakly state Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief.
The God of all, is Lord of all.
M.
14 May 2014
08 May 2014
We may see but not understand
Mark 8: 17-21
Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied.“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.”
He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
Yesterday, as I read this story in Mark 8, it dawned upon me that Mark records both the feeding of the 5000 and 4000! Somehow, I always felt (wrongly I know) that they were the same story, just different interpretations from different authors of the gospels.
What's astounding to a casual reader would be the response of the disciples during the feeding of the 4000. Since this happened after the feeding of the 5000, and given Jesus' short 3.5 years ministry, surely the disciples would have remembered how Jesus was able to miraculously provide food using 5 small barely loaves and 2 fish. Yet, it was not so when the incident happens. Somehow, having experienced the great miracle once, they failed to grasp that Jesus can likewise continue to do the same miracle for the 4000.
Now, after reading the verses, it dawned upon me that I'm no better than the disciples. For all the lack of faith or blindness that I can point out of the disciples, I can likewise spot the same issue in my life.
In 1999, I waited for 1 year for God to provide me with a job. It was a year of waiting in fear as the dot.com bubble busted. From a period of waiting, it became panic as the months passed 6 months. However, all went well when I found myself employed in a job that eventually got me directed me to pursue my love for marketing. Similarly, in today's context, having lost my job, and applying for tons of jobs over the past 4 months, I'm faced with a situation where I have replies and still am wondering what is happening. Days like today, I have no appointments so I end up stoning at home and can say it does drive me nuts as I ponder of why my life is turning out like this. (whining moments of life)
How very feeble and small minded for us to have such a weak grasp of God's godliness. Yet, how good is God to not get frustrated and give up on us even when we don't see to understand that He is always more than able.
You see, the God who fed the 5000, also fed the 4000 with excess to spare. Excess that I believed pointed to His abundance. Somedays we really need to cry out, Lord help my unbelief!
He is more than able, amen.
M.
Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied.“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.”
He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
Yesterday, as I read this story in Mark 8, it dawned upon me that Mark records both the feeding of the 5000 and 4000! Somehow, I always felt (wrongly I know) that they were the same story, just different interpretations from different authors of the gospels.
What's astounding to a casual reader would be the response of the disciples during the feeding of the 4000. Since this happened after the feeding of the 5000, and given Jesus' short 3.5 years ministry, surely the disciples would have remembered how Jesus was able to miraculously provide food using 5 small barely loaves and 2 fish. Yet, it was not so when the incident happens. Somehow, having experienced the great miracle once, they failed to grasp that Jesus can likewise continue to do the same miracle for the 4000.
Now, after reading the verses, it dawned upon me that I'm no better than the disciples. For all the lack of faith or blindness that I can point out of the disciples, I can likewise spot the same issue in my life.
In 1999, I waited for 1 year for God to provide me with a job. It was a year of waiting in fear as the dot.com bubble busted. From a period of waiting, it became panic as the months passed 6 months. However, all went well when I found myself employed in a job that eventually got me directed me to pursue my love for marketing. Similarly, in today's context, having lost my job, and applying for tons of jobs over the past 4 months, I'm faced with a situation where I have replies and still am wondering what is happening. Days like today, I have no appointments so I end up stoning at home and can say it does drive me nuts as I ponder of why my life is turning out like this. (whining moments of life)
How very feeble and small minded for us to have such a weak grasp of God's godliness. Yet, how good is God to not get frustrated and give up on us even when we don't see to understand that He is always more than able.
You see, the God who fed the 5000, also fed the 4000 with excess to spare. Excess that I believed pointed to His abundance. Somedays we really need to cry out, Lord help my unbelief!
He is more than able, amen.
M.
02 May 2014
A reminder.
1 Thessalonians 4:16
For 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.
Yesterday, I visited the Tulipmania event in Garden's by the Bay.
As I look at all the pics of tulips that I took, I recall a conversation I had a year ago with Evelyn. She had just gone there and was marvelling at how amazing the conservatory was and how she had an annual pass and planned to go there regularly once she came out of her cancer treatment. I recall asking her via sms if that pass was something I could borrow so I could go in for free and of course, her quick answer was "no! just go and pay for yourself lah!".
As I wandered around the tulips yesterday, someone mentioned, someday in heaven it'll be like that, cool weather, beautiful flora and fauna. Paradise will simply be paradise.
