Genesis 17 :13
"A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
Last saturday was one of those rare Saturdays which I was able to attend service because I wasn't needed to help out in Living Springs. During the sermon, Ps Alvin asked this question to everyone, "what would make you happy?".
When questioned, 'money' was one of the immediate answers that was volunteered. I must say that I was rather disgusted with the honest answer and am still rather repulsed by the bluntness by which it revealed the spirit behind it all. I'm not asking for a politically correct answer like good health, but I did wish for a righteous answer that would arise from people who really sought for the right thing. Simply because the mouth only speaks/proclaims what comes from the overflow of the heart, so if the spirit of all was right, the answer would be too.
We will always need money, good grades, companionship, favour and everything that would make this life's existence better. But beyond that, we're only here for a temporal purpose. When I read the above verse, I'm reminded that we are like the slaves of Abraham purchased for a price. The differnnce is we have been purchased by something worth more than money - the blood of Christ. How can any of us in church therefore feel that we are lacking in wealth to make us happier then? If your instinctive answer to happiness is something earthly, may the Lord circumcise your heart and let you know who you belong to.
With a microcosmic and earthly mentality to life, it's really no wonder why so few live victorious lives. If we're only focusing on money and worldly stuff to bring us meaning in life, then I think life is really sad and the life that we are tasked to live as a Child of God is really an underperforming one.
This was my answer to the question: "I wish that all my Rangers live an amazing God fearing life that fulfils the destiny and potential that I glimpsed. That they would grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ until the day they make it through heaven's gate."
May you recognise that just as Abraham's slaves and family were promised God's everlasting covenant, so is your life. But until you decide to seek therefore the kingdom of God, you'll never grasp the concept of how your life is to be full of joy and abundance.
blessings,
M.
And He said to them, "When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?" They said, "No, nothing." (Luke 22:35)
05 February 2008
04 February 2008
God First
2 Samuel 6:2, 3
"He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God....They set the ark of God on a new cart."
We all know the story of Uzzah who was struck dead when he put forth his hand to the ark of God when the cart stumbled. It is important to note the cause of this sitaution was because David did not do the right thing.
When David sought to move the ark of God, nothing is said of David "seeking the Lord." He did what he did with good intentions and on his own planning. But, the act of moving the ark of God was a very solemn and sacred occasion that must be observed by the explicit directions God had given.
In today's context, we don't have the ark of God to move, however should we also not tread carefully what we do for God and for our lives? If God's blessing is not sought before we start, how can it be rightly expected? If prayer does not precede our best actions, what will they amount to? If, in any of our ways, God does not have "preeminence," we should not be surprised if they lead to disaster.
David's desire was holy, his purpose was pure, his objective to honor God was proper, but he went about it in the ways of man rather than following the precepts of God, and the results were devastating. It is not sufficient to have a worthy purpose and a proper spirit; the work of God and our walk with God must be done in God's prescribed way. Anything other than that is but the expression of self-will.
I am reminded today of the many times which we errorneously live our lives ahead of God. Just like the way we say grace for our meals; "thank you God for the food, bless it in Jesus name, amen".How often do we practice such a prayer in our lives as we plan what we want to do and then throw in a prayer later to ask God to cover or bless our decisions.
May you and I awake to the reality that God is not a backseat driver of our lives, nor does He serve the role of blessing what we pray for. Our heavenly father loves to have us seek Him first ahead of any small or big decisions that we will undertake, however small or unimportant it is.
blessings,
M.
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:1212 )
"He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God....They set the ark of God on a new cart."
We all know the story of Uzzah who was struck dead when he put forth his hand to the ark of God when the cart stumbled. It is important to note the cause of this sitaution was because David did not do the right thing.
When David sought to move the ark of God, nothing is said of David "seeking the Lord." He did what he did with good intentions and on his own planning. But, the act of moving the ark of God was a very solemn and sacred occasion that must be observed by the explicit directions God had given.
In today's context, we don't have the ark of God to move, however should we also not tread carefully what we do for God and for our lives? If God's blessing is not sought before we start, how can it be rightly expected? If prayer does not precede our best actions, what will they amount to? If, in any of our ways, God does not have "preeminence," we should not be surprised if they lead to disaster.
David's desire was holy, his purpose was pure, his objective to honor God was proper, but he went about it in the ways of man rather than following the precepts of God, and the results were devastating. It is not sufficient to have a worthy purpose and a proper spirit; the work of God and our walk with God must be done in God's prescribed way. Anything other than that is but the expression of self-will.
