1Kings 17:14: Jug Oil vs Gulf Oil

In this beginning of this year 2010, I started on studying Elijah and amongst one of the readings was the Widow's oil at Zarephath.
On 20/4/2010, the Horizon Deepwater oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico.

Today, 7/6/2010, as I am still writing, the cap on the blown-out well in the Gulf is capturing a half-million gallons a day, or anywhere from one-third to three-quarters of the oil spewing from the bottom of the sea. Do you know 1 gallon is 4.5 litres?? Our car uses up about 1 litre for every 10km and right now it cost about S$2/ per litre Here in S'pore?

I used to scuba dive. I cannot fathom undertaking repair jobs under the sea. Those who dive would know what I mean. How does one stop the unending leak from the seabed? Real problem. Both ways man had it! Toxic oil flowing from under the sea and the counteractive chemicals poured in to the sea to try to stop the oil from spreading.
Immeasureable repercussions we see in months down the lane!

I felt lousy over the weekend.

1 Kings 17:14 LORD, the God of Irsael says ..." and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land"

Reflections:

The jug oil of Elijah gives life but the Gulf oil in Mexico is death.

We need to pray for the hand of mercy of our Father.

This gulf oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.

The widow at Zarephath reminds us that that place is one of polishing.

Let's us be reminded of who we are and where we are heading to in life.

The God of the universe is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. May we humble ourselves and repent and turn to Him, pray and seek His face.

He is the source of peace in the midst of such turmoil on our planet earth.

Daniel 12:4 I-Tunes, I-Phones,I-C? Cloud Computing

Daniel 12:4 But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."


Quite curious about the little note that the late Goh KS (passed on in May 2010) had sent out as test response on Noah during his term in the Defence ministry. Surprising all who received couldn't even be bothered to think about the note and merely just forwarded it except for one. Sounds familiar? Because of the techno advance, mankind is bombarded with hundreds or thousands of mails a day. Urgent vs important , junk vs spam messages can be lost in transit. We skimp through the subject line (WHAT? )and screen off the senders (WHO?) before reading. No choice right?


Today, we can attach files, send photos via the email or skype or mobile phone in split seconds to another person in another place on the globe so long as they have the internet connection. Many organisations are migrating to the use of" cloud computing". Less hardware reliance and all unto the webbased internet site. Even our CPF site had gone into this migration just this year . Yes, Cloud computing - a new phase of the IT world introduced only recently about 2007. And recently China ranked second in terms of achieving/building the supercomputer system.

My reflections: The 3 "I"s

• I-Tunes?

We are indeed seeing the prophesy of Daniel 12 coming to pass. Knowledge indeed comes to us in instant I-phones or I-pads. The I- thing is the In-thing and is here to stay. What exactly are we downloading in our I-tunes? Are we too busy to be able to have our spiritual antenna to be In-tune with our Father?

• I-Phone?

I change to using an I-phone just last month. It was a fascinating phone. Led me to think about this Cloud computing stuff hosting the monstrosity data base in the http://www.U know something? God spoke to Moses in Ex19:9 " I am going to come to you in a dense cloud so that the people will hear me speaking with you." Is this a sign of end times? God is here in the Cloud computing era! Ha Ha! The evangelistic focus and method has also changed over times. Unreached people groups are now able to be reached in a different platform with today's techno advancement? Can you hear "WHO" is speaking and "WHAT" He is saying? Do u know who to call in times of need?

• I-C ?

What does the nationality says on your I-C (Identification card?). Which country are you born in? Or are you merely holding on to just a Permanent Residence or Green card whatever? Are you sulking because you cannot buy your dream house here due to the escalating property bubble? Well I can only thank God that He is preparing our mansion is in Heaven. Gen 9:14" Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all the living creatures of every kind.."

Well well, so lift up our eyes to the sky.. U will see clouds in all kinds of shapes and sizes ..cloud watching can be fun.. God guided the Israelites in the pillar of cloud in the day. He is with us always. That's His covenantal Cloud promise with Noah. Now U C? I-C!

Is40:28: Creator God

Isaiah 40:28 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

Who is God? In Isaiah 40 Questions asked:-

To whom will you compare God?

Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

Listen to this song "You are God alone" by Hillsong:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoGHog7Keak&feature=related

Reflections :
The LORD asks of us to lift up our eyes to the heavens to enquire " who created all these? At night sometimes I stand in awe of those twinkling little stars from my balcony. I am humbled. My Creator God calls them out by name and none was missing.
How can I not feel loved? He created me from my mother's womb. Surely He is who He says He is. He is my Everlasting God.

Heb12:29:God- Consuming Fire

These are recent photos of the Iceland volcano photos - erupted in May 2010. It created chaos unprecendented in airtraffic history.

I am reminded of Heb12:18. We have not come to a mountain than can be touched and that is burning with fire...(like this scary looking fire spitting volcano!)..But we have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. God burns. He consumes.

What does it mean when we say "for our God is a consuming fire?"

What does it mean when God says "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens?"

What does it mean when we say that "we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken?"

I am reminded to be thankful since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. His grace. His everlasting love and faithfulness throughout generations. So worship God acceptably with reverence and awe! Look at the Iceland volcano!! Wow!