It is almost a year ago, but because her facebook page shows her in the midst of the tulips, the fact that she was there amongst the tulips will always be immortalised. As I look at the pics of tulips that I took, boy does it affect me because I associate it with her and her love for what she saw last year. I can't help but realise that I miss her and the oft funny moments of blunt frank conversations we had.
Losing Evelyn was a big event to me last year. Simply because I lost her as I was in Taiwan on a business trip and was slogging myself amidst the news that she was in critical condition, and then to find out that she has passed away. After a full day that saw me through full meetings and a visit to the baseball event, I finally reached my hotel room of the president hotel, taipei and broke down.
There are days in my jobless phase that I wonder why the past 1 year has been so tough. As if losing lives was not hard enough, somedays I feel so defeated for being in a listless stage. Yet, I'm reminded that this is but a temporary phase of life. Someday, the Lord will return and take us back to paradise and we will get to meet all who had gone before us.
Eve, I assume heaven has many nicer flowers that you are enjoying now, but this I took is for you. Until the day we meet, I must always remind myself to live the days of my life well lest I get scolded by you someday.
M.
For 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.
Yesterday, I visited the Tulipmania event in Garden's by the Bay.
As I look at all the pics of tulips that I took, I recall a conversation I had a year ago with Evelyn. She had just gone there and was marvelling at how amazing the conservatory was and how she had an annual pass and planned to go there regularly once she came out of her cancer treatment. I recall asking her via sms if that pass was something I could borrow so I could go in for free and of course, her quick answer was "no! just go and pay for yourself lah!".
As I wandered around the tulips yesterday, someone mentioned, someday in heaven it'll be like that, cool weather, beautiful flora and fauna. Paradise will simply be paradise.
It is almost a year ago, but because her facebook page shows her in the midst of the tulips, the fact that she was there amongst the tulips will always be immortalised. As I look at the pics of tulips that I took, boy does it affect me because I associate it with her and her love for what she saw last year. I can't help but realise that I miss her and the oft funny moments of blunt frank conversations we had.
Losing Evelyn was a big event to me last year. Simply because I lost her as I was in Taiwan on a business trip and was slogging myself amidst the news that she was in critical condition, and then to find out that she has passed away. After a full day that saw me through full meetings and a visit to the baseball event, I finally reached my hotel room of the president hotel, taipei and broke down.
There are days in my jobless phase that I wonder why the past 1 year has been so tough. As if losing lives was not hard enough, somedays I feel so defeated for being in a listless stage. Yet, I'm reminded that this is but a temporary phase of life. Someday, the Lord will return and take us back to paradise and we will get to meet all who had gone before us.
Eve, I assume heaven has many nicer flowers that you are enjoying now, but this I took is for you. Until the day we meet, I must always remind myself to live the days of my life well lest I get scolded by you someday.
M.
16 April 2014
Illogical to me
John 9:1-3
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
Sometimes, we never really know why things happen to us the way it does. What seems illogical is when there is no cause and effect, or when bad things happen to regular folks who do not seem to deserve what life throws at them.
We can scratch our heads and ponder all day long, but things just happen as God decrees. This does not mean that God dictates tragedies to be in people's lives as He would deem it like a game. In His sovereignty, our minds cannot fanthom why things happen. But, one can rest assured that nothing happens without God knowing or His purpose being doubted.
In all the bad and horrid matters that life can throw at us, God is always with us. Yes, that even includes the tempests of bad news, the stillness of a stagnant moment or in the pains of physical ailments. God may never grant us the full picture of why things happen, but know that if we trust Him to work in our life, what is displayed in our life will always show that God is God almighty of our lives.
M.
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
Sometimes, we never really know why things happen to us the way it does. What seems illogical is when there is no cause and effect, or when bad things happen to regular folks who do not seem to deserve what life throws at them.
We can scratch our heads and ponder all day long, but things just happen as God decrees. This does not mean that God dictates tragedies to be in people's lives as He would deem it like a game. In His sovereignty, our minds cannot fanthom why things happen. But, one can rest assured that nothing happens without God knowing or His purpose being doubted.
In all the bad and horrid matters that life can throw at us, God is always with us. Yes, that even includes the tempests of bad news, the stillness of a stagnant moment or in the pains of physical ailments. God may never grant us the full picture of why things happen, but know that if we trust Him to work in our life, what is displayed in our life will always show that God is God almighty of our lives.
M.
03 April 2014
Be clear about what God promised.
Genesis 15:2-4
But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.”
Genesis 16:1-4
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.
I never realised that Abram had only heard directly the details of him having a son through Sarai after he had agreed to take Hagar as his concubine and she conceived Ismael. He was 86 years old when Ismael was born.