I am reminded today of the many times which we errorneously live our lives ahead of God. Just like the way we say grace for our meals; "thank you God for the food, bless it in Jesus name, amen".How often do we practice such a prayer in our lives as we plan what we want to do and then throw in a prayer later to ask God to cover or bless our decisions.
May you and I awake to the reality that God is not a backseat driver of our lives, nor does He serve the role of blessing what we pray for. Our heavenly father loves to have us seek Him first ahead of any small or big decisions that we will undertake, however small or unimportant it is.
blessings,
M.
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:1212 )
25 January 2008
Asking for More Rain
Zechariah 10:1
Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Last sunday night this verse was shared in the 80 A/G anniversary dinner. It was an eye opening and factual encounter as I revelled in this available promise - To ask for rain in the time of the latter rain.
In the bible we hear about former and latter rain. The former refers to rain during autumn, which allows the farmer to plow the land and plant the seed. The latter rain is the rain that falls in spring and wets the ground, allowing the seed to break out of its shell and germinate.
Why ask for rain during the slated raining season? For us who often live through the wet monsoon days of december, it's really akin to asking for more rain in the ever rainy days. In the logical, we can only imagine it as a superfluous request since the monsoon will naturally already have lotsa rainy days.
When I heard this verse, a positive kiasu mentality took over me. Why didn't I think of it? How often it is that we in a contented mode assuming that things will happen the way it is meant to, afterall many times what more can we do? Like the song in "my fair lady' says : without your pushing and the tide comes in, without your twirling and the earth will spin.
However, in the things of God everything works differently. Especially when we see ourselves as a farmer awaiting the seeds which we have planted anad hope will come to complete fruition. Perhaps it is a life which we are interceeding for God's salvation, or it may be a promise of excelling well in life even as we faithfully do what we are called by God. I'm sure there are heaps of good stuff which we scatter like seeds and hope that it'll all come to pass someday and we can excitedly praise God for.
In this verse, I am reminded to not have a complacent attitude but rather to always have a persistant asking attitude. Afterall this verse clearly states our entitlement to ask the Lord for rain in the latter rain days. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bless me verse of asking and asking for everything under the sun and what we want. It's about us who have already done the "farming", "plowing" and "scattering" and are just now waiting. Don't wait passively and assume it'll be done. Let us open our mouths to ask for the Lord to bless all that has been done. For him to pour forth rain that would shower every single blade of grass in the field. Don't worry, there can never be so much rain from the Lord that it would drown/destroy the labour we have done.
May you learn to take up the due inheritance due to you and ask God to rain down on the works and promises which you are awaiting.
blessings,
M.
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." ( James 5:7)
Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Last sunday night this verse was shared in the 80 A/G anniversary dinner. It was an eye opening and factual encounter as I revelled in this available promise - To ask for rain in the time of the latter rain.
In the bible we hear about former and latter rain. The former refers to rain during autumn, which allows the farmer to plow the land and plant the seed. The latter rain is the rain that falls in spring and wets the ground, allowing the seed to break out of its shell and germinate.
Why ask for rain during the slated raining season? For us who often live through the wet monsoon days of december, it's really akin to asking for more rain in the ever rainy days. In the logical, we can only imagine it as a superfluous request since the monsoon will naturally already have lotsa rainy days.
When I heard this verse, a positive kiasu mentality took over me. Why didn't I think of it? How often it is that we in a contented mode assuming that things will happen the way it is meant to, afterall many times what more can we do? Like the song in "my fair lady' says : without your pushing and the tide comes in, without your twirling and the earth will spin.
However, in the things of God everything works differently. Especially when we see ourselves as a farmer awaiting the seeds which we have planted anad hope will come to complete fruition. Perhaps it is a life which we are interceeding for God's salvation, or it may be a promise of excelling well in life even as we faithfully do what we are called by God. I'm sure there are heaps of good stuff which we scatter like seeds and hope that it'll all come to pass someday and we can excitedly praise God for.
In this verse, I am reminded to not have a complacent attitude but rather to always have a persistant asking attitude. Afterall this verse clearly states our entitlement to ask the Lord for rain in the latter rain days. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bless me verse of asking and asking for everything under the sun and what we want. It's about us who have already done the "farming", "plowing" and "scattering" and are just now waiting. Don't wait passively and assume it'll be done. Let us open our mouths to ask for the Lord to bless all that has been done. For him to pour forth rain that would shower every single blade of grass in the field. Don't worry, there can never be so much rain from the Lord that it would drown/destroy the labour we have done.