Hillsong: Consuming fire
Verse 1:There must be more than this,oh breath of God come breath within

There must be more than this,Spirit of God we wait for you

Fill us anew we prayFill us anew we pray

Chorus:

Consuming Fire, Fan into flame

a passion for your name

Spirit of God fall in this place

Lord have ur way Lord have ur way with us

Verse 2:Come like a rushing wind

Fill us with power from on high

Now set the captives free

leave us abandoned to your praise

Lord let your glory fallLord let your glory fall

Jer 31:3 Everlasting God

Jer 31:3 "The LORD will manifest himself to me. He will say to me 'I have loved you with an everlasting love. That is why I have continued to be faithful to you'"

Indeed the Lord is faithful. This shot was taken on 3/5/2010 outside the balcony at 6:58am. Awesome rays of reminder of who He is. Jer 10:10 says that The LORD is the only true God. He is the living and the everlasting king. Whe he shows his anger, the earth shakes. None of the nations can stand his fury.
Everlasting God...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxifqtpW4H4&feature=related

Inside out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2bXfNj3dvk

The temples don't usually "go out"?

05:55 AM Apr 19, 2010 Today papersSINGAPORE - Religious beliefs must remain private and should not be imposed on others - but it can be used to promote good values that all can agree on, said Law Minister K Shanmugam.....On the roles of temples, Mr Shanmugam said they see themselves as providers of religious service so people come to temples, and the temples don't usually "go out". He said they can perform a wider role, emphasising education, healthy living.



Reflections:

This is one of the most interesting comments made by the Law minister in S'pore. I couldn't help but to think of the role of believers in the light of his comments. And of course the PRIVATE vs the PUBLIC side to our beliefs. The recent environment in fact does not augur well indeed. What is sensitive and what is not? What is imposing and what is encroachment and what is not?



Firstly....

ON TEMPLES!

• Acts 17:24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.
  
  Matthew 12:6 6I tell you that one greater than the temple is here
  
  John 2:18Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?"
  19Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."
  20The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
  
  1 Cor 3:9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.16Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 17If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
  
  1 Cor 6:19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
  
  2 Cor 6:For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."17"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. 18"I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
  
  Eph 2:19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
  
  Rev 21: 22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple 3"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

That rests our case. The "temples" don't usually go out??



That brings us to the second point :-

ON PRIVATE VS PUBLIC FAITH!

• Matt 5: Salt and Light
  13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
  14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
  
  Luke 11 The Lamp of the Body
  33"No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you."
  
  John 8:12[ The Validity of Jesus' Testimony ] When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
  
  John 12:36Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light."


• Acts 13:47For this is what the Lord has commanded us: " 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.' "
  
  Acts 26:23that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."
  
  Eph 5: 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them..... 15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
  1 Thessalonians 5:5You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness

There goes again. Rest my case.



Challenging times ahead indeed - being a moving temple where the Holy Spirit dwells and shining forth the light as an influence to others!!

Are we merely living so as to provide a 'religious service' to others?

Are we doing or being?

Are we remembering the Lord of the work or the work of the Lord?

Remember the Lord's declaration " I am the light of the world"
Remember his exortation " You are the light of the world"

Here's a story about the candlelight!
It is about three children and the inheritance. Father decides to set the test of who can fill the large barn in two days with a given sum of money. One buys straw, another bracken but the youngest seems to arrive with nothing. On the morning of the test one corner of the barn is filled with straw, another is filled with bracken. The youngest son stands in the middle. Father questions each...... The youngest asks for the doors to be closed, lights a candle and fills the barn with light... and as it is burning, sings a song. Her father tells her that she has filled the room three times over. She has filled it with light, and light is knowledge. She has filled it with song and song is joy. And knowledge and joy together make wisdom!

'Don't impose beliefs on others'

'Don't impose beliefs on others'
Interactions in society should be secular, says Law Minister

by Alicia Wong
05:55 AM Apr 19, 2010 Today papers
SINGAPORE - Religious beliefs must remain private and should not be imposed on others - but it can be used to promote good values that all can agree on, said Law Minister K Shanmugam.Mr Shanmugam, who is also the Second Minister for Home Affairs, was speaking to reporters after the Sree Maha Mariamman Temple's consecration ceremony yesterday, which saw over 30,000 devotees turning up for prayers from as early as 6am.Interaction in society, he said, should be based on secular values and arguments, as it would be difficult for people to accept arguments based on another person's religious beliefs. But, Mr Shanmugam added, "if you put forward that argument on the basis it is in the best interest of the community and put it forward on a logical secular basis, then people can accept it".His comments came after Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng spoke last week on concerns over how religious groups were increasingly holding worship events at commercial venues, being involved in business and getting more assertive in evangelising. Mr Shanmugam said such concerns do not "quite apply to temples yet", but increasingly, religiosity is a global trend and Singapore was no exception. He added: "What is important is that there remains a personal space, and we create as large a secular space as possible for us to be able to interact with each other."Also touching on the issue of common and private space yesterday, while celebrating the Tamil New Year with residents in Pasir Ris, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said each community must have its own space in order to practise its own culture, traditions and beliefs. "But we must also subscribe to a wider common space among all of us where we come together as Singaporeans ... And these common spaces are precious for all of us, just as each community's own space is precious for that community."On the roles of temples, Mr Shanmugam said they see themselves as providers of religious service so people come to temples, and the temples don't usually "go out". He said they can perform a wider role, emphasising education, healthy living.