The right lineage that God wanted to bless Abram was through his union with Sarai, not Hagar.
As I trawled through the various chapters of Genesis to make sense of the timelines of actions, I only realised that it was very interesting to see that much earlier, God had revealed to Abram that he would be blessed with a heir. However, there wasn't any accurate details of how the heir would be birth from, until much later when Abram was 99 years old.
The key I realised it when God promised Abram of a heir of his own flesh and blood, he should have realised it would be a perfect promise. The heir would naturally come from his union with Sarai. However, how easy it is for us to not trevail before God for the promises He had spoken to us. In a moment of folly, Abram made a grave mistake by using human logic and accepting Sarai good intentions.
I can fully attest to how in a moment of waiting for awhile, the restlessness will kick in and suddenly, we'll do anything and everything that seems humanly logical. Therefore, to see the example of Abram is of great reminder to me even as I live through the current phase of waiting for God's provision of a job.
When I was in the early stages of my job loss, with high levels of faith, I knew that this would be the greatest thing that had happened to me. It would not be a troubling time, but one which I knew God had allowed in my life. Therefore, it was going to be purposeful.
However, as time ticked and the salary disappeared, and all the interesting jobs that I yeared for never materialised, I'm suddenly in a 4 month slump. The past interviews made me realised that I'm now willing to settle for less. Compromise is starting to be the name of the game so long as I am able to get started with work. What a different change of confidence and character when the spirit is unnerved by how life ticks by.
Today, before I leave for a short holiday in Bangkok. I found myself staring at some job postings and wanting to spam them with my resume. Even though I'm not 80% satisfied with what the role is about, I almost wanted to apply for it and hope for some form of response by next week. Such is the desperation of the moment that I would be willing to suffer should I get these as my next job. Afterall, I told myself, that I've already applied for the seemingly ideal ones and there wasn't any replies. Why be picky and stubborn.
I only stopped myself because something in me made me want to find out how Ismael was created. As I read and understood the scenario, I now know better. If God made a promise, even if it's high level without the nitty gritty facts, it's key for us to trevail before Him so we can see His promise come to pass. Not use what our minds, what good intentions that is told by others.
His ways are the best, and would also cause the least issues for us in the future. Surely, we must believe that if this good God created the earth with all the amazing intricacies of creation, He can and will do a great work in our lives. Afterall, we are created in His image and placed just below the heavenly.
So, I'm stopping all these non-ideal applications, I'm going to go to Bangkok to enjoy myself with Daniel. But I'm also going to trevail in prayers to see God's promise for my job materialise eventually. If He told me to "stand still and wait and see", I should really entrust my fears and hopes to Him.
M.
But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.”
Genesis 16:1-4
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.
I never realised that Abram had only heard directly the details of him having a son through Sarai after he had agreed to take Hagar as his concubine and she conceived Ismael. He was 86 years old when Ismael was born.
The right lineage that God wanted to bless Abram was through his union with Sarai, not Hagar.
As I trawled through the various chapters of Genesis to make sense of the timelines of actions, I only realised that it was very interesting to see that much earlier, God had revealed to Abram that he would be blessed with a heir. However, there wasn't any accurate details of how the heir would be birth from, until much later when Abram was 99 years old.
The key I realised it when God promised Abram of a heir of his own flesh and blood, he should have realised it would be a perfect promise. The heir would naturally come from his union with Sarai. However, how easy it is for us to not trevail before God for the promises He had spoken to us. In a moment of folly, Abram made a grave mistake by using human logic and accepting Sarai good intentions.
I can fully attest to how in a moment of waiting for awhile, the restlessness will kick in and suddenly, we'll do anything and everything that seems humanly logical. Therefore, to see the example of Abram is of great reminder to me even as I live through the current phase of waiting for God's provision of a job.
When I was in the early stages of my job loss, with high levels of faith, I knew that this would be the greatest thing that had happened to me. It would not be a troubling time, but one which I knew God had allowed in my life. Therefore, it was going to be purposeful.
However, as time ticked and the salary disappeared, and all the interesting jobs that I yeared for never materialised, I'm suddenly in a 4 month slump. The past interviews made me realised that I'm now willing to settle for less. Compromise is starting to be the name of the game so long as I am able to get started with work. What a different change of confidence and character when the spirit is unnerved by how life ticks by.