May you learn to take up the due inheritance due to you and ask God to rain down on the works and promises which you are awaiting.
blessings,
M.
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." ( James 5:7)
15 January 2008
Worship comes first.
Matthew 4:8-10
Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
I read this in a email devotional snippet and it raise one interesting point. That all service for Him is to flow out of worship. No worship=no service.
In Matthew 4, when Jesus was alone in the wilderness, the devil tempted him with all the material wealth and power. It must have been a tempting option as the journey Christ was to walk was one of servanthood and to serve and not be exalted. He could have been distracted by the promises but Jesus examplified to us the way out of life's distraction is to worship the Lord our God.
Worship lifts us from the miry perspective of our condition and self. As we lift our hands in surrender and choose to exault God above our situation and issues, nothing else on earth matters more. In fact, the soul feeds on glamour, pride and achievements, but during worship, our spirit in renewed and the soul's desire is religated.
As we move onwards into the weeks of this year, let us remember to come back to worship frequently - if possible, daily. Before we can serve God or even live through the secular days, worship must always come before. When the worship wanes, service to God and life becomes a drag and takes it's toll on us. We sigh more, sulk more, feel exhausted easily and walk with weary feet. Why? simply because the Holy Spirit does not energize our vision and persepective.
May you and I choose to life our eyes and hands in daily surrender as we worship the Almighty God. Then will we serve God and live life with vigour.
blessings,
M.
"He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen. "(Deuteronomy 10:21)
Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
I read this in a email devotional snippet and it raise one interesting point. That all service for Him is to flow out of worship. No worship=no service.
In Matthew 4, when Jesus was alone in the wilderness, the devil tempted him with all the material wealth and power. It must have been a tempting option as the journey Christ was to walk was one of servanthood and to serve and not be exalted. He could have been distracted by the promises but Jesus examplified to us the way out of life's distraction is to worship the Lord our God.
Worship lifts us from the miry perspective of our condition and self. As we lift our hands in surrender and choose to exault God above our situation and issues, nothing else on earth matters more. In fact, the soul feeds on glamour, pride and achievements, but during worship, our spirit in renewed and the soul's desire is religated.
As we move onwards into the weeks of this year, let us remember to come back to worship frequently - if possible, daily. Before we can serve God or even live through the secular days, worship must always come before. When the worship wanes, service to God and life becomes a drag and takes it's toll on us. We sigh more, sulk more, feel exhausted easily and walk with weary feet. Why? simply because the Holy Spirit does not energize our vision and persepective.
May you and I choose to life our eyes and hands in daily surrender as we worship the Almighty God. Then will we serve God and live life with vigour.
blessings,
M.
"He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen. "(Deuteronomy 10:21)
01 January 2008
Don't neglect the house of God in 2008
Nehemiah 10:39
The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and oil to the storerooms where the articles for the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the singers stay.
"We will not neglect the house of our God."
In a flash 2007 has gone and this is the first day of the new year. I'm not clear what the next 364 days would bring and how it would impact my life, but one thing I'm dead sure about 2008 is the numerous challenges, and the ups and downs which will follow suit.
Hindsight is always perfect, but when we are in the midst of the storms of life in 2008, like any other year, it'll seem to be a long and dreary struggle. Not to find ourselves jaded even before we attempt to walk into the early days of the new year, I really like for us to embrace the ending part of the verse in Nehemiah 10:39 - that we will never neglect the house of God.
There are 2 ways which I interprete the verse to apply it to us this year. The physical house of God (the church), and the living house of God (our bodies).
In Nehemiah 10, God’s people made an oath, vowing to follow all the commands, laws, and regulations of the Lord. There's a lot of things which the people promised that they would do and it is really similiar to what you and I aspire to accomplish as we desire to keep close to God. However, we're really people of short term memory and often our fallen nature results in us stumbling and struggling through life. In spite of this, I pray that in 2008 we always remember to never surrender the inheritance that we have as children of God. We may be downcast by life's problems, but we are never destroyed because God is our Hope and strength.
Similiarly, from studies, projects, ministries, work, projects, activities and even recreation, we'll surely be busy doing all the tasks and stuff of life. So I pray that we inscribe it in our heart the need of remembrance to not neglect coming every week to the house of God to find rest. The world will surely wear us down, but only in the house of God can we find solace and strength that would restore our soul. Remember that our journey in life is only transient and we are made for greater purpose. May you recognise the thruth that our soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; our heart and my flesh cry out for the living God and only He can satisfy.
The journey is only beginning. May the Lord strengthen our footsteps as we quicken the pace and live as overcomers in 2008. May we never neglect the house of God.
blessings,
M.
"My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside." (Job 23:11)
The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and oil to the storerooms where the articles for the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the singers stay.
"We will not neglect the house of our God."
In a flash 2007 has gone and this is the first day of the new year. I'm not clear what the next 364 days would bring and how it would impact my life, but one thing I'm dead sure about 2008 is the numerous challenges, and the ups and downs which will follow suit.
Hindsight is always perfect, but when we are in the midst of the storms of life in 2008, like any other year, it'll seem to be a long and dreary struggle. Not to find ourselves jaded even before we attempt to walk into the early days of the new year, I really like for us to embrace the ending part of the verse in Nehemiah 10:39 - that we will never neglect the house of God.
There are 2 ways which I interprete the verse to apply it to us this year. The physical house of God (the church), and the living house of God (our bodies).
In Nehemiah 10, God’s people made an oath, vowing to follow all the commands, laws, and regulations of the Lord. There's a lot of things which the people promised that they would do and it is really similiar to what you and I aspire to accomplish as we desire to keep close to God. However, we're really people of short term memory and often our fallen nature results in us stumbling and struggling through life. In spite of this, I pray that in 2008 we always remember to never surrender the inheritance that we have as children of God. We may be downcast by life's problems, but we are never destroyed because God is our Hope and strength.
Similiarly, from studies, projects, ministries, work, projects, activities and even recreation, we'll surely be busy doing all the tasks and stuff of life. So I pray that we inscribe it in our heart the need of remembrance to not neglect coming every week to the house of God to find rest. The world will surely wear us down, but only in the house of God can we find solace and strength that would restore our soul. Remember that our journey in life is only transient and we are made for greater purpose. May you recognise the thruth that our soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; our heart and my flesh cry out for the living God and only He can satisfy.
The journey is only beginning. May the Lord strengthen our footsteps as we quicken the pace and live as overcomers in 2008. May we never neglect the house of God.
blessings,
M.
"My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside." (Job 23:11)
26 December 2007
Good tidings of great joy to ALL
Luke 2:10
"And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people"
I am also deeply grateful for those rare handwritten notes from individuals that have been written from their heart because they strike the cord of my heart and means more than any physical gift given to me.
On this day after Christmas, I'm at work feeling totally exhausted and looking really terrible. I am really looking forward to some time to rest and recharge. Gift giving is extremely emotional draining when we attempt to not only think of what is usable or appropriate, but importantly what to write on the card.
With age comes mellowing of character and a deeper introspective thoughts of what Christmas really means to me and how I like to celebrate it next year. As I review it all today, somehow, this year, there was so many gifts to give and to 'swap' gifts that I'm wondering if we have lost the cosyness of sharing our love in a deep and meaningful way and replaced it with getting gifts because the occasion dictates it.
Don't get me wrong, I love getting gifts! I'm grateful to be in a ministry where I have so many to give gifts to and receive from. I'm deeply convinced that on this designated day called Christmas is when we rejoice over the birth of Jesus because it signalled that Salvation for man is here through the infinite love and grace of God. However, I wondered to myself if the massive gift giving exchange exercise which transpired yesterday made many others felt left out. In the hustle and bustle of lugging gifts, I observed that there were many "left out" individuals who were barely receiving anything. Especially when we measure Christmas as how loved we are by the number of gifts we get, it can be very miserable for some, especially youths.
As I carry home my 2 bags of presents, and such thoughts were racing through my mind, I really wished that I should have spent a bit more time and money to get gifts for more out-of-clique individuals. I know that my close friends would not have minded if I got them cheaper gifts if they knew that my money was to get better gifts for the out-of-clique individuals. In fact, I also wished that I could have asked my rangers to not give me a gift, but instead transfer my gift for a designated individual which I would appoint to them. Afterall, when Jesus came to the world, He brought about good tidings of great joy to ALL.