Today, before I leave for a short holiday in Bangkok. I found myself staring at some job postings and wanting to spam them with my resume. Even though I'm not 80% satisfied with what the role is about, I almost wanted to apply for it and hope for some form of response by next week. Such is the desperation of the moment that I would be willing to suffer should I get these as my next job. Afterall, I told myself, that I've already applied for the seemingly ideal ones and there wasn't any replies. Why be picky and stubborn.
I only stopped myself because something in me made me want to find out how Ismael was created. As I read and understood the scenario, I now know better. If God made a promise, even if it's high level without the nitty gritty facts, it's key for us to trevail before Him so we can see His promise come to pass. Not use what our minds, what good intentions that is told by others.
His ways are the best, and would also cause the least issues for us in the future. Surely, we must believe that if this good God created the earth with all the amazing intricacies of creation, He can and will do a great work in our lives. Afterall, we are created in His image and placed just below the heavenly.
So, I'm stopping all these non-ideal applications, I'm going to go to Bangkok to enjoy myself with Daniel. But I'm also going to trevail in prayers to see God's promise for my job materialise eventually. If He told me to "stand still and wait and see", I should really entrust my fears and hopes to Him.
M.
26 March 2014
Feeble hands strengthened
Isaiah 35:3
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way
The glory and splendor of God will provide strength to feeble hands and will make wobbly knees stready. This is because God provides the super natural to our frail human conditions.
We are often so easily defeated by all we see and experience in life. I know because today, I went for another interview and as time ticked, I was informed that there was no perfect fit given my lack of experience in one crucial requirement that they needed.
Just one closed door and my spirit crumbles. Well, not just one closed door, it was a door that I was hoping for because the three months I've gone through in the start of the year seems to yield no success as time goes by.
It's so easy to look at anything laid before and think that it would be the opened, promise door. Yet, when it isn't, it's incredibly discouraging to look at the empty beyond.
However, for such a time like this, it is important to behold the promise that God will come to save as He did for His people of the days long ago.
The greatest honour is to someday be able to witness God at work, restoring and redeeming us from our current life crisis. God be praised.
M.
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way
The glory and splendor of God will provide strength to feeble hands and will make wobbly knees stready. This is because God provides the super natural to our frail human conditions.
We are often so easily defeated by all we see and experience in life. I know because today, I went for another interview and as time ticked, I was informed that there was no perfect fit given my lack of experience in one crucial requirement that they needed.
Just one closed door and my spirit crumbles. Well, not just one closed door, it was a door that I was hoping for because the three months I've gone through in the start of the year seems to yield no success as time goes by.
It's so easy to look at anything laid before and think that it would be the opened, promise door. Yet, when it isn't, it's incredibly discouraging to look at the empty beyond.
However, for such a time like this, it is important to behold the promise that God will come to save as He did for His people of the days long ago.
The greatest honour is to someday be able to witness God at work, restoring and redeeming us from our current life crisis. God be praised.
M.
24 March 2014
Treasure inside us
2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
As I reflect on this verse, I realise how little I cherish of what God has placed in me the moment I made the choice to recieve my salvation in Jesus Christ.
I'm amazed at the boldness of how Paul states the fact that though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. This is really becuase the all-surpassing power of God lives in us and we need to only recognise and accept in faith.
How easy it is for us to get emotional, weak and affected by all that our eyes see, our bodies feel, and what our mind says. For the God who creates us is always perceived in our limited understanding. Some call it spiritual anemia where we forget that God is God and we arrogantly expect God to be there to do our bidding, answer our prayers and to bless us. It is one thing to recognise that God is in us and another to put God as a being who goes before us just to make our life smooth.
What good is the treasure inside us if God is not glorified? Enough of mediocrity and living life in an uneventful mode. Surely, you and I can start to see that God has given us the power to impact the lives of others around us.
M.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
As I reflect on this verse, I realise how little I cherish of what God has placed in me the moment I made the choice to recieve my salvation in Jesus Christ.
I'm amazed at the boldness of how Paul states the fact that though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. This is really becuase the all-surpassing power of God lives in us and we need to only recognise and accept in faith.
How easy it is for us to get emotional, weak and affected by all that our eyes see, our bodies feel, and what our mind says. For the God who creates us is always perceived in our limited understanding. Some call it spiritual anemia where we forget that God is God and we arrogantly expect God to be there to do our bidding, answer our prayers and to bless us. It is one thing to recognise that God is in us and another to put God as a being who goes before us just to make our life smooth.
What good is the treasure inside us if God is not glorified? Enough of mediocrity and living life in an uneventful mode. Surely, you and I can start to see that God has given us the power to impact the lives of others around us.
M.