Today, I feel that we haven't really done enough to echo this gospel truth of the birth of Christ. Our gift giving exercise yesterday seemed to have evolved into an overly inclusive friendship-gift-giving exercise that excludes and isolates others. Yes, the gifts which we gave is to express our love to our friends, but conversely it also covey the message that if you don't receive much or any gifts, you aren't very loved and appreciated. If this is how some felt, truely Christmas would be a lonely and miserable day.
In my life, I've been blessed when I received gifts from people I never expected because it meant that I am someone and this person knows of my existance. Likewise, I too truely believe that as we grow deeper in Christ, we need to bring joy of our Christmas celebrations to those not in our inner circle, where a thoughful surprise gift from us could mean so much to them.
For all that we sing and proclaim in our carolling: "Joy to the world, the Lord is come!". I aspire to make some changes in the way the love of Christmas is to be shared. Similiarly, I pray you will celebrate the love of Christmas differently and reach out to many others, come next year.
blessings,
M.
"As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. Rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." (Colossians 2: 6)
20 December 2007
2007 ends - the close of one chapter of life
Ecclesiastes 11:1
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
This has been an encouraging promise to many involved in the ministry of God's Word especially if those involved in the work of an Apostle or a Missionary. This is also the verse that has blessed me as I end the current season of my life and move on into 2008.
It's been a good seven years that I've served handling youths in Faith Rangers and I've seen lives come and grow, as well as lives come and go. I would have never started the journey and left the comfort zone of teaching Pioneer kids if the Lord has not placed in me the challenge to take on and help to keep Teens to make them into Godly men.
The road has been bumpy but somehow not of turmoil. I've learnt much, fumbled much, lost much, gained much and changed much. In this time, I learnt to see the potential of a teen for the desitiny which he is capable of achieving and not just what he thinks he can achieve or what I could physically see. I've also learnt to give and be generous with my money, time and love. I also thank God for enlarging the giftings and tents of my life when he challenged me to embrace the need for looking after the teenage girls who had no commander to look after. As the first batch of Ranger girls graduated, I gratefully thanked God for empowering me to lead a mixed gender Expedition Rangers programme, inspite of the fact that I was alone and I knew that a man is limited in the ways to bring up and impact a girls life.
Along the way, I was blessed with the company of matured National RR staff who gave me timely encouragement and shared their wisdom and lives with me. I'm most grateful for the prophetic blessing of God in my life as He revealed to me the potential of the lives I handled and gave me different purposes to fulfil. For all that I planned, He made it come to pass and opened the ways for me to serve the plans which he planted in my heart. I would have never imagined that as the years went by, fellow peers would also arise to co-serve beside me and share my burdens.
I'm blessed when I look back at the labour of my effort and I testify that it's really not of my own strength nor effort. All the results achieved and glory is really of God and not of mine to boast of. I'm very blessed by God's grace to have been the chosen vessel because I had the choice to not do it when He first asked.
But deep in my heart, as I approached the closing of this season of my life, I became rather disappointed with what I critically saw as I felt that the work on every Ranger whom I've taught and am teaching is not there yet. Somehow it seems that some retardation has taken place and the work as 2007 comes to an end seems to be somewhat off-track. What I see today, sadly, is not the complete vision which has been placed in my heart in 2004.
Placed in my heart is a vision of past and present rangers standing tall, each as giant tree with full green foilage.(That's also explains this blog's body text background which I chose) I envision a forest of them standing powerfully and impressively before man, constantly impacting people and bringing glory to the kingdom of God. They will lead uncompromising lives of excellence, understand the heart-beat of God to reach the unsaved and take upon themselves an eager servant heart to serve, evangelise and reach out to each other with initiative and without complaints.
As the days became weeks and a series of events occurred before me, with much personal struggle and deliberation, I had resigned myself to accept the lack of fruition of this vision and decided to shelf this personal vision aside. I was resigned to move on in disappointment as I saw the doors which the Lord had opened for me in the coming year. However, through the grace of God, one day the Lord ministered to me the verse of Ecclesiastes 11:1. As I read the verse, it brough to me a renewed sense of hope that someday I will come back to find the bread which I've casted. It wasn't a lost cause as I had imagined. Importantly, as the days came by, I'm once again reminded that it is only what HE does through us that will count for eternity and is for His glory, not what we do for Him.
I grateful for His timely personal encouragment on my life and the comfort of hope which He provided to mend my personal disappointments. Truely I serve a God of Hope who provides me with the hope to move on. I know and choose to confess that nothing done for God is ever in vain and the promises of the Lord are true and amen. Someday, I will come back to find the bread which I've casted and give God the glory for the work done. In the meantime, I constantly encourage myself as I step out of my comfort zone and proceed into the 'unknown' challenges of 2008.
Today, I'm truly grateful to be chosen to be a part of God's timing and plans these past years and I sincerely bless every life that has passed through me. May they grow up to achieve the awesome Godly-purposed destiny which the Lord had willed for them the day they were born. Blessed be the name of the Lord!
with love and blessings
M.
"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."(Ephesians 4:1-3)
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
This has been an encouraging promise to many involved in the ministry of God's Word especially if those involved in the work of an Apostle or a Missionary. This is also the verse that has blessed me as I end the current season of my life and move on into 2008.
It's been a good seven years that I've served handling youths in Faith Rangers and I've seen lives come and grow, as well as lives come and go. I would have never started the journey and left the comfort zone of teaching Pioneer kids if the Lord has not placed in me the challenge to take on and help to keep Teens to make them into Godly men.
The road has been bumpy but somehow not of turmoil. I've learnt much, fumbled much, lost much, gained much and changed much. In this time, I learnt to see the potential of a teen for the desitiny which he is capable of achieving and not just what he thinks he can achieve or what I could physically see. I've also learnt to give and be generous with my money, time and love. I also thank God for enlarging the giftings and tents of my life when he challenged me to embrace the need for looking after the teenage girls who had no commander to look after. As the first batch of Ranger girls graduated, I gratefully thanked God for empowering me to lead a mixed gender Expedition Rangers programme, inspite of the fact that I was alone and I knew that a man is limited in the ways to bring up and impact a girls life.
Along the way, I was blessed with the company of matured National RR staff who gave me timely encouragement and shared their wisdom and lives with me. I'm most grateful for the prophetic blessing of God in my life as He revealed to me the potential of the lives I handled and gave me different purposes to fulfil. For all that I planned, He made it come to pass and opened the ways for me to serve the plans which he planted in my heart. I would have never imagined that as the years went by, fellow peers would also arise to co-serve beside me and share my burdens.
I'm blessed when I look back at the labour of my effort and I testify that it's really not of my own strength nor effort. All the results achieved and glory is really of God and not of mine to boast of. I'm very blessed by God's grace to have been the chosen vessel because I had the choice to not do it when He first asked.
But deep in my heart, as I approached the closing of this season of my life, I became rather disappointed with what I critically saw as I felt that the work on every Ranger whom I've taught and am teaching is not there yet. Somehow it seems that some retardation has taken place and the work as 2007 comes to an end seems to be somewhat off-track. What I see today, sadly, is not the complete vision which has been placed in my heart in 2004.
Placed in my heart is a vision of past and present rangers standing tall, each as giant tree with full green foilage.(That's also explains this blog's body text background which I chose) I envision a forest of them standing powerfully and impressively before man, constantly impacting people and bringing glory to the kingdom of God. They will lead uncompromising lives of excellence, understand the heart-beat of God to reach the unsaved and take upon themselves an eager servant heart to serve, evangelise and reach out to each other with initiative and without complaints.
As the days became weeks and a series of events occurred before me, with much personal struggle and deliberation, I had resigned myself to accept the lack of fruition of this vision and decided to shelf this personal vision aside. I was resigned to move on in disappointment as I saw the doors which the Lord had opened for me in the coming year. However, through the grace of God, one day the Lord ministered to me the verse of Ecclesiastes 11:1. As I read the verse, it brough to me a renewed sense of hope that someday I will come back to find the bread which I've casted. It wasn't a lost cause as I had imagined. Importantly, as the days came by, I'm once again reminded that it is only what HE does through us that will count for eternity and is for His glory, not what we do for Him.
I grateful for His timely personal encouragment on my life and the comfort of hope which He provided to mend my personal disappointments. Truely I serve a God of Hope who provides me with the hope to move on. I know and choose to confess that nothing done for God is ever in vain and the promises of the Lord are true and amen. Someday, I will come back to find the bread which I've casted and give God the glory for the work done. In the meantime, I constantly encourage myself as I step out of my comfort zone and proceed into the 'unknown' challenges of 2008.
Today, I'm truly grateful to be chosen to be a part of God's timing and plans these past years and I sincerely bless every life that has passed through me. May they grow up to achieve the awesome Godly-purposed destiny which the Lord had willed for them the day they were born. Blessed be the name of the Lord!
with love and blessings
M.
"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."(Ephesians 4:1-3)